March 23, 2010
Maybe it sounds like an old record. I’ve said it before. But I can’t make it far without neighbors.
The farm’s tractor has been on the edge of life for a while. When we bought it at an auction years ago, it had been used hard and put away wet. Just the same, it has done us well over the years. And just the same, it is time for a new tractor (at least new to us).
Last week I bought a John Deere 4230 with almost 8000 hours on it. The tractor is a little larger than what we need, but the price is right and best I can tell, there are enough hours left on it to serve us well. One problem though, how do I get it transported from Ellensburg (about an hour away) to the farm?
The day after buying the tractor, I spent a good amount of time online trying to find a hauler. Later in the day I had the chance to talk with my neighbor about my need to find a hauler. He said, “why not talk to your neighbor?” Now here’s the thing, for years I’ve watched my neighbor haul hay and tractors in and out of his place, and yet it never occurred to me to ask. Choosing community means many things, not the least being; one does not have to depend on only their own mind to get through the day. Not a bad deal!
Yesterday morning I met my neighbor, drove to Ellensburg, loaded the tractor, and was back on the farm in a few hours. I got more out of the day than just a tractor. I had good company and good conversation. And good conversation is good work. Might be an old record, but it is a record I can deal with.
Chewing the Cud 