The People of the Half Century of Progress
While the machinery and the grandeur of the event and pure majesty of the huge machinery can make my heart race, the Half Century of Progress is all about the people. Volunteers selflessly spend time and money to put on the event. Friends travel from far and wide that we only see at events like this. We see close ones here. We see family, and those that are like family, as well as the new ones we meet along the way. That is what makes the Half Century of Progress an unparalleled event.
A history lesson.
Held at the Rantoul Airport, the former Chanute Airforce Base, the Half Century of Progress is the largest working vintage farm show in the U.S.
Always held the weekend before the Decatur Farm Progress Show, the Half Century of Progress offers a chance to view farming like it was fifty years ago! The first Half Century show was held in 2003 in Armstrong, Illinois where the very first Farm Progress show was located.
Arriving on Wednesday!
The show officially started on Thursday August 21st, and ended on Sunday August 24th. We headed to Rantoul on Wednesday to deliver our conversion tractor. Last winter, friend Mark Dozier approached my husband Keith with the idea of trying to get a collection of conversion tractors and doodle bugs at the show. Keith and Mark have collected Sears related tractors (Bradley, Graham Bradley, Sears Economy and Thrifty Farmers) for years. Wednesday was the date that Keith and I, and Mark and his wife Kelli were bringing them to the show.
We would have had to turn around and go home and bring the 2nd load if not for the help of our friend and fellow author Rick Shaw. He helped bring equipment to and from the show! Thank you, Rick, and thanks Tim Seifert and Wayne Ladage for helping as well.
The Tractor Drive
On our way to the Half Century, it was a convoy. Tim Seifert, and Wayne Ladage followed Keith and I to the show. Tim and Wayne wanted to arrive early. They wanted to be ready for the tractor drive.
Tim Seifert, wears this hat anytime he goes on a tractor drive in memory of his good friend Vince Neuhaus. The late Mr. Neuhaus is the father of our pastor ‘s wife, Amy Kaufmann
After the National Anthem, and raising of the Big Flag, famed broadcaster Max Armstrong led the parade on his beautifully restored 1962 IH 560.
Hometown friends made it to the Half Century
Much to our delight, we ran into friends when we went to watch the corn picking.
Kenny Reichert, Jim Skelton, Rod Westendorf and Mike Skelton all came to the show to see vintage farming at its best.
Keith’s childhood friend, and fellow collector Jim “Russell” Price came to the show and hung out with us a bit taking in the sites!
Mike Timmons is a collector friend from over the years. Mike headed up the amazing 100 Years of Caterpillar Display. Cat collectors brought over 100 pieces of equipment for us to see.
Friends made over the years.
I love about writing for antique tractor magazines because I get to know such great people! On a cold snowy day, several years ago I got an assignment from Red Power Magazine to write about a couple buying a Farmall 2+2 at an auction. That couple was Chuck and Debbie Maxwell. We loved catching up with these IH loving friends at the show. They brought their 1206 as part of the 1206 60th anniversary celebration to the show.
Besides Farmall red, I have also met some amazing John Deere friends as well. Late one evening we finally caught up with several of them near the John Deere tent!
This group is typical of those coming the show. They hail from all corners, Michigan, North Carolina, and Georgia!
Fellow Green Magazine writer, Donna Parker was at the show. We had fun sharing writing stories and catching up. She and her husband Ron brought a beautiful John Deere D to the show.
Another green connection is Chuck Freitag who did the illustrations on The Christmas Tractor for Jane Aumann and me so many years ago. It has been a joy to see his family grow through the years. I had missed seeing this talented artist and friend.
The backbone of the show.
Being part of the Half Century of Progress means getting to know people like the late Darius Harms, Russell Buhr, and John Frederickson. This year John stepped down from his role as co-chair with Russell handing over the reins to Darius and Lois’s son Derek. It has been an amazing ride, year after year to see these individuals devote their time to preserving agricultural history.
The I & I Club out of Penfield, and local volunteers like Friends of Green do so much.
They were kind enough to let me set up with them this year with my book Farm Girl Adventures. I sat next to the fun Dan and Amanda Hobbs of Little Green, the children’s John Deere farm magazine. Jane Aumann and I get excited every time we get a chance to share stories of Little Green and his friends. I also got to know a nice group of people at the same time as young 13-year-old Rylan Maney who writes a toy column for Amanda. He also has his very own YouTube channel Old Iron Farm Toys!
Ed, Chris Elliott, and many other John Deere fans brought their 4020’s to the show this year to celebrate their 60th anniversary.
International visitors
Those that come to the Half Century are not limited to the US. While at the show, we had the chance to catch up with Hendrik and Anita Kerkhofs-Haesen from Belgium. We saw them along with Lois Harms outside of the wonderful Longbranch restaurant in Gifford, Illinois one evening. We found ourselves almost regulars at this great steak house!
Sunday the last day many had already loaded up, and we were enjoying the last blast of the show. We had many come and stop by wondering exactly what a conversion tractor was. One group of six gentleman from the UK stopped by. Neville Websdile, Gregg Bloomfield, John Graves, Justin Gill, and George Carmen along with Andrew Graves. The group hails from the Norfolk area and this was their first time in the states. Most of them are collectors back home.
There were so many friends, so many memories, I am sure that I have forgotten to mention many moments, many people, if so, I apologize, it’s just me getting older and having less retention!
The Half Century of Progress will be back for at least two shows, they have contracts for both 2027, and 2029. If Keith and I are able, we will be back, hopefully connecting with friends, family, and more. What memory do you have from the Half Century? Being part of this since the beginning, it has been an amazing ride, a journey that no one could ever have anticipated could grow so big, so grand. Like I said in the beginning though, while its about the machines, the machines are nothing without the people behind them, their stories, and their desire to recall farming of yesteryear.
