Mowing Safety

showcrop · Jun 8, 2014

Now that most of us are getting into the field, we must remember to observe mowing safety rules. Keep your equipment in good repair and keep all guards in place. If using a disc or drum mower on an open station tractor set up a heavy screen or expanded metal shield to protect yourself from flying debris. Most important of all, when mowing on ground that is in full view of the road, be sure to always leave a "holiday" near the road and in plain view from the road. We don't want our local self appointed mowing inspectors having to look at our work for more than a second to be able to see it. If they have to scan the whole field looking for a "holiday" they may run off the road or worse yet run head on into another vehicle, and none of us want that on our consciences.

Will Herring · Jun 8, 2014

Wait... What's a "holiday"?

Mike (WA) · Jun 8, 2014

In house painter parlance, its a missed spot- so I assume its the same for mowing.

Painter friend of mine was critiqueing a competitor's job- pointed out a number of "holidays", then looked at one wall and said "When there's that many holidays, we call it a vacation."

Will Herring · Jun 8, 2014

(quoted from post at 13:32:19 06/08/14) In house painter parlance, its a missed spot- so I assume its the same for mowing.

Painter friend of mine was critiqueing a competitor's job- pointed out a number of "holidays", then looked at one wall and said "When there's that many holidays, we call it a vacation."

Oh, that! I just leave a gap between the field edge and my mowed edge so you get some tall grass. Keeps me from accidentally mowing off the crops and easy to spot!

Walt Davies · Jun 8, 2014

"be sure to always leave a "holiday" near the road and in plain
view from the road. We don't want our local self appointed
mowing inspectors having to look at our work for more than a
second to be able to see it. If they have to scan the whole field
looking for a "holiday" they may run off the road or worse yet
run head on into another vehicle, and none of us want that on
our consciences"

WHAT????
Walt

rrlund · Jun 8, 2014

Reminds me of a story about a painter who liked to take a drink now and then. They said he was painting somebody's living room and got the urge. He painted "got thirsty" on the wall and left. They say to this day,if the sun's just right,you can still read it through the paint.

keh · Jun 8, 2014

Don't get off the tractor if the mower is running.
In fact, it's best to cut the tractor off when
getting of of it with a mower attached and in
cutting position.

With a sickle bar mower(notMOCO) you have to raise
the cutterbar by hand to transport position. The
blade can fall down in the guards, so one must be
careful to not get fingers caught between the
knives and the guards. Wear gloves, but mainly be
alert.

KEH

Nancy Howell · Jun 9, 2014

James used to carry a small 2x4 block and a bungy cord. Before he raised the cutter bar, he would wedge the block in between a knife section just above a rock guard and bungy it in place. That will keep the knife from sliding down when you raise it.

Of course the "correct police" had a field day with that one, but it works and can keep your fingers attached to your hand.

mkirsch · Jun 9, 2014

(quoted from post at 10:57:19 06/08/14) "be sure to always leave a "holiday" near the road and in plain
view from the road. We don't want our local self appointed
mowing inspectors having to look at our work for more than a
second to be able to see it. If they have to scan the whole field
looking for a "holiday" they may run off the road or worse yet
run head on into another vehicle, and none of us want that on
our consciences"

WHAT????
Walt

Self-appointed mowing inspectors are a close cousin of the correct police. Same genus, different species.

These would be the nosy neighbor farmers driving by looking to see what you've been up to. They cannot resist the urge to critique your mowing job.

If they cannot quickly find fault near the road, they will continue to scan farther and farther into the field looking for any sort of flaw so they can snicker at what a horrible job you did, and gossip about it at the feed mill or machinery dealer.

Of course this is a form of distracted driving. As they scan further and further into the field, they don't slow down so as to not look suspicious/obvious. They will crane their necks looking back at the field, and as they do, they pull the wheel either into the ditch or oncoming traffic.

showcrop · Jun 9, 2014

(quoted from post at 07:01:17 06/09/14)

(quoted from post at 10:57:19 06/08/14) "be sure to always leave a "holiday" near the road and in plain
view from the road. We don't want our local self appointed
mowing inspectors having to look at our work for more than a
second to be able to see it. If they have to scan the whole field
looking for a "holiday" they may run off the road or worse yet
run head on into another vehicle, and none of us want that on
our consciences"

WHAT????
Walt

Click to expand...

Self-appointed mowing inspectors are a close cousin of the correct police. Same genus, different species.

These would be the nosy neighbor farmers driving by looking to see what you've been up to. They cannot resist the urge to critique your mowing job.

If they cannot quickly find fault near the road, they will continue to scan farther and farther into the field looking for any sort of flaw so they can snicker at what a horrible job you did, and gossip about it at the feed mill or machinery dealer.

Of course this is a form of distracted driving. As they scan further and further into the field, they don't slow down so as to not look suspicious/obvious. They will crane their necks looking back at the field, and as they do, they pull the wheel either into the ditch or oncoming traffic.

I was beginning to think that mowing inspectors were only found in NH,LOL.

Mowing Safety

showcrop

Well-known Member

Will Herring

Well-known Member

Mike (WA)

Well-known Member

Will Herring

Well-known Member

Walt Davies

Well-known Member

rrlund

Well-known Member

keh

Well-known Member

Nancy Howell

Well-known Member

mkirsch

Well-known Member

showcrop

Well-known Member

Similar threads