After dropping Tim off at the station to head back to work last week, I asked the boys how long it would be until we got a flat tyre. We had a few options; mine had been one. In reality? Three. Yes, it was only three days into solo parenting/farming that I discovered a flat tyre. No, not the car; I’m not too bad at changing that now. But the tractor. The byre needed another bedding bale. An hour had been spent moving sheep to a different field so that I could rig up electric wire to allow the cows access to the top field. Sun shining, chilly, but lovely. It was only as I walked back that I spotted it. It was well and truly sunk.
Out came the compressor and slowly the tyre went back to its normally shape. I was hoping that this would just be a really slow leak. Now, compressors are pretty noisy. So it was only when I switched it off that I could hear the angry hiss from the wheel. The brain coggs started ticking. I decided that if I went quickly, I could surely jam a straw bale and another hay bale into the byre before it went flat again, and I wouldn’t need to move bales for a week. It was a race against the angry hiss and the countdown clock was ticking. I also realised that I would need to park the tractor in a way to ensure there was access to the tyre as I was unsure if I would be able to get it back up, how you jack up a tractor, and figured nobody would be happy if I parked it right up against a wall.
Cows bedding sorted, extra hay jammed in, one parked tractor, and one flat tyre. Now, I’ve never had a flat on a tractor. So what else to do when I don’t know what to do? I rang George McLaren in Dingwall where we got the tractor from. They have been great with us, and I know I can ask any question. And the conversation went the usual way:
Me: George, I’ve got a flat tyre, what do I do?
G: Tyre places can do them (names a few), give them a ring. We can do it too but they’ll be cheaper. Any issues though, get back in touch and we can sort you out.
Me: Great. What tyre do I need?
G: What type is your tractor? It will be a (lists two types of numbers) or a (lists another set of numbers).
Me: Hmm, not sure, can you look it up for me?
G: I’ll just take a look…
And so, with the needed info, I called Ness City Tyres, the place in town I think needs to do loyalty points for those of us who seem to be the frequent flatters. And, by 3pm, the tractor was back up on all fours. I found out how to get the tyre off, now know what pressure it should be, and also found out that my dislike of compressors is very reasonable in terms of safety.
So huge thank you to George at McLaren’s, and Duncan at Ness City Tyres. Just in time for the next lot of snow forecast.
Birchwood Croft, Inverness-shire 