Writers' Community!
Home News Business Science & Technology Life Style
Front Page Page Two Columnists Submit an Article FAQs Contact Author Login
Article Submission
We Need YOUR Articles!
We'll Promote Them for FREE!

Author Login

New Authors
Register Here


Now Serving 5,563 Authors
48,473 Quality Articles
& 6,202 Current Users Online!
Featured Authors
Marty RicKard is a fan of:
Bo Carpenter (2,596)
Walter Rhett (2,749)
Alf Gordon (1,365)
Jeff Brown (7,977)
David Tanguay (7,555)
Joel Hendon (4,850)
Terry Mitchell (2,785)
Rev M Bresciani (1,972)
Robert Melaccio, Sr. (6,499)
ngoldman (6,235)
Avis Ward (13,445)
Dianne Lehmann (3,112)
Mogama (12,156)
Mike Fak (6,887)
Sara O'Rourke (401)
Susan Thom (9,014)
Laura Trahan (32,713)
Peggy Butler (3,553)
Josh Greenberger (1,035)
Teresa Ortiz (4,776)
Stephany Springer (31,631)
Jon Searles (1,326)
Bruce Horst (759)
Ken McCreless (161)
Mr. Keith (2,892)
Ieuan Dolby (1,412)
Danny Davids (16,552)
Rodney Biamby (113)
Christine Akiteng (75,494)
Jan Hayner (4,969)
Most Recent
Traveling While Pregnant: Tips for Safety and Comfort

Hufflepuff Trait

Hunt in North Dakota

More Than Just A "Cement Pond"

Finding The Best Tripods and Mounts For Your Binoculars

How to Choose the Right Type of Motorcycle

Safety Features of Small Trimarans

How To Get Started In The Fascinating World Of Playing Chess Games

Why Choosing a Small Trimaran Makes Sense

Do They Swim With You?

Home » Categories » Recreation & Leisure » Other Recreation & Leisure » Shade Tree Farmers Harvest Oats Just For The Fun Of It, And Don't Spend A Fortune On Equipment » Reprint Rights » Printer Friendly

Marty RicKard

Shade Tree Farmers Harvest Oats Just For The Fun Of It, And Don't Spend A Fortune On Equipment

Rated 4 out of 5
No Reader Ratings Available ?
Rate It  /  View Comments  /  View All Articles submitted by Marty RicKard
Submitted Monday, July 28, 2008
Marty RicKard (2,763)
Marty RicKard


Log in to become a member of Marty RicKard's Fan Club!


The Shade Tree Custom Farmers gathered recently on the Larry Collins farm to harvest a field of oats "just for the fun of it".

These farmers all grew up in the Rockwell City , Iowa , area. On this day, they brought equipment manufactured in the 1950s, including four tractors, four combines and a grain wagon, with a total net value of about $10,000.

They compared the cost of their equipment to a new combine.

"A basic combine would start in the $250,000-to--$300,000 neighborhood," Larry Collins said. "And that's a neighborhood we don't visit."

Others speculated that a new combine with all the new heads and all the bells and whistles could go over $400,000.

"I paid twenty-five dollars for my old 1956, thirty-series combine, then spent about $400 on belts and other repairs," Collins said. "It works just fine."

The group was formed several years ago when Mike Collins started joking about all the old equipment his brother Larry had sitting around.

"We just decided to fix up some of it," Larry said.

Some of their friends heard about it, and the Shade Tree Custom Farmers were born.

"We did this when we were kids and we didn't like it; it was work then. Now it's fun," Mike Collins said.

They have harvested oats on several farms in the Rockwell City area.

Kolby Wagner brought a 1962 model 93 International Harvester self-propelled combine.

Mike Collins drove a 1959 Model 560 International diesel and pulled a 1962 Model 82 International combine.

Robert Lenz pulled a 1952 John Deere Model 42 combine with a 1957 model Super 88 Oliver diesel tractor.

Cole Lenz drove a 1954 Super H Farmall tractor and pulled a grain wagon.

Some of the equipment was dented and rusty, but the old tractors looked as if they had just been driven off the dealer's showroom floor, thanks to another Collins brother who makes the sheet metal look like new.

"I just paint the tractors," Bill Collins said.

Marty RicKard Bio

Marty RicKard attended William Penn College , Iowa State University and University of Southern Mississippi , from which he holds a BS degree in journalism and photojournalism. He also has a Masters Degree in photography, in addition to the Craftsman, CPP, and A-ASP degrees. Marty spent two years as a technical writer for White Motor Company, and has worked for the Charles City Press, Mason City Globe-Gazette, and Davenport Times-Democrat. He was co-owner of the weekly New Sharon Star, where he was twice named Iowa Master Columnist for his article, which was syndicated in twenty Iowa newspapers. For more than a decade Marty's regular column appeared in the Professional Photographer magazine. He has been published in many other magazines and newspapers, including Writer's Digest, Writer Advice, Golf Digest, Resource Magazine, Picture, Range Finder, and Darkroom. In addition to his writing credits, Marty has won numerous photography awards, has lectured in 48 states, and has traveled internationally as lecturer, and judge. He was one of thirty from the U.S. to participate in the first cultural exchange with China in 1986. He currently is a regular columnist for Lens Magazine, and a full-time writer of fiction and poetry. He is the author of two poetry books and one volume of short stories. He is an entertaining speaker.




This author of this Article has choosen to make this article available with free reprint rights.
Click here to copy this article.

Reprint Rights

Log in to become a member of Marty RicKard's Fan Club!

Comments on this article:
No comments yet.


Was this article helpful to you? Leave a Public Comment or Question:

 

This Article has been viewed 78 times.
Article added to SearchWarp.com on Monday, July 28, 2008
View other articles written by Marty RicKard (2,763)
Marty RicKard


If you found this article interesting, you may want to check out:

Disclaimer:  All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional or organization.


Today's Most Popular
Secret Sudoku Tips and Strategies

Identifying Different Types of Birds

How to get back into a Capsized Canoe

Tips on Holding A Handstand

The Smoking Jacket: Old Fashioned-Elegance Meets Modern Day

RC Plane With A Difference - An RC Paraglider!

The Basics of the Smoking Pipe

A Brief History of BMX

Worn Out: The Saga of the Smoking Jacket

August Arcana Trivia Quiz

Home  |  Page Two  |  FAQ's  |  Contact  |  Terms of Service  |  Article Submission Guidelines  |  Writers' Contests  |  Privacy  |  Mission / About
Copyright © 1999-2008 SearchWarp.com, All Rights Reserved - SearchWarp.com is an IcoLogic, Inc. Company