The Fantastic Farmer

The Fantastic Farmer

A boy named Callin liked to walk in the woods around his father's farm. He was a very curious boy, quite smart for his age, and loved everything about the farm, especially the tractor. One day, he was walking deep in the woods in a place he didn't go very often when he saw the rusting remains of a very old tractor. Callin loved tractors and new all of the brands like John Deere and Masey Ferguson by sight, but he didn't recognize this make of tractor at all. There wasn't much left of the tractor, but the seat and steering wheel were intact. It was strange he thought, because even though he hadn't been this deep in the woods very often, he would have remembered this tractor.

Callin was not afraid because somehow he knew he didn't have anything to fear from this tractor. Confidently, he climbed onto the seat and grabbed onto the steering wheel pretending to drive just like he did on his Dad's tractor. He was enjoying himself but felt a strange sensation not unpleasant, just welcoming. He was alert but felt like he was dreaming at the same time. After what he thought was just a few minutes had passed, Callin heard his mother calling him for supper. How can this be, Callin thought. He was deep in the woods and shouldn't be able to hear his mother way down here. Also, he had left the house just after lunch and now it was supper time.

He climbed down off the tractor seat and began to run toward the house as fast as he could. Suddenly he realized that he was running faster than he had ever run but he wasn't out of breath. On the way, he noticed some birds sitting on a tree branch chattering. They seem to be saying, hurry Callin, your Mom is waiting supper for you. No, thought Callin, I can't understand the birds. What is happening? When he arrived at the house, he noticed that he wasn't sweating at all which was very unusual, but he was very happy. He ate all his supper without being scolded, took a bath without having to be told and went to bed. He didn't say anything about the tractor, the birds or how fast he had run.

The next morning, Callin couldn't wait to go back to see that old tractor. He had thought all night or dreamed, he wasn't quite sure which, of fixing that old tractor so he could plant his father's corn field. You see, his father's tractor needed to be repaired and they didn't have the money to fix and buy the seed to plant. Without the tractor, the seeds were useless. All these things were running through his mind when he went to the tool shed to fetch his father's heavy tool box which he carried with surprising ease and headed down the hill to the woods where the old tractor was waiting for him.

As he arrived at the old tractor, he noticed that a lot of parts were scattered in the weeds, something he hadn't seen the day before.. Callin opened the tool box and began to work. Without knowing exactly how, he found the correct parts and assembled them in the proper order using his father's tools. This is just like a puzzle, Callin thought as he lifted even the heaviest parts with ease. It was obvious that the tractor had been there a long-time but the belts were in good shape and there was water in the radiator. He didn't understand why this was important, but he knew it was, so he kept working until he had completely assembled the old tractor. One turn of the key and the tractor started right up and purred like the day it came out of the factory. It was then that he saw the name on the hood, "The Fantastic Farmer." Callin had never heard of this brand, but it seemed to fit and he smiled as he put it in gear and headed up the hill toward the house.

As he was turning the tractor toward the house, he saw a small bag of corn seed wedged behind the seat. The tractor was a smaller model, but the pedals and controls seemed to fit him, a boy of six, perfectly. This was something that also seemed right to Callin so he accepted it without question. When he arrived at the machine shed, he attached the 13 bottom corn drill, which seemed absurdly huge compared to the tractor. This also didn't bother Callan as somehow he knew the Fantastic Farmer could manage with ease. Callin emptied the small bag of corn seed into the planter and headed for the 100-acre field where his father intended to plant the corn.

As he was planting, he noticed how straight the rows were seemingly without effort. His father always said that straight rows were very important. Callin noticed something else, the deer, raccoon, and rabbits were watching him. He could hear them saying, "We'll have a feast when the plants start to come up." "Wait, Callin said to the animals, until the stalks have ears, then there will be plenty of food. If you eat the small plants, they won't have a chance to have ears. Also be careful where you walk so the stalks have a chance to grow." The animals nodded as though they understood and promised to wait. If you promise to do what I have asked, I'll make sure no harm comes to you and all of you will have plenty of corn to eat. They all agreed and thanked him for the food and for keeping them safe.

Callin planted the entire 100-acres without running out of seeds then drove back to the machine shed and unhooked the planter and drove the tractor back to the woods. Soon the corn was growing rapidly, much faster than any of the neighbor's fields. There was almost no damage from the animals because they were patient as promised. Everyone was amazed at how quickly the corn grew and how much the field yielded. Callin's father never figured out who planted the field, but he thought it was one of his neighbors. He never asked Callan which was good because Callin didn't have to lie to his father.

When the corn was harvested and sold, there was plenty of money and the farm was saved thanks to Callin and the Fantastic Farmer.