Member of the Month: NHmitch
Your Name: Andrew Mitchell (NHmitch)
Post Count: 833 (#731 of all-time)
Join Date: 3-14-2012
Location: Southwest New Hampshire at the Base of the most climbed mountain in North America, Mount Monadnock.
How long have you been a member of TractorByNet.com?
I have been viewing the site for several years, and I became a very active member a year ago.
What do you like best about TractorByNet.com?
TBN is a gold mine. There are so many people on here from all over world who have such a great understanding of almost every aspect of just about every tractor around today. I have made a lot of friends, both here in North America, and abroad. It’s a big family (next to my wife, and beautiful 4-year-old daughter).
What type of tractors do you own?
I currently own a Bolens G154 Diesel 4×4 tractor that was manufactured by Iseki in 1982. It is an absolute little tank, and work horse. We have other farm vehicles that are used every day like a 4-wheeler specially outfitted for barn cleaning, and our farm truck. I also have my grandfather’s John Deere 950 about 7 miles away if we need it.
How long have you owned or operated tractors?
Since I was old enough to walk.
What do you enjoy most about tractors?
It’s an escape for me. I was injured in the military while I was deployed to the Iraqi Theater and 6 operations to three of my limbs keeps me on my tractor a lot. I love every moment from the time I get in the seat, until I have to park it for the night.
How often do you use your tractor?
Everyday, sometimes into the night until we are finished with our daily farm chores.
Tell us about your property:
We have 5 acres of fenced pasture, and then we have woods that we maintain for our firewood. We heat 100% with wood, and have for 5 years here in ice-cold New Hampshire. We have a horse barn, a large hay shelter, an equipment shed, chicken coupe, arena, and our cape style home. I also have my family’s property down the road with 385 acres of woods, pasture, and a large lake that I help to maintain.
What sort of modifications or customization have you done to your tractor?
I completely rebuilt my tractor from the ground up, and I am constantly improving it. It is a 15HP tractor that was made in Japan to be operated in mud, and water, and it is a strong workhorse. I have been amazed at the tasks I have been able to do on this tractor. It has proved to me that a smaller tractor, which is still the primary used farm tractor throughout Europe, and around the world, is all I need. They built them very well, and very strong.
What sort of tools, attachments or equipment do you use with your tractor on a regular basis?
A carry-all, dirt scoop, PHD, plow, 3-point wood splitter, lift-all, and a few small hay trailers.
What do you mainly use your tractor for?
I use it for everything from hauling hay, grain, shavings, firewood, farm equipment, to digging post holes, moving manure piles, firewood harvesting and splitting wood, to plowing our vegetable plots.
Do you maintain crops?
We maintain three food plots that we use for our main supply of corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, broccoli, carrots, peppers, asparagus, radishes, sunflowers, and herbs for cooking, and this year, potatoes. We ventured into canning this year, and we have more food than we know what to do with. We also operated a small roadside farm stand mainly with large pumpkins. Our area hosts a massive Pumpkin Festival with 8 world records down the road. We hope to produce maple syrup next year.
Do you keep livestock?
We currently have horses, ponies, chickens, dogs, and barn cats. We operate a breeding operation with our mares, and we do our own on-site AI and ultrasound.
What’s something most TractorByNet members don’t know about you?
I am a disabled USAF veteran and I served in Bosnia, Iraq, Italy, Bahrain, Kuwait, Spain, the Azores, and quite a few other stops in between. I earned a British Combat medal while serving with NATO as an American.
