The Rural Voice, 1990-12, Page 24Don and Cliff Schultz of R. R. 3, Blyth have been collecting farm toy tractors since 1984 and specialize in the 1/6 model size
in all "colours." Their collection, now numbering over 400, includes several models worth nearly $1,000.
quickly draw curious crowds.
Going to shows is the big thing for
many collectors. From just a couple
of shows of a few years ago, hobbyists
can now display their collections at
any one of 30 toy shows in the
province. "I think it's reached the
saturation point," says Stoltz. "All the
best weekends are gone."
The next show will be the 4th Mid -
Western Ontario Farm Toy Show at
Seaforth on December 2. Considered
one of the biggest in Ontario, the
Seaforth show attracts over 2,500
visitors and exhibitors. As well as
farm toys, it also features a craft show,
a doll show and miniatures, and a quilt
show.
Upcoming shows include Sod
Busters Toy Show and Sale at Embro
on December 9, the 3rd Annual North
Waterloo Show at the Conestoga Mall
in Waterloo on January 5, the Kent
County Show in Chatham on February
3, the 3rd Annual Show in Norwich on
March 24, the 4th Annual Show in
Mildmay on March 24, and a show
held at the Elmira Maple Syrup
Festival on April 5 and 6.
Keith Stoltz is hoping that the 2nd
Annual Canadian Farm Toy Show
planned for Stratford on the first
weekend in July next year will
become Canada's largest exhibition.
The majority of the farm toys sold
in North America are manufactured in
Dyersville, Iowa, a small town of
about 5,000 in the heart of the United
States farm belt. Considered the
Mecca for farm toy collectors, almost
the whole town's livelihood depends
on the manufacture or distribution of
farm toys.
There are three main manufact-
urers in Dyersville, with the best
known being ERTL Toys, which em-
ploys about 300 people. Founded in a
basement in the mid-40s by Fred Ertl
senior, it has grown into a multi-
million dollar business with manu-
facturing plants world-wide. One son,
Fred Ertl junior runs the original plant,
while another son, Joe, opened his
own plant, called Scale Models. A
former ERTL employee has opened a
third plant called Spec*Cast. As well
as farm implements, ERTL manu-
factures a wide range of toy
accessories such as farm animals and
barns, and also produces a line of
limited edition truck banks.
Dyersville is also home to a large
farm toy museum and each year the
town is invaded by thousands of farm
toy afficionados for what is considered
the world's premier farm toy show.
20 THE RURAL VOICE