Farm and Tractor Days is held Saturday, May 15, in Rio Linda

RIO LINDA, CA (MPG) - After many months of lock down frustrations, the annual Farm and Tractor Days is back!!  The weather was warm, but a breeze kept it from being stifling humid.  I could tell there was still a lot of hesitancy to come out in public.  I usually made it every year to see the tractors and look through all the different stands set up by individuals and their homemade products. It should have been wall to wall of people and kids by noon. This afternoon, there are people looking around, just not like years before. Several of the merchants mentioned this very thing, but were also, "just glad to be outside!" I noticed there was still confusion about masks (wear or not to wear) and staying 6 ft apart or not too.

A tractor for every taste and every size. Some were new, some old and some old but refinished to new looking condition. There was even a pretty in pink tractor, made for the farmer’s daughter. I saw kid-size tractors, and a sweet, Kaley Marshall was being pushed by a determined Logan Jones. There was a beautiful new Red Tractor with a trailer full of hay in the back for free hay rides around the park. Many people were hitching a ride this afternoon while smiling, laughing and taking pictures.

I met a very proud Nate Polen standing by his 1934 dark colored Farmall. He said in 1938-39 the Farmall tractor went to red paint. "Once they went to the red paint, the company could hardly move their dark colored tractors," Nate said. Everyone wanted the red.  Mike Morgan was standing next to Nate watching his son Blake ready his tractor with straw to give people rides around the park. Blake told me his hobby was finding tractors just sitting out in a field and seeing if they were for sale.

One time Mike and his dad said, they “rescued 4 or 5 tractors on the way to the dump.” What a great find for them. Kept them refinishing for a long time.

A booth I came across was for the Sacramento Public Library, branch 28, in Rio Linda. Sally McGrath was telling me about some of the free programs they have set up at the library. They have a SEED library. You can come and pick out actual live seeds and plant them at your house. There is always someone to help you choose, depending on the size of your yard, etc. They are open from 10 to 6 Tues thru Sat, “please come on by,” Sally told me.

Mr. David Marquette was there with his1930 Ford Model A (looked light green). He is also a member of the Rio Linda Historical Society. The fun fact was he bought this Ford from a yard sale and worked hard and got it to look like it does now. The hard work showed"'beautiful.

My last stop was to see a 1916 Economy Sears and Roebuck engine. It cost a whopping $98 and change, new. It is all iron and over 3000 pounds. The wheels are even iron. It was pulled around by horses. He also mentioned it worked the Bonanza Gold mine for many years. 

I was starting to see more and more people coming in to look around. Plus, this being only Friday there should be a much bigger crowd tomorrow. It is a great way to let the kids run, get in the hay trailer and play on the little tractor. There is food, crafts and lots of photo opportunities. I am glad I went. Take care of each other and hug more. 

Farm and Tractor Days is held Saturday, May 15, starting at 9:00 a.m. and closing at 4:00 p.m.

It is located at Dry Creek Ranch at 6852 Dry Creek Road, Rio Linda, CA 95673.