Tractors, trucks, hay wagons and a vast variety of other toy farm equipment, including implements, bulldozers and bucket loaders covered the tables that 15 vendors had spread out, filling the gym at St. Johnsville’s high school on April 12.
The Mohawk Valley FFA was holding their 13th annual Farm Toy Show and fathers, sons, and grandfathers had all turned out for the event.
Grandfather Randy Dygert was proudly showing off his 2-month-old grandson, Mason, while Mason’s dad did some shopping. “We come to the show every year,” said Dygert.
With 41 tables holding the goods supplied by vendors, some coming from as far as 150 miles away to take part in the show, it is no wonder it has grown over the years to attract so many fans.
“The toy show has been around since Bert Cook was a sophomore,” recalled Mike Settle, former Ag teacher and FFA advisor at the school. “Bert was responsible for getting it going.” Cook, who worked on a dairy farm during his school years, graduated in 2005 and each year since then the Farm Toy Show has expanded a little more.
“It’s a wonderful learning experience,” said first time attendee Natalia Sistrunk, currently from the Fort Plain area. “It’s interesting to see how tractors have developed over the years and to see how some of the antique farm toys were designed.”
Sistrunk was examing pictures and books at the exhibits and displays.
While some folks were at the show just to browse, others, more serious collectors, came to buy custom farm toys and equipment of all makes and models, including popular models of John Deere, Case, Ford and New Holland.
“I think that we had a much better outcome than we had expected this year,” reported MV FFA Chapter President Stephanie Arndt. “This Toy Show was another success, thanks to the great venders that participated and all of the community support!”