Memories

This picture was taken in 2004 when a local Farm Community conducted the Fall Harvest Days. I attended and my wife took this picture. I am seated on an Allis Chalmers Model "C" Tractor just like my Dad purchased in 1944, when I was four years old. What memories, to sit on a tractor that I learned to operate and cultivate corn with when I was a youthful 12 year old.

This picture of course shows a tractor that has been totally restored. The Price of the Model C that my Dad purchased in 1944 was $700.00. That included a two bottom plow with 12 inch bottoms, and a two row hand lift corn cultivator. The Hand Lift Cultivator was counter balanced with a series of springs so it was not too difficult to operate.

The model C Allis had eleven drawbar horsepower and delivered twenty-two to the pulley for running saws and hammer mills.

I have one Brother who currently owns the 1944 Allis "C" model that my Dad bought in 1944. The engine has been rebuilt several times. While it has a generator to charge a battery, it can also be quickly started with a hand crank.

My how times do change. Tractors now cost more and farmers operate very large farm. Yet they manage to do this so efficiently that I doubt that the price of a bushel of corn has changed much since 1944.