“Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be
unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood
summer beside a lake in the mountains; another, a moonlit beach; a
third, a family dinner of pot roast and sweet potatoes during a
myrtle-mad August in a Midwestern town. Smells detonate softly in
our memory like poignant land mines hidden under the weedy mass of
complex vision leaps out of the undergrowth.”
– Diane Ackerman, A Natural History of the
Senses
Dale Jensen stumbled over just such a land mine
when he caught a whiff of newly harvested corn during a drive
through the country. In this issue of Farm Collector, he
shares rich memories spurred by that scent, memories of a teenage
boy entrusted to operate a 2-row mounted corn picker in the
1960s.
Memory is a powerful force. In Dale’s case, it pushed a pen
across a sheet of paper (or more likely, propelled fingers onto a
keyboard). For Leander Wetter, the subject of another article in
this issue, it’s the motivation behind an unruly collection of
tractors, steamers, books, magazines, sales literature, toys and
pedal tractors. “I’d like to turn time back 50 years,” he says
wistfully, “even if it meant doing away with the air conditioner in
the cab of my tractor.”
We’ll turn time back a bit ourselves this winter, when we
publish our annual “Show Photos” issue. With your help (and
favorite show photos!), we’ll revisit the best of the 2007 show
season in our February ’08 issue.
Look through your pictures of people, equipment and
demonstrations, pick your favorites and send them to us by Nov. 1.
We’ll publish all we have space for. Send original prints (but make
a copy, as none will be returned) or digital images. Digital images
must be high resolution, large files or they simply will not
reproduce well.
Be sure to provide the names of people in the photo if you can,
and tell us when and where the photo was taken, the name of the
show and photographer, and any other relevant information. Include
your name and phone number (or e-mail address) in case we have
questions. Send your photos to Farm Collector Show Photos,
1503 S.W. 42nd St., Topeka, KS 66609. Don’t miss this chance to
showcase your show season favorites, and travel back in time with
us!
Leslie McManus, Editor
lmcmanus@ogdenpubs.com