Taking a Dump...Part I

After years of doing chores like hauling manure, firewood, gravel and brush on our 40 acre hobby farm using only an ATV and pick-up, we decided to buy an old dump truck.

For weeks I searched Craigslist, Ebay, farm newspapers and weekly shoppers looking for something suitable.

Several possible candidates appeared each day. Eliminating all that were too big or too expensive still left a nice selection of single axle dump trucks and grain trucks from the early 1960's to mid 70's. Most had small motors and shorter boxes. All needed brakes.

I’d never considered a vintage truck until I saw the Craigslist ad for a 1952 Chevrolet 1.5 ton flatbed dump truck. From what I could see from the photos the truck looked clean and straight. The steel flatbed had removable stake sides which we wanted for hauling logs and hay bales. Plus, it had a rusty patina that made it look like a real work truck.

As a long-time antiques collector (vintage baseball equipment, Zane Grey books, Red Wing crocks, hunting/fishing gear) I’ve always been partial to old stuff. This truck had the look and I wanted to see it in person.

The listing was 10 days old when I responded, so I expected it to be gone. The seller said it was still available and was I only the second person to inquire about it. Was there something wrong with it I hadn’t noticed in the description? Or did it just happen to go unnoticed?

After explaining the specs (quiet and strong 235 ci., 4+2 driveline, PTO hydraulics, all accessories and lights working and REBUILT BRAKES!) I made the 400 mile round trip to look at it. Impressed with how smoothly it started and ran, and with how solid it was for a 58 year-old northern Wisconsin truck, I decided to buy it.  The story about getting it from Shiocton, WI home to Bruce is soon to come as Taking a Dump... Part II.

Home for 48 hours and it’s already given 25 miles of rides up and down our country roads - including a trip with my boys to our local recycling center.  Our cargo in the 14-foot box was one garbage can full of empty milk jugs and tin cans!

I’ve posted several videos on YouTube showing the truck in action. I’ll post more as I get them.  ~L

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO17nl0-QaM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaVha7w9lYQ

In Wisconsin we prefer venison jerky as our bedroom aphrodisiac.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/09/14/1692106/report-woman-eating-pigs-feet.html

Mouse Count


Saturday, September 18, 2010

My August 29 post quotes my mouse catching goal this fall is 50. 
At this pace it should happen on October 19. 



From Coop to Freezer

Ten weeks after arriving as palm-size puffballs our jumbo fryers finished out at 5-7 pounds.  Our friends, the Andersons, came to help butcher.  From set-up to clean up was a little more than two hours for four people to process 24 birds.  It's been a long time since I've had beer before 9 am.

Here, Gary demonstrates the efficiency of his homemade chicken plucker.