AGN_Half Century of Progress_082021 by Shaw Media

World’s Largest Working Vintage Farm Show

SPECIAL SECTION

2 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

WELCOME & THANK YOU Half Century of Progress Committee members of the I & I Antique Tractor and Gas Engine Club extend a very warm welcome to all our visitors and volunteers, local and around the world, who make this biennial show possible. The generosity of our many exhibitors is deeply appreciated. Their sharing of antique farm machinery makes this Half Century of Progress a world-wide attraction. We are grateful for all the sponsors, organizations and volunteers who generously give of their resources and time to make the event a success. We thank Chuck Smith (Mayor of Rantoul), Scott Eisenhauer (Village Administrator), Corky Vericker (Airport Manager) and the members of the Rantoul Fire, Police, Public Works and Recreation Departments for all of their services. The theme of this year’s show is the Rantoul Repower Roundup. Many antique harvest machines are in the ﬁeld and on display at our show. The ﬁeld demonstrations of this equipment help make our show the largest vintage working farm show in the country. The Class of 1971 tractors and equipment are a great addition to our show. Again we say Welcome to all in attendance. We hope you enjoy your visit and Thank You for joining us. Please always be mindful of the importance of safety precautions. Russell Buhr Co-chairman Half Century of Progress SM-LA1902733

John Fredrickson Co-chairman Half Century of Progress

www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

Thursday, August 26 7:00 am 8:00 am 8:00 am 8:30-11:00 am

10:00-11:00 am Approx. 12:00-12:30 pm 1:00-4:00 pm

2:30-3:30 pm 2:00-5:00 pm 4:00 pm

Schedule Of Events

Gates Open Half Century Tractor Ride departs Rantoul Flag Raising featuring America’s Largest Flying Flag Field Demonstrations (Broom Corn, Corn Picking and Shelling, Corn and Soybean Combining, and Field Tillage) Jolene Brown, Ag & Family Business Speaker (Premier Cooperative Entertainment Tent) Tractor Ride Returns for Daily Parade of Power (north-south runway) Field Demonstrations (Broom Corn, Corn Picking and Shelling, Corn and Soybean Combining, and Field Tillage) Jolene Brown, Ag & Family Business Speaker (Premier Cooperative Entertainment Tent) Back Paiges Band with 50s & 60s Music (Premier Cooperative Entertainment Tent) Tractor Pull

Friday, August 27 7:00 am 8:00 am 8:30-11:00 am

10:00-11:00 am 1:00 pm 1:00-4:00 pm

2:30-3:30 pm 2:00-5:00 pm 4:00 pm

Gates Open Flag Raising featuring America’s Largest Flying Flag Field Demonstrations (Broom Corn, Corn Picking and Shelling, Corn and Soybean Combining, and Field Tillage) Jolene Brown, Ag & Family Business Speaker (Premier Cooperative Entertainment Tent) Daily Parade of Power Featuring The Repower Roundup of Rantoul Field Demonstrations (Broom Corn, Corn Picking and Shelling, Corn and Bean Combining, and Field Tillage) Jolene Brown, Ag & Family Business Speaker (Premier Cooperative Entertainment tent) Wes Wheeler & the Battle Creek Band (Premier Cooperative Entertainment Tent) Tractor Pull

Saturday, August 28

7:00 am 8:00 am 8:30-11:00 am

11:00-12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00-4:00 pm

2:00-5:00 pm 3:00-4:00 pm 4:00 pm

Gates Open Flag Raising featuring America’s Largest Flying Flag Field Demonstrations (Broom Corn, Corn Picking and Shelling, Corn and Soybean Combining, and Field Tillage) Back Paiges Band with 50s and 60s music (Premier Cooperative Entertainment Tent) Daily Parade of Power featuring the Class of 1971... tractors made 50 years ago this year Field Demonstrations (Broom Corn, Corn Picking and Shelling, Corn and Bean Combining, and Field Tillage) Back Paiges Band with 50s and 60s music (Premier Cooperative Entertainment Tent) Max Armstrong & Friends Show (Premier Cooperative Entertainment Tent) Tractor Pull

Sunday, August 29 7:00 am 8:00 am 8:30-11:00 am

9:00 am 1:00 pm 2:00-3:00 pm

Gates Open Flag Raising featuring America’s Largest Flying Flag Field Demonstrations (Broom Corn, Corn Picking and Shelling, Corn and Soybean Combining, and Field Tillage) Half Century Gospel Hour with “A Natural High” (Premier Cooperative Entertainment Tent) Parade of Power featuring Tractors of the FFA Field Demonstrations (Broom Corn, Corn Picking and Shelling, Corn and Bean Combining, and Field Tillage)

Tune in to 89.9 FM for information during the show - The Ofﬁcial Station of the Half Century of Progress Show Schedule Subject to Change

4 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

As agriculturalists, we are all different. It may be the crops we plant, the way we farm, or the color of equipment we drive, but we all have our own way of doing things. The one thing that unites us as farmers is our ability to understand growth. We plant in the spring and hope for growth. We make plans for how we will grow our operation in the future. And this weekend, we celebrate the growth of how far we have come in ﬁfty years here at the Half Century of Progress show. On behalf of the Beck family and family of employees and dealers, we would like to welcome you to the 2021 Half Century of Progress show. Whether you are a visitor or a volunteer, we are so glad you could be here to experience such a historical event focused on our industry’s growth. Beck’s is honored to partner with the Half Century of Progress as this year’s premier sponsor for an event that is not only known across the nation, but across the world. We want to thank the community of Rantoul, the volunteer exhibitors, and the local ﬁre and police departments for assisting with the event. Without your efforts behind the scenes, this event would not be possible. With that, WELCOME to the 2021 Half Century of Progress show! We hope that you enjoy a jam-packed weekend full of great information, fellowship, and live demonstrations of how previous generations cared for the land. God Bless,

Sonny Beck | CEO

Scott Beck | President

6 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

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DOING WHAT’S RIGHT FOR FARMERS. AT OUR CORE, THAT’S WHO WE ARE. FARMERS AT HEART. SM-LA1902745

www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

We can’t help you choose between A and B. But we can help you choose from our genetically diverse lineup of products. Scan the QR code below to watch the video.

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8 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

Memories restored Sonny Beck’s first John Deere tractor ATLANTA, Ind. — The first tractor that you learned to drive. Farming with your dad. The wet spring of 1974. The first piece of equipment you bought for your farm. These memories may resonate with many, but they have a different meaning for Sonny Beck — they all revolve around a pivotal purchase that still serves a purpose on the farm today. For Beck, the first tractor he learned to drive was a 1938 International Harvester Farmall F-20. He farmed with his dad, Francis, who was partial to red paint on his equipment. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the Beck family looked into purchasing a different color. John Deere was becoming more and more popular, growing from a 2-cylinder to a 6-cylinder with more horsepower. In the very wet spring of 1974, the Beck family purchased their first piece of green equipment and started operating it at their headquarters in Atlanta, Indiana. It was a brand new 1974

John Deere 4430 with a cab, 125 horsepower, and a 6.6L 6-cylinder engine. The plan was to use it to work the ground down with their 33foot S-Tine field cultivator ahead of the planter. Francis and Sonny were able to get a little corn planted in April, but due to wet field conditions, most of the crop was put in the ground at the beginning of June. They installed additional lights on the new tractor to be able to plant later into the night. After 34 years and over 10,000 hours, the tractor was retired to mowing ditch banks. After enduring a strong storm that buried it under an old shed, the cab was damaged and needed repair. Five years later, when mowing a roadside on that same farm where the shed collapsed, Sonny’s 1974 John Deere 4430 caught fire and burnt down to the frame. See TRACTOR, Page 9

Sonny Beck with his restored 1974 John Deere 4430.

Welcome to the 2021 HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS I hope you enjoy the show Chris Karr, Public Address Announcer 217-869-8751

www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

TRACTOR FROM PAGE 8

While most people would find no life left in a tractor that was burnt to a crisp, Beck showed no signs of giving up on his first John Deere tractor. “Everybody used it,” he explained. “It was one of the first automatic transmission tractors with a straight gear shift lever versus a quad transmission, so anyone could drive it. I didn’t just want to junk it.” With Sonny’s approval, Beck’s shop manager, Blair Dunn, and his crew pulled the 4430 into the shop in the winter of 2013 and prepared to restore it. Dunn and the crew had to start from scratch. They needed a donor tractor to pull parts from, and the one they found was inconveniently located two states away in Iowa. Having trouble finding

a ride for the donor, Dunn hooked up his truck and trailer and drove to get it himself. “It really became a passion for us to restore it,” he added. “Adam Fernung (one of the main employees to work on the tractor) said it best — we’re very grateful for everything the Beck family does for us, and we wanted our work on this tractor to reflect that appreciation.” Today, the tractor is on display at Beck’s headquarters in Atlanta for customers and prospects to view during facility tours. But more importantly, it serves as a piece of history to the Beck family, their story and the memories behind it. The tractor will leave home temporarily to visit Half Century of Progress, but will forever remain a part of Beck’s history as its memories are worth far more than what it is worth today.

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10 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

With moving parts and equipment, safety is priority at show RANTOUL, Ill. — With a large grounds full of people and lots of equipment with many moving parts, safety is a priority for the Half Century of Progress show. Craig Hill, the show’s safety officer, a retired sergeant with the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department, heads up that effort. “People need to be aware of the mobility that is all around them. Everything is moving, so be aware of that mobility around you,” said Hill, who is a tractor collector and a member of the I&I Antique Tractor and Gas Engine Club, as well as the Central Illinois Green Club. Hill starts out with the moving part. No matter how many people a vehicle will carry on the show grounds and no matter what kind of vehicle it is, Hill requests that every equipment operator attend a brief safety presentation. “What is supposed to happen is that everyone who comes to the show who operates a convey-

•Dewey •Galesville

ance, whether it is a tractor, a Gator, anything with wheels on it that you are going to drive on the property, you are supposed to come to a safety meeting. I have a script that I have developed. We go through that script and talk about the safety issues at the airport,” he said. The opportunities to attend that safety meeting are numerous — and Hill makes sure that everybody knows about them. “The meetings occur four to six times a day during the show. On Wednesday, it could be four times. On Thursday, it could be six. On Friday, it definitely is six. Saturday, it is around four times. We schedule them every day and we post them every day and we announce it over the loudspeaker every day,” he said. Upon completing that safety meeting, operators receive a ribbon that they are asked to display, that many wear on their caps.

•Ivesdale •Jamaica

Above all, Hill stresses to everyone working at the show to act if they see something amiss. “If you see something wrong, you have got to do something about it,” he said. This year, organizers increased the security presence. “It’s a little different this time, we have hired and outside security source, which is going to have people there 24/7. We will have two full-time police officers on the property, from the start of the show to the end of the show, as just a little added security,” Hill said. When it comes to health and physical issues, OSF will be on site, on the show’s midway, offering medical care from BandAids to blood pressure checks. “They will have a one-stop shop there,” Hill said. One of the primary safety rules is observing the 5 mile per hour speed limit while on the grounds during the show, no matter what kind of vehicle is being driven.

Settlement Locations:

•Rising •Royal

“That 5 miles per hour applies to tractors, golf carts, ATVs, people movers, all of those things and it’s because of the size of the crowds,” Hill said. Another thing that is emphasized is for participants and visitors to be kind to the volunteers working at the show. “One of the other things we talk about is being kind to the staff. Everybody in the place is a volunteer. I’m a volunteer. Russell Buhr is a volunteer. John Fredrickson is a volunteer. Nobody gets paid here. It’s not our job. A lot of us are from a bunch of different other clubs. We all threw into the I&I club with people and hours to make it happen. It takes a lot of hours and work to make these things happen,” Hill said. The show will have volunteer field marshals who will be present at each of the separate working events. The field marshals give the

•Rossville •Sidney

signals for the separate events to begin, but their presence also offers a resource for guests at the show. “You can go to the field marshal and say I am not feeling well, I have injured myself, I am lost, I can’t find somebody and the field marshals can help you,” Hill said. Overall, Hill said the show has operated with very few serious incidents. “We have had very few injuries in the nine shows at the airport. Most of those injuries have been trip hazards, where people were paying attention to tractors, conveyances, scenery and they tripped over something. We kind of think that we have been really lucky,” he said. Hill credits that to the volunteers, as well as the people who attend the show. “We are dealing with a group of people who are still good to the core.”

•Thomasboro •Tolono

Fuel Representatives:

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Garrett Bruns: 217-898-0218

Andy Hazelwood: 217-781-2594

Jay Warfel: 217-493-9198

Ben Smith: 217-714-3376

Hunter Tweedy: 217-800-2111

Jerry Shupe: 217-254-0593

Rick Riblet: 217-255-2763

Travis Swinford: 217-841-7999

www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

Born from a small shop in Fisher, Illinois in 1954, Birkey’s Farm Store has

ANNAWAN, IL

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URBANA, IL

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12 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

Vintage tractors, former air base combine for unique challenges Coordinating safety logistics for show RANTOUL, Ill. — As a tractor collector and enthusiast himself, Craig Hill readily admits a truth about vintage farm equipment. “All of this equipment is old and it wasn’t necessarily safe when it was brand new,” said Hill, a retired Kankakee County Sheriff’s Deputy, who retired with the rank of sergeant. Hill coordinates the safety logistics for the Half Century of Progress show and presents the safety program to everyone who will be operating conveyances, from golf carts to tractors to steam engines, on the grounds during the show. The equipment itself can pose safety challenges, for both operators and audiences. Hill stresses awareness. “What we tell people who are going to be operating, especially

SM-LA1902740

out in the field, is that you need to have an awareness around your machinery and your tractor. Before you engage the tractor or corn picker or whatever you have, have an awareness that there are people who are not aware of how that thing is going to maneuver, how it is going to start up, how it is going to operate,” Hill said. The audience also poses a safety challenge, since many may not have seen farm equipment up close and personal and in use. “Those operators need to understand that they have an audience who may not understand all of that, so just make sure it is clear before you take off,” Hill said. For the operators of the steam engines that will be working at the show, Hill takes his safety presentation to them. “It’s hard for them to come to me so I go to them. Theirs is a little different. We talk about making sure that the people around

“You’ll see me at Half Century on an orange one because I like that little tractor.” Craig Hill, coordinator SAFETY LOGISTICS

that equipment are aware of the heat and the steam and all of the things that go along with those engines,” he said. It’s not just the equipment that is vintage. The site of the Half Century of Progress is the Rantoul Airport, the site of the former Chanute Air Force Base, which was decommissioned and closed in 1993. Whether it’s new or old, Hill said he urges everyone participating in the show to respect the surroundings and to expect the unexpected as they are moving around the airport grounds. “The airport closes for 10 days

and they allow us to play in their sandbox. In return, we need to return it to them the Monday after the show in good shape,” Hill said. Participants may encounter equipment that is part of the current airport or the former Air Force base. “I always tell people that there are a lot of things at the airport that are individual. For instance, there are these little blue lights along the runway. Invariably, someone runs over one, purely by accident. But if we can avoid that, it saves everybody a lot of money and we don’t have to get it fixed before Monday,” Hill said. He also emphasizes the importance of respecting the major infrastructure of the current airport — the concrete areas. “We ask them to be kind to the airport and not destroy their property, especially the concrete, where the planes arrive and leave

from. We ask them not to load and unload on that concrete, not to damage it,” he said. The structures from the former air base also can present unexpected obstacles. “In the middle of a cornfield there can be a sewer access box, there can be a big hole created over the summer from a tile, because the place is tiled. There can be electrical boxes that are sitting in the middle of nowhere and nobody knows why they are there. It was for something that they did 40 years ago,” Hill said. Hill himself owns some 20 tractors, mostly green. He will be bringing some orange paint to the show this year. “You’ll see me at Half Century on an orange one because I like that little tractor. I bring something every time. I graduated to this little Allis and as I’ve gotten a little older, it’s a little easier to get on and off of and easier to manage,” Hill said.

www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

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14 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

Voice of Half Century show announces activities, stresses safety RANTOUL, Ill. — Chris Karr is the voice of the Half Century of Progress show. “My responsibilities are to communicate to the thousands of people one thing — safety,” said Chris Karr, the public address announcer of the show and a member of the I&I Tractor and Gas Engine Club that hosts the biennial show. “When you gather that many people, you have to be concerned about safety,” Karr noted. “These people have adrenaline flowing way high — they are really excited if they’ve never been there.” Karr got involved with the I&I Club many years ago after attending its Historic Farm Days show in 1976. “My son and I farm near Seymour and I’ve got several old tractors and a toy collection,” he said. “And I love the people.” The farmer also announces during the annual Historic Farm Days event.

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“I’ve been the announcer at the Half Century show since 2005 and between the two shows I’ve met thousands of people and it’s really neat the people I’ve met from all over the U.S. and the world,” he noted. “Today, I met a man from Birmingham, Alabama, who had been to the Half Century show, but not the Historic Farm Days show,” Karr said during the Historic Farm Days event. Karr communicates the activities for the day and answers numerous questions to keep people informed throughout the fourday gathering. At one of the Historic Farm Days shows there were from 500 to 600 International tractors on display. “A man came from southern Illinois said his brother brought the family tractor and he asked me if I knew where it was,” the announcer recalled. “I told him that he had to give me more de-

tails.” Not only does Karr enjoy announcing at the shows, he is also a champion hog caller. “My son showed hogs at the Illinois State Fair and every year on Sunday, I would call hogs in the swine barn,” he recalled. “The fair and the pork producers wanted to get the public to come in the swine barn so they started husband and hog calling contests.” Karr developed skits for the hog calling contest and won the contest 10 times in 28 years. “I love to do the announcing and I guess I’m doing OK since no one has taken my job away from me yet,” Karr said. “I want to commend the I&I board and Darius Harms, who found talent and put that talent where it would be best used.” That’s what makes a good club, Karr said, when the volunteers are placed where they can best serve.

Chris Karr enjoys talking about his antique tractor collection that includes his Ford tractor.

“It’s very important for me much volunteer work to put both to thank all the volunteers for of these shows on in the same both shows,” he said. “It takes so year.”

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www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

Golf cars, scooters provide mobility for show visitors TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — Utilizing some mode of transportation provides those attending the Half Century of Progress show the opportunity to see more of the wide variety of activities scheduled during the four-day event. Battery Specialists + Golf Cars will be at the show to rent both golf cars and scooters. “We say cars because a cart is something you push or pull and a car is something you drive,” said Kevin Coker. “That’s why we say cars and we correct people all the time.” The company, with stores in Taylorville, Mt. Vernon, Champaign and Highland, will bring from 500 to 600 golf cars to the show. “All our pre-books for the show are rented,” said Coker, who operates the Highland store. “We’ll have some extra cars, but we don’t know how many.” The scooters are rented to those attending the show on a

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first come, first serve basis. “We will have double the scooters at the show,” Coker said. It will take multiple trucks and trailers to move the golf cars and scooters to the Rantoul Aviation Center for the show. “We have five semis that will haul from 18 to 25 golf cars each, as well as multiple trucks and trailers that haul 12 to 14,” Coker said. “So, we can move a couple hundred golf cars down the road at one time.” Battery Specialists + Golf Cars provides rentals during the Illinois State Fair, Historic Farm Days, Half Century of Progress show and the Farm Progress Show. “We have to move all the cars from Rantoul to Decatur to get set up for the Farm Progress Show in two days,” Coker said. In addition to selling golf cars, the company also provides service on golf cars, as well as leasing. “Our service staff works on all

major makes and models,” Coker said. “We are a Club Car distributor and an EZGO dealer.” The company was started by Coker’s father, Danny. “My brother, Kyle, runs our Champaign store and my dad’s brother also works with us,” Coker noted. The company began as a battery business. “The Taylorville Country Club had private golf cars and the guy that worked on them wanted to retire so since we were in the battery business, he sent golf cars to us and we started working on them,” Coker said. “It ballooned from there and we got into golf cars for people moving.” Battery Specialists + Golf Cars quickly realized there was a demand for golf cars. “My dad bought eight golf cars and sold them in a day and then bought 16 cars and sold them in two weeks,” Coker recalled. “We started going to shows to

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Kevin Coker will be renting golf cars and scooters at the Half Century of Progress Show. Battery Specialists + Golf Cars travels to several shows each year to provide golf cars for people moving.

rent golf cars in the early ‘90s,” we thought that was a big deal.” he said. For more information about “We had a small fleet of 16 golf Battery Specialists + Golf Cars, cars and one 8-passengar car and go to www.bspgc.com.

16 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

Flag at Half Century of Progress flies the colors in a big way RANTOUL, Ill. — Neal Lambert wants the American flag that visitors to the Half Century of Progress show will see to be a reminder. “I just hope they realize they live in a free country and that they should never

turn their back on that flag or anybody who served to protect that flag,” said Lambert, himself a U.S. Navy veteran. It will be a reminder that is hard to ignore or forget. The f lag that Lambert and his team of five other

veterans from the United Veterans of America chapter in Gastonia, North Carolina, are bringing weighs 350 pounds dry. It is 65 feet by 115 feet and will be suspended between two cranes during the show.

“It travels in its own bag. We have a trailer for it because we also have cable and rigging that we have to use to put it up between the cranes,” Lambert said.

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The U.S. flag at the Half Century of Progress is 65 feet by 115 feet and will be suspended between two cranes during the show.

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www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

FLAG

FROM PAGE 16

The flag will be raised every day and lowered every evening at the show and Lambert said when it’s time to lower the flag for the night, the announcement brings a crowd. “They make an announcement during the show, right before we get ready to take it down and there will be a lot of people over there waiting to help take it down and put it in the bag,” he said. The traveling flag that the veterans display is a slightly smaller version of the one that flies from a 200-foot-tall flagpole not far from the United Veterans of America post just outside of Gastonia. That flag is 75 feet by 125 feet and is billed as the largest U.S. flying from a pole. That flag flies all the

“Anything we can do to keep the American spirit of being free and what that flag stands for. There are people who have paid the ultimate price and those are the ones we will not forget.” Neal Lambert time, weather permitting. “We have three lights aimed on it. We try to leave it up as long as the weather will allow,” Lambert said. The flagpole is located on a hill about a mile from the post, but because of its size is visible from a distance. “We just like to keep it going. It’s just one of those things, whether you are a veteran or not, as long as you like being American and the American flag, it just doesn’t get any better. It makes the hair stand up on your arm when you put that thing up and see it on that pole,” Lambert said. The Gastonia flag has

drawn interest from across the nation. “We get a lot of interest from people all over the place. We had a family come from Ohio with their kids. They wanted to know if one of their sons could help put the flag up, so we took them up there and let him push the button for the winch that raises and lowers the flag. It tickled that little boy to death to be able to see that,” Lambert said. The United Veterans of America chapter started as an AMVETS, American Veterans, chapter. The chapter is made up of military veterans.

The post holds fundraisers to raise money to build a park around the flagpole, they host weekly meals for veterans and they raise funds to buy Christmas gifts for veterans in a nearby VA hospital. The chapter has around 375 members and a board of 12 officers. Helping veterans and raising funds to build a star-shaped park around the flagpole are priorities. “We are trying to build a park around the base of the flagpole, called the Patriot’s Star. Right now, we are trying to get a regular road put in up to the flag. We also feed veterans at the post, we try to have something every day, but if not every day, then every week, at least. We have a Facebook page to try to get the word out about the post and the chapter. Everything we do down here is on a donation basis,” Lambert said. Both the traveling flag

and the permanent f lag are kept repaired by local volunteers. Repairs are vital since the flags, which are made by a company in Texas, can cost around $14,000 each to replace. Lambert said he and the other veterans who will travel with the flag to Rantoul are happy to make

the journey and put in the work to share the flag with others. “Anything we can do to keep the American spirit of being free and what that flag stands for. There are people who have paid the ultimate price and those are the ones we will not forget,” Lambert said.

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Group set to make biennial tractor drive to Half Century show MINIER, Ill. — It started with just two tractors and over the years it grew to five guys driving their tractors and pulling equipment to participate in the Half Century of Progress show. “We drive from Mackinaw to Rantoul with our tractors, wagons and pickers and this year will be the seventh time we’ve done it,” said Don Freitag, who lives near Minier. “Louis Weishaupt and I will have 2,000 miles when we come down this time.” The trip from Mackinaw to the show is about 80 miles. “They leave Mackinaw, come by and pick me up at Minier and we take back roads to McLean and than Route 136 the rest of the way,” the retired farmer explained. “It takes is about 5.5 hours because we stop and eat lunch and take another break between Heyworth and Fisher.” The group plans to drive to the show on the Monday prior to the

Half Century of Progress show that will be held Aug. 26-29 at the Rantoul Aviation Center. “The first year we hauled our stuff down and in 2009, Louie suggested we drive, but he lets me lead,” Freitag said. “I have my dad’s 1953 Super H tractor and I pull a Belle City one-row picker and two wagons and Louie has an M tractor and an IH two-row mounted corn picker.” In 2011, Louie’s brother, Joe, joined the tractor drive. “He drove a John Deere about three times, but it wasn’t fast enough because the Farmalls go 17 to 18 mph and he could only run 14 mph, so he bought an Allis Chalmers and pulls a combine,” Freitag said. The group of tractors expanded to four tractors in 2013 when Bob Dietrich joined and Randy Phanz made the trip to Rantoul with the group in 2015. “Randy likes to shred stalks

but I think he has a picker this year,” Freitag said. As they go by farms, Freitag said, there are often people waving at them. “We’re careful and stay out of the way of other vehicles,” he said. “If there’s a wide shoulder, we get clear over.” They always carry water during the trip. “We’re old farmers so we’ve got water jugs,” he stressed. “We don’t have bottled water. We have water jugs like we carried on our tractors and combines.” “When I was young and behind the baler, I had glass jugs and we wrapped burlap sacks around them that were soaked in cool water,” the farmer said. “Not we’ve got Thermos jugs.” Over the years of driving their tractors and equipment to the show, the group has only experienced one mishap. “One of the guys was pulling an Oliver one-row picker and we

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got a mile out of town and a wheel fell off the picker,” the farmer said. “The nuts weren’t tight, so Louie went back and picked up the nuts that fell off.” A farmer, who was waiting to take pictures of the group, also helped get the wheel back on the picker. “We were about two miles from an implement dealer, so we went there and got some extra nuts and a jack,” Freitag said. Freitag, who many know as Reverend Rooster, has several Case tractors in his collection. “When I first started coming to the show, I had a Case DC tractor, which has the steering arm on the side,” he explained. “They have been called chicken roost steering because the chickens use to roost on them in the machine sheds at night, so that’s how I got the rooster name.” Reverend was added to his nickname by Darius Harms.

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“He called me Reverend because I swore so much,” the farmer said. “Everywhere we go, we have a lot of fun.” Freitag plans to pick corn with his Belle City picker at the show. “People come from all over and only about three people know what my corn picker is,” he noted. “Belle City made them for Harry Ferguson and the pickers are very rare.” The farmer purchased his picker at a farm sale. “They had Case stuff and I was looking for a moldboard plow and then I saw this picker and I thought, ‘Man, I’ve got to have that,’” he recalled. “It intrigued me because it is something that no one else had.” The owner had kept the onerow picker in the shed most of the time. “I didn’t have to do hardly anything to get it running, just things like putting new belts on,” Freitag said.

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www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

Vendors offer variety of vintage wares at Half Century of Progress R A N T OU L , I l l. — Whether it’s a particular part for a vintage tractor, a toy tractor for a collection or really anything related to vintage tractors and farm equipment, the marketplace at the Half Century of Progress show is the place to find it. “It’s kind of amazing all the things that you see for sale there — there will be a little bit of everything,” said Barry Maury, the vendor coordinator for the show. So far, Maury said 125 vendors are registered. The official deadline to register for vendors was July 1, but Maury said he still was taking registrations on Aug. 1.

“I had someone call on Aug. 1 and ask if we still had space. That’s one thing, being out there on the former Air Force base, we have plenty of room. I never run out of room for vendors,” Maury said. Maury said the vendors sell everything from tractor parts to craft items. “There will be old tractors for sale, the old lawn and garden tractors. We have several parts vendors for the antique tractors, as well as some antiques. We have several farm toy dealers and we also have some craft vendors,” Maury said. Maury said the parts vendors always draw a crowd.

“Most of the parts dealers are always pretty busy and we have several vendors who sell the old plow parts and they always have a good show,” he said. T he ma rket place is across the blacktop from the food vendors and Mau r y sa id the a rea where the marketplace will be located is easily accessible. “It’s all on grass and it is pretty solid, even if it would rain,” he said. The vendors will be ready to go when the gates open Thursday morning. “A lot of people have a lot of talent and time so it’s always interesting to see what everyone brings to sell,” Maury said.

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Tractor ride gives drivers time to connect with each other, see crop progress can visit with each other for a few minutes,” Armstrong said. Drivers will travel about 38 miles. “We usually take a swing past the nursing home and the residents sit outside,” said Bonnie Marcotte, who organizes the tractor ride together with her husband, Dick. “The tractors also go past the cemetery where Darius Harms is buried.” A colorful variety of tractor manufacturers will be driven by owners for the 2021 event. “We already have 42 drivers registered and so far we’ve got Ford, Minneapolis, Massey, Case, International, John Deere, Oliver and McCormick Deering tractors,” Marcotte reported. “We try to get back about noon

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“All tractors should run at least 10 mph because if there are guys going too slow, then there will be gaps,” Marcotte said. “There will be police stationed at the corners, but when there are big gaps, that’s when problems arise.” Dick Marcotte’s job is to drive the route in front of the tractors in his truck. The Marcottes farm near Grant Park, Illinois. “Dick is retired now and we have two sons and a grandson that farm,” his wife said. The family has farmed in this area for several generations. “We started farming the spring of 1964,” Bonnie said. “Dick’s grandpa in 1905 leased a farm from a family and they still own it and we still farm it.”

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Attending the show at the Rantoul Aviation Center is a bucket list destination for some people. “They’ve heard so much about Rantoul, that they have to see it for themselves,” Armstrong explained. “We take a lot of pride in the fact it’s become something people cherish and want to see.” The cost to participate in the tractor ride is $50 per tractor. “We mailed registration forms to all past drivers and there are registration forms available on the website,” Marcotte said. “The deadline to register is Aug. 10, but we’re flexible on that so if they mail the form to us by Aug. 23, that will work.” Each driver will receive a meal voucher and a special T-shirt with the Half Century logo.

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so the tractors become the Daily Parade of Power,” Armstrong said. “We’ll drive down the 4,800foot, Runway 18 at the old Chanute Air Force Base.” This is a unique opportunity for many antique tractor owners. “There’s something special about driving a tractor down that runway,” Armstrong noted. “I have visited with pilots who trained there and they come back to the show.” A couple of years ago, Armstrong said, he talked with a retired Southwest Airlines pilot at the Half Century show. “I think it was the first thing he did after he flew his last flight into Midway Airport,” he recalled. “He came to the Half Century and Farm Progress shows.”

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RANTOUL, Ill. — Tractor drivers will take a crop tour through parts of Champaign and Vermillion counties during the Half Century Tractor Ride on the first day of the Half Century of Progress show. The tractor ride will kick off at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26, led by Max Armstrong, farm broadcaster and host of This Week in Agribusiness. “We get to see how the crops in that area look and the variability of the fields,” Armstrong said. “You get a better view from a tractor ride than going down the highway at 70 mph.” The group is expected to total from 100 to 110 tractors. “We stop a couple of times for refreshment breaks and so we

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Shellers keep corn on move to elevator RANTOUL, Ill. — A part of corn harvesting that has primarily went by the wayside since the development of combines will be on display at the Half Century of Progress. Once the corn pickers’ wagon is filled from the nearby field on the former Chanute Air Force Base grounds, the “corn on the cob” — not the typical garden variety — will be hauled to shellers. “We’ll bring the ear corn in from the field. We have two portable corn cribs we use to reenact filling a crib. From the crib we go into the corn sheller and shell the corn. The shelled corn is put into a wagon. The cobs

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come out another spot and the dirt and stuff blows out of a tube and into a pile,” said Gary Sage, corn shelling coordinator along with Shawn Ashby. “We’ll have one sheller there that’s going to be run by a steam engine. We have one sheller that is mounted onto a truck. Normally a sheller would be run by a tractor off its PTO, but we’re trying to get a little bit of everything out there to show different types of operations.” The corn cobs are put into manure spreaders and spread back into the fields. “They used to pay us for corn cobs when we shelled the ear corn. It was used for facial powder and for

Corn picked in nearby fields by numerous classic harvesters is hauled to shelling stations during the Half Century of Progress. fillers like in cereals,” Sage added. The corn is shipped by semis to the local elevator. “We’ve been very fortunate. The corn we grow there is a very early variety. It’s not a corn that we

typically as farmers plant around here, but we’ve been very fortunate where the moisture has been good, in the teens, low 20s. The elevators really don’t want 30%, 35% or 40% moisture because they’d have to fire up a dryer,” Sage ex-

plained. One of the biggest challenges is setting a deliberate pace for the corn picker operators so the demonstration can be held daily. “They have to keep the corn pickers slowed down. They’d have it done in a

day if we just turned them loose. We try to spread that out over four days so everybody has an opportunity to see what we’re doing there,” Sage said, referring to the enthusiastic pickers as “like a bunch of kids in a candy store.”

www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

Horse farming demonstrations at Half Century of Progress RANTOUL, Ill. — Farming’s original horsepower — the four-legged variety — will be featured in action during the Half Century of Progress. Jeff Glazik, the show’s horse farming coordinator, said the demonstration typically features plowing, hay-mowing and raking and using a horsedrawn hay loader to move hay to a horse-drawn hay rack. “I’m working on a horsedrawn corn-binder right now. We’re going to shock some corn,” Glazik said. The 2019 show featured about eight horses pulling plows and other equipment. Glazik doesn’t know in advance of the show exactly how many horses will be featured. He in-

stalls the fencing, gate and water tank in preparation for however many will show up. He also has several pieces of horse-drawn equipment that he’ll bring for use. “The breeds are mostly Percherons and there will be some Belgians, mules and some crossbreeds and who knows what,” he added. Glazik has had draft horses for about 40 years, primarily Percherons and some Belgians in the past. “I purchased the Percherons as 4-year-olds. They were mostly broke when I get them. I’m just down to two horses and they’re 21 or 22 years old, but they’re still willing to work if you take it easy on them. I’ll have them at the show,” Glazik said.

There is no set-in-concrete schedule for the horse farming demonstrations, but Glazik noted in the past they started at about 8 or 9 a.m. when it’s cooler and then go back to the horse area to visit

with spectators. There may also be some light horse work in the afternoon. Horse plowing demonstrations are typically held on Saturday during the show.

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26 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

Repower tractors featured at show RANTOUL, Ill. — The Rantoul Repower Roundup is the theme for the Half Century of Progress show. “A lot of farm shops took the original engine out of the tractor and put a different engine in,” said Russell Buhr, who is serving as co-chairman of the Half Century of Progress show together with John Fredrickson. “I don’t know of hardly any brand that didn’t do it because when the motor went bad in your tractor you would put different motor in it,” Buhr said. “You might put a flathead V8 from a car that you found in a junkyard for $25 to $50 and then you could still farm with the tractor while not breaking the bank to do it.” Buhr is quite familiar with the Rantoul area where the show will be held Aug. 26-29 at the Rantoul Aviation Center. “I grew up in Flatville and that’s where I went to grade school and church and then I went to Rantoul High School,” he said. Joining the I&I Antique Tractor and Gas Engine Club was easy for Buhr because he likes tractors. “I worked at a Ford Tractor dealership in Thomasboro and we worked on several brands

there,” he said. In 1983, Buhr started farming with his brother, growing corn and soybeans. “He is farming with his son and I am farming with my son, Andy,” he said. “My grandson, Max, is in fifth grade, so we’re getting him involved.” Buhr has several brands of tractors in his collection, including Minneapolis-Moline, Oliver, Cockshutt, Ford, John Deere and International. “Minneapolis and International are my two favorites, but I like them all because I like tractors,” he said. Sometimes the tractor collector finds unique items on the internet to add to his collection, like his Buhrer tractor. “It was in New York and it was made in Switzerland, so I thought I had to have it because there is probably not another one in the U.S.,” he said. The Buhrer tractor is green and red. “It has a Fordson diesel engine in it,” Buhr said. “The tractor was made by the Fritz Buhrer Tractor Company and he bought different motors and put them in his tractors.” The farmer plans to take his

Although he likes all the tractors in his collection, Minneapolis-Moline and International are Russell Buhr’s favorite tractors. Buhr’s grandson, Max, drove the 1939 R in the tractor pull that was held during the Historic Farm Days event. David Brown tractor to the Half Century of Progress show. “I bought that tractor out of Ohio and it is a 990 model,” Buhr said. “These tractors were made in England and then Case bought the company, so the tractors were painted the orange and white Case colors.” The show co-chairman expects collectors from about 30 states to attend or bring equipment to display and operate during the Half Century of Progress show and he is looking forward to reconnecting with people he hasn’t seen for two years. “That’s what this is all about,

having a good time,” Buhr stressed. “You get to talking to people and pretty soon you develop a friendship.” Buhr is concerned that the rural areas are losing some of the connections with neighbors. “Where I grew up it was amazing how neighbors worked together to help each other farm,” he said. A threshing ring is one example when one person owned the threshing machine and the tractor to run it. “Everyone had oats or wheat and they would make their bundles and then the threshing ma-

chine would come around and thresh the oats out of the straw,” Buhr explained. “Seven or eight families went together for the threshing ring.” At 12 o’clock, the group would eat dinner. “The women got together to help make dinner and there was a little competition of who made the best meal or the best pie,” Buhr said. “Then the men would go back out in the afternoon and do more threshing.” Threshing rings were common from about 1910 until the early ‘50s when farmers began to purchase combines.

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Corn pickers ready for harvest RANTOUL, Ill. — A wide range of classic corn picker models will lineup to take their turns through a field on the expansive Rantoul Aviation Center grounds Aug. 26-29 during the Half Century of Progress. Roger Musson, who is coordinating the ear corn harvesting and combining along with Robert Off, said there is typically 25 to 40 pickers that participate in the every-other-year celebration of farming’s past. “We do a little of picking ear corn every day during the Half Century of Progress. They then haul it to the corn sheller and either put it on a semi or in corn dryers. We just pick some every day and guys bring all kinds of their own pickers and have different kinds,” Musson said. The approximately 240 acres of corn are usually planted the end of March, first of April, with an early maturity of around 90 days so that it’s ready for picking by the end of August.

Anyone can show up with a picker to participate. They have to go through a safety meeting to get their badge or ribbon indicating their completion of the program. “There’s also a cornfield outside of the base where we pick. We pick it beforehand because I don’t want anybody outside the base during the show. If there’s anyone who wants to pick some corn ahead of time, it’s quite a field and we have a good time doing that and not have to worry about crowds,” Musson added. Corn picker operators attend from through the Midwest and beyond to demonstrate to visitors how the crop was harvested decades ago before the availability of the more efficient combines that roll though fields today. “It’s very important to see how we used to do it. People today just don’t understand what we went through to get to this point and how hard it was. Some peo-

Dozens of classic tractors and combines will harvest the corn daily during Half Century of Progress. ple don’t understand where their food comes from. They just think it comes from the grocery shelf. They don’t know the corn and

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| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

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Rantoul rolls out the welcome mat for Half Century of Progress show RANTOUL, Ill. — Just as the Half Century of Progress show is an opportunity for the owners of vintage tractors and other farm equipment to strut their stuff, so it is for the village of Rantoul. “We get to put our best foot forward. Champaign County gets to put its best foot forward,” said Scott Eisenhauer, the village administrator of Rantoul. Eisenhauer’s duties as village administrator include overseeing day-today operations, budget and financing and economic development for the village. So, he recognizes not just the economic benefits that the Half Century of Progress show brings, but also the additional benefits that might not be measured in dollars and cents. But the economic benefit itself is significant. “There is no question there is a significant economic advantage to it. When you bring that number of people into your community, they are buying gas, they are eating food, they are staying in hotels or at the campground. There is no question there is a revenue generation that benefits the community as a whole when we host this event,” Eisenhauer said. The dollars that participants in the show and visitors to the show spend in the community go back into the community. “It’s good not only for the village financially, but also those are dollars that we can spend on other things to make the community better, which thereby benefits the residents,” Eisenhauer said. Dollars and economic activity are just one benefit that the four-day show, which draws participants and visitors from across

the United States and even internationally, brings to Rantoul. “ T he ot her t h i ng, though, that I think is just as critically important as the financial advantage and that is the ability for Rantoul, Illinois, to be in the national and, in some ways, the international spotlight for that week. It’s a great opportunity for us, every two years, to promote our community,” Eisenhauer said. As the countdown to the show goes on, the village is putting the finishing touches on the welcome mat it will roll out for the show. “This is the lull before the storm. We are making sure that our resources are in place, that the things that we have the most involvement in, traffic patterns and parking, that those are all being addressed. We already have our recreation crew on the grounds, doing some work around the airport, getting grass cut and weeds cut and stumps ground and things like that, to make sure we have a nice, clean and visually appealing area,” Eisenhauer said. That recreation crew is deeply involved in preparing for the show and as the show gets ready to start. “The recreation department does a great job in preparing the grounds in advance of the show and then also setting up and providing resources to help with the set up process,” Eisenhauer said. Employees at the Rantoul Airport also have been busy getting ready for the show. The airport is maintained by the village. “The airport has been ramping up in going around and making sure the electric works and the

lights work and those types of things are ready to go so when we hit that mark, the weekend before the show takes place, and they start moving onto the grounds, everything that we need to have done in preparation is finished,” Eisenhauer said. The planning process for the show is extensive. “The village is heavily involved in the planning process with the leadership of the Half Century of Progress show and particularly that deals with parking logistics and traffic logistics. Those are really two of the most prevalent areas, getting people into the show and then, once we get them to the show, getting them parked and ultimately getting them back out. That is a large task taken on by our police department,” Eisenhauer said. But the village’s involvement in the show doesn’t end as the tractors and other equipment roll onto part of the former Chanute Air Force Base. “During the show we also provide police involvement, security. Our fire department is present to provide fire response and we also work with other entities leading up to the show that have ancillary relationships with the show,” Eisenhauer said. An additional benefit comes in the form of the working relationship the village and village officials have with the leadership of the Half Century of Progress. “The incredible men and women that we get to work with, from John to Russell and everybody who serves on a committee for the show, they could take this show anywhere, but we’ve built that partnership, we’ve built that relationship.”

Aumann Auctions and Aumann Vintage Power is a proud supporter of the Half Century of Progress! This event is like no other anywhere in the country where you can experience the wide range of tractors and equipment from the steam era, antique era and even the “muscle tractor” era in the way that you can here! We’re happy that you’re here and look forward to “Talking Tractors” with you! From the entire Aumann Auctions team, stay safe out there and God bless you all! The Aumann Team SM-LA1909080

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www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

32 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

Interest in corn pickers turns into picker and corn crib books HAMPSHIRE, Ill. — Bob Johnson has several choices when it comes to selecting the corn picker he will take to the Half Century of Progress show. “It’s a crazy idea, but this year I’m going to take a very unrestored John Deere grounddriven corn picker,” said Johnson, who has 25 corn pickers in his collection. “I’m putting a before sign on it and then I will have the literature that shows what it will look like when they come back to the show and see it restored in two years.” The picker had a wood elevator. “The elevator is a pile of parts,” Johnson said. “I have two John Deere ground driven corn pickers. The first year and the third year picker is going to be a lot easier to restore.” The two Great American pickers in Johnson’s collection are also quite rare. He displayed

them at the 2019 Half Century of Progress show. “I bought this first version of the Great American picker sight unseen from central Iowa,” he said. “It was at an auction and I was told it never picked corn.” Although Johnson doesn’t know all the details, the 1949 picker has a bad gear box. “So, I wonder if that’s the reason,” he said. “What makes this picker different is instead of having gathering chains, it has stalk walkers that are three sets of paddles on either side,” he said. “These pickers were only made a couple of years and the inventor lived in Tampico,” said his wife, Phyllis. “He lost fingers because of a corn picker accident, so he wanted something safe.” See PICKER, Page 33

Bob Johnson demonstrates how to adjust the husking bed on his 1950 Great American picker that is sitting next to his 1949 Great American picker.

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Great American pickers were made in a factory in Wichita, Kansas, which also made Beechcraft airplanes. “We have a photograph of a row of these pickers on an assembly line, and if you look behind them, there’s a row of Beechcraft airplanes,” Bob said. Johnson’s 1950 Great American picker is green and has galvanized metal. “The elevator is wider that goes into the wagon and they improved the husking bed,” said the collector, who many call “Cornpicker Bob.” “They thought they had a great idea and made it so you can adjust the angle of the husking bed, but it’s a terrible husking bed.” At the Half Century of Progress show, Johnson will be in the corn picker tent, which is near the corn shelling area. The two books written by Bob and Phyllis will be available – “Corn Pickers and the Inventors Who Dreamed

Them Up” and “Corn Cribs: Every Corn Belt Farm Had One.” “In two years we plan on having a book ready on field corn choppers,” Bob said. “I love chopping corn. It’s one of my favorite jobs.” His goal is to find a John Deere No. 8 field corn chopper. “I want one chopper — the one my dad had, but I might end up having two choppers,” he said. “I stumbled across this Papec chopper and I’m thinking about trying to find room on the trailer for it for the show and put a sign on it to promote our next book.” The Papec chopper was made in the early 1950s. “The gathering chains that pull the corn in are ground driven,” Bob said. “Everything else is PTO.” Those attending the four-day show at the Rantoul Aviation Center will find Phyllis sewing in her Sy Vagn, which will be parked near the corn pickers tent. “Vagn in Swedish means wagon or car and sewing is sy, so it’s a Sy Vagn,” she explained. Built on a trailer that once hauled corn pickers, the vagn has

Phyllis Johnson sews on her Damascus Grand machine that is part of her Sy Vagn. The room is set up to represent the 1930s and Johnson will be at the Half Century of Progress show to work on making a quilt. “all the comforts of the 1930s,” Phyllis said. “There’s an ice box, pot belly stove, Hoosier for our dishware and silverware and we even have a washer and dryer in the bathroom, which is a washboard and clothes line.” Phyllis sews on a Damascus Grand machine that was built in Belvidere, Illinois. “It was made by the National Sewing Machine Company and sold by Montgomery Ward in

1923,” she said. “When we take it to shows, sometimes I can say I have the oldest machine at the show unless there are steam engines there.” The goal for the vagn is for it to look like a black and white photograph. “I wanted wallpaper and linoleum, but nobody makes them in the colors I wanted, so I painted the floor and wallpaper,” Phyllis said. “Each year I make up a cal-

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endar for the wall that matches the current year’s days and this year it is 1954.” The back porch of the vagn is built where the trailer ramps were. “I want to find house lights and modify them to be the break lights and signals,” Phyllis said. Women often tell Phyllis they learned to sew on a treadle sewing machine, much like hers. “The best thing to get them going is to put oil in every hole of the machine which is like 20 places,” she said. “These machines should be oiled every day they are used.” The quilt that Phyllis made last year is hanging on the quilt rack in the vagn. “I’m not sure what I’ll do at Half Century,” she said. “I would love to do a log cabin quilt, but I haven’t found the materials I want to use yet.” Another project Phyllis plans to do is replicating one of her grandmother’s quilt. “It was lost in a move and I think it was a double four patch,” she said. “So, I’ve been gathering fabric for that.”

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Family enjoys collecting, demonstrating antique farm equipment RANTOUL, Ill. — Collecting antique farm equipment and taking it to shows for demonstrations is enjoyed by many members of the Jansen family. “My dad always had a passion for old equipment,” said Kurt Jansen. “It’s in the family because we go to several tractor shows and work around the baling or threshing and meet somebody and they were a Jansen or a relative of a Jansen.” The collectors typically attend the four to six shows a year that include the Historic Farm Days, Half Century of Progress and shows in Pontiac and Pinckneyville. “This year we went to the Red Power show in Du Quoin,” Kurt said. “We believe in using our equipment,” said his brother, Kent. “We use whatever we bring to the shows.” At the Pinckneyville show, the brothers demonstrate their threshing machine. “There are five horses that walk in a circle to power the Case machine,” Kurt said. “It is a wooden threshing machine from about 1900 and we use it every day at the show.” Visitors to the Pontiac show can learn how a dynamometer is used. “Two of our brothers that are not here go to Pontiac,” Kurt said. “They show how you put a tractor on the dynamometer and it tells you how much horsepower the tractor has.” Tom Jansen, who lives near Effingham, started collecting engines when he was 11 years old. “I blame it on my uncle, Eddy. I think he’s the one that got me started,” said Tom, who is cousin of Kent and Kurt. “I have one of the featured tractors at this show,” said Tom during the

Historic Farm Days show. “It’s a 1919 Massey Harris No. 2 and it’s a weird-looking tractor.” Tom’s collection of gasoline engines now totals about 150. “I’m 62, so I’ve had a lot of years to collect them,” he said. The collector travels to numerous shows each summer to display his engines. “We have a show every weekend until the end of October,” Tom said. “We don’t make every one and the furthest we go is to Pennsylvania for the Coolspring Engine Show.” However, about 10 years ago, Tom traveled a little further to the Netherlands. “I bought a porcelain Massey Harris sign in French and had it shipped home,” he said. Tom had a small engine on a ice cream maker and an 8 horsepower engine running during the Historic Farm Days event. “At the Pontiac show I run a Case hand-fed threshing machine with the 8 horsepower engine,” he said. “The 8 horse has just enough power to run it and the threshing machine belongs to Wayne Jansen.” His engine collection includes from 10 to 12 different brands. “I even got a couple engines from France that I found in the U.S.,” Tom said. “Probably my favorite gas engine is the Superior 25-horse that is on a trailer because it is so big,” he said. “It will sit there a run so smooth all day long.” This engine came from the oil fields in Kentucky. “They used one big engine and ran rod lines out to the different pumps,” Tom said. “There is a show in Oblong, Illinois that has a setup where you can see it working.” Tom’s favorite tractor is his Massey Harris No. 2

Members of the Jansen family gather by their threshing machine. The family not only enjoys collecting antique farm equipment, but also demonstrating how they operate at several shows during the summer. and his second favorite is the Rumely Oil Pull tractor. “I have two of them — a 1924 and 1929 and the reason they called them oil pulls is instead of water

they used oil for cooling in the radiator,” he said. “I just love the sound of them, when you hear them running on a threshing machine. They’re awesome.”

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36 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

After a year off, tractor pullers are ready to go RANTOUL, Ill. — After a year of his pulling tractor sitting mostly idle, with less than a dozen pulls in 2020, Derek Harms, one of the coordinators of the tractor pulls at the Half Century of Progress show, has two pieces of advice for those who are planning to participate in the show’s three nights of tractor pulls. “Be there on time and be ready to pull,” Harms said. Harms and Andy Buhr are coordinating the tractor pulls at the show. The pulls start at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. “There’s really something for everyone, no matter what kind of tractors you prefer,” Harms said. The Thursday night event features antique and classic tractors. Harms said the antique pull brings in people who are new to

the sport, but that it does present some unique challenges. “It’s really neat because there are different people pulling, but you also have to be careful with people who haven’t been around tractor pulls as much. We use a smaller sled and we have equipment we put on the tractors so they can’t tip over,” Harms said. On Friday night, the Illiana Pullers Association and the Indiana Pulling League take center stage with three classes of sanctioned tractor pulls. On Saturday night, the Illinois Tractor Pullers Association will run seven classes. Harms said he is expecting a good turnout both on the track and in the stands. “We have gotten a lot of phone calls and then all the groups are pretty excited to be coming there to pull.

We get some pullers from out of the area who come for the show itself and then pull while they are there,” Harms said. Planning for the pull, along with the rest of the show, usually starts in January, when organizers start booking the pulling groups and the sled. This year presented a challenge since Harms and Buhr, like the other event coordinators, did not know if the show could even take place in August. “Our contract stuff really didn’t happen until April, when it looked like everything was going to actually happen this year,” Harms said. The pullers are excited to be back on the pulling circuit after a year that saw most pulls canceled. Harms, his brother and a friend have a 6500 pound

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| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

COVID-19 brings extra challenges to 2021 show RANTOUL, Ill. — Planning for a show that happens every two years and draws not just thousands of visitors but hundreds of pieces of vintage farm equipment and thousands of moving parts is no easy task. Planning for the 2021 Half Century of Progress Show was made even more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Obviously, preparing for this show was a little different,” said Scott Eisenhauer, village administrator of Rantoul. With pandemic mitigations and crowd limits in place at the start of the year, when planning traditionally starts in earnest, whether or not the show would even be able to happen was the first hurdle. “Just the question of whether a show could be

done this year was really not even known until April,” Eisenhauer said. While Eisenhauer keeps in contact with the show organizers between the shows, this year all the preparation has had to be completed in a shorter timeframe. “While we’ve had conversations in the two years since the last show, usually we’ve ramped up considerably more than we had this time, just because of the great unknown of whether we would even have one,” Eisenhauer said. After it became apparent that the show could go on, the next challenge was what that show might look like and what changes, if any, would need to be made due to pandemic mitigations and crowd restrictions. Eisenhauer said a good working relation-

ship with the Champaign County Health Department has helped. “We’ve been able to talk to and work with them throughout the last several months in making sure we understand all of the most recent guidance and that they are fully up to speed and bringing us up to speed on whatever state mandates or recommendations are being made and in making sure we all on the same page for steps that need to be taken in order to have a safe show,” Eisenhauer said. Participants and visitors will notice a few changes. “We will have things like

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making sure we have additional hand washing stations from what we’ve had in the past, spreading out the food vendors and other vendors more than we have in the past, just to provide a little bit more room and space in between them,” Eisenhauer said. Eisenhauer said he is staying in contact with the health department. “We are able to reach out to them if we have any questions. They keep us up to date on the latest mandates and recommendations and we can try to implement those as we get closer to the show date,” Eisenhauer said.

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www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

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42 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

Power Parade The Power Parade is a daily early afternoon feature at the Half Century of Progress and draws a myriad of both the classic and unusual entries, such as this modified John Deere manure spreader.

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www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

. R O L O C O N E E S E W , AT SLOAN EXPRESS

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44 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

GOEBEL EQUIPMENT, INC.

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1999 Freightliner FL180,

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Steam tractors are ready for plowing during the 2019 Half Century of Progress. This year’s event is slated for Aug. 26-29. SM-LA1906340

38th Annual

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www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

TAKE LIFE OUTDOORS

See Our Buildings At The Show, At Registration And At The Exhibitors And Vendors Gate! Poly Furniture Gazebos Pergolas

Swings Table Sets, Storage Buildings

217-543-3162 Arthur, Illinois

Food stands will be plentiful at this year’s Half Century of Progress, many of which are from local organizations. SM-LA1908385

Reliable Equipment

Garages Pavilions Ceramic Grills

NEW! Serie Row Unit s 2

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46 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

Thousands of spectators from across the nation will converge on the Half Century of Progress Aug. 26-29 at the former Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois.

SEE US AT THE SHOW!

WINDMILL s ’ l u a P & CRANE SERVICE • OLD FASHIONED, WATER PUMPING TYPE • NEW & RECONDITIONED WINDMILLS • COMPLETE INSTALLATION & REPAIR SERVICE • SPECIALIZE IN LARGE MILLS TO FILL PONDS • SERVING ILLINOIS & SURROUNDING STATES

ERMAN’S H S SMALL ENGINE REPAIR

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Mowers

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www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

The Illinois AgriNews and Indiana AgriNews staff is in the ﬁeld each week covering topics that affect local farm families and their businesses.

Read AgriNews online or download and take it with you. Get full access on your mobile device, tablet and desktop every day at www.agrinews-pubs.com. Already have a newspaper subscription? Just follow the easy steps to activate your complimentary digital subscription. Or, create a digital account with our special website offer.

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48 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

The stories behind the stories! Find out what’s happening Follow AgriNews editorial staff blogs. Found only on the web... www.agrinews-pubs.com

online

Horsepower provided by steam, gasoline, diesel and horses are among the highlights of the Half Century of Progress at Rantoul, Illinois.

Your Local Kinze Dealer For Sales...See Gene or Mark

For Parts...See Mike

We Are The Largest Parts Stocking Dealer In Illinois For Service....See Darren All Planters & Carts Equipped The Way You Want!

Meter Testing Planter Rebuild In Field Service

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www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

Jansen Farms

21467 E. 1100th Ave • Dieterich, IL 62424 SM-LA1902737

217-273-8000

50 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

W E D E L I V E R S E RV I C E DAILY • WEEKLY • MONTHLY RENTALS • COMPARE OUR RENTAL RATES

INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT RENTAL SPECIALISTS. · Rough Terrain & Slab Fork Lifts · Portable Advertising Signs · Office & Job Trailers · Aerial Work Platforms . Portable Restrooms . VIP Restroom Trailers · Scaffolding · Bobcats

The Half Century of Progress goes far beyond stationary displays as the former Chanute Air Force Base is turned into a working farm of plowing and harvesting.

K EMPERMIDWES T.COM 217.356.5555 • 1314 W. ANTHONY DR. CHA MPAIGN, IL SM-LA1903672

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www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

Jansen Bros. Garage Inc.

Tractor & Farm Truck Repair Automotive & Light Truck Repair Antique Tractor Repair & Restoration Magneto & Carburetor Repair

204 N Main, Sigel, IL 62462

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www.jansenbrosgarage.com facebook.com/jansenbros

52 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

Brown mixes humor with help RANTOUL, Ill. — When she does her presentations, Jolene Brown might be found rearranging the chairs, moving them up closer to the stage or podium where she’ll be speaking. She wants to see her audience and wants them to see her. But there’s another reason. “I get them laughing and then I hit ‘em with a two by four,” Brown said. That mix of lighthearted humor and serious talk has made its way into all of Brown’s presentations over the years. “It all goes back to the human side of the business, the people side,” Brown said. She will speak at the Half Century of Progress show on Thursday and Friday, two sessions each

day, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and again from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Premier Brown Cooperative Tent. Brown will present two different talks, “Wrinkles of Wit and Wisdom” and “If We Huff and Puff, Will We Blow Your House Down?” Brown’s specialty is talking about legacy and succession planning and that is the focus of “Huff and Puff.” “We are going to go to the third little pig’s and remember that the third one did it right. There is a big, bad wolf out there for

all of us. I don’t know what it’s going to be for each of the families and each of the businesses, but if you don’t put your bricks in place and put the mortar in between, which are the legal and financial documents, then the big bad wolf will come and we will be gone and the legacy of the land that we’ve worked so hard to build, that we want to transition, will be gone. We have some work to do to get those bricks in place. I’m going to talk to them about what are the bricks needed to build a strong business? Because that is how you honor your family,” Brown said. In “Wrinkles of Wit and Wisdom,” Brown talks about passing on more than land and money. See BROWN, Page 54

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Welcome To Rantoul For The Half Century of Progress

Rantoul County Market Branch Bank - 24 Hour ATM Main Bank - Champaign at Garrard 24 Hour ATM - S. Murray Road www.bankofrantoul.bank Where Others Have Their Branches...We Have Our Roots SM-LA1904089

www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

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      

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54 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

BROWN FROM PAGE 52

“It goes into the foundation of all this work they are doing, whether it’s restoring the tractor or the way they want to pass on the way they have farmed in the past to teach important lessons for the future,” Brown said. The goal of her presentations is to offer some laughter along with a serious message. “I want to give them more than humor and hope. I want to give them some help. I want them to celebrate who they are and what they do and understand it takes some work on the human side of agriculture to have that transition to the next generation,” Brown said. Brown’s travels as a speaker have taken her all over the United States and all over the world. In her

travels and in her years of speaking about the human side of farm transitions, she said she has learned that farmers often struggle with the human part of the family farm. “What I have learned is people in agriculture — and we are farmers, too — we have all kinds of access to information about production, weeds, seeds, breeds, feeds, money, machinery and marketing, but we are crappy with people,” Brown said. That is where Brown has focused her energy and her speaking. “What I chose to specialize in is we build a team worthy of transitioning and we do the work so the legacy of the land might continue. That means we have a lot of work to do, but if we really want to love and honor our families, we have got to do the business right. I am all about understanding the human side of agriculture

as being the driver for all of the production that we do,” Brown said. Brown’s knowledge of the human dynamics — or lack thereof — in farm families often gains an unusual response from her audience members, but one that she considers a compliment. “I have learned, in the deep dark of the night, it is the people problem that keeps you from sleeping, because the No. 1 comment I hear when I finish is, ‘you’ve been sleeping under my bed,’” she said. She and her husband farm 500 acres of corn and soybeans. They will be married for 49 years in November. She schedules her speaking schedule around planting and harvest. “One of the greatest gifts I received was my husband never said to me you cannot do what you were destined to do. But don’t forget your priorities,” she said.

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2021 HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS SM-LA1904091

www.halfcenturyofprogress.com | HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | August 26-29, 2021

PREMIER SPONSORS

DIAMOND SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS Gibson City Arthur

Atlanta • Clinton Farmer City • Mason City

Harms Farms

Wilken Farms

BRONZE SPONSORS Zimmerman

A big Thank You to all our sponsors, large and small.Your generosity is truly appreciated. If by some oversight we have missed anyone, we apologize. Thank you! J.C. Reitmeier, Advertising Chairman SM-LA1902729

Jansen Farms

56 August 26-29, 2021

| HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS | www.halfcenturyofprogress.com

Half Century of Progress Committee Russell Buhr & John Fredrickson Co-Chairs Max Armstrong Publicity Director Josh Turney Marketing Director

J.C. Reitmeier Advertising Director

Barry Maury Vendor Coordinator

Ray Uken Treasurer

Debbie Deremiah Food Coordinator

Carl Vandevender Farm Coordinator

Dave Berbaum Tent Coordinator

Farm Operators William Wilken

Derek Harms

Dirk Harms

Activity Chairman Russell Buhr

Larry Barry

Directors

Russell Buhr John Fredrickson J.C. Reitmeier Chuck Stelter Carl Vandevender

halfcenturyofprogress.com SM-LA1902736