16th Annual Eliot Antique Tractor and Engine Show
Eliot ME
Raitt Homestead Farm Museum
29, 30, 31 July 2011
Slide show HERE
and Video here
Went up to downeast Maine this weekend for the Raitt Homestead Farm Museum show. If you are not from around here (New England) here is the meaning of the term "downeast": The Down East, The Magazine of Maine FAQ explains the origin of the term: "When ships sailed from Boston to ports in Maine (which were to the east of Boston), the wind was at their backs, so they were sailing downwind, hence the term 'Down East.' And it follows that when they returned to Boston they were sailing upwind; many Mainers still speak of going 'up to Boston,' despite the fact that the city lies approximately 50 miles to the south of Maine’s southern border." So now you know why up is down and down is up in New England. Anyway, it was a fine show, much larger than I might have expected but then I didn't really know what to expect this being my first visit. A terrific array of engines, models, tractors and all sorts of things mechanical.
A big thank you to the Raitt family for hosting this great show!
Don't know what this was nor did anyone nearby it. So, if you know please
send along a note to errol.groff@snet.net
so I can update this page.
Nifty powered hand truck.
I think this is called a "cats eye". I further thought it was a
railroad accessory but some web searching doesn't seem to confirm that.
So, if you know what it is please shoot me an email errol.groff@snet.net.
29 March 2012: I got an email from Don Siefker today in which he tells me that this lantern was known as a "Yellow Dog". He also sent a link to a Youtube video from the Coolspring show in 2009. The video also has a good explanation of where these were used and how they came to be called Yellow dogs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yTsxekykds
Thank you very much Don for your contribution!
Very nice cultivator. The large wheel provided the traction.
Norm Jones and my wife Terri Groff. 
The hotel suggested Dimillo's, a floating restaurant on Portland's waterfront
and it proved to be a fine choice. It appears to be a converted ferry
boat, the atmosphere was great and the food was terrific. .
Our daughter-in-law's mom lives in Portland so after leaving the show in Eliot
we headed north on I95 and invited her to dinner with us. Her name is Pat
"Gabby" Merrill and she is a super nice lady and great gal to visit
with. Our son is lucky to have met and married her daughter, Bev.
Heading south on Sunday we stopped for petrol just north of Kittery and I saw
this van at another gas pump so I snapped the left photo. A couple of
miles further south lo and behold there was the When Pigs Fly bakery. We
stopped and got some delicious bread!