Fourth of July 2011

Garnavillo, Iowa

The town of Garnavillo, Iowa with a population of 700 has been celebrating the Fourth of July with a grand parade and fireworks display for over twenty years. As a former Iowa Tractor Boy I always look forward to this event.

The Parade always starts with our National Anthem and the salute to our Nation's Flag. Here you can view this Flag as well as the Flag of the State of Iowa. I am especially proud of the Iowa Motto, "Our Liberties We Prize, Our Rights We Will Maintain."

No parade would be complete without floats from various organizations, but it is the tractors that garner a lot of interest. For those who are not familiar with brands I will say that this is a John Deere.

Many farmers also restore tractor's from their childhood or their parents or even grandparents era. This is an early model of a Farmall Tractor.


This is an Allis Chalmers Tractor. I have fond memories of an Allis Chalmers Model "C" which my Dad purchased in 1944 when I was four years old. I even remember the day he drove it home. It included a two row cultivator and a two bottom plow. The price for all of this was around $700.00.

This is a Massey Harris Tractor. In addition to the many tractors in the parade there were floats from various church organizations and each fire department in Clayton County was also well represented. Every young person had a plastic bag to pick up the candies that were thrown to them by the many entries in the parade.

I wonderful day for a parade in a small Iowa Town. The population of Garnavillo during the parade must have been about 5000. The parade lasted over one and one half hours.

Kale Avenue

Clayton County Iowa

A Tractor Boy's Summer

This is a view of Soybeans and Corn on a farm rented by the Iowa Tractor Boy who will be featured in the last picture of this entry.

This is another view of the same rented farm. The photographer, a former Iowa Tractor Boy, spend his childhood on this farm which is now owned by a sibling. This shot was taken from the site of the one room country school that stood on the corner of this farm and was attended by the photographer.


This is a view of the farmstead of the Iowa Tractor Boy who also works at John Deere Dubuque Tractor Works. He was also featured in the entry of earlier today.

Yes, this is the Iowa Tractor Boy checking a field of Soybeans that his brother has planted on another farm.

A Tractor Boy

Iowa Farm Family

This is a Clayton County Iowa Farm Family. This family, like many others took a break on the Fourth of July to celebrate with family and friends, but it was also a great day to pose for some farm related pictures.

This Iowa Farm Family has three boys. This pose was inspired from the movie entitled "Field of Dreams" which was filmed in nearby Dubuque County.

Yes, It Is A Hemi!!!

2011 Iowa Corn and Gardens

During a recent trip to Iowa this Former Iowa Tractor Boy observed that the corn crop for 2011 is at least knee high on the fourth of July.

Here is a current Iowa Tractor Boy showing off his pumpkin patch. This picture was taken on July 4, 2011. It would appear that there will be an adequate crop of pumpkins for pies and Jack-O-Lanterns this Fall.

A patch of sweet corn. The current Iowa Tractor Boy also enjoys eating so he has a garden of pumpkins, sweet corn and potatoes. This garden is off of Kale Avenue in Clayton County Iowa.


This picture is certainly proof that the corn is at least knee high. This Tractor Boy works for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lock and Dam Number Ten on the Mississippi River in Guttenberg, Iowa.

Another current Iowa Tractor Boy demonstrating that the corn is knee high on the Fourth of July. This Tractor Boy also is employed at the John Deere Factory that builds the Harvestor. He works in the area that builds the rotors, which thresh the grain from the stems. This corn field is off of Kale Avenue in Clayton County Iowa.