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A tractor trek starting off in Zeeland is planned for the morning of July 5. They will travel from Zeeland to Hague and then will join the Grand Parade.

David Krumm of Eureka is heading the trek. He is hoping for over 30 tractors to sign up. There is no age limit for the tractors, but David said he would like to see more old ones.

The entered tractors will be split into three age classes: early, middle and late. From here there will be a panel of six judges who will analyze each of the entries, and a first, second and third place will be awarded to each class.

On top of the contest there will also be a drawing for a metal toy tractor that was crafted by David Krumm.

David himself will be entering two tractors into the event, a 1959 460 IH and a 1947 Moline, both of which he just finished working on.

David still uses his 460 IH for farm work, but the Moline is just for show. He has shown off the tractors at the Eureka Schmekfest and tractor pulls around the region.

David is also renovating an old Molina plow and an international horse cultivator but will not be bringing them on the tractor trek. Once they're done he'll paint them and set them by the entrance to his farm.

Although David enjoys his tractors, his passion is welding things like the toy tractor that will be given away during the tractor trek. He first learned to weld when he was a young teenager just by goofing around with the welding torch on his parents’ farm. He uses his skills in many practical areas, such as stretching truck frames. He claims to have made at least a dozen cemetery arches in the region. He is currently working on building a large swing for someone.

But most of his welding projects are for his family. Every Christmas he makes a toy tractor or trailer for his two boys. They are always modeled after old equipment. David says he does this because he is “trying to keep history.” Many times when someone sees an old piece of farm machinery, he or she wonders what it was used for. When David makes his toys with moving parts, he hopes that his boys will be able to remember how the machines worked since they see it working on the toys.

For David’s daughters and wife he makes metal flower holders or shelves with decorations in the background. He has even made his wife an entertainment system that had glass in between the metal on the shelves, which took a little more time to work with.

David thoroughly enjoys working with the welding torch.

“I’d rather do this than watch TV,” he commented. “It’s a good hobby.”

David and his wife, Barbara, have five children: Jessica, who is 27, is married to Chad Burg and teaches high school English at Florence, South Dakota; Sarah is 23 and is currently in her sixth year in the Navy; Rachel is a sophomore; Joseph is 12, and Joshua is six. David also has a five-month-old grandson through Jessica and Chad, who David is excited to start making toy tractors for every year.

David and Barbara were married in April of 1978, 30 years ago. David grew up around Hague, Barbara was from Artas, South Dakota.

David custom combined for 25 years, which consists of moving around the states and being hired by different people to help harvest.

In 1994 David and Barbara started farming on their current land. They rented it at first and then bought it four years ago. They live in the house in the summer, but in the winter they live in Eureka and rent the farm house out to hunters.

David has no plans to ever stop welding. He enjoys fixing up his tractors and building the toys and other things.

“It gets addicting,” David said.

The tractor trek will arrive from Zeeland at about 9:30 a.m. in Hague in time for the Grand Parade at 10:00.