My Iron Memory

Iron Memories, what a perfect name! That was my thought the first time I read one of the stories in the very first Iron Memories. Little did I know at that time I would soon have the privilege of writing stories for the next Iron Memories. It was November of 2001 and I had just joined the division in August after working in another capacity with the company for several years. My duties at that time were research; the individual previously charged with turning the information from entrants into stories had left the company. It was not good timing because we didn’t have a writer and it was getting close to the deadline. I offered to help out and found it one of the most enjoyable tasks I have had the opportunity to participate in. So for the last six years I have had the pleasure of meeting, via phone and E-mail, many new people and friends while writing the story of how they became involved with one or sometime dozens of antique tractors. The other day I heard of the passing of one former participant and the news struck me that I had lost a friend. This seemingly cold piece of steel may have played a part in its owner’s family being able to have an easier life on the farm, maybe it was part of a group project or just conjures up a warm feeling for an earlier time. No matter what it is, they all have their own story to tell. Often I will hear from an owner “this tractor is/is like the one I drove when I learned how to drive.” The history and development of each particular model is often nearly as interesting as each tractors individual owner history. Over the years I have written stories about several FFA project tractors, memorial restorations, design your own projects, family project restorations, and the standard because I love to collect antique tractors. Do I have a favorite? That would be like asking a parent if they loved one of their children better than the other. As each entrant relives an earlier time through their stories I can’t help but get involved it’s as if I had lived that time with them. Every time I see an antique tractor I wonder how its story plays out and what affect it has had on those involved with it during its lifetime. Owners are as different as the tractors, some like to participate in tractor rides, some belong to clubs, others simply prefer to just restore and enjoy the satisfaction of owning, while others find enjoyment in using their tractor daily as its past owners had done decades before. Sometimes the most unlikely things happen in your life that will give you a whole new perspective on something you have taken for granted. I will never attend a parade, tractor pull, swap meet or any other event that has antique tractors and think of them in the same way as I did six years ago.