Farmall Cub

Hey there guys!!

I recently wrote an article for an outdoor wesite focused on hunting. I typically write one or two a month. This artice is about "vintage" tractors used for food plots and to not overlook them. Planting food plots is huge business now a days. You can not open a hunting magazine or watch an outdoor program on the tube without seeing an advertisement for food plot seed, equipement, or accessories. I wanted to let everyone know that you do not need a new tractor or an ATV that costs in excess of $10,000 to plant your dream food plot.

Thanks to you guys here, I was able to accomplish my land management goals and have a BLAST doing it on my CUB!! I never knew how much fun it could be owning a cub and I wanted to share with others my exerience and to not overlook the tractors of days gone by!


Thanks again guys!!
Lyle

That sounds great, Lyle. Can you post a copy here or perhaps refer us to the journal article? I am sure we would enjoy reading it. Dan

Sure thing....Here it is...
Hope you guys like it and that I did the old tractors justice!! This article has not yet been published so you get to see it first!



Vintage Iron on a hot summer day.
Don’t overlook the tractors of days gone by! By: Lyle Hindman


There is something about that distinctive sound of the muffler cap lightly tapping the muffler that takes me back to a time where a good day’s work meant something. It is 8 a.m. on this mid summer Saturday morning as I walk out to my 1948 Farmall Cub tractor. The morning dew evident on my boots as I wipe the seat with my forearm trying not to spill my coffee. I climb aboard, pull the chock and fire up the 6 volt generator that starts up ole’ “Tilly”. Tink, tink, tink, the muffler cap lightly sings……

As food plotting popularity grows, so does the industry. I have witnessed the craze of the food plotting evolution in every hunting magazine, outdoor TV show, and hunting video. There are countless companies that advertise various seed blends, food plot equipment, and accessories that were not visible 5 to 10 years ago. With the increasing popularity of planting food plots on the rise, you can surely count on big business being right there to capitalize.

I am one of the little guys, just like everyone else I guess. The average consumer with a family who’s already bursting budget just does not allow for a new tractor or ATV that can cost in excess of $10,000! If you are in this majority as I am, then you know the feeling. Like most of you, I do not have any friends or family in the farming business or know anyone that has the equipment I need to help me accomplish my management goals. I spent years with the ole’ rototiller and hand rake working the soil on my little piece of “heaven” putting in food plots, year after year, with countless blisters an calluses’ to show for it! I decided that something needed to be done.

Looking at various options to help me with this task, I had all about given up. I searched local papers, internet classifieds, and even local auctions looking for a used ATV that could handle this job. They were all well out of my price range and averaging $3500 to $4000. The thought of owning a tractor, the king of all plotting machines, I thought was well out of my reach! Boy was I wrong! My search ended when I stumbled upon a 1948 International Farmall Cub for $1300.00, in which I proudly named “Tilly”!!

The tractors and implements of “yesterday” are often overlooked by most as a perfect solution for food plots. These tractors have stood the test of time and were definitely built to last. There are several vintage makes and models to suit everyone’s needs. From small tractors able to negotiate a tight trail system, to large scale tractors, able to farm large tracts of land. For the majority of recreational folks planting food plots, the plots are small, under 5 acres in size with the majority being well under that. The small utility tractors are perfect for Michigan food plotters and should not be overlooked. There are surpluses of these tractors available today as the smaller utility tractors were put away for more modern, larger, and faster pace machines. These old tractors can be found very easily for under $1000 and run like the day they came off the assembly line. Implements like disc harrows, chisel plows, drags, cultipackers, and cultivators are in abundance as well and many times come with the tractor upon purchase.
I have found that you do not need farming experience to operate these old machines as they are very easy to operate and a pleasure to drive. There are several websites that offer support for their favorite brands and sites that have all the information you need about these late model tractors, even available tractors in your area. A great site that is dedicated to older tractors and a great place to start is http://www.tractorshed.com.

I only wish I would have learned about these old tractors years ago. I am now able to put the fast pace of the city behind as I climb aboard my vintage iron and slip back to a time where the air was cleaner and life was a little less hectic, if only for a weekend…

Great article. A pleasure to read. Thanks for sharing it with us first.

I enjoy it, Very good.

A very good article, Lyle, and also well written. I enjoyed reading it. Dan

Aww shucks guys...



Gotta love that vintage Iron!!

Lyle7289 wrote:Aww shucks guys...
Gotta love that vintage Iron!!

Lyle,

Great read. Ya done good!!!

Bill

Nice job Lyle!

Lyle; That is a great article, and after I finished planting 10 lbs of green beans I worked the ground and planted 1/2 acre food plot all with my little Cub's I planted Biologic and Throw & Grow

Very nice article. You sure sold me, maybe it is time for another Cub. From what you explained they seem like nice machines

Great
Very descriptive.
My boys and I put out a dove field with out Cub and BN.
Plowed with the cub.
BN and 23A disc
Soil surgeon with the cub.
Planted with the cub and an old hand fiddle(Broadcaster) the wheat and sunflowers.
Mowed with the newly aquired Sunflower Brand Mower, per GW
We will finish mowing about 2 days before season.
Can't wait
The best time I have is seeing my boys operating the old Iron.
We have limited space and these work just right.
Thanks for the article.
Phil

Lyle:

Well done, I enjoyed reading it. Isn't it nice to have a Cub???

That is a great article Lyle!! Your situation is very similar to mine. I first started in Cubs to make some food plots for the deer. I have expanded into lawn mowing and a large garden and now its hard to find the time for the deer hunting/food plot planting. However, as the Cubs get it tip-top shape, one by one, there will be more time for the hunting again!!

Lyle,
Nice article and well written But these articles make me laugh, when here in N.J. the best sellers are repellant and
high-tech electric fences to keep the deer out You Mighigan boys should come down to Jersey and round-up a few
thousand deer and take them home. I could have plenty of venison with a .22 out the kitchen window While we're at it
it could we interest you in a few thousand Canada geese
John