25th September

The purple sprouting broccoli, is producing an amazing harvest, that is the second week we have easily managed to harvest enough for all the nets.

And with four different varieties, it is looking like we will have broccoli for a long time.

The plan is when the broccoli is coming to an end, we will be onto the winter cauliflower.

As I was saying last week that crop is looking great, and again we have four varieties planted, so the cauliflower should also last for a few months, it should start around December, which will be great, when at that time of the year there is not a lot of variety of produce to harvest.

As I was saying last week the small compact Siroma tractor decided, it did not like its second gear getting used, it was making a crunching noise when in second gear, then it went in the huff obviously wanting a holiday, and decided it would get stuck in first gear.

We have had a few issues with this wee tractor, the PTO drive had given up through the summer, this drives the rotovator, that we use to get tunnels ready for planting in.

And the four-wheel drive was not working.

The four-wheel drive problem was not a concern throughout the summer.

But with Autum and winter coming and bringing with it wet ground, four-wheel drive is going to be needed.

So, at the end of last week, I stripped of all the body work and floor, the first job that is needed before you can get into the engine.

And on Wednesday it was the long job of taking of all the cables, and levers for working all the different parts of the tractor.

With them all and out of the way, it is then the job of splitting the tractor.

First the backend needs to be unbolted, luckily the tractor is small enough, I can leave the wheels on, and when it is un bolded I can roll it back.

The back end is bolded too the back of the gearbox, with that out of the way, it is just a case of un bolting the gearbox from the front of the tractor.

Then just pull it off.

And yes, second gear has two teeth missing, and the four-wheel drive gear was not engaging, but that is an easy fix.

The last job was to un bold the PTO shaft pull it out, and get that inspected.

And the PTO has not been working because it has rounded off, and just been spinning inside the tractor.

So, after a few hours work, I have now located all the parts that have not been working.

Gearbox has been washed, and boxed up, by early next week it will be on its travels to get repaired.

Hopefully I will have it all back and repaired by the first week in October.