A Picture Tells a Thousand Words

Here at Farm Collector, we remain steadfastly and unabashedly committed to the preeminence of the printed word. When it comes to researching decades-old relics, we’d be sunk without documents like newspapers, magazines, trade journals, directories, operator’s manuals, brochures, patents, pocket almanacs, cards, calendars and catalogs.

And when it comes to sharing the information gleaned with the old iron community, the single most effective approach is through this magazine, where we fill page after page with the printed word. The Farm Collector website is a darned handy thing but at least for this moment in time, the best way to reach all of you is through a magazine tucked into your mailbox every month.

That said, we’re all about pictures. They say a picture tells a thousand words, and they’re right. I have several particular favorites in this issue. Check out the the plow in Down-Home Farm Relics at Cato Hardware and the big view of Steve Kenkel’s museum in Hybrid Corn Pioneers. If you can’t read 1,000 words in each shot, you’re not trying hard enough!

You no doubt have your own favorites, and we’re hoping you’ll share them with us. For the first time ever, in 2013, the Farm Collector Show Directory cover photo will be taken by one of you!

Here’s how it works: Every year in the fall, we ask readers to send their favorite photos from that year’s show season. We publish the best of the lot in our February issue, filling several pages. But in 2013, we’ll also select one of those for use on the cover of our show directory, giving it extra-special prominence.

We’ll follow with details on deadlines in the fall, but keep Nov. 2, 2012 in mind: That’s your deadline to submit photos. Good quality prints and high-resolution (if that’s Greek to you, please call us for information!) digital images are best. We cannot accept Polaroids or prints made on plain paper.