[Daileymj]

I was at Jr Dailey Hometown Show this weekend. I saw a lot of ATF friends, family and tractor friends. I thought back to the time I was maybe 10 or 11. I was driving Pop's 1955 John Deere 40 and baling hay. I would get to one side of field and Jr (Caseman) would motion for me to go faster. I would get to the other side of the field and Pop would motion for me to slow down. After two rounds of this, I would drive my own space and keep my head down and eyes straight ahead and you know with the putt putt of the John Deere I didn't hear the yells. I also could not bale the ends of the rows so Pop would always go back and rake the ends so I could bale. Memories!

Mj
Caseman and BettyP lil sister

 

[Peacher79]

What a great post. Old tractors bring back all kinds of good memories for me too. I told someone at the show I could close my eyes and see my Uncle climbing under/all over the tractors there. he would he have loved the show.

 

[bettyp]

MJ post reminds meof how we had to skimp to have the money to buy a new John Deere 40 in 1953, But it more than paid for it's self.

 

[Jim in NC]

MJ and Betty, your posts go a long way to explain how a family's tractor changed their lives for the better. It may have caused a financial hardship temporarily, but they paid for themselves many times over. Tractors made work easier and quicker. They enabled farmers to expand their production and income. In short, good old capitalism at work, and the memories...priceless :!:

 

[DerickS]

Wonderful story More than a few times I have heard that the expense of a tractor was a huge gamble to most farmers but once they were switched I never heard any stories of any going back to horses.

 

[Daileymj]

I have many memories of growing up on the farm but non of them were that we were poor. We're we Betty and Jr? I thought we were rich

MJ
Caseman and BettyP lil sister

 

[caseman]

we was no worries at all oh maybe we might worry if we couldn't find a jar to put lighten bugs in.. never worried about food we raised every thing and we had love PoP & MoM didn't tell you they loved you - you knew it. no nurseing homes for the old Granny lived with us . I came in a many time at dinner and she would say take them pants off I'll patch that knee while u eat.. we was so poor we thought every one was but we was better off than some .

 

[bettyp]

I read between the lines what Jr & MJ wrote .they were saying we were poor and didn't know it . Well I didn't know it .I was the first girls so I didn't have to wear hand me downs. My mom would just take a dress that didn't fit her anymore or one that had a worn spot on it and make me a dress and I was happy as could me . The 3 girls below me got the hand me downs. When it came to food no finder table was ful with food than the one my Mom did . She made all kinds of jellies ,james& preserves. She could make the best fried apple pies ,ever made and she dried her own apples. All cakes & pies were made from scratch. Mom didn't have many recipes books . Her cooking came from her head . We always had good meat that was farmed raised,chicken, pork and beef. mom caned everything she could . She made sandwiche spread & tomatoes preserves from yellow tomatoes . Jr & MJ are you sure we were poor ,just don't tell me if we were. My Mom & dad worked hard and taught us kids how to work . We were rich in love and all the things we needed for a healthly family. We were rich and I knew it.

 

[Daileymj]

Seriously I thought we were rich. After all I would go with Pop to the Bank, and he would tell someone who worked in the bank that he just bought some cows or pigs and he needed them to put the money in his account to cover the check. It was not until Bob and I shared stories that I begin to wonder if we were rich.

 

[Jim in NC]

Junior, Betty, and MJ, it sounds to me like yall were rich in all of the most important ways. Very Rich I'd say! Extremely wealthy! Money cannot buy that special kind of wealth!

 

[DerickS]

I absolutely love these posts

 

[bettyp]

Thanks Jim , I thank you are so right.

 

[Daileymj]

We still are rich I'm our lives. Our family is close. On Monday 28 of us are meeting for dinner just because we can.

 

[bettyp]

Oh my we are rich in family also :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[bettyp]

Junior, Betty, and MJ, it sounds to me like yall were rich in all of the most important ways. Very Rich I'd say! Extremely wealthy! Money cannot buy that special kind of wealth!

Thanks Jim was just looking around this morning and found your post to answer ours . Well said Jim .I wish our younger generation could feel this way . They seem to want more and more. Money doesn't always bring happiness. The love & together of family does. Nothing like good memories. Thanks Jim.

 

[jwal10]

Wonderful story More than a few times I have heard that the expense of a tractor was a huge gamble to most farmers but once they were switched I never heard any stories of any going back to horses.

My Dad went back to horses at 70 years old. He never really felt comfortable with tractors and motor vehicles. He grew up and learned on horses, engines came later. Never got the feel to push out on the clutch and brakes. Seen many times where he drove right through a stop sign, jerking back on the steering wheel, yelling, "whoa you s-o-b. He broke his neck at 80 when a mean old mare reared over backwards, never said a bad word about the mean old bag of bones, even shed a few tears when he had to sell his horses. He lived to be 95 but always checked to see the horses were well taken care of....James