The Coshocton County Beacon July 7, 2022 | Page 4

4 • The Beacon July 7 , 2022
Antique Power Association enjoys sharing hobby with others
By Josie Sellers

Denny Adams has spent his entire life around tractors . “ I was raised on a 284-acre farm ,” he said . “ I ’ ve seen a lot of changes from using horses to tractors going from kerosene to gas , but it was all work and no play then .”

Hard work never stopped Adams from loving his tractors though .
“ I could brush hog for hours at a time just to be on them ,” Adams said .
For the past 16 years , he ’ s been sharing his passion for tractors with other members of the Coshocton County Antique Power Association . Adams is one of the original members of the group , along with Rosa Davis , Jack Nicholes , Bob Kiser and Kyle Kiser .
The association meets at 3 p . m . on the second Sunday of the month at the AmVets in their meeting building . They hold a 50 / 50 and discuss plans to attend special events and for their annual show , which for the second year in a row was held at the AmVets in Coshocton .
“ As the club got smaller , having the show at the fairgrounds was just costing us too much ,” said Ed Skerness , president of the association . “ The AmVets offered us space , and that was really nice of them .”
The annual show features a variety of antique equipment .
“ You can see anything that was used to farm back in the day ,” Adams said .
The oldest piece of equipment that was on display at the June 25-26 show was a 1911 shredder that belongs to the club .

You just have to have an interest in old mechanical things . If you are interested , come to a meeting . We might even point you in the direction of a tractor that needs worked on .”

Ed Skerness
“ It was brought by railroad to Cooperdale and then assembled ,”
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About 30 pieces of equipment and peddle tractors and cars were on display at the group ’ s annual show in June at the AmVets .
Ed Skerness is president of the Coshocton County Antique Power Association .
Skerness said . “ It belonged to the Ashcraft family , and they donated it to our association . It takes the whole corn stalk , removes the ear , takes the husk off and cuts the stalk into pieces . It changed the way farming was done .”
About 30 pieces of equipment were on display at the show , along with peddle tractors and cars .
“ This is our hobby , and we like to share it with the community ,” Skerness said . “ The agriculture community moves so fast as far as technology . This shows people how things were done in the days before computers and when farmers could work on equipment themselves . We just love them old tractors .”
Adams used to have nine tractors but is now down to five .
“ I painted them and cleaned them up , but I still use them to brush hog and grade my driveway ,” he said . “ I like to get them out and take them to parades too .”
Members of the association were in the Coshocton and Keene Memorial Day parades and plan to be in the West Lafayette Homecoming Parade at 7 p . m . on Friday , July 29 . After the parade in Keene , they drove their tractors to Daugherty Farms to see their robotic dairy operation .
“ The ride is great , and the speed is slow ,” Skerness said . “ You really get to see the country .”
In the fall they like to do a plow day .
“ We see which tractor does a better job ,” Skerness said .
Walt Barber , vice president of the association , said years ago tractor clubs used to have judges come to plow days to grade the tractor ’ s work . He , however , doesn ’ t need a judge to tell him which tractor is the best .
“ I ’ m a John Deere green man ,” Barber said .
He started driving tractors when he was 6 years old .
“ Dad showed me how to rake hay ,” Barber said . “ We did two rounds , and then he turned me loose .”
The association is taking new members , and you do not have to own any equipment to join .
“ You just have to have an interest in old mechanical things ,” Skerness said . “ If you are interested , come to a meeting . We might even point you in the direction of a tractor that needs worked on .”
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In addition to Skerness and Barber , the association ’ s officers are treasurer Rosa Davis , secretary Lorie Stephans and chaplain Galen Honabarger .
Adams is on the board of directors , along with Nicholes , Bill Knupp , Bob Kiser and Kyle Kiser . Denny Fortney was the first president , and Sam Wyler was the secretary for many years .
“ We ’ ve gone from 110 to 35 members , but bigger clubs than us have only lasted 12 years ,” Skerness said . “ These guys that are still here are really a blessing . Our passion is keeping it going as the world changes .”
The association picked up three new members from its show in June and would love to add more . For information on the association , call Skerness at 740- 575-1356 .
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Denny Adams has spent his entire life around tractors . For the past 16 years , he ’ s been sharing his passion for tractors with other members of the Coshocton County Antique Power Association .