Governor Lynch Commends Howard

At the Official Governor & Council Breakfast Celebrating County Government Week, Governor John Lynch present Commendations to Mr. Howard Hatch and Mr. Sean Smas of Hatchland Farm:

On January 2, 2006, there was a fire at the Grafton County Complex which destroyed both the Woodworking shop and many of the items that were stored there. One of the items was a 1953 Farmall Super C Tractor. The tractor, still a workhorse on the Farm, was burned almost beyond recognition.

Local farmer, neighbor and owner of Hatchland Farm, Howard Hatch was a big help after the fire, lending a hand in any way that he could. He saw that the Super C was nearly destroyed and he took it upon himself to restore the tractor.

The tractor had special meaning to Howard as his grandfather, Harry Hatch, was the Farm Manger of the Grafton County Farm when the tractor was originally purchased. This tractor had a life of it’s own over the years as it planted hundreds of acres of corn, mowed many fields of grasses and had an ever extensive number of riders over the years.

Hatchland employee Sean Smas along with some help from another employee completely dismantled the tractor into a simple pile of metal, and then piece by piece restored it to its original luster.

This could not have been an easy task, nor an inexpensive one.

After restoring the tractor, Mr. Hatch lead it back to the Grafton County Farm where it

has already begun the work it was intended for, which is plowing the fields and readying them for their intended crop.

If that tractor could speak, we’re sure it would be expressing it’s most sincere thanks that someone cared enough to take the time and effort to put it back together and restore the history that it had so boldly gained over the last fifty-three years.

The Grafton County Commissioners as well as residents and employees of Grafton County are sincerely appreciative for the thoughtful and nostalgic contribution of effort from Mr. Hatch and Mr. Smas and gratefully commend them.

Grafton County Commissioners' Office
3855 Dartmouth College Highway
North Haverhill, NH 03774
603-787-6941