Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Garfield-Palouse teenager creates plowing bee
A line of old tractors plow ground near Palouse during a plowing bee organized by Garfield-Palouse High School junior Colby Dugger.
Brett Lisenbee drives his 1948 Detroit Allis-Chalmers crawler tractor and pulls plows during the Palouse plowing bee.
PALOUSE - Farming is everything to Colby Dugger.
The Garfield-Palouse High School junior is an Future Farmers of America (FFA) member, works on the family farm, is rebuilding his great-grandfather's tractor, and organized a plowing bee because he felt one was needed.
"Nobody has had one in the Palouse area," said Dugger.
The Palouse area event drew 35 tractors and about 90 people.
"It's half talking and half plowing," said Dugger. "I relay like that a lot of people came out, people I look up to and respect. They came out and had a good time."
Dugger had help from his family and friends in organizing the event. The Palouse Lions Club sold burgers during the plowing bee. They are planning to do it again next year.
Out of all the tractors, Dugger liked Brett Lisenbee's 1948 Detroit Allis-Chalmers crawler tractor the best.
"I like the motor that was in it and it's a cool tractor. I like the plow he was pulling," said Dugger. "It's a unique piece of history."
His interest in farming stems from his family history. In the summer he drives the combine and works the fields on his parents' 6,000 acre farm that is between Palouse and Pullman.
"I'm hoping to go to college for ag engineering and come back to continue" he said.
As a hobby project, he has been restoring a 1948 John Deer tractor with his dad, Kirk Dugger and fa family friend, Mike Schwarz. His great-grandfather bought it new in Lamont.
"It's mechanically sound. Its (got) really good bones. Someday I want to tear it apart and paint it with my dad," said Colby Dugger. "That's a winter project."
Bill Stevenson is the former editor of the Whitman County Gazette, Colfax Daily Bulletin and Franklin Connection. He has nearly 30 years of journalism experience covering news in Eastern Washington.
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