Looking out the window all one sees is white! Finally a winter that requires no apologies for being wimpy! A true good old-fashioned Minnesota winter! On Friday, January 16, at -25o F, I did the little scientific routine of throwing a cup of steaming hot water into the air and watched it immediately turn into a cloud of vapor. We took a picture of it as well to prove to future generations that it happens!

As one who does not have a heated shop and does not even live close by where the tractors, etc are stored, winter is a time for reflecting, contemplating and planning. In the fall I put everything away, including the truck, and don’t even consider working on anything until spring. It does not stop me from having some discussions with folks about the collecting hobby however.

Just this week, while talking to a customer in southern Ohio, he mentioned that in his part of the country at least, the pattern of favorite collector items is changing. He said the prized tractors for collectors there have become tractors such as Farmall 806, 1206 and John Deere 4020. At least if prices paid there are any indication, with sales ranging from $20,000 to even over $30,000 for the models mentioned, the current generation of collectors is willing to pay for recapturing a piece of their growing up years. Obviously each generation desires to seek out and collect those items they fondly remember from their youth. His observation reminded me of my father’s strong response to anything related to steam engines.

For me personally, 2008 was a busy year. The show year started out with the RPRU in Columbia, MO in June. It is always enjoyable to visit with the many friends that we have made around the country. I managed to attend five antique power shows and one Fourth of July Parade. I painted my Super W-6 and Cub this summer and I had a good time hauling them to the shows.

The winter weather has provided some time to catch up on some reading. There were two books published in 2008 that are of interest to IH collectors. One that was purchased at our December meeting and given to me as a Christmas gift was Ken Updike’s, Classic Farmall Tractors. Its sub-title says that it covers “History, Models, Variations and Specifications 1922-1975”. It has many good photos, some history and it also covers the tractors produced in the 1960’ and 70’s that were mentioned earlier.

A second book is The Farmall Dynasty by Lee Klancher. This book covers “The Story of the Engineering and Design That Created International Harvester Tractors”. While it is primarily a narrative that covers the history of International Harvester, it has some photos, all black and white, several of which are of older early models. Lee has also included tables that show the production by year of the tractors built. This eliminates the need for turning to an appendix to view the table. He concludes the book with an appendix that provides a listing of “Recommended Reading” and IH related clubs and magazines.

And so, as thoughts turn back to coming summer collecting projects, it is with the realization that those activities will be limited in 2009. Much planning time and financial resources will be directed to redoing the kitchen in our home. The somewhat sobering prospect of limited collecting is counter-balanced by the delightful thought that there will no doubt be wonderful delicacies produced in the newly re-modeled kitchen.

Guinness World Record Application

As most of you likely know, I have been working on submitting an application to Guinness World Records claiming that Chapter 15 assembled the largest known number of the various models of “M” Farmalls at our Minnesota IH Rally and its “Field of M’s” feature. The application process is fairly complex and required some time to insure that all requirements of their process were met. The application was mailed in early January and within a few days I received an acknowledgement from them that the claim had been received. They also indicated that it would be several weeks before we would learn if our claim had been accepted. With some luck, we may have heard from them before our March meeting.

Filed under: Collector's Corner