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Greg Hayden scanned these pictures from the McCune Family Photo Album, captions by Colleen McCune. 1988. Above two pictures: Andy, age four, stands in the display with his family watching as Grandpa explains to show visitors about his “hit and miss engine” display. Andy was more interested in socializing with everyone and everything else that was going on around him. Our display was much smaller then and we didn’t have as much to show visitors in those early days. Boy, how we have added to our display now! 1990. Below left: Andy (age 6) waves to the crowd during the parade from a 1941 American Bantam owned by family member Dale Moody. 1991. Below right: Andy strolls through the museum grounds with his dad, Paul, to get something to eat (age 7-8). To Paul's left is our display that has grown twice its original size as we share it with other family members.

1991. Above left: Andy and Paul in our display area behind Grandpa’s hit and miss engine. Above right: Andy behind Grandpa’s engine. 1992. Below left: Andy (age 8) standing with his Grandpa Frank, and Dad Paul, in our family display area. 1994. Below right: Andy with family members grinding corn in our family display.

1994. Above left: Andy (age 10) standing with Paul in our June Show family display.
1995. Above right: Andy (age 11) blowing Grandpa’s steam whistles (which he loved to do). Grandpa soon became famous for his whistles with members and visitors alike. You could hear some of them throughout our Museum grounds and knew exactly where the sound was coming from. Below left: In the display area next to the McCune’s and Moody’s, Rich Eckert and Pat Mackin kick back and relax before the next round of steam whistles go off and wake them up. Eventually, Rich and Pat moved to another location and we don’t share the space with them anymore. 1996. Below right: October Andy (age 11) stands with family members in front of Grandpa’s whistle trees in our family display area. Back row, left to right: Reford Arrington (Andy's great uncle), Rose Arrington (Andy's great aunt), Paul McCune, Jerry Williams (Andy's second cousin-in-law), Frank McCune. 2nd row: Andy, Janie Williams (Andy's second cousin), Alice (Andy's third cousin), and DeeDee (Andy's third cousin).

1997. Above: Frank adopted a museum-owned 1946 John Deere Model BW. Andy soon became very interested in learning farm mechanics and maintenance on this tractor, as well as on our family owned John Deere Model A. He wanted to spend as much free time as possible at AGSEM working on “his” Model BW tractor.

This ends pictures from the McCune Family Photo Album. Following pictures, except where noted, Greg Hayden, captions still by Colleen McCune. Below: Andy (age 15) watches as Virgil White carefully unloads our Star steam self propelled water well drilling rig from his low boy trailer.

Above: Virgil White, David Denny, and Chuck Goebel were always talking about how they were ten years apart in age. Virgil discovered that Al Wagner was ten years older than Chuck, and that got Virgil thinking. The result is this picture taken in October 2001 that appeared in black and white on the front cover of our December 2001 "The Ignitor". We gathered everyone we could find who was “something” seven years old. Here’s who we found: Front row left to right: Andy McCune (17), Danielle DeMesa (7), John Fraser (37). Back row left to right: Al Wagner (87), Chuck Goebel (77), David Denny (67), Virgil White (57), Robert Critz (27), and Glenda Garrison (47).

April 21, 2002. Above left: Frank - far right, black hat - Colleen, Paul and, Above right: Andy (age 18) -- back to camera -- tee shirt, green cap assisting a passenger -- help out every year at the Carlsbad Flower Fields. Grandpa Frank, and Paul (drivers in the past) and Andy help in loading and unloading passengers. Colleen helps with taking money and stamping hands and receipts. Below: On Father’s Day at our June 2002 show, Paul, Colleen, and Andy surprised Frank with a John Deere 1965 model 110 (lawn and garden tractor). Paul and Andy drove to Tucson, Arizona to pick up the tractor that they bought on e-bay. Frank had wanted one of these tractors for some time. Frank was so excited that he took the key out of the ignition and ran off with it while the tractor was holding up our parade. Andy had to get off the tractor and chase after him so he could start the tractor so our parade could proceed.

June 16, 2002. Above left: Andy (age 18) and Paul serve as blade safety escorts walking in front through our parade. October 16, 2004. Above right: Paul drives Frank’s adopted JD Model BW through our parade. Below left: Paul and Colleen driving family-owned 1949 John Deere M through our parade. June 18, 2005. Below right: Andy could drive any John Deere and took to just about every tractor like a duck to water! Here he is (age 21) on Denny McCoy’s 1960 JD Model 630.

June 25, 2005. Above left Andy (age 21) driving Grandpa’s 1935 JD Model A with Scouts and Scout leaders sitting behind him in the trailer through our parade. Scouting is also a big part of Andy’s life, he earned the Eagle Scout rank in February 2002. Andy is very helpful to his Mom and Dad in co-hosting many Troops to come to AGSEM for a weekend of camping and earning the BSA Farm Mechanics merit badge. 1999. Above right and below left: Photos by Paul McCune. June Show Andy sits on a museum owned grader, with long-time family friend and fellow AGSEM member, Joe Porter. Joe passed away on Andy’s 21st birthday (March 9, 2005). We all miss you, Joe! May 2005. Below right: Andy took this picture of Paul at a truck show at the California Motor Speedway in Fontana. Go figure, John Deere truck???

October 22, 2006. Above left: Carol Vohs; Colleen, Paul and Andy McCune (age 22) ride through our parade on a wagon. Above right: Paul and Andy riding in our parade. October 21, 2006. Below left: Andy takes the Scouts and Scout leaders on a tour of our AGSEM grounds, before beginning the Farm Mechanics merit badge. Andy has done this numerous times for BSA Troops camping for the weekend. October 29, 2006. Below right: Andy and friend, Martin Kinchloe, hitch a ride through our parade with Mike Stevens driving his vintage John Deere Ford, and our Fund Raising Trustee Floozy, current -- 2007 -- AGSEM President, Jeanette Stevens.

Andy’s involvement with the AGSEM began when he was three and a half years old in the fall of 1987. His grandpa and grandma, Frank and Margaret McCune, were active members of AGSEM, then known as the Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association. By 1989, participation became a family affair when his parents, Paul and Colleen joined the museum as members. Paul and Colleen remember those early days well. When the steam engine whistle would blow on Steam Engine Row, the sound would scare Andy.

Over time and becoming more involved, AGSEM soon become Andy’s playground and he enjoyed going to our museum every chance he could. When Grandpa purchased his first tractor in December 1995 (1935 John Deere Model A) Andy immersed himself in learning all he could about John Deere tractors. He soon developed more knowledge than many adults could learn in their entire lifetime. If anyone ever has any questions on John Deere tractors, they often turn to Andy for answers. If he doesn’t recall it from memory, he always refers to his John Deere Data Book that he has readily available (usually in the back pocket of his overalls).

The years have gone by quickly, and Andy continues to come back to our museum year after year, show after show. Andy is now -- May 2007 -- 23 years old; AGSEM and its members have become a large and positive influential part of his life. Above are pictures taking you through Andy’s life growing up at AGSEM, from a toddler to the present as you see:

“A boy grows into a man at AGSEM”.