American Thresherman Association 64th Anniversary and Counting

are all demonstrated near the “Field of Dreams” area. Exhibitors are also allowed to take their equipment on a daily tractor drive in this “Field of Dreams” area from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Association has gained access to 50 additional acres for field plantings and demonstrations. This area is a pleasant walk from the main center grounds or you can catch a tractor pulled tram, especially if you want to go all the way back to the working fields. Guests will see the Association-owned 12-bottom John Deere Plow used in our field demonstrations. This plow was used in the world record setting 60-bottom plow hitch demonstrated in Rantoul, Illinois in 2009, pulled by the three Case 110hp steam traction engines, one of which is owned by a member of our Association. A 14-bottom plow will also be pulled and is sure to be a “handful” in the Southern Illinois August ground! Gas tractors of all makes and styles abound at the show; with Illinois having been the hub of farming in the early years, a large assortment of tractors is always available for demonstration and exhibit on the grounds. “Gas Engine Hill,” as they like to call the dedicated area, plays host to many small gas engines, scale models and all the way up to the huge oil-field types of engines. Gas Engine Hill is always packed to the edges with every make and kind! Stroll through the many displays and watch the working machines. Many exhibitors love to talk and explain their “toys,” so get in there and ask some questions! Guests will really feel the earth shake when the big Fairbanks-Morse is cranked up! This year’s featured gas engines are Fairbanks Morse Engines. The center ring show area is surrounded by a Railroad track that our new train, runs every day from morning ‘til evening for the young and “not-so-young!” Climb aboard for a nostalgic ride around the grounds and tour the show! A $2 ticket gets you a nostalgic ride on a train and helps support the upkeep of the engine! One may also tour the grounds in an authentic built stagecoach, “The Wild Bill,” which was built by William T. (Bill) Schrader of Pinckneyville, Lifetime Member of the ATA! Climb on in to the red stagecoach and relive the travel of the Prairie Days!

The center ring area of our show is also filled with many working exhibits. There is a permanent shed to house the sawmill and it runs every day, Thursday through Sunday. It is powered by steam engines and gas tractors. Guests may have a seat on the bleachers and watch that 54” saw slice down through those logs to make beautiful lumber! Come watch members churn out some lumber in short order and make little logs out of big ones in a hurry! Previous Secretary Deb Schrader notes, “Nothing is wasted at our show, not even the sawdust! We use this off-fall from the saw mill to cover areas of walking/driving in case we have rain, and the scrap pieces of the logs are used to fire steam engines and are saved for our Fall Festival show when