Cool Tractors at this year's Historic Days Show in Penfield, IL

I arrived on opening day at the Historic Days Show in Penfield, IL. The first day is always my favorite because it is not too crowded and collectors often have time to talk and share information about their great machinery. If there was ever a year of great machinery, this one was it. The 2014 show highlighted tractors that were part of John Harvey’s Classic Tractor Fever. Tractors that have appeared on calendars over the past 25 years, plus a great array of Versatile and Ford and New Holland, plus amazing other brands were onsite.

One of my favorites right off the bat was Dan Magness’s 1949 Field Marshall Tractor that has the nickname the “Shotgun tractor” he said because “It started with blank cartridges, a shotgun shell.”

At this show I saw tractors I have never seen before like one made by the Saukville Company out of Wisconsin. The owner Jerry Long said that it was developed by retired Allis Chalmers workers and after hearing that it is easy to see a bit of an AC G in the design.

There were various sizes of Versatile tractors and even a couple of the Randall Brothers BIG tractors on hand.

Another favorite at the show was the 1918 Massey Harris #2 owned by Tom and Mary Jansen. I also quite adored the 1949 NTX Jeep owned by Cheryl Delap editor of the Praire Gold Rush.

These were just a few of the things the show had to offer. If you are reading this and still have time to make the show, it runs July 10-13, 2014, if not, check out the website http://www.antiquefarm.org/ and put it on your calendar for next year!