Farmer vision and the junk box

One day I would like to acquire farmer vision. Sometimes I exhibit small hints of the phenomenon(see opening a bottle of wine without a corkscew) but the true farmer vision still eludes me.

What is farmer vision you ask?It is the ability to look at any mechanical problem and come up with a solution without having to use the Internet or run to the store for some material or a new tool. It is the ability to make anything work without an engineer cooking up an equation for you. The ability to make do with what you have and nothing more. I know two people who have reached farmer vision (the rural dwelling folk's equivalent of Buddhist enlightenment). My friend Joe has it and my neighbour Dave has it. I would like it.

How do you reach enlightenment?I believe it can only be aquired from living out of town and avoiding long trips into the city for simple solutions. The only other real prerequisite for farmer vision is to have a large garage and an assortment of tools... sometimes home brew is also required. I can however think of one object that can speed up the path to the promise land. The box of junk.

The roll of the junk box.Ahh the box of junk.
"do I hear 10? 10? 5? come on 5.. look at that box..shes awful perty.. I think I see an old washing machine motor in there, some screw drivers, a tin of quarter inch bolts. That must be worth 2 bits. Do I have a taker for a quarter? SOLD!"

Sometimes the junk box is sold alone. But more often at the auction, you will spot a tool that you wish to purchase. The usual downside of this purchase is that it often comes with a box of junk that the auctioneer realizes will only vanish if sold along with a useful tool that provides instant gratification. .. BUT... The box of junk is often not the downside. Who knows what you may find in the junk box..... The mysterious workings of the junk box will undoubtedly manipulate themselves into the eye of the farmer vision.