LINDSBORG, Kan. — Forget the pen and paper. Richard Patrick made his wife of nearly 50 years an early Valentine with a piece of farm equipment.

Pulling a 12-foot wide chisel behind his tractor, the 70-year-old plowed a huge heart into his soybean field last week, with the words "Be My" inscribed inside it. He then took his wife for a drive on an elevated highway nearby.

"It's the first time he's ever drawn me a Valentine's card," said Delrena Patrick, 68. "I thought it was pretty nice. He usually does it like every other male: He goes to the store and buys one."

The Patricks, who were married Feb. 29, 1956, have four children, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Word of Richard Patrick's Valentine spread quickly among relatives and friends.

"It's kind of cool and special, being it's their 50th anniversary" said son-in-law Duane Koelling.

Still, Richard Patrick isn't off the hook for Valentine's Day. He said that when he and his wife got home after he showed her the Valentine, the first thing she said was, "You aren't gonna get by with just that."