Thursday May 8, 2014

Day 76..

Machinery practical..
today we carried out a maintenance/pre-season service check on the grass mower. this involved greasing, checking the blades and changing any that were worn out or chipped (in pairs so that one isn't weaker than another), checking the belts and referring to the manufacturers guide to ensure the right tension was applied (we had to slacken them off slightly), checking the frame and PTO shaft were in good working order (there was a snap in the frame that would just need to be welded back on - but should not affect immediate use), and we then had to check the oil in the gearbox - this overflowed when the drain plug was removed so we ran off the excess to the fill level. the curtain was in good condition so with that we stored it back in the barn for later use.

Livestock theory..
this afternoon we helped Dom take the sheep fencing and supplies to Newark showground ahead of the agricultural show at the weekend. there are a number of us having a go at sheep shearing as part of a demonstration display at the show and there will be a shearing trailer set up where the sheep are herded onto and the shearing can take place and be watched by the public.