Young Aulik Implement salesman and farmhand embraced the area’s agricultural community
By Dennis Pecha, sales manager, NORTEC (Northern Technologies)
Growing up in Langlade County, Wisconsin, has been a rewarding experience. From an early age, I was drawn to farming. At age 10, I vividly recall visiting the Langlade County Fair with my mother and being mesmerized by the massive farm machinery displays, especially the Allis Chalmers booth.
George Gresh and Al Schroeder from Gresh Implement were my heroes, showcasing the impressive Allis Chalmers 190XT tractor. While my siblings enjoyed the fair rides and treats, I spent hours sitting on tractors.
Gresh and Schroeder were more than just implement dealers; they were icons in our community. Their passion for farming and machinery was infectious.
They took the time to explain how each piece of equipment worked, sparking my curiosity and deepening my appreciation for the technology behind farming.
My fascination with farming began in these early years. Langlade County, with its vast fields and rich agricultural heritage, provided the perfect backdrop for a young boy’s dreams.
The fair wasn’t just an annual event; it was a gateway into the world of farming, where I could touch, feel, and experience machinery that was the backbone of our community’s livelihood.
The Allis Chalmers 190XT tractor, with its powerful engine and sleek design, epitomized the strength and resilience of the farming spirit I admired so much.
At 12 years old, with my parents’ permission, I began working for Rudy Raven, a local dairy farmer. Getting up at 4 a.m. to herd milk cows for morning milking became a routine. I was charged with all the feeding and can vividly remember climbing up the silo to fork down the morning’s feeding silage.
My supervisor, Jerry Lucht, who was 14 years old, showed me the ropes. He taught me how to pile hay on the wagon as it came off the hay baler, then unhook the wagon, re-hook it to another tractor, and take the hay back to the barn to stack it in the hay mow.
