One thing I have found across the years from placing myself in and around old tractors and equipment, is that it makes you completely aware of things around you as you travel. For instance, if you are on your way to play golf at a rural golf course, are you looking at the sides of the roads for turf that will be similar to what you will face on the course once you arrive? Of course not. Your subconscious mind is forcing you to see if there are any old cast iron implement seats tossed in the side ditch, or rusting tractor carcasses in the fence rows.
I find myself constantly scouring the lateral sights along the road while I'm driving and very specifically for these types of "finds." (not the golf course stuff.... the old tractor stuff). I must admit though, that I rarely stop at most of the discoveries. Most of them I have seen before. Some of them will make you stop though. I found one of these spots today that I thought that I would share with you. It just happens to be and old International F20 Tractor that is being used as a beauty spot decoration at a local landscape nursery.
If old antique tractors or implements are not being restored or being taken to scrap iron dealers, you can bet that a lot of this old stuff is being used as landscape decorations. You've probably all seen the old horse drawn sickle bar mower or two row corn planter with all new paint adorning the front yard of more than one country farm house. I know I have!
One thing is for sure, I am more in favor of the lawn ornament usage than I am of the scrap iron pile because once the piece is gone to the scrap iron pile, it's gone forever! I thought this was a pretty cool use of and old tractor in a setting where it will always be on the job.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Old Iron Lawn Ornaments
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2 comments:
I work for Steiner Tractor Parts and have started a blog for them. Today I decided to take a look out there to see what others were blogging about and I came across your site. When I saw this story I thought of something that happened to me just the other day. I was driving to work the same route I do everyday and I noticed someone had towed a boat to the side of the road and put it for sale. Now the important part was that the boat was hitched to a tractor, a very old rusty tractor that last year I never would have looked at twice. But after working at Steiners and attending my first tractor show last month it caught my attention and I tried to identify what make of tractor it was. Then the next morning when I was driving to work I slowed down a bit just to see if I could get anymore detail and I could see part of the old decal and I recognized through pieces of the remaining decal that it was an Allis Chalmers. What hit me was that I have probably driven by hundreds of tractors in my life but never gave them a second look but because of my new job and interest I now SEE things that have always been right there. When I read your story it struck a chord and I just wanted to send you my little story too. I enjoyed your site and will be checking back. Suzette
Hey Suzette....
After I took that photo, I too began to realize how many other pieces of old equipment was just "Sitting around" for someone to take notice. It's kind of funny that when you have a new interest, you tend to be more observant to that new interest.
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