ALL ABOUT TRACTORS BY PAUL WALLEM French-born Raymond Loewy (1893-1986) designed iconic products for 200 companies. Coca Cola and Studebaker were some of his success stories. After Lucky Strike’s new cigarette package experienced large sales, International Harvester commissioned him to design the new Farmall H and M. His streamlined design helped with the quick success of these tractors. The Farmall H became the largest-selling row crop tractor in history, with over 391,000 built. How old were you? Through the years, many of you who grew up on the farm remember the age when you first climbed on a tractor. Most often, it was between the ages of 4 and 6. Not many have indicated the age when they first “took the reins” and actually drove a tractor for the first time. I would like to hear from you. At what age were you when you actually drove? And what was the tractor brand and model? Were you pulling an implement? Email me at pwallem@aol.com. Red Power Days 2025 International Harvester Collectors Club will host their 36th Red Power Days June 26-28 at Sedalia, Mo. Email dlyouse81@gmail.com for more information. Big Bud returns The new Big Bud is massive. The 700 model utilizes a 640 HP Cat TA22 engine paired with an 18-speed transmission. Components are designed to slide out for service and maintenance. The frame is made from 1.5-inch steel. Big Bud produced 500 tractors in the mid-70s to the mid-80s. Now, it’s back with a big horsepower increase. Our two dealerships attempted to market this tractor in 1979. It impressed everyone, but the $250,000 price tag was too much for our Midwest customers. Neither were they ready for that much horsepower (up to 525). Little did we know that this tractor would return with over 600 horsepower and a $750,000 price tag. Electric tractors and livestock farms More dairy and other livestock operations are using electric tractors. Even if the tractor is in use during a long day of mowing, raking, baling, and feeding, the actual workload on the electrical system is considerably less. In some operations, only half of the usage hours are reducing the charge. These jobs are typically done near the farmstead, making the charging task easier. Other benefits include reduced noise around animals and poultry, which in turn reduces stress, as well as no exhaust emissions. These jobs usually require smaller horsepower tractors; mid-range and higher HP models often work over longer distances from the charging station. However, improvements in battery technology continue to improve hours of operation per charge. FFA middle school chapters In the March 21 issue of Farm World, Doug Graves wrote about FFA middle-school FFA chapters in Kentucky. I didn’t know they existed. You might be as surprised as I was to learn from the FFA National office that there were 787 middle school chapters in the 2023-2024 U.S. school system. In addition, there are 1,618 combined middle school/high school chapters, along with 6,830 high school chapters. Most chapter members are no longer farm-raised, yet parents have discovered that the FFA influence can build interest in community volunteer involvement, public speaking, and future careers in agriculture. Burma Shave sign for this week: The midnight ride of Paul for beer led to a warmer hemisphere. Paul Wallem was raised on an Illinois dairy farm. He spent 13 years with corporate IH in domestic and foreign assignments. He resigned to own and operate two IH dealerships. He is the author of THE BREAKUP of IH & SUCCESSES & INDUSTRY FIRSTS of IH. See all his books on PaulWallem.com. Send comments to pwallem@sol.com |
