Mitch Sisson and Pepper Sisson admiring one of the toy tractors that Mitch restored. It is a tractor like “Uncle George” used to have! This photo was taken at one of the first Starkville Farm Toy Shows.

Many of the old favorites are coming back this year, but organizers for the 2016 Starkville Farm Toy Show said there is always room for new “friends.”

“Our show is open to anyone with any type of farm related toys —tractors, trucks, implements, animals, buildings, logging equipment—that would like to come set their stuff up to sell, trade, or just display,” said Mitch Sisson, one of the organizers for the event. “We will have a few tables set up with display only pieces. Then, there will be vendors set up selling new farm toys, used farm toys, broken farm toys. We will have information on repairing and restoring farm toys. And there will be some custom-built farm toys on display.”

The event is set for April 22-23. Tables  typically filled the room and spill out into the hall every year at the Mississippi Horse Park in Starkville in the upper level education room.

Greg Flint, one of the organizers, said the event is a great resource for answering any questions about the toys and how to fix toys and customize.

“There are always people who bring broken toys in and wonder if they can be fixed and most are amazed that they can be fixed,” Flint said. “We want to encourage people to bring those toys to the show and let us look at them.”

Farm Toy collectors enjoy displaying their favorites at the Starkville Farm Toy Show.

Flint said one of the things he most looks forward to is meeting the collectors and vendors from all over the state, as well as learning more about farming equipment from the past and present.

Billy Self, another Starkville Farm Toy Show organizer, agrees that meeting the vendors and collectors is an interesting learning experience at each toy show.

“Every year we meet a lot of different people,” Self said. “It is a great way to teach ourselves and teach the public a little about the history of farming–and we always have a great time.”

For more information, call Mitch Sisson at (662) 769-3107 or Greg Flint at (662) 418-9101. To learn more about this year’s event, like the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/starkvillefarmtoyshow.