farm vehicles

Matthew had so much to do yesterday at the farm. His day started at 6:30 with sorting cows to be butchered. I hear that was really exciting with the cows pushing down fences and getting out constantly. The guys ended up putting the bull in a pen with 100 cows to "keep him happy". Matthew also needed to get more screenings and his Dad ran out of gas in a rental car so Matthew had to take him some gas. I offered to go get the screenings so that he could stay at the farm, but the big, heavy tarp had to go over these screenings since it was such a windy day, and I would never be able to lift it. So, Matthew went to get the screenings, just hoping that the cows would stay in a few hours while he was gone. He got to the elevator, filled the truck with the corn screenings and pulled ahead to put the tarp on. Usually he would put the tarp on while he was in the elevator to be out of the wind, but they were so busy that he had to pull out into the wind. Winds were 20 to 30 mph yesterday. After struggling for 10 minutes in the wind with getting the tarp on, a construction crew who had been watching came over and helped put it on. He had missed lunch so he came home to eat before going back to the farm. He got back in the truck to leave but it wouldn't move. It seems that if the truck is loaded you can't drive through anything deeper than 2 inches of snow. Only 2 tires were in the snow, but it still wouldn't budge. I was in the house and it sounded like an airplane was trying to land on our house every time he would rev the engine try to get the truck to go (told ya it was loud). Apparently, the neighbors all heard it too. The 3 kids next door came out and stood in their driveway watching and waving to Matthew. I'm sure he was thrilled with that! Our neighbor 3 doors down came with his 4-wheel-drive Explorer to offer to pull him out. Our neighbor across the street came over with his Yukon and tried to pull him out. It didn't work. Matthew's Dad ended up having to drive the tractor into town to pull the truck out of the 2 inches of snow. Here are the pictures.

The Yukon would make the truck jolt, but didn't do anything to help move it forward.


The tractor, of course, had no problem at all and pulled the truck right out.

After all of this, he had to take a load of corn stalks to our friend's farm last night at 4. He was supposed to be home by 6:30. He was driving our friend's semi with no heat, no DOT tags, no licenses on either the cab or the trailer and no taillights. He had to take back roads so that he wouldn't get pulled over by the police. He figured if he got caught with all of that, they would just haul him right to jail. He loaded the semi and got to our friend's farm. He was switching to another semi that was totally legal and up to date with tags and licenses but it got stuck when he was trying to pull out. He went to the barn and got the pay loader and pulled the semi out. He parked the pay loader back in the barn (no short walk from the semi) and plugged it back in (so that it would start the next morning). He walked back to the semi but when he went to drive away, it got stuck again. He walked back to the barn, unplugged the pay loader and pulled the semi out again. When he was sure that it would go that time, he drove the pay loader back to the barn, plugged it in and walked back to the semi. He pulled out and turned too wide and got the truck stuck on a turn. He walked back to the barn, unplugged the pay loader and this time called our friend for help. They got the semi out, the pay loader back to the barn and plugged back in. Poor Matthew was so stressed out and exhausted when he got home at 8. Hopefully today will be a better day since he doesn't have to do anything at the farm. He's at the church today sitting in meetings and in a warm office all day. If you ask him though, he'll say that he'd rather be on the farm. Go figure! =)