The antique tractor hobby extends to farm toys. While many people collect toys, only a handful also make wooden toys. Carl Probst of Teutopolis, Ill., is one of these people. Antique tractor collectors had the chance to view a few of Carl’s wooden beauties when they toured Karl Jansen’s collection during the Prairie Gold Rush Minneapolis-Moline winter show. Karl had three of his prairie tractors on display, including the latest he added to his collection, an Altman Taylor. He said, “The Altman Taylor was completed two months ago, and 1,500 hours of work went into this.” Out of all the toys he has made, Carl said the Altman Taylor took the most time. One of the beauties that collectors viewed at Karl’s house was a Rumely model. “I made it for Karl; it was a 50th birthday present, a gift from his wife, Sandy,” said the similarly-named Carl. This one was a challenge: “I wasn’t raised with the old tractors. I know how Farmalls work.” Learning how the prairie tractors worked was a new thing for Carl. These old beauties have their own quirks and because the tractor was a surprise, he couldn’t ask Karl anything about it, also because it was just like one Karl’s late father had owned. When Carl created the MM for Karl, it was a different story. He was able to ask about the details. Although Karl knew it was coming. Carl and his wife, Angie, surprised him by delivering it to the American Thresherman’s Reunion in Pinckneyville, Ill. Carl grew up on a dairy farm along Bishop Creek. His family farmed with Farmall tractors and that is the brand he loves – in fact, except for the tractors he has made for others, most all of Carl’s models are red ones. He has a wood shop behind the house and after his work at the printing company, he will head there and work for a few hours. The farm toy hobby came after working on shelves and cabinets for Angie. The toy bug bit him, and he now spends a lot of his free time creating wooden masterpieces so detailed it is difficult to believe just one man created the toy. It was in 1998 that Carl started making his farm models. At first he bought some kits, but he was dissatisfied with the lack of details in the kits, so he did what many scratch builders do: He started making his own. To create his tractors, Carl depends on pictures and then makes the toys to his own scale, which appears to be close to 1/16. This is a bit of a family hobby. Angie takes a lot of Carl’s pictures and creates his vinyl decals. Their son Ryan also started helping out and is getting deep into the hobby as well. Their other two children, Kelly, who is married, and Darren, also enjoy seeing their dad’s work. For years, Angie’s dad and Carl’s late father received a wooden tractor, combine or truck each year for Christmas. After Carl’s dad passed, Carl made a Farmall 560 along with a Rhino blade. The duo represent the tractor and blade that his father used to dig out ditches after planting. Another early tractor he made for someone else was a Super M, for Sandy Jansen’s brother, Dwayne. Carl also built a Farmall 856 for a guy at work, for his father. When he made the 856, while he only made two tractors, Carl made several frames and motors and went on to use them for a 1206 and an 806. “We had an 806 on the farm; it was Dad’s first big tractor. I mainly make what Dad had,” he explained. While the Altman Taylor has the most hours in it, one of the most difficult toys Carl has made was the Massey Ferguson 9500 White 16-row planter. With 500 hours in the planter, Ryan noted, “Between us we have 1,000 hours since we made two of them.” Right now, Carl said his favorite toy is that planter. His next project is another prairie tractor for a friend. Each takes months and lots of time and labor, especially because Carl makes one to keep at home too. Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication. Learn more of Cindy’s finds and travel in her blog, “Traveling Adventures of a Farm Girl,” at http://travelingadventuresofafarmgirl.com |
