Need a new hand ?

[Keith]

My dad bought the first round hay bailer in NE TX in 1972. He put me on a Ford 8N tractor raking hay when I was 7 years old. I didn't weigh enough to push the clutch down so I had to stand up on the clutch, jump up and down and pull up on the steering wheel to be able to push the clutch down. We bailed a lot of hay back in the 70's, and I was his free labor for years.

Back when I was 6 years old dad had a 1969 GMC pickup and he took a picture me driving it by myself then send it to my grandparents. They couldn't figure out why he sent them the picture of the pickup since they had seen it. They finally spotted me looking underneath the steering wheel, barely seeing over the dask as I was driving it with no one else in the truck.

Dad always had at least 1 Willis Jeep. My sisters and I put thousands of miles on those Jeeps before we were teenagers. We could all drive stick shifts when we were very young.

Now that I am a dad, there is absolutely no way I would let my 6 or 7 year old child drive a tractor by themselves.

[30-30]

If you need more people, post up on wfscjobs.tamu.edu. There are plenty of wildlife students looking for internships/jobs and many of them will work for free on a hunting ranch. Every wfsc student needs an internship to graduate. Let us help you out!

[talltexasshoote]

Buff. Thanks for trying to put youth to work. These laws might have good intent, but don't take into account lessons learned by real work. I can't employ those under 18 to work a dishwasher at the restaurant. Texas workforce commission classifies it as a peice of machinery and therefore hazardous. I too grew up working, both at home and in a place of employment. I shared my earnings with the church and my family. I am still working, and God blesses me with the ability to feed my family and give them a nice place to live. I find it sad that the next generation has to wait until 18 to experience the blessings that come from a job well done. If you get in a pinch pm me. I'll take a week vacation and come help you just to hear some of your stories first hand.

[jimmy o]

Man I must be a bad parent my 15 yr old and 11 yr old didn't come in from the hay field till 8pm and the only reason my 14 yr old did was so he could go practice roping. Yes they all run tractors. Also the 15 yr old shot a pig and coyote while cutting hay.

[hondo]

He was just making sure he was over lapping his cuts. If he get crooked, I throw rocks at him when he goes by the shade tree I,m setting under

Grandpa of the year! Love it...