Mosinee man's field art trumpets Trump

TOWN OF MOSINEE - Donald Trump's poll numbers were in the tank.

This was weeks ago, and the state of the presidential race troubled Terry Koprowski, 53, a town of Mosinee farmer and heavy truck mechanic. "All you heard about was how Hillary was going to win, and nobody supported Trump," Koprowski said. "I mean, I don't know anybody who is supporting Hillary. Not one single person. No one around here does."

Koprowski found himself stewing about the race. He thought more and more about how he wanted to support the Republican. Finally, an idea struck. He decided to do some grassroots politicking. Literally.

Koprowski's farm, which was originally bought by his grandfather, Lloyd Koprowski, in 1945, sits in the flight path of airplanes landing and taking off from Central Wisconsin Airport, located nearly due east. So Koprowski got on his riding lawnmower and drove it about a quarter mile south of the farmhouse and used it to mow the word "TRUMP" into a clover field that he had planted weeks before. He knew if he mowed the clover, the green below would stand out among the taller brown grasses when viewed from above.

RELATED: PolitFact: Clinton vs. Trump on job creation

RELATED: 'Giant Spider' director on why he loves Trump

"I wanted (people flying in and out of CWA) to know that, hey, we are here. Trump supporters are here in Wisconsin," he said. "I just want people to know that you are not alone if ... you want to vote for Trump."

Koprowski supports Trump because he believes the Republican would build up the military, preserve the right to bear arms and strengthen the economy. "I think he's worked his hind end off to get where he is," Koprowski said. "I believe that he can make America great again."

Even though Koprowski engineered his political brand of crop art on the fly, he likes the outcome. He's noticed that some planes even veer toward his field to get a better look at it, he said.

He didn't think his work sway potential voters.

Nevertheless, in the weeks since Koprowski began his lawnmower activism, the polling gap between Trump and Clinton has narrowed significantly. The two are in a virtual tie according to a CBS New/New York Times poll released earlier this week.

All Koprowski can say for sure is that he believes that Trump will "help make America" great again, and that his lawnmower message was "just a way to express myself."

Keith Uhlig: 715-845-0651 or keith.uhlig@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @UhligK.