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May Featured Photo

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Massey

My name Is Cole and I am 19 years old and I love old tractors! I live in West Bridgewater Massachusetts with my family on a small homestead. When I was probably 10 years old I used to mow our yard with a 1973 Massey Ferguson MF14 garden tractor. It began to have some problems so it was set aside and we got a more reliable mower. It sat for many years and I always wanted to get it going again. In the summer of 2020 my dad and I pulled it out and got it started. I was happy to have it running, but I wanted to restore it it’s former glory. I began the long process of restoring it, and after a year I had completed it. It was very frustrating at times but in the end I learned an immense amount and decided that I was ready to take on another project. 

One day my mom sent me a listing of a Massey Ferguson 50 tractor that was not running and in need of some love. I had not considered a tractor of this size for my project tractor; I planned on another garden tractor. This tractor was more involved than a garden tractor, but after some thinking I was sold. 

On the Fourth of July 2021, my family and I went to New Hampshire to get the tractor. It was not running and had a loader on it so it was some work to load it, but we got it on the the trailer to bring it to it’s new home. Within a week my dad and I had it running. I started working through some general maintenance like changing its fluids and a few other things. The tractor is extremely reliable, it can sit for a month and yet still start right away. She is always ready to work. I want to restore it, but for right now, she has some work to do as well as celebrate the Fourth of July!

Cole Milbery
West Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Photo by Owen Milbery

April Featured Photo

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My brother and I are twins and have farmed together all our lives, being 3rd generation on the same farm. We farm tomatoes, corn, alfalfa, almonds, wheat, and cotton.

We both collect and restore antique tractors. I collect John Deere, and Joe collects Case tractors. We both collect mainly Hi-Crop tractors. The orchard tractors shown have both been restored by Joe and me and are part of our own collections. There are not a lot of tractor shows in California but when there’s one we love to attend.

Thanks to Steiner Tractor Parts we have restored and keep our tractors running in tiptop shape!

Augie Scoto
Atwater, California
Tractor Photo Contest Winner

Featured Tractor Photo

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1953 Case VAC

Gerald Greaves bought this 1953 Case VAC tractor from his brother in 1954. He drove it with a mower about 30 miles to his farm. His daughter, Elizabeth Larrabee (seated in photo) mowed and raked hay with it (though it was not her favorite tractor!). Gerald’s son sold the tractor in the 1980s and we lost track of it (much to Gerald’s dismay).

In the early 2000s, Jason Larrabee, son of Elizabeth and grandson of Gerald, was driving along the road about 30 miles from home and saw what he knew was his Grandfather’s Case on the side of the road! It was rough, had obviously been rolled over at some point, and was in bad shape. He called but found it had already been purchased by a 15-year-old boy who wanted it as a project tractor.

A couple of years later, a lucky break came when we discovered who owned the tractor and, indeed, he wanted to sell it! Jason bought it and, with MANY Steiner Tractor parts, has it in great condition.

Our 15-year-old son, Alec, has been running it in parades all summer and loves it!

Marcy Larrabee
Danville, Vermont
Tractor Photo Contest Winner

Featured Tractor Photo – Plowing out my “Deere” Neighbors

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Plowing out my “Deere” Neighbors

1972 John Deere 4020

Growing up on a dairy farm, a “snow day” meant getting on the tractor with a blade and clearing the ½ mile driveway. No matter the weather, milk was picked up daily. My family owned and operated Martin’s Dairy in Dresden, Ohio until the late 1990s.

I was fortunate to purchase our original 1966 John Deere 4020 tractor and bring it back to the farm. Unfortunately, a barn fire destroyed it and several other collectibles in 2014. Purchasing a 1972 John Deere 4020 brings back early family farm memories as I continue to plow out my “Deere” neighbors.

Don Martin
Dresden, Ohio
Tractor Photo Contest Winner

Featured Photo – 1939 John Deere A

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David & Mata’s photo was also chosen as the 2023 Steiner Tractor Parts catalog cover.

 The 1939 Model A, John Deere pictured, is the oldest tractor among the six owned and operated by a comparatively small (100 acres) but robust (6th generation) rural East Tennessee farm.  Day-to-day operations and service records reveal a historical legacy of dependability, loyalty, and reliability on the rural Appalachian farm where it is used. This record of integrity is in stark contrast to that found when using more plastic, disposable, and temperamental machinery deemed “modern”. This comparison is often seen when using public rental pieces and recalling instances where the “older” was required to assist the “newer”- just to get the job finished. 

  According to John Deere (February 7, 1804 – May 17, 1886), an American blacksmith and manufacturer who founded Deere & Company, farm life is deceptively hard, and dependable machines are a necessity.  “I never put on the market a poorly-made implement….Whoever said that country life was simple, never lived on a farm.”, This underlying attitude may best describe why a 1939 simple green giant is one still used today in 2023 and why operators David Banks (shown here) and sons, Byron and William. are appreciative of the brand. 

  Purchased proudly in 2010 as a first trek into farm auctions by a then coming-of-age farm owner William Banks,  the 1939 John Deere was selected as a novice’s pronounced restoration project and as an estate replacement piece for another John Deere, “A”   used actively in farming by his great – grandfather from 1950 – 1998. The former John Deere was also used to teach my older brother, Byron, to operate at two years of age.   Happily, according to this author and photographer, the “new”  1939 John Deere, Model A, replacement shows no sign of slowing down in it’s duty to dependability, thanks in no small part to maintenance made available by Steiner Tractor Parts and the pride in ownership by the “Banks” Boys when proudly seeking their American Dream.

David Banks of New Tazewell, Tennessee
Photo by Mata Banks

Featured Photo – Ferguson 40

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Here is my 1956 Ferguson 40.  It was the 503rd Ferguson 40 tractor to roll off the assembly line.  My son and I decorated it for Christmas that year and then came a good snow, and my wife snapped this picture early in the morning.  The other part of the story the house in which we live was built in 1956 as well.

Anthony Holley
Jonesborough, Tennessee
2023 Tractor Photo Contest Winner

Featured Photo – Farmall Super H

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Farmall Super H

This Farmall Super H has been an invaluable part of our farm. Its versatility to be utilized in all aspects of farm life has made it our go to tractor for everyday tasks…not to mention it looks good doing it! Although putting up hay is our main use for it, we enjoy entering it in tractor pull competitions as it has proven to be a workhorse in its stock condition. In memory of the previous owner, Bobby Rowland, who enjoyed it as much as we do now. He sadly passed away in 2016.

Justin Rowland
Tazewell, Tennessee
Tractor Photo Contest Winner

Our featured tractor stories are selected thruout the year from the winners of our annual tractor photo contest. Our contest runs from April thru July, for exact dates and details go to our contest site at SteinerTractor.com/photo-contest

We also share tractor stories and photos by tractor enthusiasts just like you. If you would like to submit your tractor story visit AntiqueTractorBlog.com/tractor-story-submission

Check out more featured tractor photos and tractor stories

Featured Tractor – John Deere 2030

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The John Deere 2030 tractor belonged to our neighbor Morris Boles. Our neighbor was a hard-working farmer his whole life and this was the tractor I would always see him baling hay with. Many days as a child I would watch him from our picture window working his farm with this tractor and his faithful dog Bruno following behind him.

After his passing, I purchased the tractor at auction. I did this for two reasons, it’s a great tractor, and someday I hope to be able to farm his fields with his old tractor. I cannot think of a better way to pay tribute to our old friend, we were truly blessed to have him as our neighbor.

Jonathan Garn
Lisbon, Ohio
Tractor Photo Contest Winner

Allis Chalmers WD and Things Dear to Me

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This picture means a lot to me because it includes several things that are dear to me.

The Allis Chalmers WD is a reminder of my Dad who received this tractor brand new on April 16, 1953, according to the weathered and grease-stained owner’s manual in my possession.

Our new pup, Cindy, a golden retriever with whom I plan to spend some of my golden years.

A big, steep hill, that my Mom had dubbed Old Smokey when she first saw it in 1955 or so, part of the farm on which my Dad toiled to make a living for his family, a hill that has been in the center of my family’s farm for 150 years, now seeded to native prairie and returned to nature as my mother had always wished but never came to see.

A clutch of evergreen trees that my wife and I had planted on the side of that hill when we moved to the farm some 35 years later.

The pasture where I first drove the Allis while my Dad walked the fence in Spring preparing a place for the heifers to call home that summer.  Dad pointed the tractor parallel to the fence, put the gear-shift lever in first, set the throttle at a low idle, and snapped the hand clutch into gear.  He walked the fence cutting last year’s weeds from the rusty but otherwise, smooth wire, replaced a few insulators, and tightened that wire as I white-knuckled the steering wheel in my 6-year-old hands.  Allis crawled forward along the fence with the fencing trailer, the cut-off box of an otherwise discarded pickup, in tow.  Suddenly, Allis and I lurched forward and lunged down a short but steep slope just to the left of and outside the frame of this picture.  Allis had popped out of gear and we were now free-wheeling down the slope!  I hung on to the steering wheel for dear precious young life not knowing how to apply the brakes and being at least a foot too short to reach them.  After an interminable run, I suddenly pitched forward toward the steering wheel.  Both front tires had plunged into the dead furrow at the bottom of that slope and the tractor and I came to a sudden rest…almost!  For there was just enough forward momentum to push the wheels up out of that trench setting the tractor careening forward again.  Allis and I briefly resumed our wild flight until the back tires settled gently in the same dead furrow and we truly did stop.  The entire harrowing ordeal had lasted less than twenty seconds and covered less than a hundred feet.  I imagine our speed topped out at about 6 miles per hour.  It was the wildest, most death-defying ride of my life!

Curtis Olson
Webster, Minnesota
Tractor Photo Contest Winner

Featured Tractor – 1978 Allis Chalmers 185

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I have always been fond of Allis-Chalmers tractors, my father and grandparents on both sides of my family farmed row crops, hay, tobacco, and cattle and ran Allis-Chalmers tractors. Tractors small in size like the CA used for plowing tobacco, all the way up to the 7045 used to work ground and pull the drill.

I have always wanted an Allis of my own and happened to find this 1978 model 185 sitting in a barn, not being used. I knew it would be a good addition to my cow/calf operation, and after a few years of talks with the owner, I was happy to be able to purchase it. The 185 is a well-suited tractor used for all hay production work, grinding feed, pulling fertilizer buggies, moving feeders, and sitting out hay bales in the winter.  It is well made and useful size tractor for my operation.

Brandon Chandler
Dixon, Kentucky
Tractor Photo Contest Winner

July Featured Photo

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John Deere tractors

“Our family always has a tractor day in October. Three generations of our family come together to share their love of old John Deere tractors and the great outdoors. We have fun driving the John Deere’s around the countryside and enjoy listening to the mechanical music of the old two-cylinder engines and appreciating the beautiful Fall colors of the trees. Of course, it would not be October without fresh sugar-cinnamon donuts and Apple Cider after the ride. The stars of the event are a 1953 John Deere 50 and a 1959 John Deere 530.”

Gary Field of Gaines, Michigan
2022 Tractor Photo Contest Winner

June Featured Photo

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Grandpa’s Red Fever Tractor Collection


Front Row – Right to Left – Farmall Super AV High Crop, Farmall H, Farmall Super H, Farmall Super HTA, Farmall M, Farmall MTA, Farmall 300.  
Back Row – Right to Left – Farmall 350 Diesel, Farmall 450 Diesel, Farmall 460 Diesel, Farmall 504, 544 International Harvester, International Harvester 656 Hydro.  

My father-in-law, Dennis White, retired in 2013.  He decided he needed a hobby and took an interest in locating tractors to restore.  To date, he has fully restored 13 tractors and is currently working on his 14th. 

Dennis retired from being a mechanic at a tractor implement dealership where he worked on farmers’ tractors every day.  So, it only makes sense that his love for tractors did not stop at retirement.  He continues to add additional tractors to his collection as he comes across tractors that need to be restored.  As a family, we enjoy sharing these tractors with others by riding in numerous tractor rides, parades, and sometimes just a stroll around our town on a nice day.

Dena White
Osceola, Iowa
2022 Tractor Photo Contest Winner

May Featured Photo

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This is my grandfather’s 1947 Case VAC. My grandfather retired in the early 2000s from dairy farming. Once retired, he was not very active, and my family knew this would be a problem. As a solution, my family purchased this tractor and presented it to him for Father’s Day. The plan was to help him restore the tractor, and he could then take it to the local fairs to show and pull it in the antique tractor pulls.

He pulled this tractor for many years and won many trophies with it. It helped him get out of the house and stay active, especially during the Summer months. Unfortunately, he is no longer able to use the tractor due to his age and health, so I have taken the tractor under my wing and started pulling it and having fun with it as he did for many years.

Brad Turner
Wattsburg, Pennsylvania
2022 Tractor Photo Contest Winner

April Featured Photo

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A strength to draw inspiration from, like the East Tennessee Smokey Mountains, this 1939 Model A John Deere joins primary “Seasoned” caretakers, David Banks and Golden Retriever sidekick, Whiskey, when taking care of a 6th generation family farm.

Although the Model A was not in the best of shape when first making an entrance to the farm, after much-needed care and repair, it now works beautifully when answering the call of an active farm life. 

Mata Banks
New Tazewell, Tennessee
2022 Tractor Photo Contest Winner

Red Fever Collection

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3 Generations – The start to our son’s own Red Fever Tractor Collection

Above are three tractors that were fully restored by our son, Cole White.  When he joined 4-H, he had a dream of restoring tractors — just like his grandpa.  At the early age of 11 and his first year in 4-H, he began with the 544 International Harvester Tractor (pictured on the right).  This tractor needed a little bit of mechanical work and needed to be completely repainted.  Taking what he learned from his first project, he began his second restoration of an 826 International Harvester Tractor (pictured on the left) and his favorite to drive.  He was more confident and knowledgeable on what needed repair by the hands-on experience he had with his first project.   After success with his first two projects, a 4-H judge suggested he challenge himself a little more for his next project.  He did just that!  He found a Farmall 504 tractor (pictured in the middle) that had been in a field for many years with weeds growing up around it. It did not run and needed a full body repair.  He worked very hard at getting this tractor’s motor to run and had lots of bodywork to do for his completed project.  

Each of the tractors he has restored for 4-H projects has been stripped to the bare bones, sanded, all hydraulics and mechanical functions repaired and each of them was completely repainted by him to become fully functioning show-ready tractors.  Cole put a lot of sweat and long hours into the restoration of these tractors with each of them having its own unique challenges.

The tractors are very special to Cole and to the White Family.  Cole is very appreciative of the guidance he received from his father, Mike White, and his grandfather, Dennis White, who is pictured with him.  Our family enjoys sharing these tractors with others by participating in numerous tractor rides, parades, and sometimes just a casual ride around town on a nice day.

Dena White
Osceola, Iowa
2022 Tractor Photo Contest Winner

January Featured Photo

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1958 Oliver 880 sitting out waiting to run a generator if needed.

Photo by William Jay, of Seymour, Illinois
2022 Tractor Photo Contest Winner

December Featured Photo

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Ford Tractor in Barn

Eric Parker on Great-Grandpa Parker’s 1954 Ford NAA.

Erica Parker
Battle Creek, Michigan
2022 Tractor Photo Contest Winner

Erica’s photo was used for our 2022 Steiner Tractor Parts catalog cover.
  • The winner’s name was incorrectly listed as Erica Walker in our 2022 catalog. The winner is Erica Parker as listed above. We apologize for the mistake.

October Featured Photo

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My grandfather bought this tractor new in 1956 at the dealership, west side implement in Wood Lake, Minnesota.

My father grew up doing custom hay baling with this tractor. When the farm was sold I was able to keep the tractor, and in my senior year of high school, my father and I restored it together.

This picture has the fourth generation of family ownership pictured.

Tyler Dotseth
Jordan, Minnesota
2022 Tractor Photo Contest Winner

September Featured Photo

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September’s featured photo was submitted by Oscar Ginz of Guiliford, Connecticut.

“This is our 1948 CO-OP E3 that is within a few serial numbers, and identical to the one, that mechanized maternal grandfathers family farm in May of 1948. It took 7 years to find one that fit the bill and almost 2 years to restore it. The tractor underwent a complete nut and bolt restoration from 2017 to 2019, in honor of the late Gerald M. Sales of Clarissa / St Cloud, Minnesota, bringing in a new era of farming. One of the finest examples of an early E3.”

-Oscar Ginz

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