CENTRE HALL/CENTRE COUNTY, Pa — The Nittany Antique Machinery Association of Central Pennsylvania held their 46th annual spring show at Penn’s Cave this weekend. After COVID stopped the show last year, the annual antique show and flea market resumed in Centre County.
The show attracted tractor enthusiasts from across the region for each of the last three days. Even after a year off on account of the pandemic, the popular event picked up right where it left off in 2019, allowing attendees to indulge in the history.
“It’s well known because it’s something that is in this area, it’s farming is what started it, and it’s the old way they did farming," said Sandy Berkey, the Secretary of the Nittany Antique Machinery Association. "We want to preserve that so that the kids in the future know what we did.”
Berkey says this hobby runs deep for many families that attend.
“It’s very much a family thing, and there are collectors that sometimes have, you know, 10, 15 tractors at home, and they may bring them all.”
The showcase gives the spotlight to the throwback machines that many of these people dedicate so much time to.
“There’s a lot of appreciation for it," Berkey said. "There’s collectors all around that justthey love to get them (tractors), they take them, they rent, restore them to what they were at one time, and they have fun doing it, and it’s a year-round project.”
Berkey is happy to help highlight just how much tractors can, and still, accomplish.
“I think it shows everybody what the tractor can really doand then you see on the tractors how they evolve, and how farming has evolved because of the better tractor that has come along.”
But what's new doesn't always have to replace what's old.
“You still have to have that old, standby tractor because you, you just can’t seem to get rid of it.”
The 47th annual fall show will also make a comeback this year, and will run from September 9th through 12th.
ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7y6iamqRfo7a1wMCnsGaZnqm2ssHEZqSam5ieu6a%2B2GaYrKufmLaiwMiopWaroKe2r7OMrJ%2Bor12nsrXB0aeqZpmWqbKzediemKukn6O0brTImquuqw%3D%3D