Home Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District Mattituck High School Mattituck Tractor Day celebrates North Fork’s deep agricultural roots

Mattituck Tractor Day celebrates North Fork’s deep agricultural roots

Despite soggy skies, Tractor Day at Mattituck High School took place as planned, celebrating the students’ rich agricultural heritage.

“We are one of the only high schools in the nation that practice this every year and it is something very special to me that makes Mattituck High School very unique,” said organizer Christopher Wahlers, a senior.

“Tractor Day at Mattituck is always a big deal,” Wahlers said. “Usually its a surprise to the underclassmen, as typically only seniors and some juniors are involved.”

According to tradition, Wahlers said, when students get off the buses in the morning, they are greeted by a line of tractors parked parallel to the entrance of the high school. Students and faculty take photos and talk to the kids who’ve brought their tractors to school.

“It’s really a nice gathering in the morning to offer a nice change up to the daily routine and signify the end of the year, as well as being a big deal for the graduating class,” he said.

Sometimes, Wahler said local businesses such as North Fork Potato Chips stop by to take pictures. Last year, the company placed one of the larger bags of potato chips on the seats of all of the tractors in the parking lot.

“It creates a nice hustle and bustle in the school as everyone anticipates the huge traffic jam caused by all of the tractors starting up and leaving at the end of the day to parade down Pike Street,” he said.

Tractor Day was born in 1996 when MHS senior Pete Ruland drove his tractor on the last Friday of school.

“Since that day, all of the farm kids started driving their tractors to school on that week every year to honor his feat. It is a great way to show off the farm aspect of high school on the North Fork, and how much farms really mean to us out here,” Wahler said.

Teens get involved with the preparation, he added. “What my friends and I like most about the tradition is preparing our tractors the day before, whether it be charging batteries, cleaning our tractors or even just making sure they’ll run that morning. Then, waking up early with excitement knowing what day it is,” Wahler said. “It’s really a happy time throughout the school, and pulling in to the school parking lot with teachers, students, and parents taking pictures, waving, and admiring the vehicles is really an awesome feeling. It gives you a sense of community here in Mattituck, and shows how tightly knit we truly are.”

This year, an earlier Tractor dDay was held in October to celebrate “Farm to school month,” as well as to put the pictures of Tractor Day in the yearbook, something that had never been done before.

As organizer, Wahler scheduled a date and helped plan a route for the tractors.

Last year, on his first Tractor Day, Wahler and good friend and classmate Tom Talbot drove their tractors to school, the first non-seniors to do so.

“To our disappointment, last year’s turnout was terrible, and besides us, there was only one tractor in the parking lot. There was a big drive for me to step it up this year and get more people involved,” he said.

In October, participants brought nine tractors, as well as ATVs, dirt bikes, go carts, lawn mowers, and golf carts — new to the tradition, but a great way to get more people involved in the event,  he said.

Tractors will remain on display by the entrance of the school parking lot in the row by the tennis courts until 2:10 p.m. when classes are dismissed; some students take their tractors out during their lunch periods, Wahler said, adding that some dress in “farm clothing, which adds to the fun and spirit of the event.”

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