Learning to Drive

I’m definitely no farmer, and it’s a good thing that Johnny had started plowing the field in the weeks before I got a chance to plow.  When we arrived at the camp, our task was simple.  The day would be spent plowing the dove field and a few quail food plots  We gathered the tractor and my instructions began.  The first lesson was to steer with the brakes.  With the heavy harrow in the back, the front wheels would slip off the ground when travelling up a steep incline.  Johnny and my son watched as a drove up a hill to see if I could handle it.  I went too slow, no wheels off the ground.



This slowness continued at the dove field.  We put the plow down and I started, slowly.  Johnny had to stop me and tell me to speed up.  So I started again.  Johnny had to stop me to tell me to raise the plow while turning.  I started again and again was stopped to tell me to raise the plow if the wheels spin.  I got to another turn, and was stopped to be told to use the brakes to turn.  And so it went for the first fifteen minutes in the field.



The New Hand
learns to drive



Finally, I got the hang of it, at least enough to satisfy Johnny, and they left me in the field while they ate lunch.  It really didn’t take long to finish, in a little more than an hour, they were back to pick me up.  That done, we plowed a couple of quail food plots nearby, and Johnny finished by plowing a few more.

Looking back on the field, it seemed larger.  The activities of fertilizer, seed, rain and mowing lay ahead but for now; the field was quiet and tranquil.  The work wasn’t that hard, and maybe the field could have been prepared better, but it was satisfying to me.

Later, my son pulled the thrower as I shot a few clay pigeons.  Although he can’t cock the arm, he earned a tip for his excellent interest in what was going on.  In a few years, he’ll be calling “pull” and I’ll be the one pulling.  And maybe that’s what this experience is about, seeing my son and daughter take notice of something I like.

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