Kids using tractors

[Soundguy]

I was on a hay crew for years and our driver was about the same size. On another crew we had the "driver less truck" too when someone failed to show up.

too funny.. seems everybody did that sort of thing.

steer it straight at idle in 1/low on the split rear end wheel tied, someone jumps in at the end of the row and swings her around to the next, unless one of the 'kids' came along.. then they were the driver..

only bad part was when i got a lil taller and more capable to drive.. then it was my turn to get out and toss mellons or bales, and my younger cousin got to learn to drive.. or.. uh.. steer anyway..

soundguy

 

[TripleR]

too funny.. seems everybody did that sort of thing.

steer it straight at idle in 1/low on the split rear end wheel tied, someone jumps in at the end of the row and swings her around to the next, unless one of the 'kids' came along.. then they were the driver..

only bad part was when i got a lil taller and more capable to drive.. then it was my turn to get out and toss mellons or bales, and my younger cousin got to learn to drive.. or.. uh.. steer anyway..

soundguy

Story of my life, I had two older brothers and one younger, so he stayed on the tractor and in the truck a loooong time and by the time clothes were handed down two times they were pretty well worn out so he got NEW clothes in addition to avoiding a lot of the grunt work. Funny how his memories of "farm life" differ from ours.:laughing:

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Well, I'm the sole operator of our BX25, and you could still call me a "kid" (16)...

 

[YesDeere]

Yup. People would cringe at some of these things today. And maybe that's what's wrong?!? I have friends with kids that are 10-12 years old and don't even make them mow the lawn. I hate to say it but we are staring down the barrel of a loaded inept generation.

When I was 8 I was the "driver" of an old haying rig. A sweet old 9n with a new holland bailer and wagon behind it. Wasn't even a question then. I was too small to buck bails so I drove. Man that was fun. This is in the early eighties. Man things Change quick.

 

[TripleR]

Well, I'm the sole operator of our BX25, and you could still call me a "kid" (16)...

From everything you have posted, I consider you a young man, not a kid.:thumbsup:

I am sure your parents and grandparents are very proud of you.

 

[Soundguy]

i remember push mowing the lawn with one of those mowers with the big rear wheels that was self propelled because I wasn't tall/strong enough to push a regular push mower.. my arms were always angled up to steer that thing.. had to push mow 3/4 ac around the house.. nowadays I rider mow or tractor mow anything over 1/4 ac.. how times change..!!

Yup. People would cringe at some of these things today. And maybe that's what's wrong?!? I have friends with kids that are 10-12 years old and don't even make them mow the lawn. I hate to say it but we are staring down the barrel of a loaded inept generation. .

 

[TripleR]

Yup. People would cringe at some of these things today. And maybe that's what's wrong?!? I have friends with kids that are 10-12 years old and don't even make them mow the lawn. I hate to say it but we are staring down the barrel of a loaded inept generation.

When I was 8 I was the "driver" of an old haying rig. A sweet old 9n with a new holland bailer and wagon behind it. Wasn't even a question then. I was too small to buck bails so I drove. Man that was fun. This is in the early eighties. Man things Change quick.

Agree completely, when my oldest son was eight, he ran his own lawn mowing service and bought his own mower. He also helped me work in the woods and later the farms.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've posted the picture of me on the old tractor bringing in the Hay at my grandparents farm when I was almost 5... my best childhood memories.

When I was 10 I started working for my other Grandfather as a lot boy at the Dealership... He didn't have a problem with me moving the cars around the lot...

Parked many thousands of cars before I ever drove on a public street.

Times sure have changed... even in my own family... nephew and nieces are very restricted... not even allowed to ride in my Old Model A unless it is the annual 4th of July parade... you know Model A's don't have airbags, ABS, traction control, stability... etc...

When I was 8, I started mowing lawns throughout the neighborhood every Saturday... same nephew and nieces are not allowed.

About the only restriction I had as a young lad were circular saws and chain saws... had to be 12 under supervision first.

My niece 8 year old niece would help me move cars around the shop... I would push and she would steer and brake...

One day, at her parents house their old Mustang needed to be moved and I said just have her steer and brake while we push... he looked at me like I was crazy... then she said, "It's OK Daddy, I help Uncle all the time..."

 

[CompactTractorFan]

From everything you have posted, I consider you a young man, not a kid.:thumbsup:

I am sure your parents and grandparents are very proud of you.

Why, thank you.

They are...

 

[Rancher Ed]

Looks like he is having fun! :thumbsup:

I started driving tractors when I was ten cause that was when I could push the clutch all the way in. I wasn't aloud to do anything by myself but by the time I was 12 I didn't even have to ask, if I was doing something that needed the tractor I could just go get.

My sister started around the time she turned 11 but I still did most of the work. My next sister wasn't really interested when she could reach the clutch but as she has gotten older she has started using them a bit. The older of my two younger brothers just turned 12 and is able to reach the clutch now so he has started driving the tractor with supervision and he started helping mow the yard this year.

I think starting young gives you time to get good at things at slow speed where you won't cause problems before you move to a car and start driving on the road. A lot of people turn 15, get their permit, and then their first time driving they are on the road with other drivers. If you have been driving a tractor for 3 or 4 years you have learned to deal with changes around you which, even though different from what you see on the road, prepare you to deal with things you don't expect. Also, if you drive your truck in the hay fields, you are accustom to the vehicle before you start driving it on the road.

Ed