The tractor

We own a John Deere Tractor.  It's the smallest diesel tractor that John Deere makes but it's a real tractor and not the garden variety.  This tractor gets all kinds of use from discing up the garden and pasture to rocking the driveway.  We have a front end loader bucket, disc harrow, a box scraper with rippers, a blade, and my favorite, a 54" mower deck.  We would be able to do all the work around here without it but it sure saves time and my back. 

We've had it for 7 years and have probably only spent about $150 total on all maintenance.  I've changed filters and had to put in a new battery.  A wheel broke off on the mower deck last week.  Or at least I noticed it last week so I assume that's when it broke.  I looked all over the yard and can't find the broken part.  I'm thinking the dog buried it or something because it's nowhere to be seen and it couldn't just disappear. 

It should have a real service done on it by experts, and I am not one.  The company I bought it from is an honest, honorable company.  They are going to come pick it up, work on whatever needs fixing, and bring it back.   The service manager asked if anything was wrong with the tractor.  I said no and I'd like to keep it for another ten years without anything going wrong.  I told him he needs to do whatever needs to be done.  It's nice to be able to have service companies around who you trust to do a good job and not rip you off. 

I'll probably use it a time or two before it gets picked up for service.  I have more rock that I want to spread out before the rains really come.  Around here, if it's not rocked or has a good layer of vegetation or bark you will sink to your ankles in mud.  We've made a good rock path between the barn and the chicken coop.  I have a path going to the front door which could get another layer.  Our John Deere is great and I'd recommend it to anyone.