Antique Tractor Collecting in Stoney Creek
Some people collect stamps, others collect coins. Then there’s people who collect bigger and more expensive items. Cars, certainly. Trucks, sometimes. But tractors? Joe Carlton from Stoney Creek has 28 John Deere tractors from every decade that the venerable machine has been created. For him, this is another type of collection. Something unique, and probably something no one else did, at least not quite like him. But he doesn’t only collect tractors, he has all sorts of John Deere items, ranging from bicycles to toys, and he displays them regularly for those who want to visit. This year, he will be showing them to the public on June 2 and 3. This is the weekend that celebrates the annual Golden Horseshoe Antique tour, which is a renowned event featuring these types of collections, although the number of private collections this big are rather rare.
The collector started very young. In fact, Joe did so mainly because of his grandfather, who had a trator for his fruit farm. Joe became fascinated by the trator, and as the farm grew, more tractors were added and the collection began. He says that he was never very rich, and at first they were bought to be actually used. But lately, they have become collectors items, and he makes purchase decisions based on the look, value and rarity, rather than how useful they might be in a field. The Antique Tour is the perfect time for him to display his collection along with other collectors from Mount Hope to Wanfleet, as the doors open up to the public. People will be coming in to admire tractors and farm equipment available for show to the public and for those who like these types of machines.
Joe has been in the tool business for over 25 years, and that’s where his first collection tractor was acquired, when someone wanted a toolbox but couldn’t pay for it. He offered a used tractor in exchange, which gave him the idea to start this whole adventure. Joe says it’s a nostalgia thing, where the tractors remind him of his grandfather and the farm he grew up on. The tour itself has been very popular in the area, with more than 800 people taking part. This year is special since it’s the 175th anniversary celebration of John Deere, and more people are expected to show up since this was one of the pioneer in the industry.
Whether you like tractors, John Deere models in particular, or farm equipment, the tour itself is a great place to be, and seeing Joe’s collection in particular is sure to be a blast. So check it out in June.
Find antique tractors by visiting the website: http://buyantiquetractor.com/
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