“Before hydraulic boost (power steering) most women weren’t built strong enough to handle an F-20 Farmall tractor all day...”
I beg to differ! We have an old Allis Chalmers tractor with hydraulic NOTHING on it, that I operate just fine...all 5 foot 1 inch of me! ;)
BUT - I get your point and appreciate it versus the other female-bashing going on here. Yeesh! :)
The type of work your old Allis, and the F20s and JD “A”s did, included disking and harrowing the moldboard plowing (especially brutal on gently rolling clay hills). Turning them in soft soil conditions is a good upper body workout as well.
Reaching back to trip the lever to mechanically raise the implement also added to the workout.
In my neighboring county of Lawrence,TN, there is quite a presence of Amish. Old school. Two hands on the plow, and draft horse reigns around the farmers neck. The women and children work hard too. I can’t recall seeing one Amish down here that I would consider over weight.