They use the big tractor for field work and the old one just sits and they might take it out for a parade or something like that. So this is something to encourage them to get those old tractors out and get them dirty a little bit. Members of the club also participate in events in the local area and around the country and world. Ekstrom says some members go on the three-day Great Iowa Tractor Ride held each summer. He says the Western Iowa Antique Tractor and Engine Club plans to have its own tractor ride in the Loess Hills in the future.
Members also go to fairs and parades during the summer to display their tractors.
Club activities during the year have some therapeutic value, according to Weitzel. You tend to forget all your other problems and concentrate on your antique tractors. Ekstrom says nostalgia is probably the reason most people get into collecting antique tractors. He wonders what the future holds for the hobby. Weitzel says because modern farming is becoming more technological, it is hard to imagine people having the same feelings for today's machinery.