Fort Wayne Farm Show
War Memorial Coliseum, January 12-14, 2010
All Photos Copyright © 2010 by Robert E Pence
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I'll apologize for the grain/noisy appearance of these photos ... well, no, I won't apologize, but I will explain it. I don't like to attract attention when I take photos because I want to catch people and things just as they are. My big DSLR is too conspicuous in a close setting like this, and some people stop and look, and some call out to their friend, "Hey, Charlie! Smile! He's takin' yer pitcher!
My pocket-sized digicam is unobtrusive; they're all over the place, they're small, and no one notices or pays attention. Probem is, small digicams don't perform as well as my big Nikon in limited lighting. The result is digital noise, similar in appearance to grain in old-time high-speed film.
The show ran from January 12 thru January 14 and was free to the public. Parking cost $4. I parked next to this to make it easier to find my car when I was ready to leave.
People use more horsepower to mow their lawns now than we used to till, plant, and harvest 100 acres 60 years ago.
Deals abound on accessories, parts, and tools.
Just like most other people, farmers like chocolate. The South Bend Chocolate Company is a regular at these shows, and I'll testify for their toffee.
Speaking of testifying, the Fellowship of Christian Farmers was giving away walking sticks, and It seemed like half the crowd had them.
Big sprayers seemed to be the big thing at this show.
For me the most eye-catching product at the show, the New Holland Boomer 8N is reminiscent of the Ford 8N tractor of sixty years ago in color and style, and incorporates all the functionality of the contemporary Boomer series of compact tractors. It's rated at 50HP, has a MSRP of $29,900, and is advertised as available "in limited quantities."
Introduced in 1934 by Fate-Root-Heath Company, builders of Plymouth industrial locomotives, and originally named Plymouth, Silver King tractors were well engineered and manufactured. They incorporated features more advanced than many better-known competitiors and were popular as both agricultural and industrial tractors.
The Agco tractor is a descendent of the Allis Chalmers farm machinery line. I wonder if anyone in Agco's marketing department realizes that Challenger once was a popular model name for Massey Harris, predecessor of Agco competitor Massey Ferguson.
I'll close with a photo of a machine appropriate to today's political environment.
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