Why?

It occurred to me ..,why did I stroll through the net yesterday looking at old farm trucks? Its kind of a strange answer,,that maybe some of you guys and gals could understand.Not a lot of people do understand.
Many people have asked me why did I bother scraping and painting the old barns.Some of the paint is going to peel off,some will stay and look good for a while.

The answer is complicated to explain.
When I had time off,,it was very peaceful and enjoyable to me trying to fix up the old place.It was an ongoing challenge that I enjoyed.
Some of the nicest days were in the fall.
Motorcycles like to ride there,because of the Scenery and back roads.They all would drive by slowly and wave to me.
Best of all the mill is down the road .Many old farm trucks would slowly head down the hill with loads of grain on.It was like a truck show,,in reality.Many of these trucks were old,,because they only got used that time of year....//

What some people dont understand is..,I enjoyed what I Did,more than going to a beach,or playing golf,or even fishing,,,lol,,its a thing you cant explain,,,everyone likes something,,if its legal there is not too many rights or wrongs,,its what you like.//Its very hard to explain that sometimes.

I left out part of the story that belongs here,,,many times tractors were working in the distance,,I have posted many of the pictures here over the years.

I think I understand what you’re saying. Some things are just plain enjoyable and many people simply don’t get it. Most people look at me the same way when I tell them I want to buy an old tractor. They all say, “You’re only 18, why waste your money on some old rusty tractor?” No one understands there’s something more to it that I enjoy.

Larry,
Glad you like painting, I don't.

When I remodel I look for a more permanent solution. Aluminum fascia and soffits.
I wrap doors and windows with aluminum or replace windows with vinyl clad. Replace doors with fiberglass. I've sided houses with aluminum, vinyl, and my house got 25,000 brick. I do the work myself. Best part is when I'm DONE. I take care of 10 places. That's enough work me, I'm retired and about to hit the big 70. No more scraping and painting.

Need time for tractor therapy.

Your right ,,but,,its just kind of hard to explain the peacefulness that occurred while doing the job.I wont do it a second time,,but kind of glad I did do it for some good memories

I to feel the way you do. The pictures you post tell a thousand words. with all the B==S around us today there is a need for good thoughts. I to get great feeling about saving or repurposing things old. 35 years ago I bought the worst old farm house around and have been working on it my whole married life. WHY!

so far it still looks good

I understand completely, I enjoy welding and building things in my shop.
Richard

Not that hard to explain - even if an explanation is necessary.
There is a sense of pride and accomplishment in standing back and seeing what you have accomplished, and that you have (in some small way) made the world a little better looking. That makes a man feel useful. A feeling that is only reached through performing work that improves or creates something worthwhile.

Im guessing a lot of people ask you why do you want to plant 24 tomato plants? lol

It's pride in how you was raised. If your granddad and dad kept the place looking nice its bred into you. It makes you feel good when you hear someone say, he sure keeps that place looking nice. Its so sad to see so many big farm houses and barns falling down or tore down now days. I feel so glad to be around when they was used for what they was built for.

How about 500 tomato plants and 100 pepper plants? The joy of working with your hands and the pride in a job well done. Also the fun of giving folks fresh veggies. We love using our old Fords at work. Folks will stop and talk. We meet the nicest people and hear great stories. It just wouldn't be the same with a brand new tractor. No explanation needed, Larry. If you get it you get it. If not ,you never will.

I don't think you have to explain to the people on this site. We all fix old stuff for enjoyment and to preserve it as is for the future. Surely not for profit

“You’re

??

No need to explain here, Larry. There's something for everyone. Wish I had the time and energy to do more.

It?s like trying to explain to the city folks at work that you collect tractors they just give you that look

(quoted from post at 05:54:31 01/05/19) I left out part of the story that belongs here,,,many times tractors were working in the distance,,I have posted many of the pictures here over the years.

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It looks great Larry. I wish I only had half your energy and desire to make things look nice. Of course I do like my rust too.

Larry, it makes complete sense to me, we are a lot alike in that regard. Every single year, during the spring time, I would thoroughly enjoy seeing my friend and farmer heading to the nearby fields for spring planting. Even more so when he came to prepare our fields. Furthermore, I wanted to be a part of it, and this goes deep to my earliest memories, his farming of all of our tillable land, using the larger of our 2 barns to store some of his hay, nothing but small squares in those days, 20-30 thousand bales every year.

I just wanted to be a part of it, and in contrast, I'll bet his sons had enough of this life at some point but they always were involved until he passed away. Many in this generation wanted to get away from the farm, but to me, there was just something about it, things the field work and similar. Maybe not so much the livestock part of it, but I grew up with that being a part of my life as well, it's hard work sometimes. I can remember as a kid, seeing him baling hay for us and riding with him in the cab, so many years later, I drive by one of his fields, one of the locals sons was riding with him while he baled hay just like me when I was that age. There are not all that many that had such a nice and pleasant personality, but growing up, there were several we knew, and just about only one remains, my neighbor, one house over. You will never see these kinds of people angry, it would take an awful lot and even then, something I admire because of the strength it takes to be like that naturally or not. Most died too early, but their memory will never fade.

I did not see our friend and farmer often at times over the years because I worked out of town, but I always made sure the fields that were still tillable were available to him to keep a connection going. When I returned home from that life on the road, I rekindled that relationship, we bought hay from him, bedding sawdust, and I started working for him part time, until one year I did an entire season with him, memories of which I will always cherish, and photos that are keepsakes. He was the last farming operation in this vicinity, he had a nice line of equipment and had quite an operation doing grain and hay crops. He was doing feeder calves for the income as well. Now I'm the only one in this area with tractors and equipment, which seems really odd to this day.

I now own the land, and pay the taxes. Why.... it is hard to figure, it's not the best move financially at a glance, but there is opportunity with this because of the frontage on the very busy state road. All the land is in the back and I enjoy everything that goes along with this more than most other things in life. My job is miserable work dealing with prisons, jails, holding cells etc. and just chaos between getting jobs through our shop and responding to crisis's throughout this state. It's another job I am learning to hate more than anything, it's going to make an old man out of me if things don't change. The only reason I do it is for the above. I must be crazy !!!! LOL ! My hope is that I can make it work or transition out of it. My goal is to restore this place to what it was or better, open a business on the frontage and work at something I enjoy, not something that I truly hate. I also hope to leave it like it was in its heyday or better, so someone else has a chance at the same kind of opportunity. I am thankful it would be very difficult develop for housing, that alone may keep it out of the hands of the wrong people, it is the last intact farm in the center of town, which is really like a small hamlet, now with quite a bit of development nearby. Our land is connected with other lands with owners do not want developed and that is a good thing.

In the 4 years I have been at this job, I have made the 3 partners well over $1.5 million in gross profits, every single one of my projects, well over 50 of them have made good margins. Same with my colleague, he's made them double that or more in this time. I know because I do the cost accounting on them, the numbers don't lie. What irks me, is if I can do that for them, why in heck am I not doing something on my own, I've got the proven track record and skills. I'd like to make this transition before I get much older, and I would rather enjoy doing something that would benefit the community, be able to help people or something more satisfying than being micro-managed by a company owner obsessed with us delivering their projects and counting their money for them. Maybe there is a "Why" in all this, that not many would understand.

Great looking farmstead,Larry. It is a joy to see a place the owner has pride in.

Larry, a whole lot of people followed your posts and photos of the work you did on your place. I wish my little corner looked like yours!
Some people don't understand why we do what we do, but some folks do. Some people look at an old building and think bulldozer- some others look and think "the foundation is solid and the ridge is straight as an arrow- hmm, maybe..." The latter group doesn't need explanations. Personally, I love the smell you get when you open the door of an abandoned truck, or the creak of the controls when you sit on an old tractor. Nuff said, unc

Larry, We do these things right the first time because we won't find the time to do them again. I love looking at places that people take pride in. Our daughter is trying to make our place not look like an eyesore. In other words trying to hide dads "stuff". Love all of your pictures and stories of your many friends. Don't stop.

Larry, I think what it comes down to, there are 2 kinds of people...

Those who are here to serve.

And those who are here to be served.

You, and probably 99% of the rest of us on this site, are definitely in the first group!

Larry my simple answer is....."It's only work if you would rather be doing something else"
Jim B

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