DURHAM — During a bright and breezy Saturday morning at the Patrick Ranch Museum, two young teens participated in one of their favorite activities, baling hay.
Evan Noey, 13, and Michael Moss, 14, are members of the club Vintage Iron — Branch 136, to be specific. The two have a passion for farm work and muse at the legacy of the practice.
“I enjoy it all,” Moss said. “Because it’s rich in history.”
The 21st Annual Country Faire: Tractor Show & Pull at Patrick Ranch displayed a variety of country culture for all ages. Tractors sat on display while attendees meandered about viewing blacksmith and threshing demonstrations. There were also tours of the museum, tram rides and tractor driving lessons.
The faire continues today with a pre-1964 vintage car show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Moss has been attending the faire and helping out with the threshing since he was 6 years old. This was Noey’s first year.
Noey describes the threshing machine as “your one-day harvester, but stationary.” The machine separates grain from chaff, thus harvesting.
While the two enjoy working with the harvester, they admitted it can be intimidating work.
Moss said, “Most don’t know this, but when you’re standing on that wagon or chucking the hay in, you might not look like it but you can be scared…”
“…to death,” added Noey.
The two said asking questions and listening to those who are teaching you helps keep you safe, and still have fun.
Kathy Otterson, Noey’s incredibly proud grandma, enjoys the faire because she gets to see Noey showing off his skills and knowledge. They are part of the family that owns the V.S. Otterson Rice Farm in Willows.
“If he takes over the farm, I don’t know if he will, but he would be the eighth generation,” Otterson said.
Tractor time
Harold Urness displayed a 1948 Ford tractor at the event. Urness saw the tractor for sale on the corner of a road in Durham for $2,000. After countless hours of restoration including $5,500 worth of body work and paint, Urness got the tractor looking brand new.
The tractor doesn’t run, but serves as bright and shiny display tractor.
“I drove these growing up in North Dakota — we were just … dirt-land farmers who grew grains and crops,” Urness said.
Urness, a retired contractor and passionate woodworker, is on the board of directors for the Patrick Ranch Museum.
“It’s been fun, and the guys that are out here are a lot of farmers, a lot of business people … that just want to dance and play with the equipment,” Urness said.
Another tractor lover, Rod Hisken, offered tractor driving lessons on his 1947 Farmall Cub tractor.
“This type of tractor moved us from horse, animal farming to machine farming,” Hisken said. “So now in farming, we have much bigger tractors, much more horsepower.”
Blacksmith shop
Jasper Plank spent much of the day helping and watching her boyfriend, Sam Rutherford, forge metal at the Blacksmith Shop.
“He calls it a hobby, but he’s been doing it for 12 years,” Plank said. “He says, ‘You’ll never make a return.’”
Plank’s favorite item made by Rutherford is a heart pendant he gifted her. At the faire, he made much larger items, mainly farm tools.
“He said he wants to make an ax today,” Plank said.
“No welding today,” said Rutherford, who overheard.
“Scratch that idea … ax that idea,” said Plank.
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The Patrick Ranch Blacksmith Shop is open the second Saturday of each month, according to Plank.
Blacksmith Seth Alexander took up the craft after his wife bought him a forge. He needed to stay home with their newborn son and began blacksmithing with his free time.
“It’s the funnest thing you will ever do,” Alexander said. “It’s something that’s historic and should be kept alive.”
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