To those in the antique tractor hobby, the name Sherry Schaefer goes hand-in-hand with the Oliver Hart-Parr brand – Sherry is the editor of Oliver Heritage and is known nationwide as an expert on anything Oliver green.

These days though, Sherry is adding a bit of muscle to her publishing world with the debut of Heritage Iron.

Sherry took a few minutes at Aumann Auctions’ corn husking customer appreciation day to share information about her new publication, while her Oliver tractor and plow waited for her to hit the recently picked cornfield.

Before plowing up the dirt, Sherry explained how she came up with the name for her new magazine, which debuts Dec. 1. She said it was more of an elimination than a selection: “I wanted to keep it in the Heritage series.”

She tried to keep the name unique, one that would not be confused with any others. She wanted to keep the tradition and mix it with the muscle and power of those tractors built after 1960.
All good things take time. The idea for the magazine began almost a year ago. Since this was not her first time launching a publication, Sherry had all her ducks in a row. “Last January, I began. I had already launched a magazine, so I already had my list of things to be done,” she explained.

Her goal was to be ready in time for Christmas and she has achieved that goal: The first issue is ready to roll off the press.
What will a reader of Heritage Iron find? “One feature,” Sherry said, “is the ‘Blow N Smoke’ section, with an emphasis on BS.” Besides this column, experts are also being called upon to provide information for this new antique tractor magazine – “I am also going to have a former JD engineer Larry Gay write a section, which is called ‘Mechanic Milestones.’”

Gay has written several books and is knowledgeable about many different brands and their histories. “In his Milestones column, Larry will look back in time over 30, 40 and 50 years ago,” Sherry said. “He will cover different brands, showing their entry into the muscle tractor era.”

This after-1960 tractor publication was originally targeted for the younger generation, but she had a surprise from her new subscription base.

“We were gearing towards a younger generation, but we are reaching a wider age group than anticipated,” she said. “There are lots of subscribers already signed up.”

What is the difference between “muscle tractors” and regular antique tractors? “This reflects on a change in the hobby,” she explained. “Later tractors are now becoming a lot more collectible. We started out going from horses to tractors and called it power farming. Then in the 1960s, it really became power farming, with duals and turbos.

“Through this publication, you will get exposure to a later tractor. We will cover more than tractors; we will talk about implements and after-market products.”

One of the after-market companies in which Sherry has interest is the M&W Gear Co. This is just one example of what she said is to come.

To find out more, check out the website at www.heritageiron.com or call the toll-free number, 866-552-6085.

After sharing information about her new project, Sherry wasted no more time; there was ground to be plowed, and her beloved Oliver tractor. A field, the sun behind her, soil to turn – what more could a girl want?

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