Fifteen

[Liquid_wrench]

We had 200 hogs and 100 head of cattle, only 3 milk cows, hard to get a date when they smelled the pig sh__t. lol

 

[550Doug]

In January 1961 I recovered from pneumonia in my first and only hospital stay. In late Spring my father put me on his new Cockshutt 550 with a 315 sickle mower and sent me cutting hay in season, and later, weeds in pasture fields as custom work around the area. Hand milked a few ornery cows each morning before school. Found tires and tore down the carb of a '49 Pontiac that was in a fence line, got it running to tear up the fields. Looked at some girls but not any luck then.
If only I knew then what I know now.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Working as a gofer in a garage, while at home my dads slave. My thumb was used for transportation.

I was thinking the other day other than a job I took for a bit after I got my drivers licence I have never had a job more than 4 miles from home.

 

[DoubleR]

After thinking about it I'm still doing the same thing 57 years later I was doing then. Feeding some cattle and chickens and doing all the things that go along with doing that. Also still raising a couple acers of pumpkins and bumming around on my motorcycle in my spare time. Although I did refuse to ride the school bus at 15 and now I drive one sometimes.

I suppose I'll be doing all the above until I can't do them anymore.

 

[matthies]

Started working at a large greenhouse, 1986 for 2.85 an hour. Kept me out of most trouble, as I had to work a lot of hours to make money. 7 days a week. By the time I was 16, started at 6 am and worked past midnight some days. Raised on a farm so hours didn't matter.

 

[Tony in SD]

Besides the usual farm work & daily chores, I would fix radios & TVs. Building test equipment such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, voltmeters etc. Sometimes I would build other useful circuits like timers, relay, counters, logic, etc. Hunt, fish, 4H.

 

[Sleufoot]

Summer of 70 had just turned 15 in April. Working at the local school building getting it ready for the upcoming fall year. Job was created by the government to get kids from poor families some extra income most of which I hardly saw as it went to my mother. Worked in the summer there for 3 years. Tom in Mn.

 

[37 chief]

Probably around 1958 a junior in high school. We lived about 5 miles from town, not many neighbor kids to hang around with. that may be why I get along just fine by my self. I did have a friend a few miles away. I would ride my bicycle and visit him. I helped Dad on the farm when needed. I raised a few chickens. About that time I got a Cushman scooter. It wasn't long before I had it apart, and heading to San Diego on the Greyhound bus to get parts. I learned a lot about motors from that scooter. It was a good time for me. Stan

 

[dpendzic]

When i wasn't in school i was working for my uncle who had an asphalt paving business--and when equipment broke down i was usually the one fixing it as i had worked in my fathers repair shop/gas station since i was five--he died when i was 12

 

[chcase]

Bought my first heRd of cattle at 14 (older guy sold them to me for part of milk ckeck) So was milking full time and going to school and farming.Still farm but cattle long gone.

 

[moresmoke]

Burning as much gas and diesel fuel as I could. And working on semi trucks.

 

[old_bc]

Mowing yards.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

We were hand milking some cows,feeding the pigs,chickens,plus making hay in the Summer.My parents also bought a store so working there some ton my own I raised Bob White Quail,Chukars and Peafowl

 

[the tractor vet]

I was working prt time for a big construction company , mowing the grass , cleaning the offices and shop snow removal in winter and on Saturdays my boss was teaching me how to run the BIG tonka toys out behind the main shop . when in the main shop cleaning and sweeping i was watchen the Mechanic's , welders and machinists work . Like the old welder i always watched , the one day while watching him he flipped his hood up and hit the hood i was wearing and looked at me and said Son ya ain't ah going to learn watchen ya learn by doing so set your Arres down and try ,I'll let ya know what your doing wrong . I learned how to burn rod and it was not long before i could out weld my metal shop teacher , up hill down hill flat and over head and know what rod to use for the job. I had a vary well working knowledge of how to run a crawler from and early age working on my uncles farm BUT these tonka toys were a lot bigger as old John started me out on a D 6 then up to D 7's and 8 's Hyd and cable blades , Then it was on to pans . then into cable shovels and cranes . By 16 i could run everything and we went from part time to considered FULL time and like every full time employee i got a company truck and my first operating engineers book . I was the first kid at my highschool to have all my classes in the morning and go to work in the afternoon . I was making a man' wages and this allowed me to have things other kids did not have . Daddy did NOT buy me my first car i did Mom may have bought me my new clothes but with my money . dad did not have to slip me a 20 to go out on a date . I learned more form the OLD guys then i ever learned in school. Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut , if you have a question then speak up and ask. Yep many of them OLD guys never finished High school but they were the guys that helped BUILD this country and were vary wise .

 

[r.w.b.]

dad had 4 lime and fertilizer trucks ,i was elected to cultivate row crops,mow rake n bale hay haul wheat to bins and unload, work fall wheat ground. he usually planted ran combine n few other things.at 16 i got to combine. and after school i plowed lots plus fed cows too

 

[d13series1]

Ran the 770 with the old disc on the corn field. Stacked hay. This time of year, school, sports, and feed animals, and cut wood. Cruising with my friend who had just turned 16. Do not miss those days.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

Working after school and weekends on neighbors dairy farm, snowmobiling and playing hockey through winter, and worked full time 7 days a week from June first through to Labour Day. Milking cows and making hay all summer and drawing a mans wage while doing a mans job. Had the car bought and ready to roll at 16. Once I had a drivers license I also got the chance to drive livestock truck, hauling cattle to and from sales barn.

 

[Pat80flh]

15? 1972. I had lied about my age, and was working 40 hours a week at the local Sheraton as a dishwasher. And going to school as little as I could get away with.

 

[showcrop]

Shortly before my 16t birthday I was with my parents at an event in the next town when I was accosted by a beautiful girl there who I had noticed at a dance a few weeks earlier. I had thought that she was in college. We went together for the next four years. I worked part time on my neighbor's farm, mostly haying.

 

[sms]

I had the job of mowing our town cemetery, was too young but they let me do it under mom's name. Also worked with dad in the woods and sawmill, we were allowed to use chainsaws and mill saws from age 12. Limbed and skidded logs from a young age and once you could carry a board you could work at the mill.