We got to do something really cool the other night. You see, the farm has always kept the very first new tractor that Grandpa Leland bought in 1959. Being that it was that old (and a little obsolete in today's high-volume farming), it hasn't been used in quite some time, but the farm has held onto it for nostalgic reasons. Farmer Brian (my father-in-law) has always wanted to have it overhauled, so as a surprise, the employees at the farm had the engine rebuilt and the exterior restored this summer. Apparently this took no small amount of distraction and fibbing, but they finally surprised him with the new/old tractor at our pre-harvest dinner the other night.
A story in pictures (of course).
Farmer Brian hears a curious noise (I hadn't yet realized that Hubs had messed with my camera settings here, better pictures to come):
And spots a vaguely familiar piece of equipment:
1959 Massey Ferguson TO-35:
There was a lot of this:
And this too:
But mostly this:
Four generation of Wenzel men with the 1959 Kentland Farms tractor (my son, of course, is the one who had no interest in picture-taking!):
And the little girls of Kentland Farms (we somehow lucked out and had six girls between three families in just a few short years. None of their little faces say mischief at all, no?):
Farmer Scott and Henry (who is crying over leaving the tractor seat, not poor Scott):
Beer, and lots more of this went on:
And then Grandpa Leland got to eat dinner with a whole line-up of little ladies:
It was a good night. They have been enormously blessed with friends, family, and farming since 1959. Not everyday is a good one, and I know there have been hard years, but when I look at their faces, I know farming is a gift they are giving our children, and we are deeply grateful.