SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – While fair goers had the chance to see 4-H and FFA kids sharing livestock, visit the butter cow, and try an array of delectable, albeit, mostly fried food, visitors to the Illinois State Fair also had the opportunity to spy antique tractors here and there.

Happy Hollow had a nice selection of old iron to enjoy with lawn and garden tractor implements added this year along with pictures of various tractors from the Classic Tractor Calendar. Outside the tent, visitors enjoyed a lovely Pumpkin Creek farm pickup as well as one for Krone Farms. Besides the antique tractors, there were some new additions as well. A beautiful Case combine was on display outside the Illinois building, and a brand new John Deere planter could be seen outside the antique tractor exhibit.

Visitors attending tractor pulls at the fair were able to view the 1962 Farmall 504 diesel, the 2023 raffle tractor for Ansar AgCorps. The raffle will take place Dec. 19, 2023. “The tractor came from Colorado, from the largest sheep farm in the continental United States,” said Mark Dozier, who did much of the restoration.

In the Illinois Building in the senior section, one exhibitor in the Illinois State Employee Association was working on a quilt with an ag theme. 

Dozier is a farmer from Morrisonville, Ill., who has been working on the raffle tractors for the past few years. “We bought it off Auctiontime last winter, an internet auction site. We did a little mechanical work on it, put a narrow front end under it, new front tires on it, and new wiring as well as new gauges. We also got a new seat and steering wheel, and other small items.”

Along with all of this, they sandblasted the Farmall 504, and painted it. Doug Edwards, of Edwards Vintage Tractors in Franklin, Ill., did some work straightening sheet metal. He painted the hood and grill adding a professional touch. This Farmall is diesel and Dozier said, “The Farmall 504’s, especially diesel is hard to find making it a different tractor.”

After the Illinois State Fair, the Farmall 504 raffle tractor made its debut at the Half Century of Progress. “It is going to be in the Max Armstrong tractor drive at the Half Century of Progress the first day of the show where it will be driven by Jay Germann, Ag Corp member.”

Next, the 504 will also be present at the Farm Progress Show. To get raffle tickets for the Ansar AgCorps raffle tractor, call Jay Germann at 217-341-1692, or any other Ag Corps member. Tickets are $20 each; three for $50; or eight for $100. On Facebook, tickets are available from the Ag Corps page.

Ag tours, ag tractors, and ag in all phases could be found at this year’s 2023 Illinois State Fair.