Bale Spears in Snow Pusher Makes Quick Work for Loader

The versatile snow pusher built by Craig Schnoor, Maquoketa, Iowa, has a distinct look. "I have christened it the Mad Max because of the way it looks going down the road. People who see it say it looks like a tank," he says.

The wings are at 45° angles, so the blade stays upright when it's set down. At 9 feet wide and 30 inches high, the snow pusher is the same size as a loader bucket, yet it's lighter to haul around. It won't scalp the gravel like a bucket, either, he says, which keeps rocks out of the yard. His wife likes that.

Since the steel tubes have a 3-inch diameter, spears go right in and stay on perfectly even if the spears are slightly off or bent, Schnoor says.

Two friends helped him bring his idea to fruition: Dan Davis, the owner of a metal fabrication company, and John Schroeder, a retired career welder. "I couldn't have done it without them since I'm still learning to use my new welder," says Schnoor.

Flips Around To Clear Snow: Push snow to the side for clearing farm lanes or the areas where bales are stored.

No Need To Leave The Cab: Instead of switching repeatedly from a bucket to a spear, hook up to an implement that has both.

Craig Schnoor

Career: A semiretired veterinarian who still fills in at local clinics, Schnoor has taken over his folks' farm in Maquoketa, Iowa. His, dad, Allen, is on hand to help. They raise cattle and grow corn, beans, and hay.

Family: Wife Katie, a chiropractor, stays home right now with son Quinn, 11, and daughter Avery, 8.

Fresh to the Field: Schnoor acknowledges he is an atypical farmer. Instead of doing all the work himself, he hires his planting and harvesting done. He equates it to referring a patient to a specialist and says it ends up being more economical, too.

Email: craigschnoor@hotmail.com