The newly formed Eastern Hills Tractor Society Inc held a very successful “Farming as it was†Plough Day at Monarto on Sunday, May 6th. All proceeds from the day went to Canteen.
The idea for this day emulated from a couple of sources:-
Firstly, a tractor run which is run annually through the Adelaide Hills and secondly, from suggestions of actually working tractors with ploughs, preferably on ‘flats’ with working horses also a high priority.
An ideal ‘patch’ was offered by Trevor and Alice Jericho and a successful “Farming as it was†Plough Day in June 2005 became a reality. It was more successful than anyone had imagined it could be and the bigger boys had a great time playing with their bigger toys!
A committee of George Arnold, Geoff Smith, Gus Munro and Robert Thiele with the assistance from Trevor Jericho, Rodger Farley and Julie Hein (with her passion for a dedication to working horses and horse ploughing) were responsible for making Plough Day 2005 happen.
Funds raised from this event were donated to the C.W.A Eyre Peninsula Fire appeal. It was unfortunate that the extremely dry season was not favourable as the area was sown down to hold a planned Binder Day in October 2005 and the boys missed a day to play again with their toys. (At one stage, it was rumoured that some of the members contemplated watering the area with their water trucks at night.)
As a result of the huge success, pressure was placed on the committee to do it all again!
However, in the meantime the property incorporating the site was sold. However, with a huge thankyou to the new owners, permission was granted to use the site again.
This prompted the formation of the Eastern Hills Antique tractor Society Inc. and the organisation of this year’s Plough Day was under way!
The weather was perfect this year and the amazing day was enjoyed by the many thousands of people that attended. We saw over eighty tractors ranging from a 1918 International Titan to the latest broad acre farming tractors. Also, a complete display put on by the South Australian Working Draught Horse Association Inc.
Other attractions included black smithing, stationary engines, Golden Fleece Garage with fuel bowsers, horse farrier’s, hay baling, chaff cutting, seed cleaning, sheep shearing and much more! In October, there will be an unofficial harvest day with all the relevant machinery to reap, harvest and process the crop planted on this weekend.
Foreground: Belinda Amber from Gumeracha driving her 1918 International Titan ploughing tractor. Background: Grant Harvey of Lenswood on his Catapillar Crawler tractor.
