Monday, November 10, 2008

Tractors Are Just Plain Difficult.

My daughter, Kelley, and I met my brother, Jamey, and his two sons in Lower Peach Tree this past weekend. The plan was to cut some of the roads and a few of the old fields and maybe plant some wildlife food plots. We also planned to install two gates and a fence at the now wide-open end of a power line that cuts across the property.

I admit our plans were ambitious. Jamey and the boys came down Friday night hauling our tractor with the post hole digger attachment. Kelley and I drove up Saturday morning with a friend's bush hog and box blade. If you have never hauled a tractor you may not understand how monumental the undertaking can be. You see, tractors are just plain difficult.

Kelley and I left Saturday morning but had to make a few stops for supplies, so we did not get up there until after noon. We dug some post holes and cut some grass, but we ended up working on the bush hog for a while and before long it was dark.

Kelley woke me up at sunrise, as she does daily, and we went for a walk along the ridge. We saw five deer playing under the power line. When we got back to camp Jamey showed me the front tire on the tractor was flat. We were able to inflate it but it kept leaking through the day.

Jamey was able to cut the Downtown Field and Road and part of the Middle Road, but the tire eventually could not take any more abuse and lay flat for good. It took us a couple more hours to load all the equipment back on the trailers and get on the road.

We did not accomplish everything we planned to do, but considering the tractor troubles we did alright. Kelley and I got home last night at about 8:00pm, worn out and tired of fooling with tractors!