I think I may have an addiction problem. I shouldn’t really be telling you this but since this is an open and honest column, it might help me to talk about it.

This problem has been gathering momentum over the past 10 years and it gets worse when I’m under pressure and things aren’t running as smoothly as they should.

So okay, I’ll blurt it out – I’m never really happy unless I’m well oiled.

ADVERTISEMENT

You see, I’m addicted to solvents. More precisely, the solvents in WD-40 and its rival AC-90.

I can’t pass a can of these on a shop counter without buying them.

I’ve got cans of them hidden away everywhere, in the tractors, under the passenger seat in the combine, in the Bateman and in my office. I even have a can in the MX-5. My whole life revolves smoothly around AC-90.

Now for the uninitiated, WD-40 and AC-90 are essentially silicone-free penetrating oils and lubricants which have thousands of uses from oiling locks to preventing rust on your plough.

I liberally spray them on to any sticky mechanism which should move freely and squeak-free but doesn’t. When something goes wrong, I hit the AC-90 in a big way.

Obviously you are not supposed to use them to clean your sticky hands but I do, and if there is no shampoo, WD-40 will give your hair a lovely shine but please don’t try this at home.

At work, maybe, but not at home. You could end up with chronic hair shortage like me.

Now in the interest of balance it should be said that there are dozens of different makes of these products and WD-40 has almost become a generic term for penetrating oil.

I actually much prefer AC-90 but also use the pricey GT 7. I’ve not yet tried the American PlusGas – it’s supposed to be the ultimate in penetrating oil.

Related to this lubrication addiction, I’ve also a bit of an obsession with grease guns, most of which drive me mad.

I’ve hurled those flatulent and always-empty Pressol grease guns into trees with rage. I’ve wilfully driven across burping Macnaught guns and felt better after it.

The Fuchs system has been a revolution but the ultimate coupler has not yet been invented. Those new South African-made couplers help but, much as I love greasing, it has not yet become a stress-free job.

Harvest

The harvest is no longer progressing like a well-oiled machine. The weather is refusing to cooperate and we’ve got wheat ready to cut.

However, the oilseed rape was very satisfactory with an overall average yield of just over 2t/ac at about 10% moisture. I suspect it will be the most profitable crop this harvest and perhaps by a long way.

The Zurn header attachment on the combine was not spectacular but a help in harvesting what were huge biomass crops.

The rape stubbles have been beautifully topped by the Major Cyclone and will be left to green up before cultivating, thus maximising slug destruction.

The winter oats yielded 3.42t/acre at 54kg/hl, which is about average for us.

We have cultivated the winter barley stubbles ahead of sowing the oilseed rape but one field of winter barley stubbles is destined for a direct-drilled cover crop of vetch, Berseem clover and phacelia. As I write, it’s even too sticky to sow this. And that’s a stickiness not even AC-90 can sort.