This is a really great conversation which describes and preserves one of the key values of this fine group.
My first cubfest was Stonethrow 2008, about 6 months after I came across this forum with a Google search trying to find information about this ole Cub I thought might be a fun project. Although I've been a grease monkey and tinkerer since my big brother taught me in my early teens, I had never driven a tractor much less owned one, and grew up a city boy on top of that. But none of these facts ever stopped anyone on this forum from accepting me and offering help however they could.
Within a week of my first post of numerous questions, many of the posters on this thread weighed in with help and suggestions, and one even came over to introduce himself and offer identification help for the implemens that came with Corky's Cub. That first introduction has grown into a solid friendship that now goes far beyond Cubs, and many of the others who offered help have also become close friends as well. For that I am thankful.
But back to my first StoneThrow for just a minute. The organizer and others--both present and from afar--found the perfect way to "pay it forward" for this newbie who wanted to learn about his Farmall Cub. From the beginning, the organizer introduced me to a whole bunch fine farmallcub.com folks all over the country, who helped me gather together all of the parts that would be necessary to make real progress on my basic mechanical restoration of Corky's Cub. I'm not going to name any of the folks who conspired both before, during and since that first cubfest on my behalf, but I do want to tell the story as a perfect example of the virtues outlined in this thread. All of you know who you are, and how much I appreciate you!
One new friend supplied me with an engine to replace my frozen one at an incredibly fair price, another had wheels, another had bearings, tires; and another and another and another-- all lined up to offer their assistance. And one even completely rebuilt my carburator, refusing to accept anything for his efforts but my gratitude, and insisting that I
not thank him publicly on the forum...kudos was not his objective for offering help in the first place.
But then at StoneThrow, a group of this forum's finest conspired to save an eager city boy from himself by creating a little ruse for my enjoyment...or was it for theirs?? They suggested I drive another member's tractor in the parade on Saturday, after which we would all work on some tractors! When I returned with many others from the parade a few hours later, there was a big surprise waiting for me. These guys had installed the replacement engine in my cub while I was off goofing around in the parade; and there it sat, idling smoothly in the barnyard upon my return!
In the two years since this remarkable show of friendship, there is no question that I have received far more answers, encouragement and help than I could ever hope to return. But I also hope I've been perceived as being helpful to others in whatever way possible...whether by offering answers of my own as learned from others, directions to answers if I was fortunate enough to find them first, or even just written and verbal encouragement from my other life experiences if that was all I had to offer...or maybe just to help someone laugh when I thought that would be helpful.
All these offers of help should not be competive in nature, and they should not be judged or ranked or be made exclusive. I sincerely hope the virtues and gestures of friendship outlined here never get distorted or boiled down to mere commercialism or competition...and I hope all the leaders and members of this forum will continue to work together to preserve the best we have to offer while accepting folks for their differences, and the different ways in which they pitch in or offer their help.
For without that, we are nothing.
Corky