Happy Holidays!

While standing in the Amtrak station waiting for another train, I saw the following quote: "Due to budget cuts, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off." And I believe it! The more I do, the further behind I get.

If you were lucky enough to get your first issue of Heritage Iron, congratulations! Hope you liked it. If you're still waiting on it, thank the budget cuts of the USPS. Earlier this month I sent a box with over 1,000 subscriptions in it to the subscription office. It was sent priority mail WITH a tracking number. This was not a small box and it was a genuine priority mail box. Not too easy to overlook. But somehow, the USPS still managed to lose it! I have worn a path in the floor wondering how to recover from a setback like this. The tracking number showed exactly where it landed but for 7 days, no one could find it. FINALLY, they found it today. No explanation was provided as to where it was hiding but at this point, I didn't care. As long as they had it I could breathe again.

Because of this setback in entering subscriptions, we have delayed the last mailing of Issue #1 until we can get all the subs entered. At this time, we are planning to mail again around January 9th. So if you haven't received that first issue yet and you sent in your subscription, hang in there. We're going to get you one mailed...just a little later than expected.

For those of you that sent Christmas cards....THANK YOU! I save every one of them. Due to the "light at the end of the tunnel" issue discussed earlier, I didn't have time to mail out a single card. So don't feel left out if you didn't get one. No one did. Two magazines can sure keep a gal busy.

Today I ordered t-shirts that should be available the end of the month. I think they're going to be sharp! I'll have them at the Heritage Iron/Oliver Heritage booth at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, KY if you want one. We're also going to have a contest to name our "muscle tractor" image. More details will follow after I get this next issue done. I personally like Brutus or Hoss but I've heard a few other good ones. Put your thinking cap it. It could win you a free subscription, t-shirt and more.

See ya next year!!!

Who turned off the heat?

Brrrrrrr. It is 22 below zero here in Havre, Montana. If it wasn't for all the excitement over at Big Bud headquarters today, you wouldn't get me out the door. However, it has been a unbelievable weekend and I've been surrounded by the pioneers of the 4WD tractor industry. The cold weather prevented several of the scheduled celebrities from attending but those that were there were: Doug Steiger, Big Bud Nelson, Bill McNabb (Wagner) and of course Ron Harmon, who orchestrated this wonderful get together to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Big Bud. I have lots of stories to tell but those will be shared in future issues of Heritage Iron. For now, I'll share a picture taken of Big Bud Nelson, the man for whom the tractor was named. It was an honor to be in his presence along with all of the rest.

Thank you Ron Harmon for getting everyone together and helping to preserve history. It's a weekend I won't soon forget.

All Aboard!!!

If you have never taken a train ride, you have GOT to do it. I just jumped off the Amtrak train at Havre, Montana (Home of Big Bud) and I am having the time of my life!

The trip started out a little bumpy. The train was late due to an earlier derailment this week. Then I realized that I had left my wireless card at home. That was a MAJOR problem. I can not possibly be out of touch for a week. So I called my wonderful travel agent and explained my situation. Within an hour she had everything set up so that I could walk 3 blocks from the train station in Chicago and they would have a new card waiting. What a relief! You don't get that kind of service with Travelocity. Use a travel agent and keep good people employed!

Things were a little pushed getting to the ATT store and back to the train in a short amount of time. Did I mention I was dragging 200 pounds of luggage with me the whole time? When I finally got on the train, I was whipped. My wonderful Porter, Gary, led me to my sleeper car then gave me a bottle of champagne. He said "You look like you need this." When you have a sleeper car, they really take care of you. Another one of the porters, Chris, was awesome too! Great job guys! They make your bed, bring you warm cookies, wake you up when it's time to get off the train....it's a whole different world and much more laid back than airport travel.

Anyway, the train ride was great! They have chefs on board preparing the meals and if you have a sleeper car, food is free AND good!! You are required to have dinner reservations because of limited seating and they always sit you with different passengers. At one of my meals I sat next to a Catholic priest. Naturally I started talking tractors. Before we were done, he wanted to see a copy of Heritage Iron. I gave him one and before the ride was over he told me I had opened up a whole new world for him. Wow! I converted a Catholic priest! That's powerful - but that's what Heritage Iron is all about.....more power....not a higher power but more power!

I was walking through one of the cars with an issue in my hand when a lady grabbed me and said "Where did you get that magazine?!" "Out of my suitcase" wasn't the answer she was looking for :) but she informed me that she knew people that would love to have the magazine so she managed to talk me out of it before I left the car.

It was just an awesome trip and the 25 hours went WAY to fast. Luckily I'll get to do it again in a few days. I'm here in Havre, Montana in the dead of winter for one reason.....the Big Bug reunion. There are supposed to be 250-300 people here consisting of employees, engineers, dealers, owner...etc. Even John Harvey from Classic Tractors is flying out here...providing the plane can land. Did I mention we're having a blizzard out here?! I had better get going because I need to be within walking distance of a tractor during a blizzard and not stuck in a motel. My job is soooo cool! Literally....it's supposed to be 14 below tomorrow. Brrrrrrr.

It's in the mail!

Don't start running to the mailbox yet, but I have confirmation from the printer that the first issue of Heritage Iron dropped into the deep, dark hole of the United States Postal System on Monday. How long it will take for you to receive it anyone's guess but I expect some folks will have it later this week. Even though I know what is inside it, I can't wait to see the first issue!

Once you get the magazine, I really would like to hear what you think of it. Let me know what else you would like to see in there and feel free to contribute by sending a letter to our Blowing Smoke section.

It looks like winter had set in and I'm not happy about it. Later this month I'll be traveling to Montana to do a "big" story on a "Big" tractor. I didn't pick a good time to head that far north but there is a special event going on and I just can't miss it. You'll get to read all about it in an upcoming issue of Heritage Iron.

Time to sharpen the pencil and get ready for issue #2! Enjoy the first one and let me know what you think.

Houston - We have lift off!

What a week this has been! Two magazines, two deadlines and both are at the same time. (Whose idea what that?!) Earlier this week I went over to the publishing office where I had 2 magazines to look over. I bounced back and forth from one designer to the next. Suzanne has been laying out Oliver Heritage for a while so she's got the hang of it. I wasn't too worried about her, but Heritage Iron is a different story. It's brand new and we had to completely build the magazine. My page designer, Jason, did a phenomenal job. He understood exactly what look I was trying to convey with this magazine and he nailed it! We had a blast!

The magazine has been uploaded to the printers and is now out of our hands. All we can do is pace the floor until the USPS gets their hands on it December 1.

It's that time of the year again. That means if I'm going outside to run or do anything, I had better be wearing a bright orange vest or I'll be taking my life into my own hands. I have a big picture window in my living room and it looks out over my pond. There has been a big buck running around out there every day this week. I expect he'll be hiding tomorrow though.

Next week is the big antique tractor auction in Taylorville, IL. Since that's only 20 miles from me, it's a "must". If you've never been to this auction, you really should go at least once. But be forewarned - dress for the cold! Maybe I'll see you there.

The Countdown

It's getting closer.....only 20 days left until the first issue of Heritage Iron goes in the mail. The magazine is complete and it goes to the printer next week. We printed off the proof on Friday and it looks great! I can't wait until every else gets to take a look at it. If you're wondering what's inside, here are a few of the topics: IH 1206, White Mighty-Tow 4-115, JD Buyer's Guides, Ertel toys of 1970, Rome 4WDs, M&W Gear and much more. I know I might be a little biased but I think it's a great issue with a bit of something for everyone.

No sooner did I have the proof in my hands when I decided to get out of the office for a few days and hit the National Farm Toy Show in Dyersville, IA. I had never been to this show before. It seems like every year I have something else to do but this year I was going to make time. So I threw some clothes in the car and headed north.

If you have never been to the toy show, you should make plans to go sometime and experience it at least once. I have never seen so many toys in one place in my life! The entire town gets ready for this event. The Beckmann school cleans out all of their classrooms, covers the gym floor with protective paper and then turns the entire school over to the toy vendors. There were hundreds of them! And when there wasn't room left inside, there were tents and trailers set up outside everywhere. It didn't seem to matter to anyone that it was below freezing. It was unbelievable!

Unfortunately my little office vacation was short-lived. It's back to work getting the next issue of Oliver Heritage off to the press too. My work is never done....but oh what fun.

New York - New York

You are NOT going to believe what I was up to last week! I just returned from a 2750 mile excursion that led me to a great old dealership in Harrisonburg, VA called Whitesel Brothers. They've been in business since 1880! Talk about some great history. From there I worked my way up to Pennsylvania to visit the corporate headquarters of Zimmerman Oliver Cletrac. I didn't get to stay as long as I wanted to because I had to be west of Albany, New York the next day.

This was the highlight and main reason for the trip - I found a 1967 model tractor with only 70 original hours. Yes, that was s-e-v-e-n-t-y hours and she was a beauty. It was like driving a brand new old tractor. I can't tell you much more about it or I'll spoil the surprise. You'll just have to read the rest in the next issue of Oliver Heritage. It was a long trip home but looking in the rear view mirror and seeing that checkerboard grill staring at me helped keep me awake.

Now it's back to the real world of deadlines and typing until late into the evenings. Life on the road is interesting but it's always good to be back home.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Heritage Iron blog! For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Sherry Schaefer, the weary editor of two tractor magazines: Oliver Heritage and my newest creation - Heritage Iron. Tractors are in my blood. I know it’s not a normal girl thing but I have always said that I’m my father’s oldest son. My grandpa and Dad were tractor dealers so I’ve always been around it to some extent. Then there was the tractor pulling era of my life. For 20 years, all we did was go tractor pulling all over the US. But if you had told me 15 years ago that I’d be writing about tractors, I would have laughed at you. The path of life sure does have some twists in it.

Last weekend I decided to take a break from typing and venture out of the office. Aumann Auctions was holding a very interesting auction just 30 miles from the house so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get out and mingle with some tractor folks and see what prices were bringing. Let me just say – The economy has NOT affected the price of tractors. Wow! The first tractor brought $150,000!!! And it wasn’t even John Deere Green!

There were collectors from all over at that auction and I happened to notice a couple fellas from “across the pond”. Later that afternoon while driving around the booming metropolis of Nokomis, IL, I noticed two of the English chaps looking at a tractor in Aumann’s lot. I stopped to visit with them and for some odd reason, they thought I was security coming to chase them off. We had a great visit and ended up going out for supper afterwards to talk tractors.

On Sunday, Aumanns had a customer appreciation day at the auction center. Collectors were invited to plow and disk AFTER we hand-picked and shucked 6 acres of corn. I took my 770 and my disk up to make a few laps around the field. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and everyone was having a blast!

After the day was done, my newfound English collector buddies followed me home to scour through my literature collection. We laughed and shared stories just like we’d known each other forever. It really doesn’t matter where you’re from or what color you collect – there’s a common bond among all who have a soft spot for a big toy we call “a tractor”.

So that was the weekend in a nutshell. Now it’s back to the grindstone to pump out the premier issue of Heritage Iron. We are so excited about this! We hope you are too. And if you want to get your picture (or your tractor’s) in the first issue of Heritage Iron, drop us a line. We’ll be glad to use it in our Blowing Smoke section. Until next time…..Sherry