The best way to appreciate where we're going is to look at where we've been. The heritage display committee is working on ways to show visitors how things once were on the farm.

The antique farm machinery display at the show will feature displays of some of the unique farm machinery of decades ago and, inside the tent in the heritage area visitors will have an opportunity to identify Dodge County farms as they looked decades, even a century ago in a photography display of Dodge County's farming past.

Also inside the tent, there will be miniature displays of old-time machinery dealerships in Dodge County.

Tom Triplett, chair of the heritage display area, says, "It's important to have a place where people can bring their children and grand children to see how farming once was and then compare it to what they see in the field demonstrations and new machinery and equipment displays at this show."

He adds, "It's also a place to stir some wonderful memories in the minds of our older visitors."

Triplett was one of several area antique farm equipment buffs who helped restore the Case tractor and grain drill that are the models for the commemorative toy that is being sold as a fundraiser for the 2009 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days event. They also restored a 1952 Case tractor that will be raffled off as part of the fundraising effort.

He says, "We plan to restore a 1950s era Case plow and disc to accompany the display of this equipment at the show so the Case collection will be more complete."

The committee chose the Case brand to feature for the toy and the raffle tractor because of the Crave family's long-time interest in using Case tractors on their farm. They still have several models in use today.

Those interested in learning more about Case models in the past may want to look at the display of literature that will be in the tent, provided by a friend of Triplett who has an impressive collection of Case sales literature beginning in the 1950s era.

One of the more unique pieces of equipment that will be featured is a 1974 Fox self-propelled chopper that was owned and restored by Doug Malueg, Marion, Wis. He spent 3,000 hours working on this vintage machine that was purchased new and used by his dad. Since Fox went out of business in the 1980s, getting parts to restore the old machine was a challenge, but the 46-year-old antique farm equipment buff is proud of the completed project and plans to bring it to the Dodge County Wisconsin Farm Technology Days.

Triplett expects 60 to 70 antique pieces to be on display. Many of them will be tractors spanning several decades. Some of those exhibiting their tractors will be participating in the antique tractor parade that goes from the Dodge County Fairgrounds on Sunday afternoon to the Crave farm. Leading that parade will be the "Fabulous Farm Babe" radio personality, Pam Jahnke, from the Wisconsin Farm Report with Pam Jahnke, who will drive her antique tractor. WGN Radio personality Max Armstrong will lead the parade of tractors that leaves the Wisconsin Farm Technology Days show on Wednesday afternoon heading to Alliant Energy Center where the national Red Power Show will take place through the weekend.

The Dodge County Antique Power Club is in charge of the heritage display and the two parades. The club holds its own antique power show the first weekend in August each year on a farm owned by the club near Burnett.