"[The calendar is] just a bunch of girlfriends and a bunch of local tractors," says Joleen Schreiber/Westphal. She started making the calendar in 2007 when a radio station challenged listeners to create something that reminded them of Wisconsin. Since then, it's taken off. They sell nearly 2,000 editions each year. The women have even gotten requests to send calendars internationally.
Nine years ago Westphal heard a radio station campaign asking for listeners to send in photos that depict what Wisconsin is all about. She got together with some friends and posed in front of a John Deere tractor.
Westphal, an operations manager at Eagle Valley Ag Service in Prairie du Sac, took the idea and made it her own. She and her friends found it wasn’t hard to find tractors of all makes, models and ages to pose with.
"[I'll miss] the memories, how close we've gotten with each other," says Amy Orvis, featured as July 2016. "As well as meeting all the different farmers and the great stories and the experience." "You go to the farm. You meet the farmers. You hear all about their tractor. It's the greatest thing. It doesn't matter what weather it is, you go out and you take a picture with the tractor," says Cathy Jo Schreiber featured as January 2016. "It's usually a big gathering. We're talking they get their neighbors and the friends over, and they're asking questions and talking to you and making fun of you, and it's all great."
The hard work has paid off though. The women say they have donated $47,000 to causes like St. Jude's and the American Family Children's Hospital.
"When it's freezing, I'm like, I'm doing this for the children!" says Amy.
https://oldcamo.tumblr.com/image/165574116305
https://www.facebook.com/Tractors-Gone-Wild-175172382502932
http://www.wkow.com/story/31240957/2016/02/Wednesday/2016-is-the-final-ride-for-southern-wisconsins-tractors-gone-wild-calendar
http://www.wiscnews.com/saukprairieeagle/news/local/article_05230ab9-4856-560c-addc-9399183fcc82.html
That orange one with the cab is neat..I can't make out who made it..
ReplyDeleteMinneapolis Moline UDLX, I've posted them before, they are cool. http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Minneapolis%20Moline%20Model%20UDLX
DeleteI wondered how then donated $47,000 to charity selling 2,000 calendars a year. The charge $150 for it.
ReplyDelete10 years, 2000 calendars a year, 10 dollars a calendar, that's 20 thou a year, before costs, then doing the math, they had it right. I don't get your math. Seriously. Plus, c'mon... you're not really talking bad about a charity that gave about 50 thou to kids charities without double checking your math, are you? Bruce... not cool man.
DeleteNo no, not at all, I was amazed by the numbers, not questioning their dedication to doing good. The calendars look first class and I'm sure not cheap to produce so the $150 price explains how they managed to do it.
ReplyDeletelemme try again... how did you come to the 150 number?
DeleteCan't tell you now. The site showed all twelve pictures being taken and in the short running dialog it mentioned the $150. I though that was high but farm extended families, friends, and neighbors, plus the community spirit behind a worthy project, make it possible. And that's without the girls boyfriends and admirers. If I see it again I'll let you know.
ReplyDeleteok. Well, shoot. I'm not reading back through all the research I did to post this, it took a couple hours. Yeah, most good posts do to see what there is on the web about something, who has written articles, and then the looking around for good photos to use. So anyway, 10 years, 10 dollars a calendar, 4700 calendars, 47,000 dollars donated. That seems right to me, and 150 doesn't make any sense.... besides, most of the links I have there as my source material, all mention selling the calendars for 10 dollars a piece. That's why 150 was a wtf number to me.
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