Familes loyal to John Deere, Farmall make event tradition
By Asten Smith (The Daily Item) - reprinted with permission
LAURELTON — In a county where the International Harvester Farmall tractor is king — Steve Moyer, of Laurelton said he doesn’t mind being a rebel of sorts, sitting in the stands at the Union County West End Fair tractor pull Saturday, proudly dawning a bright green and yellow John Deere hat.
You see, when it comes to tractor pulling, one identifies him or herself by what he or she is driving. There’s a clear line that is drawn — a friendly rivalry — between the majority of those who drive the International Harvester Farmall tractors and the smaller number of those who drive John Deere tractors. Moyer owns six John Deere tractors that he named. He has, “Old BB,” “Rust ‘N Bust,” “Slant Dash,” “4010”, “Her B” and “Cyclone.” “And I don’t even farm,” Moyer said with a laugh.
He said the reason he got into tractor pulling more than 15 years ago was to show what a John Deere tractor could do.
“We wanted to show them how it’s done,” Moyer said about himself and his two sons, Jared, 21, and Jacob, 20, who also pull trucks and garden tractors. He also admits that tractor pulling is just a part of growing up in the country.
“We’re hicks I guess.” The 49-year-old said, even though he’s never actually won a tractor pull competition. “That just makes sure I come back each year.”
For him and his boys, it isn’t so much about the trophy or prize money, it’s about the thrill of competition and the adrenaline rush they said they get when they drive their tractor down the track before a crowd of people.
Moyer’s love and affection goes so far for John Deere tractors that he even had his house painted green and yellow.
His wife, Judy, doesn’t mind because she’s a fan too. She’s been tractor pulling for about 10 years. Everyone in the Moyer family agreed that the best part of tractor pulling is using as an excuse to get together with family and friends.
“If you know everyone going down the track, it’s just more exciting,” said Jacob. “It’s pretty good, wholesome family fun,” added Steve Moyer.
Friend of the family Lane Zimmerman, 19, of Mifflinburg, enjoyed rubbing in the fact that he beat one of the Moyer boys early in the week in tractor pulling. He and his family, who have a crop production farm west of Mifflinburg, proudly drive International Harvester Farmall tractors. He has been involved in tractor pulling since he was four years old with the pedal pulls, in which youngsters drive their toy tractors down the tracks. “It’s fun, something the family has always done,” Zimmerman said.
Friend of the Moyer’s Ashley Delp, 19, of Selinsgrove, watched her first tractor pull on Saturday from the mud covered truck bed of Jared Moyer’s pick-up truck. LaCresha Confer, 18, also of Selinsgrove, sat beside her with her feet propped up on lawn chair. The two are fairly new to the tractor pull scene but enjoyed the show.
“I like the loudness of the tractors,” said Delp.
Confer added with a laugh —“We just come and watch, but I think we’d both love to pull.”
The tractor pull has been a tradition at the Union County West End Fair since the 1950’s.
Superintendent of Truck and Tractor Pull, Perry Grove, of Mifflinburg, summed up the event simply — “We’re a bunch of rednecks here just goofing off.”
Posted on August 10th, 2008 by Webmaster
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By Kevin Mertz (Standard-Journal)
Thu Aug 07, 2008
LAURELTON — They hopped along the lawn, knees clinched together in a desperate effort to hold a clothes pin in place. The object was to make it to a coffee can a few yards away, drop the pin into the can and make it back to the finish line ahead of their competition.
The event was part of the 4-H/FFA Barnyard Olympics, held Wednesday at the Union County West End Fair. The afternoon of old-fashioned games was geared toward children ages 5-14 who are showing their animals at the fair. Other Olympic activities included a hay bale toss, hog calling contest and a feet sack race.
Leslie Kenamond, 4-H animal program assistant for Union County, said the event gave kids a chance to kick back and relax after working hard to get their animals ready for the fair.
“It helps the kids get to know one another,” she said.
Barbara Franck, a 4-H volunteer who was helping with the games, said the event is an important part of the fair.
“We try to promote some of the old-fashioned games. It’s important to keep those traditions alive,” she said. “It’s just a fun afternoon. It gives the families the chance to get together and spend time with one another.”
She said the event was a much needed break for the kids, who had been working for months to prepare their animals for the fair.
Franck said all the hard work helps to instill a number of traditional values in the kids.
“It’s important to teach them responsibility to give them the skills they’ll need for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Josh Eichenlaub, one of the youth showing animals at the fair, volunteered to help with the Barnyard Olympics. He also described the process kids must go through when they show an animal at the fair.
By January of each year, Eichenlaub said youth should know what type of animal they want to purchase to raise. Next, they must study which feed would be best to give the animal.
He said things get intense in the weeks leading up to the fair.
“Our animals have to be within a certain weight,” Eichenlaub noted. “A few weeks before the fair you have to weigh them to see where they stand.”
Next, the youth must adjust the animal’s feeding schedule to insure they are within the proper weight range for fair week. Animals that don’t fall within the appropriate range can’t be sold at the week-ending auction.
Eichenlaub added it’s tough for some of the kids to see their animals sold at the auction.
“You get attached to the steers pretty easily because you have them for a while compared to some of the other animals,” he noted.
Catrina Bollinger, 13, of Mifflinburg agreed.
“With my steers, it bothers me because I bottle feed them,” she said.
Another participant in the games, Olivia Dietrich, 12, of Mifflinburg, said she also gets attached to the animals she raises.
“A lot of animals make me laugh because they do funny things,” she said.
Dietrich added her goats will often hop through the air like kangaroo’s.
Rachel Reaser, 12, of Mifflinburg noted she also enjoys preparing her animals for the fair.
“It’s a lot of hard work, but it does pay off by showing them,” she said. “That’s why it’s a lot of fun.”
Kevin Mertz: 570-742-9671
kevin@standard-journal.com
Posted on August 8th, 2008 by Webmaster
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LAURELTON - Kollie Bilger, a senior at Mifflinburg Area High School, ws crowned Miss Union County 2008 during the Union County West End Fair in Laurelton.
Jessica Ranck of Lewisburg was named the runner up, and Katie Sougherton of Mifflinburg was named Miss Congeniality.
Miss Bilger earned a $500 scholarship. Miss Ranck received $100 and Miss Southerton took home $25.
Kollie Bilger, 17, of Mifflinburg, was crowned Miss Union County for 2008 Tuesday evening at the Union County West End Fair in Laurelton. A passing rain shower stalled the rides and delayed some events Tuesday night, but the crowd stayed put and enjoyed the crowning.
Posted on August 8th, 2008 by Webmaster
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By Kevin Mertz (Standard-Journal)
Tue Aug 05, 2008
LAURELTON — They grunted, groaned and giggled as they attempted to pedal a small red tractor, loaded with weight, down the track.
The event was the kiddie pedal-powered tractor pull Monday evening at the Union County West End Fair. The contest was a family affair geared toward children ages 3-10.
For brothers Colton and Brock Hare, the contest is old hat.
Colton, 7, said this was his third year in the competition.
“It’s harder to pull than it seems and it makes me have stronger legs to ride my bike,” Colton said.
Brock, 4, added this would be his second year participating.
Their father, Kyle Hare, said his boys have been excited about the event.
“They’ve been talking about this all week,” he said.
While Colton and Brock are veteran competitors, 8-year-old Lori Grove and her 4-year-old brother Tyler entered the event for the first time this year.
“I wanted to try it out,” Lori said. “I never did it before and I wanted to see how it feels.”
Tyler added he was also looking forward to his first pull.
Lori said her interest in the competition was sparked by her stepfather, Douglas Wolfe, who enjoys taking part in garden tractor pulling competitions.
“It’s kind of cool watching him win,” Lori said of her dad. “He has a really fast tractor and it goes really far.”
Ronnie Hauck of Winfield is another man with a fast tractor who had a youngster enter the kiddie pull.
His 5-year-old daughter Tabby Hauck enters three or four pedal-pulling events each year.
“We’ll be up here (at the fair) all week,” Ronnie said. “I have a garden tractor and will be entering the garden tractor pulling competition on Wednesday.
“We go pulling about every weekend,” he added.
Ronnie also founded the Mid-Penn Pullers, a garden tractor pulling organization that will hold six points-paying contests this year.
“It’s a good family sport,” Ronnie said. “Every weekend, the family and kids go right along.”
“One guy said ‘all these kids could be home playing video games, but here they are out in the fresh air,’” he added.
Ronnie said his passion for the sport began when he was a youngster.
“I started pedal pulling when I was her age,” he said, pointing his daughter.
Ronnie added he moved up to pulling garden tractors when he was 10-years-old.
“This is as relaxing as everybody taking out their race car every weekend,” he said.
Posted on August 8th, 2008 by Webmaster
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by Standard-Journal News
Reprint Used with Permission
LAURELTON — Like it has for more than 30 years, the Union County West End Fair started with a bang — and a thwack and a spark and a thud. There was also a bit of cheering, and heckling, in between.
The Mountain Man Contest kicked off the West End’s largest celebration Sunday afternoon. The fair continues all week.
The competitors, most of whom go it old school in 18th century dress, try to determine who’s the most accurate, consistent and able to get a fire started the fastest. The main events are fire starting — using flint and steel — tomahawk throw, muzzleloader shoot and traditional archery, using a recurve or long bow. They also pull out their high-tech compound bows for a modern twist.
Whether they win or lose — and luck has a lot to do with that, some of the men said —it’s all about getting together, having fun and doing things the way their ancestors had done them.
“I just enjoy it,” said William Zimmerman of Mifflinburg, a four-time winner of the contest. “You got to do something to keep yourself from going insane.”
Bill Yingling, of nearby Freeburg, who has “eight or 10 wins” in 12 years of competition, said he just enjoys being outdoors and considers himself a traditionalist.
“A lot of the stuff (I wear) I made,” he said. “And, I still enjoy competition, even at my age.”
B.J. Habermehl said “It’s all about the fun.”
Duane Miller of Mifflinburg, who calls out the events, competes and serves as the score keeper, said the contest has been held since the time of the nation’s bicentennial.
Unfortunately, the traditional competition isn’t packing the stands. There were only a handful of onlookers at the fairgrounds on a bright and sunny day.
Yingling suggested there are just too many other things going on in people’s lives, in particular the younger crowd.
There were a couple of competitors representing the next generation, though, brothers Lane and Landon Zimmerman of Pleasant Grove.
“I like local history,” Lane said. “And, I like to listen to people get heckled, granted, I get some myself.”
A number of the men who compete are members of the Union County Muzzleloader Association, which meets at the Weikert Sportsman Club on the first Sunday of each month.
Jeff Shaffer: 570-742-9671
jeff@standard-journal.com
Posted on August 4th, 2008 by Webmaster
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