Dedicated followers of the farm twitter and/or facebook will be aware that last month I splashed the cash on a new (to us) tractor and are doubtless(!) wondering how that is working out.
The old tractor was still going OK, but at over twenty years old it was beginning to show its age with a few rust holes and a couple of oil leaks. On top of that, Son No. 1 managed to smash the rear glass last year and the replacement wasn’t a perfect fit, and the cab was still littered with tiny cubes of glass.
More importantly it was also only two wheel drive.
When I bought it just over five years ago I thought this wouldn’t really be an issue as I reasoned that in the “good old days” all tractors were only 2 wheel drive. However we ask a lot more of our machines today, and it would really struggle to carry a bale up even the most gentle of slopes if the ground was at all slippy. Given the fact that it had rained solid for the last twelve months we were snookered on most days.
So I hunted on the web for a replacement and found a much newer 4 wheel drive model at a dealer in Devon.
If anyone is looking for an easy career move can I suggest tractor dealer. Bear in mind that this newer machine was over £20K.
Does it have a service history? – Don’t know
Would you service it? – No
Do you want to see our tractor to part exchange? – No, I can price it from a photo
Will you fix the seat which has obviously been extensively used by a farmer too fond of his Big Mac’s and Large Fries? – Oh OK, if you insist
So hands were shaken and after a couple of weeks the new beast arrives and it soon becomes obvious that in the intervening fifteen odd years there have been a few improvements made by the John Deere Tractor Corporation.
When you turn the key on the radio no longer blast out Radio 1 at full volume (as left by your errant son) causing you to jump out of you seat - but now comes in softly and you have to turn it up to the desired level. It also comes in on Classic FM as I have yet to let Mitchell behind the wheel.
There is a nifty little lever which enables you to switch the whole three tonne machine from forward to reverse in any gear without using the clutch. Unbelievable.
The newly repaired seat has both up-and-down and side-to-side suspension so that you are not thrown about like a pea on a drum over rough ground.
When you step on the brakes you stop.
Less good (perhaps) is that the cab side windows open effortlessly without you needing to grope for the catch, but crucially without you needing to notice your wallet (with £200 cash, 6 bank/credit cards and a handy list of pin numbers) floating out of the window and ending up somewhere on the verge of the Camelford to Bude road as you go to pick up your new grain trailer…
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