Another week = more farm experience

Monday started off with my neighbour delivering feed. He noticed the auger making a clicking sound so checked it out after the feed finished unloaded. The problem was with the bearing which was shot causing the flighting to slip down and turn against the container it sits in. I asked my neighbour who I should call to get it looked at and the guy was able to come out the next day. I had about four days until the next load of feed would need to be hauled so wanted to make sure it would be fixed by then though I probably still could have made it work?? The bearing was removed and the flighting ended up slipping down a few more inches. There is a connection part way up and the guy could not get it to slip back in place so it turned into sort of a big ordeal. We ended up having to take the motor off the top of the auger (it was very heavy and awkward to move), pull the whole thing down, get the flighting back in place, secure it, and then get the auger back in place and the motor back on. All I can say is that I hope I never have to do it again. The whole process took about 7-8 hours and for part of it I was sitting on the bin lid 30' up in the air or on the side trying to help get the motor off and then back in place. And an extra pleasant twist was that it was windy the second time working up there. :P Before I used to think that picking sweet clover or picking rocks tied for the worst farm job, however, this topped them both by miles. It could be labelled the most "un-fun" day I've had in my life. I can't tell you how thankful I am that it back and in proper working order.

In the meantime I was doing chores at the neighbour's for a few days since both he and his nephew were gone. So, it seemed all I was doing was going back and forth between both places for a couple days. At the end of one of the evenings I walk into my barn and hear a funny noise...nooooo! The last feed line is merrily running augering feed past the last feed pan with the sensor and on to the ground where the pile has reached the motor. I turned the switch off and then called my neighbour as I couldn't figured out the problem. My electrical problem diagnosis is very limited. :P My neighbour figured it was probably the relay. I called the electrician who was just on the other side of town and said he'd come over. It was 8:30 and I was going to have to go out every few hours and manually turn on the feed line if I couldn't get it fixed. The relay was the problem and I ended up having to go back to my neighbour's (thankfully he only lives about 1/2 mile away as I've made the trip many a time) to find the right one that would work.

I keep thinking (or is it maybe deceiving myself?? :P :D ) after I encounter another problem that not much else can happen or go wrong that hasn't already since I moved here. Maybe one of these times the same thing will go wrong and I'll actually be able to take care of of it myself completely. Until then I'll keep acknowledging every problem as another challenge resulting in more experience and who knows maybe I'll write a book about it all one day. :D

Regardless of the multitude of challenges and problems that have arisen, I love living out in the country here and wouldn't trade it for anything!