Spotlight on Mike Cummings

[Cecil]

Name? Mike Cummings
Age? 50, same age as my Lo-Boy
State/Province of residence? Illinois
Marital Status? Married
-- How many years (if married)? 19
-- Wife's name (if married)? Nancy
Children? 2
-- Boys/Girls? One of each
-- Ages? Son 24, Daughter 17
Grand Children? Not yet.
-- Boys/Girls?
-- Ages?
Great Grand Children?
-- Boys/Girls?
-- Ages?
Do you have any pets? Yes.
-- Names, breeds, etc. Two Chows - Ming & Maggie; One Quaker Parrot - Peri
Line of work? Attorney
Retired or working? Still working
Degree's/Licenses/Certificates?

TRACTOR RELATED QUESTIONS
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Tractors and models owned? I have a 1959 Cub Lo-Boy, that my stepfather purchased new. She is named Eddie in his honor. On the farm where I grew up, we had a Massey-Ferguson 3500 with loader, and a Farmall M, later replaced with a 400. For mowing the grass, we had a succession of Cub Cadets.
-- Any other type of farm equipment? On the farm, we had a manure spreader, a beastly heavy hayrake, plow, harrow, drag, and later a New Holland haybine and round baler.
-- Combines?
-- Trailers?
-- Hay balers?
-- etc...
Are your tractors used for show or working? Working.
How much Land do you work (Acres)? 2 (lawn only)
What was your first tractor experience (does not have to be a Farmall or Cub)? Sitting on the hood of the Bolens garden tractor, with my feet on the top of the snowblade, keeping it from riding up.
What is your Cub's primary work? Mowing the lawn and plowing the driveway in winter.
What is the favorite Cub of all which you have owned and why? This is the only one, but, given the family connection, even if I succumb to MCOS (Multiple Cub Ownership Syndrome), it will always be my favorite.
What first sparked your interest in owning a Cub? A nearby farm, where my dad bought my first 4-H project heifer, and where I used to spend time learning to care for her and our other cattle, they had a number series Lo-Boy. I thought it was great - a real tractor, but small. When I first went to my in-law’s house, my wife-to-be walked me around the grounds (they had slightly more than 3 acres that was originally a nursery). I spotted the Lo-Boy and fell in lust. Her father had grown too old to take care of the property, so they had a yard service. Eventually, my mother-in-law gave me the Lo-Boy, for “service to the Crown.” At the time, I lived on a half-lot, so I could only use her to plow the driveway (even though it was a suburban lot, the garage was at the back, so it was 140 feet long.) When we moved to our current house, I was happy that the yard would finally give Eddie a place to “play.”
What task/use of your Cub provides the most enjoyable seat time? Hard to say. Mowing gives the most seat time, but plowing the snow instead of walking behind a thrower is good, too.
Favorite thing you like about Cub's and Cadets? Longevity. It’s a kick to know that my tractor is as old as I am, and still going strong. Other than replacing the starter, and re-building the engine and the hydraulic pump, she’s original, with all of her sheet metal present except the hand-hole cover and the battery box, and in great shape save the floor under the tool box in good shape.
Describe your most satisfying or frustrating experience working on your own or someone else's Cub? It’s all good. Just knowing each time I do something, that I’m keeping a piece of family history going.
Do you host or participate in CubFests, Cubarama, Mini-CubFests? How so?

OTHER ENJOYABLE ACTIVITIES
--------------------------
What other hobbies do you enjoy? Gardening, sailing, brewing beer, reading and wrenching. This year, I started growing hops for my homebrew.
Do you hunt or fish? I fish, but I drown more worms than I catch fish.
-- What is your favorite game?
What is your favorite Sport?
-- Do you have a favorite Sports team?
Favorite Book?
Favorite Movies (can’t settle on just one? Princess Bride, Rocky Horror, Father Goose, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.
Favorite Actor/Actress? Actor - Vincent Price; Actress - Mary Steenburgen
Magazine(s) you subscribe to? None at the moment
Favorite outdoor activity? Seat Time!
Do you maintain a garden?
-- How large? 8 feet by 24 feet, plus my hops trellis
-- What vegetables to you grow? Tomatoes, pole beans, peppers, lettuce, asparagus, basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary.
Do you maintain a personal orchard? Just started planting one.
-- Type of fruit grown? Pears and apples.
What is your favorite Quote or saying? My grandfather’s expressions “You can’t make anything fool-proof, because fools are so doggone ingenious,” and “Like a cat covering up on linoleum.”
Do you have any immediate goals in your life? Just to keep enjoying the life the good Lord has given me.

[Peter Person]

Mike,
Glad to know you. Real good story.
Peter

[Rudi]

Mike:

Interesting bio and I can see you come by your Cub Obsessive Syndrome honestly It is great that you have your bride's father's Lo-Boy to care for and maybe someday pass down to your kids. That really makes that Cub a special one for sure. Having a family connection of any type is really good, but one like that well... that is the icing on the cake

Keep enjoying the Cub, family and all of His blessings

[Bill Hudson]

Mike,

Thanks for a great Bio.

Bill

[John(videodoc)]

Good to meet another Illinois Cubber. Be sure to mark your calender for DOCFEST.

[ScottyD'sdad]

nice bio. Planted hops, this spring, for my oldest son's brewing habit. Ed

[VinceD]

Very interesting, Mike. Thanks for sharing.

Glad you kept the Lo-Boy in the family. That's important.

Glad to see someone else likes the movie Father Goose.

[Trent M]

Mike- Thanks for sharing. I have thought about growing my own hops for beer as well. I'll probably hit you up for recipes and processes!

[Garland Terry]

"Service to the crown" I like that one may I use it?