Tired But Not Retired

Randy, Jill & Kinley - Easter 2012 - April

I think we've gotten our money's worth out of this Ford 8N tractor. Maybe it's time to make it a prop for family photos. (Of course, that might be a problem because somebody just dropping by for a random visit might think that's the way we still farm around here.)

My musings were prompted when the radiator started leaking while the guys were using it to string electric fence across the road for pasture for cattle. I thought maybe it was time to retire the old faithful work horse. But not so fast. Randy started searching the internet for a radiator replacement. He got one ordered and the guys got the radiator replaced.

It's as good as new. Well, maybe it's as good as new if you overlook the rust.  On second thought, the rust may be what's holding it together these days.

That tractor seat has been occupied with five different generations now. I couldn't find a photo of the tractor in action, but here's a four-generation photo of Clarence (Randy's Grandpa, seated), his Dad Melvin and Randy holding Brent in 1988.

When Kinley and Jill were here for Easter, Randy wanted a photo on the old Ford tractor. We need to take another photo when they are here again. Kinley has changed a lot since April! She did wear her overall jumper for the occasion. What a good little farm girl!

April 2012

Melvin and Clarence bought the tractor back in the 1960s, when Randy was in grade school. They used it to load silage for feeding cattle. Randy remembers using it to pull a two-row John Deere planter when they planted milo. He also cultivated milo with it when he was junior high age.

These days, we have a wire winder on the back and use it for building and rolling up electric fence.

It may be tired, but it's not retired. Come to think of it, that might describe me at the moment, too.