Nothing clears like a DEERE

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/12/2022 (727 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s no doubt last year’s winter caused problems for many. With the larger than expected accumulation of snow and relentless winds, it seemed as though winter would never end. Here at Boss Ranch, the snow issues were compounded by tractor issues that occurred a couple of weeks into January 2022. And although we were nearing the end of the COVID era, ongoing supply chain issues would render my property defenseless against Mother Nature’s wrath.

My John Deere 1025R tractor with front-mount snow-blower and third-party heated cab was an impressive upgrade to the old 430 utility tractor, which did not have a heated cab and required bundling up like going on expedition to the North Pole just to clear the driveway. With the 1025R, the cab provided sufficient heat and a powerful front blower that allowed me to clear my 400-foot driveway in better than half the time. However, the newer upgrade did struggle when the volume of snow increased rapidly. During those vicious days of high winds and abundant snowfall, it truly felt as though I had to push my tractor sometimes past the limit simply to clear a path to ensure property access. As such, I had begun discussing with my John Deere representative, Glenn Goertzen at Enns Brothers in Steinbach whether an upgrade would be a smart idea.

Not two weeks later, while clearing my driveway during intense winter blizzard conditions, I distinctly heard a “pop” from the under-carriage of my 1025R. Unfamiliar with that sound, I quickly drove the tractor back into the garage stall to have a glance underneath. It was not good — a semi-clear liquid was dripping profusely from the rear transmission differential gearbox. Either a seal had blown (which would not likely make such a noise), or something more sinister had occurred. The good folks at Enns in Steinbach picked up the hobbled 1025R, and quickly determined that the bearings within the gearbox had essentially exploded. And although minimal driving had occurred following the issue, the resulting damage had been extensive. The entire rear powertrain would require an overhaul which would be costly, and due to difficulties acquiring parts, a longer than desired wait during the height of the winter season.

Without a tractor on site, the property then became a slave to third-party clearing. Fortunately, the crews at Baudry Construction always made time for me, and kept the driveway clear. To minimize their visits, I had encouraged the crews to come out with the big front-end loaders, massive snow movers that could create huge walls of snow hills along the north and south boundaries of the property. This action was two-fold; the driveway would be cleared, and the hills would block subsequent drifting from heavy winds (for a while at least). On a rural property, not having access to a working tractor is extremely stressful, and made me feel exceptionally vulnerable. However, at least I could count on the Baudry crews to keep the property accessible.

Once the assessment had been made with the 1025R, the expected ETAs on the parts required to fix it would leave me without a tractor throughout most of the winter. While pondering my predicament, the potential tractor upgrade scenario had also resumed with Goertzen. Based on everything that had transpired, and the amount of snow that could accumulate on my property year-to-year, the John Deere 3-Series, 3046R (the most powerful version) with heated cab seemed to be the best option. Moreover, in an effort to minimize vulnerability in the future, this unit would be equipped with a 74-inch rear-mount blower, to allow use of the front bucket at all times. By doing this, there would always be a ‘back-up”, should either the rear blower or front bucket run into any performance issues.

In that there were also delays with new purchases (lack of stock due to COVID), the order for my new 3046R w/cab, rear blower and front bucket was placed for my new tractor in late February, well before the 1025R would be fixed. Unfortunately, it was unlikely the 3046R would arrive before sometime in July of 2022, so I was still left without any self-sufficient defenses against the wintery prison on property. It was very unnerving, even though the Baudry crews did their best to clear my driveway on an ongoing and timely basis.

Aware of my property woes, and unbeknownst to me, Goeztzen had mentioned my troubles to management. Without any requests from me, an unexpected and wonderful offer was presented. Because I had chosen to pursue the 3046R tractor upgrade, Enns Brothers would absorb the costs of the 1025R repairs within the deal so I could avoid any out-of-pocket expenses until the new tractor arrived. And furthermore, the 1025R with front bucket re-mounted would be returned to my property for usage until the new tractor was delivered. It was an amazing offer — not only was my new tractor on its way, but my old tractor was repaired and returned to me for use in the interim. This is the true definition of “above and beyond”, in my eyes. Once the 1025R was back on property in late March, I could myself clear any newly formed drifts by using the bucket, much like the big front-end loaders used by the Baudry crews. A huge weight was lifted. Although it ultimately took me longer to clear than the big front-end loaders (due to the sheer size difference of the front bucket), the property was once again “self-sufficient”, and clearing would be managed in this manner for the duration of the winter.

The 3046R did finally arrive in late July 2022, and it is a beauty! Although it took several hours to familiarize myself with the enhanced features, as well as using the rear-mount snow-blower in reverse, having access to both a blower AND front bucket at the same time is simply wonderful. Tandem snow-removal options provide a plethora of clearing possibilities, including the ability to build my own snow hills which impede ongoing drifting in high winds, instead of simply clearing a path with the snow-blower. My gratitude towards Goertzen, and the entire staff at Enns Brothers in Steinbach is overwhelming. They will never truly know how much I appreciate their commitment to finding the best solution in an effort to ease my property woes. If only they could witness the gigantic smile on my face every time I step into my new 3046R — this tractor is a beast!

So, bring it on winter 2023. What ya got in store for me this year? No matter, I’ll be ready for ya!

RenoBoss.Inc@outlook.com