Past Event

The Buckeye Oliver Collectors participated in the Buckeye Classic Power of the Paint tractor show in Marion, August 10 & 11. Our new tent looked great and all agreed that it was an excellent idea. There were 20 tractors on display. Back in March at the winter show we met a gentlemen named Larry Young from North Carolina. He has called and talked to Larry and myself several time since. With nothing to do this weekend he loaded up his 77 Orchard and miniature 77 Orchard and joined us. How cool is that!

Tonia Elliott

MAID RITE, no I’m not talking about how Oliver Farm equipment was put together. But rather I’m referring to a small extremely busy sandwich shop in downtown Greenville. If anyone who attended the show knows what I’m talking about, then we know about the dozen cars lined up at the drive thru, the never ending line of folks going out the door and the unique sandwiches that had some people at the Oliver tent going twice a day. A fun memory from a fun show.

We had a great turnout in people and equipment with over one hundred Oliver pieces there. With a fairground as big as the one in Greenville there was room for all colors and all colors of tractors were there. As neither my wife or I had ever been to Greenville we didn’t bring the golf cart. Regrets! Actually our show started on Friday morning with a tour of the Kitchen Aid factory on the north side of Greenville. I’m sure many many bakers have a Kitchen Aid mixer and this is where they are made. I do enjoy touring factories that make good products in America. Made in USA, we never get tired of that. After our tour it was a short drive downtown to the Kitchen Aid factory outlet and it was there we were told about the Maid Rite shop. So lunch was on.

The rest of Friday was spent hanging out at a very busy Oliver tent and watching tractor and truck pulls in the evening. Saturday was a good day highlighted by an awesome lunch provided by the club and open to all Buckeye Oliver Collector members. We had 44 members in attendance followed by a short meeting by Larry. The rest of the day was spent enjoying the show and the crowd at the Oliver tent where along with strong merchandise sales we welcomed a dozen new members to our club. Buckeye Oliver Collectors is a growing club and if you are a member we look forward to seeing you at a club show or function. You will not be disappointed.

John Gustina

Oliver, Cockshutt and equipment were featured at the Ashland County Yesteryear Machinery Show, July 7 & 8, 2018. The Kopp’s, Don, Joanne, Larry, Bob and Jane had the Buckeye Oliver Collectors tables. They had a good turnout of people and tractors. There were 24 Oliver’s and 4 pieces of equipment. One Oliver boat motor and two Oliver pedal tractors. The show is now in its 26th year. The people come to see the tractors they grew up on. Every year the show features different tractor companies. This year was the Oliver Tractor Company and Cockshutt – were in the spotlight.

The most unique piece likely was the 1949 Goodison tractor, which was the Oliver brand sold in Canada. Don Kopp got his hands on it and it is now back to its original Oliver colors. The tractor was blue and yellow because a campgrounds had it and they painted it their colors.

Bob Kopp displayed his first Oliver that his Dad bought new in 1951, an Oliver 88. He also had a 1937 Hart-Parr like the first tractor that Bob & Don bought together. Bob had a 1952 Oliver 66 which was Joanne’s Dad’s tractor. Larry had an Oliver 60 there, the boat motor and pedal tractors. What a good time we had.

Joanne Kopp

Because of members like the Kopp family going above and beyond by representing the Buckeye Oliver Collectors at Hayesville while the BOC board was in Greenville shows why the Buckeye Oliver Collectors are so successful.

Thank You, Larry

Location, location, location, the magic words in the real estate world but it definitely applies to the Buckeye Oliver Collectors spring picnic held April 7 at the beautiful Smith Farm in West Mansfield. Even with the presence of “other green” tractors the Smith Farm was a superb location, just a beautiful site. The picnic was well attended with 70 Oliver folks enjoying the day that was sunny and cool to begin and overcast and chilly as the day went on. Lucky for all the Smiths have a large building, large enough for one side with a stone floor to house 20 Oliver,2 Cockshutt’s and an OC-6, all very nicely restored and in great running condition and the other side with concrete floor and heat, this being the picnic side.

Our hosts did a great job of clearing the tools and shop equipment to one side and putting up three rows of tables. Food is always the big attraction of an Oliver picnic and that held true on this day also with the beverages, meats, sides and desserts running down one long wall. I’ll admit to three trips thru the line. Very, very tasty. Something different tried at this year’s picnic was a parts swap in the parking area outside the building. It was a success with thirteen trucks, tailgates down full of Oliver parts from decals to plows to tractors. In fact there was a 1550 that changed hands. I believe the parts swap was well received and should happen again at our next gathering. Back inside where a membership meeting was held after lunch with President Larry giving well received news that Buckeye Oliver Collectors will be returning to the Farm and Science Review Sept 18-20 and that the club has purchased a 20 x 30 open air tent for use this summer and beyond. No matter the weather Oliver people will be dry. Larry also talked about the Buckeye Oliver summer show in Greenville July 5-8.

The club will have a catered lunch on Saturday. This promises to be a real nice show. Larry concluded the meeting with much thanks and a Plaque presentation to the Smith family for their work in hosting the Spring Picnic 2018. The Larry Riley family from Norwalk will be hosting next year’s picnic and if any readers have never attended a spring picnic, you are missing a fun close-knit day with friends. It’s obvious that Buckeye Oliver Collectors is a growing club and here’s hoping that we keep it going in that direction. See everyone in Norwalk 2019.

John Gustina

The Buckeye Oliver Collectors held their annual banquet and meeting on November 4, 2017 at the Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City.  The meal was very good as it always is.  Larry started the meeting by telling everyone this year’s meeting would be different from any other.  Larry introduced the officers and then called each one to the podium to give their thoughts and comments for the year.  They all knew of this assignment for months and after a severe case of nerves by all each did a great job.  Larry explained that we were giving away door prizes that where donated for the officers.  This went on throughout the meeting.  We also started two awards this year.  Lee and Shirley Smith received the” Life Time Achievement” award and Floyd Hohman received the “Member Of The Year” award.  The meeting ended with the Raffle drawing.   The first prize Oliver Pedal Combine went to Owen Oswald, second prize Oliver 1/8 scale purple 1950 tractor went to Dennis Baker, and the third prize Oliver 1/16 scale Oliver 1955 FWA tractor went to Doug Guthrie.  It was a great meeting!

Marion, OH    August 11 – 13, 2017

The Buckeye Oliver Collectors participated in the Buckeye Classics Power of the Paint tractor show in Marion, August 11-13. This was the 2nd year for this show and is growing. We had a good turnout of tractors and help at the tables. Our tractor display had about 30 excellent Olivers and a beautifully restored Cockshutt 1550 displayed by Doug Mitchell. Raffle tickets were sold and the memorial plaque continues to get a lot of attention.

Wauseon, OH    June 22-25, 2017

The Buckeye Oliver Collectors summer show was a success even with the HPOCA National Show going on at the same time.  The weather did not cooperate on Friday with a lot of rain and wind but Saturday’s nice weather brought out many Oliver enthusiasts making up for the slow Thursday and Friday.  Saturday we had a lunch with around 30 members attending.  Jan Yaple coordinated the lunch and led the prayer to kick off the luncheon.

A good selection of tractors were on display – old to new – Hart-Parrs to High Crops to 4 digits; what an excellent selection of tractors.  There were more than 100 tractors on display.  The 911 Memorial was in our display area so we were able to surround it with some of the tractors.  What a great tribute!

Of course the best part is all of the visiting and story telling that happens all day.  Our club has old dealers, old mechanics, employees and block men, it is very interesting to hear their stories and tales from years gone by.  And then hearing the stories of people who bought tractors back in the day.  Those of us that are a little younger than the guys who lived it are fascinated by these stories.  At times there would be up to 20 of us sitting and visiting.

Thanks to everyone who came to the show and who displayed your Oliver tractor and implements.  Also, Thanks to those who helped with the tables and a special Thanks to Wayne Groweg for taking pictures.

Larry Elliott

Madison, IN    June 22-24, 2017

The Buckeye Oliver Collectors were also at the HPOCA National Summer Show the same weekend as the Wauseon show with officers and board members split between the two places.  Our presence was quickly recognized as we displayed two club tables with the feature being the three raffle prizes on display and tickets being sold non-stop.  What a great response to the Oliver pedal combine and the 1850 Purple 1/8 scale tractor prizes.  The turnout of club members was good with 29 signing in at the tables and many helping at the tables; Thanks to all.  We also signed up a few new members.

The show had a nice display of Oliver tractors, lawn and garden tractors and implements.  Even with all the rain on Friday the turnout was good.  On Saturday the sunshine and auction brought out a good amount of spectators to enjoy the show.

The best part of the show was the great people that you get to see and visit with.  It becomes an Oliver family reunion and there is never enough time to hear the stories and catch up on life.

Having 5 of my own tables full of Oliver stuff kept me pretty busy.  When our club members seen this they jumped right in and helped sell; what a blast having this kind of friendship.  Larry has told me for years that there is always one group of people you can count on, I got to see this first hand as our Oliver friends and more than friends.

Tonia Elliott

Hosted by Dave Miller

On a somewhat cool breezy day on Sat. April 22 in Clyde, OH a group of about 60 green clad hungry Oliver fans gathered at Dave Miller’s farm to greet, eat, and talk Oliver. Thanks to Dave for hosting but more important for having a large heated building where everyone, I think, were comfortable. Following a beautiful Grace by Lyn Parker at noon we ate. If you couldn’t find something that you liked on this large buffet table, then you weren’t hungry! From pork chops, chicken, roast beef, dozens of sides, and what seemed like even more desserts. Oliver people do eat well. Lunch was followed by a brief meeting concerning the Newsletter, the summer shows in Wauseon, OH and the HPOCA show in Madison, IN, which unfortunately fall on the same weekend.

A plaque was given to a surprised Dave Miller for hosting. A special moment came as Club President Larry Elliott unveiled a beautiful memorial plaque in the shape of the state of Ohio onto which were the names of all deceased members of the Buckeye Oliver club. There was a moment of silence as all the names were read aloud. To the surprise of all, Larry introduced the youngest member of our club, 4 year old Benjamin Wiggins. Surprise again as Ben owns his own 550 that he drives with the help of his father. Bet he keeps dad busy. Larry closed the meeting and as the women’s committee met in one corner the rest of us cleaned up, talked with one another and went outside to look at Dave’s collection of Olivers and Whites.

Thank you to the Rine family for bringing the 1900 and a MM. Thanks to John Parker for bringing two of his restored Oliver tractors to the picnic. By four o’clock some were headed home and some were making Dave’s barn a place for tractors again. All in all just a real good enjoyable afternoon. Special thanks again to Dave Miller for hosting and special thanks to all who spent their Saturday afternoon in Clyde, OH at the Oliver Spring Picnic. The picnic is a wonderful way to stay in touch with other Oliver owners and if there is a family who would host the picnic in 2018 please let Larry know. There is always plenty of help and support from Buckeye Oliver. Here’s to good running tractors and good growing weather.

John Gustina