Froelich Fall der All 2008

Old Engines Pop Away at Froelich Fall-der-All
By Denny Eilers

Vintage engines popped away, polka music filled the air, exhibitor records were set, and even kids had fun with games, tractor rides and food served up as good as a threshers' picnic.

It’s called Fall-der-All, the annual celebration of the Froelich Foundation’s ongoing work to preserve tractor history in northeast Iowa – the place where the modern farm tractor started back in 1892.

That inventor, John Froelich, would have been proud of this year’s celebration, held Saturday and Sunday Sep. 27-28.

Highlights included two memorial dedications to longtime Froelich volunteers – Arlene Sass and Mary Erbe – more than 55 vintage equipment displays with machines dating back to the 1890’s, nearly 100 raffle winners with a prize package totaling more than $3,000 donated by local merchants, and a big barn dance Saturday night featuring live music from Little Dale and the Legends.

Laurie Troester of Monona won the grand raffle prize – $250 in free gas cards donated by area service stations.

Best Ever

“It was the best Fall-der-All I ever attended,” stated Robin Stoffel, who with her husband, Mark, has made the trip from Peosta to visit for the last 10 years. “There was so much to see and do, and we had a great crowd.”

Robin grew up near Garnavillo and her grandparents lived in Froelich. She recalls coming to the Burlingame general store as a young girl to get ice cream cones. That store is now the Froelich Museum.

“What made the celebration more interesting this year,” says Evelyn Green, Froelich Museum Director, “is we brought in a much more diverse group of demonstrators and exhibitors.” Evelyn, who lives in Clermont, headed up the committee to organize this year’s event.

In addition to the expected row after row of John Deere tractors, this year’s program included popular presentations by area speakers including Deanna Krambeer on ornithologist Althea Sherman; “Back Health and Nutrition” by Dr. Craig Strutt; and organic gardening by Julie Larson. On Sunday, Stan Looney presented gas furnace safety, and Deb Guyer talked about essential oils and health.

Larry VanNetta conducted blacksmith demonstrations and the Monona Woodcarvers Club performed intricate carving demonstrations in the Froelich depot.

Rare Equipment

Two of the oldest pieces of farm equipment exhibited were a Birdsell Clover Huller built in 1892, and a Dain Hay Press also made in the late 1800s. Gary Moritz of Monona exhibited the Clover Huller and Frank McMillin of McGregor brought in the Dain baler.

Jerry Tayek of Monona exhibited a rare 1938 Model D John Deere that he finished restoring the day before Fall der All. “This is my first farm tractor,” he says, “I bought it for $120 when I started farming.”

In 2007, the Ertl Toy Company took photos of Tayek’s tractor to use in designing a new toy that is currently sold at John Deere dealers worldwide for $130. A true believer in inflation, Jerry says the toy model is now selling for $10 more than he paid for the tractor when it was new.

In addition to the live music for the barn dance, the barbershop quartet,” Beyond Logic”, performed on Sunday morning, while Billy Roe, from Waukon, turned his restored-to-perfection 1959 Ford tractor into a country iPod of polka music.

Vernon Oakland, of Clermont, thrilled visitors with his half scale model 1910 Case steam engine, blowing its shrill whistle when least expected.

Other displays included a range of tractor brands, farm equipment and engines, along with pumpkins, vegetables, rural souvenirs and collectibles. Fall-der-All is held annually on the last weekend in September.

Froelich is the home of the first gasoline-powered farm tractor that drove forward and backward. Invented in 1892 by John Froelich, the Froelich Tractor became today’s John Deere tractor works in Waterloo and worldwide.