John Deere tractors among featured replica items at farm toy show

Deere tractors were among the replica toys at an Illinois farm show last weekend.
Deere tractors were among the replica toys at an Illinois farm show last weekend.
The Northern Illinois village of Forreston held its yearly fair this past weekend and attendees had the opportunity to acquire one of only 150 1/16th scale replica John Deere tractors, which mimic the real models farmers could buy at a John Deere dealership in the past and today.

The Journal-Standard of Freeport reports the 23rd annual Forreston Farm Toy Show was Saturday at Forreston High School. Jeff Colloton, president of the Forreston FFA Alumni, said a John Deere tractor was one of the fair's central items.

"We have a lot of crafts, a lot of farm toys," Colloton told the Journal-Standard. "We've got our show tractor which is a John Deere MT, which we are selling."

Fair proceeds are destined for the local FFA chapter, Colloton said.

"The kids do a lot of stuff during the course of the year," he said. "They go to a lot of FFA events. They always go to state and national conventions. The alumni try to support them in any way we can because the trips cost money. We help them with that. We also maintain the greenhouse and help with whatever they need for the ag class."