My long weekend back in the country was a total hoot. It rained all weekend and was cold as charity but by fuck did I have fun! I know I promised photographs, but thanks to the shit weather most of them came out as nothing more than grey smudgy nothingness… stupid digital camera. I got one photo all weekend that actually worked and it wasn’t even my bloody tractor. Next time, Gadget. Next time.
Anyway, its been a couple of years since I’ve been along to the Echuca Steam, Horse and Vintage Rally, held at Rotary Park on the banks of the Campaspe River. I used to go every year but since I moved away that got harder to achieve. It was so awesome to turn up this year though and see so many of the same old faces. People who are madly passionate about their vintage machinery and always keen for a yarn. Having not seen them for a number of years only makes then twice as keen to catch up for a chinwag.
As usual there was old John Deers, McCormick Farmalls, Howards, Cases, Internationals, Fordsons, Minneapolis Molines, Massey Harrises and David Browns along with a shitload of other old tractors. There was cars, horses, stationary steam engines, massive steam powered traction engines as well as displays from farriers, blacksmiths and country cooking too good to ignore with damper and scones with jam and cream being my firm favourites.
I got me an awesome new belt buckle too. I’ll be wearing it everywhere so if you see me ask me to show you. It’s a big heavy brass buckle from my tractor club with a grey Fergie tractor in the middle of it and the club name around the outside. It is seven kinds of awesome and I love it to bits! Also my old man was awarded life membership to the club, after over fifteen years of organising the rally site for the club as well as countless other bits and pieces he’s done I believe it was well deserved and couldn’t be prouder!
Anyway – I promised there would be photos but I can deliver only one. That there ute and trailer are the preferred modes of transport for the family tractors, the tractor loaded up there ready to roll belongs to my oldest brother, it’s a Ferguson FE 35, these were a Ferguson tractor built with the assistance of Massey Harris. The rear axle and gearbox housings have MHF
Next time I get home I’ll snap off some pics of my girl, the Ferguson TE-A 20, plus I’ll try to get Dad’s Ford Ferguson 9N included as well for good measure!
Anyway after a weekend of plodding around in the mud, of hazy steam in heavy mist, of chugging steam engines and popping old petrols, and crazed vintage enthusiasts I’m exhausted… Can’t wait for next year!
15 comments:
it looks very cool! a nice different way to spend a weekend! i hope you get a lot of photos next time!
a big belt buckle, huh?? I never would have pegged you as the type. :-)
Ohhhh I love those Fergie tractors, they're legends!
Read about the bloke who built one from a die cast model he bought from France recently, it's up for auction soon.
Helen, It was the best way to spend a weekend, and a little different, just for good measure! For some reason teh weather is always shitty there though, not that I mind but it makes photo ops difficult.
CB, yep - a big belt buckle. It goes real good with my steel-capped boots too!
Jayne, you read about Lou Innaconne's TED 40? where abouts was that published - I saw the article in The Weekly Times was it anywhere else? Lou is a friend of my old mans and pretty active in our tractor club. That tractor he built is just amazing, especially considering he used a scale model as his blueprint!
I don't know anything about anything to do with tractors and farm machinery and big engines, but I liked this post (probably because it had damper in it with jam and cream - instant home style country cookin' images)
I'm glad you had fun doing what you are interested in - that's what living is about hey!
HOW fun! I didn't know there WERE tractor shows - NOW the whole hoody thing makes it EVEN more fun! This is gonna happen YOu earned it! I'm wearing it right now!
Kate, If you get the chance to go to a vintage machinery show you have to go! You and the kids will love it, plus its a great way to learn how our country has advanced! Plus the country cooking makes it well worth while!
Freddy... The tractor shows you guys get would have to shit all over the Aussie ones because you'd have Ford 8Ns and Ferguson TO 35s and all the cool stuff Australia missed out on. As for the hoody - I've got to get my hands on that baby! Plus you can have photos of my dad trying to kill me for wearing a John Deer hoody!
Seriously - shoot me an email to kerr_kc@yahoo.com.au and we'll organise it I have the coolest ideas going on for it!
OK. I tried getting aroused by your description of those huge...heavy...thick...long...hard as metal machines but nothing happened...mmmmm...has someone turned the heater on?...I seem to be getting warm.
Yep, I read it in the Weekly Times, Too, t'was a bloody good effort he did!
Hey did they have a Ferguson Tractor Rally in Wentworth last year or was it skipped? I thought they ran it every 2 or 4 years or so?
I'm glad you had an awesome weekend. From the sounds of it, you sure as hell needed it. Did you have a fresh hot scone with jam and... cream?
You need to come to the Whittlesea (sp) show, in November, (closer than Echuca) near cup day - lots of old farm machinery, stationary engines, - nice people to talk to as well. For the ladies - the craft hall, some amazing quilts, etc - and the Alpacas, gorgeous. I cannot imagine an Alpaca ever going feral and mauling a kiddy....
Michael.
Victor, see you can't hide it from me. No one can resist the lure of the pure testosterone that is mechanised farming!
Jayne, I haven't been to 'the flood of Fergies' at Wentworth for years. I was of the impression it was an annual event, but that might have changed.
Phishez, If only you could've seen some of the cream getting around on the freshly-baked home cooking. I'd have liked to opportunity to sample more than I did ;o)
Michael, you wouldn't happen to be an alpaca farmer would you? Ha ha. Whittlesea sounds like a goer. I'm sure I'll get the word on it as it gets closer. I'm not so likely to have my tractor there but who knows. Be sure to remind me again as it comes closer and we can check out the cross-stitches together.
Mutant, will let you know when it gets closer - and no, I am not an Alpaca farmer - stuck in the suburbs..... They make nice pets tho if you have the room, theres a lady in Sheffield Tasmania who has one called Frodo, they go on long walks together and she reads it poetry - when an Alpaca is pissed with you, it will spit.....so. if your a lousy poet, beware..
Michael.
Hi im from England i built the origional TED 40 been trying to contact Lou, please could you pass on my email if you know him, would love to chat thanks apwcars@hotmail.co.uk
Hi,
We have a red and grey MF35 (bought new in 1960), a TEF20 and a MF65.
They are all great to drive. I don't know what it is exactly, but as the driver one feels connected with the tractor and the land when driving - just superb little tractors.
Good to hear about your tractor rally and see the gold/grey photo.
Steve.
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