kids, tractors, safety

tedregentin · Jul 8, 2012

I am blessed to live in the beautiful Hood River Valley in north central Oregon. It used to be quite a dairy area, but now is mainly orchards. Pear, apple, cherry, with blueberries and grapes coming on. There are still a few farmers who raise hay and some wheat. My youngest two boys, ten and twelve, have the farming gene that bypassed me. A neighbor who has a hay field across the road from me was baling last night with his 4440JD. He sometimes lets the boys ride in the cab with him when baling. Last night he called, and said that my twelve year old had got his fingers pinched in the the cab door when he had shut it and passed out. He was really upset that something had happened. My wife and I went and got Sam and got him home, nothing was broken, fortunately,and got some ice on it. My neighbor is very safety oriented, and is a very good farmer. As careful as he is, things still happen. One just can't be too careful out there.

DeltaRed · Jul 8, 2012

I apploud you for not freaking and sueing...Things happen-on the farm,and in life.Nobody's fault,stuff just happens.Glad your son is ok.Steve

JD Farmer · Jul 8, 2012

I see it as part of the learning process. If you do not expose them to this, they will never learn. So its all good. Just part of growing up. You cannot protect them forever, and it would be a big mistake to try too. IMHO!

Don-Wi · Jul 8, 2012

I too aplaud you for not getting too worked up over it. A while back on our farm we had a renters kid helping in the barn (maybe 7 or 8 years old) and he was helping untie the cows from their tie stalls. Some how he got his finger wrapped up in the string around the neck of one of cows, and in the process she pulled the tip of his pointer finger off.

His dad could have turned around and sued us for sure, but he was good about it and understood that sh!t happens. While unfortunate as it was, it could have been much worse. Since then he moved back to Missouri and we haven't seen either of them since.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Anonymous-0 · Jul 8, 2012

Had my fingers pinched in a 4440 door also, never happened again, learned the first time. Dad was the one closing the door. chris

rrlund · Jul 8, 2012

That kinda stuff happens. The combine cab door came shut on my oldest sons fingers when he was just a little guy. My nephew wanted to ride with me in the tractor one time when he was just a little guy too. He was standing by the door and I dropped in to quite a dip and he whacked his head pretty hard against the window in the door.

wisbaker · Jul 8, 2012

When stuff like this happens kids learn, it is good that you accept that and aren't getting worked up about it. It is good that the kid didn't get the finger stuck in something that would do permanent damage or cut the finger off, maybe we have doors so kids learn to watch where their fingers are, maybe we have pain so we remember to watch where our fingers are? Sometimes the hardest part of being a parent is letting them make mistakes or letting them do things that could hurt them, but they need the experiences, it's part of their growing up.

fixerupper · Jul 8, 2012

That is why farm kids are more aware of danger. They grow up getting pinched fingers stubbed toes, blisters, an occasional broken bone, and the list goes on. By the time I was twelve, I'd had a broken elbow, fractured skull, black toenail from a wagon tongue, and an almost amputated fingeger tip. It taught me to hang on tighter when climbing and to keep my toes and fingers out of trouble. I too applaud you for not getting too worked up over this. Jim

samn40 · Jul 8, 2012

How many of us have raised children without them catching fingers in a car door or even the house doors? Just glad you are sensible to look at it the way you did. I am bringing my children up to drive anything they can reach the pedals on as no way do I want them going out on the road at 17 yrs old to learn to drive( among the speed freaks that sleep in every morning and then have to race to work) without some sort of driving experience. They actually use my lawn tractor as a play thing, and the 12 yr old can plough since he was 7. Roughing it does them no harm, no Nanny State at our place!
Sam

Royse · Jul 8, 2012

When I was a pup my dad was backing up a tractor, pull behind corn picker and a small (100 bushel?) gravity box full of ear corn. If you've done this, you know what kind of attention it takes to even try.
I wasn't smart enough to be paying attention, and the gravity box knocked me down and one wheel ran over me.
No one to sue here!
Ground was a little soft, so no real damage done, but I sure learned a lesson!
Farming and equipment in general is dangerous, but if the kids don't learn they're in worse danger.

Ryan - WI · Jul 8, 2012

I don't want to freak you out but I don't think I would let my kid ride in a tractor. This happened near me a bit over a year ago: http://gazettextra.com/weblogs/latest-news/2011/apr/08/boy-dies-farm-tractor-accident/

Kids were in the cab with dad (4440 I believe) and the tractor hit a bump. Kid hit the door handle and fell out when the door opened.

If he were my son, no jump seat, no ride. I did my share of fender and drawbar riding when I was a kid. I wouldn't call it smart. This kid may be a 1 in a million but if we are talking about my kids, those odds are unacceptable.

northvale-PA · Jul 8, 2012

2 years ago I slammed my own thumb in the car door. Tonight I shocked myself on the electric fence. The wife says I need a sheet of bubble wrap. Or maybe sit on the couch and watch golf.

kids, tractors, safety

tedregentin

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DeltaRed

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JD Farmer

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Don-Wi

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Anonymous-0

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rrlund

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wisbaker

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fixerupper

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samn40

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Royse

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Ryan - WI

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northvale-PA

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