2026 Szalawiga Tractor Drive

As the date of this year’s tractor drive approached, it appeared that
the weather (rain) was not going to co-operate with us. Three days
beforehand, we agreed to postpone the drive to the following date – Sunday,
July 19th.

It proved to be the right choice. A bright sunny day with a
temperature in the low 70’s (Fahrenheit) made for an ideal day. We were
appreciative that most of the participants were able to change their plans on
such short notice and take part. We were also grateful that chef Barry
Adamson was able to accommodate our last-minute change of plans.
This time around, our drive took us through the bustling communities of
Pelmo Park, Osaca, Starkville, Newtonville, Zion and Port Britain.

As usual, we were greeted by curious onlookers either working in their yards or driving
past us. It is always nice to receive compliments by people waving to us or
giving us an eager “thumbs-up.” One tractor driving down the road probably
wouldn’t draw a crowd, but a line of 12 tractors in succession definitely
creates a stir whereby people immediately stop what they are doing to check
out the commotion.

Not surprisingly, minor breakdowns such as a tractor unable to start due
to a low battery or a tractor overheating because of a faulty generator
pulley were encountered. Fortunately, the straps in our supply trailer came
in handy to resolve these issues – The tractor with the weak battery was
easily pull-started and the other tractor was towed back to home-base which
was only 3 miles away. That particular driver enjoyed the remainder of the
drive riding in our supply trailer. There were no complaints and we were
only too happy to help keep the drive moving along.

As always, at the conclusion of the drive Barry graciously played host
to a crew of hungry drivers with a delicious barbecue that was second only to
the HAH Club’s Open House buffet dinner. Hamburgers, hot dogs and
entertaining stories are regularly on the menu – A perfect way to cap off an
enjoyable day.

We are already working on next year’s route so make plans to
participate, particularly if you haven’t before. Get the tractor out of the
shed and be prepared to see things in our local countryside that wouldn’t be
noticed while driving at a faster speed in your car. We are a friendly bunch
and we are always welcoming more drivers to take part in our event.

Tractor-makes represented in this year’s drive:
Allis-Chalmers – 5
John Deere – 2
Farmall – 1
Oliver – 1
Cockshutt – 1
Case – 1
David Brown – 1

To view more photos of the drive, check out our Gallery.