Sometimes the best places can be right in our backyard. Every year Springfield, Illinois hosts a fine arts fair around the Old State Capital. The historic building is a beautiful background for the artists that set up with their pottery, paintings, jewelry and more. Along with the art fair, the farmer’s market lured us to check out their wares and contemplate fresh fruit, baked bread and those fresh ingrediients that make the best meals!
Bailey Shea Williams drives her ATV Quad Racer at harrowing speeds. However this young woman thrives on the speed and has won several titles including the first female to win a National contest. Bailey was set up at this year’s 2012 National Farm Machinery show in Louisville, KY. She was signing autographs in the Dixie Chopper boot. Art Evans, founder of Dixie Chopper took a few minutes to share the history of his development of the revolutionary zero turn mower. Watch for the whole story in the September issue of Lawn & Garden Collector Magazine!
To learn more about Bailey and Dixie Chopper, check out their website at http://www.dixiechopper.com.
February means heading south to the Florida Flywheelers for tractors, toys, touring to see whats new in the Village and what the flea market has to offer. This past February I had to pleasure of checking out Virgil Butler’s converted Indiana barn where the building is stocked with his beautiful one of a kind wooden models.
Virgil, grew up and farmed in Indiana, then in 1959 moved to Florida to build houses. Once retired he started creating toys for his 17 grandchildren. Soon he moved into detailed models like the one above.
Virgil’s building is just one of the amazing places to stop and oogle during the Flywheelers shows. Add a stop to an upcoming show to your calendar, we do!. The website is http://www.floridaflywheelers.org. for more information.
Winter holds on a bit longer to winter than central Illinois so I was not quite prepared for the chill of the35th Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Swap Meet, but as a flea market junkie, I attest that you could find almost anything you were looking for at this event! I was delighted I added a gardent art pig to my turkey first thing. After shopping for my favorite garden artist, I purchased a lovely rag rug and I was a happy camper. I was even happier when I spied these beautiful Ford tractors under the trees. These were rather rare models and the kit to make this Ford a hicrop is an unusual commodity by itself!
My husband found some tires and a driver of a loader convenintly loaded them right into the back of our pickup truck.
Although the swap meet is over, there is still plenty of time to plan to attend the upcoming fall power show scheduled for August 24, 25 and 26, 2012. This year’s featured brand is Massey Combines, tractors and Wallis equipment.
For more information about the event, check out their website http://www.pioneerpowershow.com/swapmeet.html.
The Honey Locust trees exploded into bloom on I-74 just south of Galesburg last week. We noted this beautiful site heading north. The Lord blesses travelers on occasion with His glory!