SK.. in Frozen Cold Western Canada | My Pops is 82 Years Young this past July, certainly "acts" like he's 65 still, BUT he can't Lift and Do certain things like he used to, and HE knows it!! He just gets me to "prep" the Machines (doesn't climb around/under and grease machines) but he will Walk around dutifully and Check the Combine during a day of running it for sure!! He Checks the Oil, Fills the Machines with Fuel, looks over the Belts and Pulleys, Inspects Knives, Teeth, Hoses, etc and if he sees anything odd he tells me and we figure out what's wrong.. Meanwhile I am Running and Climbing over and under things to get him ready to go into the Field, and his work just plain Saves Me Time that I won't need to spend prepping!!
We added an Outback GPS (original S/360 and eDrive) system to our Combine and Tractor 5+ years ago.. HE was excited to try it and see how it would help us do our work better (and he is NO computer user, but Pays Bills by Telephone.. isn't scared of an ATM.. ;-) ~ After about 2 long days, and especially nights, of Well after Dark work combining in dust where you couldn't see your direction of travel if the Wind was a certain way) he was Way Too Happy to "just pay attention to the Moving Lights" when he turned around and have the GPS Steer while he did all the other chores of combining with a 30ft Flex Header.. Other than the PITA of "Shifting an A~B" once in a while, he simply calls me if it seems to be working oddly, or perish the thought, if NOT At All.. He Loves it and says he wouldn't get in the combine without!!
Above all else he, like his father before him, will Live Longer and Happier mostly BECAUSE he is still BUSY Farming.. I am quite certain that it is a therapeutic thing and if he has his Last Days in the field with his Boots On it'll be a Good Life!! Enjoy your time with him and Be Patient.. I hope he'll know when it's time to "Help Out Less" if it needs to be that way.. Amen to Father's and the invaluable help and Life Lessons they provide for us all ..
Happy Harvesting to you All here.. and YES, it did snow in Saskatchewan today.. =-/
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any advice on working with aging fathers
