Back in March of 1938 there was an extra long day in school for eighth grade farm boy Verdie Gilbertson. All day long he was anxiously watching the clock on the wall of District 54 classroom in Mandt Township. This was to be the day a brand new 1938 Model B John Deere tractor would be delivered to his mom and dad ,Gerhard and Selma Gilbertson's farm. What fourteen year old kid who had been farming with work horses wouldn't be thrilled to get a John Deere? When the closing bell finally rang, Verdie took off running the two miles home to lay his eyes on this brand new shiny tractor. It wasn't long before he put it to work spending many hours in the fields before leaving for the war in 1943.
Seventy years later in June 2008,Verdie woke up early on a Friday morning and with the help of his son Keith and grandson Jacob, he loaded this same bright shiny green 1938 Model B John Tractor on the trailer. For the second year in a row he was bringing it out to the same Gilbertson family farm he grew up on. This time he would not be plowing or planting but rather loading up a haywagon with thirty eight people and two dogs. On the wagon were Gilbertsons from four generations.
With a group of excited Gilbertsons who were having another family reunion, Verdie made sure everyone was comfortable and ready for a memorable ride. The route was not long but very meaningful. It is a half mile ride up to the site of the Old Mandt Lutheran Church and cemetery. A few years ago the church was torn down but the bell is still standing proudly. While riding past the cornfields the old people most likely remembered growing up on the family farm, attending Mandt and many family doings up at the church. The young grandkids thought about jumping off the hayrack when it stopped near the church bell. As soon as loaded hayrack arrived, the kids quickly hopped up on the bell stand and gladly rang the bell, some with the help of pa
rents and others all by themselves.
Seventy years later in June 2008,Verdie woke up early on a Friday morning and with the help of his son Keith and grandson Jacob, he loaded this same bright shiny green 1938 Model B John Tractor on the trailer. For the second year in a row he was bringing it out to the same Gilbertson family farm he grew up on. This time he would not be plowing or planting but rather loading up a haywagon with thirty eight people and two dogs. On the wagon were Gilbertsons from four generations.
With a group of excited Gilbertsons who were having another family reunion, Verdie made sure everyone was comfortable and ready for a memorable ride. The route was not long but very meaningful. It is a half mile ride up to the site of the Old Mandt Lutheran Church and cemetery. A few years ago the church was torn down but the bell is still standing proudly. While riding past the cornfields the old people most likely remembered growing up on the family farm, attending Mandt and many family doings up at the church. The young grandkids thought about jumping off the hayrack when it stopped near the church bell. As soon as loaded hayrack arrived, the kids quickly hopped up on the bell stand and gladly rang the bell, some with the help of pa
rents and others all by themselves.
This special John Deere tractor attracted plenty of the young kids who were eager to sit on it and pretend. Elizabeth loves to "drive " great- grandpa's tractor. Verdie wonders just how many other tractors out there have had five generations go for a ride with the same tractor.
The tractor served the family well for almost 40 years until it seemed about worn out. Verdie's brother Lyle pulled it into the woods where it seemed destined to rust into oblivion. After many fond nostalgic looks over the years, finally in the mid 1990's Verdie decided to attempt to bring the good old John Deere back to life. With a lot of hard work and help from good mechanics and a great painter in Doug Norman, the Model B Deere is truly back among the working tractors as evidenced by it's joyful trip up the farm road with a smiling load of Gilbertsons. These two reunion hayrides have made Verdie feel that it was worth every bit of his effort to get the first family tractor running smoothly once again. It is ready for another seventy years of service.
