Memories of an IH Super A
by Brian Saylor

When I was ? up to 10, I worked on my Papaw's farm in Greeneville, TN every summer. As I grew older (7), it was the thrill of my day to ride or drive on the tractor. My Papaw had a 1954 IH Super A that he bought to replace a Cub. My Papaw raised "baccer" (tobacco) and corn with the Super A, but the fondest memory was of the sawmill. He owned a small sawmill for sawing "baccer" sticks. The Super A was the powerplant.

When I was old enough (7 or 8), I would get up early and be dressed to go get the tractor from the barn. I remember thinking what a responsible job I had to get the sawmill ready. It was all that I could do to manhandle what seemed was a 100 foot long belt (probably only 25 ft). Hooking up to the sawmill wasnt easy but I did it. After hooking up the tractor and adding some oil to all the fittings, my papaw and one of my uncles would be ready to run the mill. The mill would cut 3 sticks at a time and made a mountain of sawdust.

I was too little to work the sawmill once it was going. I counted and bundled "baccer" sticks and shoveled at least a few lifetimes worth of sawdust. At lunch time I would disconnect and drive the Super A to the store next door to fill up with "Regular" and get a storemade bologna sandwich wrapped in wax paper with a Mountain Dew. After lunch I would drive back and hook back up to the sawmill for the rest of the days-worth of sawing "baccer" sticks.

We must have made a couple of million sticks and those days must have made a lasting impression. Now I am 31 and have a few acres in Michigan. On the Saturday before Easter, I purchased a 1948 IH "H". That old red tractor just grew on me. My Papaw is gone, my Uncle has the Super A, and those memories are as clear as a bell when I am on my tractor.

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