Peter was so excited when he purchased an old 8N Ford Tractor (1948) from an elderly neighbour (86!), when it came time to pick a tractor for the orchard work, he quickly became enamored of the new 2010 version of the same tractor, the Boomer 8N, also made by Ford, and modeled after the same tractor, including the grey and red colour scheme. So much fun. Turns out the creeper gears were eminently suitable for the planter (it can go as slowly as 0.1 MPH–no joke!!). Our son joked that he fell asleep 3 times in one row on the day we planted the orchard. We never noticed, but perhaps it could explain the little curves in the rows.
Here is a photo of the original vintage 8N (1948) which we own, and use quite a bit for various little projects, plus it’s just so darn much fun to drive! It will be a winter project to refinish it and paint it back to the original. Very workable, though! (Notice Deke guards things and intimidates people. No one need know the doggy wouldn’t hurt a flea, but he looks ominous enough!)
Here is the re-creation of the same tractor, the 2010 8N, which is CVT. Margie learned to drive it in about 5 minutes, maintaining it’s easier to drive than her car (Toyoto Prius C, which is also CVT transmission!)
Last weekend, we were taking a drive to Prince Albert to pick up a few things (notably the remote hydraulics assembly, and a work light for the tractor). Imagine our surprise when not 30 km down the highway, we spied a 9N Ford Vintage 1940 model of our favourite tractor. Not to be easily deterred, Margie exclaimed, ‘It’s SO CUTE!! Buy it!’. So we did. The elderly gentleman selling it noted that it was used extensively for breaking new ground and was a work-horse in the early 40’s; a very popular tractor indeed! And it is cute. Very cute.
Peter drove it home that same day (after a little money changed hands) and Margie mastered driving it today! She kept exclaiming, ‘This kind of fun should be illegal!’ Can’t wait to try it out in the orchard to cultivate and do general maintenance around the property!
You have to agree, she’s a beauty!
