Many of us grew up on a tractor. Sometimes it came with an appropriate safety lesson, other times it was just “hop on up there.” Often driving a tractor down the road came well before driving a car, and while this is the norm for many members, most of the population has no idea the how’s, why’s or what’s of farming equipment.
County Farm Bureaus statewide have been working this year to address a few of these knowledge gaps — mostly the HOW, as in really slow!
Present-day realities of impatience, poor driving habits, cell phone use and sprawling development have left many farmers vulnerable traveling their local roads with equipment.
Van Buren County Farm Bureau saw the Connecting Communities grant as an opportunity to address these concerns. They purchased more than 70 yard signs and four large metal signs with a “share the road” message to distribute to members and strategically place along busy roads and intersections.
A big part of the project’s momentum came from members like outgoing county president Mike Bozung.
“It was something I’d seen riding around in other counties and I thought it was a really good idea. As equipment gets larger, the roads are busier, and everyone is in a hurry, a little extra warning along the way will encourage people to exercise more patience,” Bozung said.
“We want the public to be more aware. In our county, we have a lot of tourist traffic — folks coming in from Illinois. More people have begun to work remotely and stay in our community, and you just see more traffic.”
The signs were distributed at a membership event at the Hartford Speedway and at the county annual meeting in August. Bozung spoke not only about how they hopefully impacted the community, but how much members appreciated them.
“We received a really positive response from members — they were excited,” he said. “As soon as people got them, they put them out, which has generated even more interest and requests.
“It's nice to drive around the county and see the signs on corners and on farms. It’s brought a smile to my face to see them and know it’s doing some good.”
Van Buren Promotion & Education Chair Kristin Kubiszak seconded Bozung’s feelings about the reception.
“People really appreciated them because they can easily put them in their yard, and it’s also made them feel like a valued member.
“As a board member, I’ve really loved seeing members who aren’t usually in P&E spaces get really excited about a community outreach project that meant something to them. The Connecting Communities grant was a cool opportunity to start a new project that isn’t normally in our plan of work for the year.”
For Bozung, the project was a hit and one he’d like to repeat and see more counties pick up.
“For other counties, if there’s any hesitation about it, it’s a no-brainer. If it’s something they want to do, even without the grant, it’s a reasonable project that’s not going to break the bank. The signs were easy to order through the MFB print shop in a very seamless process”
For anyone who finds themselves behind a combine this harvest season, Bozung had some parting thoughts.
“I hope the signs get people’s attention and cement that it’s not the end of the world if they get stuck behind a tractor. They’ll still get to where they need to go, just takes a few extra minutes.”
Van Buren joined Genesee, Oceana, Montcalm, Osceola, Bay and Gratiot counties this year in Connecting Communities share-the-road projects. The 2024 Connecting Communities Grant program awarded 54 county Farm Bureaus $1,000 grants to meet consumers where they are by engaging with local communities.
Interested in share-the-road or similar projects? Connect with your county Farm Bureau.
Share Story
Article Tags
