By MELISSA HART
Michigan Correspondent

OSSEO, Mich. — The day after the Fourth of July 1976, Dave Bergland also gained his independence by opening Dave’s Farm Equipment in Osseo. Now, three months shy of 32 years of selling used farm implements, he will hold an auction and close the doors of his dealership on M-34 between Hillsdale and Hudson.

“I’ve enjoyed being self-employed over the years, and I like the challenge of buying farm equipment and the challenge of selling farm equipment,” he said.

Having been in the farm equipment business for a total of 45 years, Bergland began his sales career at his father’s dealership.
He explained, “I worked for my dad when I was young and then I worked for another dealer and then I spent some time working for Firestone Tires.”

While farming has had its good and bad years, the equipment business has been steady. “We had some good years like in 1981, the business was great, and then in 1982 the bottom dropped out,” said Bergland. “But even with the ups and downs, it’s been a very good business for us.”

Equipment auctions have been a major source for him; after buying different pieces from auctions and some from individuals, he would bring them back to the dealership, fix and paint them and put them out on the lot. In addition to equipment, Dave’s also offered a full line of Firestone Farm tires. “The farm tire line was a modest segment of our business,” said Bergland.

Farming has seen many changes over the years and that has been reflected in the implement dealership.

“Years ago, we had a full line of corn pickers, but now it is nonexistent,” he said. “We also had a smaller trade area 30 years ago. Twenty-five miles was a long way to sell equipment, but now we have customers from the surrounding states and as far away as Delaware. Some equipment is hard to come by and if you have it, they will come buy it.”

Advertising is essential to a good business, as Bergland has found. “I have had an ad in the farm newspapers over the years, and if we miss a week, people are calling wondering where the ad is,” he said. “The Internet is good, but the paper is where most of my serious buyers come from.”

Having been a fixture on M-34 for so many years, local customers will miss the dealership.

North Adams, Mich., resident Mike Hull said, “Every Sunday, my family would drive through the lot to see if there was anything new that we needed. It was a ritual with my family. We’ll have to find a different way home, now.”

When the sale is over and all the equipment is working on another farm, Bergland and his family plan on spending more time together.

“My family is really looking forward to having me around more,” he said. “My wife and I are planning on doing a little traveling, doing more church work and spending more time with the grandkids.”

When asked what he will miss most about three decades of doing business with farmers, he explained, “I’m going to miss the contact with the loyal customers, the people and going to the auctions.”

The auction will be held April 12, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the dealership at 6660 Hudson Road in Osseo. For more information, call 517-523-2400.

This farm news was published in the April 9, 2008 issue of the Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.