"Old Smokey" (excerpts from State Session Agriculture & Environment Committee Report) It was time to take on a personal project that I have been thinking about for a while now. I guess that I should start from the beginning.  In April of 1939, the week that my father was born, my Grandfather and Great-Grandfather bought the first rubber tire tractor that the farm ever had.  It was a Massey Harris 101 Sr. Over the years the tractor became known as "Old Smokey". The tractor stayed on the farm where it was used in the fields and woods until the late 1960's. At that time another family member sold it to a friend and equipment dealer in Mendon, MA, who then sold it to a farmer who also lived in Mendon.  When this person passed away, I heard from a friend that the tractor was for sale and his family members thought that we should have a chance to own it again. So, since we were in Milford for State Session, I decided to make a few phone calls to look at the tractor.  I was not successful, but two days after we got home from State Grange I received a phone call and made arrangements to go back to see the tractor the following Sunday.  I started to think about it and realized that I was not going to be able to handle this project alone, so I decided to bring Billy Chase (one of our State Master's sons) in on my plan for help.  On November 5th we went to Mendon with trailer in tow, looking very desperate, hoping that we could bring "Old Smokey" home again. When we walked in to the barn cellar our hearts dropped, what was supposed to be a tractor that ran and was in good shape turned out to be not running and not in very good shape. However, it was THE tractor that was brought in 1939, so we decided to buy it and bring it home, where it belonged. We tried to sneak home with it, and almost made it, until we turned on to our street when Cal and Linda turned up the street in front of us and Aunt Virginia turned up right behind us. This was to be a surprise for our Grandfather for Christmas, so we made them swear to keep quiet until then. It became very clear that we would need more help, so we hid the tractor in Billy's garage and brought our uncle George into the loop.  After two nights some new wires, plugs, a new battery, and a few other parts, they started it up, shooting acorns everywhere. It ran smooth and quiet. This was just what we needed to motivate us to complete the project. Although the tractor was running, we knew that there was still a lot of body work to be done. Billy started off taking off everything that the previous owner had added to the tractor. Then we stripped the sheet metal off and began looking for fenders, a grill and side panels. We found new side panels and fenders in PA. The side panels were shipped to us, but we did not have enough time to wait for the fenders so Billy and his wife Vicky left for PA at 4:00 am and returned by 4:00 pm to begin working on them. The last missing piece of the puzzle was the grill, we coiuld not find one anywhere, so Billy made one. Which he then threw away and made another. The second looked great and was attached. Over the next few weeks we moved the tractor to a friends shop in Townsend and with their help finished the body work. This was all done late at night or on Sundays when nobody would see what was going on. On December 11th the first coat of paint went on, followed by several others that week. On Sunday the 17th with time running out we reassembled the tractor. The next one final coat of paint went on followed by the decals the following night. What a sight, it was perfect, just like new. On Thursday night, again under the cover of darkness the trator was brought back and hid in Billy's garage. On December 23rd our family had our annual Christmas party at our house.  There were about 90 family members there waiting for Santa to bring all of the little kids a present. Santa had another surprise for Grampa, Massey Ferguson sent a customer appreciation package, including a thank you note, a plaque, hat, key chain, and money clip. Shortly after he opened his present, Santa asked Grampa to come outside with him because the rest of his present was coming down the road. First came our newest tractor a Massey Ferguson 6485 (4wd with cab and flashing lights all over) followed by "Old Smokey", complete with a police escort with flashing lights. As we turned up the driveway it looked as if all of the people coming out of the house were ants coming out of an ant hill. Grampa knew exactly what it was when he saw it coming up the driveway and was very happy to have it home again. He could not believe that the tractor was completely restored in just 50 days, without having anyone let on to what was going on. This is a memory that our entire family will remember forever. You might ask what all of this has to do with the Grange. My Grandfather has been a member of the Grange for over 70 years, and this event brings together what I consider the two most important things in the Grange, family and agriculture. And since the Worthy State Master is encouraging us to get "back to our roots", i thought this is a perefect example of what we can accomplish when we work together with a common goal in mind. Fraternally, Charles Tully Jr.   Massachusetts Ag & the Environment Committee Director