Farm Pro Tractor

Friendships keep competitors returning to farm stock tractor pulls

The tractors may be different in color and weight, but the men and women who pull with them have quite a bit in common.

The farm stock tractor pull was one of Thursday's events at the Shippensburg Community Fair. As spectators positioned their lawn chairs on the hills around the track, drivers were busy preparing their tractors, being weighed and chatting with other competitors.

"It's for fun and to see all our buddies that we haven't seen since last year," said Jake Mummert of Waynesboro. "We like to stand around in these little groups. We go from group to group, just to carry on and talk, to tell a few stories."

Farm stock tractors, unlike the antique tractors featured Wednesday night at the fair, are an important part of modern farming.

"Farm stock tractors are still used on the farm," said Chad Hess, also of Waynesboro. "They are strictly farm tractors. They're used in daily farm work."

Of course, when the work is done, tractors are also used in pulls like this.

"Farmers come out and have fun," said Hess. "We compete with our buddies."

Kids join in

Timothy Martin Sr. of Chambersburg has been pulling for 35 years. His children, son Tim Martin Jr. and daughter Leah Martin, now compete as well. In fact, he said, they pulled in five events in four nights over the weekend.

"We have fun," he said. "It's to let the kids have some fun. We've been pulling for six or seven years, them and I."

Although Martin only competes in farm stock events, he has an appreciation for antique tractors because his father, David Martin, helped to organize the Cumberland Valley Antique Club.

Over the years, he has restored about 300 tractors. Some date back to 1921.

"Some tractors then ran on kerosene," said Martin. "It was economical to mix kerosene and water. Kerosene was cheap, and water would make the compression higher to burn the kerosene."

Martin predicts that type of engine will be used again someday. He said that the principle is already being used.

"The pro-stock tractors -- the smoker tractors -- inject water into diesel fuel today," he said.

Began early

Most tractor pullers get involved in the competition because they grew up on farms.

"I baled hay when I was 7," said Jim King of Greencastle. "That's when I started driving tractors. That's a pretty big thing to a 7-year-old boy.

Jinma Farm Pro 2425 Sub Compact Tractors Review @ Heavy Tractor

Purchased at: Sears tractor

Strengths I dug a pond 40 ‘X 40′ and 5 ‘deep red clay of Georgia. I dig stumps, timber haul road to provide a 400 ‘private pond 4 hectares and acres. You need a 4 wheel drive with FEL. Plenty of power, enough to cause you trouble if left untreated.

The weaknesses are all metric components, including pipes HYD. Can not find this type of equipment in South Georgia Homier improving, but slowly.

Overall I paid less than half the price of a Kobota or JD. I wish I had a parts store along the way would make me feel better. I have no major mechanical problem. Oil filter for 2425 is NAPA 1381, NAPA 1395 fuel. So far I have not regretted the investment. He has already done what I wanted.

Parts: 5 Performance: 8 Ease of Use: 9 Financing: 9 Reliability: 9 Total: 8 Purchased from: