Hello everyone!
I’m here at Claremont Farm today where I’m going to learn all about tractors!
Tractors are the most important vehicle on the farm.
They help farmers like Andy and his family do really big jobs like planting a whole field
of potatoes.
“Let’s get out on the road.
oh dear, I think I’m on the wrong tractor.
Andy!
Ah, Here comes Andy with a much newer Blue Tractor now!
Andy, can you show us round your beautiful tractor?
OK The front of the tractor.
These are the heavy weights, so if we're picking up machinery at the back we don't want the
tractor to flip up so these keep it all straight and on the ground.
These are our lights, some times we have to work at night and we need as much light as
possible.
So not only do we have the headlights but we also have spotlights at the top as well.
This is the exhaust pipe.
We don't want the exhaust at the back with all the machinery so we keep it up front here,
and it's high so we're not breathing in the fumes.
This is the huge tractor tyre, with big tractor tread here.
If it's wet and muddy in the field we need as much traction as possible because we don't
want to be slipping.
The back of the tractor.
This is where we connect all the implements.
This is called 3 point linkage. 1 2 3.
This goes down and picks the machinery up at the back.
And this, is my tractor.
Thanks Andy!
Tractors can drive on roads, but muddy fields are where Tractors can really get to work.
The huge wheels mean they will never lose grip, no matter how sticky it gets.
But that doesn’t stop it being really bumpy!!
Whoaaaaaa!
In the spring, it’s time for the farmers to get into the tractor and plant some seed
potatoes.
They drive in straight lines, creating these lovely neat rows.
Imagine doing all of this planting by hand - it would take ages!!
But luckily the tractor can plant a whole field in just 2 days.
Deep under the ground, those little potatoes are busy spreading, and growing into lots
of new potatoes throughout the year.”
Farmers rely on the changing of season - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter to help their crops
grow.
It’s now Autumn, and the leaves are falling off the trees.
Out in the fields we’re going to be using the tractor to dig up the potatoes we planted
that have grown all summer long.”
You can put all sorts of different equipment onto the back of a tractor and today the farmer's
attaching a huge potato harvester onto the back of his tractor.
Now we’re connected, it’s away we go.
The tractor pulls along the harvester as it pulls out the potatoes out of the ground.
The potatoes shoot up through the harvester and make their way down this conveyor belt,
where the farmer checks all of the potatoes, throwing away any bad ones.
Once all the potatoes are collected, the harvester lifts them up and tips them into a trailer.
The farmer then hooks up to the trailer and takes the potatoes back to the farmyard.”
Back at the farmyard, the farmers open the trailer up and push the potatoes onto another
conveyor belt that creates a massive potato mountain!
Think of all the mashed potato you can make out of that!
Now let’s have a look how you drive a tractor!
So this is my tractor cab.
This is my steering wheel and all modern tractors now have power steering which means that its
easier to turn the big wheels in the field.
Here, this red lever.
This means I can go forward or back.
Forward or back.
Here, this is where we turn the lights on.
On this side we have the hare and the tortoise.This is slow and this is fast.
We have 15 different gears on a tractor from very very slow to fast on the road.
So do you remember seeing that big mountain of potatoes?
Well we can't see them now.
And here they are.
So we have to cover the potatoes with straw.
The straw keeps them nice and warm to stop the frost getting to them in Winter, but it
also stops the light getting in.
If a potato sees the light it turns green and then we can't eat it so it has to be completely
dark.
Once the potatoes are ready, they make their way to the kitchen where they are washed,
peeled and chopped into chips by the chefs in the kitchen.
Look at that, fresh potatoes straight from the field, and onto the plate.
YUM!”
I’ve loved learning all about the different jobs that a tractor can do on the farm.
Without these amazing vehicles, farmers wouldn’t be able to grow all of those tasty vegetables
that end up on your plate.
Thanks very much to Andy and everyone at Claremont Farm for teaching us all about their tractors”
We’ll see you again soon!
Byeeeee!!!