The Making of a Tractor Hood Table
Hi Friends! What’s making you happy today? I’m happy that our little world is green and luscious! It’s the simple things I’m enjoying now- after having stretched my brain to accomplish one of my goals.
I had a little goal to write a story for Etsy’s blog, The Storque. It happened. What a fun endeavor. The original story was written about the, “making of a tractor hood table.” I took over 400 photos [I am not a photographer] to come up with what you see below. I tweaked the story a bit [to make it more appealing to a wider audience]- but I thought I would share with you the original snapshots.
- a tractor hood from Allis Chalmers 180
- measuring hood to determine height of table
- the metal is dirty, dented, faded and worn from youth & employees behind the wheel of the tractor
- the recycled pipe that supports the top of the table is cut with a hacksaw
- the tractor hood is cut to size with a plasma cutter
- a piece of flat sheet steel is welded to the bottom
- smoke pours out of the hole where the radiator would have been
- a piece of new American made 10 guage steel was welded to form the top and the edges are ground smooth with a hand held grinder
- the final step is to weld the bottom and the top of the table together
The Artful Garden Sale- Come See Us!
Come visit us at the Artful Garden Sale at the Main Line Art Center in Haverford, PA this Sunday May 2nd from 10:30 to 5:30. We’re bringing our finest metal sculptures, a few tables and some of Kate’s lovely handmade sewn goods. We would so love to see you there!
Earth Day & “Our Place”
The beautiful thing about Earth Day is, there is something for everyone. Even if it’s the small things like, “Gee, I recycle.” Or, something more momentous like “I just bought a hybrid.” Sure, there’s plenty of work to do [but isn't that always the case?] It’s a holiday- let’s feel good.
My contemplations of Earth Day and all things “green” always relate to “a place.” Where did it come from? Who made it? What was used to make it? There is so much beauty in knowing where things came from and who made them.
To that end, we’re occasionally going to share pics of “our place.” Our place is a rural hill-top in Pennsylvania. At the top is our house [we built in 4 stages] in recently logged woods and adjacent to the Gatski family farm. You get to the top by traveling a 1/2 mile long driveway. It is a peaceful place, with nearly no neighbors in sight. Aside from our creative pursuits – the animals [and a couple children] keep us well occupied. Also, nestled quietly here are Ben’s dream to milk more cows (and make cheese) and Kate’s dreams to write well about “food & place.” Happy Earth Day!
notes on pics: that is an older photo of Ben & I [we bought a 1947 Plymouth at a local farm sale not long after meeting]- our humble home- the long driveway [and field roads- it's amazing how far you can get around here without going on a public road], one of our Berkshire pigs and our new calf Racer.
On Pigs, Instinct & Flavor of Life
Hold on to your seats, I’ve got some pig ponderings.
As the warmth of spring reaches deep into the ground and air; grasses grow and insects emerge. There is food everywhere; for a pig, that is. A little time spent watching a pig [or an animal for that matter] gives one a feel for their instincts. Pigs have snouts and they want to use them.
They put them down and sniff, root and dig with them. Most remarkable is the rooting and digging, the turning over of the soil. They will create large, crater like depressions in the soil- large expansive areas of dug up dirt. They are looking for tasty treats to eat- bugs, acorns and other tree fruits.
This pig is a Duroc cross- we typically raise all Berkshire pigs. This one slipped into our last batch- a lovely looking pig but an anomaly up here on Gatski Mt. We established our home and shop on woodlot adjacent to the family farm. It had been recently logged. It is ideal for our pigs.
There is something utterly captivating about watching animals do what they’re instinctively meant to do. Probably because we all know that instincts lead to the richest things in life. For these pigs- its scarfing down nuts from the trees, absorbing the sunshine on their backs, and letting the warm rain wash over them.
This is terroir. As you know I’m looking forward to exploring terroir here on my blog. This morning, I realized how important the role of instincts are in making something rich, flavorful and beautiful. How do you let your instincts guide you?
We Scout- Feasting Never Stops
I love the atmosphere over at Scoutie Girl. It is fun & inspiring. Today is “We Scout Wednesdays”. I thought I would participate. We’re sharing a favorite blog or artist.
I choose “Feasting Never Stops.” It’s a blog- but I would call it a work of art. It provokes a lot of thought in a simple and elegant way.
This is Temple Grandin, recently featured on Feasting Never Stops.
