MAPLETON – The organizers of the seventh annual Drayton Farm Show in 1988 decided to offer a collectible model tractor to attendees.
Thirty-five years later, the anticipation of adding to collections has become a time-honoured tradition.
Former Mapleton mayor Neil Driscoll has an extensive collection that was passed down to him by his father Stan.
It has grown to include every tractor available to date at the Drayton Farm Show.
Stan passed away in 2007 but was always a pillar of the community. He served as a Kinsmen member for many years, and his dedication to the farm show helped mould it to what it is today.
“We’ve (Hensall Co-op, formerly Driscoll Farms) had a booth at the farm show, probably for 15 years now,” Driscoll said.
Having attended dozens of shows since he was young, Driscoll’s booth is a means to connect with the community. He pops fresh popcorn on site and will again be participating in this year’s event.
“The biggest reason we go is to meet up with local people and our customers,” he said.
“Life is so busy – we don’t have time, it seems, to visit anymore.
“This is one time of year we get to see everybody that comes to the show that we either deal with or know personally. It’s honestly just a great community event that gets businesses out to see people.”
After his father’s passing, Driscoll donated the original Cockshutt toy tractor from the 1988 show to the Kinsmen Club in Drayton.
“We actually put it on a plaque and donated it back to the club because they had sold out that first year and didn’t even keep a model for their own showcase,” Driscoll said.
When asked if he was happy with the variety of tractors made for the show, Driscoll said the Kinsmen have done a really good job of representing various brands.
While the model collection is impressive, Driscoll’s assortment of around 10 full scale pre-1980 tractors is also quite estimable.
His restored standard McCormick W-4 was on display at last year’s tractor tour in Palmerston and his farm property has been the venue for ploughing competitions and, more recently, snowmobile grass drag races.
Less than a 10-minute drive down the road, Moorefield resident and former Kinsmen Arden Mick has also been collecting the tractors since day one.
“I have them all,” Mick said. “I’ve got the first one through to the last one that was produced.”
This, of course, includes the tractor for the 2020 show that was cancelled at the start of the pandemic.
Because supplies of the models are limited, Mick was sure to get his order placed early for the upcoming show.
“This year’s tractor is pre-ordered. That responsibility is my wife’s,” said Mick.
“Very early on it came up that my birthday is about the same time of the year, so I’ve been able to get the tractors by calling it my birthday present.”
With a penchant for antique tractors, Mick would like to see more of the “old stuff, that a lot of people have never seen”.
He’s always had a passion for the John Deere and McCormick machines and hopes to see some at the show this spring.
“I think the show is about connecting farmers and commercial people,” he said.
“It’s educational, and great for kids who don’t get a chance to look at agricultural things. All around it’s a nice little fundraiser for the community.
“The money all goes back into the community which helps down the road, so it’s multi-fold.”
Event organizers are hopeful this year’s show will return to pre-pandemic attendance.
“I was quite pleased to hear the [Kinsmen] are back at it again, and from many reports I’ve got, it’s been very well received in the farming and commercial communities,” Mick added.
“Hopefully, it’s the best one yet.”
