I knew that Farm Collector had touched many people’s lives since the first issue was published in August 1998, but I never realized just how important this old-iron publication is until I recently received a letter from a concerned reader.
She wrote to tell us how much it meant to her recently deceased husband to find Farm Collector in his mailbox each month.
More than that, she was worried that the subscription had expired, because she didn’t want to miss a moment of the magazine that had been so special to her late husband.
Apparently, as her letter reveals, her husband was blind. Each month when Farm Collector arrived, she read the magazine from cover to cover for her sight-impaired husband. Then they spent hours discussing the articles, and she even described each photograph to give him a mind’s-eye glimpse of the many fine images printed between the covers.
Later, when their three grandsons would visit their ailing grandfather, they each read that month’s issue of Farm Collector as well. Then they discussed the stories and photos with their grandfather.
Such encounters obviously provided a common bond that united several generations. Yet, when her husband died, she considered canceling her subscription because he was no longer around to enjoy the magazine. When her grandsons learned of her plan to cancel the subscription, they vigorously protested. That’s when she realized how important our magazine had become to her family. She wrote to share her tale and to ensure that she never missed a single issue of Farm Collector. By sharing the interesting stories we’ve provided for five years, her family found a common bond. Ultimately, Farm Collector was the vehicle they used to connect the past with the often-distant present. That’s just one reason why I’m proud to be among the many folks who’ve helped produce this fine magazine for the last five years. From writers to photographers, magazine designers to editors, many people work together to guarantee that Farm Collector keeps rolling off the presses.
While it may seem like mere words on a page at first glance, Farm Collector is clearly as dear to some as the vintage equipment we’ve featured for five years – and counting!
jharmon@ogden pubs.com
