Volunteers donate hours of their time to help show what these old implements can do at a recent vintage machinery show in Alberta
LACOMBE, Alta. — Peter Ewaskow and William Mitchell lean against an old Caterpillar 60 tractor. The 1930s-era machine had been running earlier but ran out of fuel and the pair were letting it cool down so it would be easier to restart.
Starting the machine is an art and a science. A metal rod is placed in angled holes on a round drum in front of the steering arms. The operator then tries to pull the rod forward, giving just enough snap to fire the engine. Sometimes it happens quickly. Other times, it takes many pulls.
Despite the finicky nature of the antique equipment lined up on the lush grass of the Lacombe Ag Grounds, Ewaskow and Mitchell enjoy puttering with the machines and volunteering to show off the old equipment at the LA Vintage Machinery Club event.
“I grew up with this kind of machinery,” said Ewaskow, originally of Smoky Lake and now of Blackfalds, Alta.
“I retired. Me and my wife have been volunteering for 48 years. We volunteer wherever we go. I came out to a meeting and before you know it, you hear that train whistle.”
For two weeks, Ewaskow and his wife, Lucille, camp at the agricultural grounds and get ready for the machinery show plus an upcoming dog show, where they are needed to flip pancakes.
Before opening day, tires must be pumped up on the old tractors and wagons, batteries charged and just the right amount of fuel added to the tanks to get the machines to the display area and back to the sheds when the weekend is over.
“It took two days to move everything out,” he said.
It’s a similar story for Mitchell. He came to the show about 10 years ago and started talking about machinery to someone. In minutes, he was invited to a meeting.
“The first meeting we came to, they made us directors,” said Mitchell of Red Deer.
The two men grew up on farms, are both mechanics and have an interest in old machinery. They are like gold to an antique machinery club.
Jared Nafzinger, president of the club, estimates there are about 125 tractors on display. Some are club tractors and others come from across the province and are used to compete in antique tractor-pulling competitions.
Nafzinger of Innisfail, Alta., said he has attended the show since he was a child. His grandfather was also a member and worked to establish the club.
“We’re preserving our prairie history,” he said.
While the equipment is small now, it was the “biggest, best and brand new when it was first available,” he said.
Steve Hamm of Innisfail sat his son on his lap in a 1948 Case VA tractor and lined up for the tractor parade. While it is not original to his family, the tractor was the same model as his great-grandfather’s first tractor and is the reason Hamm bought the tractor.
Peter Straub of Leduc, Alta., brought his one-third size Rumely Oil Pull. Knowing he couldn’t likely afford a full-sized model, Straub found an old stationery engine to rebuild and created a pint-size replica.
“I can’t afford a big Rumely so I built one. Now I hope the parade starts before I run out of gas,” said Straub as he waited for the parade to begin.
Mike Johnson of Bashaw has about eight antique tractors in various states of repair. He brought a 1952 John Deere G tractor to compete in the tractor pull.
“I really enjoy it. I really want to go to more shows.”
His grandfather gave him a John Deere Model D when he was eight, and Johnson said he’s been hooked on tractors ever since.
Jackie Moore of Red Deer was one of few women in the antique tractor pull competition. Her Minneapolis Moline tractor didn’t spin its wheels when it finally couldn’t pull the weighted sled any further down the dirt track.
“The tractor powered out instead of spinning out. That is ideal. That means you have pushed your tractor to its limits.”
