What’s New in the Old Iron World?

What’s new? Plenty, and you can read about it in this issue of Farm Collector. In the old iron hobby, the focus is inevitably on the old. But you’ll find plenty of new things to get excited about in these articles.

Take the tractor club in Ohio that decided enough was enough. Watching their annual show grow stagnant, club members realized that they couldn’t keep doing what they’d been doing and expect different results. In an article by Fred Hendricks, you’ll read about how they breathed new life into an old show.

Elsewhere, Larry Scheckel takes a new look at a vibrant economy within the Monroe County, Wisconsin, Amish community. I won’t steal Larry’s thunder, but if you hear the word Amish and the only thing that enters your mind is farmers, you’re in for a surprise.

If you’re not a steam enthusiast, you’d be forgiven for skipping the listing of 2024 steam school offerings. And yet, you’d be missing something new. The steam hobby is enjoying a bit of a resurgence. Need proof? At least one steam school’s registration was closed months ago, and another is offering a second session to accommodate increased demand. Both developments are very positive signals of a hobby that is alive and well (and committed to safety!).

And finally, we’ve put together a veritable album of readers’ favorite photos from the 2023 show season. They include a fire eater, rail walkers and checkers champions. Yep, you read that right. This year’s selection of readers’ favorites includes a few taken through a new lens: that of 11-year-old photographer Kenzie Hembrough, Jacksonville, Illinois.