Tractor Stuff
My first excursion on a tractor was when I was seven. My 'uncle' Bill had a 1936 Massey Ferguson at his house just outside Chatham, Ontario. He used it to mow his grass, keep his gravel driveway in shape and plow it in the winter. He decided I was a bit too city so he decided I should have a go at running the tractor. He patiently tried to explain to me how the bush hog was run by PTO and how one used the 3-point hitch to set the right height of the blades, how to work the clutch, and how to follow the line of the last cut to keep the lawn nicely patterned. With Bill riding the fender, I managed to navigate a couple of strips. I thought I did okay for a 7-year old. 40 years later I got my own tractor, the >1941 Ford 9N. And now ten years on, a new Mahindra 1626 HST.
While yes, everyone should drive an old tractor once in their life, a new tractor provides so much more utility. Having run a bunch of different types of 'heavy' equipment we needed to make a decision about what would prove to be the more useful bit of kit for around the property. What you discover is that each piece of machinery is designed to do one job very well. You can extend a piece of equipment's utility with attachements in most cases, which is why we went with a compact tractor with a quick attach loader. Easy enough to swap the bucket for forks, or even a grapple, should the need arise.
Restoration
The right trailing arm of the 3-point hitch needs to be replaced, but that involves removing the entire right tire, wheel and trumpet from the rear pumpkin. Not a quick job. And one that will require some ingenuity to accomplish up at the cabin without access to the full kit of tools back at the house.