Horse-drawn history

Plainfield Sun, 08/15/01

By M.B. Sutherland

It seems like every day, another subdivision is built in Plainfield.

But a group of dedicated residents with the Wheatland Plowing Match Association is hoping the area's agriculture way of life isn't forgotten. They used their annual get-together to remind residents of what it was like decades ago.

The 20th annual Farmer's Pig Roast thrived despite the heat and drew farmers and nonfarmers alike. The event offered good food and a look at antique cars, tractors and old farm equipment. Live music, auctions, raffles and rides for kids on farmer Jim Culver's horsedrawn wagon were also on hand to complement the roasted pork and corn, and other foods.

Plainfield area farm families run the event and plowing association. Though many of the families no longer actively run farms, farm life is still in their blood and, to them, preserving and documenting that way of life for future generations is important.

Larry Gregory, a past president of the group, said that the Wheatland Plowing Match began more than a century ago as a contest for local farmers to see who could plow the straightest, cleanest and neatest line using horses and one bottom plow.

"Obviously, in time, after plowing with horses, they plowed with tractors," he said. The plowing association eventually died out, Gregory said, because the farms were disappearing. But about 20 years ago, many of the farm families from the area decided to get together to help fund the Naperville Riverwalk.

After looking back at the group's original charter from more than 100 years ago, they realized that it was still valid and simply took it over. After working on the Riverwalk, the association built the monument at the Farmer's Plaza on the Riverwalk that includes area farm-family names.

These days, in addition to funding scholarships for students in agricultural-related studies, the money the association raises from events like the pig roast goes to an even bigger dream.

"Our goal is to try to preserve a working demonstration farm within the Naperville/Plainfield area. That's a major challenge because of the value of the land. We want to keep it to educate the youth of our suburban area. We're looking for major support to try to acquire a farm (of about 80 to 160 acres) before they're all subdivided," Gregory said.

"All but about a dozen area farms have been sold for development. The farm that I grew up on is now Fox Valley Mall. Quite frankly, it's not cost effective for the farmers to keep farming."

Wilbur Hageman, a past farmer and current president of the DuPage County Fair Association, said the pig roast is an enjoyable tradition. "It's just been a tradition since the beginning of the Riverwalk," he said. "It's a pleasure. We just enjoy doing it."

Hageman, whose wife Ruth is historian for the group, expressed concern for the farming way of life. "We're kind of running out of those family farms," she said.

It seems as though everyone on hand had a farm story to tell.

G. Alan Diehl, who is retired from the farm business, was born and raised on a Naperville dairy farm located roughly at the intersection of Naper Boulevard and Bailey Road. Diehl's own mother, Hilda Diehl, competed in the Wheatland Plowing Matches in 1927 and 1928. Diehl said he started going to the matches when he was 3 or 4 years old.

"She won by points, but she didn't win the classes," Diehl said. "There were a few more women (competing) in later years, but she was one of the first, if not the first."

Diehl comes to the pig roast every year and hopes that the tradition will continue.

Looking back, Diehl jokingly laments, "we should have bought property 100 years ago!" When homesteaders came to the area in 1873, land sold for about $1 an acre.

Fist-time attendees Judy Wenzel and Barbara Rudd of Naperville said they had read about the event in the newspaper for several years and had always wanted to come.

"We heard it was a good time," Wenzel said. "We grew up around farms. It's sad to see the houses (from subdivisions) across the street encroaching."

Rudd added, "It's sad to see the farms disappear."

However, if the group's goal is realized, at least one working farm in the area will remain to teach generations to come.