I don’t think it comes as any surprise that the best way to fix a problem is to not have it in the first place. I also think there are few things as sickening as that feeling you get when you hear a strange sound coming from your truck or tractor’s engine compartment:

Today’s tractors and implements are truly amazing. Drones and GPS guidance systems, auto steering and implements that tell the tractor to speed up or slow down.

Whenever I am around a group of high school-aged boys, eventually the subject of pickup trucks seems to arise. Which one is best? Whose is the stoutest? Which one do I prefer?

I don’t believe there is any place colder than a large metal building on a cold, windy day. If they are oriented incorrectly to form a wind tunnel … oh my goodness, they are frigid. As we get older, our ability to keep warm diminishes, so keeping the farm shop warm on these chilly days helps us to not only be warm but also work more safely.

Whenever anyone says they just “love” snow, I always think, “They never had to get cows milked through a snowstorm.” I am not a total curmudgeon about seeing a few snowflakes, and I do think snow scenes can be pretty, but the reality is: Snow robs many hours each year because farmers have to deal with the snow as an additional chore during an already busy day.

“Helping a neighbor,” my dad used to say, “is the greatest church work you can ever do.” I remember when my wife and I started dating, I explained to her how we would help neighbors get their hay baled or corn picked. She was skeptical, but after meeting Dad, I think she understood.

Diesel-powered pickups have been around for a long time, but in the last 30 years or so, their popularity has simply exploded. Their application on the farm is well documented. Their power plants offer great low-rpm power, durability, reliability and fuel mileage.

The only thing more stressful than a rusty, seized bolt is the sickening feeling you get when you hear a pop followed by the removal of only a portion of the bolt or screw. Now what? Well, with a bit of patience and the correct tools, you can extract that ornery piece of scrap metal and roll on.