Plow day is a happy day
Cornfield convoy
Travis Schweizer, of Rockford, left, and Steven Blunier Sr. lead the charge of a convoy of tractors Saturday during the Cub Cadet Plow Day in rural Rockford. One-hundred seventy-six tractors plowed land owned by Rockford’s Larry Rooney. This marked the third-ever plow day to be held in Floyd County.
Eric Viccaro, News Editor
ROCKFORD — Five years ago, Steve Blunier Jr. and friends on an Internet forum came up with the idea for a tractor plow day on his family’s farm in Roanoke, Ill.
“You don’t get a lot of chances to take your garden tractor and play with them like this,” said his father Steven Blunier Sr. “I enjoy tractors.”
The Blunier family’s passion for garden tractors includes both toy models and the real thing.
Steven Blunier Sr. used an International Cub Cadet Model No. 782 tractor to plow. Blunier installed an engine inside the tractor with more horsepower than what’s normally found in a Model 782.
Thirty tractors were involved in the first plow day during the fall of 2001, and the event has grown ever since — coming to other places, such as Floyd County.
Saturday at the Cub Cadet Plow Day and Garden Tractor Swap Meet, a record-number 176 tractors plowed 50 aces on a nearly 60-acre parcel of land owned by Rockford’s Larry Rooney.
This is third time Travis Schweizer — including his second springtime gathering — has welcomed people onto Rooney’s land for plowing escapades.
Schweizer, who allowed people to park in his pasture grounds, estimated that more than 300 people were in attendance.
Hotels in Charles City were packed Friday night as a testament to how popular plow day has become.
People from as far away as Anchorage, Alaska, and the southeastern corner of Ohio attended the event.
“I am surprised,” Schweizer said when asked about the record attendance. “I didn’t know. I thought the weather on Thursday and Friday was to go force people not to come.”
Skies turned partly cloudy and winds subsided as the plow day festivities went on. Temperatures were in the lower to middle 50s.
Schweizer noted that plow day isn’t a competition.
“It’s just for fun,” he said.
The only statistical outcome is the number of acres plowed.
There are some elements that turn it into a sporting event, however.
Machine repairs have to be made in designated pit staging areas.
When not plowing, people operated tractors at walking pace - with a maximum speed limit of five miles per hour.
A field marshal was on hand for safety precautions.
Children were allowed to participate so long as he or she had consent from a parent or legal guardian.
Chris Anton, of Anchorage, Alaska, flew down this week to see friends in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Anton keeps a tractor at a farm in Wisconsin for plow days.
Anton, who is originally from Mankato, Minn., said he likes attending tractor plows for the camraderie.
“I have a lot of friends, and we get together on the Web in the dicussion forum,” Anton said. “There are good people (in tractor plowing). I’ve made some good friends from this.”
There was a parade of tractors and an auction at the end of the event. Cub Cadet hats, T-shirts, a screwdriver set, and oil filters were among the items auctioned off.
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