Tractors lined up at the Jackson County Antique Farm Machinery Show last Friday at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Brownstown. The two-day event was held Friday and Saturday.
Jared Reedy
Pictured on the left: a John Deere model from 1941 on display by Ervan Campbell of Belkin at the 15th Annual Jackson County Antique Farm Machinery Show, held each year since 2010 at the Jackson County Fairgrounds.
Jared Reedy
Three 1961 Allis-Chalmers tractors and one 1984 lawnmower on display by Jason Clodfelter of Salem.
Jared Reedy
A Massey Ferguson 35, a model which was in production from 1955 to 1964, on display by Howard Wente of Seymour.
Jared Reedy
One of four “hit-and-miss” engines on display by Warren Wheeler of Bedford.
Jared Reedy
BROWNSTOWN — Held each year since 2010, the Jackson County Antique Machinery Show is a showcase of antique machinery, hit-and-miss engines and vintage tractors.
This year’s show — the 15th — was held this past Friday and Saturday at the Jackson County Fairgrounds.
The show is made possible by the Jackson County Antique Machinery Association, which is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting historical farm and agricultural equipment from in and around Jackson County.
On Friday, the show kicked off with an antique tractor drive. That night, there was a free dinner featuring ham and beans.
On Saturday, attendees could participate in a live consignment auction. Barrel train rides, a silent auction and a cake walk were available to attendees on both days, as well as a flea market.
In addition to the variety of antique machinery on display, demonstrations of basket weaving, jewelry making, woodworking and blacksmithing are also staples of the two-day event.
Ervan Campbell of Belkin brought a tractor he said he grew up with to the show — a John Deere model bought by his father in 1941. Campbell said growing up riding his father’s tractors spurred his interest in antique machinery.
This year’s show featured Michigan-built engines and Ford and Massey Ferguson tractors, though all makes and models were welcome.
Three Allis-Chalmers tractors from 1961 and one lawnmower from 1984 were on display by Jason Clodfelter of Salem.
“My grandpa had a dealership in Putnam County, two hours north of here,” Clodfelter said. “He passed away in 1985 and I moved down to Salem and started collecting myself a few years ago. I just wanted to join in on the family tradition.”
Clodfelter said he did restoration work on all three tractors and the lawnmower, re-painting and performing body work on each.
Former farmer Howard Wente of Seymour had a Massey Ferguson 35 on display, a model which launched in the United States on Jan. 5, 1955, and was in production until 1964. Wente said he bought a restored model from Robert Fisher of Ohio.
“When I was a kid, we had a grey and green Ferguson and I farmed with it,” Wente said. “And then when I retired I thought I’d like to have one.”
Warren Wheeler of Bedford said his interest in antique machinery was sparked decades ago, when his brother brought home a vintage engine. Wheeler had four “hit-and-miss” engines on display at the show.
“[My brother] saw one sitting on the side of the road a while ago and he asked my dad and me to help him get it running,” Wheeler said. “We all enjoyed it. It was good fun.”
Wheeler said he has been restoring engines on his own since 1972. He also said he likes taking his vintage engines to different antique machinery shows across the country. The next show Wheeler is traveling to is in Pennsylvania, which Wheeler said will have a wider range of tractors and engines on display.
“You see people from all over the county, in fact, all over the world, really,” Wheeler said. “We spend time together like we’re neighbors every year … This is an old man’s hobby.”