Transitioning Tractors

The saying goes, "Out with the old, in with the new". But when the tractors are only a year old I would hardly consider them "old". In fact, it was May of 2016 that we took delivery of the first two tractors, so technically we haven't used them a full year. However we have reached our limit of hours that we can put on them, so it is time to trade them in for new ones.

The current lease program that we are on with H&R Agri-Power limits the tractors to 250 hours a year. At the time of trading these two tractors in, they had right at 235 hours each. I called and requested that they be switched out, and we had two 2017 Case IH Farmall 100c's delivered to the farm the next week. The new tractors that were delivered are the same models as the first two, however this time ,one of them is an open station tractor.

This should not be a big deal since this tractor was mainly used for raking/hauling hay, and mowing pastures. The loader tractor is the one that we use to bale hay in the summer and feed hay in the winter.  If it didn't have a cab it would be more of a problem.

I want to thank H&R Agri-Power for their support of Eden Shale Farm and for allowing us to participate in their tractor lease program. Farming this past year has been easier with the use of the two Farmall tractors. Below are some photos of how we used these tractors at Eden Shale Farm.

-Barn Door Repair

-Hauling Manure.

-Making Hay

-They even served as the dinner table a few times during hay season.

-Sprayed Fields

-Renovated Pastures

-Moved livestock shades

-Mowed research plots and pastures

-Hauled cattle

-Pushed the broke down farm truck up onto the gooseneck trailer.

-Put out hay for the cows

-Transported visitors at the farm

Looking back on the past year and all the work that these Farmall's have accomplished, one thing is for sure, no matter the age or the color, a good tractor is hard to beat!