This year’s Show-Me Tractor Cruise is in the books and looks like it was a good one. It is a benefit ride for Camp Quality Northwest Missouri, a summer camp and year-round support program whose lives have been changed due to cancer.
This year’s Show-Me Tractor Cruise was another success! 321 tractors registrered for the ride…302 checked in and 272 tractors drove the route! Thanks to everyone who was part of the day and made this year’s Tractor Cruise a success! At this time, we’re estimating the total dollars raised at approximately $40,000 for Camp Quality Northwest Missouri. An official total will be announced after Independence Day.
Mark your calendars now: The 2010 Show-Me Tractor Cruise will be held Saturday, June 26th.
The 4th annual New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race was another rousing success at the CMA Music Festival. Not only is it a great promotion for New Holland and a fun way for fans to see some of their favorite stars in the tractor seat, it also raises money for the National FFA.
“The tractor is going to be sold at auction this year, as it has been for the last four years, at the National FFA Convention,” Michael said. “Fifty percent of the proceeds go to the charity of the driver’s choice and the other 50 percent goes to support FFA programs.”
Michael is pictured here with this year’s winner for the second year in a row, Darby Ledbetter, who is not only a great tractor driver, but also a singer/songwriter and proud member of the National Guard! Michael is on the right, by the way, Darby on the left - and that guy in the middle is the famous host of AgriTalk, Mike Adams, who was the announcer for the race once again this year.
The CMA Music Festival in Nashville featured some well-known country legends like Reba McEntire and the Judds, so it was a perfect place for New Holland to display its own country classic, the Boomer 8N.
“It’s a retro going back to the Ford 8N and we are very proud of that heritage of ours going back to the 40s and 50s,” said Clint Erickson, New Holland business manager for Tennessee, Alabama and Florida. The tractor, which was just launched earlier this year at the National Farm Machinery Show, was on display for all four days of the CMA Music Fest and at the New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race on Sunday.
The slogan for the 8N is “The Legend Returns” and Clint says it attracted a lot of attention at the festival with many posing for pictures with the shiny, sweet ride. Find out more at www.8n.com.
Listen to or download my interview with Clint here:
Fresno Equipment is right down this way as you can see from the sign.
I’m on location once again with the Drive Green Utility Tractor Show. This time in Fresno, CA. We couldn’t have more perfect weather conditions here. I hope we have a nice crowd out today, riding and driving the new John Deere equipment. Of course I’ll be posting onto DriveGreenTractors.com but I just thought you’d want to know where the agriblogger is today.
Feel free to follow along with my adventures online.
You can now sell your tractor by auction on the web at TractorHouse.com.
Online Auction Listings are now ‘live’ on TractorHouse.com. Consistent TractorHouse advertisers now have the option to auction their equipment to a worldwide buying audience, 24/7/365. All machines are auctioned directly by dealers to registered bidders on the Web site. Seller’s fees are minimal, and there are no auction fees charged to buyers. As a result, equipment can sell for less than at other conventional or online auctions.
“Buyers and sellers both are embracing the concept, even though it’s a fairly new idea to the industry,” says Nate DeWald, project manager of the Online Auction feature. The company reports that over $1 million worth of equipment has been auctioned in just the first few weeks since the feature’s introduction.
The company also has the live auction feature available on their MachineryFinder.com website.
I’ve heard of storm chasers, but this is the first I ever heard of “tractor chasers.”
Agwired was alerted to these so-called “Tractor Chasers” who are endeavoring to get a glimpse of the new John Deere 8RT Tractor that’s scheduled for release this August. They even have their own website and YouTube videos and everything. Hmmmm….
Check out the first of two videos so far here - check out the website or YouTube for others:
Katie Sheets is a John Deere marketing representative out of the Waterloo, IA factory and she has been at the National Farm Machinery Show this week introducing a brand new tractor name and numbering system.
“We have extended this tractor line up from two tractors to four tractors,” Katie told me. “The one we are standing in front of a 6100D, a 6 series tractor, 100 engine horsepower and the D stands for the specification level - this is a lower, mid-spec tractor.”
Katie says this tractor is perfect for those small ag customer using it for loader work or light hay or cattle operations.
Listen to an interview with Katie here
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You can also download the interview here: Katie Sheets (mp3).
This ain’t your great-grandaddy’s tractor - even if it might look like it!
This is the New Holland Boomer 8N, a new and improved version of the classic Ford 8N tractor originally made in the late 1940s. New Holland’s Rory Chisholm says the tractor features a modern drive line with the latest innovations. “So its a marriage of two things that results in quite a stunning looking tractor,” Rory said. “We realized that we had this tractor in our history that’s a link to our past so we decided to put a little of the new and a little of the old together and the end result was the Boomer 8N.”
Comfort and safety are features in the new tractor, with a shiny rollover bar and a cushioned seat modeled after the much less comfortable steel pan seats of the original.
Over 500,000 of the original Ford 8N tractors went into production and many of them are still in existence and hold a sense of nostalgia for lots of people who grew up on farms. The Boomer 8N will be going into production later this spring. The tractors will not necessarily be a limited run, but they will be numbered, and our friend Gene Hemphill is in negotiations right now with a certain celebrity vehicle buff to get serial number one in his garage.
Listen to an interview with Rory here
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Went to my first-ever tractor pull last night here at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, which left me wondering who ever came up with this idea and how much had they been drinking?
I witnessed the 8,200 lb super stock tractor division competition, where the Renegade Deere driven by David Siefert of Ohio placed third. Watch my video of his pull here:
As a gadget, I mean cool tools, kind of guy I thought this was a great invention idea and it won an award at the American Farm Bureau Federation convention.
Daniel Prough of LaGrange, Ind., earned the grand prize in the Farmer Idea Exchange competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 90th annual meeting.
Prough won a year’s use of a New Holland TV-145 bidirectional tractor. New Holland has provided a year’s free use of a tractor to the grand prize winner for 19 of the 20 years the program has existed.
Prough’s invention, an illuminating grease gun, is a xenon flashlight mounted on a heavy-duty pistol grease gun. Having the flashlight mounted on the grease gun makes it much easier to pump the gun and hold the grease tip at the same time.
Gene Hemphill, New Holland, says that Dan calls it GREASED LIGHTNING. He used his new iPhone to send me the photo of him (left) with Dan by the way! I’m telling you, they are a handy tool too.
Happy Thanksgiving week to all of you. I know you’re hard at it so you can enjoy your holiday weekend. Cindy and I are doing the same.
In this week’s program I had to brag a little about our latest agriblogging project with John Deere. I think Robert, our web guy, has outdone himself with DriveGreenTractors.com. It is cool and going to get even cooler as we produce content over the coming months. A friend and I were talking over coffee today about how this is the future for companies in their communications/advertising efforts. The mobility of blogging and podcasting via computers and phones is where it’s at and that includes agriculture and the whole rural lifestyle market. Integrate those platforms with social networking (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and communicate directly and personally with your customers. John Deere gets it!
The man who has been spearheading the Drive Green Utility Tractor Show is Eric Hodson, pictured second from right in this photo of their booth at NAFB’s Trade Talk. I spoke with Eric there and you’ll hear him describe why they’re sending a crew on the road to bring the latest utility tractors directly to customers via their dealer network.
The program this week ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network. This one is called “Ax Chase Turkey” from the Nalts. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.
You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 196 (9 min MP3)
Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:
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The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes
It may be late on Friday but I did mention earlier this week that we’d have a big announcement today. It’s the Drive Green Utility Tractor Show blog, which is now official and public (final tweaks being made as speak).
Yes, it’s a ZimmComm project, working closely with the folks at BCS Communications and the public relations staff at John Deere. I’ll be the Drive Green Guy at many stops along the Show route starting the first week in December at the kickoff event in Middleburg, FL.
In case you’re wondering just what this is all about, let me bring you up to date. To start with, this is the truck that’s going to be pulling in to John Deere Dealers, starting in the Southeast. We’ve already got 45 locations scheduled in the coming months. You’ll always be able to find the upcoming locations here or on the John Deere Drive Green page. This custom tractor transporter will hold a variety of new John Deere utility tractors for display and ride-and-drives at each stop. You can see pictures of many of them in this online photo album.
To help you understand what the show is all about I spoke with Eric Hodson, John Deere Senior Writer, Public Relations. We were at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention. Eric says the company wants people to know “that there’s a John Deere tractor for you at a price you can afford.” To prove it, he says, they’re taking the tractors on the road so people have a chance to see them and drive them for themselves.
You can listen to my interview with Eric here:
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A program designed to give rural property owners, agricultural producers and other interested consumers a chance to operate and ask questions about the latest models of utility and compact utility tractors is being launched by John Deere. The company-sponsored Drive Green Program includes special equipment displays and ride-and-drive events at more than 45 currently scheduled locations starting in the Southeast.(more…)
Peach and blueberry growers just got a new tractor option from New Holland. I met with Andy Reinert, Mid-Range Tractor Marketing Manager, and learned all about it. He says the Sunbelt Ag Expo is the first place they’ve displayed the new tractor in the U. S. It’s got more power (comes in 62 to 82HP) and he says growers will be happy with the lower emissions obtained by the new engines.
Producers can put big power to work in tight quarters with the new T4000F orchard tractors from New Holland. Built on the legendary performance and reliability of their predecessors the TNF/TNF-A Series, these tractors meet Tier III emissions standards with 4-cylinder engines that are turbocharged and intercooled for maximum performance, low emissions, and fuel efficiency.
T4000F Series tractors combine outstanding power and maneuverability with the narrow width and low cab height needed to work under tree canopies and in close quarters where clearance can be a problem. Overall cab height on the T4000F Series has been reduced by 5.2 inches to 85.5 inches for easier travel under branches. The exceptionally long wheelbase provides stability, better traction and a smoother, more comfortable ride.
Listen to my interview with Andy here:
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We’ve heard from John Deere that this is the “Year of the Utility Tractor.” That means they’re showing their commitment to the rural lifestyle market. In this week’s ZimmCast I’ll have some very interesting interviews about how John Deere is targeting this market.
Before I left the Drive Green media event I spoke with Barry Nelson, Public Relations Manager. He says that although we had a lot of traditional ag media present, most publication groups now have a rural lifestyle-focused magazine. Many of those attending hadn’t had a lot of experience with the equipment on display and he says they were especially surprised at the customized rolling boom box Gator utility vehicle.
You can listen to my interview with Barry here:
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The other major line of utility tractor just launched by John Deere is the 6D Series. I spoke with Brett about this new tractor while we were out in the field at the media event in Sarasota, FL.
– In today’s competitive work, farm, and ranch environment, many customers are looking for an economical utility tractor with more horsepower and better performance to handle common chores and still provide a comfortable working environment for the operator. Building on the popular 6003 Series Tractors, the new 6D Series provides even more features and value for the dollar
“The top three models are powered by a 4.5L PowerTech™ E diesel engine with a high-pressure common rail (HPCR) injection system,” says Alejandro Galindo, product manager, John Deere Waterloo Tractor Works. “These efficient engines are designed to provide power when needed to handle even the toughest jobs.”
The 6100D features a field-proven, fuel-efficient 100-hp PowerTech™ engine with rotary fuel injection pump. It’s designed to deliver excellent power and lugging ability in a variety of work situations.
If you’d like, you can listen to my interview with Brett here:
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One of the new utility tractors that John Deere has just launched is the 5D, 5E, 5E Limited and 5M Series. To learn more about it I spoke with Blake Barnes at one of our field stops during this week’s media event.
Utility tractors ranging from 45 – 105 engine horsepower have many uses for property owners, commercial operators, governmental maintenance fleets, and livestock and farm operations. To better serve the diverse requirements of these different type customers, John Deere introduces a new line of utility tractors: the 5D, 5E, 5E Limited and 5M Series. These new tractors are designed to perform any application, with any implement, within any budget to meet the needs of any customer in the utility tractor market.
“This is the most complete line of utility tractors we’ve ever offered,” says Rex Edmunds, division marketing manager, John Deere Augusta. “We’ve designed these tractors to meet the requirements of many different customers with many different applications, and we’re providing a wide array of options to bring the optimal configuration and horsepower to their operation.”
If you’d like, you can listen to my interview with Blake here:
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At today’s John Deere product launch we went to classes on utility tractors. I think we had about 6 different stations where we could listen to presentations and then get to ride and drive on our own.
One item that got a lot of attention today was the new easily detachable underbelly mowers for these utility tractors. After you drop them on the ground there are just 2 latches to undo and then you can back off over top of the mower. There’s no need to pull the heavy mower out from under the tractor. Then you just drive back on top of the mower and it automatically latches itself back on to the tractor.
I shot a short video clip at the demonstration station where this new product was being showcased.
I’ll have a lot more content from today’s event but it’s late and Cindy will be on live blogging the AEM AgExecutive Forum in the morning while we’re in presentations from John Deere representatives here at the hotel.
We’re getting ready to “Drive Green” here in Sarasota, FL. Dozens of media representatives are gathered here to ride and drive some new John Deere tractors. The company announced their new line of utility tractors in the 5 and 6 Series. I’ll have pictures and video after we go out there later today.
This morning at the registration table I spoke with Barry Nelson, Public Relations Manager, about what’s new from John Deere. He said, “We introduced a new series of utility tractor. In fact, this is so significant for us this year, we’re calling it the “Year of the Utility Tractor.” The new tractors will display the new John Deere numbering system and come in sizes from 40 to 140HP. Barry says they bring their dealers here every year for training and thought that with all the equipment on hand, it provided a good opportunity for the media to get on them as well.
Barry says this event kicks off their “Drive Green” project which includes having these tractors driven by truck to various locations around the southeast and set up for their customers to test drive.
You can listen to my interview with Barry here:
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AgWired has arrived at the Farm Progress Show and the first person I got to meet is the new VP, Sales and Marketing, New Holland Agricultural Equipment NA. He’s John Stevenson and this is his first Farm Progress Show. Thanks to Laura McNamara for taking our picture.
So John is my first interview and that’s appropriate since New Holland is once again one of our show coverage sponsors. Here’s what he says about his new position. “I think it’s an outstanding opportunity and really a noble cause. We’re producing products to help feed the world.”
John says New Holland is a heritage company and he feels a lot of responsibility taking on this new opportunity. He says they’ll be re-evaluating everything, including products, services and even the organization. As he puts it, “Are we truly focused on the customer?” Based on this effort they’ll make any changes deemed necessary.
John says they expect to have focus teams internally that are both regional as well as product based. Feedback will be coming from the grassroots, their customers. He’s also planning a tour starting in September spending every other week in a different region, meeting with customers and dealers. He says to “Look forward to a new New Holland.”
You can listen to my interview with John here:
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New Holland Agriculture has a new President and CEO. He’s Barry Engle. He starts his job on September 8. That’s the position that was assumed on an interim basis a year ago by CNH President and Chief Executive Officer Harold Boyanovsky.
“Barry Engle has extensive international management experience and an impressive record of results. We are pleased to welcome him,” said Boyanovsky.
Engle has worked in the automotive industry since 1992, holding a variety of positions with Ford Motor Company in North America, Latin America and Asia. Most recently he was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford of Canada.
Guess how many photos we've got in our archives that are tagged "farm." Let's just say, it's a lot..
Twittering Farmer
Farmers are twittering and then there's The Twittering Farmer.
He's Steve Tucker and my interview in this week's program. Steve and I discuss the story that featured him on CNN today and the feedback he's received which has been kind of overwhelming. He's a great advocate for agriculture who now has more Twitter followers than there are residents in his home town.
This year’s Show-Me Tractor Cruise is in the books and looks like it was a good one. It is a benefit ride for Camp Quality Northwest Missouri, a summer camp and year-round support program whose lives have been changed due to cancer.
The 4th annual New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race was another rousing success at the CMA Music Festival. Not only is it a great promotion for New Holland and a fun way for fans to see some of their favorite stars in the tractor seat, it also raises money for the 
The CMA Music Festival in Nashville featured some well-known country legends like Reba McEntire and the Judds, so it was a perfect place for New Holland to display its own country classic, the 
Fresno Equipment is right down this way as you can see from the sign.
You can now sell your tractor by auction on the web at 
I’ve heard of storm chasers, but this is the first I ever heard of “tractor chasers.” 
Katie Sheets is a 
This ain’t your great-grandaddy’s tractor - even if it might look like it!
Comfort and safety are features in the new tractor, with a shiny rollover bar and a cushioned seat modeled after the much less comfortable steel pan seats of the original.
Went to my first-ever tractor pull last night here at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, which left me wondering who ever came up with this idea and how much had they been drinking?
As a gadget, I mean cool tools, kind of guy I thought this was a great invention idea and it won an award at the 
Happy Thanksgiving week to all of you. I know you’re hard at it so you can enjoy your holiday weekend. Cindy and I are doing the same.
The man who has been spearheading the Drive Green Utility Tractor Show is Eric Hodson, pictured second from right in this photo of their booth at NAFB’s Trade Talk. I spoke with Eric there and you’ll hear him describe why they’re sending a crew on the road to bring the latest utility tractors directly to customers via their dealer network.
It may be late on Friday but I did mention earlier this week that we’d have a big announcement today. It’s the 
Peach and blueberry growers just got a new tractor option from 
We’ve heard from John Deere that this is the “Year of the Utility Tractor.” That means they’re showing their commitment to the rural lifestyle market. In this week’s ZimmCast I’ll have some very interesting interviews about how John Deere is targeting this market.
The other major line of utility tractor just launched by John Deere is the 
One of the new utility tractors that John Deere has just launched is the 
At today’s John Deere product launch we went to classes on utility tractors. I think we had about 6 different stations where we could listen to presentations and then get to ride and drive on our own.
We’re getting ready to “Drive Green” here in Sarasota, FL. Dozens of media representatives are gathered here to ride and drive some new John Deere tractors. The company announced their new line of utility tractors in the 5 and 6 Series. I’ll have pictures and video after we go out there later today.
AgWired has arrived at the Farm Progress Show and the first person I got to meet is the new VP, Sales and Marketing, New Holland Agricultural Equipment NA. He’s John Stevenson and this is his first Farm Progress Show. Thanks to Laura McNamara for taking our picture.
and 
Farmers are twittering and then there's The Twittering Farmer.