EASTERN ONTARIO – Preserving the machinery, skills and stories of rural Eastern Ontario takes more than simply remembering the past. It requires a new generation willing to learn how yesterday’s equipment worked, restore it and share that knowledge with others.
Vintage Iron and Traditions of Eastern Ontario is hoping to encourage exactly that through its 2026 Minogue Youth Initiative, now in its second year. The program gives a young person between the ages of 12 and 24 the opportunity to receive a piece of agricultural and rural history and take on the challenge of bringing it back to life.
This year’s successful applicant will receive a 1½ horsepower Brantford Cub engine, donated to the organization by Ed Bowkett. The engine was manufactured by the Goold, Shapley and Muir Company in Brantford, Ontario.
Rather than simply giving the engine away, Vintage Iron is looking for a young person who has a genuine interest in rural heritage and wants to become involved in its preservation.
Applicants are being asked to submit an essay outlining their interest in protecting, conserving, restoring and promoting the preservation of artifacts and history connected to early rural life in Eastern Ontario. The organization recommends that submissions be at least two pages in length.
The winning applicant will be selected by the Vintage Iron Executive, with arrangements then made to present the Brantford Cub engine to the successful young person. Once awarded, the engine will belong to the recipient, giving them the opportunity – and responsibility – of completing the restoration.
The project is intended to go well beyond restoring an old engine in a workshop.
The successful applicant will be expected to restore the engine and get it running, become a member of Vintage Iron and then share the completed project with the public. The organization asks that the engine be displayed and operational at fairs, including at least the recipient’s own local fall fair and, if possible, at several other fairs. The restored engine is also expected to be displayed at the Ottawa Farm Show.
It is an opportunity that combines hands-on mechanical experience with an appreciation for the role early machinery played in rural communities.
For many people attending local fairs, the antique machinery section offers more than a collection of old tractors and engines. These displays provide a connection to earlier generations and an opportunity to see the equipment that helped build farms, businesses and communities across Eastern Ontario.
Getting young people involved is an important part of ensuring that knowledge does not disappear as generations change. A restoration project can teach patience, problem-solving and mechanical skills while also encouraging youth to ask questions about where a machine came from, what it was used for and how rural technology has evolved.
There is also special meaning behind the name of this year’s program.
The initiative is being promoted as the Vintage Iron 2026 Minogue Youth Initiative in memory of past Vintage Iron member John Minogue, who passed away in February 2026. Last year’s engine for the youth program had been purchased from Minogue. Vintage Iron decided to continue using his name in the initiative as a way of honouring his memory.
The initiative reflects the broader purpose of Vintage Iron and Traditions of Eastern Ontario, which is dedicated to sharing and preserving the region’s rural technological heritage. By putting an actual piece of that history into the hands of a young person, the program provides an opportunity to learn by doing rather than simply viewing history from a distance.
Vintage Iron members are being encouraged to spread the word to families and young people who may be interested in taking on the challenge.
Applicants between 12 and 24 years of age can submit their essay by email to membership.viteo@gmail.com. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 15, 2026.
Those interested in learning more about Vintage Iron are also encouraged to visit members in the antique divisions at local fairs and talk with them about the organization, its displays and opportunities to become involved. New members are always welcome.
For one young person, that first conversation – or that first essay – could lead to the restoration of a Brantford Cub engine. More importantly, it could spark a lifelong interest in preserving the machines, stories and rural traditions that helped shape Eastern Ontario.
