DAVENPORT, Iowa – The Minneapolis Moline Collectors Club held their Winter Show Feb. 23-25 at the Best Western Steeple Gate Inn. The show, along with vendors at the hotel, offered a variety of farm tours.

The northernmost farm on the tour was the Rod Jurgens Farm outside of Hopkinton, Iowa. Eric Jurgens, Rod’s son, was in a shed full of beautiful Minnie Mo’s. Eric said, “I grew up on the Minneapolis Moline 1050. I was in first grade or so it was when I could stand up operating it.”

Farming is a Jurgens family endeavor. Today, Rod, his brother Rich, Eric, and his cousin Will (Rich’s son) all farm together. “We still farm with Moline’s some,” Eric said.

Besides raising some cattle, Eric said that they also grow corn, soybeans and a little hay. The 1050, and a 1355 Minneapolis Moline were great farming tractors. The MM 670 was bought new by Eric’s great grandpa Bill. There is a cool story behind the 670. “We had the original manual with the serial number posted on Facebook, and a guy called and said, ‘I have your tractor.’

“My grandpa Richard bought the 950 from Homestead, Iowa, new in 1969,” Eric added. “The 950 and the 2-155 were both sold at grandpa’s sale in the 80s and we bought them back. The 670, 950 and 2-155 were the original tractors we have back.”

In the shop there were beautiful signs. Rod Jurgens has accumulated a nice collection of memorabilia over the years. “I have been at this for about 35 years,” he said.

In his recently renovated room inside, he has been working on duplicating the Schockenmoehl Hardware/Implement Store and Service Station that once was located on Highway 136. “I just finished this room about a month ago.”

He was able to obtain some original items from Mrs. Schockenmoehl before she passed away. In the collection is an amazing MM Sign with the Schockenmoehl name on it.

“I have been collecting toys for about 35 years, and in 1990 started collecting other items too,” Rod added. His favorite toy in his collection is a 602 LP that belonged to his Grandma Jurgens. “It was part of the set for us to play with and it was from her,” Rod added.

While the collection includes a variety of signs, toys and more, perhaps the most sentimental items are original photos of family members on family tractors. “At the Farm Progress Show in Amana (my family) won a Morton building,” Rod said, pointing to a photo. “It’s the building here with grandma and grandpa in Amana before they tore it down to deliver it.”

The Jurgens family has been on the farm since 1881, Rod said. Eric’s son, 15-year-old Caleb, is the 7th generation of Jurgens to live on the land. Minneapolis Moline prairie gold runs through the Jurgens blood generation after generation.

The second farm south of the Jurgens was the Richard McAtee farm that was located Olin, Iowa. “I started farming in 1978. I bought two Minnepolis Moline 670 LP’s,” he said. “We have been farming together for 54 years now.”

McAtee said he did not have a family farm but started out as a hired man on a farm. Then he farmed a state farm 50/50 and fed 500 head of cattle. “My goal was 20 acres or 80, and I own 1,350 now, so it all worked out good.”

McAtee had several MMs on display in his building, then inside a building he shared his story and had pictures and trophies of his tractors over the years. “In 1976, I bought an A4T 1600 LP with an 800 cubic inch motor. Then I added the other tractors through the years and a Jet Star,” he said.

In the shed he has his 1954 MM UB, along with a sign sharing that this was the first tractor sold by Hunwardsen Equipment, of Clarence, Iowa. McAtee is the second and present owner. The tractor was converted to LP gas in 1960.

Together, Richard and his wife Doris had a few hobbies. “We clogged and pulled tractors.” Today, they parade them, and still participate in tractor pulls. “We are in about 12 parades and tractor pulls a year, that is our goal.”

Besides those hobbies, Doris is also an amazing gardener. Richard had pictures of several flower beds that they created with tractors in the background. “I got her a Minneapolis Moline manure spreader for our 30th anniversary.”

While some wives may not have appreciated that gift, Doris loved it. It went just perfect with the beautiful quilt garden flower beds she creates. “She makes a different pattern each year,” Richard said.

Richard and Doris have had ponies and, in the past, participated in a corn picking contest. The couple were featured in the 2020 July issue of Our Iowa as the Prettiest Farm in Iowa. It was no surprise to learn that Doris recently retired from running a flower shop. Richard and Doris were a wonderful addition to the winter farm tours.

The MM winter show was a great opportunity to learn more about the Prairie gold brand.