The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher-Owner
Ask a farmer how to get a crowd to an event, and he will tell you, "Serve them a good meal at a bargain price."
It seems to work every year for the Henderson County Olde Tymers organization who again had their biggest crowd at their annual ham and bean meal.
Their Friday night opener is accompanied with cornbread and drink, cooked and served by members of the club and includes entertainment. It is free for those who are wearing the $1.00 Old Tymers button.
Short orders, pie and ice cream, plus daily specials were served by the Christian Church youth group.
And there was the Saturday 1 p.m. parade of antique trucks, tractors, and related items around the arena which on Sunday' paraded down around the Oak Lane Nursing Home.
The featured 1964 bright blue Ford 2000 tractor owned by Norman Menzenberg of rural Raritan and his brother Allen who past away last week, was in top-notch condition. The retired brothers are from Missouri and moved here a few years ago to be centrally located among their relatives. They are retired farmers and love this type of show.
Also featured was a 1913 Huber Threshing machine from the Henderson County Historical Society. The main frame is all wood with some metal components inside.
It was used both days to thresh oats.
There were some flea market and craft items, antique equipment, and several old-time operations such as a sorghum press, a blacksmith shop, a saw mill, corn sheller, and a hay bailer. All were a history lesson in action for the younger generation.
Displays of antique tools, and of working gas engines, one pumping an antique water pump, all had a story to tell about early days on the farm.
What's the "big deal" about antique gas engines?
According to Robert Harden, President of the Henderson County Old Tymers, "Gas engines back then were an important part to help modernize farming, and to be able to speed up the process and increase the productivity of the increasing size of the farm."
In the olden days, to those working what was considered a large 20-40 acre farm, it was an answer to prayer.
It takes around twenty-four active members of the Old Tymers to work out plans for six months to produce this annual history lesson which is free to the public.
The show features the days of the small farm. It is hard for most of us to imagine life without electricity and electric motors. Today, farms have increased to 800-3,000 acres in family operations and 15-20 thousand in corporate farms, Harden said. Although there are less than half the farmers of early generations, farmers now are producing record breaking crops to feed the world today.
Looking back on the early practices of farmers can help us better understand a farmer's wisdom of making good out of the things one has on hand, rather than always buying new. Their ability to be frugal with what they have will help them through rising gas prices, winter heating bills, and a poor corn crop because they have learned to care for themselves in a variety of ways, while still having enough to share with their neighbors.
The ham and bean supper may be one good example of how a farm family could stretch what they have to feed a crew of others.
The Old Tymers Club meets year around and plans an annual soup supper as a fund raiser at St. Patrick's in February or March and take part in the Christmas parade at Stronghurst.
To be a member of the Old Tymers you can pay the $10 individual fee or the $20 family fee which is payable at the show. They meet monthly at the Stronghurst fairgrounds office building at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. Robert Harden of rural Raritan is the president.
The Old Tyme show also had activities for the children, a tractor teeter totter, a kiddie peddle pull, and quarter and dollar coins in the corn for kids to scramble in and find. All made for a fun weekend at the Henderson County Olde Tyme Show at the fairgrounds in Stronghurst.