I love hitting the road to attend the different tractor and engine shows and swap meets.
I just returned from the New York State Two-Cylinder Expo IX held July 9-11, 2009, in Canandaigua, N.Y. This Kansas farm girl found New York to be a friendly place to visit, despite the Dorothy jokes – which just goes to show, the tractor and engine enthusiasts are the nicest bunch of folks, wherever you go. And what a beautiful setting for a show!
Four Two-Cylinder clubs lent their expertise and hard work to the Expo (Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Western New York and Central New York) to make this a really nice event to be a part of. It’s held at the New York Steam Engine Assn. grounds east of Canandaigua. I met Dave Shearns of the Pageant of Steam Assn., which is held this year on Aug. 5-8 at the same grounds. Dave was kind enough to show me around the buildings chock full of beautiful old steam engines and other equipment.
Like these John Deere Utility tractors (below). John Craig of Mentone, Ind., wanted to see this elite set of U’s displayed together at various shows. Although he doesn’t actually own any of them, he hauls them to the shows for the mere satisfaction of showing them off. They are divided into two models, 330s and 430s. Each model is divided by color.
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Left to right, top to bottom: Dan Yeck’s green 1960 John Deere 430 LP (one of three); Kenny Smith’s red 1960 John Deere 330 (one of four) and one of two known; Dan’s yellow 1960 John Deere 330 (one of 92) and one of two shipped with factory silencer muffler; Ray Mak’s yellow 1960 John Deere 430 (one of 68 built) and his red 1960 John Deere 430, the only one known; and John Craig’s 1960 John Deere Industrial 840 self-elevating scraper the he restored himself, only about 300 were built with the model 400 scraper pan. |
Included in the show was an auction, tractor pulls, seminars, pedal tractor pulls, good food, and plenty of exhibitors and vendors to see. There are so many premiere tractors and equipment and the collectors and stories to go with them. I am always in awe of the heart and soul poured into each piece.
Attending the shows and swap meets in the past, I have run across a variety of contraptions, from a gas-powered pogo stick (courtesy of Tom Pfieffer of Galion, Ohio, at the swap meet in Portland, Ind.) to gas-powered skate boards, crazy “butt buggies” and souped up lawnmowers. Proof that American ingenuity is alive and well! All the events have their own flair and feel but the common thread is always the great people.
Thanks to everyone involved in the show who made me feel welcome.
See you down the road at the next one!
— Terri Keitel, Advertising Account Executive
Farm Collector and Gas Engine Magazine