Useless Data Thursday
Nov. 6th, 2003 10:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
joflasherIts come to my attention that I have a lot of skills that are completely useless in my current life. Hell, a lot of them are completely useless in modern society. Thought it might be neat to make a list
- Farming machinery
I know how to use a tractor and a goodly amount of farm machinery. Mowers, tetters, balers, planters, manure spreaders, stuff like that. I also know how to make a tractor do a wheelie, which takes quite a bit of coordination on the driver's part. I blame having a brake for each wheel and the ability to stall.
-Animal husbandry
I know how to use modern milking machinery or just my hands to milk a cow or goat. I know field medicine for animals, up to and including giving injections and helping with birth. I have all sorts of random knowledge about small animals. Examples: guinea pigs get the rickets if you don't give them enough vitamin C and rabbits are unable to burp.
- Heavy Machinery
I can operate a backho, a fork lift, a bulldozer and a dump truck. Each of those we had on the farm at one point or another. Putting tracks back on a bulldozer is one of the most annoying and time consuming things I've ever had to do.
- Welding and woodworking
Although my paperwork has expired, I was once certified as a welder in the state of Pennsylvania. I tested for it in my Vocational Agriculture class. They don't even have classes like that up here. I was also certified in a good dozen shop machines. I could never pass the router though. I don't mean one of those little hand held jobbies either, I'm talking the huge 6 foot long, carve out bedposts type router. I was just never strong enough to hold the chisels in place if I hit a knot in the wood. Fling a chisel across a wood shop a half dozen times and they stop letting you practice for the exam.
- Hunting
I know how to use and maintain rifles and hand guns and how to reload my own ammunition. I am a decent tracker. I can follow both wet (blood) and dry (footprint) trails with varying success rates. I know when various animals are likely to be active and what type of terrain they like. I have field dressed large game and skinned small animals without damaging the pelt. I know how to set and bait leg traps and how to treat said traps so as to not leave any scent. I can stretch a pelt and scrape it to prepare it for tanning. I have successfully tanned a few rabbit skins and not made too much of a stinking mess.
- Fishing
Both with a line and hook, with a spear (called gigging back home) and with my bare hands. Note: catching trout with your bare hands is COLD ASS WORK and I will never do it again unless I am starving or really want to throw a fish at someone.
Okay, that's enough for right now. Next week, there may be more useless knowledge...unless I forget.
- Farming machinery
I know how to use a tractor and a goodly amount of farm machinery. Mowers, tetters, balers, planters, manure spreaders, stuff like that. I also know how to make a tractor do a wheelie, which takes quite a bit of coordination on the driver's part. I blame having a brake for each wheel and the ability to stall.
-Animal husbandry
I know how to use modern milking machinery or just my hands to milk a cow or goat. I know field medicine for animals, up to and including giving injections and helping with birth. I have all sorts of random knowledge about small animals. Examples: guinea pigs get the rickets if you don't give them enough vitamin C and rabbits are unable to burp.
- Heavy Machinery
I can operate a backho, a fork lift, a bulldozer and a dump truck. Each of those we had on the farm at one point or another. Putting tracks back on a bulldozer is one of the most annoying and time consuming things I've ever had to do.
- Welding and woodworking
Although my paperwork has expired, I was once certified as a welder in the state of Pennsylvania. I tested for it in my Vocational Agriculture class. They don't even have classes like that up here. I was also certified in a good dozen shop machines. I could never pass the router though. I don't mean one of those little hand held jobbies either, I'm talking the huge 6 foot long, carve out bedposts type router. I was just never strong enough to hold the chisels in place if I hit a knot in the wood. Fling a chisel across a wood shop a half dozen times and they stop letting you practice for the exam.
- Hunting
I know how to use and maintain rifles and hand guns and how to reload my own ammunition. I am a decent tracker. I can follow both wet (blood) and dry (footprint) trails with varying success rates. I know when various animals are likely to be active and what type of terrain they like. I have field dressed large game and skinned small animals without damaging the pelt. I know how to set and bait leg traps and how to treat said traps so as to not leave any scent. I can stretch a pelt and scrape it to prepare it for tanning. I have successfully tanned a few rabbit skins and not made too much of a stinking mess.
- Fishing
Both with a line and hook, with a spear (called gigging back home) and with my bare hands. Note: catching trout with your bare hands is COLD ASS WORK and I will never do it again unless I am starving or really want to throw a fish at someone.
Okay, that's enough for right now. Next week, there may be more useless knowledge...unless I forget.
