Antique society offers glimpse of farming’s past
Simon Bulk picked up his first tractor as a collectible to fix up in 1982. To say that collection has grown would be an understatement.
Focusing on International Harvester machines, Bulk’s collection now stretches as far as the eye can see on his Feeder Road farm, boasting some 70 tractors and nearly two dozen trucks, as well as hundreds of other pieces of farm equipment, including refrigerators, freezers, grain thrashers and cream separators.
“This was just something to do at night,” Bulk said. “Slowly, we kept on adding to it.”
The ‘we’ in question, is Bulk’s son, Arie, who later joined him in the hobby.
“When he started showing interest in it, it really started to get out of control.”
Bulk’s Wainfleet farm will be one of a dozen on the Golden Horseshoe Antique Tour, taking place Saturday and Sunday throughout the Niagara Peninsula. Bulk will be moving much of his collection out of his two large storage sheds, creating a hallway to allow visitors to get up close to see those remaining inside.
His collection also features what he calls a few “oddball” pieces, including a Fiat tractor and a German-made two-cylinder Bautz diesel tractor.
Many of Bulk’s International Harvester pieces will also be included in the Niagara Antique Power Association’s 46th annual Heritage Display taking place June 30 to July 2 at Learn Heritage Farm at 1957 Wilhelm Rd. in Sherkston.
The Golden Horseshoe Antique Tour, meanwhile, takes place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days this weekend. For practical purposes, people way want to divide the tour up between the south and north parts of the peninsula, visiting one each day.
The four stops in the south Niagara area include: Ethel Tapp, 409 Molton-Aiken Rd., Dunnville; Tom Putman, 42822 Highway 3, Wainfleet; Simon & Arie Bulk, 32633 Feeder Rd. W., Wainfleet; and Paul Kuronen, 62030 Regional Rd. 24, Wainfleet.
The north stops include: Bill Daniels, 5240 Miles Rd., Mount Hope; Larry Smith, 6136 Whitechurch Rd., Mount Hope; Nick Piano, 3415 Guyatt Rd., Binbrook; Joe Carlton, 1220 Mud St., Vinemount; Bill Vickers, 614 Ridge
Rd., Grimsby; Tony Vanes, 339 Ridge Rd. Grimsby; Bob Smith, 7573 Regional Rd. 20, Smithville; Greg Pollock, 2986 South Grimsby Rd. 5, Smithville.