Every year in our farming community, there are several farm machinery fires. These fires are very . . .
expensive. Almost every one results in a total loss of the machine.
Our volunteer firemen drop everything and usually arrive at the scene of the fire in minutes, but a lot of plastic, rubber and fuel can burn in those few minutes. To maintain the fire department and offer some compensation to the firefighters costs everyone hard earned dollars.
Farm machinery works in very dusty conditions and is covered with flammable dust and sometimes a little oil or grease that has seeped from bearings. Most tractors, combines and other farm machinery are just like the new cars of 2019 and there is a lot of plastic, rubber and other flammable parts which when combined with the fuel, which is usually in a plastic fuel tank can add to the already fire.
A new tractor today can cost $500,000. A new combine can cost close to a million. Even a new round baler can be $50,000.
Most farm machinery, just like cars, is insured but the owner pays the deductable. When we receive our insurance renewal next year; all the fires from previous years add to the increase in costs. Most large farm machines have a fire extinguisher or two on board. Farmers take pride in those big machines and blow the dust off and even wash and wax them occasionally but fires still occur.
Many combine and round baler fires start with an overheated bearing. Todays bearings are sealed for life. However; the seals on the bearings dry up and moisture gets in and the bearing overheats. Some farmers now have a heat gun which when pointed at a bearing will tell the temperature of the bearing. Sometimes manufactures put so many shields on machinery that you cannot even point a heat gun at the bearing. Heat guns are reasonably inexpensive at $20 to $80 compared to the expense of a large machine fire. Heat guns are also useful to check fan motors and breakers in electric panels for overheating.
At a recent meeting, a church lady told me about the hot water heater in the basement of her church leaking and causing thousands of dollars of damage to the finished church basement. Even though insurance paid thousands of dollars to fix the damage the church still had to pay the, deductible and buy a new hot water heater. The church basement had been rented and the flood resulted in lost revenue as well.
This also reminded me of the 11-year-old hot water heater in our barn leaking and it too had to be replaced. A water heater leaking on a cement milk house floor caused no damage but reminded me that the life expectancy of some of today’s hot water heaters are not like they were 50 years ago. When the insurance inspector suggests that you should replace that old hot water heater tank, maybe it’s a good suggestion.
My veterinarian once told me that 85 per cent of illnesses in livestock are caused by improper nutrition. Farmers will quickly tell you that proper nutrition for an animal will reduce health problems, increase production, and decrease death rates.
When we take a look at the eating habits and activity levels of ourselves, I am reminded that we are just a more sophisticated animal. When we think of diabetes or obesity and compare watching TV on the couch and eating junk food to walking the block and eating an apple; we can maybe notice a difference.
When we think of the billions of dollars that have been spent on cancer research and think of the total cancer industry, like research, drugs, chemo, doctor and hospital care, transportation, time and loved ones lost and compare that to the very little that has been spent on researching the causes of cancer, we wonder why?
We now know that smoking increases the risk of cancer. There are many educated researchers who tell us that over processed food can increase the incidence of cancer. We have been warned that some commonly used chemicals probably will cause increases in cancers. I often wonder why more research and findings are not published about the causes of cancer.
We know that the increases in the stress levels encountered in todays times add to mental health problems and sometimes even to a final tragic end to some one’s life. We must all learn to know the signs of mental health problems and know how to reduce stress in our lives.
When we take a minute to think about it being proactive can be less expensive and less stressful than reactive.
