“Can you farm today?” No, this doesn’t mean I’m headed out to work the fields. It usually precedes a trip to some farm-related establishment or ride shotgun to do some cleaning/maintenance or a bit of chauffeuring is required.
On a recent afternoon, parts were needed from John Deere. Because my knowledge of machinery is very limited (none), this requires some explaining by my husband. Him: I need two picker bearings for the Fallowmaster. Tell them it has a square shaft and is an older 35' Fallowmaster. Me: Okay. Him: If he can’t find it right away, they may have a record of one we bought before. Me: Okay. Him: It’s not the undercutter bearing. We’ve gotten those too. The undercutter uses a similar, but different, bearing. The undercutter is an older Sunflower Richardson and has Richardson pickers. Keep in mind, none of that is relevant to what I’m needing. Me: Ha. (scratching out my notes) Him: Make sure they don’t give you an undercutter bearing. (Like I would know.) Him: (Something) is not really a pillow block – more of a sandwich. (I can’t really remember what that was about – I’m using the notes I took that day. I take a lot of notes when he calls for parts.) Him: And, if they’re still not sure, ask for Pete. Me: Which Pete? (There are two.) Him: Somewhat grumpy Pete. You know him. Me: Yeah, just making sure. End of conversation. Just to clarify, the John Deere part guys are generally very helpful and friendly. However, the guy who apparently knows it all is Pete and I think Pete gets tired of being the go-to guy, because he can get a little impatient and mildly irritable at times.
So, it’s a quick change to old clothes and grab a drink and a snack (never know what you’ll wind up doing or how long you’ll be at the farm) and I’m out the door.
John Deere is huge and has a nice front area with all kinds of tempting merchandise inside the main front doors. That’s for the fake John Deere people. Real John Deere people, aka farmers, use the side door that leads directly to the parts counter. Today I am a farmer, so straight to the parts counter I go. As usual there are a few men sitting on stools or leaning into the counter, discussing things I haven’t a clue about. Old men, young men, father-son duos – most in well worn jeans, farm stained shirts and dusty farm caps - all with an incredible amount of knowledge of their machinery. I am in awe of them.
Back to our picker bearings. Dave tells me I’m next, so I start to explain what my guys need. He reaches for my note and I hold on – "this will only confuse you.” He gives me a funny look, but starts searching on the computer. Him: Is it a 1 inch or 1 and a half inch? (or something like that) Me: Um, he said you would just need to know it’s a square shaft and it’s an older 35 foot Fallowmaster. Him: Well….no…. (staring at computer)….hmm... I then repeat all of my husband’s comments (except the irrelevant parts). He still looks perplexed and keeps scrolling through something on the computer. I chat with one of the managers while he is looking. I didn’t want to do it to him, but finally, I fall back on “He said Pete would know what he needs.” I get an ever so slight dirty look and he says “Well, Pete will probably just say 'I don’t know' too.” But he gives in and walks over to Pete. I hear my father-in-law’s name and Fallowmaster and apparently Pete didn’t say “I don’t know” because Dave immediately went to the back and brought out two boxes. Thank goodness for Pete. I thanked Dave and hoped Pete really did know. There could’ve been two paper weights in there for all I knew.
It turns out Pete was right. The Fallowmaster has two new picker bearings and I earned my Farmerwife stripes for the day.
