Today was a good day to disk, ground was just right so I got the 5J out. 

I am envious. I only got to mow the lawn and use my leaf blower today. Actually I could not resist yesterday, so I fired up the 84J here and one of the JD Killefer discs. A touch too moist for my liking, as you could see dampness on the surface yet. I will wait a week and do it proper.
Whats the scoop on your 5J orchard rig? Looks pretty straight. Thanks for sharing. JM

Tad7561 ( Jake ) ... I used to own that tractor and can share some history if you would like me to.

bcwayne-

I'd like to hear the history of any tractor. Especially those in the Tri County Area as I was born in Freedom (up Whisky Hill), raised in Prunedale, got my 'tractor' start riding on my grandad's Thirty in the late 1940s in the Lake District (Echo Valley @ San Miguel Cyn Rd.

Daron

Share away! I bought it from rotorbob I believe in 2015, I changed the rock guards to full later guards as we have some rocky ground. I also swapped the pony motor for another as well as the magneto. Other than that it’s been a good D2.

 Well your D2, 5J6916SP spent most of it's life on an apple ranch in the hills above Soquel,CA, about 1/2 mile from me. As a 1944 year model, it was built during WW2 and was painted olive drab as can be seen in some of the pictures. When the rancher got older he parked it in a shed and hired out the discing to me, using my own equipment. The tractor sat for a number of years until I was able to buy it from him in 1995.The pony motor had freeze cracks, and the master clutch was locked up due to swelling from condensation, so I winched it on a trailer and brought it home to revive it.After repairs I used it for several years and then I sold it to Bob in 2012.  There was really nothing wrong with it at that time, but I prefer discing with a " U " model in the hills because of the increased horsepower.I grew up driving a 5J tailseat just like yours... There's just nothing like the bark of the D3400 engine from a short straight exhaust pipe.     

Thanks for the info, good to know it was fairly local to the area. You did a good job as I’ve had no complaints in the years I’ve owned it always been a smooth runner.  I prefer to use it over my D2 4U7561, also use it more than my TD6 and D4 7J 2759W

Interesting Wayne; I bought a 5J from “Apple Bill” D., off of Happy Valley Rd., Santa Cruz. I never wrote the serial # down. It was parked on a slope and he would let it roll downhill to start it. I had my friend Angelo get it for me, because of the tight spot. I told Angelo to keep it, and he eventually sold it to Eric M. from SoCal.
I wonder if the tractors were related. JM

Hi Gee, The tractor you have pictured is not my family's original tractor. Ours was serial# 5J8921 and did not have fender extensions or oversized toolbox. AppleBill D also had our family tractor but he traded it to someone in Watsonville for a set of tracks, and it was scrapped before I could track it down.
I hope to get another someday.

Wow Wayne, the plot thickens! I never knew that. I will make note of you wanting a J. BTW, I am sending a topseat 5J to the Aumann auction at SM, I suppose you could convert it to an orchard rig. It originally came from a dairy in the Sebastopol area, then became part of someones apple farming and ended up here. The last "user" of it was a long legged gent such as yourself, and tilted the seat tank back for ease of operation and maybe to look cool cruising through the orchard. ***Sale proceeds will go to ACMOC and the other half to the sponsors of the Santa Margarita Ranch (Paso Robles Pioneer Days)***JM
***serial number is 5J9489***