Delft Furrowmakers’ Labor Day event an annual tradition
How sweet is the smell of freshly-plowed topsoil.
A lot of people love that fresh-dirt smell. Microbiologists have traced that pleasant scent to an organic chemical called “geosmin” – produced by the bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor.
Today was “Plowing Day” for the Delft Furrowmakers, and the plows turning up the good earth – chock full of Streptomyces coelicolor pining to produce geosmin – for a combined fresh soil bouquet.
The annual celebration – traditionally held on Labor Day – was held this year this afternoon (Monday, September 4). And, the vintage tractors and antique plows were itching for a comeback after last year’s Labor Day wash-out.
Indeed, it was as a sad 2016 Labor Day for all Delft Furrowmakers, their families – and their fans as 1.2″ of rain fell on the Baerg’s harvested 50-acre wheat field in the wee hours of Labor Day morning, making it too wet to plow. In fact, the Furrowmakers’ “Founding Father” – Arnie Quiring – declared that the precip had put the “plug” in the plowing. However, the faithful did gather in the Baerg shop on the farm site west of Delft along Cottonwood County Road #3 to enjoy a noon lunch grill-out, supported by dutiful donors – pick up official Plowing Day T-shirts – and share tales worthy of the Farmers’ Almanac.
In 2017, however, field conditions were much better for the plowing. A record 50 tractors – followed by 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-bottom plows (both guided along by their drivers) plowed the 80-acre wheat field ½-mile south of Cottonwood County Road #3, just east of the Baerg Farm.
The Delft Furrowmakers were founded in 1998. The group’s mission is to preserve the history of plowing – as well as the machines that do the work.
VINTAGE TRACTORS AND antique plows, guided by their drivers, spread out to cut through the Baerg wheat field.
COLT DUERKSEN, INSTRUCTED by his dad, Phil Duerksen, takes to the wheel of this John Deere B to steer the tractor and plow along their charted course.
IN TANDEM, TRAVIS Winters, front, on his Ford tractor, and Ben Fast, driving a John Deere, look back over their right shoulders to keep an eye on the swath of their plows.
AND THIS IS what they were watching – plow blades cutting furrows in the wheat field, turning over the brown stubble to fresh black dirt. (Delft Furrowmakers photo)
RON VOUGHT IN charge of his 730 Diesel John Deere and accompanying plow.
BEHIND THE TRACTOR, the plow rips – and flips – the wheat stubble.
CLAIRE FAST, FRONT, is focused on where she is going, gripping the steering wheel of her dad’s (Ben Fast, back) 730 John Deere.
TEAMWORK MAKES SHORT work of the plowing.
JERRY HABERMAN ENJOYS a beautiful Labor Day from the seat of his 880 Oliver.
MYRON FAST GIVES his grandson, Lawson Fast, on a hands-on farming history lesson on his 3020 Diesel John Deere.
JON ADRIAN PUTS his vintage Farmall 460 to work.
UNDER BLUE SKIES – streaked by feathery fingers of clouds – dad Jesse Fast teaches son, Max Fast, the ins-and-outs of farm equipment from the past, including being at the steering wheel of a John Deere 620. (Delft Furrowmakers photo)
THIS TRACTOR AND plow line-up provides a perfect photo op for those interested in ag history.
NO NEED FOR rubber tires says the duo on this steel-wheeled John Deere pulling an antique three-bottom plow.
ARLYN BAERG SAVORS the crowd out to watch the annual Labor Day plowing event from the seat of his John Deere 820.
THE DELFT FURROWMAKERS’ “Founding Father” – Arnie Quiring, spiffed up his John Deere 720 Diesel with all chrome nuts.
SMOKE WAFTS INTO the air as the tractors work hard to pull plows across the field.
OLIVER CAMPBELL OF Webb City, Missouri, front, had the opportunity to experience a Minnesota plowing day as a passenger along with driver Jamin Fast, back, on Fast’s John Deere 4020 Diesel.
TREVOR FAST’S STRAW hat is reminiscent of the headwear worn by farmers from the era of operation of this John Deere A tractor.
REPRESENTING THE FORD ag equipment line was this Ford 6000 Diesel tractor, driven by Tim Penner.
ELI GOHR, LEFT, backed up his dad, Matt Gohr, right, are in the “catbird” seat of this MC John Deere Cat, turning over the wheat field ground with an antique plow.
ANOTHER LOOK AT some of the 50 tractors and plows working to turn over the Baerg’s wheat field.
THESE TWO ARE having a fine time talking about farming of ages past in the driver’s area of this LP-fueled Minneapolis Moline (MM).
THAT MM IS pulling a vintage two-bottom slat-bottom plow. They were designed to be used with sticky soils. With “slats” cut in the steel of the plow blade, there is less surface area to allow the sticky soil to roll off easier.
TAKING A TURN at the wheel of his John Deere 60 is Mindy Muller, right, accompanied by her dad, Wayne Muller, left.
A LOT OF acreage has already been covered by the many tractors on site for the plowing.
EVEN WHEN NOT plowing with vintage tractors and antique plows, folks stand around classic Chevrolet pick-ups to talk about vintage tractors and antique plows.
