Friends and tractors

We have such great friends here in TN. Brian, (known by Tanner as Farmer B) is an especially great friend. He has helped us find and excavator to do our foundation, he got us our cows and checks up on them to make sure everything is fine. He and his friend Kevin even wrestle our cows if they need medication (I wanted to get video of this one, but I felt weird standing there taping it so I gave up).

For weeks he has been telling us that he will mow our pastures. He came a few weeks ago and did one and then hit one of the huge boulders from the driveway and bent the blade. So this week he came with his bush hog. He got all of the area outside of fencing trimmed up and looking pretty and then he went up along the outside of the first pasture. He didn't realize there was a drainage ditch there.

In case you don't already know, we have alot of water on this 22 acres. One very long creek, 2 mountain springs in the woods and a spring in the unusable scrub, plus a very high water table make up our blessing/curse.

So as Brian is cutting this grass his tractor slips, and then sinks, into a thick stinky mud. When we found out about this on Tuesday evening (by accident because Eric went over to check on the cows) the tractor was stick in the mud up to the top of the big tire on the back (and tipped back a bit also). He tried to get himself out by using his hay prong to push him up out of it, but it hit a rock and bent.

Then they enlisted the help of the neighbor farmers and their big tractors, to no avail. This is NOT how I wanted to meet the other neighbors. But all the while Brian is just as happy as a pig in $#@!. Did I mention he is a really happy sort?

This afternoon I get a call from Eric. I need to go over and take some pictures. Oh and by the way when they tried to get it out this morning with a wrecker, it broke. Yes the whole back end came off. I wish I had a picture of that one.

So after I speak with Brian for a bit I take a few pictures:

The tractor stuck in the mud past it's door and axle.

The ripped up driveway where the neighbors tractors tried to get it out

The spot where the wrecker broke.

Then the neighbors are back, with2 big tractors. They are going to chain them together to pull it out. They try in vain 4 times. Then one of the tractors goes up the driveway to come back down along the ditch (yes, the same ditch that the tractor is stuck in). I just watched in horror as I expected this tractor to also get stuck...it didn't.

They used it to lift up the bush hog so they could get it off. The connection had been under mud and they couldn't get to it.

The tractor then came back to the driveway to hook up with the other and try again to pull Brian out. After a few more tries it finally moved. I was surprised, I really thought I was going to have that lawn ornament that Brian talked about.

Needless to say, my driveway will never be the same. After so many tries with those huge tractor tires spinning in different spots I am surprised I have any gravel left in that area.

They were out had the bush hog back on the tractor and we were saying our 'thank you's and what does Brian say: "We will be back after lunch to finish cutting your pastures."

So this is why Brian is tops on our list. Not only is he always there to lend a helping hand, but he never complains, or groans when somethings goes wrong, she is always happy and he doesn't charge us (so far).