Cheers to 25 Years of Farm Collector!

The ancients led lives completely different from those we lead, but at least one thing has remained true down through millennia. As the Romans sagely noted, tempus fugit. No matter what language you speak, time flies.

And so it is that we mark the arrival of Farm Collector’s 25th year. This is a big deal for us, although our observance of the event will be less of a spectacle than the recent jubilee honoring Queen Elizabeth’s 70th year on the throne. For a fledgling magazine 25 years ago, making it to the quarter-century mark seemed a bit of a longshot. But in today’s environment, when more than a few publications have shut down and many others limp along online only, this is a noteworthy milestone.

It’s all been made possible by the enduring partnership of subscribers and advertisers. Without your loyal support and encouragement – including the support of subscribers and advertisers who were on board almost from the beginning – Farm Collector could not have made it two years, let alone 25. We are more grateful than we can say for all of you!

In an editor’s life, 25th anniversaries don’t roll around every day. We brainstormed, we planned, we had Great Big Ideas for a special issue! What we didn’t have was good timing. When the printer said no to a bigger-than-usual issue (on account of supply line issues impacting paper inventories), we tried to figure out how to put 50 pounds of potatoes into a 25-pound sack.

Moving at a brisk clip here, in this issue noted author and Octane Press publisher Lee Klancher shares his short list of leaders in tractor innovation. Columnist Josephine Roberts considers the historic impact of U.K. emigrants on the U.S., specifically their contribution to American agriculture. Sam Moore’s column focuses on 10 inventions that changed the face of farming in the U.S.

You’ll also find an article telling the story of a boy who, 25 years ago, was already using wages earned from mowing yards to finance purchases of old things at a local consignment auction. Today, that boy is a young man with a very, very fine collection of farm-related tools and implements.