ALVORDTON, Ohio – On July 29, in a wheat stubble field on U.S. Route 20 on the eastern edge of Alvordton, farmers and their vintage tractors of all types will converge to display the workings of their nostalgic equipment. The reason? “To show how things used to be done back in the day,” said event organizer Don Kunkle.

The 12th annual Plow Days is hosted by the Alvordton-Millcreek Township Volunteer Fire Department in cooperation with Kunkle Farms LLC.

“When we first started this event there were about 20 old tractors. Now we’re seeing 40 to 50 relics each year,” Kunkle said. “There’s nothing fancy about this event, not at all. It’s amazing the number of people who come to the event are simple, ordinary folk who come in their plain clothes who have an old tractor sitting around and they come here to get them out of the barn and start running them. Most of the tractors at this event are not polished and cleaned up. Many are about 80 years old that still operate.”

Looking for a newer model tractor? You won’t find it at Plow Days.

“Forty years or older, that’s the age of the tractors that we request,” Kunkle said. 

Clayton Brewer, of Toledo, Ohio, is a frequent attendee of Plow Days, only this year he intends on bringing his 1972 Allis-Chalmers 200 for a test run at this event.

David Cook, of Defiance, Ohio, is making plans to haul his 1962 John Deere 3010 to the event. Kunkle owns the same model as well.

“John Deere introduced the 3010 as well as the 4010 in 1962,” Cook said. “The 3010 was four-cyclinder-powered, and the 4010 was a six, and they were huge hits for Deere. My 3010 has a 254 cubic-inch motor delivering 59 PTO horsepower. These were popular tractors back in the day.”

Cook is anxious to show off his tractor, but also to meet other tractor enthusiasts to make connections with other collectors in hopes of getting information on replacement parts as well as other such gatherings.

This year’s Plow Days event will feature big power and big iron with four or five Big Bud tractors. Featured tractors will be a 650-50 Big Bud, one of only five Ag models produced in the United States. It will be pulling a DMI 21 bottom hydra-flex moldboard plow, the largest moldboard plow ever produced.

Also likely to make an appearance will be a 525-50 Big Bud, pulling an 18-bottom Will-Rich plow.

“There’s no admission fee, there’s no contests involved, there’s no competition and no one wins anything,” Kunkle said. “We’re not measuring furrows nor are we going for acreage depth. You just bring what you have and start plowing, play with it and demonstrate your tractor for others to look at and enjoy. That’s all.”

Registration begins at 10 a.m. with plowing starting at 11 a.m. The small tractors will be in action from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. After that, the Big Bud tractors will perform. Open pit barbecue chicken dinners will be served starting at noon.

Alvordton is located on U.S. Route 20 between Angola, Ind., and Toledo. Additional information can be obtained by calling Don Kunkle at 419-553-9523.