When Jeff MacDade worked as a grain farmer, he often found
himself wishing he had a truck outfitted with all the tools he'd need for
repairing his farm equipment.
So, when the economic uncertainties of farming in New Jersey
compelled him to find a new line of work, he started the Country Mechanic, a
mobile repair business for farm equipment, about 10 years ago. That business
has him driving a tool-stocked truck to farms and farmettes to fix equipment
throughout Hunterdon, Mercer, Somerset and Bucks counties….
MacDade grew up in neighboring West Amwell. His experiences
there confirmed early on that he wanted a life working the land. He struck out
on his own after high school, starting a grain farm that ultimately grew to
1,100 acres and spanned West and East Amwell and Delaware townships.
Farming required him to become an expert mechanic to keep up
with necessary repairs and maintenance to his equipment, he said. That hands-on
learning experience, plus experience gained earning his degree in diesel
technology from Somerset County Technical Institute, led to his second calling
as a traveling mechanic.
"You have to be a good mechanic when you are a farmer
and know a lot about equipment, maintenance and engine repair," he said. Farming, Mr. MacDade's first love, proved too economically
tenuous to pursue, but he finds his new line of work rewarding.
"It's neat to travel and work all over, and I like
talking to all the different customers," he said. "It's challenging
and rewarding to help somebody fix something they couldn't get to work or to
get them the right part or tractor for what they need."
