CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. — Nothing is amiss in Cedar Springs. Not the call of the birds, not the sway of the crops, not the quiet symphony of early fall.
Except today.
Today, the air is filled with exhaust and the scream of tractors roaring to life.
“This is cool. Getting up early and driving when it's still cool out driving the tractors," said Jack Sherburs, a Cedar Springs senior.
This day is about love. The love between a future farmer and his tractor.
“I'm excited to it do every year. It's hard to sleep at night. You know, getting ready for tractor day," said sophomore Hunter Wagner.
Friday was bring-your-tractor-to-school day for Cedar Springs High School students. Their front lawn was packed with farming equipment of all shapes and sizes.
"It’s my favorite day to teach," says Brent Willett, who teaches a course on agriculture and runs Cedar Springs High School’s FFA.
“Even when I was a student here, we participate in this and we just kept it running once I took the program," said Willett.
It's a program that has roots.
“It traces back all the way to the 80s as an unsanctioned fun event for seniors," said Willett. “Almost like a senior prank.”
Since becoming sanctioned by the school in 2008, it's turned into a parade.
But a parade is only as good as its audience. And this one has quite the flock.
“They love seeing all the loud tractors go by and the kids that wave at them and it's it makes them really happy," said Sherburs.
“They love, love every every minute of it," agreed Willett.
Those minutes are planned for all season.
“They get hyped for it's they know it's coming," smiled Cedar View Elementary Principal Sam Becker.
“You've got kindergarteners all the way up to fifth graders up here, and the senior driving the tractors. So, it's a great way to incorporate all the different kids at Cedar Springs," said Becker.
“To see like a high schooler, they're driving a big combine. And they're thinking, ‘Man, that may be me.’”
Here in Cedar Springs, the not-so-quiet symphony of early fall becomes an ode to the farms in their community, and the community on their farms.
“It's quite a program. It's quite a event that we do," smiled Willett.
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