How to Operate Farm Tractors

Connect your accessory to the tractor's accessory hitch. For instance, unless you intend to simply drive your tractor as an automobile to get from one place to another, you will probably need to connect to it a farming accessory like a mower, tiller, reaper or harvesting chute. These types of accessories connect to the hitch, and your tractor will pull it.

Connect the electric cables of the accessory to your tractor's electric box. Similar to connecting a trailer to a pickup truck that synchronizes such things as blinker systems, the electric box connects the tractor's accessory lever and safety switches to the accessory's electric system.

Push the starter switch. The starter switch consists of a single button that you must depress before turning the ignition key.

Depress the clutch. At your left foot, you will find two pedals; the clutch is the left-most pedal. Depressing it disengages the transmission so the motor can idle without engaging the wheels.

Shift the gear into neutral. Most tractors have three to five gears. When you start the tractor, keep it in neutral. Usually, farming accessories will not engage with the tractor in neutral.

Turn the ignition key, maintaining pressure on the clutch.

Shift into the lowest gear.

Depress the accelerator pedal while simultaneously gradually releasing pressure on the clutch. You must depress the accelerator at the same rate you release the clutch because if you release the clutch too quickly, the engine will "jump" and die, forcing you to release the accelerator, depress the clutch and attempt to restart it.

Lower the accessory handle that will engage whatever farming accessory you pull. For instance, if you pull a wide-rotor mower, the accessory handle will electronically connect to the mower. When you lower it, the mowing blades will descend.

Depress the clutch while simultaneously releasing the accelerator to shift gears. For instance, as the engine speeds up, shift to a higher gear to go faster. Depressing the clutch releases the transmission, so each time you shift, you must depress the clutch.