Went to a big antique sale

[unicornduke]

Bought a few things. 

Only four. Two were old books about agriculture, one being about plants for human consumption. The other was the proceedings from the 1880 something proceedings of the agricultural board. Apparently they were using synthethic fertilizers back then. I wasn't going to get it and then I opened it and bought it. 

I also found a jabber seeder, which is basically a v of metal mounted on a tall piece of wood that has a tube of metal running from near the top of the handle to the top of the v. It has a step on the front. So you jab the v into the ground, drop your seeds in the tube, push the seeder forward, which pushes the step into the ground, which opens the v and drops the seeds. So I'm pretty excited! It'll be much better than my current PVC pipe method. That was $20. 

Then I found a corn sheller that worked and was in good condition! I got it for $40, which might have been a bit high but it was marked at $55 so I figured I'm good. It'll help a lot with shelling my corn for grinding. I'd been doing it by hands so far and boy does it make your hands and wrists hurt. 

I did see one hackel there, but it was $42 and that seemed a bit high so I didn't get it. I probably should have, oh well. It was neat because it had the hackel nails in the middle but it was mounted on a longer board so it would be easier to secure down I'm assuming. 



Overall, fun but tiring.

We tried a new place to get brunch and omg it was so good. Jade got banana-pastry cream french toast and I got (gluten free!!!) french toast, homefries and bacon and it was all so delicious. The home fries were slightly cheesy and crisp on one side but soft. omg s o good. 

Comments

[graydon]

Hurray for an improved seeder!

(18th century and 19th century patents are full of improved seed drills. I get the impression that seeding is never a fun thing.)

Sounds like the new brunch place was an entire success, too.

[unicornduke]

We actually use the jabber seeder at work to plant our pumpkin trials because we need to do 10 hills of each variety so being able to switch things out on a small scale is great. This will replace my PVC pipe method which is basically the same thing, but should make it easier.

omg brunch was so good.

[dragonlady7]

Ah! That is the same design as the hackle Jean loaned me, which is riding around in my car and I need to get it out and hand it to my father and ask him how to make one, which will take him five years but when he does it will be the most ridiculously fastidious thing ever.
It's a long board with holes near the two ends, which you could use to put nails or pins through and fasten it to a bench or table while you were working, and the spikes are all in the middle just like the one in that picture. It also has a beautifully-made close-fitting wooden box that fits over the nail part, so it can be transported without murdering everyone in my car.

[unicornduke]

I'm now regretting not getting it but arg, it would have been a pain in the butt to carry out. They're having another event like this in august, I can probably find the same booth and see if they still have it.

This didn't come with a box I don't think.

[dragonlady7]

There are two more at the farm, too, I just haven't retrieved them since I first noticed them up on a high shelf in the shed where the farmer's market tents go.
I want to make a nice set. I don't know how hard it would be, how hard it is to find iron the right shape; I don't currently know any blacksmiths but I do have an anvil, LOL. You could maybe do it with nails filed to the right shape?

[unicornduke]

I need to check my notes, but I think you can do it with nails that are filed to have longer points. I want to say they used to use square nails so any shape will do really. Next time you come into town, I can lend you the flax book I got. It can be vague at points but covers things decently.