WTNUT
5 year old buck +
Last weekend I returned to my plotting roots. I needed to plant a little over 20 acres of “hunting plots” (1-1.5 acre plots over which we hunt), but my new no-till drill had not been delivered.
My basics consisted of a Massey Ferguson chisel plow, Allis Chalmers 2300 disc, Brillion Cultipacker, Harrogator and a very special M96 Herd Seeder. The Herd Seeder is a very sentimental piece of equipment I picked up 19 years, a few thousand acres, and nine (9) tractors ago. I had just purchased my first farm and tractor and was looking for good used plotting equipment.
An advertisement in a local market bulletin listed a Herd Seeder for $75. In my neck of the woods Herd Seeders were as rare as hens teeth and when one came up for sale it was junk years before it came up for sale. Nevertheless, I decided to call. The gentleman - and I emphasize the word “gentleman” - said he was downsizing and it was a “well maintained” seeder with many acres left in it. I decided to take a drive. Worst case I would be out a couple hours of time and back then I had more time than money.
When I arrived at his brick ranch style home everything around him was well kept and behind his house was the nicest alfalfa I had ever seen. Tuns out he owned 40 acres that adjoined the river and grew alfalfa which he square baled and sold to horse stables.
We took my truck to his barn. When I entered it only took a second to realize I was in a special place. He had the seeder setting out and promptly showed it to me. It was an older model and showed signs of use, but was in fabulous shape. This gentleman obviously was of my grandfathers vintage - buy something well built and take care of it in a way that makes it a lifetime investment. He understood the value of cleaning the seeder after using it, greasing it frequently, and using grease, oil and diesel fuel to prevent rust on the parts that were not galvanized.
I immediately told him I would be honored to purchase the seeder, but that it was worth more than $75. He never missed a beat and caught me off guard as he would do on many occasions over the next 5 years. He said “son I know it is and I appreciate you telling me, but $75 is fine. I have 87,000 miles on me”. After complimenting him on his barn and other equipment he invited me to look around. Everything he owned was maintained in a way that surpassed anything I had ever seen as an adult.
We talked and I learned he did not plan on planting anymore alfalfa after his current stand played out and he was trying to find homes for his equipment. He said his son lived in Chicago and his daughter in Atlanta; neither having an interest in the 40 acres he had cleared by hand years ago or the equipment he had acquired.
I noted a Brillion cultipacker across the way. It still had plenty of original paint on it and not a spec of dirt or dust on it. I asked if it might be for sale. He said “well since I am not planting another stand, I would say yes. How about another $75”. Once again, I remind him the piece was worth more than $75. His response was “You young whipper snappers are kind of slow. Have you already forgotten I got 87,000 miles on me?” We laughed and struck a deal.
Over the next 5 or so years, I stopped by to see him every time I was in that part of the state. In the winter, I would stay longer and learned a lot about farming and life. During that time, I purchased nearly every piece of equipment he owned.
I used that Herd Seeder to seed my plots last weekend and when I finished I cleaned it, greased it, sprayed it with diesel fuel and stored in inside. Today, I don’t use much of what I purchased from him because the scale of my plotting has increased making it somewhat impractical. But every single item I purchased from him remains in my shop, clean and well kept as if it was his because it was his. None will be sold anytime soon, but if I ever get 87,000 miles on me and run into a respectful young whipper snapper wanting to learn about plotting then maybe it will find an new home. For now, I enjoy that seeder more than any piece in my shop.
Has anyone every helped you with the price of equipment or in some other way? If so, lets hear about it.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
My basics consisted of a Massey Ferguson chisel plow, Allis Chalmers 2300 disc, Brillion Cultipacker, Harrogator and a very special M96 Herd Seeder. The Herd Seeder is a very sentimental piece of equipment I picked up 19 years, a few thousand acres, and nine (9) tractors ago. I had just purchased my first farm and tractor and was looking for good used plotting equipment.
An advertisement in a local market bulletin listed a Herd Seeder for $75. In my neck of the woods Herd Seeders were as rare as hens teeth and when one came up for sale it was junk years before it came up for sale. Nevertheless, I decided to call. The gentleman - and I emphasize the word “gentleman” - said he was downsizing and it was a “well maintained” seeder with many acres left in it. I decided to take a drive. Worst case I would be out a couple hours of time and back then I had more time than money.
When I arrived at his brick ranch style home everything around him was well kept and behind his house was the nicest alfalfa I had ever seen. Tuns out he owned 40 acres that adjoined the river and grew alfalfa which he square baled and sold to horse stables.
We took my truck to his barn. When I entered it only took a second to realize I was in a special place. He had the seeder setting out and promptly showed it to me. It was an older model and showed signs of use, but was in fabulous shape. This gentleman obviously was of my grandfathers vintage - buy something well built and take care of it in a way that makes it a lifetime investment. He understood the value of cleaning the seeder after using it, greasing it frequently, and using grease, oil and diesel fuel to prevent rust on the parts that were not galvanized.
I immediately told him I would be honored to purchase the seeder, but that it was worth more than $75. He never missed a beat and caught me off guard as he would do on many occasions over the next 5 years. He said “son I know it is and I appreciate you telling me, but $75 is fine. I have 87,000 miles on me”. After complimenting him on his barn and other equipment he invited me to look around. Everything he owned was maintained in a way that surpassed anything I had ever seen as an adult.
We talked and I learned he did not plan on planting anymore alfalfa after his current stand played out and he was trying to find homes for his equipment. He said his son lived in Chicago and his daughter in Atlanta; neither having an interest in the 40 acres he had cleared by hand years ago or the equipment he had acquired.
I noted a Brillion cultipacker across the way. It still had plenty of original paint on it and not a spec of dirt or dust on it. I asked if it might be for sale. He said “well since I am not planting another stand, I would say yes. How about another $75”. Once again, I remind him the piece was worth more than $75. His response was “You young whipper snappers are kind of slow. Have you already forgotten I got 87,000 miles on me?” We laughed and struck a deal.
Over the next 5 or so years, I stopped by to see him every time I was in that part of the state. In the winter, I would stay longer and learned a lot about farming and life. During that time, I purchased nearly every piece of equipment he owned.
I used that Herd Seeder to seed my plots last weekend and when I finished I cleaned it, greased it, sprayed it with diesel fuel and stored in inside. Today, I don’t use much of what I purchased from him because the scale of my plotting has increased making it somewhat impractical. But every single item I purchased from him remains in my shop, clean and well kept as if it was his because it was his. None will be sold anytime soon, but if I ever get 87,000 miles on me and run into a respectful young whipper snapper wanting to learn about plotting then maybe it will find an new home. For now, I enjoy that seeder more than any piece in my shop.
Has anyone every helped you with the price of equipment or in some other way? If so, lets hear about it.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
