By CINDY LADAGE
Wrenching Tales 

Antique tractor collectors had been waiting all winter to take their antique tractors to local shows. One of the first of the season was the Spring Festival in Carlinville, Ill., put on at the Macoupin County Historical Society’s Strawberry Festival.

The Agricultural Antiques Assoc. is responsible for the tractors, engines and such, and the show is also sponsored by the Illinois Valley Blacksmith Assoc. The event was May 23-24, with a church service that Sunday in the original country church.

The event drew collectors wanting to see tractors on display, as well as the 135-plus craft and art booths. The show is held on the grounds of the Anderson Mansion, a beautiful Italianate home that was open for touring. The weather was decent and many visitors found themselves on benches listening to music in the shade of the mansion lawn.

While Case was the featured tractor this year, the Antique Caterpillar Machinery Owners Club (ACMOC) had some old beautiful old CATs on display that drew a lot of attention. ACMOC was founded in 1991 by enthusiasts who want to share and preserve the legacy of antique Caterpillar machinery.

Now based in Peoria, ACMOC’s mission "is to assist and educate its members, and the general public, to appreciate the historic role of Caterpillar machinery in shaping the world. ACMOC promotes the collection, preservation, restoration, display and study of products and memorabilia of Caterpillar and its related predecessors."

One tractor on display was a lovely 1949 Silver King. While there were not a huge number of tractors on display, the variety of brands was impressive and included Oliver, International Harvester, John Deere, Case, Allis Chalmers and a neat 1958 Model 560 Cockshutt tractor owned by Duane Stone of Waverly, Ill.

For those who like smaller tractors, the Prairieland Garden Tractor Pullers had a meet on Saturday morning. The show provided a chance for those farmers out of the field to enjoy farm demonstrations and watch blacksmithing and a vertical shingle mill operate.

Artists of all types were on hand to share the who, what, when and where of what they do and sell their wares. One of the most fascinating displays was Dawn Schofield of Misty Fern Farm, located in Scottville, Ill. Dawn demonstrated how longhair rabbit fur was taken right off the animal and transferred onto a spool.

The donor rabbit sat on her lap the entire time she was spinning, looking quite content. "They must have their hair removed four times a year," she explained.

The rabbits are bred for fur production and require the hair be combed and groomed and cut to prevent matting. With Dawn was her sister, Gail Johnston, of Native Acres Farm and sister-in-law, Heidi Johnston, of Dragon Hill in Scottville. They call themselves Sisters of the Wheel.

The trio were set up with a rabbit and sheep spinning and showing items they had made. The ladies teach spinning classes; locals, log onto http://native acresfarm.weebly.com/classes-and- seminars.html for details.

Other artisans included a cooper, a weaver, a potter, a Bonsai tree sculptor and a broom maker. Several writers had their books at this year’s show as well.

While the collectors had a chance to see tractors and purchase arts and crafts, many also spent a lot of time oohing and ahhing over Jim Ballinger’s old farm tools and collectibles he had for sale. The food is always a big draw, too, with chicken and noodles, pork sandwiches – and, of course, strawberries.

For more information about the upcoming fall festival, call 217-854-2850 or log onto www.macsociety.org

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.