The farmer's long-awaited new toy has arrived today and he has played with it all afternoon.
You can see it in the photographs - arriving on the low-loader, being unloaded by the farmer in his tractor (I must say it was pretty scary seeing him backing up that ramp to the lorry.) Then I took a photograph as he passed the kitchen window, tootling off to the top pasture.
In case you don't know what it is (clue: I have not mentioned manure on this blog for at least a fortnight) it is a slurry spreader/tanker. That means it sucks up the liquid manure (which includes the water from any washing out of cowsheds) stores it in the tank and then - on command- shoots it out into a spray across the field. If you haven't caught the sharp edge of this when driving past a field then you haven't lived! It is (or rather was) a bright royal blue - but after three tootles it is already showing signs of splattering.
What is really making me laugh is that our neighbour, Steve, has also got a new slurry tanker - his is red - and guess what - he is also spreading this afternoon, so they are riding up and down adjacent fields spreading like mad. Don't tell me that farmers grow up into men - they are all boys at heart with their great big machines.
Hello Weaver,
ReplyDeleteRed is so appropriate for the festive season! But I like the farmer's blue one. Pity the bright shininess can't last. Glad I'm upwind!
What a super toy Weaver - you'd never have got it into the farmer's Christmas stocking! I hope the two farmers never fall out or it will be muck spreaders at dawn!!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, big boys and their toys indeed. A picture of the two boys spreading in neighbor fields with their shiney new toys would be hilarious.
ReplyDeleteIt's miserable miserable wet weather here, some of what you've already experienced. Think I'm gonna bake.
Reminds me of when my dad retired and he got an air compressor. You cannot imagine a happier man than my father with a brand new (and on sale, too!) air compressor.
ReplyDeleteYou are exactly right. Guys love these big machines.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have a manure spreader that was pulled behind the tractor. Joking aside, it did a very good job of some dirty work.
I'll second that last sentence, mine at the moment is wanting a new tractor, but will just have to wait 'till nex July and financial year.
ReplyDeleteMy city boy's man toy is a blower! It blows leaves and stuff like that a bit like a reverse vacuum cleaner. Makes an awful noise and covers everything with dust but all men seem to love them!
ReplyDeleteCheers
I think these two spreaders should have names (and faces?) like Thomas the Tank Engine!
ReplyDeletehi weaver - it'd make a neat video to see the two lads from the air in speeded up footage as their red and blue wagons race up and down the fields! have a lovely evening in the dale. steven
ReplyDeleteLovely post Weaver, we are in the thick of it up here at the moment too.
ReplyDeleteThough I must say my heart is with the Forage Harvesters...
My word verification for this comment is "pressed". I guess "sprayed" might have been more to the point. With the red and blue, the farmer and his neighbor must have looked very patriotic! It's good the sprayer arrived when it did. It was too big a toy for under the tree! Thanks for spreading the news, Weaver! =D
ReplyDeleteAha! Indeed a great toy!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Thomas the tank, you could call yours Steve the slurry truck. I suspect the other trains and trucks might want to steer clear, however bright and shiny his coat of paint.
ReplyDeleteMy engineering husband just gets bigger and noisier power tools!! You are right, they all have to have their toys - he has an air compressor too. Our previous dog was terrified of it, but we haven't started it since Jock appeared on the scene, can't imagine him being frightened though. I would love to see the video of the two muck spreaders!! Cheers,
ReplyDeleteRobin
LOL, a very visual post. Plus, I can smell it, too, but can't think of the word for that.
ReplyDeleteHope Tess is behaving? Tim and ted send tail wags.
xxPat
Your comments made me smile. So much so that I am recommending that the farmer paint a smily face on the side of his tanker. As for calling it a name - I think he often calls it a name when something goes wrong - but maybe not a name I could publicise!
ReplyDeleteThanks as usual for all you have to say.
If your husband's anything like our Next Door farmer, then he will have had his mates round to show it off to them! When he got his Uni-Mog there was a queue to check it out!! Bet your husband's like a dog with two tails now, especially as he can compare notes with the farmer with the RED one!
ReplyDeleteOh the smell! You didn't mention the smell! lol! We live in a farming community and can recognise who is tootling along in the tractors by the way they drive! lol! We are always right!
ReplyDeleteI hope he hasn't got it dirty!!!
ReplyDeleteOh lovely poo spreader!! It's so blue, but not for long I guess!! Happy farmer.
ReplyDelete