PATOOT preparing to roll again

(Painting by Barb McGee) Peterson artist Barb McGee saw this 460 Farmall tractor at an auction hosted at the former Storm Lake sale barn and knew she had to paint it. Her watercolor painting, which is featured on this year's PATOOT logo, T-shirt and magnet, resembles a tractor her late father, Virgil Potts, drove.

The town of Peterson will be celebrating this Saturday as the seventh annual community celebration built around Peterson's Annual Trip On Old Tractors (PATOOT) tractor ride takes center stage in the Clay County town.

The morning for many will begin with a breakfast at Calamity Jane's or Sue's Diner.

Yet others will take part in the five- and 10-kilometer walk or run scheduled to start at 8 a.m. Initiated by Chris Smith four years ago, both will be held in his honor this year. Smith, a Sioux Central teacher, cross country and track coach, passed away June 1 following a battle with cancer.

Following Saturday's walk and run, this summer's PATOOT ride will begin at 9:30 a.m. The annual ride, which draws tractors and farm implement enthusiasts of all ages to the northwest Iowa town of 300 residents, will proceed from Main Street onto Iowa Highway 10. The tractors will travel seven miles north on county road M27 to county road B53. They'll then drive four miles west and one mile south to Shane and Carey Brown's farmstead, at 7009 450th St., for a rest stop before continuing on B53 another mile south and four miles west. They'll then take county road M12 south along the east side of Sutherland, turn onto Highway 10 and travel back to Peterson.

Wagon rides along the same route of scenic Clay and O'Brien County highways will also be available for a nominal fee.

Initiated in 2003 to raise money for Peterson's sesquicentennial celebration held in August 2006, proceeds raised during past PATOOT rides have been banked for community projects. Most recently, PATOOT proceeds have been allocated to the fire department and to purchase a new digital sign for the town.

* PATOOT's $25 registration fee includes the tractor ride, rest stop at the Browns, a T-shirt, magnet and pork loin meal, slated to be served from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. in Peterson's Community Legion Hall.

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Peterson's Annual Trip On Old Tractors: Saturday, June 27