Trouble. Trouble in River City...

[Land_Owner]

...that starts with "T" and rhymes with "I didn't think that was going to happen", which stands for "I got in over my head!"

Driving my tractor around early in my "farming" career I was bush hogging around the pond.  The bank gave way and into the water I slid tractor and all.  Without ROP, there is a vicarious sensation when the bottom gives way and you wonder if this is the day that you are going to meet your Maker as you drive to the bottom of your water filled grave.  Maybe I'm dead!?!  The sound of a horizontal exhaust pipe under water is quite funny really, especially when you live to tell about it.

Another early day of "farming" I thought I could make it between the Wax Myrtle and Sable Palm trees.  Watching the right rear tire, I didn't notice the left about to climb the palm.  Braking only shot the front tires to the left (wonder what that little pin between the brake pedals does?) and off came the clutch pedal sheared clean through at the point of the foot rest.  Glad my foot wasn't on it.

Junk shot out from under the bush hog and into my soon to be aching back, front tractor axle suddenly sheared through while box blading which drove the front end into the dirt and is quite like driving into the pond but with a sudden stop and very expensive to fix, having the tractor slide off the trailer and into the tailgate of your BRAND NEW pick up truck (stupid web straps), losing a wheel off of the double axle trailer while towing the tractor at 65 mph and not knowing until it passed me as I slowed to turn off of the Interstate (thta's a hoot - you gotta try that for sure).

What's next?

[deerslayer79]

Sounds to me that you should get rid of your tractors and get a team of mules  ...

[Land_Owner]

Don't be mean spirited...if learning came without a few HARD KNOCKS, and a mule team will bring that - at least my Iron Mules do, there wouldn't be much progress in this old world. 

You AFRAID to post your own trials and tribulations?  Perhaps your "tool box" from the School of Hard Knocks is void...

[Graybeard]

Not so very long ago I almost put my John Deere in the pond. Luckily I realized the predicament I was in and just stopped before the bank completely let go. It was sitting pretty angled toward the water. My neighbor came over with his old Cub and hooked to the back of my JD with a chain. He pulled me backward and most importantly away from the pond edge. Mine has 4x4 and all four were digging and clawing and between the two of us we got the JD out of the gooey mud and kept it off the bottom of the pond.

Back during the summer I was working the driveway after my new pond was built working the gravel into the mud as it had rained the night after all the new dirt was added to it and it was a muddy mess. I got it a little close to the bank over on the other side of the driveway from the pond and couldn't seem to go forward or backward either one with it wanting to topple over the steep bank and roll dirty side up and shiny side down.

Matt was that that day and got on to see if he could have any better success, he didn't. I got my 4x4 Toyota Tundra and hooked to the front of the JD with a chain and managed to pull it over into the driveway enough that Matt could get it out of the near roll over.

Fun times on the tractor for sure.

[Land_Owner]

I am a Civil Engineer.  Design and Admin. for Construction is what I do.  I find it fascinating no matter where I go that drainage works, roadway projects, land clearing activities, etc. all seem to get the same treatment from the BIG MAN (heavy rain) just as soon as the soil is in its most erodable condition.  I get the impression that HE like to test man's activities.  I have seen my share of tested works...

Examples include:
a.) as soon as almost any roadway project has been scraped bare you can count on - RAIN, HARD RAIN, and
b.) just after finishing the earthen dam but before the soil stabilizing sod has been laid - RAIN, HARD RAIN, and
c.) immediately following the placement of what looks to be 10,000+ "Bob's Barricades" making that first evening's signalized lane shift at 45 mph the most hazardous place on the earth to be - RAIN, HARD RAIN, and
d.) the 1/2 acre retention pond for the new Condos that got filled, refilled, and re-refilled seventeen (yes 17) consecutive times immediately following pump out but prior to the crew's laying of the outfall pipe (the last and most critical piece that must be constructed in the dry) - RAIN, HARD RAIN.  This project went bankrupt when the housing market grew too costly.  Not surprising why.