Pick-Up

Some may remember back in 2015when I borrowed/tested a digger from sheep farmer friend Karl. A weird implement that he had put together using various parts from various machines. Incredibly heavy and somewhat "run down" but it was an interesting test for me and my old small John Deere.

Karl had tried selling it but nobody took it up. The scrap steel market had collapsed and so he suggested I could more or less have it for free but should try it out and if it didn't work out, he would come and pick it up.

I tried it out and as such, it worked fine but it stretched my tractor to the very limit.  Alone lifting it off the ground was only possible using the bucket hydraulic to do so and then lock the hydraulic to keep it in place. Digging a hole in a field was fine but I got very nervous anywhere near a ditch which was one of the jobs I expected to do more often.

I had got the digger mid-September, did some work with it but then stopped for the winter. In Spring 2016 as I was thinking about restarting, my tractor motor died and it wasn't until well into Summer that I got a new used motor. However, for whatever reason ( I think I spent most of Summer 2016 in the hospital) I didn't get around to hitching up the digger and another winter was upon us. In 2017 we spent months of spring and early summer doing our house roof and .......

In that time I had seldom visited Karl, I think last in August 2016 when the children were here and we popped by. Since late 2016, Karl had phoned several times and said he wanted around €900 for it which I couldn't afford/justify. He said he would come around one day and pick it up.

Eventually, in the last couple of days, he dropped in and arranged someone would come by to collect it. He had also dropped in on Sunday to measure up the task. Also, someone who has got to know Karl recently and been told he can have it "as good as for nothing, we'll discuss the price later".

Johannes a nice young guy who lives not far away, works for the State Forestry and has a small holding with sheep and a few ponies. As he's a technical freak, he is very well kitted out with I think three tractors; a Deutz DX, this Fendt 365GT and a Mercedes Benz MB Trac.


As the hydraulics have suffered from sitting around since 2015 (Karl is no fussy about what fluid he used and I think there was about 50% water which had frozen at some point and disconnected a couple of jints), I had suggested Johannes pick it up on a trailer. His Fendt had no problem picking it up. I forgot to get details but he I think it's from the 1980s and he paid around €25,000 for it 8 years ago.

As an old-timer freak, he asked to see my John Deere and interestingly the first thing he said was that the rear wheels were too small and not standard. That explains a number of things to me and good to know. Not sure I can do anything to rectify it (cost) but will keep a look out in case I happen to see the right ones being scrapped.

In other news, today was the first anniversary of our PV system being attached to the electricity network. For the last 365 days we have:

Produced 9,083 kWh of electricity (Projected May 2017 8,874 kWh)
Sold 3,582 kWh equivalent to 39% (Projected May 2017: 40%)
Bought 1,862 kWh (Average last 16 years 6,000 kWh)
Total electricity usage 7,127 kWh.

While it's a bit difficult matching up some of the numbers as we have the 10 kWh battery to also consider, it is very pleasing to see that although our annual total electricity usage has increased by over1,000 kWh from the average of the last 16 years, our purchased electricity has decreased by over two thirds. AND one needs to remember that we are also saving a large amount on our wood pellet central heating/water boiler as the PV now heats the water for around 6 months of the year. AND I have to admit we have become very lazy with use of washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher.

But I think we can probably have done a small bit to improve our environmental record. We have covered our use and produced enough to cover a second "normal" family house's consumption. I'm sure someone can find some fake facts in my logic but I feel it's been worthwhile even if not a money spinner. I suspect the income from the sold electricity does little more than cover the interest payments and the bought electricity savings will just cover the monthly repayments/amortisation.

So don't expect me to be whizzing around in a big 4WD monster tractor anytime in the near (20-year) future.

After Johannes left, the rain arrived and put an end to PV production, possibly for much of the next 24 hours. Lots of flood warnings in Bavaria and some pretty nasty hail damage yesterday in many parts. However, the rain is finally seeing an end to the hot humid thundery weather of the last weeks. Tomorrow, temperatures in the low teens. Interestingly in middle Europe, the time between the 4th and 20th June is renowned for this phenomenon known as "Schafskälte" or "Sheeps Cold" as it can be dangerous for the sheep that have just been shorn and particularly those held at higher altitudes. (Snowfall mentioned in the weather forecast for the Alps). The effect is caused by the change from the land being warmer than the water. Apparently, the records show around 90% reliability of this cold period and 11th June being the most likely day.

At least something (someone) playing to the rulebook, unlike two notable politicians, May & Trump. However, all will be well as May has been telling us she will be jumping into bed with Trump and strengthening the special relationship. It's great to have politicians with principals. I hope they have fun.