Tricked Out Tractors

These days’ tractors come with amenities found in most man caves. Comfortable seats – yes, multiple seats because more than likely you’ll always have a rider. Some have mini-refrigerators tucked under the seat. Most are equipped with GPS and auto steer technology, docking stations for iPods, one touch controls for driving and computer screens – again, multiple screens – to monitor the field, the equipment performance, weather . . . one day I’m sure you’ll be able to watch a NASCAR race while planting.

Once harvest is complete, My Farmer moves from the semi to the tractor and chisel. We use one tractor for all our spring and fall tillage, one tractor primarily for its strength and endurance.

: This tractor is our workhorse, powering over hundreds of acres each spring and fall.

However, with all that work, it’s no wonder that as the end of fall field work nears, something would go wrong. The air conditioner went out three weeks ago.

Now, you might think, what’s the big deal?! It’s November with high temps in the 50s and lows in the 30s. But during the day the temperature in that glass enclosed cab reaches the high 90s. It’s a sauna on wheels, or in this case tracks.

My Farmer has found relief driving with the window and door cracked open, which again sounds like the perfect solution, except when the temperature outside is a cool 40-ish Fahrenheit. Sweltering in a 90-plus degree cab being cooled by a 40-degree breeze has led to a head cold to beat all head colds.

Of course, he can’t not chisel – that’s his job on the farm after harvest. So each morning he gets up and does it again.

In the past tractors were easy to fix. All a farmer had to do was tighten a bolt, change a belt or kick a tire and the machine would roar to life. Of course, at that time tractors weren’t mobile computers receiving information from satellites and responding to computer commands. They weren’t carrying sensors that helped record soil fertility, rates of applications, and yield maps. So, when a repair is needed a farmer must call a “tractor technician”.

My Farmer has sat through six service calls in regards to this simple air conditioner with no positive result in sight. The service department at the dealership is waiting for a part. Maybe that service call will be his lucky number seven.

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