being a good neighbor--

[AKfish]

I plow about 1/3 mile of the road that runs past our place. When we get a heavy dump - it might be 2-3 days before a grader will clean up the road. At least I can keep it open enough that folk's can make it out towards the highway.

I do the old, crippled homesteader's place to the east of us and the widow and divorcee places (they live real close to each other), too. Help the renter's across the way once in awhile, too.

I was cleaning up near a 5 acre parcel down the road from the house this past winter and noticed a young kid shoveling their (renters) 200' driveway... probably 8'' on the ground! I pulled in and cleaned everything up. Fella comes out and tries to pay me - told him to give the money to his boy.

I like doing the work and they give me homemade jam-jelly and the widow lady made me some fudge this past Christmas that was "to-die-for"!! :thumbsup: Best fudge I ever swallowed with a sip of coffee!

My wife has also volunteered me to clean up the cluster mail boxes out next to the highway... she thinks I have too much time! She's pestering me to see about some 3/4" minus fill to even out the ruts and low areas next to the boxes, now! I explained; in my reserved manner... that there's no-way I'm helping the maintain the area AND pitch in for gravel, too!! That ball is in her court!

AKfish

 

[alvanko]

I think it was last year, or the year before. An elderly lady from down the street, stopped on her way down the street, to ask me if I would come by her home and give her an estimate to backfill and smooth an area where she had drainage tile put in years ago. I said "sure", some time in the next week or so I would take a look. Well I went down there the next Saturday with my tractor and rear blade and just backfilled and smoothed. I just enjoy working with my tractor.
Now I know, I don't have insurance or anything if I had hit her house or anything else, but I just tried to be careful.
I had no problems, no damage, etc... I never gave her an estimate and never expected anything in return.
She stopped by the following Sunday to ask what she owed. I said nothing. That what neighbors do.
She was so happy I could tell she was getting teared up.
That's what neighbors do, or at least should do. Now adays, everyone is so sue happy, you need to be careful. But the satisfaction of helping someone, is so fullfilling.

 

[gwdixon]

Some of this info is in other posts.

1. A divorced and retired older lady had been paying somebody $400/year to disc her two acre lot. As a property line neighbor she admired the job done on my field and I offered to work her little place. It is now plowed, disced, leveled, rolled, and looks so pretty that she said she now opens her windows in the mornings and just smiles with her coffee. That is a good neighbor - no charge of course.

2. A five acre abandoned lot across the road was a fire trap used as a construction dump. It was cleaned up, volunteer trees taken out with the BH, plowed, disced, leveled, and rolled. First time it was worked in the thirty years I've lived here. The resident neighbors are ecstatic and the fire danger gone.

3. An older neighbor with a pacemaker needed several hundred mature eucalyptus trees taken out. He can work for a half hour and then must rest for a half hour. While I have gotten 18 cords of wood from the work it has been a learning experience. Expensive too - new chain saw, wood splitter, M7040 tractor, L48 TLB, welding repairs to equipment and his tractor (he can't weld with a pacemaker). The job is about 25% done but he is eternally grateful.


All in all, it is fun work, helps others less fortunate, and gives me a good night's sleep.

 

[Thomas]

By the sounds you know your limits RT..tip of the hat for kind deed.
Wising you speedy recovery.

For the last 10+ years snow removal neighbor driveway parking,when the leaves fall one day each take back pack blower clean there lawn.

Elderly neighbor offer handsome payment etc.but I tell them each year you pay me I shall never return.

 

[polo1665]

Well, I'm sort of in the same boat as Cyril. Only really have one neighbor that I really know, he's also a work colleague. The offer is definitely out there, I would never leave someone hang out to dry if I could help them out.
Not to say that I haven't done my share of non tractor related good deeds over the years. I was a Boy Scout:thumbsup:
I guess I should take the time to introduce myself to some more of my neighbors.
Take care of that appendicitis. That's something that will really bite you if you don't take care. I'm sure your neighbors and family want you around for years to come.

Mark

 

[TripleR]

RadarTech, you sound like my father in law. He had heart problems and double hip replacements. I lived some distance away then and would come over to take care of the farms when he was recovering. He was under strict orders by the doctor not to drive ANYTHING. Inevitably, when he got to a certain point he would convince my mother in law it wouldn't hurt to just drive up to the farm and drive around the pond and woods as we have good smooth roads. He would then sneak off to locate me and commandeer the tractor, "it won't hurt if I drive slow, no worse than driving a truck (course he wasn't supposed to be doing that either). Of course I had to sit in the truck while he "worked" or he would be found out.

Before his health problems, he mowed the ball fields and park as well as KC Hall grass lot.

About a month ago, a very large Oak tree blew down across a field road and the men that rent our land spent three days cutting it up into firewood and stacking it down at our barn. I told them they could just burn it, give it away for firewood or push it to the side, but that is just the kind of people they are. If I wanted to, I could sell my tractors on this farm and they would keep everything mowed and roads tended. We do give them a very good deal on rent, but it wouldn't make any difference if we didn't.

There are a lot of good people out there.

 

[RadarTech]

By the sounds you know your limits RT..tip of the hat for kind deed.
Wising you speedy recovery.

For the last 10+ years snow removal neighbor driveway parking,when the leaves fall one day each take back pack blower clean there lawn.

Elderly neighbor offer handsome payment etc.but I tell them each year you pay me I shall never return.

Thank you Thomas...yea.. I think I do...But the doctors will correct me if not...

I truly think we as a country should help each other out more....


J

 

[RadarTech]

RadarTech, you sound like my father in law. He had heart problems and double hip replacements. I lived some distance away then and would come over to take care of the farms when he was recovering. He was under strict orders by the doctor not to drive ANYTHING. Inevitably, when he got to a certain point he would convince my mother in law it wouldn't hurt to just drive up to the farm and drive around the pond and woods as we have good smooth roads. He would then sneak off to locate me and commandeer the tractor, "it won't hurt if I drive slow, no worse than driving a truck (course he wasn't supposed to be doing that either). Of course I had to sit in the truck while he "worked" or he would be found out.

Before his health problems, he mowed the ball fields and park as well as KC Hall grass lot.

About a month ago, a very large Oak tree blew down across a field road and the men that rent our land spent three days cutting it up into firewood and stacking it down at our barn. I told them they could just burn it, give it away for firewood or push it to the side, but that is just the kind of people they are. If I wanted to, I could sell my tractors on this farm and they would keep everything mowed and roads tended. We do give them a very good deal on rent, but it wouldn't make any difference if we didn't.

There are a lot of good people out there.

TripleR, I think your right....
I did get a little fussed at this morning by another neighbor though...
I actually laughed-- they saw me on the tractor and said they almost came and had someone drive the tractor home and ride me in their car... But I was moving in high gear they thought and said I must not have heard their horn....
I guess it was those mickey mouse ears I was wearing!!!

not sure who had it on their signature-- But : Joy is having the tools you need and needing the tools you have...

I'd add-- to help others....


J

 

[RadarTech]

Take care of that appendicitis. That's something that will really bite you if you don't take care. I'm sure your neighbors and family want you around for years to come.

Mark

yeah-- Like I said in another post-- I got a call this morning and given grief from another nieghbor...
I am trying to be careful-- but it is hard "being lazy"...



J

 

[n2deep20]

Lost of great stuff, nice to know that people still watch out for their neighbors..

First, I have to say that both of my neighbors are "great" people and we help each other as often as possible-needed. However they are getting older, mid 70ish, and I mow the larger sections of their yards, couple of acres, and plow the driveways in the winters.

To me this is never work,, the tractor seems to clear my head and brings back memories from cutting hay as a kid, one of my favorite jobs.

I have always believed that people are good by nature and these stories just confirm my belief.

N2deep