Pennsylvania Loves Tractors

‍There are so many things that are different about Pennsylvania from the South and closer to the end of our time here I will outline ALL of the things.  But today, I want to talk about tractors.‍ ‍

We are staying in a rural area and we literally have a corn field next to the campground. 

Cornfield next to Cozy Corner, Jonestown, PA

‍Whenever we leave the campground, wherever we go, we pass rolling hills of crops with beautiful barns and silos.  With this, comes tractors.  Often there are tractors on the roads, maybe a pickup pulling a hay wagon, all of the signs that farmers are at work in the area.

But farmers and their tractors aren’t just for working.   We recently attended the 250 celebration 4th of July parade in Jonestown.  Guess what was in the parade?  Tractors‍! ‍

Tractor in the Jonestown, PA 4th of July parade.

My old high school, Tulpehocken High School, has held a “Bring your Tractor to School Day” for approximately 25 years.  In May of 2026 over 20 kids drove their tractors to school and made the local news.‍ ‍

Tulpehocken Area High School students celebrate Tractor Day | Berks Regional News | wfmz.com

‍But tractor pulls are a whole other form of entertainment.  Turns out before there were even tractors, farmers showed up to “pull” with their draft horse teams.  But in 1929 in Ohio, the first motorized Tractor pull was held.    There is even a NTPA - National Tractor Pullers Association.  They compete in a number of states across the country during County Fair season, it is often referred to as the “world’s heaviest motorsport”.‍ ‍

Schedule | National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA)

‍Next to Zach and Sarah’s development is a fire company with some carnival grounds, a ball field and a random stretch of bleachers and a clay track.  Tracks are typically 100 meters long and 11 meters wide.  I did not measure the track at this event.

Antique Tractor Pull, Schaefferstown, PA

‍ What I can tell you is this is good clean fun.  Even my self proclaimed City Boy husband stood around after the grands had gone home for a nap and watched the pulls.  There were people of all ages, from the very young to the very old, enjoying the day.

The goal is for the tractor to pull a “sled” the entire length, defined as a “Full pull”.  The tractor attaches to the sled by a chain, one at a time, and as the green flag flies, the tractor begins its journey down the track.  There are different weight classes and the weight on the sled moves at different speeds depending on the weight class.  Modern day pulls now have an individual with a computer who sits on the back and sends the length of the pull immediately to the announcers booth.

Sled for tractor pull, Schaefferstown, PA

‍ The goal, again, is for the tractor to go the furthest in their class.  It is never about speed, only distance.  I do not know the science behind the traction and all of that.  I can tell you that often the tractor would start to struggle and the front tires would come off the ground.

Tractor popping a wheely at the Antique Tractor Pull, Schaefferstown, PA

‍Then there is what happens after the pull….After every every pull the first big blue tractor backs up to the sled, connects without even leaving his air conditioned cab, and drags the sled back to the starting line.  THEN another tractor comes by with water tanks keeping the surface wet.  Lastly was a tactor pulling a very heavy wagon with a lot of wheels (which might be called a roller) that smoothed out the track.  It was like a well-choregraphed dance.

Tractor with water tank to wet down the track at a tractor pull.

Antique Tractor Pull, Schaefferstown, PA

The tractor pull we attended featured antique tractors.  Some of them were very pretty. My personal favorite was the Oliver.  There were also tractors made by Ford, John Deere, Massey-Harris and Farmall.

‍ The other highlight of the day was the homemade ice cream!  They had a Hit’N’Miss  engine making ice cream.  This was a pretty, shiny John Deere engine from the turn of the century (1910 – 1930) that had wide belts connecting it to a very large paddle inside a large wooden ice cream maker!!!  The results were quite tasty.

Hit ‘N’ Miss engine making ice cream.

‍ So, if you are ever in Pennsylvania and see there is a tractor pull happening, stop by and enjoy the fun. 

John Deere Tractor at the Antique Tractor Pull, Schaefferstown, PA

‍ ‍