By Ashley Nickel

“People helping people,” while building an entire tractor from scratch, is what Harold Altenburg, Wisconsin Rapids, set out to accomplish when he invited high school students to gain life skills and knowledge on his farm.

Altenburg feels that this opportunity will help students achieve their goals, and ultimately contribute to the betterment of our Wisconsin Rapids community.

Harold will accomplish his mission by providing students with various learning opportunities, such as: building an entire operational tractor from start to finish; planting, cultivating, harvesting, and selling a wide variety of fruits and vegetables; teach equipment use, care and maintenance; and provide marketing/advertising strategies for agribusiness.

In addition to farm-specific lessons, students will also learn the overall importance of the agricultural industry, the importance of giving back to the community and ways to get involved, and emerging trends in the field of agriculture as well as a multitude of agricultural career options.

Most 89-year-olds aren’t building a tractor from scratch while simultaneously imparting knowledge and life skills to local students, but that is exactly what Altenburg is doing.

Harold is best known for owning and operating Altenburg’s Farm, for 55 years.