MONROE - Farm toys bring out the kid in everyone.
The Monroe FFA had its 21st annual farm toy show Sunday, and it was apparent that farm toys still are the rage.
More than 50 vendors from across the area brought tractors, wagons, discs, threshers, cars and just about everything else associated with farm toys to show off and sell, event organizer Melissa Schmidt-Kjerstad said.
Collectors and buyers have something in common, she added.
"Each person collects a specific brand. For some it's John Deere tractors and machinery, and for others it might be something else."
Gary Schmid and his son Thomas, both from Monroe, showed off their antique Minneapolis Moline collection, some of which are more than 50 years old.
"That one was in a fire and it came out OK," Thomas said, pointing at one particularly antique toy.
"Some of them were my father's," Gary said.
The Schmids had about 25 pieces to display and they were typical of other people who brought their collection to the schools.
Displays and vendor booths were set up in the "M" room and in the gymnasium. They were popular places, as people talked to collectors and to each other about tractors they owned, used to own or wished they never had sold.
The collectors and vendors were proud to talk about their toys and explain how they got started collecting them.
"I sold off my collection in 1989," said Roger Brugger of Belmont. "Now I keep buying more to sell."
Brugger and his wife, Bev, said most people come to the shows because of memories.
"A lot of people were raised on farms and they want to come back and look at some of the old toy tractors." Bev said.
Paul Matzke, Juda, has come to the toy show in Monroe for more than 15 years and is proud of his collection. He agreed with Bev Brugger's assessment of farm toy popularity.
"A lot of people grew up with them. Even the ones who didn't are interested in them," he said.
Monroe High School FFA supervisor Kirk Kramp said farm toys bring out the kid in everyone and collectors always are looking for that special toy.
"Some of the toys have a large collective value," he said.
But Thomas Schmid might have summed up the reason most kids still love to play with farm toys.
"They're able to play outside and get dirty," he laughed.
The Monroe FFA had its 21st annual farm toy show Sunday, and it was apparent that farm toys still are the rage.
More than 50 vendors from across the area brought tractors, wagons, discs, threshers, cars and just about everything else associated with farm toys to show off and sell, event organizer Melissa Schmidt-Kjerstad said.
Collectors and buyers have something in common, she added.
"Each person collects a specific brand. For some it's John Deere tractors and machinery, and for others it might be something else."
Gary Schmid and his son Thomas, both from Monroe, showed off their antique Minneapolis Moline collection, some of which are more than 50 years old.
"That one was in a fire and it came out OK," Thomas said, pointing at one particularly antique toy.
"Some of them were my father's," Gary said.
The Schmids had about 25 pieces to display and they were typical of other people who brought their collection to the schools.
Displays and vendor booths were set up in the "M" room and in the gymnasium. They were popular places, as people talked to collectors and to each other about tractors they owned, used to own or wished they never had sold.
The collectors and vendors were proud to talk about their toys and explain how they got started collecting them.
"I sold off my collection in 1989," said Roger Brugger of Belmont. "Now I keep buying more to sell."
Brugger and his wife, Bev, said most people come to the shows because of memories.
"A lot of people were raised on farms and they want to come back and look at some of the old toy tractors." Bev said.
Paul Matzke, Juda, has come to the toy show in Monroe for more than 15 years and is proud of his collection. He agreed with Bev Brugger's assessment of farm toy popularity.
"A lot of people grew up with them. Even the ones who didn't are interested in them," he said.
Monroe High School FFA supervisor Kirk Kramp said farm toys bring out the kid in everyone and collectors always are looking for that special toy.
"Some of the toys have a large collective value," he said.
But Thomas Schmid might have summed up the reason most kids still love to play with farm toys.
"They're able to play outside and get dirty," he laughed.