Monday, January 31, 2011

Driving the tractor at 3 years old. (by Lila Jane Lee)

Driving the tractor at 3 years old.

My Daddy had me driving the tractor when I was three. Mother didn’t like the idea at all; she was afraid I would get hurt or fall off the tractor. I would drive it with my hands until I got tired and then would use my feet. I would drive it from one peanut hay stack to another one. Sometimes Daddy would have to take me off the tractor and put me in the cab of the truck to take a nape; then it was driving again. If a man did that this day and time, he would be jailed for child abuse. We farm girls all had to work on the farm and that is the reason we know how to work today. When I got older I got to do the harrowing, but never was allowed to plant the peanuts, as those rows had to be straight as an arrow.

Daddy would throw the peanut vines into the peanut picker and Mr. Bob would fill the sacks and sew them up. It was a lot of work, but fun work. I loved going to the plant to sell the peanuts with Daddy. They would stick a big tub into the peanuts and check for dryness. The dryer they were the better the price would be.

Some people wonder why I take such long steps today; I was a Daddy’s girl and he was 6ft 2inches. He would not slow down for me, so I took long steps and fast ones to keep up with him. I use to tease Daddy and tell him when my brother came along, he, “Daddy” dropped me like a hot potato, he would let me know right off that was not so.



(Written by Lila Jane Lee)


Lila Jane and Aunt Hazel
(My great-aunt, Lila Jane's aunt)

Bob Kimsey


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