"Every man needs a tractor"

We have a lot of projects to work on here at the farm. And the problem is, we simply did not have the right tools. We have major work to be done and we had no equipment. So we had been talking about getting a tractor for a few weeks. We knew we needed one and we were going to get one, but we did not know when or how.

So the other day, we just stopped in our local John Deere dealer and asked if they had any used tractors for sale. It just so happens that they were getting in a trade-in with only 60 hours on the engine. We came back the day it arrived to see it. It was the right size, the right horsepower, and available at a decent price. Not only that but it already had a bush hog rear attachment and a front end loader attachment.

It smelled of diesel fuel and had me mesmerized. And it was in the right color too: John Deere Green.

Anyway, this is all new to me. I never had a tractor before, or a reason to have one. So I relied on my wife for her evaluation. And after we talked it over, and I inspected the condition a little more closely, we signed the papers and scheduled the delivery.

So now we have a tractor. Of course, the wife thinks of it as a piece of equipment. I think of it as the biggest toy I have ever had :-)

The day it arrived, the guys unloaded and left. I had no manual, no experience, and no idea how to even get it started. So off to the Internet. I downloaded the appropriate manual and in a few minutes I had the basics down for starting the beast. After a quick read through the operations section I had the controls fairly well memorized.

So out I go with key in hand to have my first tractor driving experience. It was fun, it was cool, yeah I wasn't so good at first. But I am getting better.

Now the funny part. I was convinced that it would fit under the carport roof. My wife was not so sure. But since she wasn't around, I decided to try it out. It was just about 3 inches too high. It was obvious when it bent the aluminum flashing on the carport roof. So what comes next is obvious. This thing has a front end loader. I am sitting on dirt. Time to play.

So I dug my way into my own carport. I basically scooped out a few inches and then used the bucket to smooth it as best I could. It now fits. And there is even one half inch to spare.

Now just the other day our pastor stopped by to drop off my daughter who had been over to see his daughter. He saw our tractor and after we praised it for a bit, he said "every man needs a tractor." And the funny thing is, here on the farm, he is exactly right. Every man, and I must point out every woman as well, needs a tractor on a farm.

So we have a tractor and we both can operate it. I think my wife was a bit frustrated that I tried to hog all the driving time when we were moving the manure pile around. When you have horses, you have manure. Anyway, I know she is the better tractor operator of the two of us and has years more experience than I do. So I need more practice anyway :-)

I think maybe tomorrow there is definitely some rock or dirt that needs to be moved. In fact, I am sure I will find some. And when I do, I will think to myself, every man needs a tractor.


Copyright 2006, Kevin Farley (a.k.a. sixdrift, a.k.a. neuronstatic)