Dairyland Driftings

Many readers will recall HARDY LINDBLAD'S super heated 60 Case; it was pressed into service threshing two jobs last fall.

JOHN HANSON from Lewis was still using his 3090 Russell number 16003 for sawing lumber last October.

By no means have I been in the market for another thresh machine, but got lead on a 24x42 wood Huber in near perfect shape, couldn't resist buying it, has slat stacker, tally box with measures, and Langdon feeder, that should make a nice mate for my Titan come fall. It was bought new in 1920 and powered by a gas engine.

Made a trip north after a forlorn Fordson that had set in a shed for a decade or more along Highway 35. Wheels were sunk in the dirt, gas tank and radiator splattered with residue from consecutive years of Phoebes nesting overhead, come spring they will wonder who took their 'cellmate.' Well its got a good home, but as for its restoration that's a pending project. It had been used in the cut-over country south of Superior for breaking land and at one time tipped over backwards in an effort to pull a pine stump. The former owner George Farmer is still around to tell the story. Before I drop the Fordson story, sometime ago ADOLPH MATTSON from Webster told me that in order to move a cold Fordson take off the 4 cap screws holding the hitch and pull out the worm gear. This was a very easy process and simplified matters immensely.

Scouting around for old-iron I came upon a 'Hooverizer' Threshing machine, a steel framed, wood machine complete with all attachments. This bachelor also has an eight roll Appleton Corn Shredder with geared blower apparently in good shape, but who shreds corn, except me? Got to inquire about Hooverizer machines, sounded like some political aspect involved. I gathered that Herbert Hoover was Food-Administrator during the first World War. In effort to stress economy and preserve food, the public was called on to 'Hooverize,' six people riding in one car or five guys lighting a smoke on one match etc. Regulations were set up that grain bundle wagons must have tight bottoms and 4 inch sides to save grain gleanings and many grain saving attachments were made and sold for threshing machines to satisfy the cause. If I'm correctly informed the Hooverizer was the first thresher built by John Deere.

The Teacher had been explaining the story of Jonah and the Whale, 'Now then' she asked the class 'What does this story teach us?' Little Johnny pipes up 'it teaches you can't keep a good man down.'

HARVEY OBRECHT'S from Thor Iowa stopped in on their annual vacation. He is a steam fan and up on locomotives; we made a trip to Trap Rock quarry at Dresser where steam is almost out. Four 040 still intact, one of which was used the '62 season; but a crane built by Bucyrus in 1922 with a 65 foot boom and operated by SWEN LINDGREN of Taylors Falls, Minnesota still plays a big part in stock piling crushed rock and used as a hoist for repairing or dismantling the heavy crushing machinery in the plant. Saw it lift a 4 ton cone crusher through a door some 30 feet from the ground and carriage it 80 rods down to their shop.