other sections within the club

[steve-d]

Without trying to cause eruptions and upsetting people I do often wonder why ploughing seems to be understood as the main part of horticultural, I own small ploughs for some of my machinery, but can’t help wondering why such a major feeling that ploughing is horticulture, for me our past time covers such a wide range of interests from hand tools, to sprayers walk behinds to ride ons and lawn mowers.
For me I would love to see the club do like a proper a to z of all horticultural machinery and in depth looks at the machines and associated tools, I for one think this could make the forum and cultivator very interesting for all. Much how the registers work, at present I’m trying to compile as much information about the colwood, dashwood lines for my register and now I have a computer again I’m firing on all cylinders the same as doing more and more research in to all aspects and love it.Does anyone else feel the way I do?

[andyfrost]

To a certain extent, yes I do. Most of my machines have the original ploughs with them , but that’s just how I came across them. I really do wish I had the cultivators and other attachments to fit them instead , as I’m a user of my old gear , I (would) spend far more time cultivating than actually ploughing.
My main gripe with ploughing events is the seemingly endless list of rules , I certainly can’t be doing with too many of those for a hobby that I see as relaxation , but each to their own. How many times have we all seen so called grown men arguing and falling out over a furrow being 5mm out of line.

Andy.

[vhgmcbuddy]

i am all for information sections, ploughing yes of coarse but we also need information sections on other things like mower, rotavator and sprayers etc. i think most members will agree that our club and its members have a huge collection of knowledge and i think we owe it to our interest/hobby and even passion of all things horticultural to share with others and help introduce new members to our club. i beleive this is a good club and good forum and i like being part of it but if we can widen the areas within all aspects of horticulture this could and i think would be a great forum and great club

[charlie]

A brief history of horticultural ploughing and why there is a separate section for ploughing. In the early days of the VHGMC ploughing with our machines, eg Trusty, Anzani Iron Horse etc, was looked down upon by the tractor ploughmen, often saying we could never do a proper job. However through the hard work and determination of the ploughmen in our club we became recognised as being able to plough as well as any of the other single furrow ploughmen. We established our own section within ploughing matches and the obligatory rules. There is a ploughing section not because it is seen as the main activity of the club but a specialist activity. Many of the club ploughmen only plough, they do not exhibit at shows like so many other members. The club working weekends in Kent and at Weeley are intended to be an opportunity for any member to bring along whatever machine and attachment they want and have a play, no competition, although there is a club match at Weeley.

[trusty220]

I have tried to be even handed with what I have added over the past few weeks. The “Survivors” section for the members who have a general interest in the machinery and the “Ploughing ” section for those who wish to compete for prizes at all levels. Because the ploughmen have to compete in a certain way there are rules and guidelines which they have to adhere to- what better place than the club website to publish them so that they are all in one place and easy to find?
The “Survivors” section will potentially grow to be far bigger than the ploughing, but only if members supply the information to make it grow. Don’t forget that we have many “experts” in our club and it would be nice to get their information together so that everyone could benefit and use this website as a resource; again, if it’s all in one place it’s easy to find.
Let’s not forget that the forum is a resource in itself with stories of members’ rebuilds as they progress and answers to their problems as they crop up.
In conclusion I would say that the ploughing section is a tiny part of the space devoted to “our” machinery; ploughmen also perform a very useful part of the club’s activities in advertising the club in the non-show season. Up until now they haven’t had a mention on the website, whereas the general membership have had the forum and news pages for a considerable time.

[steve-d]

hi Charlie and Geoff please don’t feel I was trying to envoke any arguments or being difficult as this was not the case ,I personally do enjoy using all my different machinery whether at home or events as do many others whithin the club and as andy has rightfully said its each to there own ,as you know I have organised a working day as well and we all had great fun,and kevin castle has an area set aside for tractor fest of which at the end of the weekend it is hoped to have the area reseeded using a fiddle again something you don’t see every day of the week ,as you know I have a page on facebook that I have dedicated to the colwood register and would very much like to make the addition to the club page as well ,I know I don’t have records that make things a pain when dating so have to go on engine nos styles and designs etc,but have to say the collection is getting bigger .but going back to the main point whether you go to a show or plough whats the difference,it has taken all of us ages to be recognised fully and not be dumped with tractors or engines ,and one thing I can say is weve finally all done it and feel recognised as our own our magazine grows hopefully the membership grows so the proof is in the pudding .

[vhgmcbuddy]

just a thought , is it possible to have a paint ral chart for different manufacturers as a reference guide for members

[charlie]

vegikev, a good idea all it needs is someone to volunteer to run and manage it and members to supply the relevant information.

[vhgmcbuddy]

well i dont know much about it myself but i could have a go at running it with some guidance.

[vhgmcbuddy]

i have an ral colour chart, not sure if it includes all ral codes, for instance the ral for fern green (old hayter) is not on the list, but i could list the number and the names of the colour as a start, may even be able to scan the colour to add with it, not sure how well that will turn out thou

[charlie]

I dont think all colours have a RAL number, there are a number of different colour codes eg Pantone, some have a BS number, so not an easy job. A good start would be list make and model of machine, colour and any known code with perhaps a note to say code was arrived at eg sample of paint scanned. Colours will not come true from photograph. A simple table on a word document or an Excel spreadsheet will do.

[alan]

I think a paint colour guide would be really useful and a great idea. Excellent!

A couple of things:

I have just had trouble with RAL codes with that yellow tractor of mine! I was given a RAL code from an American tractor site, yet it was wildly the wrong shade/colour (found out prior to mixing thankfully). If there was a note to say how the code had been come by i.e. “It was matched from an original piece of 1971 tractor”, or “I used it because someone else had matched it and used it on another machine”, or “This is a match for the factory paint code”, then it would have been incredibly useful.

I also had difficulty with my Cub Cadet tractors a few years back. The colours used are Vapormatic JCB Industrial Yellow, and Halfords Volkswagen Candy White. I couldn’t even guess at RAL (or Pantone) codes but the colours chosen were correct – and it still looks great.

I guess that it doesn’t matter what the paint source (or paint shade name is) as long as it solves the problem. Even better is being able to provide such information to others for future reference.

[vhgmcbuddy]

hi alan, the ral samples that i have are from germany, i have downloaded a full ral chart from the web , also from germany. just trying to play around with it to get it onto a useable chart where i can add manufacture/machine names

[Author]

Posts