45 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | June/July 2024 daughter comes to the rescue. She pulls out her iPhone and asks Siri. Siri usually rises to the challenge by providing the factual answer(s). However, it is great to remember about some of the things that we did down on the farm before the advent of hand-held technology. How many of you remember harvesting pussy willows in the spring? Do you also remember locating puffball mushrooms? I do, as they both still appear on the Thomson farm, which has now been in the extended Thomson family for over 125 years. Pussy willows were often displayed in the Thomson house. Pussy willow shrubs/trees were located in the swamp area during the spring season. Puffballs were never one of my favourite foods, but one neighbour had a friend who always looked forward to the puffball season. You could never count on locating puffballs. They just appeared when the environmental conditions were ideal. Summary Books, like the two shown, are very interesting and informative. However, with books and information now readily available online, my daughters and granddaughter use their iPhones extensively – not only for research, but for taking photographs and requesting information from Siri. While technology has made our lives easier, I still prefer to read books about threshers and old steam engines. As a teenager, I was always assigned the task of loading the wagon and feeding the threshing machine. The older men preferred to keep both feet on the ground and provide sheafs to the young fellow on the wagon. BF Visit your local ECHO Dealer for more information: Ancaster, Crossroads Equipment .................... 905-648-8001 Ayr, Ayr Turf & Trac ............................................ 519-632-9901 Barrie, McGill Equipment ................................ 705-503-7732 Brant County, Town & Country Sales & Service.. 519-484-2901 Brantford, Antler, A Davey Company ............... 519-753-6433 Brodhagen, B&K Tire and Battery ................... 519-345-2248 Burgessville, G.J.’s Harvest Centre Inc. ......... 519-424-9374 Castleton, Doug’s Small Engines ................... 905-349-3027 Chesley, Robert’s Farm Equipment ................ 519-363-3192 Courtland, Blue West Equipment ................... 519-688-0909 Dundas, WPE Landscape Equipment .............. 905-628-3055 Elora, DeBoer’s Farm Equipment .................... 519-846-5388 Grimsby, Ag & Turf Power Service ................... 905-945-4848 Hamilton, Outdoor Supplies & Equipment ..... 905-578-2411 Ingersoll, Ken’s Small Engines ....................... 519-425-4466 Maxwell, Maxwell Farm Service ................... 519-922-2108 Meaford, Robert’s Farm Equipment................ 519-538-1660 Millbank, Zehr’s Sales & Manufacturing.......... 519-595-7579 Milverton, G.J.’s Harvest Centre Inc. ............... 519-603-8374 Mississauga, WPE Landscape Equipment .... 905-569-2055 New Dundee, Coleman Equipment ................. 519-696-2213 North Bay, Hamelin’s Outdoor Power Equipment .. 705-497-8676 Orillia, Allan Byers Equipment ........................ 705-325-2746 Owen Sound, Bobcat of Grey Bruce ............... 519-372-9100 Pembroke, AJ’s Power Products ................... 613-735-6788 Rockwood, Connect Equipment ..................... 519-856-9512 Stirling, McIntosh Motors ............................... 613-395-3757 Vars, M.R. Blais Sales & Service...................... 613-443-1230 Walton, Robert’s Farm Equipment ................. 519-887-6365 Windsor, Vehicle Venture ................................. 519-966-8642 EXPERTISE BUILT INTO EVERY TOOL. $40 SAVINGS! $20 SAVINGS! CS-2511TN 25 CC TOP HANDLE CHAINSAW W/ 80TXL CUTTING SYSTEM Available in 12” and 14” bar lengths $76995 STARTING AT MSRP: $789.95 $20 SAVINGS! $42995 FOR ONLY! MSRP: $469.95 CS-3510 30.5 CC REAR-HANDLE CHAINSAW Available in 16” bar length $59995 STARTING AT MSRP: $619.95 CS-4920 50.2 CC REAR-HANDLE CHAINSAW Available in 16”, 18” & 20” bar lengths YOUR SPRING CLEAN-UP CREW LS25 25 TON 212 CC LOGSPLITTER STUMP GRINDERS B&S ENGINE $1,999 95 FOR ONLY! MSRP: $2,299.95 $300 SAVINGS! $5,499 95 STARTING AT MSRP: $5,999.95 $500 SAVINGS! Pictured: BCSGACE ECHO.CA How it Works RALPH WINFIELD Ralph is a retired professional engineer, farmer and technical writer. He has a BSA, BASc, and an MSA in engineering from the University of Toronto.
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