The Mrs. will not let me Bush Hog !

[Transit]

I had planned to spend all day Thursday and Friday bush hogging the pastures at the farm. My wife found out it is supposed to be near 100 deg . here on Thursday and Friday and has taken my Tractor Keys...I was all psyched up for it too ! ...She tells me that I am one of those that thinks it can't happen to them...She is afraid the heat would do me in...I don't have a cab or air like some others..:confused2:

Brin, I'm 35 twice. I have to slowdown some. I'm going for a Foton 704 with cab/heat/ac. For now I only work in the early AM and quit by 10. Remember, if you can’t piss, you’re not drinking enough water.

 

[oldnslo]

Are you just going to be sitting on the tractor or using a hand saw etc. If just sitting on the tractor how strenous is that. Not being a wise guy but just trying to figure out what all the concern is about sitting on a tractor Vs on a porch?

If you "live an air conditioned life" I.e. house, cars, work, stores etc. this could be an issue. If you are someone that is outside most everyday it should not be an issue to operate a tractor.

my two cents

Roy

 

[flusher]

I had planned to spend all day Thursday and Friday bush hogging the pastures at the farm. My wife found out it is supposed to be near 100 deg . here on Thursday and Friday and has taken my Tractor Keys...I was all psyched up for it too ! ...She tells me that I am one of those that thinks it can't happen to them...She is afraid the heat would do me in...I don't have a cab or air like some others..:confused2:

It's been getting into triple digit temps lately here in the North Sacramento Valley. So I work the 6am-noon shift (I'm retired--building a Japanese gazebo now). 45 min on, 15 min off. Stay hydrated with tap water (not ice water) and eat some carbs at each break. Sun block, wrap around shades (uv exposure= eventual cataracts), bandana around the neck, baseball cap.

A few years ago I was building a shed in Sept (a hot weather month around here) and made the mistake of only drinking ice water. I find that I don't stay hydrated doing that because the ice water quenches my thirst too quickly before I get enough fluid in me. I paid the price--one evening I ended up in the ER with an IV in my arm getting rehydrated. The nurse said she sees a lot of that thing during the hot months.

Some folks can take the heat--I'm not one of them.
Be careful out there.

 

[beppington]

If just sitting on the tractor how strenous is that.

You'd be surprised. On my open station, wearing just a baseball cap & only bush hogging (no tree cutting, no jumping on & off, or anything else) from noon to 5 pm about 3 weeks ago here in N central FL I was baking & sweating my butt off. Felt like heat stroke would set in, & I wasn't really doing much but steering the tractor.

Part of it: The tractor's own heat helps cook you, too ... Oh, & the diesel fumes don't help anything, either. Oh, & there's a lot of twisting back-&-forth to look behind to see what you're bush hogging. And bouncing up & down on the seat.

 

[paulinkansas]

I mow, spray and weed eat several rental properties every week. The heat index has been 105-110. I wear a "camelbak" hydration system. It's a smallish backpack that has a water bladder and a drinking hose with a spigot.

Wherever you go, you've got cold water with you. It takes one hand to operate. I go through 3 quarts of ice water in about 90 minutes of outdoor work.

 

[homedad]

I'm sure you can find something to do indoors with your spouse. I think we give more attention to our possessions than those who love us.

 

[TripleR]

You'd be surprised. On my open cab, wearing just a baseball cap & only bush hogging (no tree cutting, no jumping on & off, or anything else) from noon to 5 pm about 3 weeks ago here in N central FL I was baking & sweating my butt off. Felt like heat stroke would set in, & I wasn't really doing much but steering the tractor.

Part of it: The tractor's own heat helps cook you, too ... Oh, & the diesel fumes don't help anything, either. Oh, & there's a lot of twisting back-&-forth to look behind to see what you're bush hogging. And bouncing up & down on the seat.

I now mostly operate cabbed units, but I have never climbed off any tractor in any weather rested and relaxed. I bush hogged among trees, brush, and briers yesterday spending as much time backing as going forward and hardly ever going more than a few yards without turning. When I finished, I was worn out. If I had been on an open stationed tractor I would have stroked out.

 

[Rockin RK]

In South Texas if you don't work in 90+ heat nothing gets done. So I start with the hard stuff like fence clearing and work into the "relaxing" seat time.
The key for me is hydration and short work time between breaks. (the pool at the end of the day helps too:thumbsup

 

[hawkeye08]

Happy wife, happy life.

 

[brin]

Well the decision was made for me by Mother Nature...We had a heavy thunderstorm last night and have standing water now so there is no way I could bush hog the pastures as wet and puddled as they are...plus the heat index is supposed to be 104 deg and the temp 100 with 90+% Humidity after the storms and with more thunderstorms predicted for today and tomorrow..Thursday's heat index: 100 degrees | ajc.com

Thanks for all of your suggestions....