Dale White, Escondido, Calif., and his “foster chickens” on parade at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, Vista, Calif. Dale is pulling a homemade cart with his 1939 John Deere Model H.
Photo courtesy Dale White
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Green crop loader at Andersons’ Rock Creek Relics Threshing and Sawing Show, Rush City, Minn.
Photo by Judy Anderson; Rush City; Minn.
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Justin Boll, Hartford, S.D., cuts wheat with a McCormick Daisy reaper pulled by a team of Percherons owned by Lowell Grave during the Humboldt, S.D., threshing show in August.
Photo by Linda Boll; Hartford; S.D.
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A line-up of vintage engines at an auction in Illinois.
Photo by Susan Eddy; Numa; Iowa
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Ready for a new century: This circa-1925 Baker steam engine owned by Jerred Ruble, Hanlontown, Iowa, makes it’s post-restoration debut at the Heritage Park of North Iowa Steam Threshing Days in Forest City, Iowa, in September.
Photo by Pam Olson; Kensett; Iowa
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It takes helpers of all ages and sizes to put on a tractor pull. Many answer the call at the River Valley Antique Assn. show, Mapleton, Ill.
Photo by Robert W. Hunnicutt; Washington; Ill.
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Mark Simcox, Belle Plaine, Minn., gives his grandson, Will Steinhagen, a ride on his John Deere 630 at the Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Show, Le Sueur, Minn.
Photo by Jean Siirila; Wadena; Minn.
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Blacksmiths Michael Kettering and Justin Moss at work in the blacksmith shop during the Coal Springs Antique Show and Threshing Bee in Meadow, S.D., in September.
Photo by Wade Hofer; Meadow; S.D.
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A 1939 General owned by Ned Story, Newton, N.C., on display at the 12th annual Power Show presented by the Foothills Antique Power Assn. of North Carolina in Hickory, N.C., in May.
Photo by Steve Ritch, Inman, S.C.
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A line-up of International tractors at the International Harvester Chapter 5 state show, Marshalltown, Iowa.
Photo by Pam Olson; Kensett; Iowa
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Brian Flatmoe and Rod Gaffrey operate a 12-20 Flour City tractor at the Coal Springs Antique Show and Threshing Bee in September 2015 in Meadow, S.D. The 2016 show will feature Case tractors and equipment.
Photo by Wade Hofer; Meadow; S.D.
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Jon Fieker, Aurora, Mo., at the throttle of a 1921 Baker Uniflow 21-75 engine owned by him and his brother, Dan Fieker, Highland, Ill., during the Ozarks Steam Engine Assn.’s Steam-O-Rama in Republic, Mo., in September 2015.
Photo by Melissa Fieker; Aurora; Mo.
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This massive 1912 Reeves 40-140 cross-compound steam engine pulls a plow during Cedar Valley Memories annual show, Osage, Iowa. Thought to be the largest engine of its type in the world, it is part of the Mitchell County Historical Society collection.
Photo by Pam Olson; Kensett; Iowa
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Sue and John Schneider’s Model A doodlebugs on parade at Andersons’ Rock Creek Relics Threshing and Sawing Show, Rush City, Minn.
Photo by Judy Anderson; Rush City; Minn.
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Jack Rhodes with the 1919 Dunbar Model 1200 popcorn wagon he restored, peddling popcorn at the Wisconsin Antique Power Reunion, Saukville, Wis., in July.
Photo by Ralph Wiedmeyer; West Bend; Wis.
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Heading to the field to plow during the Antique Acres Old Time Power Show, Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Photo by Pam Olson; Kensett; Iowa
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Seven-year-old Will Rengo gives his all during the pedal tractor pull at the Orange Spectacular in Hutchinson, Minn., in July.
Photo by Randy Rengo; Blaine; Minn.
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The threshing crew is hard at work at the NEMO Old Threshers show in Shelbina, Mo.
Photo by Melanie Boone; Macon; Mo.
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Assorted manure spreaders restored by Duane and Dale Anderson on display at Andersons’ Rock Creek Relics Threshing and Sawing Show, Rush City, Minn.
Photo by Judy Anderson; Rush City; Minn.
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Three heads are better than one. Here, Ryan Hembrough adds a rubber band to the governor spring on his Sandwich engine under the watchful eyes of his son, Christopher, and nephew, Kevin, at the Prairie Land Heritage Museum’s annual Steam Show & Fall Festival in Jacksonville, Ill.
Photo by Janet Healy; Fulton; Mo.
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A 1942 Farmall Model H with a Hilty buck rake and a Studebaker wagon. The buck rake, designed for use with a Farmall H, was built in Bluffton, Ohio. This rig – owned by Del Gratz – is used to gather corn shocks for a shredding demonstration at the Maple Crest Antique Tractor & Engine Show in Bluffton in September.
Photo by TR Steiner; Bluffton; Ohio
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Danny Holicky, Le Center, Minn., operates his feed grinding machines in his newly constructed lean-to that is connected to the granary at the Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Show, Le Sueur, Minn.
Photo by Dave Preuhs; Le Center; Minn.
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Randy Rengo’s 1938 Allis-Chalmers Model B, pulling a homemade pulp log skidding trailer made in the 1930s. “My father, William Rengo, and I used to peel poplar in the spring, let it dry during the summer and skid it out of the woods in the fall,” Randy says. “We used an Allis-Chalmers B to negotiate tight turns in and out of the trees. In memory of my dad, I pulled the old skidding trailer out of the weeds and restored it. I cut and peeled some poplar last spring and brought that with the Allis-Chalmers and trailer to display at the White Pine Logging Show, McGrath, Minn.”
Photo by Randy Rengo; Blaine; Minn.
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A 1915 LaCrosse Happy Farmer owned by the Gallop family at the Maple Crest Antique Tractor & Engine Show in Bluffton, Ohio, in September.
Photo by TR Steiner; Bluffton; Ohio
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Alemekezeke (Aleme) Chitanje, a graduate student from Malawi in southeast Africa, drives her first tractor at the Wisconsin Antique Power Reunion’s annual show in July in Saukville, Wis. “I drove my first tractor” was a popular new feature at the show.
Photo by Mary Demmon; Kewaskum; Wis.
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Travis Beaver, Blue Grass, Iowa, with his Forest slide-valve flame ignition engine. The full-size reproduction was on display at the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in September.
Photo by Janet Healy; Fulton; Mo.
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Duane Anderson and his granddaughter, Olivia Anderson, take a spin on his 1936 John Deere Model D tractor at Andersons’ Rock Creek Relics Threshing and Sawing Show, Rush City, Minn.
Photo by Judy Anderson; Rush City; Minn.
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Sometimes there’s no substitute for consultation. A thresher malfunction occasions a meeting at the Tazewell County Old Threshers Assn. show, Tremont, Ill.
Photo by Robert W. Hunnicutt; Washington; Ill.
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A working scale-model Case steam engine built by Andy Troutwine, Missoula, Mont., on the job at the Vintage Harvest show in Davenport, Wash., in August 2015.
Photo by Nancy Ruark; Pomeroy; Wash.
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Toby Wetzel, Lubbock, Texas, on his 1903 Gaar-Scott 16 hp engine with Ron Mattingly, Exeter, Mo., giving direction from the top of the thresher during the Ozarks Steam Engine Assn.’s Steam-O-Rama in Republic, Mo., in September 2015. Toby’s Gaar-Scott will be the featured engine at the 2016 show.
Photo by Jon Fieker; Aurora; Mo.
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Marv Hedberg’s 1903 Kansas City Hay Press 10 hp Lightning gas engine and hay press came back to life in 2015 after being abandoned to the elements for more than 75 years. The duo is shown here at Andersons’ Rock Creek Relics Threshing and Sawing Show, Rush City, Minn., in September.
Photo by Marv Hedberg; Rush City; Minn.
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The view from atop a Ruth wood separator during Andersons’ Rock Creek Relics Threshing and Sawing Show, Rush City, Minn.
Photo by Judy Anderson; Rush City; Minn.
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Grady Jones enjoys an ice cream cone while leaning on his dad’s quarter midget race car. Built in the 1950s, the car was on display at the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in September. Grady is the son of Nici and Mike Jones Jr., Monmouth, Ill.
Photo by Janet Healy; Fulton; Mo.
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This Percheron team owned by Glen Peterson, Viborg, S.D., pulls a wagonload of spectators during the Humboldt, S.D., threshing show in August.
Photo by Steve Schroeder; Humboldt; S.D.
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Jerry Corum and Brent Bambrook, make adjustments to Jerry’s Aermotor at a show in Exline, Iowa.
Photo by Susan Eddy; Numa; Iowa
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Patrick Draper at the wheel of his one-of-a-kind rig during the Macon County Flywheel & Collectibles Club’s annual show in Macon, Mo.
Photo by Susan Eddy; Numa; Iowa
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A 1939 Sears Economy tractor owned by Floyd Sigmon, Sherrills Ford, N.C., on display at the 12th annual Power Show presented by the Foothills Antique Power Assn. of North Carolina in Hickory, N.C., in May.
Photo by Steve Ritch; Inman; S.C.
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Nick Whitehead, Seneca, Mo., demonstrates his 1907 Chase Turbine Mfg. Co. circular sawmill at the Ozarks Steam Engine Assn.’s Steam-O-Rama in Republic, Mo., in September 2015. Nick uses it at the Steam-O-Rama with his Case steam engine.
Photo by Jon Fieker; Aurora; Mo
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Irvin Parsons displays this pair of OMC tractors at the Power of the Past show, Ottawa, Kan., in September. The tractors were built by Ostenberg Mfg. Co., Salina, Kan., from 1947 to 1954. No exact figures are available, but the company is believed to have produced 50 to 100 tractors.
Photo by Irvin Parsons; Burden; Kan.
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Ear corn is picked in the field using pull-type corn pickers at the Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Show, Le Sueur, Minn. This photo shows the ear corn is unloaded into an elevator and dumped into a snow fence crib, a common sight years ago.
Photo by Dave Preuhs; Le Center; Minn.
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The youngest members of the Coal Springs Antique Club – Iver Paul and Teigan Clark – do their part at the Coal Springs Antique Show and Threshing Bee in Meadow, S.D., by watering a team of horses.
Photo by Wade Hofer; Meadow; S.D.
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This Farmall F-12 and a 1936 International Harvester dump truck make a fine display at the 2015 Red Power Round-up in Sedalia, Mo. The truck is owned by John Lamke, Union, Mo.
Photo by Melanie Boone; Macon; Mo.
If you live north of the Mason-Dixon Line, this time of year marks a desolate point on the calendar. In January, last year’s show season is little more than a distant memory, and the upcoming show season can scarcely yet be imagined.
Fortunately, among the ranks of Farm Collector readers are legions of talented amateur photographers. In this issue, we share with you some of their favorite photos from the 2015 show season – bringing those warm summer days back to life, and making the next show season seem not quite so far off.
Once you get a look at these shots, you won’t need a time machine to drop back a few months. Clear blue skies and green fields set the stage. A cast of characters takes their places: grandchildren, grandparents; old-timers, first timers; young, old. Next to them are the true relics: doodlebugs, rare engines, restored tractors, original tractors and steam engines fired up and on the move.
Close your eyes: It doesn’t take long before you can almost hear the announcer over the cacophony of antique machinery. You’ll remember the heat, the dust, the smells of coal smoke and old iron. You may see the stream of shoppers hitting the swap tent first thing each day; you may see the line at the homemade ice cream stand.
Open your eyes: You’ll see things in these pages you’ve never seen before. A slide-valve flame ignition engine. A buck rake. A show-mobile built from an old boiler. Foster chickens on parade, for pete’s sake.
Relax; put your feet up. Forget about winter for a while – and enjoy the show!
Do you have a special place in your heart for the good old days of life on the American farm? Do your ears perk up at the sound of an old Johnny Popper John Deere? Do your eyes widen at the sight of a vintage Stover stationary? Then Farm Collector is for you!
