I covered a nice farm retirement auction for Richard Bissantz in southwest Ohio on April 13, 2013.

Lots of big equipment on this auction, like a 2007 John Deere 9220 4WD tractor with only 683 hours ($167,000), a 2007 John Deere 8130 tractor with 375 hours ($143,000), and a 2008 John Deere 9670 STS combine with 411 engine hours ($183,000).

But Richard’s favorite piece of equipment on his farm, the one he hated to see go the most? His 2004 John Deere Gator T520. It was a diesel, 4WD, with cab & front hitch. Oh yeah, it only had 47 hours on it.

Wow.

Richard was a joy to visit with. I got out to his farm the day before the auction and we had time to visit about his farm and his equipment. Richard was having the retirement auction due to some issues with his leg. Single his whole life, and very independent, Richard actually had a hitch put on the back of his JD 9670 STS combine to haul his 520 T Gator out the field with him…so when he was done he could just ride his trusty Gator back to the farm house.

Richard’s “One Way” Gator.

As I said, it had only 47 hours on it. Auctioneers Brad & Glenn Hess with Hess Auction Co. told the sale crowd how much much Richard loved his John Deere Gator. They even playfully referred to it as Richard’s wife.

So how did it sell? Extremely well. It went for $11,700 and was purchased by Richards neighbors who knew how very well he cared for it. Here’s a YouTube video of this 2004 John Deere  Gator T520 with 47 hours selling on Richard Bissantz’s April 13, 2013 farm retirement auction in southwest Ohio (Hamersville, OH):

About Machinery Pete: Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson has been working in the agricultural industry for 21 years and details agricultural equipment prices and trends at his website, Machinerypete.com. Greg also writes columns for Successful Farming magazine, Implement & Tractor magazine, Agriculture.com web site and also appears on the Machinery Show on RFD-TV.

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The following is a history of the John Deere Golf Classic Tournament.

Tournament Beginnings

The John Deere Golf Classic began as the Quad Cities Open (QCO), an event sanctioned by the Chicago District Golf Association at the Crow Valley Country Club in Davenport, Iowa. Local tournament godfather Whitey Barnard and Bob Fry, former Davenport, Iowa municipal head professional, put the wheels in motion for what would become the 1971 Quad Cities Open.

Joe Dey, the PGA Tour Commissioner at the time, wanted the tournament to succeed, and Deane Beman (who later succeeded Dey as Commissioner) became the first champion. Dey and the Tour Committee liked what they saw so much in 1971 that, the following year, the Quad Cities Open became a full-fledged PGA sanctioned event, and the tournament was born.

Deane Beman was the event’s first Champion and eventual PGA Commissioner

Quad Cities Open Nearly Disappears

Beman took over as PGA Commissioner in 1973, and held the QCO closely to his heart. However, in 1974, the event began play the same week as the heralded British Open, leading to a below-average field participating. With the tour demanding a larger purse for the event and subsequently requiring increased sponsor sales, a press-conference was scheduled in 1975 to officially pull the plug on the tournament. However, just moments before the press conference was scheduled to begin, the Quint-Cities Council of Jaycees, a group of local tournament supporters, stepped in and set the tournament on an entirely new path.

Oakwood Country Club Era

The Jaycees moved the tournament to Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley, Ill. in 1975, at which point, Ed McMahon, emcee of  Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, became the tournament host. Beman allowed the tournament to be played with a one-time $75,000 purse, which kept it afloat. Up until 1979, the tournament included stars such as Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Mickey Rooney, and Telly Savalas, thanks to its Pro-Am.

Ed McMahon with Bob Hope at the 1998 Quad Cities Open

In 1980, McMahon’s tenure ended, the stars faded, and the event again found itself in a precarious situation. In fact, in 1984, the tournament faced a do-or-die situation to the tune of a $140,000 debt. However, the community came through once again, raising $149,000 to save the event.

In 1984, the Tour insisted the tournament raise its purse from $200,000 to $300,000, and once again the tournament board appealed to various local cities and communities for tax donations to save a civic asset.

The Hardee’s Classic

The first sponsors of the Quad-Cities Open were three men from Kewanee, Ill, who owned nine Quad-Cities area Hardee’s franchises; these ties led to the Hardee’s Golf Classic’s birth in 1986, a title held through 1994. The 1980 tournament featured a $700,000 purse, and was broadcast on Ted Turner’s WTBS cable station.

Despite some of the best fields in tournament history from 1990–1994, the Hardee’s sponsorship came to an end in 1994 and the search for new sponsorship began once again. The tournament was granted a five-year window to find a title sponsor in agreement with taking a backseat to the bi-annual President’s Cup event.

In 1996, 20-year-old Tiger Woods made a splash at the Quad-City Classic, nearly winning the event and creating considerable buzz around the tournament.

The John Deere Era

In 1997, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem and Deere chairman and CEO Hans Becherer announced plans to build the Tournament Players Club Deere Run on the Friendship Farms property owned since 1928 by the ancestors of company-founder John Deere. One of the key elements in the deal included Deere becoming the official golf course equipment supplier of the TPC network of courses as well as the title sponsor of the John Deere Classic.

TPC Deere Run became the site of the John Deere Golf Classic in 2000, and Deere has since extended its sponsorship through 2016, making it one of the longest agreements on Tour. In 2006, the event received network exposure for the first time, bringing the event to new heights.

Since Deere has become the title sponsor, the event has featured two impressive records. Paul Goydos shot a tournament single-round record score of 59 in 2010, the same year Steve Stricker set an overall tournament low record score of 258 in four rounds. The score marked the second victory of Stricker’s remarkable three-consecutive finishes atop the leaderboard, which ended in 2012 when Zach Johnson became the new champion.

Steve Stricker held the JD Classic trophy  for three straight years

Each year the winner of the John Deere Classic receives a unique trophy created specifically for the tournament by renowned sculptor and jewelry designer Malcolm DeMille. The trophy is a custom-made fine art sculpture cast and finished in bronze that depicts a deer bounding across a fairway in front of an elevated green bordered by a stream. The leaping deer has been a part of the company’s logo for more than 170 years, and the golf course setting refers to the company’s major presence in the golf and turf equipment market.

The John Deere Golf Classic has experienced some hardships throughout its 40+ year history, but has since emerged as a highly-successful PGA Tour event and a staple to the Tour’s schedule a week before the British Open, offering a British Open exemption to the Champion.

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Entirely in our classic green, this John Deere onesie ranges in sizes from newborn to 24 months.

And don’t forget about John Deere for girls!

John Deere baby gifts aren’t all green either! Here we have some earth toned JD gear if a construction themed outfit suits your baby.

Feeding time can get messy. But don’t sweat it; here are two fashionable and functional John Deere bibs.

Teething time can be a painful time, but it doesn’t have to be with this John Deere massaging corn teether.

Eventually all little ones get tired. Luckily, we have a place for them to rest their head: the John Deere down on the farm nap mat!

Don’t forget to keep your little one’s feet cozy and warm in these crib boots.

It’s easy to get caught up in all these different John Deere gifts. Keep everything safe and organized with this green storage box.

This John Deere overnight chair allows kids to sit during the day, and folds down for naptime in the afternoon and night.

John Deere’s collection of fun and functional baby gifts can make even the smallest John Deere enthusiast wear the familiar green with pride. When it comes to the little ones in your life, we hope you’ve been inspired by our photo gallery of unique JD baby gifts!

Photos courtesy of Johndeeregifts.com.

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1) It’s Made for Heavy Duty Use: The HPX was introduced in 2004 and had a much heftier towing capacity than the original Gator. This gator’s meant to carry everything from heavy logs and debris to camping or golf gear, so load up the bed with whatever you need and take off.

2) Smooth Sailing: In actuality, we’re referring to “smooth driving.” Thanks to the HPX’s Smooth Steer Technology, when you’re navigating bumpy terrain, the only thumps you’ll feel are the ones your gator is bounding over.

3) Storage: The John Deere has a cargo box that’s perfect for transporting everything from cinder blocks and bricks to the stumps you pull out of the ground. The cargo box includes a strong durable design—it can be manually tilted upward should you need to unload it or reach the drive system—and it has a  tailgate with a latch for ease of use when unloading materials.

4) Four Wheels Work Together: Part of the reason the gator works so well on tough terrain is due to its “On-Demand” four wheel drive system. If one of the rear wheels begins to slip, the four wheel drive system will sense this and engage both of the front wheels.

5) Heavy-Duty Power: The HPX 4X4 is powered by a 21-hp, 617-cc, twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled, four-cycle gasoline engine. This newer and larger engine is even quieter than ever before.

6) Steady and Stable: As you’re bounding up the side of a mountain, you need not worry about the stability of this vehicle. The HPX 4×4 has a very low center of gravity; pair that with a wide wheel base and you have yourself one steady machine.

7) Stop on a Dime: When you’ve finally climbed to the top of a mountain or hauled all those cinder blocks to your desired location, you can be sure you come to a safe and secure halt. The HPX 4×4 features enhanced all-wheel hydraulic disc braking with dual master cylinder; it also has larger calipers than before for added stopping power.

8) Use It With Ease: John Deere designed the HPX Gator so you could get the most out of the machine by doing the least. With this gator, you have a smooth operation with all the controls at your fingertips. Each control is even color-coded to ensure that there is no confusion about which button you need to press.

9) Resilience: Whether you’re hauling cinder blocks or going muddin’, you can rest assured you’re operating a resilient machine. The HPX’s frame boasts hydroformed steel and has fewer welded or bolted joints; its design gives it a high tolerance and maximum durability.

10) Safety in Numbers: By “safety in numbers,” we mean this machine is packed full of safety precautions. A ROPS (roll over protection structure) canopy and a three point seat belt are included to keep you safe while you bound over rocky hills and pull up stumps.

11) Versatility: Many attachments are included  in the HPX 4×4; you can use your gator the way it comes, or beef it up with everything from different tires for different terrains to a bedliner that can protect your cargo box. For even more attachment options, take a peek at this brochure.

12) Cruise Around in Style: This gator mixes function with fun! With a bed in the back for loading up all your gear and protective glass in front that curves back into the hood, you can look good and feel safe as you cruise around in style.

13) Capable Yet Comfortable: Two seats in a spacious cab make the HPX a comfy machine. A windshield and ROPS canopy as well as open doorways means you’re able to enjoy the fresh air without getting too much wind in your face.

14) Suspension: It doesn’t matter whether you’re carrying a full load or traveling completely empty. This gator has four-wheel suspension that will cushion you no matter the conditions you find yourself traveling in.

15) Quality: As with any Deere product, quality is ensured to you with the HPX 4×4. Quality to us means perfecting every detail, which includes everything from the materials used to construct this machine (e.g., the steel used for the frame and high density polyethelyne for the bedliner) to the care and assurance that is offered to you after you own the vehicle.

The John Deere Gator HPX 4×4 is a multi-faceted utility vehicle. Whether it’s scaling mountains, hauling large loads, or traversing a golf course, this gator is made to fulfill your safety, comfort, and productivity needs in one compact, durable machine.  When it comes to getting the job done right, the Gator HPX outperforms the competition, every time.

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Invitations: Personalize invites with John Deere yellow and green borders, the “Deere” logo, or your favorite tractor image, and mimic the John Deere font style and colors! Seal your invitations with a John Deere sticker to give your guests a clue about the theme before they even open the envelope.

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Plates, Cups, and Utensils: While you’re waiting for RSVPs, stock up on staple items needed for eating cake and drinking punch. Keep an eye out for paper plates and cups decorated with John Deere tractors, green and yellow forks, and napkins sporting the John Deere logo.

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Decorations: Go crazy with green and yellow balloons, streamers, confetti, and table cloths! Give the table some personality by using John Deere toy tractors as place settings; you could even tie balloons to them. Try using a John Deere wagon or pedal-powered tractor to keep the gifts and party favors in. Cover an old paint or coffee can with some paper featuring the Deere logo to create a vase for holding sunflowers (yellow!) as a center piece.

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Snacks: Before you “wow” your guests with the grand finale  (a John Deere cake, of course!) set out some snacks of green veggies and dip, green and yellow jelly beans, or cocktail hotdogs that can be speared with green and yellow tooth picks. You could even get customized water bottles printed with the birthday boy/girl’s name and John Deere logo on them.

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Cake: Whether you’re a world class baker or can’t even locate your oven knobs, you’ve got to have a John Deere cake at a John Deere birthday party! If you’re going to do-it-yourself, try using fondant frosting to create farm scenery. Make sure you’re doing it in green and yellow to accentuate the John Deere theme and finish it off with a tiny tractor cake topper and green candles.

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Party Favors: Make your John Deere birthday party theme a lasting memory for your guests by sending them out the door with a parting gift. Use yellow and green mini metal buckets to fill with crayons, coloring pages of tractors, John Deere stickers, and pieces of candy.

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Now that you have so many ideas floating around in your head it’s time to starting planning. Did this post spark any of your own John Deere birthday party ideas? We’d love to hear feedback about your own approaches and how your party turned out!

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On August 11, 2012, in Red Wing, MN a farm retirement auction with a line of spiffy used farm equipment was held. But what was everyone in the days leading up to the auction talking about?

The pair of low hour John Deere 2520 diesel tractors.

One was a 1969 model with 3,503 original hours on it. The other was a 1970 model with 5,815 hours. I can’t begin to count the number of folks who picked my brain for what these 2520′s might sell for. “What do you think Pete, how much?”

Most folks at the auction I talked to were thinking $15,000 would be the top bid. Turns out most folks were wrong. Too low. The 1969 model sold first for $20,000, followed by the 1970, with higher hours remember, for $20,500.

Wow.

Here’s a YouTube video I shot of both tractors as they sold on last Saturday’s Red Wing, MN farm auction:

About Machinery Pete: Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson has been working in the agricultural industry for 21 years and details agricultural equipment prices and trends at his website, Machinerypete.com. Greg also writes columns for Successful Farming magazine, Implement & Tractor magazine, Agriculture.com web site and also appears on the Machinery Show on RFD-TV.

Image Courtesy Of: http://eldoradosprings.olx.com/john-deere-2520-tractor-iid-55082188

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As you can see from our picture gallery, tractor pulling has come a long way since the 1860′s. We hope you enjoyed our snapshots of present-day tractor pulls!

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These interactive games encourage a love for John Deere while also engaging kids on an educational level. If your children already enjoy John Deere Lego structures, try introducing them to the online fun of John Deere games.

Spot the Difference: Look closely to compare the two photos and try to spot the differences. For younger kids, there’s the “easy” option which asks them to find three differences between the construction tractors. For older kids, there are five differences to find in a photo of animals on a farm.

Matching Cards: This is a game that tests your child’s memory. In this game the player is asked to match a correct pairs of images. There are three levels of difficulty; the hardest level times how quickly the matches are found and then gives the time to beat.

Meet Forever Farm: The forever farm is a puzzle that asks kids to move the animals into the correct space on the image. Once the animal is in the proper place the game will make an according moo, bark, neigh, or oink. This game has only one difficulty option but it’s great fun for anyone who tries it!

Johnny Tractor’s Apple Orchard: The goal of this game is to catch as many green and red apples in the basket before time runs out, but watch out for falling sticks because they will make you lose points! There are three levels of difficulty; the harder the level, the faster the apples fall and the more sticks there are to avoid.

Whatever sparks the interest of your young John Deere enthusiast, they are sure to have some fun trying out these games. For other activities, try out the interactive tractor videos, story time with the tractor characters, word searches, or coloring pages; you can also print out Deere themed crafts, wind through a maze, or create your own puzzle. There is something for every age on the John Deere games page!

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Let’s start by looking at some old school John Deere desktop wallpapers. We’re 175 years old and our tractors have evolved over time.

How about lighting up the night with some combines?

If you like the John Deere UTV products then this wallpaper is for you. UTVs are great for their capacity and space for loading cargo as well as the added benefit of multiple seats.

Any construction lovers in the house? Check out the solid lifting power of this machine!

Going back to agriculture for a minute, this John Deere wallpaper showcases the John Deere air seeder making its way through a golden field.

If lawn and garden is your thing, then feast your eyes on the John Deere Z465 whenever you boot up your computer.

Harvesting isn’t limited to crops; there is also John Deere forestry to consider. This snowy logging machine could be the perfect backdrop for your laptop!

And moving on to much heavier snow, the John Deere 320D makes an appearance in this wallpaper with its snow throwing power on display.

Vibrant colors are displayed here with the earthy brown dirt, the blue sky, and the John Deere construction yellow.

We hope you’ve enjoyed these John Deere wallpapers and posters. You can download them and set them as your background on your computer, or even print them out and hang them on your wall. From snow removal equipment to forestry, there’s a John Deere wallpaper for everyone.

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