HARVEST machines of yesteryear were put to the test across the weekend at the Quambatook Heritage Working Machinery Association’s Harvest Days.
The small plot of wheat grown annually for the weekend turned into a bumper crop thanks to an outstanding season, posing a problem that doesn’t usually arise at Quambatook.
A dozen or so machines, ranging in age from 50 to more than 100 years, were put to work in the crop, and association member Ian Fisher said the older ground-driven machines were particularly challenged.
“It’s tested the old machines because we’ve got such a heavy crop and some are handling it better than others,” he said.
“The power driven machines can find a low gear and they should be able to get through anything, but the ground driven machines are designed to go the speed a horse walks to work properly, and that’s too fast for this crop.”
Mr Fisher said other aspects of harvesting were also demonstrated across the weekend.
“We’ve given the reaper and binder a run so we had some sheaf hay to put through the threshing machine and we’ve done a demonstration with the winnower as well,” he said.
“We’re also bagging off some wheat and sewing them up and demonstrating a bag lifter.”
Other attractions included a vintage tractor pull on Saturday afternoon, and displays of vintage tractors, trucks, cars and stationary engines.
Mr Fisher said the association prided itself on restoring and putting its machines to working, to maintain a connection to the past that is quickly fading.
“We’re a group of fellas keen on preserving old machines and demonstrating them working,” he said.
