Posted by Suzanne McMinn on June 30, 2008 @ 5:05 am
Daily Farmhouse Journal
From the tractor manual:
“Do not start the engine or attempt to drive or operate the tractor until you are fully accustomed to all the controls. It is too late to learn once the tractor is moving.”
Hunh.
Where did this creekbank come from? Has it been there all along?
Where did these men come from? I don’t care. They’re springing into action.
Hooking up a chain.
Pulling the tractor off the creekbank where it’s stuck in the mud.
And riding away.
Whew.
I think somebody else should finish mowing the meadow.
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on June 30, 2008 @ 5:05 am
5:14
am
I thought 52 would mow the meadow while you made biscuits.
Boy, talk about stereotypical gender roles! Okay, you read the manual and finish mowing the meadow while 52 makes biscuits.
-Kim
6:12
am
From the picture, it looks as if you were doing a great job until that whole creek bank thing. Shoo, finish the meadow. How else are you going to learn? Take off the mower, and have 52 give you another tutorial. It’s like learning to drive a car. You don’t immediately head up the ramp to the Interstate during rush hour. You will do fine, and soon be Queen of that tractor!
6:58
am
Not to worry Suzanne … I got the John Deere stuck one in a bone-dry garden on level ground
My dad sent the guys up to pull it out with a truck. They scratched their heads and said, “We need a bigger truck”. Had to call a wrecker to get back in the woods to pull it out. We had shoulder high weeds and very dry soil. The weeds were so thick they built up and compacted under the rear axle and I couldn’t get any traction under the rear axle even after releasing the harrow. I was spinning dust
He should have known if I was going to get it stuck, that I was going to Do It Right!
M
7:00
am
So much for big ovaries! Oh well, practice practice.
7:03
am
Wow, that was a close one. If that would have been me, I probably would have panicked and dumped the whole thing right in the creek. Thank goodness for strong burly men on quads!
7:04
am
Tracks of “Born to be Wild” are playing in my head looking at the pic of the tractor saviors riding away. Wouldn’t that be funny if they all had jackets on with that logo on the back.
Maybe the manual should have stated, “Keep away from rivers and marshy land as tractor may become stuck.” Glad to hear it got unstuck so quickly.
7:12
am
Live and learn, stay away from the creek! Lucky that you got a tow out by the locals.
http://lifeislikechampagne.blogspot.com/
7:21
am
OMG!!! LMAO!!! Sue - you need to come to Wisconsin and let me teach you to drive that thing!! LOL I think you are probably doing GREAT and that creek bank moved a couple of inchs into your path on purpose!
It sure was nice of them fellers to pull you out and not point, laugh and drive off! LOL Arnt those brush hogs nice to mow with, they will cut down small trees if you can get the tractor over them. That bit of wisdom comes from experience. 
7:39
am
There’s always credit for making an effort. You’ll be mowing the meadow like nobody’s business, real soon.
8:18
am
Glad no one got hurt!
8:25
am
Nothing will spring men into action faster than a rescue mission, even if it is a tractor that needs rescuing.
You should read my post about getting my truck stuck.
It’s a macho thing.
8:38
am
LOL softly since it’s morning and I’m not yet awake!
8:49
am
Glad those guys got your tractor out. If I had been driving, I would have done the same thing. ;)
8:50
am
Thank goodness the only thing you did was get stuck in the mud. Mud isn’t lethal. Rolling the tractor down a WV hillside, with you rolling under it, could be. Rule number one is to keep youself safe — we need you! (And then, read the manual, take driver’s ed, and only drive with a capable adult along beside you until you pass your driver’s test.) Good advice to teenage boys, and their mother with a new tractor. A pretty red one.
9:01
am
That creek has it in for you!
Keep going, keep practicing and pretty soon you’ll be racing that thing! You get an “A” for effort anyway.
Hey, where DID those guys come from?
9:03
am
Sorry, but,
9:16
am
Suzan no matter what you write you make my day
thank you I love reading this every morning!!!!!!!!!!!
9:17
am
Well, it’s just like riding a horse: you’re not officially a cowboy/girl until you get dumped; you’re not officially a tractor driver until you’ve been stuck. Now you’re real. Aren’t you glad I told you this?
9:18
am
Well at least you tried. Which is more than I would have done. Good for you for trying.
9:18
am
I think you are right…let someone else mow the meadow. Besides most men like to play with the ‘big boy toys’ like your tractor…LET THEM!
9:33
am
At least you tried! I think the creek/mud did that on purpose. No worries, you have some nice local men out there. I think I may have to come live close and have some issues with machines myself…I might meet a nice man I could keep for myself! I don’t see this kind of thing happening here where I live.
9:35
am
Oh, Suzanne, you didn’t! I am truly ROTFLMAO right now.
I’m glad you didn’t tip over into the creek.
10:02
am
I am beside myself with envy right now. Not about getting the tractor stuck, but just the tractor itself. Look at that shiny red paint. The loader on the front, the mower on the back. I’m going to go weep bitter tears over my garden cart and hoe.
Congratulations though, and I’m glad no one was hurt.
10:30
am
all I could do was…
10:37
am
Oops!! Well, at least it isn’t still there.
10:39
am
I think we need to get you a horse FAST..between the car in the flood and not the tractor…yeah, you need a horse or soon you can ride Coco. How is my pup??? Hug her for me. LOL
10:39
am
Ugh that should be and NOW the tractor…
10:43
am
Poor tractor. Poor Suzanne.
But lucky for both of you, those men happened by, right at that moment!
Have you named the tractor yet?
10:51
am
Hey at least you didn’t kill it like you did your car!
10:53
am
Don’t ya just love good ol’ boys? People in the country come running when you holler. I love that about my Hick Town.
11:19
am
Oh I don’t know whether to laugh. (Because it is kinda funny when it happens to someone else) or cry with you (Because I can totally imagine how I would feel if I had done it- and I would be the one to do it.)
11:22
am
Now that its unstuck wanna come to NC and do some mowing for me?
Love your blog!
11:50
am
I told you that 17 should be driving the tractor.
12:36
pm
Those guys who showed up out of nowhere - they live for just these occasions. God bless them.
1:57
pm
Suzanne. don’t let one little mishap keep you from driving your tractor! If you have another incident someone will happily come to your rescue.
2:38
pm
I’m with Heidi, I bet that creek moved its banks on purpose just to catch you.
2:38
pm
…you know, your vehicles seem to get stuck an awful lot…
3:28
pm
I know it’s not nice to laugh…but I’m laughing because I’ve been in the same situation myself. Thank goodness someone came by that could help you out - one of these days you’ll get an opportunity to repay the favor. I spend most of my days driving a tractor like this: http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/detail.aspx? ohid=5387102 but I’d much rather be relaxing and reading your books!
4:15
pm
Persevere, Suzanne! Soon you’ll be driving that tractor like a pro.
4:19
pm
Knights in shinning armor - well, maybe not quite so shiny lol but don’t you just luv them. We (me and my two daughters) just traveled 6 hours in a horrible storm while we watched our new expensive wipers start slipping off - after getting out in the rain we finally hit a rest stop - youngest was able to get only one off in order to switch to the better one on the drivers side but couldn’t budge the second one. We had one guy come that couldn’t help and then another one came and saved the day!
4:46
pm
Woman.
You are a brave soul. I have lived on a farm for years and I have yet to get on the tractor by myself and take off. You’ve got brass ones…
My hats off to ya!
5:10
pm
Try, try again!
6:33
pm
We lost a friend to a creekbank-the bank gave way and his tractor rolled on top of him, pinning him under the water. These machines are toys, that’s for sure, and on these hills there is always something that could go wrong.
Ours rolled over the hill one day when the brake let off by itself-fortunately our truck stopped it. Unfortunately the truck got a big dent. Fortunately we were able to lift the truck away from the tractor so the dent didn’t get worse. And also fortunately the tractor wasn’t damaged.
Your shiny new tractor got its baptism by mud, so it’s initiated now-and so is the driver! Do be careful, Suzanne-especially if 17 decides he wants to try it. You don’t need any “hey yall watch this” moments.
6:45
pm
I agree with Granny Sue — completely and absolutely. Those machines are not toys — and, in my opinion, deserve the same respect you’d give a loaded or unloaded gun.
I learned to drive on a tractor. I learned to shoot and hunt with a gun. I learned to respect both before I was allowed to attempt either.
While I didn’t get the impression that you don’t have respect for the machine — I just can’t stress the importance of being careful with it. (Not that you need my opinion on the subject — I just gave it.)
Please take care!
7:00
pm
I think you need to steer clear of that creek…it has it in for you! How did you luck out to have 3 men there to help you out? What luck!
Keep on trying, you’ll overcome that too!
7:35
pm
At least you can say you offically broke it in! just be careful! It could happen to anyone!
7:57
pm
It wasn’t so bad - no animals, people or machines were injured. Next time will be better.
8:22
pm
8:53
pm
Ha! Did ya get into trouble for getting the tractor stuck? My boys do!
11:35
pm
Don’t you know that it’s a law (maybe just a natural law) that if you show up with a tractor in any rural area, no fewer than three guys (usually with beer) will show up within an hour. (I think tractors emit male-attracting pheromones.- There must be a topic for a research grant in there somewhere.)
Leslie
4:09
am
Now that I’ve stopped laughing, I can say I’m so happy you didn’t get hurt. Tractors can be evil at times, even with all the good they do.
10:25
am
Yes, try try again!
BW
12:10
am
I just happened on your blog tonight..and I’m so happy I did!!
One of the first things I saw (and read) was your mishap on your tractor. Saw the guys help on the 4-wheelers and thought “that looks like WV folk”…and sure enough, they are!! Where else would guys on 4-wheelers have chains *and* be willing/able/ready to help out a damsel-in-distress!!
Happy to meet you, neighbor!
Lori
1:57
am
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