The Graham’s have left the building!

So, the 2016 11th Annual Graham-Bradley & Sears Sold Farm Tractors Show has come and gone.  For probably a little over a year, we have mulled over this show, the one that brought the Grahams and Sears related farm equipment back to Penfield, Illinois’s Historic Days.  The Graham Bradley collectors began amassing in numbers first in 2006 and since then have loosely formed a club that has forged friendships, and in the case of James & Kourtney Fred, a few years ago a marriage!  Now we all await the arrival of their first little one this fall.  Sadly, the couple refuses to consider naming their son Graham Bradley, but we will survive!

The planning of the show offered opportunities for me to meet with my friend Annie Jansen and allowed us to mull over ideas for things to do for the women who don’t want to stay at the tractor show 24/7. Shocking notion I know! We had a fun day in Arcola, we shopped, ate at the wonderful Dutch Kitchen and even saw the totally unexpected Hippie Memorial.

Before the show our friends the Elliotts listened and gave ideas. The show gave Keith and I time with Mark and Kelly Dozier while we perused ideas for banquets and Graham Bradley clothing options.  It is important for a tractor collector to be properly dressed you know!

The show let us converse with friends we had not seen in a while.  I loved the variety of tractors and we enjoyed the chance to work with Dave and Jane Berbaum who let us share the featured building with them.  They had some awesome items, my favorite was the huge Case Eagle that many, me included, had to have their picture taken in front of.

I got to see the Elmores and many more and plan future get togethers. We missed those that couldn’t make it, they were in our thoughts, its not the same when they are not there.

At Penfield, 2016, the Graham Bradley group had attendees from as far away as South Dakota and as nearby as Clinton, Illinois. We ended up with 52 tractors, 29 were Graham Bradley’s, 19 Sears Economy’s, Two Bradleys, 2 Thrifty Farmers, a David Bradley chainsaw exhibit and a toy display of 9 Pedal tractors 8 of which were Graham Bradley, and one which was customized. And then, most fascinating to me at least, was the never seen, by us at least, David Bradley Merry-Go-Round.

This year we broke our tractor record by one, had some displays that were firsts, but most of all, we talked, laughed and shared over a brand we all enjoy.  Until next year, when we meet again, the Graham’s have left the building!