Baraboo, WI and Portland, IN, summer show wrap

There I something about the end of summer tractor shows a wrap up of the season. We traveled at the end of August with friends Mark and Kelli Dozier to Wisconsin Dells to attend the Badger Steam & Gas Show in Baraboo. It was fun to go to this thriving area when it was busy. Keith and I traveled to the Baraboo swap meet back in May. We stayed in Wisconsin Dells, but the town wasn’t open yet. So, on this trip we got a taste of the fun things to see and do.

Kelli had booked a condo. We stayed on beautiful Lake Delton.

Playing tourist in the Dells

One day Kelli and I enjoyed the beauty of the Dells. We went shopping. Then, checked out the Dells Historical Museum at the Bowman House. The museum is set in a cool old house.  

We saw amazing pictures and more. The coolest find was a combination piano/organ.

This was something I never saw before.

Another rather startling discovery any Civil War aficionado would enjoy was the Fort Winnebago Chairs. These are four chairs made by Jefferson Davis when he was a Lieutenant stationed in the 1830’s at Fort Winnebago near Portage, Wisconsin. The chairs were used in the officer’s mess and bought the Honorable Pierrell at an auction. They remained in the family until purchased and are on loan to the museum.

We dined at an amazing supper club, Daylene’s, a brand new one. The next day headed to the show.

Badger Steam & Gas Show

The best part of going to Badger Steam & Gas was seeing our old friends like the talented photographer Super T, and Art Woodward. Art is 87 years young and I think spryer than I am.

At the show John Deere, was the featured brand. I enjoyed seeing the lovely Deeres like the 1946 B.O. Lindeman.

There was a lovely original 1935 JD D. Have you ever seen a John Deere 520 with a Farmhand Loader?

These neat “helpers” were built by the Superior Separator Company. A traveler, there was a John Deere B that pulled a camper all the way to Mt. Rushmore!

At the show I was checking out the unique and different. There are always some cool unusual finds at Baraboo making it a fun show to attend.

Unique Finds

What did I find?  I saw a rare Wisconsin Kerosene tractor that was built in Sauk County Wisconsin.

We saw a fun little Crosley car. The car reminded us that these were built in Richmond, Indiana, a place we just visited during their fun Model T Days!

Kids activities and more.

Kids had fun on the Allis Chalmers teeter totter. This was an innovative piece of play equipment. Kids also had a chance to ride in a barrel train too.

Allis Chalmers fun was seeing the 1951 WD “Swamper”.

Several Deutz tractors were on display along with a fun little Model 1010 Pennsylvania Meteor lawn and garden beauty. Perhaps the most unusual was the Sandler Steam Wagon. This one of one tractor was built between 1972 and 76 by Norman K. Sandler at the Sandler Light Railway and Equipment Works, Inc. in Wisconsin Dells.  It runs on steam from a 1909 White steam car using a flash boiler.

Portland Tri-State Gas Engine & Tractor Show

Just a few scant weeks later, Keith and I headed to Portland, Indiana to one of the oldest shows around. The show is advertised as “the World’s Largest Gas Engine and Tractor Show”. This was the 61^st show and the featured International Harvester tractors and implements.

At this show they have added some amazing features for the little ones. Cindy Rudrow shared that they offered a new play area where they added hula hoops and more. With fencing on three sides this was a great place for Mom’s to take a breather.

Adding a fun slide and things to do, this was a popular place indeed. Kiddos also had a chance to learn some skills and take a project home. Donated materials made it possible for them to make wooden caddies with the branded Tri-State logo on them. Last year kids made 70, and this year 40. They could build a shelf or bird house if last year they made the caddy. “It’s hard to say who had more fun, the kids or the volunteers,” Cindy added.

Another special project they offered was a quilting bee with the complete quilts being donated to veterans.

Book signing at show and old friends.

I was honored to be able to do a book signing for my latest book, True Farm Girl Adventures.  The announcer was kind enough to interview me a few times, and Jay County Tourism shared my event. 

Like Baraboo though best was seeing old friends like the Freds, and Gyneth Augsburger. Gyneth is the retired Tourism director for Jay County. She and I worked together during many Jay County visits over the years. 

I also had a chance to meet up with a big favorite of mine, Cleveland Carter and share my book with him. Cleveland is in the story, The Rescue, which is about him saving Keith and I when our Golf cart died at the show a couple years ago.

Cool finds at Portland!

At Portland, part of the fun is seeing unique and different items in the expansive flea market. There was a huge Marine engine, beautiful David Bradley wagon and more.

Who doesn’t need “the National Poultry Improvement Plan” sign?  I guess I didn’t since I passed on, but, but it was fun. What I would have taken home but was not for sale was cool John Deere Gator on traxx.

Lot of lovely Farmall red was on display.

There was a 1963 B-414 made in England, a 1206 diesel tractor, an original 1938 Farmall F-20 and more.

One favorite was the original McCormick Deering 1934 W-12, a McCormick Deering Farmall with a one row corn picker and a cherry red Scout. I also loved the fun Model A Ford Doodlebug, and the 1907 Auto-Buggy.

On our way to the how on Friday morning, we saw fog rising from the fields as the sun rose overhead giving a surreal feel to the day. Beautiful, one of those “Be still and know that I am God” moments.

Summer is waning, and fall is coming like a freight train.  Get in all the last-minute sunshine festivals and such that you can before winter blows its cold wind our way.