When did you get your first tractor?

[TheOldHokie]

If we’re counting toy tractors, probably about 1968. Still have it but it’s at my Dad’s old house on a dresser in what used to be his office and I don’t have a pic. May add one later if I’m down there in the next couple days. It’s missing a front wheel and the die cast operator lost his head somewhere so it’s the headless horseman driving a CUT that looks like it was used primarily by one of those flip flop guys in the third world tractor abuse videos.

Around 1974, at about 8yr old, started doing some lawn mowing with this thing. Pennsylvania Panzer from, I believe, sometime in the early 60’s. Of course it was my Dad’s, not mine.
View attachment 166379 Shortly after, still 8yr old, started driving this 2N, 8N, 9N junkyard combo that’s topped off with a Ferguson hood. It didn’t have the feedback rod position control or cargo box or any seat cover when I started operating it. Had a little resonator instead of a muffler. Had the same oil soaked brakes that didn’t work worth a crap first day I got on it in ‘74 and last day I got on it in 2022 when it left for a new home. Of course that was my Dad’s, too; at least it was until he passed. View attachment 166380
First lawn tractor I owned was 1988. All I recall about it was it was emerald green, was a low end pile of sheet metal masquerading as a “lawn tractor”, and it didn’t run so I got it for $25. Didn’t take much to get it running. No pic. Couldn’t afford luxuries like a camera in 1988.

Used my father’s tractors, employers’ tractors, and a few other people’s tractors but didn’t own one until August 2019. Father’s tractors just weren’t suited to the current needs of the property where he and I lived beside each other, so I stopped by our local Kubota dealer and brought this one home. Operated Dad’s tractors for decades. He operated mine a few times in the little bit of time he had left after I got it. (That’s him, not me.) View attachment 166382

Edit: Same Ford N when Dad was a young man and I was a baby.

View attachment 166383

Now thats the kind of response I was hoping to provoke!!

Dan

 

[Botamon]

Spent a lot of time on tractors growing up. This is me at 8 years old driving our old Oliver 70. Date is on the pic:

First tractor I bought myself was a Massey Ferguson TO30. That was in 1995. I know I have a pic of it somewhere but can't find it right now. Only had it a couple years, sold it and bought the John Deere 2020 diesel I'm still using:

 

[Shawn T. W]

My memory is a bit foggy ... But back in the mid 80's I bought a new lawn tractor from Western Auto, don't remember anything about other than it was red!

Since then I owned a few Craftsman both lawn and garden, plus a Simplicity garden tractor ... Then in 2022 I bought my first Diesel fueled hydraulic powered Little Baby Fergie, then this last summer I added my Grand L 5030 ...

As a kid the neighbor farmer who I helped had both a Ford 3000 & 5000 we used for harvesting corn and hay for his small dairy farm ...

 

[skeets]

I guess the first one was a Bolan's G garden tractor, and from there seems all color of them. But back in about 1954 Santa brought a Tonka Road grader, wore the blade and wheels out on that thing

 

[hagrid]

Now that is an interesting looking jar. Looks like a honey jar, but with beer in it. Or is that honey, fermenting (yummy) or mead (even better)? And that leather surround... I think you have to explain that one

Fine tractor, by the way. With loader and backhoe, 4 wheel drive, the lot. Love it

My tractor is normally 2 wheel drive and if one is spinning (happens often) I am down to 0 wheel drive

That's just a quart Mason jar filled with "The Champagne of Beerth".

The leather thingy is something mah pappy brought back from a saddle and tack shop down in West Virginny.

 

[TheOldHokie]

That's just a quart Mason jar filled with "The Champagne of Beerth".

The leather thingy is something mah pappy brought back from a saddle and tack shop down in West Virginny.

Down in West By God everybody has those leather thingies so we dont fall off the tractor after too many champagnes

Dan

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I am going to guess 1953

View attachment 166343

I had forgotten about my dozer, '57 or 8? Rubber tracks before rubber was in. Also had a dump truck with spring and hydraulic dump. And a belly dump with ~4" wheels on a 1/4" steel axle. All metal, of course.

Sometimes I reflect on the current value of my toys, if I had taken care of them instead of using them to develop my disassembly, and eventually repair, skills.