Some 21 tractors and drivers took part in Saturday’s seventh annual Washington Township Consolidated School tractor ride, which rolled east on the Minburn Road at 9 a.m. under partly cloudy skies and hot and humid temperatures.
Red and green was mostly seen, with classic John Deeres and Cases and International-Harvesters sharing much of the field but with a Massey Ferguson, Allis-Chalmers and McCormick-Deering also cropping up here and there.
Dave and Kathy Book of Minburn have organized the annual rides since 2012. Their daughter, Sheryl Book, delivered the pre-ride orientation and explained the day’s game plan, which included a stop at Forest Park Museum near Perry, a drive through at the Rowley Masonic Community and lunch at the Dawson Community Building.
The ride wrapped up with ice cream and cobbler back at the consolidated school.
At 89, Kenneth “Buck” Borst of Redfield was the eldest driver in this year’s tractor ride, sitting astride a John Deer 70 from the mid-1950s. Borst had wisely fashioned a sun screen to keep him cool and shady during the three- to four-hour ride, which proceeded at a comfortable pace of 10-12 mph.
Jason Krueger, 22, of Ames was one of the youngest entrants in the annual event. He drove an Allis-Chalmers machine that was produced quite a few years before he himself was.
Proceeds from the annual tractor ride, which falls on the last Saturday in June, help support ongoing restoration efforts at the 98-year-old Washington Township Consolidated School. A community breakfast in the school lunchroom started the day, with about 60 people served by 8 a.m. and about as many more expected by the 10 a.m. close.
