He dug out slices of earth with the small end and then turned round and shovelled the loose earth to where he wanted it with the broad end.

I was transfixed both by the flexibility with which he simply swivelled his seat round and worked with the other end of the machine and also by the almost balletic precision with which he could place the bucket or the plough - he could move a small amount of earth in a small direction in the way you or I would use a teaspoon to straighten sugar in a sugar bowl!