A post from Kelli–
A few years ago, Jason and his brother bought a new chopper for the farm. Â I always joked with Jason that it seemed as though the chopper they bought was broke more often that it worked, so when he had pulled it out and was working on it this spring, I told him he should just get a new one. Â I was quite surprised when he told me that he had pulled it out to work on it so that he could get a new one. Â I just kind of smiled and nodded until he told me that the new one they were looking at had a buddy seat. Â Then I got excited–Cause I just so happen to be Jason’s buddy! Â He quickly told me that the technical name for it is an instructional seat. Â I told him I didn’t have a problem being the instructor. Â He giggled!
The previous chopper was self propelled as is this one. Â This chopper however requires that another tractor and chopper box drive beside the chopper to be filled.
The chopper has an arm that swings out to the side and the other tractor just drives up along side the chopper and the chopped hay goes in the chopper box.
For the buddy seat rider or instructor, it can get a bit boring, but it was nice to spend some time with Jason as chopping usually starts early, ends late, and if the chopper comes into the yard in the middle of the day, one better hope it needs gas because broken choppers are not something fun!
The other thing that is pretty neat about the chopper is that it has a video feed on the end of the chute that lets the driver of the chopper see how full the chopper box is and if the chopped hay is evenly distributed in the chopper box.
I only ended up riding for a bit because they just had a little bit left to do, but it was fun anyways. Â My favorite part was this lovely picture! Â Jason really isn’t much of a picture taking person and he desperately needs a haircut and to trim his beard, but this is the Jason that I love!
Kelli, You and Jason are such a cute couple! You are blessed to have such a hard working fella in your life and he is blessed to have you too.
Sherri
Cute picture! I’m a city girl that married into a farm family. Early in our marriage, my FIL was going to chop hay and I asked if I could go along with him. The tractor he was using was an old Allis Chalmers with out a “buddy seat” or a cab. I had to hang on for dear life on half a seat. I was also covered with little bits of hay! It was interesting to learn about the farm operations but needless to say that was the only time I asked to ride along when he chopped hay.
I love to hear about your farming life:)
It’s so refreshing to hear your farm stories and your love of the farming life. Your hubby seems like a great guy! I live in a semi-rural area but the only farming stories I ever hear are the complaints and difficulties of farming. I never hear about farmers who actually enjoy their work.
Cool picture! I love that you get to ride along. When I was growing up on the farm, driving the tractor was a boy’s job, and neither myself nor any of my sisters got to learn how to drive one. Bummer!