ELGIN — A local couple showcased five of their antique tractors at Elgin Riverfest on Saturday, June 18.

Fred and Cathy Schoellig made Elgin their home in 1989. When the couple left New York, they sold their two antique tractors — a Minneapolis-Moline and John Deere. Over the last 30 years, they have rebuilt and expanded their collection.

“We’ve got six or seven more at home,” Cathy Schoellig said. “We rotate which ones we bring out.”

The husband and wife duo are painting contractors and run their own business — Schoellig & Schoellig on Indian Creek Road. They fix up old tractors during the winter.

“A lot of them don’t run when we get them,” Cathy Schoellig said.

The Schoelligs work on restoring the tractors together. Fred Schoellig, who has training as a mechanic, focuses on the engines and machinery while Cathy Schoellig does a lot of the detailing work.

Many of the tractors the couple bring to shows are works-in-progress. A major hurdle to finishing a restoration can be getting all the necessary parts, the couple said. While there are magazines dedicated to antique tractors where individuals can place advertisements looking for specific pieces, many parts are simply found through word of mouth at events like Riverfest.

“Part of the thrill is finding the piece you need,” Cathy Schoellig said.

Another exciting aspect of collecting antique tractors is stumbling upon old tractors for sale. After selling their original Moline tractor, the couple had been looking for another.

“We were driving and we saw this old Moline on the side of the road with a for sale sign. We pulled over so fast,” reminisced Cathy Schoellig, miming making a hard left turn with a big smile on her face.

Collecting and restoring antique tractors is more than just a hobby for the Schoelligs. The couple live on a ranch and use their antique tractors on a daily basis. They could use their new equipment, Cathy Schoellig said, but it is a lot more fun to hop on one of the old tractors.