Yet More Tractors
Why? I am farm raised- you don't need to ask why.
Hirosaki High-schooler Saori came to English Camp awhile ago. Her grandfather has antique engines, tractors and other farm machinery. She wanted me to attend his one-man tractor show, so I went down today to check it out.
Saori was happy to pose with the old farm tools, but when I asked if she wanted to learn how to use them, I got the anticipated "You've got to be kidding" giggle.
Most Japanese kids- even farm kids- want nothing more to do with food than eating it.
The "foreign models display included a 1922 Fordson and a Fiat from the 50's, I think.
The Japanese section included one of the very first Japanese produced walking tractors (in the foreground). It had vertical tiller tines,like an eggbeater- an inovative, but short-lived experiment.
The most unusual thing about the display is that it exists at all. Unlike North America, where you can attend numerous, large and well-attended antique tractors shows each year, Japan has virtually no antique farm machinery buffs at all.
Another unique feature was the uncle who showed up to check on attendance (it was MOST modest when I was there- i.e., I was the only guest). This man is one of those blue-collar philosphers you run across from time to time. I don't know about you, but I find them as insightful (maybe more) than their doctorate-holding compatriots in the acedemic world.
This one was telling me of his forays into the woods when he is feeling stressed or frustrated. Just contemplating the vastness of nature ("you know, you always look up, at the boundless blue sky, or the countless stars. I mean, if you look down, all you see is ashphalt or dirt"). When he learned that I am a missionary, he got wary. ("I never saw why I had to go to a church to get back on track"). He seemed satisfied with my explination that getting quiet and listening is God's idea- that's why we have Sunday, and church- to take time to stop jumping around, turn off the noise, and LISTEN.
Hirosaki High-schooler Saori came to English Camp awhile ago. Her grandfather has antique engines, tractors and other farm machinery. She wanted me to attend his one-man tractor show, so I went down today to check it out.
Saori was happy to pose with the old farm tools, but when I asked if she wanted to learn how to use them, I got the anticipated "You've got to be kidding" giggle.
Most Japanese kids- even farm kids- want nothing more to do with food than eating it.
The "foreign models display included a 1922 Fordson and a Fiat from the 50's, I think.
The Japanese section included one of the very first Japanese produced walking tractors (in the foreground). It had vertical tiller tines,like an eggbeater- an inovative, but short-lived experiment.
The most unusual thing about the display is that it exists at all. Unlike North America, where you can attend numerous, large and well-attended antique tractors shows each year, Japan has virtually no antique farm machinery buffs at all.
Another unique feature was the uncle who showed up to check on attendance (it was MOST modest when I was there- i.e., I was the only guest). This man is one of those blue-collar philosphers you run across from time to time. I don't know about you, but I find them as insightful (maybe more) than their doctorate-holding compatriots in the acedemic world.
This one was telling me of his forays into the woods when he is feeling stressed or frustrated. Just contemplating the vastness of nature ("you know, you always look up, at the boundless blue sky, or the countless stars. I mean, if you look down, all you see is ashphalt or dirt"). When he learned that I am a missionary, he got wary. ("I never saw why I had to go to a church to get back on track"). He seemed satisfied with my explination that getting quiet and listening is God's idea- that's why we have Sunday, and church- to take time to stop jumping around, turn off the noise, and LISTEN.
posted by John Elliot | 11:01 PM
1 Comments:
Hey, I wouldn't mind learning how to use them.
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