Tired Iron to hold Spring Crank-up

Gentry club will hold three-day antique engine and tractor show this weekend

Madison Bunch, 10, with her grandfather, Glenn Smith, drive a 1945 B Farmall tractor on the grounds of Tired Iron of the Ozarks, in Gentry, in preparation for the annual spring show this weekend. The tractor, outfitted by Smith with two seats, and a clutch and brake pedal on each side, is the club's new "driver's ed tractor." Rides will be offered without charge to children, 8 and above, this weekend.
Madison Bunch, 10, with her grandfather, Glenn Smith, drive a 1945 B Farmall tractor on the grounds of Tired Iron of the Ozarks, in Gentry, in preparation for the annual spring show this weekend. The tractor, outfitted by Smith with two seats, and a clutch and brake pedal on each side, is the club's new "driver's ed tractor." Rides will be offered without charge to children, 8 and above, this weekend.

— Things are again cranking up at the Tired Iron of the Ozarks show grounds south of Gentry in preparation for the three-day show which begins Friday.

Old tractors are being lined up for showing and for a parade of power to be held at noon each day. The sawmills are being readied for operation. Buildings to house tractors and equipment are being set up for the show. And the blacksmith shop is being prepared for the smithies to do their work for weekend visitors.

New this year will be a “driver’s ed tractor,” a 1945 B Farmall tractor outfitted by Glenn Smith with an extra seat, clutch and brake pedal so that children can learn to drive tractor under the supervision of a tractor-driving adult. Children, 8 and older, will be given free driving lessons on the tractor, with a special certificate and pin awarded to those who complete the crash course without crashing, of course.

The 19th Annual Spring Crank-up and Swap Meet will be open all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 8 a.m. until about 5 p.m. A church service will be held on the grounds Sunday morning.

The Blacksmith Organization of Arkansas will be putting on demonstrations on Saturday of the metal-working art in the blacksmith shop - outfitted just as small-town blacksmith shops across the country were a century or more ago.

Other demonstrations, too, are planned for the weekend, with a fully operational sawmill, farmtractors and machinery, old engines, household machines and gadgets and much more.

Admission is free, and ample parking is available.

The show grounds arelocated on Taylor Orchard Road midway between Gentry and Siloam Springs. Signs mark the way.

More information on the club and the show are available at www.tiredironoftheozarks.org.

News, Pages 10 on 04/13/2011