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On his farm south of Bement, Ray Walsh’s collection of old tractors tells the story of how farming has changed over the years. Fifty old tractors he has restored to working order make up a kind of mini-museum of farming history, says WILL-TV’s Alison Davis, who visits Walsh in the season premiere of Prairie Fire. “He held on to a lot of old tractors he farmed with in the 1950s, but his collection really got started when he bought a tractor like the one his dad used in the 1920s,” Davis said.
Walsh travels around the country to compete in tractor pulls, and on his travels, he always has his eye out for old tractors. As he describes the tractors in his collection, viewers get a glimpse of what farming was like years ago. “Walsh remembers the days before tractors had cabs when farmers were outside exposed to the elements all day long,” said Davis. “The corn and bean dust caused breathing problems for a lot of farmers, including Walsh. So tractors have not only gotten more convenient and efficient, they’ve also gotten a lot safer.”
Segment duration: 07:13
Producer: Alison Davis
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Antiques/Collectibles • Automotive • Illinois Culture/History • Bement
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