Don Grentzinger surveys his collection of cream separators. He has about 90 separators on display from about 25 different makers made sometime from early 1900 to 1950. Don and Bonnie Grentzinger will be hosting the 17th Annual Cream Separators and Dairy Collectors Convention (associated with the North American Dairy Foundation) on June 21 and 22. This is the first time the convention will be held in New York state. Their farm on Sweden Walker Road houses a veritable museum of farm tools and collectibles. Photograph by Walter Horylev.

Bonnie holds an Ohio Art tin sprinkler, one of about 100 in her personal collection. Photograph by Walter Horylev.

Have a seat - Mounted on the ceiling of one of the barns is this collection of cast iron seats from horse drawn farm implements. Photograph by Walter Horylev.

Don Grentzinger points out an early 1900's apple peeler, it's sitting amongst a collection of bean slicers, pea shuckers and a grinder. Photograph by Walter Horylev.

Don Grentzinger's always been a saver. He's got the poster that advertised the dispersal of his family's dairy farm equipment in 1968. He's got cream separators and butter churns. He's got hundreds of old cast iron seats from tractors. Hundreds? Yes, hundreds, a good many of them displayed on the ceiling of his workshop.

"I just like to keep this stuff around," Don said, chuckling at himself. "It gets more important to me as time goes by."

Don's not alone in this passion. In fact, there's an international, 300-member club of Cream Separators and Dairy Collectors. On June 21 and 22, the club will be having their annual convention at the Grentzinger's farm on Sweden Walker Road in Brockport; it's the first time it will be in New York state. The convention will be free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

"It's really a combination of a swap meet and bull session," said Don, who's been working for the past two years to display his extensive collection of dairy memorabilia in the barns on his property.

Collectors from around the country will display, swap, and auction their wares. On Saturday, the public is invited to reminisce over their cream separators, butter churns, butterfat testers, milk coolers, home pasteurizers, cream cans and other dairy farm memorabilia. Of particular interest to some collectors are the gifts that farm wives received from the companies that manufactured cream separators - tins, watch fobs, hat pins, letter openers and the like. A cow will be on hand to deliver fresh milk; the milk will be turned into butter on the premises using the equipment at hand. Come in the afternoon for a piece of fresh bread and homemade butter.

Bonnie Grentzinger maintains a collection of sand pails and sprinkling cans, along with beautiful gardens, all of which will be available for the public to enjoy. Don claims not to understand why his wife collects items like sand pails when there are antique pedal tractors and oil cans out there just waiting to be discovered. There's proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

A miniature horse and her foal, which Don said looks like a "shoebox with legs," will delight children. The Western New York Historical Society will have hot dogs and hamburgers for sale throughout the weekend.

On Sunday, the collectors will auction selected items with 10 percent of the proceeds returned to the club. Part of the fun is not knowing what exactly will be auctioned until the auction begins, but if you're interested in taking a chance, be there on June 21 at 11 a.m.

The Grentzinger's farm is on the westside of Sweden Walker Road and is marked by a large DeLaval Cream Separators sign at the drive. Parking will be available on site or across the road in a lot in Northhampton Park. The convention will be 95 percent wheelchair accessible, Don said. A large tent will house many of the collections, so the event is on, rain or shine.

"Getting these items out for people to see has been an important goal of mine," Don said. "We really hope that the public feels free to come and enjoy this part of our history."