We braved some junk weather to attend the 2010 Spring New England Antique Truck and Tractor Association Show at Francis Farm in Rehobeth, Massachusetts, last weekend. The drizzle and dreary skies kept all but the diehard showers and pullers away from the second day of the show on Sunday, but we had a great time and there was still some premium iron on the grounds at the farm. A few of the big dog diesel tractors were pulling on the sloppy course and put on a good show for the small crowd.
We ran into BangShift.com member Caveman (Tony) at this show with his girlfriend. That affirmed that we’re not the only lunatics out there who would trek into a rain storm to see old tractors. It’s our opinion that tractors (especially the antique ones) show the industrial history of this country. From the crude machines of the early 1900s to the refined and powerful beasts of the 1960s, ’70s, and today, it is truly mechanical evolution.
It’s also neat that these workday machines get to strut their stuff and flex their muscles in competition, not just dragging plows around their home farms. Turbo-diesel engines rule the day in the more modern tractors, but those old gas jobs, with big motors that live at lazy RPM ranges really stir our soul.
Call us names if you want, but we love this stuff.
Thanks to all the hard core owners and operators who stuck it out for a rainy Sunday to provide us with a fun show! Also, it should be mentioned that the admission to the show was the donation of canned good to benefit the Rehobeth Helping Hands Food Pantry. That’s a great cause and a cool thing that the NEATTA does to use the show to help the community!
