March 2026 Newsletter

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From The President: 

Hello SMATEA members, 

With warmer weather finally upon us, it’s time to fire up those tractors and get them out of the barn!  I’m definitely looking forward to doing that myself. 

As our annual show keeps getting closer and closer, I ask everyone to please keep spreading the word.  We’re doing quite well so far, but we still want to add more flea market vendors, more tractors, equipment, and also items for people to bring for the consignment auction.  The show flyers are now out in circulation as we handed them out at our April meeting.  Please hand out all you can.  If anyone needs additional flyers please let me know. 

We’re going to have a tractor decorating contest this year as part of our celebration for America’s 250th!!  Please keep this in mind and come up with ideas on how to decorate your tractor in Red, White and Blue!!  More details to come. 

We’re still working on forming a committee to review, discuss, and update our club SOP’s.  We currently have 5 directors signed up. We would like to add a couple of additional members.  Please let myself or Cheri know as soon as possible if you’re interested in helping us out. 

Thank you 

Bill

April Meeting Highlights

It's Show Time!! 

Preparations for this year's show have kicked off.  There will be numerous sign up sheets at the upcoming meetings for tasks at our show at Nike Park.  Additionally this year we will need volunteers to assist in watching over the Bounce Houses.  Other locations that will need volunteers are the gate, gift shop and the registration trailer.  

To help celebrate America's 250th Birthday we are asking to have red white and blue flags on your tractors and decorating your display!  

Registration for the Mackinaw Bridge Drive is open and has a limited number of tractors and buddy riders.  Ask Deb Eisenmann for details.  

Coming Soon - Nike Park Clean Up 

Maybee Day-May 9 

Family Farm and Home Show - June 20

Whiteford Fall Fest - October 3

Farmers and Antique Tractor and Engine Association Spring Show - May 15-17 

Monroe County Fair Display- August 2-8

From our President:

Hello SMATEA members! 

I hope everyone is doing well as we get closer to summer and closer to our big annual show! 

Just a reminder that June is our membership renewal meeting at Tom Beaudrie’s museum on June 7th at 7:00.  Please plan to attend and renew your memberships.  The annual membership fee is $20.   Also our show shirts will be available to purchase at this meeting. 

We are in need of items for our consignment auction.  We really need to increase our volume of items which in turn will bring more people in the gate, which obviously helps our club out. Please make some calls and try to find items to sell.  They can contact Fall Auctioneering directly at 517-605-2590 or 517-605-6390.  We’ll also be starting to accept items at Nike Park beginning Wednesday July 15th.  

Tractors, Tractors!!  We need more of them for our annual show!!  Please continue to spread the word so we can get as many tractors, engines, and as much equipment to our show as possible!! 

Our Family Farm and Home show is coming up fast. We hope to see you there!  We usually have around 20-25 tractors, let’s see if we can increase that number this year.  Again, this show is on Saturday June 20th from 10:00-5:00.  

Thank you everyone!

Bill 

May Meeting Highlights:

Mark your calendars for the Family Farm and Home Show in Monroe on June 20.  We would love to see you there.  Contact President Heck for details or questions 

Nike Park Show

In Celebration of America's 250th Birthday we are encouraging members to decorate their tractors with flags and red, white and blue.  

An additional opportunity to help make this year's show amazing is to volunteer to monitor the bounce houses.  You must be 18 and older to do so. 

Sign up sheets for all things needed at the show will be at the June Membership renewal meeting to be held at Tom Boudrie's museum located across the road from 2385 Bluebush Monroe MI 48162 at 7 pm on June 7 

Membership cost is $20 for the year 

A simple reminder that teamwork and many sets of hands at the show make the dream work.  

If you or someone you know is interested in having a craft/vendor spot at this year's show please contact President Heck or Kim Rehberg to be added to the list.  

Show shirts will be available for pick up at the June meeting at a cost of $20 per shirt 

There is still time to sign up for the Mackinaw Bridge Drive, if you have questions contact Deb Eisenmann 

Mackinac Bridge Crossing Information:

Mackinac Bridge Crossing is 9/12/26, information can be found at MackinacBridgeCrossing.com. Registration is preferred online. Cost is $80 for drivers and $75 for buddy riders. There are reduced limits this year for both tractors and buddy seats. Registration closes on 8/15/26. Buddy Seat Pre Approval Registration closes 6/15/26. All new and modified buddy seats must be approved prior to registration. All buddy seats must be reapproved every 5 years. Tractors MUST be able to maintain a consistent 10 MPH. Contact Deb or Cheri for further details.

From our President:

Hello SMATEA Members, 

With our annual show only 4 weeks away, my only message this month is to emphasize some key things that we need help with from all members.  

Please sign up for shifts to help with the gate, gift shop, kids’ games, or registration trailer.  Contact myself or Cheri.  Sign-up sheets will also be at our July meeting at Nike Park. 

. Sign up to participate in tractor games and baseball. 

. Please spread the word and help find items to sell at the consignment auction.  

. Bring as many tractors or equipment as possible to the show!  We need all we can get. 

We will be working on setting up Nike Park on the Wednesday and Thursday before the show. Please plan to come help as your schedules allow.  We’ll be there all day, both days.  It takes a team effort to make this all happen.  We appreciate any support you can give. 

Thank you all!! 

Bill 

June Meeting Highlights:

It's SHOW time and member volunteers are desperately needed to run the show. Yes, the JAWS crew will be there to assist but there are still places that need a club member volunteer. Gate, Registration trailer, gift shop, bounce houses, tractor baseball, the fan, sawmill and shuttle wagon.  

July 12, 7 pm meeting at Nike Park to finalize the last details of the show 

Sign-up sheet for Monroe County fair will be at the show 

USA 250th Anniversary Tractor Decorating contest at the Nike Park show - theme red, white and blue with prizes awarded Saturday evening.

Show shirts are now available at $20 per shirt.

There is still vendor space available.

Mackinac Bridge Crossing Information:

Mackinac Bridge Crossing is 9/12/26, information can be found at MackinacBridgeCrossing.com. Registration is preferred online. Cost is $80 for drivers and $75 for buddy riders. There are reduced limits this year for both tractors and buddy seats. Registration closes on 8/15/26. Buddy Seat Pre Approval Registration closes 6/15/26. All new and modified buddy seats must be approved prior to registration. All buddy seats must be reapproved every 5 years. Tractors MUST be able to maintain a consistent 10 MPH. Contact Deb or Cheri for further details.

From our President:

Hello SMATEA Members, 

Our 2026 annual show was a success; despite the challenges we had with the unexpected wildfire smoke on Thursday and Friday.   I’d like to thank everyone who helped with the hard work of setting up and tearing down.  This takes a team effort.  Also thank you to the JAWS program with the help they provided, and to Carl Cramer for helping to organize having them there. 

Our consignment auction was also a success, being that this was the first year we’ve had an auction in several years, The auctioneer was very pleased at how many items showed up to be auctioned off. We look to continue having the auction at future shows and having it grow bigger each year.

Thank you to everyone who brought tractors, helped with different displays and tasks, and participated in tractor games. I have received lots of positive feedback from people, and together we’ll continue working on ways to make our show grow and continue to be a success.  

A reminder to everyone that we will have our Monroe County fair display. The set up will be August 1st at 9 AM, please bring your tractors and plan to help with set up.   Tear down will be Sunday, August 9th at 9 AM. 

We are very much in need of volunteers to work at the fair booth, please contact our secretary Kim Rehberg at 734-777-1769.   She has the sign-up sheets for each day with the available time slots. 

Hope to see you all at the fair. 

Bill 

From the Secretary:

Congratulations on the successful completion of the 35th annual show!!  Thank you to all who participated and helped in making this year a success!! 

*** MONROE COUNTY FAIR ***

August 2 -8 

Display set up and equipment arrival August 1. Display tear down and equipment retrieval August 9. 

You may use your display tractor as a pullback tractor for the Thursday evening tractor pull in the grandstand.  

We are in need of tractors and equipment for the display and for members to sign up for guard duty.  Contact Kim (734) 777-1769 to reserve your display spot and for guard duty.  

The display is red, white and blue themed so keep those tractors decorated!!  

 Monroe County Fair Updates:

Thanks to everyone who made our display at the Monroe County Fair a huge success! We had 44 tractors on display, including some that helped as pull backs for the tractor pull, won second place for outdoor displays and generated public interest in our club. 

Congratulations to Amelia Gautz for being named Homemaker of the Year and to all the club members and 4H members who had exhibits at the fair. And thank you to the 4H leaders and volunteers for all your time and efforts. You all did a great job!

***Just a reminder, our next meeting is Sunday, August 23, at 7 pm at Prince of Peace Church. ***

Classifieds from our Fair visitors:

SMATEA IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT OF THE ADS AND CANNOT VOUCH FOR THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS LISTED. CONTACT THE SELLER DIRECTLY FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

Mechanical help needed for stuck valves on a 1949 Farmall Cub. Contact Joe Sanders 734-708-0123

1947 John Deere B for sale. Contact Yvonne Thoma 419-340-0559.

1946 Ford 9N, 1951 Ford NAA, 2 bottom plow, cultivator and Case Bulldozer for sale. Contact Doug Larrow 419-704-4720.

rom Our President

Hello Members, 

It’s hard to believe the annual show and the Monroe County Fair are both behind us, and here we are entering September already!

Despite the smoke in the air on Friday, we had a great annual show and came out a little ahead, which is always good news. Our flea market and auction were both successful despite some vendor cancellations.

Thank you to everyone who helped and participated in making the show a success. We are already discussing ideas for the 2027 show and looking for ways to keep making it bigger and better.

I would also like to thank everyone who helped with and participated in the Monroe County Fair display. We had 44 tractors this year, the most I have seen since joining the club, and we won second place for outdoor display. Thank you as well to everyone who helped with pull-back at the tractor pulls.

Please remember that we are always looking for new club members. If you know someone who may be interested, please have them contact me or Cheri.

I hope to see you at some of the fall events listed in this newsletter, and I look forward to seeing you at our Fall Banquet and meeting on October 4 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Petersburg.

Bill 

August/September Meeting Highlights

The annual banquet is Sunday, October 4, at 6 p.m.at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, followed by the monthly meeting at 7 p.m. The club will provide the meat; members should sign up with their dish-to-pass and party count by contacting Cheryl Seegert at 734-652-9636 or CherylSeegert@yahoo.com.

A nominating committee is being formed for the November club elections. Contact Jacob Jones at 419-280-6809 or jsrfjacob@gmail.com if you are interested in running for Vice President, Treasurer, or Director.

Congratulations to Doug Walter on winning the raffle tractor from the SE Michigan Antique Tractor Poker Run, (not affiliated with SMATEA). He bought the winning ticket at our recent Nike Park show.

From Our Website Contact Form

 Addison White

 Addisonwhitee@gmail.com

 Message
 Hi! My grandpa passed away on Friday and he loved to work on things and make   them look brand new. A month ago, he went to an estate sale and bought a 1986   ride king lawnmower and made it look brand new. He mentioned before about   having it preserved in a museum so I thought I would honor his wishes. If you   are interested, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me at   734-790-4283. Thank you so much.