By CINDY LADAGE
Illinois Correspondent

HAMPSHIRE, Ill. — The date Oct. 10, 2010, is one many local old-farming enthusiasts will remember for years to come, for reasons that have nothing to do with the 10-10-10 phenomenon: It’s when Bob and Phyllis Johnson opened up their farm for a cool day of old iron working in the field.

The day featured corn husking by Don “Mac” McKinley of the 1930s Ag Museum in Quincy, Ill., and famed corn husking champion Dick Humes, followed by pickers from the earliest days up to the 1970s. This is the second time the Johnsons have offered this opportunity to see older equipment make their way down the field.
“We are lucky to have such a wonderful day,” Phyllis shared. “We just hope everyone stays safe.”

The farm hosting the show has an old hay barn that the Johnsons turned into a showplace for their collectibles, which include pictures and models of corn pickers. “When we moved here, it was a hay barn. We had to clean it out and cast off,” Phyllis explained.
She added that she and Bob are working on a book about corn pickers; she is hoping readers with unique corn pickers stories and pictures will share their information.

“Our website www.cornpickerbook.com has lots of literature and information on corn pickers,” she said.  “Many companies didn’t have archives, and this hobby is growing.”

 Both the first and this last time the corn picking event was held, RFD-TV attended and famed farm broadcaster Max Armstrong was on hand. The event began with corn husking by Humes and McKinley. A retired educator, Humes shared some details about how long it took to get a wagonload of corn.

To punctuate how things have changed over the years, McKinley added, “In 1800, 90 percent of the population lived on the farm; today, it is less than 1 percent.”

The two men shucked corn and threw it into a wagon pulled by horses. During the corn picking event, there was someone to drive the wagon, but Willard Elmore said, “When I was a kid and we did this, the horses were never drove; they just knew what to do.”
Jim Rowe was set up at the show with an exhibit showing the various types of corn husking equipment offered. Elmore pointed out, “We used the palm ones that would grab it and hook it underneath.”

He said corn was planted differently in his youth: “When I was a kid, they planted three kernels in a hill every 40 inches; it was called checked corn.”

Dave Elmore, Willard’s son, said, “I brought corn gloves, but Dad wouldn’t touch them.”

“I was born in 1925, and I picked corn from 10 to about 14 with my brothers and sisters,” the father said – adding that was enough.
Following McKinley and Hume and their hand corn shelling demonstration was a 1909 McCormick ground-driven picker, pulled by a 1919 Titan Steam Engine manufactured by International Harvester. It was amazing to see machinery of this age in motion. One visitor claimed, “I have never seen anything that old in operation.”

The Titan belonged to Ron Hattendorf of Genoa, Ill. The Titan, a 20-hp machine, moves at a maximum of about 3 mph in high gear and weighs in at around three tons. The 1909 corn picker it pulled was owned by Bob Morton of Saline, Mich.

“It takes five horses to pull it,” Morton said. “It takes two more horses to pull alongside the corn picker.” At this event, the old Titan did the job of the horses.

Ed Swanson, who owns a John Deere tractor and corn picker, was on hand for the event as well. Swanson, who will be 100 next May, said he just bought a new JD D out of Nebraska. “I’m calling it Little Bud,” he added.

 Several other machines were at the big day, from a 1929 JD GP with a JD #10 picker, to the truck/sheller combination operated by Randy Rosengreen.

The third of four owners and current operator, Rosengreen ran a combo that consisted of an IH Loadstar, 1700 truck equipped with an IH chassis and a Cook corn sheller from Washington, Ill., built circa 1964.

Scott Fedtke from Sycamore, Ill., brought his 1957 IH 650 that he restored three years ago to the event, and disked with his WD9. First-time tractor owner Joe Corn from DeKalb, Ill., had his H and was with his grandpa, Warren Hicks.

This was an all-brand event; Kevin Boss of Geneseo, Ill., had his John Deere 60 with a 227 corn picker behind it, then a wagon behind that. The mix was working the show. Boss, who runs the family repair shop business Box Farm Repair, explained, “I had a guy who owed me a couple paint jobs. I have had this for three years.”

Field equipment is of great interest to Kevin because he said at his home show in Geneseo, he is in charge of the field demonstrations. “I lean toward harvesting machines. I like today’s event; that is why I take this to shows, it brings back memories of the good days, when neighbors helped neighbors,” he said.

From his own childhood, Corn remembered, “We had a picker when I was a small boy. I cleaned up around the elevator at night.”
That is what this show was all about: Making memories and working together. It took an army of people coming together to pull off this wonderful day. The event was a joint venture – assisting the Johnsons with the food, the North Eastern Illinois Two-Cylinder Club provided the breakfast and lunch. Ken Reese, who heads up the biennial Gathering of the Green, observed, “Bob (Johnson) is a member of our club and we stepped up to help.”