Some traditions never get old – like the Drayton Farm Show’s souvenir toy tractor, a coveted collectible of local nostalgia that has become a sense of pride for many toy collectors since the show began.
Just ask Rick Becker, this year’s volunteer toy tractor committee chairman, who is enjoying his role, which includes choosing and customizing the make and model of toy tractor that his fellow Drayton Kinsmen will sell.
“I had to pick a tractor out of so many different ones out there, and then I had to come up with ways to detail it and make it our own,” Becker said, explaining that working with a professional toy parts shop was interesting and made the process less daunting.
“They are really good at knowing what they can do with the tractors,” Becker explained,” They are very knowledgeable at customizing to make them look they did back in the original days.”
There was a lot to consider with this year’s tractor model, including the efforts made every year to change the brand model and even the colour.
“This year was really difficult to customize, because we went with a prestige model, and it was really detailed already. To detail an already a detailed tractor was quite difficult,” Becker laughed. “But it was worth the challenge; it was fun.”
Last year’s tractor was an Ertl, wide front Case 830. It had a customized 1/16 scale with front and rear lights and came in a custom box.
The year before, the toy tractor was a Ford.
“My uncle Gary usually does the tractors, [for the show]; he’s really into it, but I was interested in them as well. I grew up around them and my friends did as well, and I have a few of my own, too.”
So, when given the chance to do something a little different, Becker went for it.
“I knew I needed a certain number of tractors [to sell] and what was available, but I really wanted to create one with an implement and I wanted to see how it goes,” Becker said, explaining he chose to add a grader blade to the tractor specifications. “This is the first time we’re doing a tractor with an implement.”
Designing it is only half the fun, Becker added, because the assembled toy tractor still requires the finishing touches, and the detailing work is up to the Drayton Kinsmen volunteer crew.
“It’s a group effort,” Becker said. “Once I get everything together, we take all the tractors to the KIN room and we start detailing them.”
With 76 tractors ordered, the work party was set to begin this week.
The finished product will be a John Deere 730, complete with grader blade, one a customized 1/16 scale, with front and rear lights, hand painting, custom box and decal.
Becker isn’t sure exactly how to explain the sentimental attachment to toy tractors, but now that he has designed one, he looks forward to seeing them completed.
“Some buy it because they can relate to it, because maybe they owned a real one in the past,” he said.
Both young and old enjoy those tiny toy replicas.
“People actually look forward to seeing the Kinsmen tractor,” he said. “Quite a few people buy them every year … they have a collectible for every year.”
Becker has been a Kinsmen for 11 years now, and one of the aspects of the club that he is most proud of is the fundraising efforts of his club to support Cystic Fibrosis. Proceeds from the 2012 John Deere toy tractor will go to support that cause. A portion of the show’s admission will also go to Cystic Fibrosis.
Becker looks forward to selling the toy tractors, but he is also looking forward to being at the Farm Show itself.
“I like going to see what’s new, like new technologies in the agricultural field,” he said. “I like hanging out with my fellow KIN and seeing the people, the farmers from the community, people you haven’t seen in awhile.”
The cost of the 2012 toy tractors is $100.
Order forms are available online at www.draytonkinsmen.ca. Send a copy of the form and cheque payable to Kinsmen Club of Drayton c/o Rick Becker Box 157 Drayton, ON N0G 1P0.
