Watching his 1912 25 HP Gaar-Scott plowing a field is probably one of Bob Anderson’s greatest pleasures.
Bob, MacGregor, Canada, bought the single-cylinder simple, rear-mount Gaar-Scott in 1979. Two years later, and after scouring five Canadian provinces and seven U.S. states for parts, he was steaming.
While Bob takes the Gaar-Scott to the Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion in Austin, Canada, every year, the photo shown here was snapped on the last Saturday of September 2003 at his farm one mile west of MacGregor.
Why that day? To hear Bob tell it, he didn’t have much choice: “Some of the guys wanted to get together, and they said it was my turn. ‘We’d like to plow at your place this year, so we’re coming on Saturday,'” Bob was instructed.
And plow they did, with a few friends watching and a few friends working (read: playing). Tending to engineering duties is Clyde Hall, Phillmore, Saskatchewan, while Colin Beemish (left), Amiota, Manitoba, and Wally Armstrong, Langruth, Manitoba, are on the plow. Not visible is Jack Beemish, who’s steering. The plow is an eight-bottom John Deere of about 1913 vintage.
Bob says the Gaar-Scott is a fine-running machine and is regularly operated at 150 psi, the highest pressure allowed in Manitoba. Looks to us like a good day to be alive. ST
