A Tractor and Days From the Past

I have just returned from following Dad on the tractor after the mower's blades were sharpened. We had to travel about 4 miles on county roads to return home. I stayed close behind him with the hazard lights on to warn people of a slow-moving vehicle.

While following him home, I begin to wax a bit nostalgic for days gone by. I remembered growing up on the farm and learning to drive that same tractor. It was an exciting day when I was able to go by myself to the pasture or the corn field to pull the manure spreader around making sure all of the area was covered in freshly gathered cow manure. I felt like I was a big shot because I could drive the tractor away from the farm for a short distance by myself and operate a big (at the time) piece of machinery.

The one task I never could master was backing up the tractor with the trailer or manure spreader attached. The day Dad tried to teach me will always be good for a laugh. He told me to try to back the spreader under the ledge so he could fill it with the manure. Well, I tried over and over and over to back it straight. Dad tried over and over and over to teach me. I became more frustrated as did Dad. Finally, he motioned in a not so subtle way for me to remove my carcass from the tractor seat and allow him to show me how it was done. Of course, he backed it up in short fashion and I felt like a dufus. Since then, I have never learned or attempted to back up anything with a trailer. (I guess I shouldn't say anything about Mom and bowling, huh?)

I miss those days sometimes. Don't get me wrong! I never had any interest whatsoever in operating the farm. But when I have to follow Dad on the tractor dodging racing vehicles and being saluted with one finger, I think about now much nicer it was when people remained calm when they came upon a tractor on the road and actually waited for the appropriate time to pass as opposed to racing around it like Tony Stewart at Daytona. Now days, people don't have the time to take it easy and a slow tractor just infuriates them to no end. I think it's time for a little more "tractor time".

Until next time, watch out for tractors....they may be pulling manure spreaders! :-)