The Scouting Report: A weekly digest

Plowing history, free speech ‘F’, menopausal chimps

In her prime, the Wiard X130 was a technological advancement in farming. Patented on July 14, 1896, by the Wiard Plow Co., the X130 plow was designed to change direction easily, allowing farmers to plow in rows rather than spirals. It was also adaptable on the farm, making it easy for farmers to replace the blades when they dulled.

The South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum is now the proud owner of an X130, thanks to a donation from Marvin and Marilyn Steinback of Brookings County.

“Marvin, having served on a museum board himself, knew the value of the piece for South Dakota’s agricultural history,” said a release announcing the donation. “After careful consideration, he decided the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum should be the one to care for this rare plow.”