Tractor Driving.

I was asked to do a couple of days work last week and one of the class that I went to was an Ag science class with boys that I first met three years ago. The boys were at best what one would call "ratty" then and we had a few run ins where I wanted them to pay attention, stop talking, write notes etc etc, you get the drift. I have had several meetings with them since either through classes or just seeing them around.

On Thursday, I was helping transplant seedlings into bigger pots while some of the class when and drove the tractor for the first time. Apparently only half of the class had driven it before.

We finished the plantings in double quick time and then went and watched. Each kid had to get onto the tractor, start it, lower the bucket, move it forward and then return to the starting spot. They only used one forward gear and then reverse gear and moved it about five metres before handing over to the next student.



Friday, I was with them again and the tractor was driven down into a paddock and the teacher set up a track for them. he showed them first what they needed to do. Start, raise bucket and go around witches hats in a figure of eight and then back it up between two others hats, which only had a clearance of about ten cms each side.

The above picture is as close as I could find, the size and bucket is about the same but there was nothing on the back.

I was so impressed with these kids, they have certainly matured, there was no silliness and all that drove, before the end of class, managed to complete the task. The teacher did have a portable kill devise should he need it but it was not used. a couple forgot to put the bucket down on the ground before turning off but the actual driving, figure eight and backing couldn't be faulted.