Wauconda celebrates its agricultural roots
Caden Cowles celebrated his second birthday Saturday playing with a model train, seeing a border collie herd sheep and discovering tractors.
It was all part of the Farm Heritage Fall Festival at Lakewood Forest Preserve.
"He's having a great time with the interactive events, especially," said Caden's grandfather, Tom Mosher of Wauconda.
The Lake County Forest Preserve District and the Lake County Farm Heritage Association celebrated farm life from the turn-of-the-century to the present during the 15th annual event. The festival continues from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Wauconda-area forest preserve on Route 176 west of Fairfield Road.
The festival is a celebration of Lake County's agricultural roots. The 200 volunteers who bring the tractors and demonstrate life at the turn of the century enjoy the event as much as those who come to watch, said forest preserve district spokesman Andrew Osborne said. About 5,000 are expected this weekend.
Families admired antique tractors and cars, as well as a working sawmill, threshing machine and smithy run by Jim Handzel of Palatine.
About 140 tractors were on display, ranging from garden tractors to tractors from the early 1930s to the mid-1950s, said Terry Abbott, president of the Farm Heritage Association.
Sheep-herding dogs were one of the festival's most popular attractions. Owner Jim Martin trains the dogs on his farm near Marengo and has shown them at the festival for the past 11 years.
"I get a kick out of it. I recognize people who come back each year," he said.
Other family attractions included a scarecrow-making contest, tractor parade, wood stove cooking, rope making and rag rug making.
Two-year-old Danny Newman liked making rope, as well as watching the collies.
"It's our first time to the event, and it's been wonderful. What's amazing is that it's just down the street from where we live," said Janine Newman, Danny's mom.
Children danced to tunes played by Island Lake resident Tim Trager on his hofbauer, a monkey organ.
"They like the melodic nature of the music," he said. "It's so old that it's new."
Cars manufactured from 1895 to 1969 were on display, including a rare 1952 Dellow Mark II, a British convertible.
"We do this so that the young children can see what their grandparents drove," said Gail Manz, spokesmain for the Antioch Automobile Club.