FFA Student Wins FFA Tractor

 This 1952 Farmall H is my VERY first tractor. I’ve been wanting to get my own tractor for quite awhile. I didn’t grow up as farm kid but I did grow up on an acreage and involved in agriculture my whole life. My Grandpa had bought a Farmall M new in 1947, later Dad had it as a loader tractor until the early 2000’s when it was decommissioned due to a large hole in the rear end. Being on a college student’s budget I didn’t have the funds to purchase a tractor even in its “work clothes”.  Every year our local FFA Chapter (Okoboji FFA) hosts an annual tractor ride around the lake, T.R.A.W.L (Tractor Ride Around West Lake). Being this was the 10th annual ride they sold 300 raffle tickets to a 1952 Farmall H. My father and I purchased some tickets to support the FFA Chapter. The day of the ride they were calling tickets for door-prizes. I mistakenly thought I won a door prize when I read the number on my ticket wrong, everyone got a pretty good laugh out of my mistake. It wasn’t 2 minutes later and they drew the name for the winner of the H. Sure enough my name was called. I was stunned. What really made this unique and special is that I graduated from Okoboji High School and was a member of the Okoboji FFA Chapter while in school. My past instructor/advisor was happy so see this tractor go back to one of his former students/chapter members. FFA is a great organization that teaches many life skills such as leadership, responsibility, organizational skills and allows and encourages personal growth, and career success. I can’t say Thank You enough to Rich Martin (Okoboji FFA Chapter Advisor/High School Voc. Ag. Teacher), the students in the restoration class, current Chapter members, and the man who donated this tractor as a project as well as the countless other volunteers that made such a project possible. If you get the chance to support your local FFA Chapter I strongly urge you do to so. You won’t be sorry!

Dan Loebach
Spirit Lake, Iowa