RR 2, Box 120 Odell, Illinois 60460
One of the shows I try to exhibit at each year is the Northeast
Indiana Steam and Gas Association, at LaGrange, Indiana.
To me the main event at this show is the steam plowing, so I
bring our scale Case and John Deere two-bottom plow and join right
in. Graham Sellers from Coldwater, Michigan is usually on hand with
his six-bottom platform plow and 25-85 Nichols and Shepard to pull
it, if another engine at the show isn’t.
For the first time, the Marvin Brodbeck family from Ottawa Lake,
Michigan brought their 32-120 Reeves to the show. I first became
acquainted with the Brodbecks at the National Threshers Association
Show at Wauseon, Ohio. I have exhibited our 50 Case and our scale
at this show also, and I always enjoy it. After Roland Brodbeck had
the big Reeves ready to go I coaxed him into taking her out to the
field and try plowing. Well, the big Reeves handled the John Deere
two-bottom plow very well. After the Reeves was done, I took our
scale out to plow a round.
Later, I heard that the Brodbecks had the Reeves hooked on to a
ten-bottom plow, but I guess someone else will have to send a
picture of that in, as I don’t seem to have one. I’ll bet
Roland will come up with one, though!
Haley 1922 50 HP Case with the 1987 Best Restored Engine trophy
given at the National Threshers Assoc, Waseon, Ohio.
One thing I should warn steam engineers about is a peculiar type
of bird that lives around this show. It seems to prefer nesting in
the stacks of steam engines. Some of its nesting materials are
rags, corn sacks, and even aluminum cans! They are rarely seen, as
they come out only at night and are gone by sunrise. They make for
a rather amusing morning fire up for the unsuspecting engineer as
it happened to me.
Well, I hope to make the LaGrange Show (July 20-23), as well as
Wauseon and a few others in 1989.
