Imagine the difficulty of plowing a field with a team of oxen, or mules. The heat bores down, sweat streams off your brow, rocks hamper your progress, but still there is work to be done and no one to lead the team except you. The life of our ancestors was simpler, but certainly more difficult.

When the farm tractor was invented, it completely revolutionized agriculture, allowing millions of people to leave the farm and move into other areas of our economy; clearly it is an invention that changed the way we live, and respect should be shown to the inventor and also to the machine itself.

FACT: The first gasoline-powered tractor was made in 1892 by John Froehlich, a blacksmith from Iowa. The very first mass-produced tractors were sold by C.W. Hart and C.H. Parr of Charles City, Iowa.

I did not grow up on a farm, but I did spend several weekends with my uncle who ran a working farm in Louisiana. I still remember waking up early (way too early) to milk the cows, then settle down to a large breakfast, then chores of course. The first order of the day was making certain my uncle's tractor was in tip top shape.

He called her "Emma", he never told me why, but he treated this lady of the farm with respect and admiration, only being one generation away from plowing the fields with a team of mules; he appreciated this tractor in a way few still can.

He crawled under the belly of the beast and explained to a young impressionable boy (me) that he was checking the differential (rear end to car enthusiasts), next came the hydraulic case, followed by the transmission. This was all done inside the barn, before 'ole Emma's engine was turned over. He explained in a slow southern drawl that any water inside would be close to the drain plugs and easy to remove (oil and water do not mix). He reached up with a well worn crescent wrench, loosening the plugs one by one and checking that the fluid ran clear. Since this was not the first check of the season, (just a quick check, mainly for my education) he had drained, flushed and filled the reservoir months before.

We moved onto the cooling system, making certain there were no leaks and the antifreeze was topped off, ready to perform as designed. In the tool shed I'd noticed he kept several gallons of quality antifreeze in reserve. Since it was spring during this check up, he used a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water; giving efficient cooling, while still protecting us down to minus 25. We'd have other problems if that happened.

So far, so good, he grabbed a flashlight and checked the fans and pulleys, his weathered but experienced hands checking for wear, cracks or damage. Since these belts powered the water pump and cooling system, they'd need replacing at the first sign of wear. But like I said, this check up was mainly for me, and his belts were well maintained, (though he had several on hand should the need arise).

We checked grease fittings, hose clamps and the radiator, he knew 'ole Emma like the back of his hand and said... "Though she is an old lady, but hey, she still does the job better than most."

I learned more than a bit of tractor maintenance that day, I learned to respect the land, the people who work it, and the equipment that makes their life just a little bit easier.