This is not a paywall You can keep reading for free! At Hyperallergic , we strive to make art more inclusive, so you’ll never hit a paywall when reading our articles. But, as an independent publication, we rely on readers like you to keep our high-quality coverage free and accessible. Please consider joining us as a member to support independent journalism.
Already a member? Sign in here. We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, consider supporting us as a member.
Join Us SAUK COUNTY, Wis. — A small crowd stood at the edge of a wide hayfield as opera music blared across the rural Wisconsin expanse. A combination of giggles and breathless wonder took hold of the audience, mesmerized while three stoic tractors began revving their engines in choreographed unison.
They made swirling synchronized figure eights across the field and lifted their spiked hay rakes in a graceful port de bras . Each tractor pirouetted and twirled in a dazzling solo before the drivers hopped out and ran forward to bow as the public threw roses and cheered. Some even shed a couple of tears.
The world’s first ever “Hay Rake Ballet” was a high point of what may be the last iteration of Farm/Art DTour , a 50-mile circuit of temporary art installations that has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors to the farmlands of Sauk County since 2011. Produced by Wormfarm Institute , a local farm-turned-art center that has garnered nationa.