The title of the book 25 Years of Edendale Vintage Machinery Club might not grab the immediate interest of the average punter but when you realise that this is a history of the popular annual Crank-Up at Edendale, you might find you interest growing.
The 2011 Crank-Up in January was the 25th to be held and, as always, plenty of Southlanders turned out to admire the machinery on show.
This is an event that is a fun, family day for farming and non-farming families alike.
I think it’s safe to say that for many people of my generation, school fairs bring fond memories of tractors and traction engines so while I have absolutely no farming background, I do appreciate a good bit of machinery.
This book covers the full 25-year history of the Crank-Up, explaining how it came about and honouring the people who worked so hard to get it off the ground.
It also shows the promotional posters for most of the events, which takes the reader on an interesting trip down memory lane.
Each year also features photos from the day, making it something of a social history.
At first glance this book comes across as something for the farmers only but as the old saying goes, never judge a book by its cover.