Farming is always a nail-biter. The weather is rarely perfect. After some monsoon-like rains, we are now experiencing a drought so bad that there have been many combine fires in the area caused by dry harvest material igniting on heated combine parts. This can be scary stuff.
If you’ve kept up with the news at all, farm margins are the worst in 20 years. One way we’ve kept competitive is to keep our machinery costs lower than most by keeping and maintaining a “vintage” fleet of John Deere equipment. If you’ve followed this blog you know we have nothing but John Deere equipment and we have the right to repair as these pieces are older than 2014.
We are nearing the finish line, with only two loads of beans left to harvest and then a few issues pop up that could slow us down. A hydraulic filter that had been advertised to last three years develops a seal leak after only one year. Because it was to be a long-lasting filter, we don’t one on-hand in the shop. The John Deere parts store is 25 miles away. Luckily, we have a neighbor who has one.

John Deere is the largest ag machinery manufacturer in the world. Their saying, “Nothing runs like a Deere” is true for us, as we’ve kept our vintage equipment in top-running order for decades, keeping our operating costs lower than most.
It is also discovered that the bottom of the grain tank has sprung a leak. Grain escaping through a hole is a yield loss, and you don’t want holes in your combine, it’s just plain ugly. A text is sent to the John Deere Parts Guy and they have one on hand. It’s decision time. Do we take a full day to get inside the grain tank, clean it out, and re-insert the part, or use one of the greatest inventions of all time…Duct Tape?

Of course, we choose the Duct Tape. After the harvest is done today, we can then leisurely replace the part.


If you haven’t tried Ultimate Gorilla Duct Tape, it’s a must-try! Before the Gorilla Duct Tape was invented, we used 100 mph military tape. After thoroughly cleaning the area, a liberal amount of Ultimate Gorilla Duct Tape is applied. It holds beautifully, and the harvest continues to roll along!
Now, if only grain prices go up and the rain roll in…
Be Blessed!
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