McHenry County News FRE
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Volume 7 Issue 15
APRIL 6, 2017
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Vintage Tractor Club takes a road trip By Anne Eickstadt REPORTER
It was a cold, rainy morning on Saturday, March 25 when the McHenry County Antique Farm Equipment Association of Illinois boarded a bus to travel to Galva, Ill. To see Jerry’s Agricultural Museum. Jerry Kuster has accumulated a large collection of vintage International Harvester machinery. He has brought some of his collection together and displays it in the Old Red Farm Shed in Galva. His collection occasionally branches out from farm equipment and includes a 1955 Ford Crown Victoria with only 1100 miles on it. Next to the Crown Victoria is a special edition 25th anniversary Mustang GT convertible. Kuster has many more IH machines in a series of sheds on his farm. “I lost count at 80,” he says when asked how many tractors he owns. “I’m working on another shed to hold all these old machines here.” “It was a very nice trip, a lot of tractors to see,” said Ron Richardson of the MCAFEAI (commonly called the antique tractor club). “I liked the 2+2 4-wheel drive tractor. It is #1 of the series. There’s a lot of old iron, the big stuff.” “The trip is excellent,” Paul Tombaugh said. “It’s always fun to see what people collect. Even if I wasn’t into these machines, I really enjoy seeing collections. It’s kind of neat that people collect these machines. It brings back memories of my dad. He would get excited about his new machine and have to share his excitement with someone. I’m so glad that the Kusters are willing to open their doors and share their collections.” “The museum and five sheds are pretty neat,” said Cody Purdom. “I’ve seen a few John Deere collections, but this International Harvester collection is new to me. You don’t usually see so many vintage machines in one place. It’s like a time capsule.” The McHenry County Antique
ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTO McHenry County News
Many of the antique tractor club members are fascinated by the vintage plows in Kuster’s collection.
Farm Equipment Association of Illinois (MCAFEAI) began when “Nancy Fike approached Herb Falk,” says Paul Tombaugh. “He was the first president. They put out a call in the media – ‘Is anyone interested?’ They did this twice and about 30 people showed up.” The
Association provides antique farm equipment enthusiasts with programs and activities. The club works with the McHenry County Farm Bureau. “We give money to support agricultural education in the classroom so kids can see where food comes from.”
Current president Tim Collins says, “I’ve been with this tractor club for about 4-5 years. We have about 100 members.” “Everybody has an agricultural background,” says Tombaugh. “Younger guys are joining, so it’s not all older people.”
The MCAFEAI holds monthly meetings and sends out newsletters to members. They organize tractor shows and tractor drives, workshops, club tours, plow days and parades. Their website can be found at www.mchenrycfb.org or on Facebook at MCAFEAI.
Woodstock native playing with Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra
By Tom Ganser REPORTER
On March 19, Woodstock native Timothy Graf joined with four other members of the Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra on for the third and final LGSO Chamber Music concert of the 2016-17 at Holy Communion Episcopal Church in Lake Geneva. Graf played clarinet as part of the Prevailing Winds Quintet performing the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Robert Washburn and Charles Lefebvre. The concert also showcased Musique du Lac performing Franz Schubert’s Piano Quintet, “The Trout,” for string quartet and piano. Graf serves as a substitute clarinet player for the LGSO, along with working at the Versa Dierzen Early Learning Center in Woodstock. In 2012 he toured with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Robert Boudreau and was invited to perform the clarinet solo “Wuaraira Repano” with the orchestra. Graf is a current member of Crystal Lake’s Knock on Wood Clarinet Choir playing Eb clarinet. On April 8 at 7:30 p.m. the LGSO will be in concert at Calvary Community Church in Williams Bay performing the Overture from “The Gadfly Suite,” from the score by Dmitri Shostakovich for the 1955 film, “The Gad Fly,” and Symphony No. 2 by Alexander Borodin. In addition, David Newman will join the orchestra as guest pianist for a performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Newman last soloed with the LGSO in 2009, performing George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” TOM GANSER PHOTO McHenry County News For information about the LGSO that has performed regularly in Woodstock native Timothy Graf (right) joined with four other members of the Lake Geneva SymWalworth County since 2001 and to obtain information about purchasing phony Orchestra for the LGSO Chamber Music concert at Holy Communion Episcopal Church in Lake tickets for the April 8 concert, visit www.lakegenevaorchestra.com. Geneva. Also shown, Derek Kane.