With clanking gears, rattling bodies and roaring engines, the antique pieces of machinery sing the song of Johnson County’s agricultural past.
The old-time tractors, threshers and other machines haven’t been used to farm fields in generations. But to the people who grew up with them, and still love them, they’re a valuable part of community history.
The Johnson County Antique Machinery Association will have this tradition on full display during its annual show, starting today and running through Sunday at the Johnson County Park. Held every year for the past 32 years, the show features demonstrations, displays, games, activities and more — all built around a love of old farm machines.
Getting to bring this machinery out into the public, and play around a little with it at the same time, is a highlight of the year for the association, says Dwayne Hansford, president of the Johnson County Antique Machinery Association and chair of the annual show.
“For a lot of us, it’s carrying on the heritage and what we learned as a kid,” he said. “We like the slower-pace side of the farm, instead of the high-tech stuff they have today.”
The Johnson County Antique Machinery Association was founded in 1991 by Hansford and fellow enthusiast Spencer Tarr. They had grown up using the simple yet sturdy old-time farm equipment and wanted to preserve it as farm machinery grew more technologically advanced.
To do so, they planned an annual show where members could bring their collection to show off.
“We started out on a mission to restore and bring back the heritage of the farm,” Hansford said. “A lot of our group has family farms, grew up around grandpa and grandma, and helped on the farm. It seems like, as time went on and we got older, we want to keep that heritage of the farm alive.”
Members of the group have all kinds of different equipment, from steam engines and tractors to trucks and cars. All of it comes out for the yearly show.
This year’s version spotlights a variety of brands, including Oliver, Hart Parr, Co-op and Cockshutt & Blackhawk.
“We try to feature a different brand of equipment every year, so everybody gets their time in the limelight,” Hansford said.
The weekend will be filled with dozens of antique tractors and equipment on display, as well as tractor games and old cars and trucks. A special section for kids is planned, and live music will fill the air around the park. A flea market and food vendors are also scheduled to be part if the festivities.
Daily demonstrations will allow visitors to see how threshers, baker fans, rock crushers, corn shellers, sawmills and other old-fashioned machines operate.
“We try to recreate what they used do with that equipment years ago on the farm,” Hansford said.
In addition, a schedule of special events, from antique distance tractor pulls to a garden tractor pull to a consignment sale, has been arranged.
The association is partnering with local Cub Scout groups to help take tickets or admission, and with other activities around the show. In return, they contribute a portion of funds back to the Cub Scouts for their assistance, Hansford said.
“It gets the younger ones involved. We have opening ceremonies each day, and have them raise the flag for us,” he said.
IF YOU GO
Johnson County Antique Machinery Association annual show
What: A showcase of antique farm equipment, with a focus this year on Oliver, Hart Parr, Co-op, and Cockshutt & Blackhawk tractors.
When: Thursday through Sunday
Where: Johnson County Park, 2949 E. North St., Nineveh
Ongoing events: Featured tractors and equipment, entertainment, kids games, women’s tent, flea market, food vendors, tractor games, and old cars and trucks. Daily demonstrations include threshing, baker fan, rock crushing, horse-powered equipment, corn shelling, sawmill, corn shucking, working machinery field, gas engines, steam engines and blacksmith demos.
Special events
Thursday
7 p.m.: Antique distance tractor pulls
Friday
6 p.m.: Antique tractor pulls
Saturday
9 a.m.: Consignment sale
10 a.m.: Garden tractor pull
3:30 p.m.: Tractor parade
7 p.m.: Semi truck, outlaw antique and farm tractor pull
Information: jcamach.org
