A well-run antique tractor and equipment show can be as refreshing for the soul as a summertime camp meeting.
Cleveland and Georgia Carter from Baxley, Ga., knocked it out of the park with their fourth annual C&G Antique Tractor Show this past weekend.
They had a great event in spite of the threat of nearby wildfires and in spite of a rainy forecast, which turned out to be mostly correct.
An impressive number of exhibitors loaded their tractors and antique equipment and made the drive to Baxley, knowing they’d likely get wet. I’m sure there are many others who bailed out, but as Mr. Carter said: “The ones that are supposed to be here are here.”
There was good representation – about 20 or so folks – from the area around Inman, including Dan and Reilly Perkins and Sammy and Sam Chason, who hauled our tractors and theirs down and back.
A crowd of our Inman exhibitors supporting our good friends, Cleveland and Georgia Carter, and ther incredible show.
There were as many or more from the Cumming/Dawsonville/Dahlonega area, and they came with trailers loaded with some great tractors and plows.
They were mostly young people – at least they were a good bit younger than Joanne and me – and simply wonderful, salt of the earth folks who shared a love of old iron and the people who collect it.
There was lots of plowing in the field across the road from the museum, and we enjoyed great food all weekend. In addition to the offerings from food vendors on site there was a low country boil on Friday night and a noontime meal on Saturday that rivaled any church’s dinner on the grounds back in the day.
There was no take-out from a grocery store deli. We ate good old-fashioned home cooking – collards, corn, peas, macaroni and cheese, chicken, ham and cornbread for the main course followed by homemade pound cake, red velvet cake and pecan pie. Then Mr. Carter used a John Deere hit-and-miss engine to turn a big batch of homemade vanilla ice cream.
I particularly enjoyed getting to visit with my tractor friends that I don’t get to talk to as much as I’d like during our shows here at Inman, and it was good making friends with folks I’d never met.
I also never tire of hearing Cleveland and his brothers Lee and James, who everyone calls Preacher, reminisce about working in the woods and harvesting the sap used to make turpentine. The ladies in his family have some interesting tales too, especially their sister Mamie, the tomboy of the family then and now.
There have been some legitimate worries in recent years about the future of a hobby focused on old iron. But after our recent shows in Inman and the Carters’ shows in Baxley I’m upbeat about the future of the antique tractor and equipment hobby. Nowadays, there are more exhibitors younger than me than there are older ones.
The Georgia Antique Engine Club, which has seen a significant decline in membership and activity in recent years, is on an upward trajectory here lately, mostly due to the addition of some younger, enthusiastic members.
There’s an old George Jones song “Who’s Going To Fill Their Shoes” that is about who will come along to replace the legendary old country singers. Those words could have been applied to the antique equipment hobby for several years now as many of our long-time leaders have passed away.
We seem to have an answer now. New leaders have emerged, and the shoes are being filled.
It’s time for us old folks to move to a support role and be enthusiastic in it.