By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
James Krieger, president of the Antique Engine & Tractor Association, stands by a Russell tractor this is reported to be the “only one known in existence.” The tractor will be displayed in the Timber Frame Barn at the 64th Annual Working Farm show which begins Friday, Sept. 12, and continues through Sunday, Sept. 14.
Every year the Antique Engine & Tractor Association show features a different brand of antique engine and/or tractor. This year the group will showcase “The Lesser Known” for the group’s 64th Annual Working Farm Show, which will be held Friday, Sept. 12, through Sunday, Sept. 14, at the show grounds, north of Geneseo on Illinois 92, three miles east of Interstate 88, or about one mile west of Illinois Rt. 92.
The Working Farm Show is a popular attraction for residents and visitors of all ages, and is a family event with lots of activities for children, including train rides around the show grounds. Admission to the show is $10 per day or $20 for the weekend. Children 12 and younger are admitted free.
On Friday, Sept. 12, admission is $5 for veterans.
In addition to “The Lesser Known” tractors and implements, this year’s show will feature gas engines, crawlers and power units, providing they are not homemade.
Other features include AE&TA members harvesting corn and beans with mid-1900’s equipment, showing the use of horses for working a field, threshing oats or wheat, running a saw mill, plowing, baling, and demonstrating gas engines as they were used in the early 1900’s.
The annual show gets bigger each year with over 400 tractors, over 100 garden tractors and hundreds of gas engines, plus other agricultural memorabilia on the grounds.
The Vendor Fair at the Show will feature a variety of crafts, rug weaving, broom making, and other demonstrations. This year there will be a Hocking Valley Apple Press operating, located next to the Mercantile Building. The press was donated to the AE&TA by the Rob and Jeanne Ohlsen family of Geneseo.
The entire show is handicap accessible. Pets are not allowed, with an exception for service dogs.
In 2010, the AE&TA moved to its current location after many years in different locations. The 40 acres of land was donated to the Association by Bill and June Cole of Hillsdale. AE&TA purchased an additional 10 acres to connect the grounds to Illinois 92, which allowed for a driveway from the highway to the show grounds.
They also rent additional acreage from Orville and Maxine McCord.
Handicap transportation is available and the “people mover” also is a convenient means to transport people around the show grounds.
The AE&TA grounds showcase the timber frame barn that appears to have been built decades ago. The building was constructed using age-old techniques. Trillium Dell Timberworks, along with help from the Timber Framers Guild, assembled and raised the large building.
About 95 per cent of the barn was constructed with timber from Illinois forests. Even though the AE&TA barn was built with new lumber, it appears to have been part of the Henry County countryside for years.
A food building also was added to provide seating for visitors to the show.
The Jordan Mercantile Building was donated to the club in 2013 from Phil and Karen Jordan.
A train building was constructed in 2015, with labor and materials donated by the late Larry Colo, Geneseo, and Bill Cole, Hillsdale
A special addition is the completion of the enclosed walkway connecting the timber frame barn to the Feature Building.
Last year, a learning center was added, which was constructed in the Feature Building and is attached to the main barn. The goal of AE&TA members is to promote and educate all facets of agriculture through audio visual training, hands-on experience and guest speakers. Funds for the Center came from grants from the Geneseo Foundation and the Miller Foundation.
AE&TA members share a belief in preserving the historic value of antique, power-driven farm equipment, from early horse-drawn plows to gasoline and steam tractors to equipment from the 1900’s to the 1960’s.
The Association also believes in keeping the machines running by putting them to work and that makes the group’s show unique as they use the equipment on display in demonstrations.
For more information about the “Lesser Known,” contact Paul Searl at 309-781-2896 or Rollo Searl at 309-781-9012. For general information about the show, contact Chad Jacobs, 309-314-0783 or Jeff Laleman, 309-314-3625.
Additional information also is available by visiting www.ae-ta.com.
The daily schedule of events – Sept. 12-14:
FRIDAY, SEPT. 12:
-6 a.m. – Gates open for exhibitors.
-7 a.m. – gates open for visitors.
-8 a.m. – 4 p.m. – engine and tractor display.
-8:30 a.m. – Raising of flag by AE&TA veterans.
-9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and post parade. – 5 p.m. – children’s activities and train rides – with the exception of Sunday, Sept. 14, when children’s activities and train rides will conclude at 4 p.m.
-9 a.m. to noon and post parade – 4 p.m. – demonstrations including blacksmith demonstrations, sawmill, threshing, wood carvers, cane press, horse farming and field demonstrations.
-10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – food stands open.
-1 p.m. – parade on show grounds, line up at feature tractor area.
-4 p.m. – lowering of flag – AE&TA veterans.
-5 p.m. – gates close.
-5 – 7 p.m.- Ice Cream Social Celebrating “The Lesser Knowns,” sponsored by West Jersey Express, West Jersey, IL.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 13:
- same as activities on Sept. 12 with the addition of:
-9 A.M. – Raising of flag by Durant American Legion Post 430.
- 9 a.m. – noon and post parade until 5 p.m.– children’s activities and train rides.
-After the 1 p.m. parade, there will be a Kids’ Tractor Pull in the Food Building.
-3 p.m. – auction of donated items with pie auction to follow.
-4 p.m. – Lowering of Flag – Durant American Legion.
-5 p.m. gates close.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 14 – Same as Sept. 12 and Sept. 13 with these changes:
- 9 a.m. – noon and post parade until 4 p.m.– children’s activities and train rides.
-8 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Demonstrations.
- 8:30 a.m. – raising of flag – Cordova American Legion.
-9 – 10 a.m. – church services in Food Building.
-4 p.m. lowering of flag, Cordova American Legion, and show closes.