We all have our own unique ways of sharing the holiday spirit. For some, it’s the smell of fresh-baked ginger snaps filling the kitchen or the annual tradition of hand-writing Christmas cards for old friends. For others, it’s the sound of carols echoing through the neighborhood.
But for the folks at Prunty Farms, spreading Christmas cheer required something a little more heavy-duty: a tractor, a drone, and two acres of untouched white snow.
The High-Stakes Mission
When a massive winter storm dumped ten inches of fresh snow onto their South Dakota fields, most people would have stayed inside with a cup of cocoa. But Farmer Dan saw a blank canvas.
He had a vision to create a massive holiday greeting that could be seen from the heavens, but there was a catch—he only had one chance to get it right.
Unlike a drawing on a piece of paper, you can’t “erase” a tractor track in deep snow. Once the snow is packed down by those massive tires, the mark is permanent. If Dan turned too early or miscalculated a letter, the entire message would be ruined. He had to rely on decades of experience behind the wheel and a whole lot of holiday faith.
Modern Tech Meets Old-Fashioned Grit
As Dan climbed into the cab and started the engine, he couldn’t actually see the “big picture” of what he was creating. From the driver’s seat, it just looked like piles of snow. He was driving blindly, guided only by his gut and the “spirit of Christmas.”
To capture the magic, the rest of the Prunty Farms crew launched a drone into the crisp winter air. As the camera climbed higher, the scale of Dan’s ambition became clear.
Across two acres of South Dakota soil, the tractor began to carve out massive, perfect letters. The drone footage shows the precision of a man who knows his land like the back of his hand.
A Message for the World
When the engine finally cut out and the drone looked down, the result was breathtaking: a massive, stylized
“What do you get when you mix a tractor, a drone, and 10 inches of snow? A two-acre Merry Christmas!” the farm shared on social media. “Hopefully, Santa will see it when he flies over on Christmas Eve!”
The video didn’t just please the local community; it became an internet sensation. Even though the “snow art” was originally captured a few years ago, it resurfaces every December, warming the hearts of millions of viewers who are stunned by the sheer scale of the work.
Why It Matters
In a world that moves so fast, there is something deeply moving about a farmer using his tools and his land to speak to the world. It reminds us of other famous instances of “field art,” like the North Dakota farmers who have used their crops to send powerful messages to the nation.
Farmers are often the unsung heroes of our country, working long hours in isolation. Seeing them use their “office”—the vast, open fields—to send a message of peace and joy is a powerful reminder of what the season is really about.
