17/03/15

Seed dressing again today, and I was told that it was the last of it for this season.  Ha!  First job was two and a half tonnes of spring barley for a customer at Warthill.  I have been to this customer several times and know where the farm is, even if the ordnance survey people don't.  If you look for the farm on a map it is shown on the opposite side of the road to the one it is actually on.  This did cause me some confusion the first time I tried to find it but I made a note on my map and haven't had any difficulties since then.  It wasn't a clear day but it had a definite feeling of spring.  The sun was trying to break through the haze and at least one sky lark was encouraged enough to burst into song.  I enjoy listening to the song of the sky lark and always have, its a shame that their numbers have declined so much since my childhood.  Back to the job.  Two and a half tonnes became three tonnes when I spoke to the customer, but the job went well and the extra half tonne didn't add greatly to the working time.  It takes longer to set up and clean down than it does to clean and dress three tonnes of barley.  The next job was cleaning ten tonnes of beans for a new customer.  I don't mind cleaning beans but they are very noisy as they pass through the dresser.  Ear defenders are essential.  The only trouble is that with ear defenders I can't hear the squeal of a slipping belt.  So if I do have a problem it tends to be worse as I only notice that there is a problem when something stops working.  By that time there is usually a blockage to clear before the problem can be corrected.  However, today everything went well and I was back on the road by two pm, though I hadn't had a stop for lunch.  I don't stop if things are going well I always feel as if by stopping I'm tempting fate.  I was back in he yard by just after three and had time to clean down and fill up the water containers.  When I took the samples in to the office guess what.  "Can you work on Saturday, seed dressing."  Now that's a surprise after I was told this morning that today was the last.  When I got a look at the list there's another six customer booked in.  As it happens I can't work this Saturday, we have plans so our TC will have to release me for another day during the week.  Our TC doesn't organise the seed dressing and we are busy so he won't want to loose a driver for a day.  See you tomorrow, if I remember I'll try to get a picture or two to make this blog a little more intresting.