How long have you been in the seat and first tractor

jaxs · Nov 7, 2020

5 years old in 1949 on a Red Belly Ford 8n but the real story isn't about me,it's my mom and older brothers,one was 10 and the orther was 7 at the time. Dad was stricken with TB and no longer able to handle the F-20 Farmall. Dealer unloaded the new 8n for a demonstration and proceeded to explain how it operated and how easy it was to switch implements compared to the F-20 then asked my 10 year old brother to show dad that he could handle the tractor. 2 row cultivators were already on and brother was to plow a few rows of 8" tall cotton. Dealer had made it clear where brake pedals were. As instructed,brother put the tractor in 2nd gear and release clutch. The tractor leaped and took off like a schalded dog:shocked:. The dealer installed Sherman was in high range. For those unfamilar,2 high is right around 8 miles per hour. Each time brother stepped on a break, the tractor spun around and changed direction of travel. After some ducking,dodging,screaming cussing and running around by all of us on the ground,a front wheel went beneath trailer and stalled engine. Dad bought the tractor,brother and mom plowed crops until hearvest. While hand hearvesting corn,brother set gear and throttle,jumped off and left me to stir tractor and trailer while they geathered corn. At end of rows,I held clutch until brother could come turn rig around. Not sure how long it was until I could graduated through levels of driving. Dad passed in 1955,brother quite school at 16 to become a full time farmer. In 1957 he bought a propane fueled 841. Tractors came and went,brothers,sisters and mom are gone but I still have the 841.

repete · Nov 7, 2020

jaxs said:
5 years old in 1949 on a Red Belly Ford 8n but the real story isn't about me,it's my mom and older brothers,one was 10 and the orther was 7 at the time. Dad was stricken with TB and no longer able to handle the F-20 Farmall. Dealer unloaded the new 8n for a demonstration and proceeded to explain how it operated and how easy it was to switch implements compared to the F-20 then asked my 10 year old brother to show dad that he could handle the tractor. 2 row cultivators were already on and brother was to plow a few rows of 8" tall cotton. Dealer had made it clear where brake pedals were. As instructed,brother put the tractor in 2nd gear and release clutch. The tractor leaped and took off like a schalded dog:shocked:. The dealer installed Sherman was in high range. For those unfamilar,2 high is right around 8 miles per hour. Each time brother stepped on a break, the tractor spun around and changed direction of travel. After some ducking,dodging,screaming cussing and running around by all of us on the ground,a front wheel went beneath trailer and stalled engine. Dad bought the tractor,brother and mom plowed crops until hearvest. While hand hearvesting corn,brother set gear and throttle,jumped off and left me to stir tractor and trailer while they geathered corn. At end of rows,I held clutch until brother could come turn rig around. Not sure how long it was until I could graduated through levels of driving. Dad passed in 1955,brother quite school at 16 to become a full time farmer. In 1957 he bought a propane fueled 841. Tractors came and went,brothers,sisters and mom are gone but I still have the 841.

Thanks for sharing your history. So many years and so much life lived.

Thomas · Nov 7, 2020

Early 60's got my first seat time 8N move to Farmall H once my feet could operate pedals.

r porter · Nov 7, 2020

about 56 and 7 or so and got the worst sun burn of my life pulling a disc with a Farmall H all day behind dad plowing.

Mendonsy · Nov 7, 2020

About 1950 towing hay wagons with a Farmall F12 or F14. Dad traded the F12 in for a Case SC the next summer so I mostly used that for everything.

Oaktree · Nov 7, 2020

14 or 15 helping our neighbor with haying. Ford 9N.

mapper · Nov 7, 2020

11 or 12 years old, Dad had an old Gibson. Spent many happy hours grading the folks 1/4 mile driveway and other projects that a young teenager can find to do with a small piece of equipment.

ovrszd · Nov 7, 2020

Circa 1959, 8 years old, 8N Ford.

powersrp · Nov 7, 2020

11 yrs old, 1973, 4 hp rear engine ward, my dad said, Here do you want these, one mower no engine, one 4 hp Briggs, acouple days later I was riding wheelies across the yard, smashed into house, oops forgot to make some kind of a brake.