Tractor Driving Lessons
I am currently learning to drive the tractor with the silage feeder attached so that I can help to feed the cattle silage when they are in the fold yard.
When you have not been brought up on a farm and are not used to driving an tractor, being asked to drive a tractor and operate machinery on the back of the tractor can be difficult. Well it is for me!
I have had a couple of lessons so far and I think that I can now remember what buttons to press and which switches to move. The only trouble I am having is driving the tractor at the same time as operating the silage feeder as I have to look behind me inorder to work the silage feeder and then my feet can’t reach the tractor peddles as I stretch behind!!! At first I also found it difficult to reverse the tractor with the silage feeder on the back but I am beginning to master this.
After two lessons my husband doesn’t think I am quite ready to drive the tractor alone, so at least silaging the cattle is one job I don’t have to do morning and night. Well at least for the moment!!!
Can you remember the first time you drove a tractor or do you have any interesting stories to tell about when you learnt to drive a tractor or operate some farm machinery?
Silage Feeder Tractor
Sara. I can see that your Husband will soon be made redundant, In a few weeks time you will have forgotten all about your learning days and will be flying around the farm. You asked if any one else could remember their tractor driver learning days, well I would be about eleven or twelve when I had a go on my first tractor, which was a Standard Fordson, all they did was tow implements behind them, and they had a driving pulley on the side of the engine, but no hydraulic lift. The reason I was driving on this particular day, was that in the district there was a pool of machinery set up by the ministry to hire out to local farmers, and these were many a time driven by Land Army Girls, who by the way did a great job during the second world war. About 1941 this Land Army Girl arrived to harrow a field but I finished up driving the tractor and the Girl helped my mother in the house. I could only stand up to drive the tractor because I couldn’t reach the clutch peddle if I was sat down, by the way there was only one peddle, a combined clutch and brake. Happy days what more could a young lad want.
By the way Sara I am getting a little worried, that with all this farm work that you are acquiring you wont have time for your Blog which must be very time consuming
John
Comment by Farmer giles — September 26, 2007 @ 7:15 am
Hi Farmer Giles, Thanks so much for such an interesting comment. it was very interesting to hear about the Land Army Girls and how you had to stand to drive the tractor - what an amazing skill, I can hardly manage to drive the tractor sitting down let alone standing! Thanks for your regular visits and your support. The blog does take alot of my time but I love writing my posts and taking the photographs.
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 26, 2007 @ 7:23 am
I can remember driving a tractor for class. It was a equipment class and we had to drive a tractor well in order to pass. I finally learned how too. I takes time to master doing two things at once like that. I probably can’t do that today.
Curtis from Growing Thumbs
Comment by Curtis — September 26, 2007 @ 8:19 am
Hi Curtis,
I don’t think that I would like to have to pass a tractor driving test. I bet it’s like riding a bike - you never forget. Thanks for your interesting comment.
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 26, 2007 @ 8:21 am
http://www.tractordata.co.uk/fordson_to_1950/images/fordson_tvo.jpg
Hope that this Web site opens because it is of a Fordson Tractor
John
Comment by Farmer giles — September 26, 2007 @ 8:26 am
Hi Farmer Giles,
What a great picture of the Fordson - this was a popular tractor to learn to drive in I believe. Have you voted on the Vintage Tractor Engineer Poll yet as this is asking which tractor did you learn to drive in? http://www.vintagetractorengineer.com/blog/
Thanks for your comment and link. Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 26, 2007 @ 8:43 am
I learnt on a Fordson Major…my job was to reverse the trailer into the barn each night. The first few times I didn’t leave until it was dark - soon became a dab-hand at it so I could leave on time. Never really got onto the linkage and PTO stuff - the Fordson was just the yard tractor for moving junk around. Probably couldn’t do it now, I struggle with reversing the horsebox these days.
Comment by Richard — September 26, 2007 @ 9:23 am
Hi Richard,
Thanks for this information - Fordsons are popular. I think it is interesting to know what everyone learnt to drive on. Check out the poll on Vintage tractor Enginneer if you haven’t already voted! I find reversing very difficult but reversing the forklift is nearly mastered now, just the tractors and landrover with trailor on! not much to learn then!!!
Thanks for visiting.
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 26, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
Pick me! Pick Me! I would love to learn to drive a tractor, or a fire engine, or a bus or ???????
Comment by Libby — September 26, 2007 @ 1:43 pm
Hi Libby,
When you are in the York area you will have to come and visit the farm and have a tractor ride. Thanks for commenting and visiting.
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 26, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
Hi Sara, I have a lovely picture of my brother aged about three/four sitting on my dad’s tractor, obviously it was stationary and he wasn’t actually driving it, but he did look very sweet. Please take care in your tractor whilst you are learning, it looks a huge beast of a thing, much bigger than the one my dad used to drive. Louise
Comment by LOUISE — September 26, 2007 @ 2:59 pm
Hi Louise,
I would love to see the photograph. maybe you can enter it for next months photograph of the month competition. Thanks for your concern about me in the tractor. it is quite big but not our biggest tractor - aaah anothr beast of a tractor to learn to drive!
Thanks for dropping by and commentint.
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 26, 2007 @ 3:01 pm
I learnt to drive tractors when I visited my cousin’s farm in Frating, Essex, from 1951 for several years: I was eight in 1951. My cousin used to take me on the chicken-feeding run in the early morning. I drove the Massey Ferguson tractor, and he would deal with the feed and water from the trailer as we went along. A few years later I was allowed to drive a Fordson Major, and even managed to crank-start it - no broken thumbs! When I was a student in my early tenties I worked one summer on a farm near Burford pulling the trailer that collected the grain from the combine harvesters. Quie tricky getting the speed just right as you drove alongside the combine. No cabin on the tractors in those days, and I got a lot of grain down my back! I had to reverse the trailer into the drying shed and on one occasion I forgot to let the trailer down before leaving the shed and there was an almighty crash as the tipped-up trailer hit the shed-door lintel. I had one or two other little accidents which I won’t go into here. I like to think that learning to drive at such a tender age has stood me in good stead ever since. I didn’t go into farming, but retired from teaching 5 years ago.
Will
Comment by Will — September 27, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
Hi Will, It’s amazing how many people learnt to drive a tractor from a young age. I can imagine that it isn’t easy keeping up with the combine as you drive along side.
I am a teacher too! I hope you are enjoying your retirement.
I have found your memories of tractor driving very interesting and thanks so much for visiting and commenting.
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 27, 2007 @ 2:08 pm
Could anyone please help me to track down a picture of a land army girl on a tractor during the harvest whilst spitfires are flying round overhead.
The girl looks like my Mum and she met my Dad who was a farmers lad.
They celebrate their 60th anniversary this year and this would be perfect.
I have seen this picture but the chap doesnt want to sell it!
Many thanks.
Sue Wroclawski
Comment by Sue Wroclawski — April 4, 2008 @ 5:29 pm
I learnt to drive an old grey Fergie when I was 9 or 10 (1957 ish)- this was on a farm in Kent & in those days the corn was cut by a binder & tied into stooks (?spelling) - we then pitch forked the stooks onto a trailer. However being young and small they decided to let me drive the tractor so there was an extra adult to load the trailer. I was only allowed to drive in the fields, the stooks were then taken to a central field on the farm where a contractors threshing machine had been set up driven by belt from a Fordson Major. We then pitch forked the stooks into the top of it, the straw came out of the back & the corn was bagged. I worked for my Father during holidays as he had an agricultural garage, delivering spares etc. I have spent my life in engineering but have always hankered after the countryside and farming. Probably with the way farming has gone my career decision was right but now I would like to have a taste of it somehow - going on a tractor driving course is probably my starting point and buying an old tractor !!!back
Comment by Martin — June 18, 2008 @ 6:03 am
Hi,
Does anyone know where i could obtain combine harvester driving lessons. Had a chance when i was young on a friends farm but declined (big regret). Now I am knocking on a bit would love to try.
Comment by Mark — October 4, 2008 @ 6:23 am
My tractor mad daughter will be 16 in November and would like to take her tractor licence. Is there anywhere in the Cambridgeshire/Norfolk area where I could book her lessons/take tractor licence test. Does she need to do a “theory touch test” for tractor licence?
Comment by doreen newland — October 13, 2008 @ 9:55 am