In your worst dreams.....

[RollTideRam]

My worst day was bushhogging a field I knew nothing about. I drove through it, but did not walk it. I dropped front wheel in a hole that was covered by a downed tree. A big hole and a small tractor. After I got the back wheel on the ground, I buckled up. Next were some ruts that were made by something big, real big. I hit a large concrete chunk next. I had saw it on the last pass, but a passing train with a loud horn had my attention at the wrong time. Next was a tire/wheel combo that killed the engine, some more ruts that allowed me to cut some more dirt. Finally for a nice finish, two hornet stings and I was done. I have not mentioned to the owner about cutting his field again. JC

 

[redlevel]

(You southerners know what Kudsu is all about)

FWJ, make sure you get all those Kudzu vines off the tractor and mower, or you will transplant it at the next two or three places you mow!

 

[firefighter9208]

Bushhogging for a friend on Saturday. 1/2 of the 10 acres I have been bushhogging for the past 3 years. This year they want it all bushhogged. Some of the blackberry briars were to the top of my canopy. I would have to stop and let the mower catch up at times. Was like driving through the jungle.

Stopped to eat a bite and blow out the radiator. Heard a hissing sound. Of course I got a front tire going down. Took it off and took it to get repaired. Put a new tube in and put the tire back on, let the front end down with the loader. The other one is flat. Had to take it and get it repaired. Spent a total of two hours getting flats repaired. That one tire had two sticks through it.

I was almost done and hit a pile of rocks. This isn't rocky ground, but my friends brother in law (when they lived on the land) had obviously hunted every rock on the place to put in one pile in the middle of a flat field. No wonder the whole family calls him "the idiot".

As far as getting stuck, we had a pond that was overgrown and had filled in over the years. I had a contractor friend come and cut the dam in March. We let it drain all summer and he was going to clean it out in the fall. About the end of July I decided to bushhog the weeds/grass/cattails so it would be easier to clean out. I made one pass too many. Buried the tractor and bushhog. Went and got the jeep and buried it trying to get out the tractor. Went and got my granddads tractor to pull out the jeep. Then used the tractor and jeep to pull out my tractor. What a mess!!

Chris

 

[Farmwithjunk]

FWJ, make sure you get all those Kudzu vines off the tractor and mower, or you will transplant it at the next two or three places you mow!

Yep... Along with the assorted Canadian Thistle, Bull Thistle, ect, and so on. We always try to clean off tractors and mowers before leaving every job. Then they go home for a quick turn around service and inspection. I've got a couple customers that are big fancy Arabian horse farms. We mow several hundred acres of pasture there that looks nicer than my front lawn! If I hauled weed seed in to those places, they'd have my head on a silver platter

On a side note, there's a woman just down the road from me that has a Kudsu removal business. She "employs" several dozen goats instead of mowers. She keeps 'em booked up year round.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Reading about some of the "stucks" jolted a few repressed memories out of the dark corners of my mind The worst was when I was about 15 y.o. Dad had me mowing roadsides around his place. I was on an Allis Chalmers WD. I was at that age where ALL I thought about was girls/cars, or occasionally cars/girls. Anyway, a good looking GIRL in a CAR drove by just as I was about to pass a deep, mud and cattail filled ditch. Long story short, I didn't "pass" the ditch. Next thing I know, the narrow front Allis is pushing towards the site of this years summer Olympics It sunk in so far, there was mud pushing up over the top of the radiator. The only other tractor there I was allowed to get out on my own was a Ferguson TO30 that was smaller and lighter than the old Allis. Needless to say, I had to wait until dad got home to help me get it out.

Then I had to explain to him how/why it was in the ditch in the first place.

After raising 3 kids of my own, now I understand that exasperated look on his face oh, so well.

 

[Thomas]

Knock on wood you didn't have any break downs during your adventure...yikes.

Bad seat time for me,I'd say couple years ago while brush hogging the lower field,for it was dry late summer and the wasp & yellow jackets had nest just about everywhere,and seems I found them all...OUCH...I had so many red dots on me I could have play connect the dots.

Last winter while plowing driveway clump of snow fell from pine 40'/50' and hit my shoulder also top of my head...talk about be silly for moment or two.

 

[Glowplug]

Reading about some of the "stucks" jolted a few repressed memories out of the dark corners of my mind The worst was when I was about 15 y.o. Dad had me mowing roadsides around his place. I was on an Allis Chalmers WD. I was at that age where ALL I thought about was girls/cars, or occasionally cars/girls. Anyway, a good looking GIRL in a CAR drove by just as I was about to pass a deep, mud and cattail filled ditch. Long story short, I didn't "pass" the ditch. Next thing I know, the narrow front Allis is pushing towards the site of this years summer Olympics It sunk in so far, there was mud pushing up over the top of the radiator. The only other tractor there I was allowed to get out on my own was a Ferguson TO30 that was smaller and lighter than the old Allis. Needless to say, I had to wait until dad got home to help me get it out.

Then I had to explain to him how/why it was in the ditch in the first place.

After raising 3 kids of my own, now I understand that exasperated look on his face oh, so well.

Great story!
The big question is did the girl see what happened in her rear view mirrow?!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Great story!
The big question is did the girl see what happened in her rear view mirrow!!

Uh.. I'll ask her tonight when I get home! It was my then future wife that made me drive off in the ditch.

(She's made me do a number of stupid things over the years. )

 

[gf5205]

Thanks for bringing up bad memories . About 15 years ago I was building road in my woods with my Ford 3600. I was carrying rocks from a stone wall and covering with dirt. The front axle broke when I was almost out at the end pointing the wrong way. This was late November in Maine and I was worried about getting it fixed before winter. The ground was cold and wet and it was dark before and after work.

Now the loader is powered by a pump mounted on the loader frame driven by a shaft that runs through a hole in the center of the axle. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get the axle off with out taking off the loader, and I didn't see how to get the loader off with the broken axle in that location. I finally got it off and it went back together more easliy. I don't remember if it was the second or third weekend that I finally got it.

Greg

 

[pitt_md]

My worst day was way back when I was ten or eleven years old. I was driving the IH super M with a 12' spring tooth drag behind getting a field ready for my Dad to plant when he got home from work. I turned a corner to sharp (probably thinking about girls or cars) and before I knew what was going on I had wrapped the drag around the tire. I ruined the drag and the rear tire and he field was not even close to being ready to plant. Any of you ever see the cartoons where someone gets hit in the head and they see stars? I can honestly say that there is a real life equivalent.

 

[Pete Milley]

When I was in high school I worked for a cement mason. He had a very old Ford tractor with a loader which we used to fill the mixer. One day while I was returning the tractor to the shop, I came around the back side of the building much too fast and cranked the steering wheel hard left at which point the three spokes connecting the steering wheel to the column broke off. Fascinated by this unexpected turn of events, I forgot I was still travelling forward and smashed through the door of the building destroying several burial vaults before coming to a stop.

 

[pitt_md]

When I was in high school I worked for a cement mason. He had a very old Ford tractor with a loader which we used to fill the mixer. One day while I was returning the tractor to the shop, I came around the back side of the building much too fast and cranked the steering wheel hard left at which point the three spokes connecting the steering wheel to the column broke off. Fascinated by this unexpected turn of events, I forgot I was still travelling forward and smashed through the door of the building destroying several burial vaults before coming to a stop.

this would be perfect for one of those commercials "Wanna get away?"

 

[Glowplug]

Uh.. I'll ask her tonight when I get home! It was my then future wife that made me drive off in the ditch.

(She's made me do a number of stupid things over the years. )

Now THAT is really funny!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Now THAT is really funny!

Just asked Leigh about that day. She recalls the event better that I do. She was driving with her mother also in the car. She said to her mother, "I think that boy just wrecked his tractor". They almost turned around to see if I was alright. I jumped off the tractor and ran out onto the road. Once they saw I was OK, there was no need to turn around.

We hadn't met yet. They were visiting Leighs grandmother, who lived just up the road from my parents. My mom and her dad went through school together. Later that summer, we met at a church picnic. I won her a 4' tall stuffed animal. She still has it. That was 46 years ago. We were married 3 years later.

And yes, I'll ALWAYS recall the first time I saw the young lady who went on to be my wife.

 

[Glowplug]

Just asked Leigh about that day. She recalls the event better that I do. She was driving with her mother also in the car. She said to her mother, "I think that boy just wrecked his tractor". They almost turned around to see if I was alright. I jumped off the tractor and ran out onto the road. Once they saw I was OK, there was no need to turn around.

We hadn't met yet. They were visiting Leighs grandmother, who lived just up the road from my parents. My mom and her dad went through school together. Later that summer, we met at a church picnic. I won her a 4' tall stuffed animal. She still has it. That was 46 years ago. We were married 3 years later.

And yes, I'll ALWAYS recall the first time I saw the young lady who went on to be my wife.

Absolutely amazing story! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Absolutely amazing story! Thanks for sharing!

And today (Aug 12th) is the anniversary of the chuch picnic/day we officially met!

 

[WilliamBos]

From my youngest days, I recall being addicted to tractorin'. It never took much of an excuse to get me on one. I really enjoy the time I spend in the seat to this day, even after literally THOUSANDS of hours.

But then you have days like my yesterday

8-1/2 hours (fortunately in a cab) of mowing dense weeds (not mowed for 3 years) that were taller than eye level sitting down. A mix-match of every noxious weed commonly found around these parts. Some areas had Kudsu vining all over the weeds. (You southerners know what Kudsu is all about) 23 acres worth. In places, it was so thick, I was cutting only with half the width of the batwing, just so I could keep the tractor in clear ground to be able to see ANYTHING.

I found, (A) 2 car tires, (B) a pile of old wooden fence post's, (C) a couple box traps, (D) 3 deer, (E) 2 of the fattest racoons I've ever seen, (F) and most important, I found that not EVERY minute spent in the operators seat is fun.

The property owners ain't gonna like the bill either

SO, what's the WORST time you've ever spent in the seat?

I have to ask Bill, the first time she saw you after the ditch incident, did she bust out laughing?? " he he he he, Oh yeah, I remember you, you ditched your Allis along that road...... "

So is there any animal DNA on you equipment?? Did you ever get pics of you tractors and mowing equipment??

Kudzu Vining??

Kudzu, the vine that ate the South « Sherry’s Place

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I have to ask Bill, the first time she saw you after the ditch incident, did she bust out laughing?? " he he he he, Oh yeah, I remember you, you ditched your Allis along that road...... "

So is there any animal DNA on you equipment?? Did you ever get pics of you tractors and mowing equipment??

Kudzu Vining??

Kudzu, the vine that ate the South ｫ Sherry痴 Place

Fortunately, Leigh didn't recognize me right away. But I sure remembered seeing her. It was after a few weeks of proper "courting" before I told her it was me that drove the tractor into the ditch when I saw her.

That's a good article on Kudzu. Probably got it growing in my computer by now!

 

[Glowplug]

Yep... Along with the assorted Canadian Thistle, Bull Thistle, ect, and so on. We always try to clean off tractors and mowers before leaving every job. Then they go home for a quick turn around service and inspection. I've got a couple customers that are big fancy Arabian horse farms. We mow several hundred acres of pasture there that looks nicer than my front lawn! If I hauled weed seed in to those places, they'd have my head on a silver platter

On a side note, there's a woman just down the road from me that has a Kudsu removal business. She "employs" several dozen goats instead of mowers. She keeps 'em booked up year round.

So are you saying that you can get a manicured cut clean enough to satisfy that customer with a rotary cutter?!?