Because I fancied air-con, a stereo and leather seats, I left the quadbike in the shed this evening and did some harrowing with my RRS. Two fields, each run over twice (at 90°) = 13.8 miles. (I don't think the quad would like a wider harrow)

That's a funny looking tractor* you have there, Hugh..

(*Must be said with accent as "trakker", of course)

[edit] Although an old friend definitely has aircon (and probably leather) in his eye-wateringly expensive tractor(s).. 2014 BMW 530d Touring, 2006 BMW 650i, 2018 Mini Cooper S

I did similar a few years ago Hugh, but towing a poo-picker around a friend's field. Their quad wouldn't play so we tooled around in the TDV8. Much more pleasant than a smelly old quad.

Said friend borrowed someone's Ford Ranger recently to do harrowing like your picture. I had to give some useful tips such as "don't try to drive up a slippy slope whilst towing an anchor - that's why you're stuck!".  2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Brilliant. 2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE in Cairns Blue.

aaronjb wrote:

[edit] Although an old friend definitely has aircon (and probably leather) in his eye-wateringly expensive tractor(s)...

RRSTDV8 wrote:

I did similar a few years ago Hugh, but towing a poo-picker around a friend's field. Their quad wouldn't play so we tooled around in the TDV8. Much more pleasant than a smelly old quad.

Said friend borrowed someone's Ford Ranger recently to do harrowing like your picture. I had to give some useful tips such as "don't try to drive up a slippy slope whilst towing an anchor - that's why you're stuck!".

Is a "poo-picker" a person, like the Queen's egg-slicer? Hopefully nobody saw me tow it across the roads between fields! It was upside-down and, apart from a couple of bits of grass, didn't leave a mark.

HughN wrote:

...and autosteer!

Yeah - they are bristling with technology; a far cry from the old red Massey's we grew up with. Nice photo on his Facebook page recently of their new(er) New Holland against an old(er) Massey.

Not this old:


More like this old:

Click image to enlarge

When we were kids, the first of those two were still pottering around plenty of farms, though, and that only feels like yesterday*

*OK, it's more like 30 years.  2014 BMW 530d Touring, 2006 BMW 650i, 2018 Mini Cooper S

When I was a child (1970s) there was a little grey Fergie that was still painted in DIY camouflage from WWII - the Luftwaffe liked to take pot-shots at tractors.

Damn the Jerries!

I always enjoy being behind one of the old (first photo - 50s era) tractors in the trailers at Goodwood Revival; much better than being dragged up/down the hill at speed at the FoS behind a brand new NH/JD/etc  2014 BMW 530d Touring, 2006 BMW 650i, 2018 Mini Cooper S

I used to enjoy pottering around in an old International helping on a friend's farm back in the late 80s. The tractor was fairly old and beaten up even then so I guess it was a 1970s version. Did the jobs that the then-new Fords were too big/good for. Always ended the day with a nose full of black grime, of course, as there was no air-con, cabin filters etc. on it. Heck, it was only RWD too, thinking back.  2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

In the late 80s I was frequently to be found towing glider tow-lines from one end of an airfield tor another using a Ford 4000 at full chat in high-range, fourth gear. Last week, a chap came to roll our fields in a mint condition fully-restored Ford 4000.

I remember falling out of a RAF Landrover (I guess a Series 3 as it was mid 70s, although might have been a 2A I suppose) when "helping" my Dad tow glider cables. It had a scaffold pole across the rear which stuck out a few feet either side and to which the cables were attached. I luckily rolled under the pole as it went over me. Could have been a bit fatal otherwise.

I was a tad accident prone as a lad...  2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

HughN wrote:

In the late 80s I was frequently to be found towing glider tow-lines from one end of an airfield tor another using a Ford 4000 at full chat in high-range, fourth gear. Last week, a chap came to roll our fields in a mint condition fully-restored Ford 4000.

Further east - Parham.