I take a look around to see if there are any obstacles that might keep me from proceeding further and see a large rock that would definitely be hard to get past if it was in a bad location where he didn't have a choice to go around it. I sigh and say, "Which of ya would be able to remove an obstacle in mah way such as that large boulder out there?"

Twilight stops and looks back at him then at the large boulder and says, "Against a boulder such as that one, I would have to say either me, Princess Celestia, or Applejack."

Rainbow Dash says, "Hey! What about me?! I could handle that boulder easily." She then scrunches her face towards Twilight in annoyance at being left out.

She sighs and says, "Sorry Rainbow, but you are fast and strong. Pegasi need to be strong and fast to deal with the weather, but they are not built for the hard labor that Earth Ponies are. We all have our own unique abilities, pegasi with their flight and handling the weather for the rest of us earth bound ponies. Unicorns have magic they can use for lots of things, and Earth Ponies have more strength than Unicorns or Pegasi. I hope you understand why I didn't say your name Rainbow dash, I don't want you to hurt yourself trying to move the rock or break it. Roger needs to get to doing his chores quickly, if you hurt yourself, it would cause a delay in him getting to them."

She hangs her head and says, "I understand, I just wanted to be able to help out a little is all."

Before Twilight can say something else, I quickly think and say, "Actually, there is somethin' ya can do."

Rainbow eagerly smiles and nods saying, "Whatever it is, I'll do it! Just name it and consider it done."

I smile and say, "Follow us and keep an eye out for stones that are in our way and move the ones ya can. Ah do need ya to help us avoid holes, streams, mud holes, soft banks and ditches. If ya can, try to cut a path through tall grass to show the best path to follow that's wide enough fer the tractor and cultivator to git through." I then look to Twilight and say, "Magic would be the best option to quickly git there, so ya're gonna be here wit' us. We shall see ya in a few minutes unless we run into issues or the tractor gits stuck or even breaks down." I then turn around and start heading to my tractor and say, "Let's git this show on the road everyone."

Applejack kicks a rock with a hoof and asks, "Can ah come with ya guys too? Ah would like ta know more about what ya do as a farmer aside from raising animals."

I stop and turn back and think for a moment and say, "Sure, ya can ride wit' me in the cab and ah'll tell ya. Betta make sure yer hooves are clean before ya git up on the seat, ah don't like dirty seats."

She looks at the underside of her hoofs and sees that they are a little dirty and wipes them off in the high grass and asks, "Is this clean enough Rodge?"

I then walk up to her and look and see that the outside is clean and comment, "The outsides are good, lemme see the bottoms of yer hooves please."

Applejack then cocks her head and says, "Why do ya need to see the bottoms of mah hooves?"

I then chuckle and say, "Well, there is a natural cavity that naturally collect dirt and debris on the bottom part of yer hooves."

She then chuckles and then says, "Oh, right. Ah fergot that they do pick up things too, here ya go."

I watch as she then raises her right forehoof up and extends it and nod saying, "Awright, that one is clean. Let's see the other now."

Applejack lowers her hoof down and raises her other one, shifting her body slightly and waits for his response. After a few seconds, she sees him nod and tells her she can lower it and says, "Are we good to go now?"

I smile and say, "Almost, we're half done. All ah gotta see now is yer back hooves. Do ya mind if ah take each hoof in mah hand to look at 'em?"

She smiles and says, "Sure, but I can't face my rear towards ya cause ya ain't mah Special Somepony. How are ya gonna look at mah back hooves now though?"

I chuckle and say, "Well, ah don't want ya to face yer rear to me anyway." Please turn and face yer side to me so ah don't git gas in the face if ya should fart."

Applejack blushes fiercely at hearing that as she hears Rainbow burst out laughing at that saying, "I'm sorry Applejack, but I find that too funny!"

She then ignores her friend's comment and turns to her side and waits for him to examine her hoof and says, "Ah would never do such an embarrassin' thing like that. Besides, it is disrespectful for a pony to do that. Let's git this over with and be on our way, yer almost as picky about being clean as Rarity is."

I smile and crouch down beside her and say, "Don't freak out when ah touch you, this is just how ah let ya know what ah am doin' back here. It's somethin' ah do routinely out of habit from workin' wit' mah own horse's hooves so they don't freak out and kick me. Ah don't wanna git kicked bah ya, yer hooves are big and would hurt me." I then place my hand on her upper thigh, running my left hand down her left hind leg with my thumb pointing towards her front as I lightly wrap my fingers around her lower leg and feel my way down towards her hoof and grip around her ankle and say, "Awright girl, please shift yer weight off this hoof so ah can lift it."

Applejack fights past the urge to kick at whatever is holding her hoof and says, "Ah see why ya do that thing with yer hand, mah first reaction to you grabbin' mah ankle was to kick whatever had hold of it. Thanks fer the warnin, mah name's Applejack by the way, not girl. Ah ain't one of yer horses, so please call me Applejack or AJ." She then shifts her weight off and lets him lift her hoof.

I lift her leg and curl her hoof to face me and look at the underside and say, "Okay, this one here has some dirt packed in there. Just hold still fer a moment and ah'll clean this fer ya with mah pliers gently."

She cranes her neck around and looks back at him and notices jagged ridges on his back and says, "Okay, what is up with yer back? What are those ridges?"

I pause and remember that day that the harness broke and the rein on Charlie tangled around my foot and dragged me through the field and down the road and then return to her hoof and sigh saying, "Those are scars on my back that ah got when ah was workin' wit' Charlie in the field, pickin' up straw bales fer the maze that ah was settin' up that year fer Halloween. Ya see, mah horse Charlie freaked out after being surprised by a snake when the straps holdin the tongue to the harness snapped and a rein got tangled round my foot. Ah was taken fer a ride on mah back across the field screaming fer him to stop, but he didn't and he jumped over a barbwire fence. Ah was pulled through the fence and over it, he then turned and ran down the gravel road fer about a mile til a neighbor heard screaming and checked it out and saw me gittin nearly dragged to death and raced after us and finally managed to stop Charlie. He put him in one of his empty fields and closed the gate, then rushed me to the E.R for treatment."

Applejack's eyes widen and tear up at hearing that and feels bad for asking and notices that the others are all staring at his back with their jaws hanging open. She then turns back to him and says, "Ah'm really sorry for askin' such a question. Ah didn't mean to bring up bad memories for ya, ah'll go with the others if ya don't want me comin' now." She then hangs her head, feeling bad for doing that to him.

I then set that hoof down and go around to the other side and crouch down repeating the process once more saying, "That's one done, now fer the last one. Ah'm over it now though, so don't feel bad about it. Fer the longest tahm ah was scared of horses. Mah niece tracked me down after hearin' how hurt ah got and came out to help me. She helped me git over mah fear and nervousness around horses when ah had tahm, which ah argued against workin wit' the horses constantly. She did manage to git me over mah fear and nervousness, though it took her a couple years of arguin' back and convincin' me ah needed to. Ya can still come along if ya wanna, ah'm not angry at ya or nothin'." I then lift her other hoof and look at it and see that it's clean and set it back down and say, "Awright, we're good to go. When did ya have yer hooves trimmed last, they're a bit long."

She stops feeling bad and smiles briefly before scrunching her nose in thought and says, "It's been about two months since ah had 'em trimmed, ah jus' don't have the time fer doin it regularly cause ah have a farm and family to care fer."

I then sigh and say, "Ya all should get em trimmed evry two weeks. If they get too long they could crack and ya might wind up lame from it, ya would'nt be able to run or trot anymore."

Celestia then cocks her head and says, "I'm surpised that you know so much about hoofcare for horses, how did you learn that?"

I chuckle and say, "Ya'll should let me have a look at yer hooves, just to ensure they're normal. Do ya ponies have shoes fer yer hooves, or do ya prefer to go barefoot...er ah mean barehooved? Ah went to a school that teaches ya how to be a Farrier, one of the best ah went to is called Heartland. It took awhile fer me to git the hang of it, but ah graduated at the top of mah class and ah did get mah license to practice it."

She nods and says, "You would have to show us what you mean by shoes, because we do wear shoes, but it is as fashion accessories. I will ask the other girls and see what they think about it and let you know after your chores are done, see you when you arrive Roger. Are you ready to see what else has been brought over by the storm, Applebloom?" She then listens as she eagerly says yes and she charges a spell and teleport away with a flash.

I then head over to the tractor and look back at Applejack saying, "Well pardner, ya ready fer a new view of things?"

Applejack smiles and nods then says, "Eyup, ah'm ready whene'er ya are."

I look to Rainbow Dash and say, "Oh one more thing, no sharp turns. Cause the cultivator ah'm pullin' needs space to follow the tractor."

Rainbow Dash salutes him and takes to the air, beginning her job as she says, "Loud and clear Roger, you got it."

I then look to Twilight and notice for the first time that she has wings like Celestia and Luna and say, "Ah didn't realize you were an Alicorn too, ya can choose to either walk or fly." I then look to Pinkie Pie and say, "Well Pinkie Pie, ya better git goin. The faster ya can lead us there, the faster ah can git mah chores done."

Pinkie Pie then smile and says, "Oki Doki Loki!" and starts pronking along, leading the way to his stuff.

I then walk around the tractor with Applejack following me and stand next to the steps up to the cab and say, "These steps are big, do ya think ya'll be able to git up without help?"

Applejack looks at the tall steps and gulps saying, "Unfortunately ah will need yer help to git up, the style of the steps scares me with how steep they are."

I smile and climb up just far enough to open the door for her and then lean down and say, "Fergive me fer this but ah'm gonna pick ya up and set ya on mah shoulders now, so don't squirm awright?" I then place my hands around her like I'm lifting a sack of potatoes and pick her up with a bit of effort and set her on my right shoulder, using my right hand and arm to keep her there while I use my left to get up onto the steps to set her on the platform up top.

When I step up onto the second step I lean forward and say, "Ok, there ya go. Awright now, go on in and get into the small seat if ya can. If ya can't, no big deal."

She then backs off of my back and says, "Awright, ah can do that." She then heads in to get out of his way so he can get up there. She looks at the seat and climbs up onto it and sits down then waits for him to get in.

I see her in the seat and smile saying, "Have any trouble gittin up there?" I then grab the seat belt and buckle her in, running the top belt behind her back due to her having four legs. I then step inside, close the door, sit down and then turn the key. As the tractor roars to life, I look behind me to make sure the cultivator is still all the way up and then lift one of the toggles to check if it is fully raised. After a moment of not moving at all, I release the toggle and take it out of park and put it in gear and take off at a slow 5 MPH. I follow the two flying ponies in front of me and the bouncing Pinkie Pie that is a fair distance away.

AppleJack looks back behind her at the cultivator and wonders how it works and asks, "So, that big thing's a cultivator in your world right, how does it work?"

I glance at her and answer, "Well since humans are gifted being born with opposable thumbs, we have found many things that we can do with them. That cultivator has two sides that fold down, ya see those two things stickin' in the air on either side of it?"

She looks at the two lightly shifting sides and says, "Eyup ah see 'em, how do they fold down?"

I continue following the ponies ahead of me and then tell her, "Those two small round and long devices that are connected to the bottom and the other ends are connected to one of the sides. Those are called hydraulic cylinders, they have rods that are held inside them with a slip ring that can be taken off so it can be removed and the rubber seals inside can be replaced if it leaks. Hydraulic hoses run from those cylinders to a connector on the back of the tractor, they can be detached and the cultivator can be be disconnected from the tractor. When the sides are being raised or are up in the air like that, there is fluid that is under a lot of pressure to keep it in that position. If there was a leak, that one side would slowly drop down depending on how bad the leak is. There is a tank on the tractor that specifically only holds hydraulic fluid. The pump on the tractor activates when it is told to and pumps that fluid through those hoses to those cylinders and raise or lower it when I use one of these toggles over here.

Applejack finds the concept of hydraulics interesting and then asks, "So how does it work?"

I steer around a large boulder carefully after checking for any obstacles, once around it ah say, "Look closely at the bottom of the cultivator, ya should see several v shaped blades. They dig into the ground a little ways and turn the top layer of soil over where the roots grow, as well as cut apart the roots and plant portions that sometimes git under the ground when the cultivator is working the dirt.

She smiles and says, "So then what all do ya raise or grow?"

I check to see where the others are and say, "Well ah don't grow vegetables other than potatoes, and sugar beets. Ah can grow corn, soybeans, oats, wheat, rape, barley, canola, sunflowers, cotton, sugar beets, potatoes, sugar cane, oilseed radish, grass and alfalfa. Ah only grow a few types of those crops durin' the season, which are corn, oats, and wheat usually. Ah do change it up each year though, depending on the price."

Applejack's eyes widen at hearing so many different types of crops that he can grow and says, "I never even heard of a few of those crops, what is alfalfa, sugar cane, sugar beets, canola, and rape?"

After forty five minutes of explaining to her what each of those crops are and how I tend those crops, I finally see an oak tree and a gravel road a few feet away from it and smile saying, "We're gettin closer to mah home Applejack, this here's mah driveway."

As I get onto the gravel, I see Pinkie Pie waving at me as Twilight and Rainbow stand beside her with smiles on their faces. I slow the tractor down and put it in park and then idle it way down to where I can talk to them and say to Applejack, "Ah'll be back, try not to touch anything."

Applejack smiles and says, "Awright, ah won't." She then watches him exit the cab and leave the door open and climbs down the steps to the ground and goes around the front of the tractor and starts talking to her friends.

I stand in front of Twilight, Rainbow, and Pinkie Pie saying, "Thanks fer showin' me how to git home. If ya ever need me to do somethin' fer ya, jus' ask and ah'll try to help. Ah can find mah way from here on though, ah'll meetcha all bah mah hay barn after ah'm done wit' mah chores." I wave goodbye to them and return to the tractor and start heading fer home.

Applejack then looks to him and says, "So ya don't make any money from sellin' apples at all?"

I drive down the road, eager to get the evening chores done and say, "Nope, but ah do have two dead apple trees in the shelter belt behind mah house. Ah'm plannin on removin' em though so the yard looks better."

She quickly looks at him and says, "Do ya mind if ah have a look at 'em before ya do that? Ah wanna see if they could be zap apple trees."

I look at her quickly and give her a quizzical look and ask, "What's a zap apple, ah never heard of it before?"

Applejack smiles and tells him, "Mah family has a field full of apple trees that look dead, but are actually dormant until a special time of year. They can't be picked until they're ripe or they will zap you, ah learned that when ah was a filly."

I smile and chuckle saying, "Strange, ah never once saw em bear fruit after lighting struck 'em when they were still green and producin' apples. What do they taste like?"

She smiles back and says, "Ya'll have a chance to find out this year, we harvest em around autumn. We have to be quick to harvest 'em cause they're there for just one day when they reach their last stage."

I look ahead and see the large sign is still above the gravel and sigh happily saying, "Feels so good to be home Applejack, welcome to Sheridan Acres. Tell me more about the growing stages of the zap apples."

Applejack smiles and says, "Ah know the feelin' well when ah am away from it fer a few days. There are five signs to watch for that always proceed the harvest. They disappear if you don't git 'em all picked though. We need more 'an just us if we're gonna git em all picked in time."

I smile as I drive past some oak trees that were out of place and say, "If ya could use help, ah could help ya out somehow. Think it over with yer family and let me know what they think about mah offer."

She smiles and then says, "Ah will do that, thanks fer offerin' to help out. Ah'll let ya know what they think of it sometime after ah git home and tell 'em bout ya and yer farm."

A few minutes pass by as I pull up to my machine shed and get ready to detach the cultivator and put the tractor away so I can get started on chores and say, "Well ah'm gonna drop the cultivator off here for now so ah can put this pain in the ass away, be right back Applejack." I put it in park and then get out of the tractor and disconnect the hoses, then hang them so they stay out of the dirt. I then flip the jack and raise it to take the weight off the bar then pull the pin out and hold it in my hand as I make my way back to the cab and say to Applejack, "Ready to watch how ah park this behemoth Applejack?"

She nods and says, "Eyup ah am, ah'm lookin forward to see how ya feed yer animals. What's that thing there in yer hand?"

I then hold it up and show her saying, "This is what keeps the cultivator firmly attached to the tractor's drawbar, big ain't it?"

She nods and then says, "How in the world can ya humans make stuff so big like this?"

I laugh and say, "The Industrial Revolution that we humans went through at different periods of time really made all kinds of discoveries and illuminated limitless possibilities." I set it down in the box of miscellaneous tools that stay with this tractor and take it out of park and put it in gear. I pull up in front of the shed and then begin backing into it and see Celestia and Applebloom standing next to the large old oak tree in the center of the yard surrounded by some grass. I then turn around and look at what is behind me as I turn the lights on the tractor so I can see. I back it into its spot and then turn everything off and say, "Well that is it Applejack, what did ya think of yer first time ridin a Case IH Steiger 620 Quadtrac?"

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