Farm Fireworks: Grinder Sparks.

It's hay season here on Wild Rose Farm. Naturally this means the sickle bar mower, which cuts the hay, is broken. We attempted to weld it, but to no end; we had to replace the entire bar. Of course, the rock guards are attached to the destroyed bar by way of heavy steel rivets, installed by machinery when the mower was manufactured. In order to assemble the sickle bar mower with its new parts required the following:

1. Remove the rock guards from the broken bar.
2. Attach aforementioned rock guards to the new bar.

Easy, right?

Well, the process is simple, but the effort is extreme.

Removing the rock guards is a two-step process: Grind the rivet down then pound it out of its sleeve.

The tools for this:

A grinder.

Grinder

Hammer and set to create a dimple in the rivet.

Standard hammer and nail set.

And a pneumatic hammer.

Connected to the air compressor.

And, of course, safety gear!

Eyes and ears!

This went surprisingly well- 50 rivets in about 3 hours.

Here are the fireworks:

It's prudent of me to mention that Scamp, my border collie, is quite enthralled with the flying shreds of metal produced by the grinding; she is afraid of the vacuum cleaner.

Once the rock guards were out, I had to rivet them onto the new bar. Again, simple. Just a ball-pine hammer and rivets. 

Pound the rivets into the sleeves... by hand... all 50 of them.

Done!

A successful Independence Day. Cutting hay tomorrow!

Happy Fourth of July!

I Can See It! Why a Classically Trained Musician Loves to Farm

I spent my Memorial Day weekend hard at work on the farm here in Owego. As I mowed, raked, shoveled dirt (and other...un-mentionable things), planted, mulched, repaired machinery, and generally battered my body, I began thinking:  why do I love physical labor so much?

Battered Hand

Those who know me well know that there is little that I love more than hard work; whether it be building and striking sets, tearing down a friend's back porch, or farm-work. In fact, by the end of the school year I crave physical labor. Why?

Visible Progress.

I am deeply involved in a career that offers little immediate satisfaction:  you can always practice more and you can always (and should) change and improve your teaching. It is the reality of an academic world, and I would have it no other way; I would be completely bored if it was. However, in the work I do over the summer, there is an end. When I fix the tractor it's fixed (until it breaks again)! Done. 

My lawn:  done.

The finality of physical work is a restful contrast from the always improving world of music and education. It's refreshing and leaves me ready to take on the world of music and education and keep practicing and improving. My grandmother says it best: "A change is as good as a rest."

Farming is a change from constant brainwork, a change from sitting all day (desk, piano bench), a change from being inside, and a change from limitless development.

So, yes I own a piano and a chainsaw. And I love to sing opera and bale hay. (Sometimes at the same time).

It's important to find something that recharges you. You can cut down a tree with a dull saw and burn yourself out in the process, or you can stop, "sharpen the saw" and cut down the tree swiftly and efficiently.

Do a craft, take a facebook break, or mow the lawn and enjoy the recharging benefits of doing something with visible progress. Happy saw-sharpening!

Scamp likes farm-work too.

The End is the Beginning

Two years have gone by since my last post. Why? Because I have been busy finishing my Bachelor's Degree.

Finishing a paper at opera rehearsal:  undergrad in a nutshell.

But now that's done, and, for the first time in my life, I'm not returning to school as a student and I won't be enrolled at a academic institution.

What am I doing to keep busy? Lots. I've picked up a job as an Organist and Choir Director, I'm substitute teaching (almost full time!), and I'm working on my family's organic farm. And I'm job searching for a teaching job.

So, in order to keep the world informed about my musings, music, and eclectic life (you're looking at a classically trained musician who received a chainsaw for graduation...) I'm re-igniting my blog.

There's a little peer pressure here too. My friends started blogs, so I'm re-starting mine. And besides, what self-respecting musician doesn't want to talk about himself/herself?!

To the summer of 2012:  go team! (Huzzah!)