An Illinois man has been repairing older John Deere tractors for years.
Used tractors and other pieces of John Deere farm equipment have been a passion of Irvin Wildhagen since he returned from serving in the Navy around 60 years ago.
According to a report from Illinois newspaper The Telegraph, Wildhagen's father purchased a John Deere tractor while he and his brothers were away performing military service. Once he got back, he fell in love with the green-and-gold machines.
That love has turned into a used tractor collection that amounts to about 57 pieces of farm equipment. Wildhagen often finds and restores the pieces, which he features during area celebrations.
"I’ve got a bunch up at the farm yet that have never been touched," Wildhagen told the paper.
Wildhagen has a number of older pieces, including the John Deere Model D produced the same year he was born. Other machines in his collection include a 1927 Model D that features a solid flywheel and a truck built by the company in 1953.
John Deere also celebrates its history of producing tractors and pieces of farm equipment through museums it maintains. A new one is slated to open in Waterloo, Iowa, next year.
