Folks out past the pavement happily get by without many of the so-called necessities, but if there’s one thing a rural rambler absolutely can’t live without, it’s a farm truck. Be it a quarter-ton, half-ton, or tubby one-ton, the venerable pickup is a must-have.

A farm truck is more than just a way to get from barnyard to potato field. You become part of the rural landscape, busy with lots to do. In a truck you can navigate the cow paths that pass for roads these days with clearance enough for pothole alley. A truck can help you get the last dozen hay bales from the field just ahead of a cloud burst, search for stray stock, and check fence lines after you get the rascals home. Driving to the tractor dealership feels better in a country conveyance. Farm trucks can be a work bench for repairs, a place to lean up against while deep in thought, or a handy supper table on a busy harvest day. 

The guys and gals who drive farm trucks are different and for good reason. Chores and challenges? Anything thrown at you is going to get done because there’s a whole passel of ponies under that hood a-rarin’ to go. Can you see a Lincoln with a trunk full of feed sacks or fence stakes on the roof? No, that would be silly. But a farm truck can handle it and more.

Country folks get terribly attached, and up until a few years ago everyone had an old, retired Fargo or International sitting on a rock pile, patiently watching, certain if needed they’d leap into the harness if their replacement failed. Most weren’t worth much on a trade and it seemed like an injustice to sell off a faithful companion. Besides, it might be good for parts.

A farm truck has heart and feels alive. We talk to our trucks, asking them for the world, never doubting they can pull down a barn or wade the Nile with equal ease. On long, lonely drives I’ve talked to my trucks and while none replied, I know they enjoyed the conversation.

Farm trucks and country kids have always been a natural match and like generations before I learned to drive on dusty field roads. That old Mercury M series bumped and bounced as I grindingly worked out the mysteries of clutch to gas pedal ratios. Later, a dodgy three on the tree (column shift) F100 completed my education, but it would be another couple years before the Crown saw fit to let me buy a licence, so my open road aspirations had to wait.

Few automobiles are as versatile as a farm truck, whether hauling home livestock feed, furniture, groceries, or a new wood stove. It takes you to school, church, and brings the newlyweds home on their special day. Decorated with bunting and bows for the Canada Day parade, loaded down with country fair vegetable entries, or polished pretty for a Saturday night date, a farm truck is up for anything.

Farm trucks instill loyalty, and it goes deep too. I know families that all drive the same brand and model with identical engines. My grandfather drove a Model T Runabout pickup in the 1920s and the Ford in my yard is part of the same proud lineage — or sad mistake, depending on your point of view. Country folks seldom voice much for opinions on fashions, fads or far-off affairs. But bring up the subject of pickup trucks and most are bristly about their choice of transportation, so be ready to fight, flee, or fortify if you differ.

Over time our farm trucks may be rusty, ratty, and ragged, but we are loathe to believe their best days are gone. Drive a rural road and you’ll see plenty of proud oxidized metal still performing their daily duties despite radiator leaks, dents in the bodywork, and a healthy appetite for engine oil. 

Five-point primer on pickup purchasing

1. Passive or aggressive? Time was every pickup truck was a manual shift, but nowadays it’s a sea of automatic transmissions. Both shifting mechanisms have their fans, but for some it borders sacrilege to drive anything but a stick. A manual shift does allow more precise power control, low-gear pulling, plus better fuel consumption. For the non-floor stomping set, automatic transmissions are easier to operate especially for stop/go work.
2. Spinning ain’t pretty. A 4x4 is the height of farm truck fashion. Yes, they are expensive, swill fuel like it doesn’t cost a thing, and repair-wise are not very wallet-friendly, but in soul-sucking mud they can’t be beat. Two-wheel drive has its place, and if you don’t pull a stock trailer, drive unplowed snowy roads, or need to reach the back 40 in all weathers, rear axle alone will work fine. But I’m pretty sure the day will come when you remember why all the neighbours have four-wheel drives and wish your front wheels would pull, too.
   
   
3. New or broke in? Plenty of country people buy used and the second-hand market can be a great way to put a Ford (oops! my bias showing!) in the barnyard. But think about this. A truck is something that you rely on just like the Deere, so why not buy new and run it for 15 or 20 years? Working from home, most rural people don’t put many miles on their truck but when it needs to go, it needs to go!
   
   
4. Cylinders? If the workload involves plenty of heavy hauling, a V8 or large V6 is tops. Another good choice is diesel, offering modern, reliable power. Frugal fuel consumption is a consideration in every truck purchase, and this is where a quality diesel engine can pay. Electric vehicles are increasingly worth examining too. Four-cylinder pickups are always popular and if that’s enough truck for you, you’ll smile at the pumps. But on a busy property, it’s wise to add a few extra ponies. Better to have them and not need them than be wishing for a bit more wallop.
   
   
5. Extras. Snow tires on designated rims are priceless and even a four-wheel drive benefits from winter skids. Well-fitted tire chains pay in some surprising situations, not just in snow, either. Make sure the suspension is work ready with extra stout springs/shocks so when you overload, (and you will) things don’t snap. A tow package is money well spent, as is a winch welded on with plenty of stout cable. Lastly, be good to your truck with regular maintenance. You wouldn’t starve the steers, so be equally good to your machinery with quality care.