By NANCY VORIS
Indiana Correspondent MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — The Martinsville FFA Chapter is going green this season, but it has nothing to do with the environment or the holidays. The shade is the legendary John Deere green, which members of the chapter are no doubt seeing in their sleep after spending the last few months restoring a 1950 John Deere G tractor.
In a win-win-win situation, Indiana Farm Bureau wanted to auction an antique tractor for charity at their upcoming convention, Martinsville FFA members will have experience in tractor restoration, plus a donation from IFB, and auction proceeds will go to the Indiana FFA Foundation.
The tractor will be auctioned near the end of the closing session of the IFB state convention, which begins at 2 p.m. on Dec. 11 in the Sagamore Ballroom in the Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis. It will be on display in the trade show all day beginning at 8 a.m.
The starting bid will be $5,000.
Members of the Martinsville FFA will be in the trade show that morning to discuss the project.
Don Sheldon, Martinsville FFA advisor, couldn’t be happier for his 30-some member chapter, of which about 10 have worked hands-on every school day since September.
The alliance of the three groups began with another alliance – a wedding. Sheldon and his students restored an Allis-Chalmers WD tractor for a friend’s wedding in Putnam County. Attending were some Farm Bureau contacts, including Convention Chairman Chris Fenner, and the ideas starting rolling.
Add antique tractor advocate Dick Kruse to the mix and the perfect plan is complete. Kruse sold his 1950 John Deere G for the project.
The students donated roughly three to four hours a week after school, on weekends and during class after they’ve finished other projects to restore the tractor. They began their work on the computer, looking up history, serial numbers and parts for the tractor, as well as finishing details and decals.
In researching the tractor’s history, they found that it was appraised at $2,100 when it was new. By today’s costs, that would be $19,000.
Next came disassembly – piece by piece – and a few discoveries. It appeared that the wheels had never been removed from the tractor.
“We pushed and pulled, pushed and pulled for three days,” Sheldon said. “An older gentleman suggested we use transmission fluid.”
The idea eventually worked.
The students also found that the carburetor that came with the tractor was for a John Deere B, not G. It would start, but not move, he said.
Brian Buchanan of the Indiana FFA Foundation suggested an interesting and profitable idea. He had heard about a program with Titan Tires, whereby they would supply tires for restoring tractors that were donated for a charity event. The project qualified, and new tires were on the way.
The FFA members have varying degrees of experience with machinery and farming. Some work for farmers or are on judging teams for 4-H.
Ben and Joy Sheldon, Don’s own teenagers, are in the class and have learned about vintage tractors from their grandfather, Rod Katter, who is a member of antique machinery clubs.
“Some of the students have no tractor experience, and they are learning about parts as they go along,” Sheldon said.
The project has sharpened their skills in machinery, welding, small engines, maintenance and restoration including sanding and painting.
The Indiana Farm Bureau annual convention begins Dec. 9 with the theme, “Your Life, Your Story.” Thursday sessions are for county Farm Bureau presidents and women’s leaders.
Breakout sessions on Friday cover topics including social media use, a review of the 2010 election, farming professionally and government oversight. President Don Villwock’s annual address will be at noon Friday, with county awards that evening.
The trade show with commodity organizations and several breakout sessions will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The keynote speaker is Mark Pearson, economist and host of Market to Market.
A quilt made of squares designed by county Farm Bureaus will be finished in the trade show and auctioned at the end of the convention. The quilt will hang in the Statehouse during March to celebrate agriculture month. Proceeds will benefit area food banks.
The convention sessions are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.ifbyourlifeyourstory.com |
