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Maine Farmers Steer and Ox Club lend a helping hand

2 mins read
Putnam with Jet and Nitro on the left and Sillanpaa with Mick and Cash on the right, till a potato patch for Rustic Roots Farm.

FARMINGTON – Rustic Roots Farm hosted their second annual old-fashion plow event yesterday on their farm on the Farmington Falls Road, in preparation for the growing season ahead.

The Farmers Steer and Ox Club, with members from across the state, arrived to plow the field, using their team of oxen and antique disc harrows. Together the teams tilled roughly an acre of land in anticipation of planting 250 pounds of seed potatoes, with a small crowd of onlookers enjoying the show.

Robert Sillanpaa is Vice President of the Maine Farmers Steer and Ox Club, which is always accepting new members.

Event organizer, and Vice President of the FSOC, Robert Sillanpaa, has been working with steer since he was a kid. He began working his own pair at age 12, and soon after began entering his team into competitions at fairs across the state.

Both Sillanpaa, and club treasurer, Ceylon Putnam, agree- it’s all in the training. The teams, and their drivers, practice every day by pulling skidder tires across fields at home.

“It’s good exercise for me too,” Putnam said.

The club is always looking for new members to join, with or without a team of oxen.

“You can come even if you just like to watch,” Putnam said.

Ceylon Putnam with his 4,000 ox-powered tiller.

Anyone interested in joining can contact Sillanpaa at 491-4045 or Putnam at 462-7731.

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3 Comments

  1. These classic “exhibits” of Robert Sillanpaa, and Ceylon Putnam and their oxen show the “real” Maine at it’s very best!

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