Lawn Mower Wheel

Engines roar at Portage River Festival tractor pull

As he sat on a beat up, red Wheel Horse tractor Sunday, Elmore resident Dustin Mattingly explained the basics behind The Portage River Festival's Redneck Lawn Mower Pulling Contest.

"Get a tractor with a low gear and see how far it will go," Mattingly said, as he waited in line for his turn in the contest.

Area residents turned out for the lawn and garden tractors and more at the 32nd annual festival, in Depot Park hosted by the Elmore Historical Society and Materion.

Spectators lined the opposite side of the North Coast Inland Trail to watch the tractors and hear the roar of their engines, while other visitors sampled some of the festival's quieter attractions.

In addition to the tractor contest, other events included a 5K run, bicycle tour, cupcake baking contest and talent show.

Festival visitors also got a chance to tour the 19th century-era Mattie Heckman Log House, see a 1950s-era Elmore Village Train layout inside the depot and eat roast beef, sausage and sauerkraut sandwiches.

Mattingly said it was his first time competing in the event, with his tractor belonging to him and his father.

"It's been through some modifications and accidents because of modifications," Mattingly said.

Contestants had their entry numbers written on paper plates and taped to the front of their vehicles.

Fremont resident Carol Miller watched the tractors from a nearby table, where she encouraged festival goers to enter a Hospice of Memorial Hospital car raffle.

"I've never seen that. It's kind of fun, because it's different," Miller said.

Proceeds from the raffle benefited the hospice, and Miller said the organization raised more than $8,000 at the 2010 festival.

On the porch of the Mattie Heckman Log House, Renee Thomas slowly hand churned butter in a jar.

The log house is maintained in its original state, with household items that were used in that 19th century time period.

Thomas said she had spent an hour and a half churning the butter, and estimated it would take three hours to get a finished product.

She said all people needed to do was add a pinch of salt and the butter wouldn't taste any different than what they would find in a modern grocery store.

Other demonstrations at the log house included rug beating and stuffing mattresses with straw, she said.

"We're finding out more ourselves. We're trying to teach the younger generation what it was like," Thomas said.

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