Built with the driver in mind
Tractor drivers now often work very long days and, to stay healthy, they need a suitable work place which can be adjusted flexibly to suit the broad spectrum of work performed by the tractor.
A far cry from the little Fergie TE20 mentioned a few weeks ago in this column, the latest offering on new models feature a fully sprung six-pillar cab - (360° visibility) making it possible to work in true comfort and even satisfies the needs of highly-demanding drivers - with optimum visibility, maximum protection and a very high level of comfort.
With easy access from both sides of the tractor, the cabs themselves are fitted with a continuous windscreen and doors with a wide opening angle that only protrude a short distance beyond the tractor contours even when open.
All cab versions conform to FOPS (for protection against falling objects) and offer loads of room, a steering column easily adjusted by pressing a pedal and a cooled drinks compartment under the passenger seat!
A typical specification would be 246hp, vario transmission, front suspension, air conditioned, rear and front linkage with pto and hydraulics with at least half a dozen spool valves, trailer and air brakes and, of course, satellite navigation.
All this comes at a price and, not so very long ago, you could buy a 100 acre farm for the price of one of today’s four-wheel drive bits of essential kit.
Digital dark age
The NFU says that feedback from their members suggest that lack of mobile phone signal remains a big issue in rural areas.
Some 98 per cent of Union members own a mobile phone, yet only one in six of those surveyed could receive a mobile phone signal across the farm - 56 per cent of members own a tablet or smart phone but two thirds of these, or maybe more, do not have fourth generation (4G) signal across the farm.
The Mobile Infrastructure Project (MIP) was set up by the government in 2013 and had a budget of £150 million to improve poor mobile coverage in remote areas by 2016 and to address areas with no coverage ‘not spots.’
The project has now been closed early; and it has catastrophically failed to make any substantial improvements to rural mobile coverage with only £9.1 million being spent out of the original £150 million - just 16 new masts were built out of 600 proposed sites.
Addressing fellow MPs during a Westminster Hall debate last week, Ed Vaizey, minister for culture and the digital economy, said he was as ‘guilty as charged’ over the failure of the project and admitted it had not been a success.
The NFU adds: “Farmers, growers and contractors are increasingly using digital technologies to operate more efficiently, and using government digital services, as well as to enjoy family life. Yet where there is no broadband coverage, or no signal for mobile phone voice or text, this can create a real barrier to efficient farming - not to mention the health and safety implications if you cannot reach emergency services -which needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.”
Despite willingness to provide land for infrastructure, farmers tell us that the mast providers have been slow to engage and deliver coverage and licences for new masts are not being renewed. In some rural areas, this means signal is getting worse, particularly when masts are upgraded to 4G.
NFU researchers will be calling on members over this month to obtain their views - as well as questions relating to reception, what technology is used and how it is used on-farm.
A safer place
The Carmarthen branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales has recently focused the spotlight on rural crime by hosting four successful information evenings with the Dyfed Powys Police Liaison Officer for Carmarthen and St. Clears, Martin Dickenson.
Members attending these meetings were provided with the latest information on rural crime, preventative measures such as CCTV, gate theft, suspicious sales people doing the rounds and general advice pertaining to a range of crime and rural matters, all of which proved to be very enlightening. An update was also provided on tractor driving and related laws.
Before joining the police Martin - who grew up on a dairy farm in Wiltshire -worked with West Wales livestock farmers as a technician for Genus and Progen. With his wife, Nicky, he currently runs a 72 acre beef and pig farm near Llanpumsaint. Nicky is employed in a veterinary practice at Llandysul, as well as running her children’s clothing business.
For the FUW, David Waters said: “The advantage of having a farming background meant that Martin was able to relate effectively with members and show that he fully understands the issues they face. Members have now been provided with information leaflets on rural crime matters such as sheep worrying and we look forward to cementing our relationship with the rural police force to make the countryside a safer place.”
The 21st century
Think on: you know you are living in the 21st century when you accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave; you haven’t played solitaire with real cards in years; you have a list of 15 ’phone numbers to reach your family of three; you get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee; you e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you; your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don’t have their e-mail addresses; leaving the house without your mobile ’phone, which you didn’t even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it and, when you return, you pull up in your own driveway and use your mobile ’phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
True logic
A young man and his lady love take a trip to the United States and, despite her not being really into sports, he insists that she must experience a Super Bowl game. They had great seats right behind his favourite team’s bench.
After the game, he asked her how she liked it.
‘Oh, I really liked it,’ she replied, ‘but I just couldn’t understand why they were killing each other over 25 cents.’
Dumbfounded, her boyfriend asked, ‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, they flipped a coin, one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was... ‘Get the quarterback! Get the quarterback!’
‘I’m like...Helloooooo? It’s only 25 cents!’
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died because of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
In Shakespeare’s time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes, the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on - hence the phrase... ‘Goodnight, sleep tight.’
In the 1400s, a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb - hence we have ‘the rule of thumb.’
Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented: it was ruled ‘Gentlemen Only... Ladies Forbidden’ - and thus, the word GOLF entered into the English language.
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts so, in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them ‘Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.’ It’s where we get the phrase: ‘mind your Ps and Qs.’