Branch 158 is a member of the Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor
Assn., Inc.
Individual dues for principal members are $20.00 per year. Dues
for auxiliary members are $12.00 each per year. Spouses and dependent
children from 12 to 18 years old of principal members are considered
auxiliary members. New members joining during each membership
period will be considered members through the end of that period.
Those with membership in a different EDGE & TA branch, may
join Branch 158 with full membership privileges for $12.00 per
year along with proof of membership (i.e., photocopy of card)
in the other branch. Dues become due and payable on January 1st
and are delinquent if not paid by April 15th.
Dues may be paid by mailing a check payable to EDGE&TA, Branch
158 along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Secretary-Treasurer
Sue Esdaile, 310 Cross St., Woodland, CA 95695.
The Baling Wire is the official newsletter of Branch 158. It provides members with reports of past events, calendar of coming events, letters, ads, club information, and tips for the restoration and preservation of vintage farm, mining, construction, and related machinery. There is no charge for ads in the Baling Wire. All ads must be related to antique engines/tractors. For sale ads will be accepted from anyone, regardless of EDGE & TA membership. Wanted ads will be accepted only from EDGE & TA members. Your input for the Baling Wire is most welcome. Send to John Boehm, Editor, 14151 County Road 98A, Woodland, CA 95695-9134; Fax 530-661-6744, e-mail: rustyacres@yahoo.com.
Floyd Percival passed away February 13, 2010. He was born in Meeker, Oklahoma on December 22, 1926 and grew up on a farm near Shawnee, Oklahoma. Floyd's parents grew corn, grain, hogs, and cattle. With all the chores that needed to be done, Floyd certainly was not spoiled. By the time he was ten years old, he was out in the field with a pair of bib overalls and a team of mules. Floyd still had the overalls to the end, though I suspect they were a few sizes larger by then. The Dust Bowl hit Oklahoma hard, so in 1938, Floyd and his father left the farm and moved to Capay, California. He married his first wife, then in the mid 1940's, his sons, Wayne and Jerry were born. He found work on a pipeline, then at a copper mine in Arizona. But a big, hot hole in the ground and no trees was a bit too much and he soon found his way back to California. He worked at various ranches in the Madison area for the next fifteen years. For a time, he also had a gas station in Esparto. In 1958, Floyd was remarried to Augie and they had five daughters. In 1959, he started work as a mechanic for the City of Woodland. He retired in the mid 1980's as the foreman of the vehicle maintenance shop.
Floyd never forgot his roots in farming. He was introduced to collecting antique engines and tractors by Cliff Hardy. Floyd joined Branch 13 of the Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association shortly after it was formed in the mid 1970's. Over the years, he served as Vice President for three years, President for three years, and many more years on the board of directors. More recently, he was instrumental in founding of Branch 158 of the Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association. He had been on its board of directors since 2004. He was also a volunteer at the Heidrick Ag History Center.
I first met Floyd when I joined Branch 13 in 1979. Then when we moved to Woodland in 1992, I really got to know him better. I started going in to the morning coffee group at Denny's once in a while. Floyd was always there and welcomed and encouraged me to come. Today I am still not much of a mechanic, but was really a greenhorn back then. Floyd always had the time to willingly and patiently show me how to do the various jobs involved in bringing an old machine back to life. Floyd really became a mentor to me. More recently, I got a grain binder and a threshing machine for our shows. Once again, Floyd was the man with the needed knowledge to set up and operate them. He took his time to instruct me, but I think he had fun getting the old machines going, too. I know that we will all miss his vast store of knowledge, his tales of how things were done in the past, and his helpful encouragement.
Floyd was a quiet leader who could and did get things done. For many years he ran the antique machinery display at the California State Fair Farm, coordinating the display, supervising all the helpers, and putting on a good show for the spectators. He was not content to keep doing the same old shows over and over again. Not one to sit around, he challenged us often by pushing us to start new events and expand older ones. For instance, six years ago, he told us that he was going to go on a two day 120 mile tractor drive, whether or not we joined him. We thought he was crazy when he first proposed it, but he persisted, and this drive has now evolved into the Branch 158 Colusa Endurance Run. Those of us who have participated now realize how doable it really was and that it was not beyond our capabilities. We have repeated this ride every year since then.
Floyd did start to slow down some in the past few years as health problems started to take more of a toll on his body. But he was active and alert to the end, just the way he would have wanted it. Even though he could no longer drive due to failing eyesight, he was usually eager to ride along when I went to deliver or pick up another old tractor. He enjoyed seeing the countryside and sharing in the discovery of some new old iron. Two weeks before his death, we found another tractor that he was interested in buying. We were making plans to take a look at it, when we found out it already had just been sold, so that was one that got away. He still had projects he planned to complete, ideas for the shows, and words of advice and encouragement.
Floyd was one of my best friends. And one could not have asked for a better friend. He was always helpful. I have never seen him get mad at anyone. Upset, maybe, but not mad. Floyd may not have been rich in monetary terms, but he was rich in the knowledge that he had of people and things. He understood how people thought and knew when they were not being honest with him, but usually did not let on that he did. He had a wealth of knowledge about old time farming methods and tractor and equipment repair. This knowledge he was willing to share and we have all learned much from him over the years. Floyd was a great father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and a true friend who will be greatly missed.
Branch 158 Coming Events
Old Time Harvest Days
Branch 158 will sponsor and operate the Old Time Harvest Days
on June 19 and 20, but all setup should be completed before the
show starts, preferably on Thursday and Friday June 17 and 18.
Earlier setup is fine if coordinated with the show director. The
show location will still be at I-5 and West St., adjacent to the
interchange at the northeast corner and across the freeway from
Denny's. All set up will be in the smaller field. We no longer
have the large field, but we will be able to cut some of the wheat
growing there, so we will still be able to demonstrate grain binding
and threshing for the general public. Bring your gas engines,
tractors, and harvesting equipment. We will not have room for
plowing and disking at this show, but there will be opportunities
at other Branch 158 events. There will also be daily tractor parades,
blacksmithing, food, and fun. EDGE&TA safety rules will be
in effect for exhibitors. There will be a forklift available for
loading. There is free dry camping for those with self-contained
campers. For more information, contact Wilbur Reil at 530-756-1018
(wilburreil@att.net) or John Boehm, 530-668-9410 (rustyacres@yahoo.com.
Plainfield Tractor Drive
The second running of Branch 158's Plainfield
Tractor Drive will occur on July 17, 2010. Come enjoy a pleasant
drive through beautiful farming countryside, crossing historic
bridges in the Winters area.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at Lillard Hall next to the West Plainfield
fire station on Road 95 west of Davis. Leave at 8:30 a.m. for
a tour south into Solano County to Lake Solano and then to Winters.
We will stop for a lunch catered by Jerry and Carol Percival in
the Winters City Park. Cost of the lunch is $8. Those of you who
have had Jerry's lunches know that it includes snacks and drinks
along the ride, plus a lavish layout for lunch. Good food and
a guarantee that you will not leave hungry! We will return by
a different route through Yolo County. The length of the afternoon
route route will depend on how hot the day is.
Directions from Davis or 1 80. Go north on Hwy 113 to Covell (Road
31). Turn West and go 5 miles to Road 95. Go right (north) 1.3
miles. Lillard Hall parking lot is on the right (east).
Directions from Woodland or 1 5. Take Hwy 16 west to Road 95.
Turn left (south) on Road 95. Travel about 6.5 miles. West Plainfield
Fire Station and Lillard Hall is on the left (east).
Directions from Vacaville and 1 505. Travel north on 1 505.At
Winters turn right on Hwy 128 (east). Travel about 7 miles staying
on Road 31 to Road 95. Turn left onto Road 95 and travel 1.3 miles.
Lillard Hall and parking is on the right (east).
For information call Wilbur Reil at 530 756 1018. or Email at
wilburreil@att.net
Yolo County Fair
I hope you are all ready for another exciting year at the Yolo
County Fair. The Fair will be held from Wednesday August 18 through
Sunday August 22, 2010. Each year our show gets better because
of your participation. It is a pleasure to work with all of you.
Exhibitors should be set up by 1 pm on Wednesday (Tuesday August
17 set up is preferable). Exhibits should not be removed until
Monday August 23. A forklift will be available. For setup, enter
the fairgrounds from the East St. entrance near the Fair office.
Security is available from Wednesday through Monday noon.
I will provide entry forms and required liability release forms.
Both forms need to be returned for your free parking pass. Safety
is an issue. Please check all equipment for hazards or sharp objects
(remove or cover hazards). Roping off your equipment is encouraged
and mandatory if it is operating. EDGETA safety rules will be
enforced.
Thank you and I hope to see all of you at the 2010 Yolo County
Fair!
Rich Cleland, Volunteer Fair Coordinator, 530-867-7560.
Zamora Tractor Ride
The Seventh Annual Yolo Tractor Ride will occur on Saturday October
9, 2010. We will meet at the Zamora Mini-Mart (Shell gas station)
which is at the Zamora exit from I-5 about ten miles north of
Woodland. Be there between 8 and 9 am in the morning. Due to the
closing of the RH Phillips winery, we are planning a new and different
route that will take us south to the city of Esparto for our lunch
break. We plan to start the ride at 9 am and will have a 13 mile
morning route that will take us to Esparto city park. We will
stop there for lunch. You can bring a picnic lunch or there is
a drive-in that sells hamburgers and other items across from the
park. The afternoon route will take a different path back through
the hills west of Yolo and back to the Zamora Mini-Mart. The Zamora
Mini-Mart has a deli and sells food and drinks, as well as having
a small picnic area. They have a large area for truck and trailer
parking and we can park and leave them at the far north end of
their lot. We plan to bring a trailer with gas, tools, and porta-potty.
Most of the route is on lightly traveled country roads with a
lot of different scenery, varying from the golden hills you've
seen along the freeway to the flat, irrigated farmland of Hungry
Hollow. For information, please contact Wilbur Reil at 530-756-1018
or wilburreil@att.net .
Branch 158 Fall Plow Day
Our Third Annual Plow Day is planned for November 13, 2009. Due
to its immense popularity , large turnout, and the small field
we had last year, we will be moving to a new location near Pleasant
Grove. Silmer Scheidel has volunteered the use of his property
off of Brewer Road. He has hundreds of acres there and we have
a 30 acre plot designated, with more available if needed. There
is plenty of room for parking and more land than we could all
plow up in one day. We will have a crane available for unloading
and loading your equipment.
Directions: From Highway 70/99 north of Sacramento, take Riego
Road exit and head east on Riego Road (which turns into Baseline
Road) about 5 miles, then north (left) on Brewer Road about 2
miles to 6201 S. Brewer Road, Pleaasnt Grove. From Roseville or
points east, you may also head west on Baseline to Brewer Road,
then north to 6201 S. Brewer Road. The plowing site is about ¼
east of Brewer Road on a private lane, so look for the directional
signs on Brewer Road.
This will be a hands on learning experience those who have wanted
to try their hand at plowing. We will meet around 8 to 9 Bring
your tractor and plow, disk, or other tillage imnplement and put
it to work. We can help with adjustments and advice. If you don't
have an implement or a tractor, that's no problem. Bring your
tractor and hook it up to one of our plows or just bring yourself
and we will put you on a tractor and plow. If you have never plowed
before, that is all the more reason to show up and have some fun
while you learn! After the plowing, we will disk and smooth the
ground. For more information, contact or Wilbur Reil at 530-756-1018/
wilburreil@att.net or John Boehm at 530-668-9410/ rustyacres@yahoo.com.
In case of rain, please call or email to find out about possible
rescheduling.
Show Reports
Colusa Endurance Run, 2010
by Sue Esdaile
Branch 158 held its annual endurance run in April. As usual, the
run was well-attended, with 18 tractors making the drive. We all
missed the presence of Floyd Percival, who so recently passed
away.
Many thanks again are owed to Jerry and Carol Percival, who provided
us with amazing lunches, hot coffee, and Sunday breakfast. They
manage to coordinate quite the feasts for us, including snacks,
water, and sodas. Erwin Graves expertly stepped in this year to
haul the portable toilet.
With so many fast and relatively modern tractors in attendance,
we made the drive in record time, averaging about 10 mph. The
oldest tractor was a 1941 Farmall H driven by Gail Thompson. The
newest tractor, stretching the definition of “antique,”
was a 1959 Ford 641 driven by Bill Ehrke (just kidding, Bill!)
The award for “Distance Travelled” goes to Dan and Gail
Thompson, who came all the way from Winnemucca, Nevada, to participate
in our drive.
At our first stop in Arbuckle, quite a few people stopped to enjoy
the show. One even asked us when the parade was going to start!
We explained that the parade had already started in Woodland,
and we were only taking a break. We continued on and stopped for
lunch at a shady park in Williams where Silmer Scheidel stopped
by for a visit.Our last stop before reaching Colusa was at Reunel
Bumpers in Maxwell. The owner welcomed us, and was very pleased
to have us stop for a break in her parking lot. We spent the night
at the Colusa Riverside Inn, which provided us with nice, quiet
rooms again. Business has been pretty slow in Colusa, so they
were especially pleased to see us! The dinner buffet at Colusa
Casino was up to its usual excellent standards, and some of us
were fortunate enough to try the Bananas Foster prepared fresh
at the dessert counter.
The return trip was very scenic, following the river for a while
before turning off and rejoining it north of Knights Landing,
where we stopped for lunch. The speed camera was on in Knights
Landing, and I think we all managed to stay under the limit.
The intrepid drivers were: Erwin Graves, Case VAO; Sue Esdaile,
Case VAO; Dave Pembrooke, Case 350; Bob Hinds, Farmall 350; Janice
Reil, Farmall Super C; Gail Thompson, Farmall H; Mel Savery, Ferguson
35; Ed Gray, Ford 8N; Mike Hilton, Ford 8N; Dudley Newton, Ford
8N; Bill Ehrke, Ford 641; Lowell Coppin, Harris PH40; Jason Ludford,
John Deere G; Mona Ludford, John Deere MT; Dan Thompson, John
Deere 40; Steven Wold, John Deere MTN; Wilbur Reil, McCormick-Deering
OS4; and Scott Coppin, Minneapolis Moline ZTS.
Branch 158 Plow Day
Branch 158 Plow Day, November 14, 2009, was a successful event where we plowed, disked, and smoothed the field by lunchtime!
Photos courtesy of Mike Hilton, Howard
Hatchek, and John Boehm. Many more photos (96 of them!) are online
at http://www.flickr.com/photos/46667712@N02/ so take a look. The Flickr photos are higher
resolution so you can save and print your photos!.
Yolo County Fair
Once again, nice weather and good company made for a very enjoyable
Branch 158 showing at the 2009 Yolo County Fair. This event was
held on August 19-23, 2009. Engines were shown by Stan Gladney
and grandson Kevin Nixon, Frank Nichols, Wilbur and Janice Reil,
Richard Hunt, Larry and Rich Cleland, Monte Elston with the Syar
display, the Cristlers, Floyd Percival and great grandson Houston,
and John Boehm. Chris Berlin and Ray Cardoza helped to keep the
engines running smoothly.
Fiar helpers Ray Cardoza and Chris Berlin
West Plainfield-Winters
Tractor Ride
July 18,2009
A wonderful scenic drive through the orchards and farms along
Putah Creek was very enjoyable. Those that have never seen the
beautiful native state of the Creek missed an opportunity to visit
and see this wonder. At about 9 miles per hour one can really
appreciate the view of the majestic native oaks, the stately black
walnut trees, elderberry bushes with the ripe berries and all
the native plants. What a morning was spent along the shady roads
driving past the large walnut orchards. The weather was fantastic.
The only traffic was all the speedy bicycle riders passing. We
must have seen 200 or more. They were smaller than we were so
they were the ones that moved.
We enjoyed a wonderful picnic in the park in downtown Winters.
Some of us also walked to the restored railroad bridge which is
now a foot bridge. Then it was on to a warmer ride to the town
of Buckeye. Don't look at a map. It was a town in the 1850's to
about 1870's when the railroad bypassed it and it dissolved into
oblivion. Tony Turkovich , one of the owners of Button and Turkovich,
who farms where the town was located met us and gave some of us
a history lesson. Tony also showed off the first commercial self
propelled tomato harvester (Button Tomatoe Harvester). Note the
spelling of tomato which at that time in the early 1950's was
how it was printed on the side. I assumed that the e was dropped
in the English language since that time. Bob Button built the
machine at the same time as the University of California was building
their experimental model. He said that the machine did harvest
up to 8 loads a day commercially. Today some of the modern machinery
can almost do that in an hour. The basic design was not too much
different than today's harvester but some of the parts looked
like they were adapted from a grain combine. The seat assembly
was definitely Farmall H.
Ten vintage tractors made the drive without any trouble. Lots
of Farmalls and Fords, even two Olivers, but only one John Deere.
Jerry Percival drove the support vehicle for us. Everyone had
a wonderful time. We covered about 35 miles during the day arriving
back about 2:15 so that we were not out during the afternoon heat.
Even though it was forecast and the temperature did get over 100
degrees later that day it was only 95 when we finished. We did
not back track anywhere always seeing new scenery.
Lunch stop in Winters: Wilbur Reil, Erwin Greaves, Frank Sauers,
Floyd Percival
Old Time Harvest Days
Branch 158’s summer threshing show, Old Time Harvest Days,
was held on June 20 and 21, 2009. This year, we ambitiously attempted
to do most of the work ourselves. For those of you who helped,
it was a lot of work. From preparing the ground, planting the
grain, weeding it, and preparing the show grounds it was nearly
a year long project. We did have unseasonably cool temperatures
and a very good turnout from the general public. We had a very
good display that included three operating threshing machines,
a steam engine, many old tractors, and a large display of chugger
engines.
Joe Freitas
Shannon Lile, Bean Track Pull
Wilbur Reil, Commercial (Los Angeles, CA) engine
Sue Esdaile and Houston Percival binding wheat
Jess Gilbertson on the Russell steamer
Threshing with the Russell steamer, Case thresher.
Colusa Endurance Run 2009
by Sue Esdaile
On April 25 and 26, Branch 158 put on another successful tractor
drive this year to Colusa from Woodland and back. The weather
was perfect, the company enjoyable, and best of all, nothing broke
that couldn’t be fixed.
We departed Ramos Oil in Woodland shortly after the 8:30am safety
meeting. A lot of familiar local faces were there, including Stan
Foraker who hauled his Farmall tractor all the way from San Diego.
Stan is now on the board at the Vista Museum.
The day was clear and cool, perfect for the drive. You notice
lots of things on these slow trips through the country, like how
the drought is forcing farmers to use a lot more drip irrigation
in the tomato fields. The wildlife is limited to birds for everyone
except Wilbur, who rides at the front and gets to see everything
interesting before it disappears into the ditches.
Many thanks are due to Jerry and Carol Percival, who catered lunch
on both days and carried hot coffee, a couple of massive ice chests
full of drinks, and lots of snacks in the back of their truck.
The only mechanical issue of the day was a blown tire suffered
by Floyd Percival’s John Deere as he came around the final
bend into Colusa. He bravely drove the rest of the way to the
hotel on the flattened tire. The terrific noise it made when it
blew was quite impressive. It may have shaken him up a bit, because
the following day, after having the tire replaced at the local
shop he was heard to say, “It’s only money.”
This year we spent the night at the Colusa Riverside Inn and carpooled
to the Colusa Casino for dinner at the buffet. The staff at the
Colusa Inn were wonderful and supportive. They took quite a few
pictures of their little personal tractor show, including a group
photo in the driveway on Sunday morning. The inn was a wonderful
choice for us – it was quieter than the casino, had a free
continental breakfast, and it was a bit closer to Woodland. The
other guests, awakened at 7:30 on Sunday morning to the sound
of a dozen tractors warming up, were perhaps thinking otherwise.
Our previous tractor drives had taken us past the old wooden roundhouse
in central Colusa. The old roundhouse had been converted to a
machine shop, and the names of some ag machinery companies could
be read faintly on the front. The roundhouse had been deemed unsafe,
and was in the process of being torn down while we were there.
The drive home was uneventful, except for the temporary loss of
Floyd’s hat and Sue’s ipod full of Jimmy Buffet tunes.
Our stops included the Grand Isle Shrine, a massive oak tree,
and the fenced yard north of Woodland that is now home to a 1935
John Deere B of great interest to those in our group with some
knowledge of green tractors.
Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this event a success.
If you haven’t joined us yet for one of these rides, what
are you waiting for?
President's Message
Hello everyone, hope all of you are doing well and enjoying your
tractors, engines, etc. We are now entering the show season and
have the Old Time Harvest Days coming up and the Yolo County Fair
before we know it. Let's all get together at these events and
have a strong showing and have a great time! Each of you participating
will make these events special and more enjoyable for all. Here's
looking forward to seeing your equipment there!
Rich Cleland
EDGE&TA, Branch 158 President
Financial Report
EDGE&TA Branch 158
2009 Calendar Year Financial Report
Prepared by Sue Esdaile, 01/18/2010
Balance on 1/1/2009
Checking account 1,713.03 $
Petty cash 32.00 $
Starting Balance 1,745.03 $
Balance on 12/31/2009
Checking account 2,198.24 $
Petty cash 32.00 $
Ending Balance 2,230.24 $
Profit/Loss 485.21 $
Income
Dues 1,060.00 $
June show donations 568.40 $
Total Income 1,628.40 $
Expenses
Dues to National 352.00 $
Newsletter 368.46 $
Yolo Pumping Svc 395.73 $
Donuts, plow day 27.00 $
Total Expenses 1,143.19 $
Profit/Loss 485.21 $
Minutes of Branch 158 Meetings
Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor
Association
Branch 158
Branch 158 Annual Meeting
February 20, 2010
Board members in attendance: John Boehm, Larry Cleland, Rich Cleland,
Sue Esdaile, Richard Hunt, Wilbur Reil
1. Introductions
2. Floyd Percival Memorial: A moment of silence was requested
by Richard Hunt.
3. Treasurer’s Report: Sue Esdaile presented the calendar
year 2009 financial report and made the bank statements available
for viewing. John Boehm reported that the board has decided to
keep a reserve of $2,000 in the account.
4. 2010 Show Schedule was announced and discussed.
5. Officer Elections: Wilbur presented the slate of officers,
who were unanimously elected: President, Rich Cleland; Vice President,
Richard Hunt, Secretary/Treasurer, Sue Esdaile, Editor, John Boehm,
Safety Director, Wilbur Reil; Directors, Larry Cleland, Lowell
Coppin, Mike Cristler, Erwin Graves.
6. A request was made for T-shirts. Rich Cleland has the shirts
and will bring them to the next show.
Branch 158 Board Meeting
May 6, 2010 , 6:30pm
Board members in attendance: John Boehm, Rich Cleland, Lowell
Coppin, Sue Esdaile, Richard Hunt, Erwin Graves, Wilbur Reil.
1. MSC to adopt amended minutes of annual meeting, February 20,
2010 , and last board meeting, December 11, 2009 .
2. Treasurer’s Report discussed.
3. Youth Outreach Program:. Rich C. and Richard H. agreed to head
a youth outreach committee in order to find ways of reaching out
to local youth.
4. Old Time Harvest Days discussed. Flyers handed out. Field needs
to be disked and dragged. Denny’s contributed $100 for printing
flyers. Our cost is $48. More event sponsors needed. Toilets discussed.
Rich C. obtained a donation of a forklift and water wagon from
Metz Rentals. John B has obtained permission for us to harvest
some of the wheat from the other side of the olive trees. Steam
engine certification requirement discussed. Any steam engines
at the event will need to provide Branch 158 with engine and operator
certification. We need to make sure that all equipment operators
are club members. The 4H kids in Mike Cristler’s club will
be asked to be the sole providers of food and drinks at the event.
Night security discussed. Publicity discussed. Sue will set up
an information
table about Branch 158, including copies of the newsletter and
a signup sheet. Barrels will be put out again for donations. Parking
discussed.
5. July tractor drive discussed. Start at 8:30 am at Plainfield
Fire Station (Lillard Hall). Wilbur will arrange for parking there,
and Jerry will cater. Cost of lunch will change to $8 per person.
6. Yolo County Fair discussed. Rich C is arranging for a memorial
to Floyd at the fair, and asking people to bring tractors and
engines that Floyd had owned. Pizza will be provided on Friday
or Saturday night for exhibitors. Bring your own gas.
7. Plow Days. Our three acre site is too small for a plow day.
Wilbur and John visited Silmer Scheidel’s property in Pleasant
Grove. There is enough space there to plow. We have also been
offered the Rio Linda site. A firm decision will be made.
8. Zamora Tractor Drive . The RH Phillips winery is closed. The
new route will end in Esparto Park for lunch. Clarksburg was suggested
for next year (parking at Richard’s and travelling on the
ferry). Lowell suggested the Sutter Buttes.
9. EDGE &TA National Show in Paso Robles discussed
10. T-Shirts. Rich C will get some more printed to fill in any
missing sizes and bring them to the next show.
11. Paperless newsletters. We can’t go completely paperless,
because many members are not on the internet. John will explore
this idea in order to save on postage.
Branch 158 Board Meetings
December 11, 2009, 6:30pm
Attending: John Boehm, Rich Cleland, Sue Esdaile, Richard Hunt, Floyd Percival, Wilbur Reil.
1. MSC amended minutes of last meeting, May 12, 2009.
2. Treasurer's Report distributed and discussed. MSC to target
$2,000 as a minimum balance so we can take care of future or unexpected
expenses.
3. Youth member sponsorship. MSC to sponsor Christian Berlin in
2010. Sue will send him a letter.
4. Youth board member discussed. We will have to change the bylaws
to have a specific youth member board position. However, youth
can already serve on the board if they want. There are other ways
to involve youth, such as better coordination with the local FAA
group. MSC to remove this issue from the agenda.
5. Show dates discussed and attached.
a. Annual meeting. Heidrick Ag History Museum, February 10, 2010,
9:00am. Rich C. will make arrangements with the museum.
b. Colusa tractor drive, April 24-25. Wilbur and John will set
up the event. Wilbur and Floyd will check the route in advance.
c. Old Time Harvest days. Date will probably be June 12-13, but
will depend on the Woodland Cruiser's car show date. Vendors discussed.
4-H will likely be the only vendor asked to provide food and drinks.
Rich has arranged for wheat to bundle, in exchange for the grain
threshed. We need to talk to Rusty and Jess to make sure they
still want to bring threshers to the event. Parking discussed.
Might need to get permission from local landowners to park on
their land.
d. Yolo Tractor Ride. July 17
e. Yolo County Fair, August 18-22.
f. Fall Plow Day discussed, November 13. Event will be in same
location as last year, I-5 at Rd 99. Discussion of additional
plow day at Silmer's farm in Pleasant Grove. John and Rich will
check the location.
6. Jerry Percival sponsorship. MSC to sponsor a membership for
Jerry Percival for 2010.
7. Nominating Committee. Wilbur will serve as the nominating committee
for the following slate:
a. President: Rich Cleland
b. Vice-President: Richard Hunt
c. Secretary/Treasurer: Sue Esdaile
d. Safety Director: Wilbur Reil
e. Newsletter Editor: John Boehm
f. Members at Large: Larry Cleland, Floyd Percival.
8. Schedule of meetings: February 20, 2010, Heidrick Ag History
Museum (annual meeting) and April 9, 2010, 6:00pm 310 Cross Street,
Woodland (board meeting).
Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association
Branch 158 May 9, 2009, 7:00am
Meeting Minutes
Denny's, West Street, Woodland, CA
Attending: John Boehm, Larry Cleland, Rich Cleland, Sue Esdaile,
Richard Hunt, Floyd Percival, Wilbur Reil. Guests: Mike Cristler,
Joe Garcia
1. MSC minutes of January board meeting and February annual meeting.
2. Treasurer's report presented
3. Agenda for the meeting discussed.
4. Old Time Harvest Days discussed.
A. Site preparation.
Floyd and John disked the site because of the weeds, and because
we were told we may lose the site if it is not managed properly
with weed control. We still need to grade it and pack it down.
Wilbur and John have done most of the tractor work and need to
be reimbursed for fuel. Rich C offered to donate the diesel. Work
can be done any time now, but probably better closer to the show.
B. Portable toilets. Joe Garcia obtained a quote for almost $500 for portable toilets from Yolo Pumping (one handicapped, three regular, and a sink). Rich C will look into getting a steeper discount from United or Yolo, and will ask Lonnie if the museum can get us a better deal or supply us with toilets.
C. Food vendors
Mike Cristler's Zamora 4-H club will sell drinks and hot dogs
for $1 each as a fundraiser. Insurance and permitting discussed.
It was noted that there will be no water or electricity there.
Mike will look into the insurance issue with 4H. Lonnie has vendor
contacts as well, but we don't want to have too many competing,
because attendance is uncertain. FFA may provide tri tip. There
might be a large turnout because the event is free. Vendors will
be asked to donate, depending on their fundraising success at
the event.
D. Publicity.
Sue will handle the publicity: Sacramento Bee Friday auto events
listing, and press releases, to be followed by phone calls. Sue
will be out of town, but will handle these things online and ask
for help if needed. Rich H will see that the event is listed in
Cruisin' News. Flyers will be handed out at the Rio Linda show
next weekend.
E. Equipment
Amos Metz may donate use of a forklift. John has one, just in
case.
Rich C will ask Rusty and Fred H. about the museum thresher, binder,
and two wagons.
F. Setup
John will have to cut some bundles prior to the show to give the
safflower in it time to dry.
G. Display Area
Rich C and Wilbur will mark out engine area. Vendors will be out
towards the road under the trees. Engines will be to the north
of the trees and tractors to the south. Parking is to the north,
and Wilbur will separate that area from the engines with a rope
fence, leaving openings for people to walk in from the parking
lot. Hay bales (obtained by Wilbur) and large wooden spools (obtained
from Jerry Percival) will provide seating under the trees. Rich
C will bring donation barrels. Parking signs are needed for visitors
and exhibitors. Wilbur and Mike C will bring garbage cans. Others
are invited to bring cans as well. Larry C will look into a water
truck. A parade announcement will be posted. Using a chalker or
a can was discussed to mark areas.
H. Exhibitors
Jess G. planning on bringing 8-10 loads of equipment. Steam engines
discussed - operator and equipment certification reminded, as
per January meeting. All operators and equipment are OK. Floyd
will contact Mike Carson, the blacksmith, since he expressed an
interest in coming.
I. Flyers. Members are asked to distribute flyers around town. John handed out more flyers.
5. Swap meet. Rich C currently organizes the Branch 13 swap meet at the Yolo County Fairgrounds in October, but the branch obtains no income from the shop, and they may not be interested in operating it anymore. Rich C is not a member of Branch 13, so Branch 158 might have the opportunity to take on the show.
6. July tractor drive.
Scheduled for July 18. Assemble at Lillard Hall (Plainfield Fire
Department) at 8:30am with a packed lunch for departure at 9:00am.
Lunch will be at the park in Winteres. Length of the trip back
to Lillard Hall will depend on the heat.
7. Newsletter
John will get out a newsletter in the next couple of weeks to
advertise the June show and the July tractor drive. Sue will draft
an article about the Colusa drive.
8. Colusa Casino Report: The hotel in Colusa was quiet, and the staff friendly. It was a slightly shorter drive to get there.
9. Meeting adjourned.
EDGE&TA Branch 158
Annual Meeting
Heidrick Ag History Center, Woodland, CA
February 21, 2009, 8:30am
Board Members in Attendance:
John Boehm, Rich Cleland, Sue Esdaile, Richard Hunt, Floyd Percival,
Wilbur Reil
1. Opening
A. Pledge of Allegiance
B. Thanks to Lonnie and the Heidrick Ag History Museum for the
use of the museum, the seats, and the coffee.
C. Introduction of new people
2. Old Business
None
3. New Business
A. Treasurer report presented by Sue Esdaile
B. Show Schedule 2008 discussed
(1) Colusa Tractor Ride, April 25-26 (John Boehm)
We will be staying in a new hotel in Colusa. Dinner location undecided.
Lunch provided both days by Jerry and Carol Percival for $12.
(2) Old Time Harvest Days, June 20-21 (John Boehm)
Grain was planted, weeds are growing, and there will be more information
in the next newsletter. Some help will be needed with setup.
(3) Plainfield Tractor Ride, July 18 (Wilbur Reil)
Start at Lillard Hall (at West Plainfield Fire Station) drive
south to Solano County for lunch in Winters (restaurant or catered).
Drive back on different roads. Length of drive will depend on
heat of the day. Drivers will cross Putah Creek twice -once at
low water bridge and once at bridge in Winters.
(4) Yolo County Fair, Aug 19-23 (Rich Cleland)
Setup Tuesday, teardown on Monday. Need more tractors next year
to fully use the area allocated to us.
(5) Zamora Tractor Ride, Oct 10 (John Boehm)
Drive from Zamora Shell to R.H. Phillips Winery and back
(6) Fall Plow Day and Seminar, Nov 14 (John Boehm)
Last year was a success, same again this year.
Mike Cristler suggested sending our events to the Western Antique
Iron Trader. John Boehm already submits our events to the magazine,
but not all are posted due to space limitations. The date for
the Old Time Harvest Days was only recently confirmed, so it was
not in their last newsletter.
C. Youth Board Member discussed. Richard Hunt proposed the addition of a new board member position: Youth Board Member. The consensus at the meeting was that it is a good idea to bring a youth member onto the board. Age limits were discussed, the ages 19 and 21 were mentioned. The need for a bylaws amendment was discussed. John Boehm offered to write a bylaws amendment, to be presented before the general membership for approval, as required by our current bylaws. Other youth outreach items discussed, including: youth member discount and responsibility of youth board member to reach out to other youth groups, such as FFA. Wilbur Reil motioned that the board will appoint a youth member to the board on a trial basis for this year, and that if the trial goes well, the bylaw change will be presented at the 2010 annual meeting. Rich Cleland seconded the motion, and it was approved by the membership present.
D. Officer Elections
a. Wilbur Reil, Nominating Chair, presented
the slate of officers for approval.
b. John Boehm made the motion, and it was seconded and carried
to approve these officers:
Rich Cleland, President
Richard Hunt, Vice President
Sue Esdaile, Secretary/Treasurer
Wilbur Reil, Safety Director
John Boehm, Newsletter Editor
Larry Cleland, Director
Floyd Percival, Director
4. Branch 158 Invitation
John Paur invited Branch 158 members to the Branch 13 general
meeting next Saturday at Diamond Springs Lion's Club at Highway
49 and Missouri Flat Road, catered by Ludy's. Doug Veerkamp will
present a DVD show of the Best Show on Tracks. There will also
be tours of Doug Veerkamp's tractor collection and Dave Traver's
engine and musical machines collection.
5. Wilbur Reil moved that the meeting be adjourned, second by John Boehm, and approved by membership present.
EDGE & TA Branch 158
Denny’s, West Street, Woodland,
January 31, 2009, 7:00am
Attending: John Boehm, Rich Cleland, Sue Esdaile, Richard Hunt,
Floyd Percival, Wilbur Reil. Guest:
Stan Gladney
1. Agenda for the meeting discussed.
2. MSC minutes of last meeting
3. Threshing Show (“Old Time Harvest Days”). MSC for
date change to June 20-21, 2009.
The museum will bring their threshing machine. The machine has
been overhauled, and the museum will
have their own insurance. Lonny is taking care of food vendors
and advertisements. There will be
donation barrels available for donations.
Field maintenance discussed: weed spraying and discing and/or
rolling of parking lot and other areas. Rich
C. will be handling the loading ramp. Jess Gilberton will loan
a D7 with a disc. Wilbur suggested
offering dry camping under the trees at the far end of the field.
There will likely be three steam engines at the event. Our insurance
guidelines will be consulted regarding
operation of steam equipment, but the board decided to require
proof of operator and equipment
certification prior to the event. Rich C. will take care of this.
Publicizing the date change was discussed. Larry C. will be asked
to design a logo, and John B. will
assemble a flyer. The hours will be Sat 9-5 and Sun 9-3. A potluck
BBQ for Saturday night was
discussed.
4. Nominating Committee:The board will serve as nominating committee,
with Wilbur serving as chair.
The following slate was proposed:
President:Rich Cleland
Vice president: Richard Hunt
Secretary/Treasurer: Sue Esdaile
Newsletter Editor: John Boehm
Safety Director: Wilbur Reil
Directors: Larry Cleland,
Floyd Percival
5. Richard H. recommended that we add a youth board member. The
club bylaws need to be reviewed to
determine if there is a limit to the number of board members allowed.
If a specific “youth board member”
is to be added to the board, we may need to change the bylaws.
Houston Percival, David Cristler, and
Elizabeth Esdaile were suggested as possible board members.
6. Annual Meeting. 8:30am, February 21, 2009. Rich C will call
the museum on Monday and let them
know we’d like to have our meeting there, and ask if they
can provide coffee. John B will send out a
meeting notice. Sue E will have a treasurer’s report prepared
for the meeting.
7. Colusa Casino drive. April 25-26. There is another new managing
director, and the hotel room fee is
now $100 per room. Wilbur and John will research other places
to stay the night, perhaps in Willows or
Williams, or somewhere else in Colusa. There is a hotel in Willows
that is $60/night and includes
breakfast. Willows is the same distance as Colusa, but the drive
back will be longer if we choose a different
route. Rich C is involved with a race that weekend in the area,
and may be able to let us drive around the
track.
8. Yolo Tractor Ride. Ride in October will be to RH Phillips and
back to Zamora again.
9. July tractor ride. MSC to add a Plainfield tractor drive, June
18, 2009, to our calendar. A route from
Plainfield fire station south through Solano County will be researched
by Wilbur, perhaps including a stop
in Winters for lunch. The ride will likely be 15 miles in the
morning, followed by 10-20 miles in the
afternoon, depending on the heat. Returning to Clarksburg next
year was discussed.
10. Plowing day. Scheduled for November 14, 2009
11. Yolo County Fair. Date not yet online. Ramos oil is not sponsoring
fuel this year. Fuel situation
discussed. Everyone will need to bring their own fuel this year,
although Rich C will be happy to refill cans
left in his truck. Everyone else suggested that Rich Cleland supply
no gasoline to anyone else to avoid any
future problems or misunderstandings. Need to check everyone at
events for membership. Non-members
will have to show their current card from their branch. Event
directors need to make sure they have a
current roster on hand for their event for insurance purposes.
12. Dues. EDGE&TA annual dues have been reduced by $1, because
of an insurance rate drop. Our
membership fees will be kept the same.
13. Meeting adjourned.
Minutes taken by Sue Esdaile.
Oil for Old Tractors
Today's modern motor oil meets "SJ" specs - the oil
that our old tractor engines were designed for something like
SA or even earlier. Usually we get told that newer oil is better,
but is it true? And if true, better in what way? Engine oil contains
many additives, and the primary anti-wear and anti-oxidation additive
is a chemical by the name of zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP).
ZDDP, while good for engine wear and reduced corrosion is bad
for catalytic converters. New oils have less ZDDP to make the
catalytic converters live. But this is a compromise which results
in more engine wear and internal corrosion. Older engines want
a good big dose of ZDDP to keep engine wear down. New engine oil
may be good for catalytic converters, but it's not as good for
your engine from the point of view of reducing corrosion. Fuels
of today often have oxygenates - MTBE or Ethanol - added to them.
A trace of these oxygenates gets into the engine oil, and apparently
these chemicals are tremendously corrosive, and they attack gaskets,
seals, and certain metals. No problem for automakers; they choose
new polymers and alloys that are immune to these attacks. But
what's to prevent the attacks and the corrosion in older engines?
For a seldom used engine, corrosion is a much bigger problem than
wear, even the wear from starting an engine that's been sitting
long enough to drain oil off most of its rubbing surfaces - because
one little patch of rust on that same rubbing surface is doomsday.
While you could design a custom oil for this problem, the best
off the shelf oil is 'heavy duty' oil intended for Diesel trucks.
Instead of SJ, look for combinations that begin with C (for Compression
ignition). CG-4 is the latest. While the oil part of these diesel
oils has the same lubricating qualities as passenger car oil,
the most common heavy-duty viscosity is 15W-40; more syrupy. But
the diesel oils get bigger doses of additives; up to 80% more
ZDDP, the anti-wear/anti-corrosion additive, and 30 to 50% more
detergent, dispersant, and corrosion inhibitors. Good news if
you have sticky rings, erratic compression, and blue exhaust smoke.
This high-detergent oil will quickly free them up.For corrosion,
heavy-duty oil is the silver-bullet solution. So, older conventional
oils protect your older engine better than newer oils and the
best modern oil for the engine of your old tractor is oil designed
for diesel trucks!
From Material Supplied by Warren Berg