As we head into spring, area roads will continue to fill with large, slow-moving farm implements getting ready for the planting season.

Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright says although the farm equipment travels well below highway speed limits, it is important to exercise patience and caution when passing the large machines. “You just have to have patience. The equipment’s not going the same speed as cars, so you’ve got to wait until it’s legal to pass. Don’t go around them on a double-yellow line even if that equipment is slow. You have to wait to pass and do it legally.”

He adds that equipment is getting larger each year, which can complicate maneuvering through narrow city streets. “I saw a big tractor with an anhydrous applicator going through Main Street in Guthrie Center on Monday. The tractor pretty much took up the whole road, so traffic had to yield, slow down and pull over. That’s how big equipment is now.”

Arganbright, along with the Menlo Fire Department will share safety information with the public during a free farm safety event Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Menlo shelter house. Event organizer Pastor Dean Porter says in addition to receiving safety tips, attendees will also have the opportunity to pray for a safe and prosperous harvest season. “We will have the blessing of the tractors. We encourage everybody to bring their tractors of any size for the blessing.”

Arganbright and Porter will tell us more about farm safety and Saturday’s event today on Let’s Talk Guthrie County. It airs during the 9 a.m., noon and 5 p.m. hours on K107.9 and www.raccoonvalleyradio.com.