How does a farmer go from overseeing 1,000 head of dairy cows in the 1960's to managing one of the largest collections of farm toys in the country?

It might have started small, but today visitors to Barrick's Toys and Collectibles in Newville will find thousands of antique toy tractors and various farm toys packed into five floors in a barn and eight floors in a silo.

"We were always interested in tractors on the farm, you know, and it just started, leading into little ones, then garden tractors and then one thing led to another," said owner Harry Barrick Jr.

There's so much to see, visitors rarely make it through the overwhelming inventory in one visit. "They just like to come back and walk around at their convenience and that's what we let them do," Barrick said.

That doesn't include Barrick's rare collection of antique tractors that draws visitors and buyers from all over the country. He finds many of his antiques at shows and expos and has been known to travel thousands of miles to check out leads on hard-to-find vehicles.

The Barricks also tackle four or five antique tractor restoration projects a year, including engine, frame and paint job. "Once you get it painted, I've seen some bring 25, 30-thousand in good condition," Barrick said.

And let's not forget their primary business: tires, especially farm equipment tires. There's also a store located above the tire and body shop that features, of course, farm toys.

How does Barrick keep track of everything? "You just remember where you put it," he said. "It's all in your head."

While Barrick keeps it all in his head, the family's next generation of collectors has slowly begun to computerize the inventory while reaching new customers through eBay.

Over the years, Barrick's tractors and collections have earned him hundreds of trophies, but one gets the sense that he enjoys collecting more than competition.

And apparently there's always room for more. "We won't grow too much more, but I said that 20 years ago too," Barrick said.

To tour Harry Barrick's collection, call (717) 776-5762 orvisit his Web site.

 

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