Grandpa’s 1951 Ford 8N
This 1951 Ford 8N was purchased new by my Grandpa Bob. He lived on a small 5-acre farm in Warren Township, New Jersey, the remnants of a much larger Tunison farm dating back to the late 1700s. He had a small orchard and garden plot where he produced apples, cherries, melons, and more. Under a shade tree, there was a small roadside stand with fresh produce in their driveway. People far and wide would stop in and pick up fresh local apples and other produce. The Tractor was used daily to support this mission.
Whether it was pulling the sprayer for the apple trees, cutting the field, or turning the soil with the single bottom plow. From hayrides when we were young to our first taste of seat time behind the wheel of this old girl, my brother and I grew up around this Tractor. We learned a lot from our Dad and Grandpa Bob about how to keep a Tractor running strong for 70+ years. I fell in love with the Tractor the first time I saw it and every chance we got to go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house was a little more exciting knowing we could go for a Tractor ride.
When Grandpa Bob passed away in 2015, my Grandma (now 95 years young) told me the Tractor would be handed down to me. This was a very special moment in my life where I accepted the responsibility of keeping the Tractor running strong for another 70+ years in hopes of handing it down to the next generation. In 2019 my Dad and I took the trip to New Jersey and picked up the Tractor from my Grandma’s house where it had spent its entire life. We brought it to my home in Virginia where it currently resides. The image you see here is of the Tractor in its new habitat with a gorgeous view of the York River. To say this Tractor is special would be an understatement. With his first name as my middle name, Grandpa Bob has always been near to my heart, and having his Tractor keeps him close even after his passing. I know my Grandma is tickled to know that the Tractor is in good hands, and Grandpa Bob is smiling down as well.”
Kody Tunison
Hayes, Virginia
Tractor Photo Contest Winner
