FEL Pump Stolen!

I was excited about getting to the Fifty Acre Wood today, I had got the tractor un-stuck my previous trip, its been dry for a couple of weeks now, and I would be able to get a lot of work done. That's what I thought, someone else had other plans for me. As I got up on the tractor and got it started I reached for the lever to lift the front end loader and nothing happened. I shut it down and went to take a look thinking perhaps I has busted a line and there wasn't anymore fluid. Well when I got to the front of the tractor I was surprised to see that the hydraulic pump that services the front end loader was missing. Someone had stolen my hydraulic pump!

After getting over the disbelief and anger that some one would actually steal my hydraulic pump, I surveyed the area to find a few missing parts that might help me figure out what I would need to replace the pump.

I sat there a while, going through my mind, what type of person would knowingly go on to another man's property (trespassing) and disassemble part of his tractor (destruction of property) and steal another man's property (theft). The tractor isn't exactly in plain sight from the street, hidden back among the trees, so its not like a casual passer by would see the tractor and decided they needed to strip it of a hydraulic pump. No this had to be some one local, that knew the tractor sat on the property and took the time, probably during the day and week, disassemble the pump. A targeted intentional and calculated theft!

After getting over my initial shock and anger, I got to work doing the only thing I could do, disconnect the front end loader so I could move the tractor and assess the what might be needed to get a replacement pump. This meant getting model and serial numbers, making sketches and dimensions of the pump area to hopefully find someone who could provide a replacement.

After all this was done, I left dejected from not being able to work the land as I had expected and was hoping, I had such high hopes for the day.

(I had to remove the bucket to move the tractor)

(Here it stands bucket-less)

(Mount for the hydraulic pump)

(Atleast they didn't destroy the hose)

(They did manage to cut the non-pressure hose)

Re-engage Alternative Brush Clearing

I met Bryan Parish with Alternative Brush Clearing at the Fifty Acre Wood today get him re-engaged in clearing the perimeter of brush piles and grading for tractor mowing. If I can get the perimeter cleared and graded then I can plant grass seeds to help (I'm hoping) control the brush and also have a nice "green belt" around the land that I can drive the bugge and truck and start building fences. 

I also explained how I would like him to work at digging a pond and figuring out how to drain the land to the road ditch so the property isn't always under water. We also talked about driveway improvements and priority of all the work I'd like him to do.

Tractor Has Been Set Free

It wasn't easy but I was able to free the tractor from the stuck condition I left it my prior trip. I tried several methods of getting it unstuck; pulling with the truck, pushing it free with the front-end loader and come-along. The method that finally set it free was good 'ol elbow grease and a whole lot of digging. One thing that was hindering the process was that the box blade was also sunk, so I dug that out to a point where I could disconnect it, then I dug out the sides of the rear wheel and started a gradual grading of the dirt behind the wheel. I then stuck a big 'ol log under the rear wheel for traction that would travel from the rear of the wheel to the front. I gave the tractor some gas and eased it out of the whole only to stop, before I got the front wheel stuck in the hole the back wheel had come from.

I now had to fill the hole with logs to build a bridge for the front wheel to drive across as I eased the tractor out of its original resting spot. As you can see from the pictures this worked and the tractor was set free.

Land Check

We had a pretty fierce storm blow through last month so today I’m hoping its dry enough that I can get some tractor work done. I know my last trip I noticed the storms had knocked down trees on the driveway so I know I had some tree clearing I would have to do.

The land appears to be drying up, hopefully work will resume, I’ll have to call Bryan and get him out here. In the mean time, I spent the day cutting up trees that were blocking the driveway. Towards the end of the day, I decided I’d start doing a little land clearing. This turned out to be a bad thing because the ground wasn’t quite as dry in some areas and I got the tractor stuck again.