Nebraska Farmer is asking readers across the state and region to dig out photos of older harvest equipment for publication this fall. The magazine plans a print feature and an online gallery showcasing combines and corn pickers made before 1986, whether still working in the field or retired to a grove.
What residents need to know
The request is aimed at preserving and celebrating the machinery that has sustained farms through generations. Editors ask contributors to send digital images only — smartphone photos are acceptable — and to avoid submitting images of newer machines. Photographs will be considered for both the magazine’s pages and its online harvest-season gallery.
"We are dedicating some space in future print magazine issues to these old combines and pickers, and we will run a photo gallery of the best photos from our readers online this fall during harvest season."
One image contributor mentioned remembering the relief of harvest time when grain in the bin meant feed for livestock and money to cover bills. That memory underscores why older combines remain evocative to many farm families.
Submission guidelines
To help potential contributors, here are the key rules the magazine outlined:
- Only machines manufactured before 1986 will be considered.
- Acceptable subjects include equipment still operating or permanently parked.
- Digital files only; if you have a print photo, photograph it with your smartphone.
- Do not edit photos; high resolution is preferred.
- Horizontal images are preferred.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model year | Pre-1986 only |
| File type | Digital photos; smartphone shots acceptable |
| File size | Ideal: 1 MB or larger; minimum: 300 KB |
| Orientation | Horizontal preferred |
Editors asked contributors not to alter or downsize images, because reduced resolution can limit the magazine’s ability to print and display photographs well. They also emphasized that parked machines — including those left in groves for posterity — are welcome alongside equipment still in operation.
Farm families who have black-and-white prints or older photos of grandparents or parents running a combine can still participate by photographing the print with a smartphone and submitting the resulting digital file.
The magazine did not publish a hard deadline for submissions in its call, but referenced an online gallery to run during the coming harvest season, suggesting contributors should prepare images soon. Nebraska farms and communities with vintage equipment often preserve that machinery for historical or sentimental reasons; this request offers a chance to have those photos seen by a statewide audience.
News Block will update readers if Nebraska Farmer posts submission details such as an email address or upload portal.
