A group of people with an interest in antique machinery gathered Saturday in a field just east of Brownstown to swap parts, tools, engines and other items.

But those people also had the chance to do a little story swapping during the third annual Jackson County Antique Machinery Association Inc. Fall Swap Meet. The event also serves as a way to learn a little about the history of Jackson County and antique machinery and offers something else.

“It gives people a chance to socialize,” said Kim Hall of Columbus. “Everybody wants something.”

Visitors to the event, in what serves as a parking lot for the Jackson County Fairgrounds, could find a little bit of everything from machinery parts, antiques, tools, engines and more, all while having a chance to sell off some of their own unneeded or unwanted parts and equipment.

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Cooney Barger, the association’s president, was happy with the turnout on what was a picture perfect fall day.

“It’s gotten larger and larger every time we’ve held it,” he said. “It gives us something to do to get out of the house, and we get to talk with each other swap parts and stories.”

The swap meet brought in sellers and buyers from Jackson County and other nearby southern Indiana counties and even some from northern Kentucky.

“It’s the biggest swap meet for a good distance,” Barger said.

He said the event was originally conducted in another location but as it has grown, a larger location was needed, and the field just east of the Jackson County Jail filled that need.

For $10, a person could park their truck and begin swapping items with others from the back of it. They also were allowed to set up a table and sell flea-market style.

Hall said she started attending the event a year or two ago with her father, Joe Warner.

Warner collects antiques and odds and ends throughout the year then takes them to swap meet with the help of his daughter.

“It’s just something to do for fun,” she said.

Hall said the greatest thing about the event is the chance to socialize with different people, many of whom have a long tradition of farming and experience in machines that may not even be in use anymore.

Barger said that’s one of the unstated purposes of the event, giving people with shared interest a chance to meet and exchange ideas.

The Jackson County Antique Machinery Association was founded in 2010 with the purpose of promoting the history of antique machinery and preserving it as well.

Besides the fall swap meet, the association holds an antique machinery show each spring. The 2017 show — the eighth — will be held May 11 to 13 at the nearby Jackson County Fairgrounds.

The show is much larger than the swap meet and includes vintage equipment and working gas engines displays, a tractor drive and games, a pedal tractor pull, barrel train rides, live music and food for those.

The antique machinery show also features blacksmithing and wood working demonstrations, an open cruise-in and more.

“We usually like to have events at the fairgrounds and the guys over there have been really good with working with us,” Barger said. “Today they’re tied up with race track preparation so we’re here.”

For information on the association or the show in May, call 812-523-3246 or 812-523-3594.