There’s a lot of farming in my family, but I’m an AG mechanic.

This is a term some people hear and think, “This guy is a dipstick.”

Yet, I was lucky enough to be able to work many different trades from construction, welding, and fabrication to auto and tractor repair. I was a general contractor for years but when things went South in 2008,  a farmer friend of mine who I had done some welding work for 20+ years prior wanted me to be his fabricator

So I closed the door on the construction company and next thing I know I was a full blown Ag mechanic.

I love what I do. I handle construction work, and build new implements. I am the mechanic for trucks, tractors, small engines. And not a single day goes by that is the same.

After working in other industries, I just can’t see myself doing the same thing every single day. I have a tractor in the shop right now. The transmission had to be pulled and rebuilt. (A long story for another day) Our resident apprentice asked me, “Why don’t you just go work for John Deere? You can make better money and you know the tractors.” My response, “Where else can I work on a tractor one day, a truck the next, then build a new frame for some implement and weld well pipe fence after that?!” The list goes on I told him.

I love farming. I love that I can use all the skills God gave me in one place. And I love that im not tied down, doing the same thing every day.

James Reid