[earthgrinder]

Do you ever wish there was a magazine devoted to our beloved walk behind garden tractors? I sure do! No offense, but I get so tired of seeing and reading about all the Cub Cadet, John Deere, Wheel Horse, and other common 4 wheeled tractors that are everywhere. After all the two wheeled walk behind started it all! There were lots of manufacturers making walk behind garden tractors in the early years. I believe that if you go to Europe, you will still find the walk behind or pedestrian operated tractor in large numbers. The bad thing is probably there are too few of us two wheelers to make a magazine profitable. That is one reason I like the Vintage Garden Tractor Club of America newsletter. In the past it has had articles on two wheeled tractors. Some of them I never heard of before. Collectors like Doug Tallman and Cliff Bridgford are two collectors that come to mind with some very interesting two wheelers. I had the privilege of having Cliff next to my display at Rough & Tumble this year. I appreciate what he has done with Shaw and the examples he has of the machines they built. I also learned a lot about the history of the Shaw company. The history of these companies of yesteryear would be fascinating to read about.

Well, I am done venting and feel better. I wonder if there are others out there that share my thoughts on the walk behind tractor coverage?

 

[LilysDad]

Does LADT magazine have a column devoted to walk behinds? If not, maybe someone should submit some articles to the publisher.

 

[earthgrinder]

I assume you meant LAGT magazine? Yes, I have written several, but I am sure there are more people out there that could write. But, there are also those who don't view themselves as writers.

 

[Lauber1]

yep those of us who collect the walker are a slowly die breed, most want the flash of the ride on world. As with most things you collect what you like. I don't really see a walker magazine ever happening, but in its place there have been several good groups on Facebook pop up over the last yr, where the 2 wheel power houses rule.

 

[jabelman]

My 2 cents. You said you already wrote a few articles. Why not start your own. It seems pretty simple with a computer. Even if you sold 50 copies basically have no overhead.
I would love to see a more technical better variety of tractors and that focuses more on tractors not people magazine.

 

[gunstuff1000]

I agree 100% seems like that's about all you hear and see anymore is about the riders. But no matter what at least those are being saved as well. I only know a handful of collectors that are serious about that walk behinds. I'm sort of brand partial to Bolens but have started to branch out a little with a few other brands all walk behinds Any shows I go to I mostly look right past the riders unless it's something unusual A magazine or newsletter dedicated to walk behinds would be nice!

 

[earthgrinder]

yep those of us who collect the walker are a slowly die breed, most want the flash of the ride on world. As with most things you collect what you like. I don't really see a walker magazine ever happening, but in its place there have been several good groups on Facebook pop up over the last yr, where the 2 wheel power houses rule.

Care to share the FB pages you refer to ?

As for LAGT magazine, I think I need a break from it for awhile. Just have not read much in the last couple of issues. You know sometimes you just need to step back for a time.

 

[Gtractor]

I think I need a break from it for awhile.

But you'll miss the next John Deere article!!!! :hitting_self_roller:

 

[stubbysteve]

I know im new to the 2 wheelers but I too would like to see a magazine of such. And I dont know if any of you know or not but I have no legs. And still love the old 2 wheelers. But like one said us guys are a dieing breed. Cause most of the people who actually used one "back in the day" are either gone or too old to operate one still. And dont any one take that offensive. Plus the new generation dont know about anything like this cause most don't know what good old fashioned hard work is. I still tell my kids about what work really is and that it isn't just a 4 letter bad word....lol

 

[Mike Unwin]

The internet I think has help to kill off the printed word. Why bother with a magazine when a person can read it for free ? Not against per say but don,t think it will fly,we up north had our own magazines Canadian Antique Power and Antique Gas Engine & Tractor Magazine and both ran out of subscribers. Sad really a lot more work than you can imagine. Cheers Mike

 

[earthgrinder]

But you'll miss the next John Deere article!!!! :hitting_self_roller:

I have nothing against John Deere, Cub Cadet, or any of the others. I even have two of the older Cub Cadets. It is just the fact that there is so much more out there and the walk behinds were taking care of peoples gardens and farm patches long before the 4 wheeled versions came on the scene. The first Wheel Horse 4 wheeler was converted from a walk behind as well as the Gravely 4 wheeled tractor.

 

[earthgrinder]

The internet I think has help to kill off the printed word. Why bother with a magazine when a person can read it for free ? Not against per say but don,t think it will fly,we up north had our own magazines Canadian Antique Power and Antique Gas Engine & Tractor Magazine and both ran out of subscribers. Sad really a lot more work than you can imagine. Cheers Mike

You have a valid point. Maybe instead of subscribing to a magazine one would be better off periodically researching the web for information. Just the other night I typed in Shaw and quite a bit of info came up. One could get quite a library of info going that route. Thanks for your input.

 

[LilysDad]

So, maybe you want to start a blog. If you include foreign models and homebuilt ones, also implements you may have enough to write about for awhile.

 

[Sam]

I too would love a magazine for walkers, but I think a problem after a few months would be getting enough content ?

 

[jabelman]

I think it would be very successful if you make it walkers, earlier less common 4 wheel garden tractors and an article on hit miss engines. Eliminate the blah blah blah. Gear it more towards restorers and collectors and users.

 

[Lauber1]

I think it would be very successful if you make it walkers, earlier less common 4 wheel garden tractors and an article on hit miss engines. Eliminate the blah blah blah. Gear it more towards restorers and collectors and users.

great ideas, one of the first thing that needs to done is limit the age, say nothing after 1965, as that date covers most of the walker, but not all of them. it would also trim the list of most of the lawn mowers come lately riders. Not that I have anything against someone with the newer stuff, but there always has been way to many resource used in that direction.

 

[DougT]

Well, After recently taking the reigns of the Vintage Garden Tractor Club of America, I can vouch first hand that a newsletter is a lot of work. One of the biggest complaints we heard in the early years was that it was all old walk behind stuff and not enough newer . You have to try and come up with a good mix for the newsletter to work. The human aspect also fits into the general interests as well. I'll have a harder issue writing about the newer because I haven't studied them. I'm always open to articles. hint-hint

 

[Clifford Bridgford]

I guess that I like walkers the best because my first tractor was an old David Bradley, the model with the hood and the cultivator that hung from the handle bars with

rods. I was about 9 years old when I got that. We had a neighbor that passed and I went to his widow to buy it, but she would not sell it to me because I was just a little boy. I had to get my Dad to come with me to get it that night when he got home from work. I think I paid $50.00 for it. Had the snow plow too. Spent about two

years savings of chore money on that one. I will never forget the disappointment when Sears dropped David Bradley from the Farm Catalog.

I do not mind riders, but the stuff made after 1960 really has no class to it. Our best bet for a newsletter is to contribute what we know to Dougs newsletter. Just make sure that what you contribute is true and not some crap from the internet. There are some very knowledgeable people out there that really know the brands that they collect. We had a pretty good group of them at Brownsville and Kinzers this year. If Doug received one or two articles an issue, it would make his life a lot

easier, and he could improve the quality of his newsletter.

I am working with the Zagray Farm group in Connecticut to have a Shaw meet for Spring of 2017. I want to include all brands in addition, 1960 or earlier, and we will have an area to plow. If interested, share your ideas.

Cliff