08/04/2026
🥔 Tator Tales: A Morsel of History
Some stories deserve to be told again and again.
Few photos capture the spirit of the original Tator Hut quite like these. Jim Massy was incredibly proud of what he created—and with good reason.
When the Northwestern FFA Tator Hut was first imagined, it was the students who had the vision. During the inaugural year, they borrowed a potato cooker. It wasn’t long before Jim Massy, owner of Weldcraft Products and grandfather of Northwestern FFA alum Meredith Massy(Ford) (Class of 1997) and Melissa Massy (Anderson), stepped in to help turn that vision into something lasting.
Using his talent, ingenuity, and countless hours of sweat equity, Jim designed, fabricated, and donated the original Tator Hut cooker.
It wasn’t just a cooker—it was a masterpiece of practical engineering.
🥔 Built on its own towable trailer
🔥 Equipped with propane tanks
🔄 Featured a custom rotating tray so fresh tators were always ready to serve
💧 Included a water wagon to help support fair operations
To the best of available knowledge, this original cooker faithfully served the Tator Hut until it was eventually replaced by the ovens used today.
The first photo shows Jim Massy with his granddaughter, Meredith. The second captures him relaxing inside the very cooker he designed and built—a glimpse of both his sense of humor and the pride he took in his craftsmanship.
Nearly three decades later, thousands upon thousands of baked potatoes have helped send FFA members to leadership conferences, fund scholarships, and support agricultural education.
Every Tator has a story.
And this is where one of the best stories began. 💙💛🥔
