Looking for a working show that doesn’t feel like a forced march? Check out the Antique Engine & Tractor Assn. (AE-TA) in Geneseo, Illinois. Occupying a compact footprint on showgrounds 8 miles north of Geneseo, the club’s annual working farm show in mid-September presents a dizzying array of demonstrations in an easily walkable space.
Established in 1959, the group held shows at several locations before settling in on a 40-acre site donated in 2009 by Hillsdale residents June and Bill Cole in memory of their son, Kevin. The next year, the AE-TA was open for business with a new timber-frame barn, restroom and shower facilities, and a corncrib, sawmill and windmill moved from the club’s previous grounds.
Gearing up for their 62nd annual show this September, the club prioritizes education. “Education of the public, especially the younger generation, is extremely important to us. When this organization started, over 30 percent of the population was on farms. Today, it’s 2-3 percent. Many families are reaching three or four generations away from the farm,” says AE-TA board member Phil Jordan. “Our goal is
