Posted by LA in WI on August 19, 2014 at 09:10:25 from (64.251.222.229):
In Reply to: plow day ??s posted by redforlife on August 18, 2014 at 19:56:27:
redforlife,
In central Wisconsin, 8 yrs ago several of us got together with 7 old tractors just plowing a small field for fun. Then it grew the next year to 18, then 33, then 45....and 60 in 2012 (rained out past Spring, but plan an early Oct event this year).
Early on we saw we needed to have a rule that all tractors are 1959 or older. 1960 was a water-shed year when tractors suddenly got very big. Too many with big tractors and bigger egos wanted to come and show off their high speed dirt throwing (not real plowing).
That rule has resulted in the area farmers enjoying bringing their oldest tractor (or their dad"s or grand-dad"s tractor). We have several guys bringing extra old trailer plows for those who don"t have one. The first round is follow-the-leader with the oldest tractor in the lead (an IH 10-20 on steel the last 3 yrs). All the old brands make for a colorful lineup.
About 300 people show up to watch...so many cars and trucks it looks like a huge farm auction. The site is never at a farmstead, is in an open field. Sometimes we ask a deputy to show up to help at the driveway off a hwy.
Local 4-H serves all the food and drinks; they made over $500 last time....the kids love it, the leaders say it forces them to count money the old way! They now use a custom trailer equipped for food service and donated by a group in that business.
Porta potty firm discounts 50% off price, local sign company donates a portable hwy sign and makes traffic control signs for gratis. Local newspaper writer runs a great news bit about us, local radio station and community TV get in the act and come out to film the event.
We even have a local guy (does commercial video work) come out and he spends 4-5 hrs filming. Local farmer brings his helicopter and there is a video camera on the strut. All that film is put together and edited down to a really good 35 minutes.
We sell a couple hundred videos for $10 each, all proceeds go to local farmer-group who teach the state-mandated Tractor Safety Course for young kids learning how to operate machines safely (manuals cost $600 last year, state does not pay a cent). We also buy them a "tip-over tractor" from time to time....it is at local farm shows, upside down, with a dummy pinned underneath. An attention grabber!
We are NOT a club, and do NOT want to become that. We just get together and do our share of planning....volunteering for traffic control, helping people who have never plowed before, etc. We use 3-4 flat bed implement trailers for people-movers (hay bales to sit on) with old tractors and they run all day with people needing a lift...right in the field alongside tractors plowing.
Yes, we think about liability (have talked to insurance man and a lawyer). Advice is to be strict about behavior and drive safely, tractor owners should take care of their liability...no different than some big farm auctions. We allow NO PASSENGERS on tractors (NO EXCEPTIONS), not even the little kids. AND...we have farmers approach us with offers of a field to use if we need a new location after they see how we do things.
I start the day with a driver mtg and tell them "no hot rodding, no tail-gating, everybody slow down and enjoy the day". I guess I"m ugly enough, old enough, and talk loud enough so no one gets out of line (that ego thing can be controlled...just step on it at the start).
I"ve had a couple fathers protest about wanting little Johnny on their lap, I tell them "it"s a free country, start your own plow day". We don"t need those problems.
If you don"t feel you want to "bother" people who are friends, strangers, etc. with rules, you probably will regret ever having a plow day.
LASTLY; you can view our 2013 plow day (only 30 tractors due to conflicting events) on Utube; try "Reedsburg, Wi, 2013 Plow Day" or something like that.
LA in WI (ugly, old, mean, and strict)
PS Did I mention we have a real good time? PPS Video guy just bought a drone...will use it at our next plow day!!!
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