Teaching tractor

Starting with the easy stuff…

Farming and gardening happen on all scales. I love tractors, so I’ve set up systems that allow us to use tractors to do the most demanding farm tasks. Preparing soil for planting, cultivating weeds, and planting crops can all be accomplished with a tractor, which honestly is what will allow me to keep doing this work for the long haul. The downside is that tractors can be dangerous, and it limits who can help with the work.

My first tractor driving job as a kid was moving round bales of hay out of the field after baling, and at the time I thought it was the best job in the world. I’ve been excited to teach my kids how to drive a tractor with the hope they could experience that same sense of joy, independence, and responsibility I first felt moving hay.

Last year I started teaching our oldest child, Jack, how to operate equipment. We started with a small riding mower, where he learned how to check the oil, put air in the tires, grease all the fittings, and pay attention to all that’s happening with the machine during use. He did a great job, and I think I only mowed our yard once last summer. He was excited to have the job and grateful to earn a little extra cash.

Last week I was in the field cultivating the crops, and I felt like it was the perfect opportunity to start Jack out on the tractor. When he walked in the door after school, his eyes lit up when I asked him if he wanted a tractor driving job.

Cultivating the wheel tracks in the potato field, while seeming like a simple task at first, requires attention to the details, and Jack took it in stride. Learning how the cultivator follows behind the tractor on sloping ground requires constant attention and an awareness of what’s happening behind you, as well as what’s coming ahead. We’ll keep it simple the rest of the summer with these types of driving jobs for Jack, but my ultimate goal is that this translates into car driving as he’s just a couple of years away from getting his learner’s permit; maybe this potato field will help him be a little safer on the road. Here’s to hoping, and clean rows of potatoes!