ALL ABOUT TRACTORS By PAUL WALLEM I was 5 years old in 1939, and dad didn’t have a corn picker yet. He picked by hand. I recall walking alongside him as he cut off ears with the husking hook he wore on one hand and sent the ear flying into the horse-drawn wagon. The ear fell in the wagon after bouncing off the bang board, which rose up from the far side of the wagon. Instantly, another ear followed behind. It sounded like a slow-motion machine gun. Every few steps, he ordered the team ahead. They took a few steps and stopped. The wagon was always alongside him. That went on all day, and he probably averaged 60-75 bushels per day. It was back-breaking work, in all kinds of weather: snow, rain and mud. The 2-row New Idea picker he bought in 1941 was pulled with our Allis WC and was a huge step forward. Picking by hand became a national sport in 1920, with local and state competitions to see who could pick the most bushels in an hour. The sport died after World War II ended, and most farmers had corn pickers. The competition continues in nine states, however. The National Cornhusking Association hosts local events and a national competition annually to keep the tradition alive. I can still hear the ears hitting the bang board. There’s no other sound just like it. Hydrogen power continues to advance The technology for producing low-emission hydrogen as tractor fuel continues to advance. ExxonMobil and BASF have joined forces to speed up the process. They have a demonstration plant in Baytown, Texas, to continue validation. Large-scale production will be planned for this location. Numerous tractor manufacturers are also involved in similar developments. Kubota claims the first hydrogen fuel cell self-driving tractor concept. It is powered by compressed hydrogen, which is a carbon-free alternate for use in conventional diesel engines. No modifications are necessary. Steyr and Vienna University of Technology (TuWien) have teamed up to create a hydrogen tractor. They are developing the FCTRAC, a hydrogen fuel unit for tractor power. The FCTRAC replaces the diesel engine with a hydrogen fuel cell generating electricity stored in a 14-kilowatt high voltage battery. Steyr’s parent company is CNH. New Holland, also part of CNH, has developed the T5.140 model, running on 30 percent hydrogen and 70 percent diesel. John Deere is more focused on electric but is developing hydrogen-compatible power electronics. Plow Day scholarships It’s not surprising to read about farm families supporting each other in times of loss. What is surprising is when it creates 16 years of scholarships. Wisconsin State Farmer recently reported the 16th Skalitzky Plow Day near Waterloo, Wis. It began in 2008 to memorialize a family member’s death. The Skalitzkys decided to continue the event to raise scholarship funds for 4-H and FFA members. Now in its 16th year, the plow day drew 30 antique tractors to plow with a dinner for 200 afterward. This event has raised funds for 75 scholarships. Events with goals like this are rare in today’s society – but not in farm country! Paul Wallem was raised on an Illinois dairy farm. He spent 13 years with corporate IH in domestic and foreign assignments. He resigned to own and operate 2 IH dealerships. He is the author of THE BREAKUP of IH and SUCCESSES & INDUSTRY FIRSTS of IH. See all his books on www.PaulWalllem.com. Email comments to pwallem@aol.com. |
