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Tractors blessed for all their hard work in the fields

Sharon Maull Collins leads the way down Robinsonville Road toward the church. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTOS
Chris Flood
October 19, 2021

Nearly two dozen tractors, mostly retired and used for show, participated Oct. 10 in the annual blessing of the tractors hosted by Israel United Methodist Church.

The tractor parade started at Rabbit’s Ferry Community Center on Robinsonville Road and made the two-and-a-half-mile trip to the church on Plantation Road.

Old tractors in a rainbow of colors are set to be blessed for their years of service.
A couple cows across the street look to see what all the noise is about.
Israel United Methodist Church Lay Minister Raquel Farmer leads the prayers for the tractors.
Debbie Taylor gets the bacon ready for breakfast after the blessing.
Many of the tractors are decorated with personal items.
The ol’ Red, White and Blue adds a nice touch to this tractor.
Tahj Lopez, 7, is all smiles as he pulls into the church parking lot with his dad Malik Lopez.
Dad Eric Streett helps daughter Kayleigh Paolillo navigate the narrow path between the podium and outdoor seating at the church.
This tractor belonged to Harvey Morris, who died in June. He was one of the people who helped organize the blessing for years. His wife Carolyn Morris drove the tractor this year.
Jerry Maull parks his tractor like a man who has experience.
Mike Taylor manages the sausages and home fries that will be eaten after the blessing.
Lane Edwards turns his yellow low boy into the parking lot at Rabbit’s Ferry. He painted it himself.

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Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014. He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres, but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government. He covers environmental stories, business stories, random stories on subjects he finds interesting and has a column called ‘Choppin’ Wood’ that runs every other week. Additionally, Chris moonlights as the company’s circulation manager, which primarily means fixing boxes during daylight hours that are jammed with coins, but sometimes means delivering papers in the middle of the night. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design.

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