WHAT was I thinking?

[veteranchuck]

Yes Dixie379, what were you thinking? Ford 8N, Ford 8N, Ford 8N. A great little tractor and American made. Didn't your dad's Lil 8N impress you enough to think about buying one? They are available everywhere and no problem getting parts. $3500.00 would have gotten you one in pretty good shape. You'd never guess I'm an 8N fan. My dad bought mine in 1948 and I still have it. After stripping it down and fixing it up it's the greatest Lil tractor I could own.

 

[Dixie379]

My brother ended up borrowing my dads lil ford.. indefinitely. Then the buckboard my dad and I got sold, then my brother decided to really modify or take off my dad's mods. I had said in the past that when the dreaded time comes, I want Dad's tractor. Now even when the time does come, I doubt I'll even have a chance to get it. So, it's kind of one those sore spots with me at this time. It fascinated me to see my dad restore that ol Ford, and somehow it turned into jsut another piece of equipment to my brother. I stashed the lil sign we made for it for a show and I'm sure it will end up hanging on my wall somewhere for years to come!

I did A LOT of weighing the pros/cons with buying the lil massey. I wasn't looking for a tractor at all, it was an opportunity buy. For what my 'needs' are right now in a tractor, it just seemed to be a wise investment. I'm sure in time, when I get a place of my own to keep the critters (just rent a lil bit from a friend now), I'll have me a lil ford or two from my uncle or something. My biggest thing for this lil massey was IF it was bigger or more capable for say fieldwork, where my animals are, I was worried the dirtball neighbors feel it would be ok to 'borrow' it anytime they felt. Absolutely no respect from these guys.

This smaller compact size fits very well through my area and lanes whereas I would have had to modify a lot of fencing to fit even a ford through. Which I know doesn't sound like much, but a lot of the lil things like that added up to say start with this, get a ford or IH later.

I still love the Fords, and actually have more experience with the red power, but for now, I'm definitely having a blast with this lil massey..I have the horses trained already to lookout when I beep the lil motorbike horn..meep meep meeeeeep lol

Thanks for the advice Chuck!

 

[Mur386]

Dixie379
Wow, what a wonderful lot of critters you have. No wonder its the sPeCi
Al farm. Our lot pales by comparison. Only 4 cats (two permanent and two transients) and 1 horse. The future is set however and when we move out of the city a large dog is sure to mixed in. And I want to have our own chickens, and guineas.
take care
Bill

 

[texasjohn]

Great photos, Dixie, thanks:thumbsup: You're a busy lady..... lots of critters, and all the kind that take daily attention....no wonder you maintain a running dialogue in their presence.:laughing:

 

[Dixie379]

Thanks guys! I miss my dog ever day, but the family dog BEGS to go to 'the farm'. If she doesn't get to go for a few days, she actually acts depressed! She really considers it her job to go and chase off the cats that aren't 'mine'. (Yeah, she actually knows the difference, and will walk up sniff or walk on by the ones I feed, and scare off the ones that aren't welcome to my area lol never actually 'gets em') She just likes to leave the property/ride I think, and get out and see all the critters.

I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hard work, and very trying on the nerves at times! lol The biggest pain in the patootie is hauling water from the front of the farm (~300yds or so) back to my stock tanks. And winter is always interesting. By the time I get to the tanks out back to unload, I gotta torch the pipe and valve stickin out of the tanks in the truck lol I FINALLY got an ol Roper snow blower last year I'm hoping it will start again and/or the lil massey will start and use the blade/pooper scooper to clear the snow a lil this year. (Planning on putting a hose block heater on in the next week or two, so hopefully that'll help it? Any advice or other options? Someone said I could also try using a heatlamp directed at the block, but I'm a lil worried the cats will get a lil too comfy on the tractor and I don't see that working in their favor, or the shed if the heat lamp were to get knocked down etc)

If the equipment wont start, it's back to 4x4'ing in the :ashamed: Dodge and shoveling for hours sometimes in the dark- ugh. I'm trying really hard to get ahead financially. Kinda thinking next year I need to find someplace different. Preferrably where I can actually live on the property so I don't have to put 50 miles on the truck ever day just to take care of the critters lol Having kind of an apartment in my folks' basement is great for good 'free' meals, but Id live on ramen noodles if it meant being out of here LOL

 

[texasjohn]

Geesh...gets COLD where you are... am glad I'm in Texas...have hauled water here when things froze up bad... once in 30 years...Cows can drink faster than I can haul it, just about.

 

[handirifle]

Dixie,
Welcome, I'm pretty darn new at this tractor stuff, myself. Your post was funny. When you described your predicament, it brought back some not-so funny moments on my little 1010 that male pride prevents me from posting:thumbsup:, but thanks to reading up a bit here on this forum (beforehand), I was able to get my self out of. Thank you fellow posters. I was afraid I might get to actually test the ROPS.

The oddest thing I got from your post that said, "A week later my so called brother has told anyone that asks that 'I thought she was going to try to put it in her horse trailer, not her gooseneck'"

I thought at first, man your brother was really bagging on you, calling you a "she". Then I looked at your name......duh! Oh yea, that's why.

Anyway, I have yet to have to load mine on a trailer, hopefully I don't have to post the same story you did. Great post!