[AT] list and a Ramble about the change of farming and tractors.

[Al Jones]

As far as modern, working tractors go, I think what you're seeing is just "progress."  Technology is continuing to advance and it's just spilling over into farm machinery.  I don't know about the yuppie farmers but the ones really doing it for a living actually have a use for a lot of the bells and whistles.  A guy was talking to me about the GPS, auto steer, and other goodies the other day. He was talking about when personal computers first came out, everyone said the farmer had no use for it.  Now most farmers use one daily.  The same thing is coming true with GPS.  If a farmer can save 10-20 dollars an acre on chemicals due to more accurately applying them with a guidance system, and he farms 1000 acres, that's 10-20 thousand dollars.  Doesn't take long to justify all those goodies at that rate.

Will we be collecting 2013 model tractors in 50 years? Doubt it.  And technically, that 1960's 4020 really is an antique now.  For example, the Farmall 806 and 706 are 50 years old this year. In 1995, when I found the ATIS list, my Super A was 47 years old.

In some ways, I hate to say it but technology has passed the email listserv.  Farmallcub.com, redpowermagazine.com, and other websites are good examples.  I read something the other day that social media like facebook is making email obsolete.  I expect we'll see that same trend with tractor sites soon.

A;


-----Original Message-----
>From: Cecil R Bearden <crbearden at copper.net>
>Sent: Apr 4, 2013 10:30 AM
>To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>Subject: Re: [AT] list and a Ramble about the change of farming and tractors.
>
>Charlie:
>If the original poster would let us know what the solution was, then we 
>could put that into the "virtual" knowledge base.  I wonder what is 
>going to happen to this list, as there are not many new guys coming on.  
>I look at the TractorBynet forum once in a while, and there is so many 
>mistakes being made that I have already experienced.  If I do post to 
>it, I wonder if I come off as a know it all.   That forum also seems 
>like it has a lot of guys with late model tractors.  Ones that I could 
>pick up and stack on top of the hay with my loaders......!!  I just have 
>not accepted these small tractors yet.   My Dad used to say that they 
>were good for running around under the house looking for eggs..!!!   Dad 
>spent a lot of time in the Arkansas Bottoms as a child.  I have used 
>that expression and got some really weird looks!!
>
>Back in the 70's when everything was going big big HP, and dealers were 
>limit ed on the number of units (rationed) they could get in a year, the 
>"experts" said this would create a shortage of tractors in the 20 to 60 
>hp range.   Boy did they hit that nail on the Head!!  The other thing 
>that no one envisioned, was these new operators are used to cabs and air 
>conditioning.   I recently sold a 4010 JD on LPgas, a great utility 
>tractor.  for $3000.  I spent a fortune on advertising trying to sell 
>it, and finally went to auction.  I could not make these new guys 
>understand how to fill an LP tractor.   One of the problems, while they 
>liked the idea of only spending $2.00 / gallon for fuel, they did not 
>want to invest $400 in a tank and then come up with another $400 to fill 
>it. They could just go by the local C-store and get 10 gallons of 
>Diesel.   The other was the lack of a cab.  I overheard a lady in her 
>50's ???  talk about mowing with a bush hog for 10 hours and coming in 
>covered in dirt and itching for days when you hit a bunch of sticker 
>weeds.   Here in OK with our 20mph minimum wind, a cab is now standard 
>equipment.   I guess our old antique tractors of the 60's have really 
>become antique!!!   I remember when A-C came out with the D21, I wanted 
>to get into Farming...!! Now, a large tractor like that is not necessary 
>since everything is going to No-till here.....
>
>I am rambling here while my coffee is getting cold....  I gotta quit 
>sitting up watching those old movies.  Black & White seems normal to me!!!!
>
>Cecil in OKla
>
>
>On 4/4/2013 7:55 AM, Charlie V wrote:
>> Got up on the wrong side of your cup of coffee today, John?  GRRRRRRR!.
>>
>> Sorry.  Just had to do that.  I somewhat agree with you.  I cannot help
>> notice in a situation where someone posts a question--Say a tractor will
>> not start.  Ten replys are posted.  Some not too related, but some very on
>> target.  Then the original poster is never heard from again.  It would be a
>> nice courtesy it the original poster would come back in a few days and let
>> everyone know if his tractor is now running, and if he knows , what
>> actually did the trick.
>>
>> Just my 1.25697 cents.
>>
>> Charlie V.
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Apr 3, 2013 at 9:01 PM, <jtchall at nc.rr.com> wrote:
>>
>>> You know, It’s getting really tiring to post help on the list and never
>>> get acknowledged for it. Especially when you go to the trouble of posting
>>> links that may help folks with a problem. I have gotten to the point I
>>> pretty much refuse to help some folks as they never seem to thank anyone or
>>> fail to heed the advice they are given. It’s sad to see the knowledge base
>>> we have dwindling away.
>>>
>>> John Hall
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> AT mailing list
>>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> AT mailing list
>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
>_______________________________________________
>AT mailing list
>http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at