New tiller for the V.G.
May 2, 2020
The decal on the tiller cover reads 321665 and that must be the serial number. That makes it an early Troy-Bilt Horse II, with a 6 hp Kohler engine, a single belt with two speeds and two ranges, built in mid-April, 1978. The vendor, a Mr. Armstrong from Williamsburg, went to the factory in Troy N.Y. to buy it. He assured me that his pride and joy had never spent a night out of doors, and I believe him.
Mr. Amstrong is a smart, interesting guy. Following awkward elbow bumps in lieu of a handshake, he walked me around his bungalow to where the tiller was sitting just out from its shed, sparkling clean and ready to go. I immediately reached for the envelope with cash in my pocket, but figured I’d better at least hear it running. It started right up and idled down to a smooth, smoke-free idle. The clutch engaged solidly. This Horse means business. I handed him the envelope. He thanked me and put it into his pocket. A gentleman does not count the cash in the presence of the buyer.
After a short conversation about our heart surgeries, we moved to my utility trailer at the front of the house. I had to tell about getting the Porsche Cayenne by rail from Vancouver and the trailer from Quinte township. He tolerated my narratives, but insisted on driving the tiller up the ramps into the trailer, which caused me some anxiety. In fact it idled smoothly in low gear up the ramps and in. Mr. Armstrong then supervised the securing of the top-heavy machine in the trailer by ratchet straps, and generally approved of my rigging.
He had worn out his shoulders handling bee hives, but kept four hives after selling the bulk of them to an American bee keeper. He used to buy his cheese at the Forfar Cheese Factory even though Forfar is a 2 1/2 hour drive from Williamsburg. He remembers attending the Plowing Match in 2007.
Needless to say I invited him to the farm for a tour of the Victory Garden, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned up.
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the Walnut Diary 