[AT] lessons

[Ralph Goff]

On 7/12/2014 5:47 AM, jtchall at nc.rr.com wrote:
> It occurred to me that without realizing it, I’ve began training my farmhand replacements. My son and his cousin have been keeping us company a lot when there is field work going on. Last fall and this summer that has really picked up. Finding age appropriate tasks is impossible someday, but we generally find something they can do whether it is helping to hook/unhook equipment, help move equipment to the fields etc. I don’t let them come around if we have any spraying to do, kids and chemicals just aren’t a smart idea.  My son has gotten big enough to begin handling bales of hay and straw, that is quite a blessing. I’m hoping he will learn to properly pack loads, time will tell. I had him with me doing some drilling this year. It was a bit hard for him to keep the drill straight. I finally figured out he was “correcting” too long when he needed to move the drill and would then have to correct the other direction. He does pretty well baling once I got through to him that you drive the baler and don’t worry about where the tractor is headed. When the windrow runs out, then you look to see where you are going! His cousin has the same steering issues. I was letting him drive the combine in wheat, he was constantly turning the steering wheel. He didn’t miss any but those were some mighty crooked rows of straw to bale!
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> Last week I had dad guide them to disassemble a couple of junk air cooled motors. One had a broke crankshaft the other  was a twin that had thrown a rod and wiped out tons of stuff. They completely  tore them down including the valves. Dad explained what each part was, what the timing marks were, why a part failed, etc. They will probably only remember a little bit, but it’s a start.
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> John Hall
Good for you John. The kids will remember those skills later on. 
Although it seems like "auto steer" will make those old driving skills 
obsolete nowadays. Kids just let the auto steer handle  the tractor or 
combine while they text on their cell phones.

Ralph in Sask.
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