Gentle people, the Friends of Historic Augusta has posted another of my stories in which Bernice Kemner discerns that I am not a farmer - Donald Struckhoff allows me to video him on his International - Glen Frank of Augusta waxes poetical – Hannah Grey recollects her tractor career at Mt. Pleasant Winery - and Marthasville dweller, Lee Newman dwells on his tractor days. Allow me to share a little of it with you:

Bernice Kemner: You’re not a farmer. I can tell.
Me: Uh…I have a veggie garden.

Gentle readers, today’s topic is tractors, and again I am venturing into a subject I know nothing about. But, why not? You can’t throw a rock in this part of the county without hitting a tractor. They’re part of the landscape, whether mobile or stationary.

In fact, I got inspired to write this story on Duke Road as I was driving by Glenda Drier’s hayfield on September 5, 2022. First, I saw a vintage red tractor, and then I focused on the beautiful windrows of hay. I pulled over and took some photos. Later that day, I texted Paul Kamphoefner to ask if that was his beast in the field…no reply…no matter…a story was bubbling up. I would catch up with Paul. My next two texts didn’t do much better, but I’m getting used to that. I did manage to snag a poem by Glen Frank which captures the mood I experienced as I gazed at the hayfield and the well-used Allis-Chalmers.

There is something sad about a tractor
lying, rusting, next to the barn
worked daily its whole life…

Here’s a link that will take you to the Augusta Museum, but more specifically, to the Tell It Like It Was section. It doesn’t cost a cent, and it’s a secure website. https://www.augustamomuseum.com/tell-it-like-it-was-stories

Do good work and stay curious.
paulO