VINTAGE MULE
(cont) by Mark Neeley

A Gravely Tractor outfitted with its rotary plow is akin to a medieval torture device that could easily scare anyone unfamiliar with its use. Actually, think of it as a walk behind locomotive with automobile differential attached to the front that turns a cement mixer style paddle. No kidding. Anyway, that is my first memories of this great machine. It was of helping Daddy-Bob in his Garden as he walked behind his Gravely and it turned the quartz infested red South Carolina earth.

I remember him keeping me far away and behind him as the Gravely plowed that rich soil it would occasionally hit a large piece of quartz, purge it from the perfect furrow and hurl it aside. I would then run the quartz out to the end of the garden where it laid amongst the other unfortunate quartz that I somehow thought were “diamonds”. As soon as I ran back there was always another “diamond” that the Gravely had uncovered waiting for me. To this day I can see Daddy-Bob in his trademark “Mr. Kimble from Green Acres” style khaki work pants  and matching work shirt, wiping his face occasionally with a red bandana handkerchief. He was one of the hardest working men I ever knew. He relied on his Gravely heavily during those years and it never let him down.

From those first memories of Daddy-Bob’s Gravely one thing always stuck out, even from the earliest age and that was of respect for the tractor itself. I respected that first Gravely because Daddy-Bob had greatly encouraged that I had better respect it and not play with it or else. It was a serious piece of machinery. As I grew up, I came to know Daddy-Bob’s Gravely as part of a familiar piece of equipment at his and Nanny’s farm. His Gravely became a flagship of their farm, one of those things that at the time, you seem to think will always be there. 

When I became old enough to safely operate it, I was allowed to crank it and operate it around their place, usually with the PTO disengaged. I mentioned earlier that the Gravely Tractor was multi-purpose so let me explain. It not only operated a rotary plow and cultivator for the garden, but it also ran a 30” bush hog mower for the lawn or where we used it the most, clearing the briars.  But wait… that’s not all! Vintage Gravely tractors have the capability to run in excess of 35 attachments. One tractor to run everything you need to operate year round. It was part of Gravely’s “four season” logo.  

Among the attachments available, a snow plow, snow blower, circular saw, chainsaw, reel mower, gang reel mower, 40”finish mower, 50” finish mower, sickle mower, brush and on.  Four 3/4” bolts is all it takes to remove the attachment and hook up another one. It really is a ingenious arrangement that Mr. Ben Gravely came up with in Dunbar, West Virginia.

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