Vintage John Deere Tractors Bring More than Money

Oct 01, 2014

Farms.com

There were few things that could hold back collectors from a John Deere auction held recently in Highgate, Ontario. Bidders came from all areas, including as far away as Texas to take part in the vintage tractor auction. Mike Shackelton, auctioneer for the event, defined the sale as the largest he has ever been involved in.

The event took place 5 years after the passing of Ray Burns, late husband to Ann Burns who hosted the auction. Ray passed away on a trip to Montana that would have added a Waterloo Boy to his collection. Ann understands that owning and maintaining the collection ray had amassed would be challenging. The auction was difficult for Ann as she felt she was losing a lot of what remained of Ray. Ann would not part with all of Rays belongings as the family would remain with some of the John Deere Tractors in remembrance of Ray.

The auction was difficult for Ann but extremely successful. With more than 50 main items, over 200 skids of miscellaneous items and nearly 70 John Deere tractors sold at the event. The auction was able to raise more than $300,000 for all the items sold that day. Prices varied at the auction from $25 for smaller vintage items and up to thousands of dollars for John Deere tractors that were scarcer and fully restored.

Ann Burns will continue to own AO, D, L, R as well as GP models that will eventually be restored by East Kent Club members. Ann remembers her husband for his sly humour and of course his love for his John Deere tractors.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.