Tractors were never part of my growing up.  I didn’t have grandparents who farmed nor did I have summer jobs that worked took me into any agricultural settings.  It wasn’t until we ended up running up Camp Selkirk that I had my first exposure to a tractor.  The one that was on the site was a gas powered International – about 65 hp, 6 speed, with a small scoop.  It didn’t take me long to figure out that I needed to know more than how to change gears.  These things have a different centre of gravity and their small front tires and gear ratios mean you need to know what you’re doing when it comes to moving about – especially on slopes and carrying or pulling weight.  Eventually we replaced that trailer with a diesel powered tractor – what a difference – and we filled the rear tires with calcium.  I came to love driving the tractor and was always respected the power of the machine.

They are simple machines – yet imagine the life of a farmer without them?