By Pam Wormington
Column
Bigger Isn’t Always Better
Y
ou’ve heard all the sayings, “Bigger is better.” “He who dies with the most toys wins.” “The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. “ Blah Blah Blah. My boss finally got the big blue New Holland tractor he deserved complete with air conditioning, heat, forward-reverse shuttle shift, enclosed cab, yada yada yada. He claims he bought it for me because I can reach the peddles. Next, he’ll be trying to convince me to buy some swampland in Florida so that we can enjoy vacations together.
But first I must mention that we have had the tractor for several years and I rarely drive it. I preferred to drive the Farmall 544 with none of the amenities except the gear pattern written in permanent marker on the loader bracket. It does have a radio but to hear it you must increase the volume to a point where the lyrics are unrecognizable. It does allow you to get a tan, farmer style and smell the fragrance of honeysuckle and fresh mowed hay. I’m a multi-tasker and this tractor allows me have a little pleasure while working.
The boss asked me to brush hog the remaining pastures after we finished hay and I reluctantly agreed. That is how I usually succumb to work on the farm, reluctantly. He informed me that the brush hog was already hooked up to the New Holland. With that in mind, I had received a CRASH course in the morning and that afternoon I was to fly solo on HIS tractor. Everything was quiet on the farm that warm afternoon as I climbed into the big tractor; trying to remember everything I was taught. I adjusted the seat to petite, checked all the controls and
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