“GOING GREEN”

Richard Anderson reports, “I started my collection in the mid 80’s, with the purchase of the John Deere 830 at a farm sale near Mina Lake, South Dakota. I was raised driving 2-Cylinder John Deere tractors and used them up to the last year the 2-cylinders were built. As a kid many hours were spent sitting on my dad’s tractor as he did his fieldwork.

I took over the farm in 1962 when all the tractors were John Deere 2-Cylinder, which included MT, 70 gas, 70 Diesel, and a 830. I continued to use them until the spring of 1969 at which time I traded the John Deere 830 for a John Deere 4520. After that the 2-Cylincers were traded for the new tractors except for the John Deere MT which I still have.

I had a lot of interesting experiences finding and retrieving the tractors I purchased. One of the farthest trips was to Nashville, Tennesee to pick up the John Deere 330, the last of the John Deere 30 series that I needed.

My collection includes 35 2-Cylinder tractors ranging from the John Deere Model L to the John Deere 830. Following the 2-Cylinder series, I own the New Generation series which consists of the 1010 through the 5010. Also included is the Rumley 6, an International Cub and an International H, which was owned by my uncle. The most fun I have is getting a group of fellows together for a plowing bee sometimes having as many as 12 tractors plowing at a time.

The 3 day annual James Valley Threshing and 2-Cylinder Show in Andover, South Dakota is a time for our 2-cylinder club to participate in the parade. It is enjoyable for me to do some plowing with some of my 2-cylinder tractors. At this event many collectors are welcomed to display the many different models of antique tractors and machinery.” (exerpt from story by Richard Anderson)