Hitch Pin Disease

Do you have it? Do you wish that you had it?

Do you even know what it is?

Hitch Pin Disease:
1.  A slow overwhelming desire developed by the farmer to have one tractor for each piece of machinery, creating a pair, hence seldom having to "un-hitch" and "hitch" implements up to tractors to complete tasks.

This is often an inside joke between us farmers; prodding and giving each other a hard time when we see new pieces of equipment arrive on their farms-now when we get something new, we often don't say anything at all, waiting to see how long it takes the other farmers to notice the piece when they drive by on their  "crop-checking" trips.

I didn't think we had a problem with hitch pin disease. For a long time we had just one tractor, an 806 Gas, that was sold to buy an 806 Diesel. Then we added a 60hp New Holland, to scrape, load bales, rake, etc. Then, Rick's uncle called and said he had a little Ford 2000, and we could have it if we got it running. We did. THEN, the owner of our original 806 Gas tractor called and said he was selling it, would we want to buy it back? It was our first tractor. We bought it.

Over the years we have purchased a loader (for the 806 gas) a discbine (on the diesel tractor), a bale wrapper (loaded by the New Holland), and finally this summer, a rake.

I knew we caught the disease when Rick said "I'm gonna marry that rake to the Ford!" Oh-no!

Its understandable, though.  Having one tractor means you are constantly hitching and un-hitching the equipment that you need: The discbine, the rake, the loader. The discbine, the rake, the loader. Over and over, and over, again.  Some hitches are simple, some are not:

The rake hitch is simple: 1 pin and a hydraulic hose.

The speed rake on the Ford 2000....for life.

Simple bale wagon hitch with a safety clasp on the pick-up.

This little guy LOVES hauling bales!

A more complicated discbine hitch.  2 hydraulic hoses, a P.T.O shaft and draw bar hitch.  Its much more time consuming to hitch and un-hitch this machine.

In the beginning, we did a lot of hitching and un-hitching.  We were just grateful for the one tractor that we did have.  We also made dry hay, which meant there was more time to switch machines while the hay dried down.  Now, with high-moisture bales, we need to move a little faster.  We can also be more efficient, and having somebody mowing down the next field while someone else rakes in front of the custom baler-all at the same time.

 

The next time you drive by your neighborhood farm, take a glance at their equipment.  Is it hooked up to something? Is it always hooked up to that machine?  Just be careful to not look too long. Pretty soon you'll realize that you need a second vehicle.  And it sure would be handy if you had a truck to pull the boat. And one for the camper.  And an ATV for the lawn cart, because you don't like taking it on and off the lawn mower.  Then you'll need a trailer for all of that. And something to pull it.....