New book includes all the detail needed for a first class job
HOW TO RESTORE YOUR FARM TRACTOR
By Tharran Gaines

[Minneapolis, MN] Collecting tractors is nearly as popular as collecting cars these days, and a fully restored, classic John Deere or Farmall tractor can fetch over $20,000, depending on the era. A solid guidebook to restoring these machines is desperately needed and the new book How to Restore Your Farm Tractor answers that call.

How to Restore Your Farm Tractor ispacked with hundreds of helpful full-color photographs, proven tips and techniques, and money-saving advice from restorers who know what works ... and what doesn't. Tharran Gaines' expert DIY guide will walk you step-by-step through the complete restoration of your tractor, from disassembly to engine rebuild, electrics, painting, and final detailing. There's even a handy section on parts sources. So no matter if you favor John Deeres, Fords, Farmalls, A-Cs, or Minnie-Mos, with Gaines' guidance, you're well on your way to showing off your shiny "new" classic tractor!

The book really does cover it all, from Chapter 1, “Shopping for a Tractor,” through engine repair and rebuilding, hydraulics, to body repair and painting (complete with a listing of the most commonly sought-out paint colors/codes). Select chapters also have special trouble-shooting checklists. The final chapter tells all about the fun to be had post-restoration— antique tractor shows, farm equipment demonstrations and more.

About the Author: Tharran Gaines (Savannah, MO) has specialized in agricultural writing for the past 25 years. He has written owners' manuals, repair guides, and sales brochures for most of the major tractor companies, such as ACGO's Allis-Chalmers, White, and Hesston lines.

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Tractor Daze & Touch-a-Truck, Swap Meet & Mud Run, July 13

The National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame (Bonner Springs, KS) Tractor Daze & Touch-a-Truck, Swap Meet & Mud Run is sheduled for July 13, 2013. The rumble - rumble of an antique tractor kicks off a day full of family fun that doesn't end until the vroom – vroom of the last Mud Run competitor. Enjoy a Tractor Show, Swap Meet, Garden Tractor Pull, Trucks of all shapes and sizes, Working Antique Construction Equipment, Kiddie Pedal Pull, Ride a Miniature Train, Shriner’s Fire Wagon, and Hay Wagon, Enjoy Ag Fest, which includes Milking Demonstrations, Farming Demonstrations, Petting Zoo, Soil Tunnel Trailer, Blacksmith, Living History and more! Food vendors available.  Setup will be from noon to 6 p.m. on July 12. The Tractor Daze Activities & Swap Meet will be open 9am-4pm, and the Mud Run starts at 4 p.m.

Admission for only the Tractor Daze & Swap Meet is Adults $6, Children 4-16 $4. Admission for all activities, including the Mud Run, is Adults $10, Children 4-16 $5, under 4 and members free. 

The National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame is located just northeast of I-70/K-7 interchange in Bonner Springs, Kansas, two miles west of the Kansas Speedway.  For more information call 913-721-1075 or visit www.AgHallofFame.com.  

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About the Agricultural Hall of FameThe National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame is a nonprofit 501(C)3 organization that was Chartered by congress to serve as the National museum of agriculture and to honor American Farmer. The 164 acre museum complex features the Agricultural Hall of Fame, Museum of Farming, National Farmers’ Memorial, Poultry Museum, Educational Garden and FarmTown USA, an early 1900s farming community which includes a farmstead, one room school, railroad depot, blacksmith shop and more; a narrow gage miniature train takes visitors on rides around the town. The Smith Event Barn, the Rural Electric Conference Theater, and the Ag Hall of Fame’s park-like grounds are available for corporate outings, receptions, seminars, and weddings.

John Deere Collectors Gather to Celebrate “Weekend of Freedom Machines” and 50 Years of Mowing, July 26-28

Horicon, Wisc., May 8, 2013 – This summer, July 26-28, 2013, John Deere collectors and enthusiasts will gather near Horicon, Wis. to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first John Deere lawn and garden tractor. Sponsored by John Deere Horicon Works and Lawn & Garden Tractor Magazine, this three-day event will celebrate the 1963 John Deere model 110 lawn and garden tractor – known as the Weekend Freedom Machine. Only 1,000 model 110’s were made in 1963, all in Horicon, Wisc. and dozens are expected to be on display. More than 1,000 John Deere garden tractors of all models will be displayed by collectors along with a variety of lawn and garden tractor memorabilia.

Although all models of John Deere lawn and garden tractors are welcome to exhibit at this free event, the center of attention will be the 1963 model 110’s. Special events include a daily parade of tractors, a reunion of 1963’s, a lawn tractor show and exhibit, swap meet, lawn and garden memorabilia displays, blacksmith demonstrations by the John Deere Blacksmith and special photo opportunities with legendary tractors. Of special interest to collectors and enthusiast will be several question and answer sessions with John Deere retirees who worked with  the original model 110’s. Tours of John Deere Horicon Works will also be offered.

“This is a niche event for certain, but we all know John Deere enthusiasts come in large quantities and those interested in lawn and garden equipment are as passionate about their collecting as anyone,” said Kate Goelzhauser, editor, Lawn & Garden Tractor Magazine. “We’ve been planning this event for months and have collectors joining us from as far away as Canada, Connecticut, Indiana and Pennsylvania. We can’t wait to see the variety of machines and fans that help us celebrate 50 years of mowing with John Deere.” 

The Weekend of Freedom Machines event is entirely free and open to the public. Attendees will also have access to food vendors, campsites and free parking. For more information, visit the event’s facebook page. Event details are as follows:

WHEN:    July 26 – July 28, 2013
•  Friday, July 26, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
•  Saturday, July 27, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
•  Sunday, July 28, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
 
WHERE:  Dodge County Fairgrounds
                State Highway 33
                Beaver Dam, Wisc. 53916

CONTACT: For registration and event questions Kate Goelzhauser, 812-455-5870, kate@lagtmag.com or Darren Redding, 765-432-2571, Darren_redding_580@yahoo.com.

Heartland Acres Plans Saturday June 8, 2013 Tractor Ride

More than 40 tractor riders participated in the Heartland Acres Tractor Ride in 2012. The 2013 ride is expected to draw riders from around the area again for the 54 mile trip through the northern half of Buchanan County. 

The Heartland Acres Tractor Ride is on again for 2013. Mark your calendars for Saturday June 8, 2013. The ride will start at 8:30a.m. from the Heartland Acres parking lot at 2600 Swan Lake Blvd, in Independence, Iowa.

Entry fee per tractor is $25. Entry forms for preregistration are available at Heartland Acres admission office or by visiting our website at www.heartlandacresusa.com and are due by May 31, 2013. 

Tractor Rides in Iowa are one of the best ways to get out and show off your tractor and see the countryside at a slower pace. 

For more information about Heartland Acres please visit www.heartlandacresusa.com or call (319) 332.0123 or see Heartland Acres on Facebook.
 

Vista, California, USA April, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Give Your Fan a Brain!

ProMan PTO, LLC announces the Introduction of "Cool Minder"Automatic Fan Reverser for your ATV, UTV, Zero Turn or Ride-On Mower; Helps keep your radiator free of Dust & Debris automatically. 

ProMan PTO, LLC has developed a revolutionary Patent Pending Fan Reverser for ATVs, UTVs, Zero-Turns and Ride-On Mowers. Simply unplug the radiator fan's connector and plug the Cool Minder in line and forget about it. When the thermostat starts the vehicle's cooling fan, ProMan PTO's patented micro-electronic brain is pre-programmed to automatically reverse the fans direction for several seconds to blow out debris and dust build-up on your radiator. Then the program winds the fan down to a stop and reverses the fan to continue through its normal cooling cycle for a number of minutes. This entire sequence then repeats automatically to assist in keeping your vehicle's radiator clean while you work or play. Plug it in once and forget it while Cool Minder watches over your cooling system.  

The Cool Minder currently fits the majority of Polaris, Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki ATV's and UTV's and will be available for other brands as well as mowers soon! Simplify your life and let Cool Minder automatically clear your radiator for you!  

To learn more about the company and products, contact your local UTV/ATV or Farm Implement Dealer or contact: 

ProMan PTO, LLC  
3030 Enterprise Court
Suite D, Vista, CA 92081
www.promanpto.com  855-776-6261 (Toll Free) 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2013

Ice-Vibe: Prevention, Recovery, Rehabilitation

KINSTON, North Carolina (April 8, 2013) – Horseware Ireland is happy to announce the addition of Ice-Vibe Hock and Ice-Vibe Knee to the revolutionary Ice-Vibe range. Ice-Vibe Hock and Ice-Vibe Knee are designed to help prepare horses’ legs before exercise and reduce soreness and swelling after exercise.

Ice-Vibe works by cleverly combining the effects of cooling therapy with massage. Cold packs help to cool tissue and control inflammation, while massage helps to stimulate the lymph system to reduce soreness and promote healing.  This dual circulation therapy can be extremely effective for treating strains, ligament damage and tendon damage, without causing any pain to the horse.

Massage creates a similar effect to that of a horse moving about while grazing, making Ice-Vibe perfect for horses on stall rest.
 
Everyday wear and tear on joints and tendons can be managed with daily use of the boots, and rehabilitation through injury can be achieved more effectively.

Many top riders and trainers are now using Ice-Vibe boots. International eventer Doug Payne says: “Ice-Vibe boots…will quickly make regular ice boots a thing of the past. I’ve been using the Ice-Vibe boots and our horses’ legs have never been better following strenuous workouts. I couldn’t be happier with them.”

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For more information, please contact Horseware Ireland at:
Email: info.usa@horseware.com
Ph: 800-887-6688
Web: www.horseware.com 

About HorsewareTom and Carol MacGuinness founded Horseware Ireland in 1985 in Dundalk, Ireland. After months of research and hand stitching the prototype, the established Rambo® Original was born, setting the standard for modern blanket design. Today, Horseware® is a leading manufacturer of clothing for horses and riders and continues to make the most innovative products on the market. The Rambo® turnouts are still manufactured in Dundalk. Horseware® employs 125 people in Ireland, 250 people in the two factories in China, 80 people in Cambodia and 36 people in the USA.

Visit our website for more information, www.horseware.com 

Heartland Acres - Tour Season begins with visitors from Germany and Fort Scott, Kansas 

Pictured is a group of John Deere Service managers from Germany and a group of John Deere Students from the US who recently visited Heartland Acres as part of their stay in Iowa. 

As weather in Iowa begins to warm up so do the number of tours to museums and other venues our state has to offer. Heartland Acres recently receive two tour groups who were in Iowa on business for John Deere. As their time allowed in travels between John Deere facilities they were able to come to Heartland Acres Agribition Center and discover the variety of exhibits and learning opportunities available to visitors.

Christoph Fiekers from Germany was on his second visit to Heartland Acres and commented “the displays are interesting and the museum always has something new.”

Pictured are students from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas. 

Lindsey Crawford, a native of Independence was here with her group from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas. It is a 2 year technical program created by John Deere that trains students to become technicians for John Deere dealers. The students will also earn an Associate's degree. Every student must have a sponsoring John Deere dealership to be accepted into the class and will train at those dealerships during two internship periods. Lindsey's sponsor is Rowley Equipment.

Every year the students that are to graduate in May use their spring break week to tour John Deere factories in Iowa. Their stops included Ankeny, Ottumwa, Moline and Waterloo. The group made time in their day to come by and see Heartland Acres thanks to Lindsey's recommendation. Lindsey is the daughter of Mark and Micky Crawford of Independence.

Iowa travel season heats up this time of year.  Visitors can find many things to do in Iowa by checking out www.traveliowas.com 

Fastline Publications Launches Shop/Website for Women in Agriculture 

Fastline Publications is pleased to announce the launch of their new shop, which is part of their website, Jillsjunction.com. It is designed with women in mind, catering to their needs and providing a location for all interests to intersect, from farming and agriculture to traveling and cooking. The site features recipes, crafts, stories from around the farm and more. The shop features jewelry, accessories, books, gifts and housewares.   

The site is available at jillsjunction.com or shop.jillsjunction.com. 

For more information call 800.626.6409 or email amy.wathen@fastline.com 

- Heartland Acres Agribition Center Presents -
Seed Savers Exchange: Buy your heritage seeds locally!

For the fifth year Heartland Acres Agribition Center is an outlet for “Seed Savers” of Decorah, Iowa.

Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers, heirloom seeds can now be purchased in the Gift Shoppe at Heartland Acres Agribition Center.

Seed Savers Exchange saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, living chains passed down through generations. When people grow and save seeds, they join ancient traditions as stewards, nurturing our diverse, fragile genetic and cultural heritage. Seed Savers Exchange is one of more than 100 U.S. seed companies that have signed the Safe Seed Pledge and will continue to participate in the future. Gardeners from every corner of the world have brought seeds when their families immigrated to America. Throughout the colonial period, traditional seeds brought by European settlers enriched the legacy of food crops that Native Americans have grown and traded for centuries.

Today, however, due to shrinking rural populations, elderly gardeners often cannot find younger relatives who will continue to grow their living heirlooms. When these elderly seed savers pass away, their outstanding strain often become extinct. Future generations of gardeners will never enjoy those unique tastes and textures. Valuable genetic characteristics are lost forever. Seed Savers Exchange was founded in 1975 and has helped preserve our heritage.

Seed Savers Exchange and Heartland Acres Agribition Center are both listed as partner sites of Silos and Smokestacks. Pick up your brochure at either site to see what exciting day trips you can visit this year.

Heartland Acres Agribition Center winter hours are: Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30pm. Summer hours begin April 1st, when we'll be open 7 days a week.

Remember – “The early bird gets the worm” (or seeds). Stop by today – 2600 Swan Lake Blvd. Independence, Iowa 50644 exit #252 on Hwy. #20; 319-332-0123; “Iowa - Past, Present and Future of Agriculture”. 

Call Friedrich Tire & Rim for all your tire needs! Todd Friedrich, owner, carries many special tires for antique tractors, as well as lawn & garden tractors, golf carts and other vehicles.

Based in Chanhassen, Minnesota, Todd will also deliver tires to the shows he attends, and save on shipping costs, if you order 3 weeks before a particular show he is attending. A few brands carried by Friedrich Tire are American Farmer, Goodyear and Firestone. You can reach Todd  at 612-940-2800, or his cell phone 952-237-2207. His email is toddfriedrich@gmail.com and website is Friedrichtire.com. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

CHANNELLOCK INC. INTRODUCES ITS LARGEST, MOST POWERFUL WRENCH:

CHANNELLOCK® 30” 830 ADJUSTABLE WRENCH

MEADVILLE, Pa. (Jan. 28, 2013) – Channellock Inc., known as a worldwide leader in manufacturing high-quality pliers and hand tools for all trades and professions for 127 years, is introducing its 30” 830 Adjustable Wrench. The new wrench complements the existing adjustable wrench line and is a full six inches longer than the previous offering from CHANNELLOCK®. 

The new 30” 830 Adjustable Wrench provides added power and leverage, as well as a jaw capacity up to three inches. These improvements coupled with the fact that the wrench is forged from Chrome Vanadium Steel for superior durability and performance makes the CHANNELLOCK® 30” 830 Adjustable Wrench capable of handling the biggest and most demanding jobs in any industry. 

“As jobs continue to grow increasingly demanding and difficult, we saw the need for a tool that was capable of withstanding the toughest tasks that come from the toughest industries,” said Ryan DeArment, vice president of sales and marketing at Channellock Inc. “The CHANNELLOCK 30” 830 Adjustable Wrench is a tool that goes further than the rest to provide tradesmen and professionals the ability to complete all of their most difficult jobs.” 

The CHANNELLOCK® 30” 830 Adjustable Wrench provides users with a reinforced joint, with a 1.5” thickness and 6.3” width, as well as premium support behind the wrench’s 12 pound steel structure. With such a massive frame the new wrench was designed specifically for professionals from the oil and gas, fleet maintenance, HVAC, rigging, farming, and industrial and commercial industries. 

Tradesmen and professionals will be able to purchase the new CHANNELLOCK® 30” 830 Adjustable Wrench from their local independent hardware retailer or directly from CHANNELLOCK® at www.channellock.com.

Visit www.channellock.com for more information on the CHANNELLOCK® 30” 830 Adjustable Wrench, including product specifications and images. To stay connected with CHANNELLOCK®, like CHANNELLOCK® on Facebook, join CHANNELLOCK® Nation or follow CHANNELLOCK® on Twitter. 

Celebrating its 127th year of business, Channellock Inc. is a worldwide leader in the manufacture of high-quality pliers and assorted hand tools. For more information on CHANNELLOCK® products, the company’s rich history, sales contacts and current news, visit CHANNELLOCK® at www.channellock.com. 

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Take Part in the Controlled Environment Agriculture School at FarmTek® 

Dyersville, IA — January, 2013 — FarmTek will be hosting its first ever Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) School March 19-21, 2013. FarmTek’s mission is to provide the highest quality products at affordable prices and excellent customer service. Now, they are taking their goal of serving you one step further by offering you the chance to learn about some of the latest trends in horticulture and agriculture, such as year-round hydroponic growing, fodder production and an introduction to aquaponics.

The purpose of these sessions is to educate growers of any background about the variety of controlled environment agriculture opportunities. The hydroponics portion of the event will discuss production factors, trouble-shooting, disease control, marketing your produce and more. FarmTek has a large variety of hydroponic systems at their campus, so you will be able to get a lot of hands-on experience. The fodder curriculum will cover using fodder in your operation, system components, sanitation, producing microgreens for high-end markets and more. The introduction to aquaponics will go over the basics of fish farming, the connection between hydroponic vegetable production and fish farming, how to construct aquaponics systems to produce at a variety of levels and more.

The CEA school costs $995, which includes three nights lodging and lunch each day. As an added bonus, if you want to purchase a system after completion of the school, you will receive $995 off the purchase of a complete hydroponic, fodder or aquaponic system. If you have already purchased a system, you will be able to attend the CEA school for free.

Registration is currently open for the March 19-21, 2013 CEA school. Attendance is limited to 24 people, so if you aren’t able to attend this seminar, there will be another one September 17-19, 2013. To register, contact Kim March at 800.327.6835 ext. 700. She will send you a registration form which includes lodging options. Registration closes one week prior to the event, so hurry to reserve your spot now!

About FarmTek

FarmTek is the leading manufacturer of tension fabric structures and greenhouses. The FarmTek catalog features over 30,000 products designed to meet agricultural, equine, growing and gardening needs. Corporate headquarters are located in South Windsor, CT. Our Hercules Truss Arch manufacturing and distribution center is in Dyersville, IA. Visit us on the web at www.FarmTek.com/TechCenter or call 1.800.327.6835. 

As part of its Green Fever sales program going on now, John Deere launches a new Power Up Giveaway program that runs from now through February 28, 2013, in the United States. The Power Up promotion is directed at farmers, ranchers, landscape contractors, and large property owners interested in John Deere compact tractors or utility tractors.

To participate in the Power Up promotion, customers can go to JohnDeere.com/greenfever and complete the short survey located on the website. Once they complete the survey, they are registered to win either a John Deere 3E Compact Tractor or 5E Utility Tractor to be given away in the spring of 2013.

"The Power Up promotion ties in well with all the Green Fever equipment discounts and special financing offers that are also running during this time," says Steve Geick, Tactical Marketing Manager at John Deere. "All customers have to do is go online to the John Deere Green Fever website and they'll find a wide range of helpful product information and comparison tools on John Deere compact tractors, utility tractors, as well as hay tools."

For more information on the special Green Fever sales event and the Power Up promotion on select John Deere equipment for the farm, ranch, lawn and garden, visit JohnDeere.com/greenfever. See your John Deere dealer for specific details on the Green Fever sales program as well as for more information on the products included in the promotion. The Power Up promotion is valid only in the U.S.
 

 
Immediate News Release:
Heartland Acres Agribition Center
2600 Swan Lake Blvd.
Independence, Iowa 50644
319 332-0123
Attn: Craig Johnson
Email: craig@heartlandacresusa.com  

1941 John Deere A-II Reproduction Armored “Tractor Tank” on display through Memorial Day 2013 at Heartland Acres in Independence, Iowa. 

    
The 1941 John Deere A-II reproduction prototype “Tractor Tank” is now on display through Memorial Day 2013 at Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence, IA. 

Heartland Acres “Ag in the Military” display continues to grow. The most recent addition to the exhibit is a reproduction of an armored John Deere Model A prototype A-II “tractor tank”. The tractor is on loan from co-owners Dr. Curt Clark and Dr. Leo Milleman from Ames, Iowa. 

The original “tractor tanks” were designed, built and tested in 1940 -1941. The A-I and A-II were never approved by the U.S. Army for production and the prototypes were scrapped. The story of the original armored “tractor tanks” resurfaced in a tractor collector publication in May of 2002.     

Drs. Milleman and Clark began researching the A-I and A-II tractor tanks in 2002. Reconstruction of the A-I and A-II started in November 2005. There were no blueprints and only a limited amount of testing documents and a few pictures to go on. With little information and a lot of hard work, the reproduction tractors were completed by June 2006.  More of the history on the reproduction prototype “tractor tanks” may be found in the “Ag in the Military” exhibit at Heartland Acres.

1915 International Harvester Threshing Machine on display through November 14, 2013 at Heartland Acres in Independence, Iowa.

       
1915 International Harvester threshing machine with its owners (left to right) Richard Haight and Fred Tegtmeier and caretakers Bill and Curtis Sage. The machine will be on display through November 2013 at Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence, IA. 

Bill and Beverly Sage of Waterloo, Iowa, have been storing a very rare International Harvester threshing machine for almost half a century for their friends Richard Haight and Fred Tegtmeier. The wooden thresher, believed to be a model made around 1915, recently served as home to a family of raccoons. The thresher was once co-owned by Richard’s grandfather and Fred’s dad. 

The owners felt it was time to bring the thresher out of storage and let others enjoy seeing the machine and believed the place to have it displayed is Heartland Acres in Independence, Iowa. “It’s a long story about how the thresher ended up here after 50 years of storage in Bill’s machine shed but thanks to Ron and Laura McCullum with State Aerial we now have another great display”, stated Brian Bell, Event Manager at Heartland Acres.

Information about the old thresher is sketchy but Curtis Sage, son of Bill and Beverly, knows real well how the thresher works. As a young boy, Curtis and a friend were playing inside of the thresher. Curtis got caught in it and couldn’t get free so his friend, Richard Haight ran to get help. Over 50 years later, Richard and Curtis remain friends and are glad to see their “old friend” the International Harvester thresher on display at Heartland Acres.
 
You can find many more fascinating displays, hands on activities and the ongoing and ever changing story of our agricultural heritage at Heartland Acres in Independence, Iowa. Winter hours for the museum began Monday, November 5. The museum will be closed on weekends and major holidays starting November 5 – April 1, 2013. Call ahead for hours and availability.

For more information about Heartland Acres please visit www.heartlandacresusa.com or call (319) 332.0123. Heartland Acres Agribiton Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Immediate News Release:
Heartland Acres Agribition Center
2600 Swan Lake Blvd.
Independence, Iowa 50644

Heartland Acres Honors Retired and Current Military Members During Month of November

Members from the Independence VFW and American Legion Posts are shown with the Heartland Acres “Ag in the Military Display” in honor of  the upcoming Veterans Day November 11, 2012. 

Sunday, November 11 is Veterans Day. To honor and say thank you to all retired and current US military members, Heartland Acres is offering half price admission to the museum for the month of November. Military ID required. 

Some history of Veterans DayAccording to the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs website, the origin of Veterans Day began in 1921. An unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, and similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France, where an unknown soldier was buried in each nation’s highest place of honor (in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). These memorials took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The day was known as “Armistice Day” and is now called Veterans Day.  

Through loans and donations of additional items, the museum staff continues adding to the “Ag in the Military” display.  Items from World War II and the Korean Conflict are featured in the display. “What started out to be only  a WWII CASE SI “Airborne” tractor exhibit has now grown through continuing interest and support,” commented Brian Bell, Event Manager.  

“Ag in the Military” will be on exhibit through August, 2013. Winter hours for the museum begin Monday, November 5. The museum will be closed on weekends and major holidays starting November 5 – April 1, 2013. Call for hours and availability.

Heartland Acres is a non-profit 501(c ) (3) organization. For more information about Heartland Acres please visit us at www.heartlandacresusa.com or call (319) 332.0123 or find us on facebook. 

1440 Field of Dreams Way, Dyersville, IA 52040
Phone: 1.800.327.6835, Fax: 1.800.457.8887 www.famtek.com
 

FarmTek Announces Fall 2012 Photo Contest

Dyersville, IA—October 2012—FarmTek will be holding a photography contest for people to submit photos of the company’s products from now until November 30, 2012. Do you love showing off your FarmTek products? Think you're using them in a unique and interesting way? FarmTek would love to see! Submit your photos to the FarmTek Fall 2012 Photo Contest. The best submission will receive a $500 gift certificate to the company and five runners-up will each receive a $200 gift certificate.

To participate in the contest, submit at least three high-quality photos of your FarmTek products and tell us what you like about them. We are looking for striking images of products purchased from FarmTek. These images should show the product in use. FarmTek asks that you send the highest resolution images possible (4x6 prints or 300 dpi digital images). Submit your files in your digital camera’s original format (i.e., .jpeg, .tiff, .png).

FarmTek isn’t just interested in great photos — we'd also love to hear how our products are working for you.  Let us know how you benefit from using the products, how they impact your business or home, your experience with ordering from us, or any modifications you have done. You may find your testimonial and photos featured in our catalog!

Submit your photography contest entry electronically to contest@FarmTek.com or post them to the FarmTek Facebook fan page. All submissions must be received by November 30th, 2012. To read the complete contest rules, please visit www.FarmTek.com/PHOTO.

FarmTek was founded in 1979 with the purpose of bringing the highest quality products at the most competitive prices with exceptional customer service directly to the agricultural, horticultural, building and retail trade communities. Corporate headquarters are located in South Windsor, Conn., and our manufacturing and distribution center is in Dyersville, Iowa. Visit us on the web at www.FarmTek.com.  

Immediate News Release:
Heartland Acres Agribition Center
2600 Swan Lake Blvd.
Independence, Iowa 50644
319 332-0123
Attn: Craig Johnson

Increase your Agriculture IQ #5 – Bloom Manufacturing

 
Dortha Sundquist and Intern Steven Pals stand by a very early model of a corn cutter and crusher manufactured by Bloom Manufacturing. 

In the late 1800s J.S. Bloom discovered through working with Iowa State University, that cattle benefited from eating the whole ear of corn rather than just the kernels. The ear acted as roughage and contained some nutrients. This knowledge led Smith to design, build and patent a corn cutter and crusher in 1901. The equipment allowed farmers to process the whole ear of corn along with the kernels to produce a higher quality of feed for their animals. This also led to a higher quality of manure for the farmer to put on his field.

J.S. Bloom developed and sold stock tanks for milk and water along with grain elevators. These products were made almost entirely of wood as J.S. also owned a lumber yard. Amish farmers still use wooden stock tanks today. 

In 1964, J.S. Bloom sold his company to H.E. Smith. Smith was a salesman and knew he needed help on the manufacturing side of the business. Smith recruited Grant Sundquist who had a strong manufacturing background in metal products. Sundquist designed and built a lawn mower repair table and a new line of grain augers and winches.  

In 1974 Dortha, Grant’s wife, left her job to join Grant in the business which they purchased from H.E. Smith. They developed a variety of custom agricultural products which were sold to farmers, Sears and Roebuck, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force as well as many other customers. Grant and Dortha enjoyed working with their employees whom Grant had personally trained.        

Grant and Dortha owned the business until 2000 when they sold it to their employees. Today, current owner Mark Collett specializes in producing a high-tech line of winches. 
 
You can see a Bloom Corn Cutter and Crusher on display at Heartland Acres.

For more information about Heartland Acres please visit us at www.heartlandacresusa.com or call (319) 332.0123.
Heartland Acres Agribiton Center is a 501 (c) (3) non- profit organization. 

T&T Pump has been manufacturing water pumps since 1965 at our facility in Fairmont, WV.   Brothers Donnie and Tommy Tucker took their father’s experience in the coal fields of West Virginia to expand their line from dewatering piston pumps used in the mines to state of the art pump stations, utilizing one of the largest lines of multi-stage booster pumps available today.  

T&T pumps are used worldwide in Reverse Osmosis and Desalination processes.   In 1979, we purchased a small line of piston pumps from F.E. Myers; the Bulldozer single action.  It has many fans across the country and almost all selections on their brochure are still in production.  These workhorses are still pumping water; some since the 1920’s.  The line has been lucrative enough to merit continuation of the manufacturing process.   

Our line can be viewed on the web at tandtpump.com or by phone M-F 7:30 am to 5:00 pm EST.   Call 304-366-1300 or fax 304-366-1398.   Our physical address is T&T Pump Co., Inc., RR 8 Box 343, Fairmont, WV   26554

For Immediate Release:

HAWAIIAN TOUR OPERATOR OFFERS FARM TOURS IN HAWAII SINCE 1975! 

Farmers and ranchers from throughout the United States and Canada have visited Hawaii with YMT Vacations (YMT) every January since 1975.  A major U.S. tour operator, YMT started specializing in Hawaii in 1967 and in 1975 moved their first farm group to the islands (the Fulton County Farm Bureau in Ohio).

Since then, YMT has set aside every January to include sightseeing of particular interest to farmers and ranchers on their most popular Hawaiian vacation, the two-week, four-island, fully escorted Hawaiian Kings Tour.

This popular vacation package, designed for the first time visitor, includes sightseeing of all the major highlights on the four main Hawaiian Islands.  Besides escorted sightseeing, travelers will spend nights in hotels on the islands of Oahu, staying on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu; Maui; Kauai; and on the “Big Island” of Hawaii in the villages of Hilo and Kailua-Kona.  

Agricultural industry sightseeing includes a visit to the Ludgate family owned Steel Grass Farm on Kauai, featuring commercially grown bamboo, vanilla, Tahitian lime, papyrus and cacao. On Maui, visitors will tour the Maui Gold Pineapple Plantation and processing facility and on Hawaii, sightseeing includes an orchid nursery and the Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation.

A major sightseeing highlight near the Kona Coast on Hawaii is a visit to the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii, a research facility of ocean thermal energy conversion.  Both warm surface and cold-deep seawater is brought together to generate electricity.  One will see how “Aquaculture” has flourished as a byproduct.  Nearby, sixty tons of algae are grown each week as feed for abalone at the Big Island Abalone Farm.

Other sightseeing includes Pearl Harbor; the USS Arizona Memorial; Wailua riverboat cruise; the old whaling village of Lahaina, Maui; Volcanoes National Park; Rainbow Water Falls; and a Macadamia Nut factory tour. 

Included are 14 night’s hotel accommodations, roundtrip and inter-island airfare, airport transfers, to your room baggage handling, sightseeing, and the services of professional Polynesian tour guides.

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Additional information can be obtained by calling YMT Vacations, located in Michigan, at 1-800-736-7300. 

In the wake of the 2012 Mecum Kissimmee auction, the list of shattered records continues to grow. The Florida auction kicked off Mecum’s 25th year and a staggering 2,158 vehicles crossed the block, the most in company history. The six-day event, held at Osceola Heritage Park on January 24-29, 2012, achieved a 30% increase in attendance over last year. Hammer price sales for the week-long auction totaled $55,397,462, and factoring in Buyer’s premium, total gross sales are reaching close to $60,000,000 as Bid Goes On sales continue to rise. Mecum sold 1,548 vehicles with an amazing 73% sell-through rate. The auction was broadcast live on Velocity for 32 hours allowing enthusiasts to take in all the action from the comforts of home.

Mecum Auctions president Dana Mecum said, “Kissimmee kicked off the 2012 auction season and Mecum’s 25th year in business, and I can’t think of a better way to begin celebrating our Silver Anniversary than with a record-breaking auction. Company records were smashed in nearly every category including number of vehicles offered, vehicles sold, total sales, attendance, and number of registered bidders.”

Top Ten sellers at the auction covered a wide swath in enthusiasts dream sheets. With nearly 300 Corvettes offered during the Kissimmee auction, quite a few were in the Top Ten, but sitting on top of the list is a 1963 Shelby Cobra Dragon Snake (Lot S220), which sold for $850,000. The remaining nine vehicles were (all sales reflect hammer prices):

2.  1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible (Lot F199) at $610,000
3.  1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Coupe (Lot S103) at $270,000
4.  1963 Chevrolet Corvette RestoMod (Lot S226) at $255,000
5.  1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (Lot T188) at $227,500
6.  1930 Packard 745 Waterhouse (Lot S83) at $225,000
7.  1941 Packard Darrin 180 Convertible Victoria (Lot S122) at $220,000
8.  1970 Plymouth Superbird (Lot K56) at $200,000
9.  1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible (Lot S163) at $200,000
10. 1957 Ford Thunderbird F-Bird (Lot S129) at $200,000

Dana Mecum observed, “We have a heavyweight title bout going on within our own organization for the title of World’s Largest Collector Car Auction. With the great success from this auction, Kissimmee 2012 has captured the crown from Indy 2011 as the World’s Largest. Stay tuned for ‘Indy in May’ as it works to regain the crown as the World’s Largest.”

Complete auction results are available to Mecum InfoNet members, which is free to join at www.Mecum.com. Logged in members can see car-by-car sales information by visiting the results page. The next Mecum Auction will be held in Kansas City, MO March 29-31 at the Kansas City Convention Center inside Bartle Hall, followed by the newest addition to the schedule, Houston April 13-14, 2012 at The Reliant Center. To consign or pre-register to bid for one of Mecum Auction’s upcoming events, visit www.Mecum.com or call 262.275.5050.

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Excitement continues to build for Mecum’s Kissimmee Auction, which will feature close to 2,000 collector cars crossing the auction block Jan. 24-29, 2012 in Kissimmee, Fla.

The annual Kissimmee event will kick off the 2012 auction season for Mecum as they celebrate 25 years in business. 

“Since the final gavel fell at last year’s event, enthusiasts and collectors have been anxiously awaiting our larger-than-life Kissimmee Auction, which we have expanded once again to encompass six full days,” said president Dana Mecum. “We are off and running with an incredible inventory of cars for this year’s event, including a staggering group of investment-grade Corvettes, muscle cars and several collections offered at no reserve.  Collectors flock to Florida for Mecum’s fast-paced, customer-centered auctions, and as last year proved and this year promises, Kissimmee will again be the must-attend collector car event in January.”

Mecum will offer the legendary 1961 Chevrolet Corvette Gulf Oil Race Car, a SCCA B-Production National Championship winner driven by Dr. Dick Thompson, “The Flying Dentist,” and the most dominant Corvette racer of its time. Ordered new by Don Yenko for Grady Davis, VP of Gulf Oil, this Corvette boasts the RPO354 fuel-injected 283/315 HP engine, Borg Warner 4-speed transmission, Positraction rear end, heavy duty brakes and suspension, and quick steering adaptor. This Corvette has earned the 2011 NCRS American Heritage Award, been part of the Bloomington Gold Special Collection and has been inducted into the Corvette Hall of Fame and the Bloomington Gold Hall of Fame.

In addition to the high-quality Corvettes, muscle cars and exotics being offered, Mecum will present more than 1,500 pieces of automotive memorabilia.  For a complete consignment list, visit www.mecum.com and click on the Kissimmee Auction link.

Mecum’s Kissimmee Auction takes place at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla. with tickets available in advance or at the door for $15.  The auction will broadcast with four days of live national TV coverage on Discovery’s all new Velocity network during the “Mecum Auto Auctions: Muscle Cars & More” show. 

For additional consignment and bidder information, call 262.275.5050 or visit www.mecum.com.   

Schedule:
Mecum Kissimmee Auction
Osceola Heritage Park
1875 Silver Spur Lane
Kissimmee, FL 34744
January 24-29, 2012
General Admission: $15.00
Preview: Gates open Tuesday-Sunday at 7:30 a.m.
Auction: Memorabilia begins at 8 a.m. daily
Vehicles begin at 11 a.m. daily   
Live TV Times: 
Wednesday- Friday 5-9 p.m.
Saturday 2-8 p.m.
(All times Eastern) 

Many visitors and residents alike have been welcomed to the Heritage Area by the words “Entering Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area.” These Gateway Signs can be found in five locations along the major highway corridors near the borders of the 37-county region. Now visitors to Heartland Acres and the other more than 100 Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) Partner Sites will receive a similar greeting. To show our affiliation with the Heritage Area, Heartland Acres recently received outdoor signage to identify our location as an official SSNHA Partner Site.

SSNHA’s network of Partner Sites is just one element of a variety of programs dedicated to preserving and interpreting the past, present and future of America’s agricultural story. The new signs will serve as a connecting thread for this network of sites, while letting visitors know they can discover a piece of America’s agricultural story being preserved at Heartland Acres. The signs also complement current outdoor interpretive signs found at sites and along trails throughout the Heritage Area that share the region’s unique story with visitors.

“The Partner Site Signs are an important piece in connecting all of the region’s nationally important stories,” commented Don Short, SSNHA President. “This is a huge milestone for the Heritage Area and would not have been possible without the support of the Iowa Department of Transportation and John Deere Foundation.”

Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area is one of 49 federally designated heritage areas in the nation and is an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service. The Heritage Area covers 37 counties in the northeast quadrant of Iowa. Interstate 80 borders it on the south and Interstate 35 borders it on the west. Through a network of sites, programs and events, SSNHA interprets past and present farm life, agribusiness, and rural communities. To learn more about how SSNHA is preserving and sharing America’s agricultural story, visit www.silosandsmokestacks.org.