Duane Watts stood beside a chunk of field across from the Emporia Municipal Golf Course Saturday morning watching several antique tractors plow the corn stubble into his field releasing the scent that every farmer knows well — freshly tilled dirt.
The people plowing the field Saturday were a part of the Flint Hills Antique Power Association and they were participating in the annual plow day, which has been held for several years, Watts said, as he watched several rows of tractors in the distance work the land. Each year the tractor owners get together and take advantage of the opportunity to socialize and use their tractors.
Several models of tractors were on the field including Farmall, John Deere, International, Allison and Oliver. Each tractor was unique not only because it was unique but because each also was pulling an antique plow. There were several different models of antique plows as well — each unique in how much dirt it kicked up and how deep it plowed.
Jim Haynes, a member of the Flint Hills Antique Power Association, was driving a 1956 red Farmall. He stopped long enough to ask a few questions before leaving again to plow another row of dirt.
“I enjoy coming out and running with the old tractors,” Haynes said, from atop his tractor. “Most everything out here is obsolete. It’s just kind of a fun day.”
After the farmers plowed most of the morning they were rewarded for their efforts — a meal. Watts said he and his wife, Ellen, served up everything from hot dogs to all the fixings from chips and baked beans. Watts said the meal is a big hit. Last year there were less than eight tractors — but many more people showed up that that for the meal, he said with a laugh.