MOVING THE OLD DIESEL TANK

 

Can you believe it?! It’s either late mid-October or early late October. At any rate, we’re moving quickly toward the end of October. The drive up the Clearwater and then up the Gilbert Grade was just beautiful! So glad I didn’t miss it. Some years we do.

Scott & Mike preparing to lift tank

Here at the farm, it was a beautiful day and warmer than we expected. However, rain is predicted later in the day and then cooler temps. Hard to believe it will happen. The house was nice and warm – even upstairs.

Farmer Kyle was fertilizing the fields this morning. And it was a special treat when Neighbor Scott came over with his new-to-him used old tractor to grab the old diesel tank off its platform at the barn.

An easy lift for the old tractor

It was my dad’s diesel tank, so it was probably installed in the early 1950s, and I’m guessing use ceased about 1965 when he retired. Well, he still had the old Caterpillar D-2, but he wouldn’t have needed much fuel. Anyway, we certainly didn’t need it, and the wood platform was deteriorated, but getting rid of the tank was problematic. We thought on the matter for years. Salvage wouldn’t take it since it was a gas tank. After some research, son Clint suggested we ask the neighbors if anyone wanted it. It only took one contact. Scott said he’d like to have it and today he came for it.

So glad we were here on a day when things were happening.

Right into the bucket

I’m working gently toward putting the gardens to bed. I couldn’t have asked for a better crop of tomatoes this year – the best crop I’ve ever had. Better Boy, Celebrity, and Bonnie Original (billed as “our favorite tomato”). I had occasional blossom end rot, but aside from that, all three plants were great producers. We picked 60 ripe tomatoes and I canned four pints of green tomato mincemeat. I planted early in the spring, and Hallie gave them a boost in late June when she rebuilt the raised bed in which they resided.

Off to its new home

It was NOT a good zucchini year. The strawberries didn’t produce well either, but the plants sent out many runners. The bed is overcrowded now, and I must thin them before the snow flies. KW