Farm hobby-itis

[TelePlay]

One of the interesting things each summer is to attend County Fairs in farming counties. There is always a tent with vintage restored tractors from very old to pre-high tech stuff that's been nicely restored. What's on display is always a variety of tractors ranging in from almost a found to fully restored.

Takes Tractoritis, I guess, to want to amass a collection of 10 identical tractors. And why 10 of those? That model might be just like the very first tractor that farmer ever owned. Don't know, but these go back to the days when belts on flywheels were used to power thrashing machines near the barn - 1950's or so? Just an interesting photo taken on a late summer day (10' tall corn in the background) that anyone who ever worked with one of these will enjoy.

[FABphones]

I used to like going to those to when in the UK. Always something of interest going on. Would make up a luxury picnic hamper and really make a day of it.

I even won second prize for my Honey Cake (Bee Keepers tent) one year. The only cake making contest I ever entered.

At one place I lived the farmer next door let a couple of his old machines rot outside his barn. One was an old wooden thrasher, the other was metal, looked to be cast and was for grain. I never quite knew what the function of each was, the wooden device had been left out in the weather and was too far gone to restore. The metal one I would have liked to restore but it was so heavy, no moving it. They were both still there when I moved on years later.

[19and41]

I can't afford to engage in the hobby and there aren't any fairs nearby, so I always watch Classic Tractor Fever on RFDTV.  I see they also have a presence on YouTube.  It has tractors and their owners from across the country.  It is an hour of pleasance in these tough times.