It’s hard to believe, but Christmas 2010 is just around the corner. I’m already being asked by my wife and family for my Christmas gift ideas. I don’t know about you, but answering that question is only getting harder the older I get. Truth is, if there’s something I need or want and I have the extra money, I’ll just go ahead and buy it. I’ve never been known to be patient, but forcing myself to make a Christmas list has helped.

Anyhow, if you’re like me, you appreciate a little assistance in satisfying that yearly question of “What do you want for Christmas?” And while I’m sure each one of you has a child-like fantasy of waking up Christmas morning and finding your dream engine sitting in the garage with a big bow on it, allow me to offer some realistic last-minute gift ideas:

• The first item is definitely more of a “need” than a “want.” I mean, how else will you know where to go next show season unless you have the handy 2011 Farm Collector Show Directory? Packed with maps of each show location, detailed listings, club advertisements and commercial resources, the directory is your personal guide to the world of antique farm equipment shows. Your loved one can pre-order a copy for $14.95, with the first copies shipping on Feb. 28.

• I’m guessing that somewhere in your garage or shop there sits a very rough engine that you’ve been meaning to restore but simply keep neglecting for one reason or another. Well, gas engine restorer Peter Rooke knows exactly what it’s like to turn a basketcase into a work of art, and he shares that expertise through his step-by-step book simply titled Gas Engine Restoration. If you’ve hit a roadblock in your restoration it’s likely that Peter has run into a similar problem and has come up with an interesting solution. Order his book for $19.99.

• This last idea isn’t gas engine related but it definitely taps into that interest we all have in old tools and machinery. Our sister publication, Farm Collector, has  a monthly feature called “What Is It?” where readers try to identify mystery tools and their original purpose. Well, the editors of that fine magazine recently compiled more than 150 of the most interesting tools they’ve come across over the years and published The Farm Collector Field Guide to Mystery Farm Tools. Loaded with 96 pages of information and full-color photos, the Field Guide is the definitive resource for identifying an old tool. There’s even a chapter featuring tools that have never been identified, offering you a chance to shed some light on a mystery. Order it for just $7.99.

Whatever it is you find under your tree this year, we hope it’s just what you wanted. From our family at Gas Engine Magazine to yours, Happy Holidays!

Since the January 2006 issue of Gas Engine Magazine, engine enthusiast Peter Rooke has been sharing his restoration expertise through detailed articles that often span several issues.

Peter Rooke’s book, Gas Engine Restoration, is now available through Gas Engine Magazine.

As an editor, it’s a risky decision to commit that much space to one story, and you always have to ask the question, “What if the reader gets bored with this series halfway through?”

But with Peter, that’s never been a concern, and reader surveys have confirmed that for us. The vast majority of readers appreciate Peter’s attention to detail and straightforward approach to explaining the technical aspects of gas engine restoration, which is why we’re thrilled to announce the release of Peter’s first book on the subject, aptly titled Gas Engine Restoration.

The first book of its kind, Gas Engine Restoration is a step-by-step guide that we think will be extremely valuable to beginning and experienced hobbyists alike. An easy-to-follow narrative is supplemented with plenty of color photos, comprehensive data tables and a soft cover spiral binding that allows you to lay the book flat and use it as you work on your own restoration. You can bet that Editor-in-Chief Richard Backus and I will be using it extensively when we begin restoring our 1921 1-1/2 HP IHC M later this summer.

Where I’ll be this summer
I found out last year that some people like to know ahead of time what shows I plan to attend, whether it be to make sure I see a unique engine, meet someone interesting or just say hello. So, barring any unforeseen events, here’s a partial list of shows I’ll be at:
• Camp Creek Threshers, July 18-19, Waverly, Neb.
• Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Show, Aug. 26-30, Portland, Ind.
• Midwest Old Threshers Reunion, Sept. 3-7, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. (I’ll be bringing my banjo and guitar and playing some songs in the Farm Collector tent from Songs of the Iron Men, my new album of folk music featuring poems from Iron-Men Album).
• Ozarks Steam-O-Rama, Sept. 17-20, Springfield, Mo.

As for the music on the album, here's a taste of what you'll hear. This song is called "Smoke on the Prairie," and was written by Chas. L. Genter:

I'm sure that many of you don't know that I'm a folk musician in my spare time. Over the last three years, I've recorded and released five albums of original folk music, and recently had the unique opportunity to combine my interest in folk music with my interest in old iron.

While looking through issues of Iron-Men Album from the 1950s and 60s, I came across several poems written by actual steam farmers, threshermen and their wives reflecting on their experiences with steam farming. Farmers are often characterized as tough and stoic, so I was struck by how romantic and funny these poems are. And, in addition to being well-written accounts of a fascinating chapter of American history, I also thought they'd make pretty good songs. So, I chose 12 of my favorites and set them to original music.

To give the album an old-time American feel, I used instruments unique to American folk music including banjo, washtub bass, steel resonator guitar and autoharp. I played all of the instruments myself and recorded the album in my bedroom studio. From start to finish, the album only took me about two weeks, mostly because it was very easy to fit the words to music. These poems were written from the heart so they already carry a certain kind of tune. All I had to do was read each one a few times before matching the words with a complementary tune in my head.  

Though the album is focused on steam farming, the sentiment behind the poems and the music is something that everyone with nostalgic feelings toward the good old days of farming can relate to. In the technology age, it's easy to lose sight of how we used to things five years ago, much less 100 years ago. Many folks believe that when steam farming disappeared, so did the romantic view of farming. And while farming is definitely quicker and more efficient than it's ever been, the close relationships that farmers once had with each other and the land have been replaced by mega-capacity combines operated by one person in an air-conditioned cab. These poems help us remember that at one time, things were different.

As you can see from the album cover, Farm Collector coordinating editor Jeannine Snyder put the finishing touches on the project with an outstanding album design and layout that complements the music perfectly. The photo that Jeannine used for the cover features a Waterous steam engine threshing crew, and was provided to us by John F. Spaulding. You'll find more photos like that one in the book he put together with Dr. Robert T. Rhode, Steam Tractor Encyclopedia, available in the Farm Collector store.

And as for the music on the album, here's a taste of what you'll hear: This song is called "Smoke on the Prairie" written by Chas. L. Genter in 1955, and is being offered as a free download for a limited time.

Songs of the Iron Men is now available in the Farm Collector store for just $10 plus shipping and handling.

Read the original poems in their unedited entirety.