Survive or Perish

January 2015,  I was such a 'City Slicker' I didn't even realise a ride on mower had two spark plugs and I kept changing just the one plug to try get the machine to work properly. As a farmer, even a small farmer you have to be a 'Jack of all trades' and be able to undertake many tasks by your self or farming becomes very expensive task in repair coast not to mention the delays while you wait for them.

Builder, Plumber, Mechanic and Electrician, you have to be able to do the basics in most tasks or your farm comes to a grinding halt.

My old ride on mower is falling apart and I'm doing my best to keep it alive. It's a matter of pride now. I learned how to change my own blades given I snapped so manny on rocks clearing the paddocks. Servicing the machine, changing oil and oil filters, changing the air filter, changing spark plugs and analysing why the motor is coughing are all things that save time and money. The dog ate the seat so I had to built a new one of those and then the safety switch broke so I became an auto electrician and changed that as well.

Last week the muffler fell off and it went under the blades and had big holes chopped in it. I'm now reflecting how far I've come in my farming journey. My mower is old, many parts are not made anymore but I was able to go online and get a 'like for almost like' part then build new metal bracing for it and weld parts together as well as adapting other bits and prices or spare metal from the shed to get an improved mounting structure.

Four years ago that would have been the mower taken into the service centre which is a major project in itself, several hours of labour charged and lots of other new parts around $700 to $800 in charges. Instead just $103 and a big dose of self pride and tomorrow I'll be out mowing again.    



Discovering a ride-on mower has 2 spark plugs


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