Member of the Month: Kootch88
Your Name: Kootch88
Location: Maine
Post Count: 429 (#1,262 of all-time)
Join Date: February 17, 2012
What do you like best about TractorByNet.com?
I like the information I am able to obtain regarding pretty much anything tractor-related. I am new to diesel and hydraulics so my learning curve was substantial, but through reading answers to my questions, and of course other’s, I have learned a great deal about tractoring and have a lot more to gain, which I am sure will come from the knowledge of the members on Tractorbynet.com.
What type of tractor do you own?
Mahindra Max 22.
How long have you owned or operated tractors?
I bought my tractor on March 19th, 2012.
What do you enjoy most about tractors?
I love the fact that I can do substantial physical work again. As many of you know I am crippled from a motorcycle accident 27 years ago. Any heavy duty work I wanted to perform was always difficult, so this tractor is a huge tool for me, just as it is for everyone else, but for me the difference is enormous because of my increased limitations.
How often do you use your tractor?
During the summer I used it two or three times a week. Now it is winter and I have the snow blower on, so I use it whenever I have enough snow to blow!
Tell us about your property.
I have 11 wooded acres at my main home and another 45 acres at my camp. I also have another 5 acres or so at my office property. I use the tractor at all three properties as well as around my elderly parent’s home.
Tell us about your vehicles.
I have a GMC Canyon 4×4 with a 16’ double axle car hauler. I also have a Honda Rinco ATV, a Polaris Sportsman ATV, and two lawn tractors, one for my office and one my wife’s toy, both John Deere.
Do you have any pets?
I have a Maine Coon who is autistic, and I have an old black cat addicted to chicken. My coon spends a great deal of time contemplating the meaning of life as he stares at the wall. We named him Theo after the Red Sox GM of a few years ago. He weighs about 18 pounds and most people would say he is clueless, we just applied a learning disability to him.
Garcie, named after Nomar Garciapara, Red Sox SS of the day, is our Rhodes Scholar. He is by far the smartest cat I have ever had and he weighs in at 8 pounds, but is the tough ruler of the roost in this house.
What sort of modifications or customization have you done to your tractor?
I made hand controls with the help of a friend (he did most of it, I got in the way) so I can operate the HST tranny.
What sort of tools, attachments or equipment do you use with your tractor on a regular basis?
Rear finish mower by Mahindra, loader, weight box, Ratchet Rake and front mount snow blower by Mahindra.
What do you mainly use your tractor for?
I have been clearing some of my 11 acre property, slowly but surely. I also mow Mom and Pop’s 5 acres, as well as about 3 acres at the camp. I have done a ton of dirt moving around my properties as well as moved about 75 yards of stone working in the local ATV trails.
What do you like or dislike about the area you live in?
I love Maine. The terrain and proximity to the sea gives us a bit of everything. We have a coastline that is rather unique unless you get up to the Northwest US, where the coastline is also jagged and varied in terrain. I love the snow, but it is difficult dealing with it in the wheelchair, but I make due, like all Mainers are known to do. We are kind of an ornery, difficult lot as a whole.
What sort of terrain is common in your area?
Where my main home is we have rolling hills, lots of granite and rock, rivers, and lakes everywhere. Some of the back half of my property is rather steep, too steep for the tractor, but not too steep for my ATV with a lot of care thrown in. Most people won’t tackle it on an ATV, but I am used to it.
What sort of trees and vegetation are common in your area?
Eastern Pine, Hemlock, Oak Sugar Maple, Spruce, Elm, and Birch are just a few of the trees we have in my area.
What’s something most TractorByNet members don’t know about you?
I am a frustrated historian, meaning I love history and have a library full of old history books handed down to me through the generations. I love the perspective you get when reading a turn of the century (19th) book about the Civil War for example. I did not major in history in college, but I did take far more history than I should have and wanted to go to law school for constitutional law, but life got in the way. I have lived in 2 countries and 7 states around the U.S. I wish more folks got to see more of this great country to gain a bit of perspective.
