COBDEN — Jim Huckabone started in the business world 65 years ago — not selling farm equipment like the current family business has done for many years, but in the automobile business.
That business was in the same location the current business is in — on Hwy. 17, about three kilometres east of Cobden. It’s also a century-old farm, with about 130 years of history.
He did that until 1967. That year, Mr. Huckabone determined his life was worth more than his business. Explaining, he said he was farming, running the business and would drive to Toronto to pick up vehicles.
“I was falling asleep on the way home,” he recalled.
That year he built a new barn and began selling Ford Motor tractors and machinery.
In 1986, he lost that agency but was able to take over the Kubota agency from the Dittburner family in Foresters Falls.
By this time, his son Gordon and wife Lorraine had joined the business, and now their son Chris is a part of the business, along with Dennis Murphy, who lives in Alice Township.
Mr. Huckabone said he is now out of the business, but with it located where he lives, he’s never too far away.
He enjoys chatting it up with the customers — if they aren’t in too much of a hurry.
Mr. Huckabone said there are two other Cobden businesses older than his, but he is the only founding member out of the three still alive.
To celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Huckabone family business, a barbecue was held Saturday. Involving the community in the event, members of the Cobden and District Civitan Club ran the barbecue.
There were also several draws throughout the day and Kubota OnTour was also at the business.
The Kubota On Tour (KOT), is a special events unit. It is a custom-built highway tractor-trailer designed to support special events of all kinds and to allow the public to learn about the Kubota brand in a fun and interactive way.
Keith Davenport and wife Angie travel Canada with this unit.
From the moment you entered the driveway last Saturday, there was no shortage of home and farm equipment to be seen and tried.
While youngsters were running from machine to machine, because they wanted to try them out, the adults were checking out the various machines, to see which one they might like to buy.
But, it was business as usual, because parts had to be sold and questions answered.
