How long have you been in the seat and first tractor

[repete]

I first got in the seat in I believe 1966. The first tractor was an old ford truck frame with a flathead six, two four speed transmissions in a row going to duals on the rear. It had no springs. It did have a hydraulic blade (up down only). No power steering. For weight it had a large concrete block cast over the rear axle with a formed area in the concrete where a seat was mounted on the block. It had no muffler and at night it was awesome to give it full throttle and watch the sparky fly out to stack. I had it on the road and never got it in 4 and 4 which was probably a good thing in retrospect... 1st and 1st it did not matter if it was at idle or full throttle. You could still eat dinner while going 100'.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I first got on a tractor in about 1953; it was a Ford, and I was pulling a sled and hauling hay. I also worked for my Granddad about that time, and he had a 1942 U model Minneapolis Moline. He also had an older tractor, I believe it was an International, about a 1935 model. Thank goodness I didn't have to mess with that old smooth mouth; it had to be hand cranked.

 

[RalphVa]

I was about 12, so about 1954. Dad had some old Case. Also drove my grandpa's Farmall B (the one with the slightly sideways seat).

Ralph

 

[KWentling]

About 1962 and a JD "B" laying irrigation pipe. I pulled the pipe trailer and Grandpa layed the pipe out.

 

[5030]

Too long ago to remember but my first one was a new B7100 Kubota and it's been Kubota's ever since, I think about 13 of them. Last 2 are large frame M9000's. Have both of them.

 

[deserteagle71]

Me driving our old Oliver Model 70, mom and pop on the wagon spreading the hay that was being brought up onto the wagon by a "hayloader". Note the date at the top of the photo:

 

[LouNY]

I would have been almost 6 so 1957, I wasn't sure for a bit then it dawned on me it would have been the spring after we got the Farmall 400 because she plowed deep and brought up more rocks.
Spring work picking stone steering and starting and stopping a WD Allis Chalmers pulling a stone boat.
I would pull ahead using the hand clutch and try and keep her in a straight line, stop by throwing the hand clutch ahead,
and if necessary stand up in front of the steering wheel to stand on the brakes as I couldn't reach them while seated..
I got to drive while usually two people walked along picking up and loading the rocks.
Then it just snowballed from then on.

 

[mwayne]

My first tractor to operate was a Farmall H in 1972 pulling a John Deere disc and a bit later a MF 35.

 

[RickB]

1962 at age 5 driving a Cockshutt 30.

 

[rangerfredbob]

My first experience was at about 10 years old and was on a Farmall A and my dad put me up there with a pipe trailer (most likely 40' pipe), as it turns out a 10 year old that hasn't driven has a hard time with that length trailer and I hit a burn barrel with the tail end when turning and got in trouble...

Now I have put around 300 hours on my little Kubota in the last 5 years...

 

[jaxs]

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]

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]

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

 

[r porter]

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]

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]

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

 

[mapper]

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]

Circa 1959, 8 years old, 8N Ford.

 

[powersrp]

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.

 

[Jstpssng]

I started late, around 12 or 14 on the venerable 8N.