My fathers cub

[rhowes]

This is the story behind the love of a father and his little cub.
Dick Howes was a family man with a trusting nature. He earned the trust and respect of his neighbors in a small town in ontario Canada. He gave everyone a chance even those that probably didn't have his best interests at heart. Everyone that visited our home in the summer went away with a basket or bag of fresh vegetables and maybe even a dozen fresh eggs. In 1963 he made the only purchase of a new vehicle that I know of, it was a new farmall cub. As I was only two years old at the time I will say I don't recall the event. My father was as frugal a man as I have known and the tractor was bare bones to say the least. All implements were either hand made or came from the traded in 1949 cub tractor. Some of the hand made implements were a potato planter set of discs various harrows a cultivator and a trailer to sand the country roads in the winter months. This tractor was his only tractor until his passing in 1989. He used the cub to mow hay, plow snow and tend the fields of potatoes corn and other vegetables . Every spring he would travel around and plow the gardens of neighbors that had no means of there own, some would pay others would give a hand shake and a thanks either way it was all good with Dick Howes. My brother Ron became the care taker of the little cub when my father passed and did a good job of storing it for twenty eight years. It sure made my job a lot easier. Now it is my turn to care for the cub. I have begun restoring it. It now runs well with a little smoke but none the less it runs. As I go through the various components I have decided to paint as I go. It looks rather amusing as some parts are shinny red and some the original well worn red, but it does make it easy to see what still needs to be done. I have added hydraulics wheel weights new tires and changed to a 12 volt negative ground system that's so far the bulk of the money spent. The cub will be used to plow snow a garden cut grass and give me a chance to remember my father my vouth and simpiler times of life in a era where you worked with pride and not just for the pay cheque. Hope this didn't bore you guys to much. Everyone on this forum have been so helpful and have made it that much easier to restore this cub. Thanks to all
Richard Howes

[T-Mo]

Nice story. Thanks for posting it.

[ricky racer]

Nice story. Thanks for posting it.

[tinnerjohn]

That story made me smile and remember my Grandpa's 47 or 48 Cub. I was about 12 or 13 when they sold it and bought a Simplicity lawn tractor, but every time I look at or use my 52 Cub I think about him. When my older sister see's me on it she calls me Granpa Fink . I remember a widow that lived here in town plowing and fitting gardens with her Ford 9 or 8N and the old undertaker (he had to be at least 60!) with the huge garden and Allis B. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. John