No vehicle is more synonymous with farming than tractors. Often lamented for blocking up country lanes with their colossal size and being slow on the roads, it is often forgotten actually how helpful these vehicles are to our society.
Since the birth of the tractor in the late Victorian era, broadly, farms have less relied upon manual labour, as tractors have dramatically increased crop turnover. Plus, their affordable price tag has made them a favourite in practical machinery.
Helped launch the agricultural revolution
Developed since 1812, tractors arguably helped kickstart an agricultural revolution. Increasing productivity on the farm, by 1928 the first general purpose tractor was produced which allowed farmers to plant and cultivate three rows at a time. At this time, tractors had steel wheels, yet rubber wheeled tractors were introduced by 1939.
By 1920, tractors became an affordable motor for the masses. With over 150 companies manufacturing them in the US, the competition was so fierce that companies started selling their tractors cheaper than it was to make them. This meant that small farms were also able to purchase them. By 1935 over 1 million tractors had been sold.
More productive farming
Nowadays, you would rarely see a working farm without a tractor. This is because tractors have dramatically changed the agriculture and farming industry, leading to more productive farming.
Before tractors, farms relied on human and animal manual labour. Horses and mules were expensive to care for, took up a lot of the farmers time, and needed extra land to graze and live on. With tractors, and without the horses, farmers used the extra land to grow more market crops creating more cash flow.
Plus, after the innovation of the basic tractor model and engine, innovations quickly developed leading them to become state of the art machines. Tractors arguably were the hallmark for agricultural efficiency.
They look impressive
Have you ever stood next to a tractor? They are huge and actually quite cool. Tractors are popular props for farm weddings, country fashion shoots and more. Their large rubber wheels, primary coloured hues and state of the art technology put them in a league of their own when compared to other vehicles. Though not to be bought by just anyone, you can see why they are admired by many. They are simply the Bentleys of the agricultural world.
Despite their slowness on country lanes, their colossal engines and horsepower is not to be sniffed at. So hopefully in future when you see a bright green tractor taking its time down a road, you can appreciate how much they have benefited our society and the agriculture industry as a whole.
Here at J.H. Willis and Son, our modern high quality tractors can manage all of your agricultural services including ploughing, pasture maintenance, muck spreading, and more. Plus, their tractors can also provide agricultural effluent handling services. To find out more, click here.
