FCHPA Power Show 2009
Cockshutt for 2010
Cockshutt & Coop will be the featured tractor for our Power Show in 2010. Chuck Smith says they can bring 59 tractors. We will be hosting the Hoosier Co-op Jamboree.
Power Show June 19-21, 2009
Featured local business will be Jim Straeter's New Holland. Featured will be Ford/Fordson tractors, and New Holland equipment. Also hit n' miss engines will be featured.
Work Days -get ready for our Show
May 30, June 6 and June 13. Please bring equipment and come to work. We need to trim the trees along Meridian Road so that the branches cannot scratch tractors being hauled in for our show.
Jim Straeter and New Holland to be honored at Power Show
By Shirley Willard, Fulton County Historian
New Holland Rochester will be the honored agri-business at the Fulton County Historical Power Show June 19-21.
It is owned by Jim Straeter. He is a man of many interests: farming and implements, wind generators, school board, 4-H fair board, Little League, and history.
He was born in Breese, Illinois, in 1951 but grew up in St. Rose, Illinois, where his father owned Straeter Equipment as a J. I. Case dealership beginning in 1956. The family lived in the small town and farmed 300 acres where they raised corn, beans and hay, did custom combining and ran the dealership. There are many dairy farms there so hay was big business.
Jim moved his young family to Rochester in 1984, taking over the New Holland company store. The farm implement store had belonged to Charles Fear, who sold it to Denny Mikesell, located on Indiana 25 where Topps is now. New Holland decided to make it a Company Store and hired Jim to manage it. Ford bought New Holland from Sperry and changed the name to Ford New Holland, so Jim added Ford in 1986. Jim bought out the Company Store in 1987. Jim moved the implement store to Indiana 25 south of Rochester in 1988. Fiat bought Ford New Holland in 1994. New Holland bought Case in 1998 and dropped the Ford name in 1999.
Jim says his favorite antique tractor is a Case RC, which is painted the original Case flambeau red that his father owned. However, he owns a 1917 Fordson which he has not had time to restore yet. One of his employees, Bill Crow of Plymouth, owns a couple of antique New Holland freeze-proof engines that are shown in Jim's Rochester store.
Jim has four locations: Rochester, Logansport, Rossville, and Bluffton. His son Matt and wife Melinda works at the Rochester store, and his son Eric works at the Logansport store. His son Jesse will graduate from Purdue on May 12. Son Mike is a junior at Rochester High School. Step daughter Hillary Tilden is a sophomore at Ball State.
When asked his philosophy of life, Jim did not hesitate to reply: "There is value in hard work. Trust is something to be treasured."
His hobbies are gardening, beekeeping and tinkering with mechanical things. He and Ot Schroeder made the pancake grill for the Optimists Club, also a pumpkin seeder and a pumpkin picker for the club.
His favorite period of history to read about is the American Revolution. He is currently reading a motivational book, "The Underdog Advantage" which was given to him by New Holland when they had the author as a speaker at a meeting.
Jim and wife Melinda helped with the Woodlawn Hospital fund- raising campaign last year, serving as co-chairmen.
Jim was elected to the Rochester School Board in 2002 and has served as president four terms. He is deeply supportive of initiatives to improve education such as New Tech High. He is proud that Rochester has raised its ISTEP scores and that all four RCSC schools are now certified as Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) schools. Education is deeply rooted in the family as Jim and four of his sisters have teaching degrees and son Jesse will get his teaching degree in Math this month from Purdue.
A member of the Catholic Church, Jim has helped with several projects such as servicing the snow-blowers and donating items to raffles.
Interested in conservation, Jim has worked with renewable energy, strip-till equipment and the Nature Conservancy District.
Jim likes Indiana because the people are generally trusting and genuine, much like his native Southern Illinois.
What does the future have for farming? Jim thinks it will be more specialized, and technology will be bigger, with specialized food and pharmaceutical properties being introduced. Farmers will need more capital. Traditional "Mom and Pop" farms will be a thing of the past, except for organic farming, wine, part-time farmers, and "sun-downers" - those who work days and then do the farming in the evening.
Straeter has 70 employees in four locations, with 23 in Rochester. His is the largest New Holland dealership in this region, which included Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. The Rochester store is open more business hours than others, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday - Friday and 7 to 5 on Saturdays. The farmers appreciate it because they can get parts and service when working late or after they get off their regular job at 5 p.m.
Jim has helped the community in so many ways. He loans equipment to the Fulton County Historical Society, the 4-H fair, Little League and other non-profits. This has been a special boon to the museum as it has 35 acres and has borrowed equipment for special projects and tractors to pull the trams during the Trail of Courage.
Jim is a member and past president of the 4-H fair board. Their current project is to make a memorial stone wall 18 feet long and four feet tall. Plaques memorializing 4-H leaders will be attached. The memorial area will recognize 4-H patrons such as Calvin Braman, Tom Wilson and Walter Cumberland who already have memorials on the grounds.
In February Jim erected a wind generator at his Rochester store. It is performing well. He now sells Bergey wind generators made in Norman, Oklahoma. The cost is $56,000 and they can pay for themselves in 10 to 14 years, depending on tax breaks, the weather, how much electric used, and other factors. With a 30- year life, that means the possibility of free electric for 16 years. Indiana will soon be the largest producer of wind energy in the world. There are big wind farms being erected in Benton, Newton and White counties. Crops can be planted around the wind generators. The idea that Indiana's wind is not dependable enough for wind generators is a myth.
Jim expects ethanol to be replaced by butane as an alternate fuel because it can more easily be transported in pipelines and has more energy per gallon than ethanol. Alternate fuels such as butane will be made from waste such as straw, corn stalks, and wood chips. He thinks that methane made from manure will be a part of livestock farming. The future of energy production is bright. Farmers will be involved.
FOR THE KIDS
A pedal tractor pull will take place on Saturday, June 20th starting at 11 a.m. Other kids games will take place from 4-5 p.m. (These times are subject to change).
FOR THE LADIES
Powder Puff Pull will take place on Saturday, June 20th starting at 1 p.m. Be sure to get your tractors ready.
Skillet Toss will take place Friday at 10 a.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. Get your arm ready for this feat.
BLOCK OF ROOMS for Show Weekend
Rooms have been blocked off at the Comfort Inn for those interested in booking a room for the Power Show weekend. Call 574-223-7300. Cost is $74.96 per night not including tax.
TOY SHOW DURING POWER SHOW
Reminder that we will again have a toy show during the power show - held in the north meeting room of the museum. Toys new & old, NASCAR, etc. will be for sale. Hours will be Fri.-Sat. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
FORD TENT - CENTER FIELD
Displays of Ford farm memorabilia will be in a tent in center field during the power show. Charles Hardesty and Jack Crain will have approximately 16 tables of display.
Members of the Winamac Ford group as well as members from the Illinois Ford group will also be present. No organized Ford tractor club has been established in Indiana.
So if you know someone with Ford equipment, please try to get them to the show. The featured tractor is the Ford 900 series. All colors are welcome.
NEW HOLLAND BALERS
Bob Bowersmith, Kentucky and other owners of New Holland balers will be here at the power show. They will actually bale straw while here at the show.
John Harvey of Classic Tractor Calendar has marked his calendar for our show time. So we hope that he will be able to get here this year.
Trading Post during our Show
Volunteers are needed for a Trading Post during our Show. This would involve selling items on consignment that people bring in for sale. FCHPA would get 10 percent from the sales. Items for sale could include equipment, parts, tools, farming related stuff. We need persons to check items in, keep records, guard them in the round barn during the show. Talk to Carl Overmyer for details.
LOGS FOR SAWMILL
Doug Marks is looking for logs to cut for projects during the Power Show. He is wanting clean logs 7 foot to 12 ½ foot length.
New this year we will be using steam engines on the Baker fan, threshing machine, and other equipment.
HORSE & TRACTOR PULLS
We will once again have a Horse Pull during the show on Saturday, June 20th starting at 7 p.m. Northern Indiana Horse Pullers Assn. will conduct the pull. Last year we had 13 teams and we could have up to 22 teams this year.
Garden Tractor Pull put on by the Northern Indiana Pullers will take place on Sunday, June 21 starting at 1 p.m.
The team tractor pull will take place on Friday, June 19th starting at 1 p.m. The light & heavy weight pull will take place starting at 5 p.m. that same day.
On Saturday, ATTENTION LADIES, the Powder Puff Pull will start at 1 p.m. It will be followed by the 50/50 pull where the tractor and driver both have to be at least 50 years old.
ROUND BARN MUSEUM IN MAGAZINES & CALENDAR
The Round Barn Museum was featured in the AGCO 2009 calendar with the Minneapolis Moline UDLX tractors from 2007 show. Also nice photo on front of Green Magazine Feb. 2009 issue. This has three John Deere tractors - red, yellow, and green that John Craig hauled last summer to shows. These are not owned by John himself but he was the one who brought them for the photographer. He actually had two of each color.
Shows & Parades - you are invited!
Mentone Parade June 6
Round Barn Festival parade June 12
Fulton County 4-H Fair July 13-17
Power of the Past at Winamac July 18-19
Fulton Fun Days parade Aug. 1
Tiosa Community Day Aug 2
Grass Creek Days Sept. 12
Chief Logansport Festival Sept. 26-27 at Cass Co. Fairgrounds
Miniature Tractor Steam Engine
From the Kewanna Observer, Sept. 19, 1952:
"A miniature tractor steam engine has been built by J. J. Hoover and Warren Eby at the Hoover Welding Shop in Grass Creek. This steam engine will run with the miniature baler that was completed last year. The little baler makes small 6" x 6" x 10" bales, tied with stove pipe wire. Both were demonstrated at the tractor pull this week at Grass Creek and will also be on display at the horse pull at Grass Creek Saturday."
Does anyone know what happened to this miniature steam engine? Does it still exist today?
FCHPA 2009 Show People in Charge
Committees:
Track - Kyle Rensberger, Rich Rensberger
Trams - (including handicapped) - Paul Shoemaker, Don Scheffer, George Krom, Tracey Mathews
Parade - Brian Ringle, Tracey Mathews, Kevin Pyle, Jim Briney
Car Parking - Don Daugherty, Vic Daugherty
Sawmill - Doug Marks, Jim Briney & Dave Stangle
Field Layout - Troy Shriver, Will Merley
Lawn Mower - Fred Oden, Brandon Overmyer, Tracey Mathews, Kevin & April Pyle
Hit-n-miss Engines - Gus Dewitt , Lonnie Cripe, Gene Koch
Tractor Games - Rich Rensberger, Al Barrett, Jim Briney
Garden Tractor Games - Fred Oden, Kevin & April Pyle, Tracey Mathews, Brandon Overmyer
Games (Children) - Stephanie Rensberger
Silent Auction - Stephanie Rensberger
Entry Gate & Signage - Will Merley, Dana Bright
Trash Detail - Model Railroad 4H Club - Richard Earp
Food Vendor Hook-up - Ernie Hiatt
Vendors - parts, flea market, Crafts, Food, Toy Show - Tracy Mathews, Warren Longstreth & Melinda Clinger
Electric - Randy Overmyer & Ernie Hiatt
Registration - Millie Daugherty, Marilyn Thayer, & Bobbie Pogo
Souvenirs - Mary Jane Stangle and others
Entertainment - Melinda Clinger
Water Wagon - Lonnie Cripe, Paul Winn, Jim Briney, and Ben Overmyer
Skid Steer, tractor & Tents - Skeeter Daugherty
Announcements/ PA System - Gary Chapin, Skeeter Daugherty & Ben Overmyer
Fuel - Dave Stangle
Spraying for mosquitoes - Vaughn Kepler and Larry Zechiel
Demonstrations - Carl Overmyer, Ben Overmyer
Golf Cart Rental - Kathy & Jim Briney and others
Mowing - Garold Field, George Krom, Gene Koch
PEDAL TRACTOR RAFFLE & AUCTIONS
The Power Assn. is still selling tickets for a chance to win the Ford 9N pedal tractor, other 1/16 scale Ford tractors & embroidered fleece blanket with Ford 9N. Tickets are $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. Drawing will be at noon on Sunday, June 21st.
Items are also being assembled for silent auction items. Stephanie Rensberger is in charge of this - would appreciate donated items to include. Winners will be announced on Sunday at 9 a.m. for these items during the show.
Live Auction will be at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 20th for a select number of Ford Memorabilia tractors. You can see these items at the show.
BLUEGRASS MUSIC
We will have Bluegrass Music on Friday, June 19th starting immediately after the tractor pull around 8:30 p.m. This group plays at North Judson on Saturday evenings.
RICHARDSON MEMORIAL
There will be a memorial tent this year at the show for Fred Richardson. Fred passed away Oct. 29, 2008. Be sure to visit.
Participant Social Thursday, June 18th
Attention to all participants that will be on the show grounds Thursday, June 18th starting at 5 p.m. We will again have a cookout with hot dogs & hamburgers, etc.
Art Overmyer is making us homemade ice cream this year. Be sure not to miss out.
HELP NEEDED!!!!!!!!!
There are numerous jobs during the Power show that different ones on the above committees can use help with. If every member would give a few hours - this would make the whole show go easier. PLEASE VOLUNTEER TODAY - WE EVEN HAVE SIT-DOWN JOBS. Get your wives INVOLVED ALSO, "please, Honey."
Admissions, registration and golf cart rental need the most help during the show. Registration actually starts on Wednesday - so if you can help please contact Millie Daugherty she would appreciate a break every now and again.
Dana Bright - Admissions and Jim & Kathy Briney on golf cart rentals need the same kind of breaks. PLEASE HELP!
UPCOMING TRACTOR SHOWS
May 22-25 - Wildcat Creek Antique Tractor & Engine Show - held at Greentown, IN - held at 4-H grounds. Feature: John Deere.
May 29-31 - Hendricks Co., Danville, IN - Feature Minneapolis Moline.
June 11-13 Mizpah Antique Power Show - Columbia City, IN - held at the Whitley Co. 4-H grounds. Feature: Allis Chalmers.
June 19-21 - Fulton Co. Hist. Power Show held at FCHS grounds, 4 miles north of Rochester on US 31.
July 3-5 Tip Wa Antique Tractor & Engine Show held at Walton, IN.
July 6-10 Echoes of the Past, Warsaw, IN - held during Kosciusko County Fair.
July 16-19 Power of the Past, Winamac, IN - held at Pulaski Co. 4H grounds Feature: Graham Bradley.
July 23-25 Old Boys Toys, Wabash, IN - held at Paradise Springs Park. Feature: Case.
July 24-26 Tippecanoe Steam & Gas Power Show, West Lafayette, IN - held at the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater. Feature: Allis Chalmers & Rumely.
Aug 6-9 Mid-America Threshing & Antique Show, Tipton, IN - held at the Tipton County 4-H grounds. Feature: Allis Chalmers & Rumely.
Aug 14-16 Pioneer Power of North Central Indiana Hoosier Heritage Fest., Peru, IN - held at the Miami Co. 4-H grounds. Feature: International Harvestor - Chapter 33.
Aug. 26-30 Tri-State Gas Engine & Tractor Show, Portland, IN - held at the Jay Co. 4-H grounds. Feature: Lesser known tractors.
Sept. 11-13 White River Valley Antique Show, Elnora, IN - held at the Daviess County 4-H grounds. Feature: Massey Harris and Massey Ferguson.
Oct 3-4 Doud's Orchard's Fall Tractor Show, Denver, IN.
This newsletter to be published quarterly. Editor: Shirley Willard, 223-2352, wwillard@rtcol.com
Fulton County Hist. Power Association is a branch of the Fulton County Historical Society, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation in the State of Indiana.
Office address: FCHPA, Fulton County Museum, 37 East 375 North, Rochester IN 46975. Phone 574-223-4436. FAX: 574-224-4436. Web page: www.icss.net/~fchs.
Museum hours: Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed holidays.
Officers:
President - Carl W. Overmyer, Rochester , phone 1-574- 542-4694
Vice President - Rich Rensberger, Rochester 223-1866
Secretary - Melinda Clinger, Rochester, 223-4436
Treasurer - Robert "Skeeter" Daugherty, Rochester 223-3031
Board Members:
Dave Stangle, Kewanna
Jim Briney, Rochester
Brandon Overmyer, Rochester
Will Merley, Akron
Doug Marks, Plymouth
Fred Oden, Rochester
George Meyer, Rochester
Lonnie Cripe, Rochester
Power Show Photos | 2009 Schedule
Show has Antique Tractor Olympics, John Henry tug-of-war, antique tractor pulls, balancing and other contests.
Foods, crafts, programs.
Exhibitors wanted: tractors, hit-n-miss engines, lawn tractors, equipment, antique trucks, etc.
Tractors need to be 20 yrs old & trucks 30 yrs old.
Vendors wanted: swap, craft, food, etc.
Write for exhibitor application or vendor information please
Contact: Melinda Clinger 574-223-4436 or E-mail: melinda@rtcol.com
Address: FCHPA, C/0 FCHS, 37E 375 N, Rochester IN 46975
Sponsored by Fulton Co. Hist. Power Assn. and Fulton Co. Hist. Soc. Inc.
Held on FCHS grounds 4 miles north of Rochester, Ind., on U.S. 31 & Co. Rd. 375 N.
On site camping for exhibitors only, showers, museum, Round Barn & Living History Village, Tippecanoe River, etc.
Hosting the Vintage Garden Tractor Club of America. For information on Vintage Garden Tractor Club of America, contact Dennis Merlau 616-623-8545 or E-mail merlau@aol.com.
Dues are $15 a year. Checks are to be made payable to Fulton Co. Hist. Power Assn., c/o FCHS, 37 E 375 N, Rochester, IN 46975. Membership can be from other counties, not just Fulton County. Persons interested in joining should contact Melinda Clinger, Museum Director at 574-223-4436 or stop by the museum Mon. – Sat. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lewis Designs Power Association Logo
LogoChad Lewis, Tiosa, designed the FCHPA logo. Lewis makes magnetic signs for tractors as well as advertising signs for vehicles and will have a display at the Fulton County Historical Power Show.
The logo has the shape of Fulton County with a flag flying in one corner, a windmill in the background, and a Rumely Oil Pull tractor. This tractor has a Fulton County connection as Edward Rumely married Fanny Scott, great-granddaughter of William Polke, surveyor of the Michigan Road and Fulton County's first white settler in 1830. She owned the Fanny Scott farm that was located west of Rochester on Indiana 14 until her death in 1979.
Meinrad & Jacob Rumely came to Laporte, Ind. in 1848 and founded the original M & J Rumely Company in 1853. This company was later known as M. Rumely Company. In 1931 the company merged with Allis Chalmers and became known as Allis-Chalmers-Rumely.
Edward Rumely was the son of Joseph Rumely, and grandson of Meinrad Rumely. He studied at Oxford and Heidelburg, Germany, where he became acquainted with Rudolf Diesel. From here he developed a keen interest in the internal combustion engine. In 1907 he returned to Laporte and took a position in the company. Edward then went to work to produce a reliable farm tractor. A new shop building was built and with the help of John A. Secor who developed the carburetor for the OilPull tractor they started producing in Feb. 1910.
The Rumely OilPull was one of the first engines able to economically burn kerosene, which was much cheaper and more plentiful than gasoline.
Want to participate? Send for an application!
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