Tractor

The 1320 Ford tractor is experiencing some issues. Unfortunately, we rely on this piece of equipment to be the real work horse around here.

Originally we got the tractor to help with farm work in West Virginia, in 1994 or so. We bought new because we couldn't find a used tractor, except at a dealer. Has been an invaluable asset since.

With the PTO (Power Take-Off) feature, the tractor has helped us generate electricity when the power was off during a snow storm, dig post holes, cut grass, annihilated brushes and shrubs, help control bonfires, pull stumps, install telephone poles, haul rocks, spread manure; the list is endless.

On Friday it got stuck on a tree stump, and throughout the day was hard to start, but mostly did, until it didn't. He ordered a starter motor.

Yesterday the motor arrived, but at the same time a decent thunderstorm showed up, too. The lightning was awesome! Not a good time to do repairs on a tractor in the middle of a tree line in an open field.

You really don't appreciate what you have until you don't. Am I right? We had planned on hauling the downed tree debris out with the tractor, using the flat bed trailer. Could use the truck, but the tractor doesn't leave as big a foot print.

We had planned on spreading the fertilizer on the Orchard Grass using the spreader that only works with the PTO feature on the tractor. We need the tractor to assist in the new fence installation. We really, seriously, cannot afford to have this asset out of commission.