Garden Tractors: A Growing Hobby

Midwest Old Threshers garden tractor area invites participation from all.

By Matt Kelly
Published on June 10, 2014
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When the Old Threshers’ garden tractor exhibit was created in 2007, it drew just three displays. Organizers expect more than 300 at this summer’s show.

What does it take to collect antique tractors? Some would say heaps of money, ample storage space and a hefty trailer — but not the pioneers of the garden tractor area at the annual Midwest Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. According to the area’s director, Alan Buckert, those things have scarcely factored into the increasing popularity of antique lawn and garden tractors.

“So many people are already involved with garden tractors,” Alan says. “You can buy a garden tractor for a more reasonable price than you can a large tractor, and they don’t take up much room to store. A lot of collectors will pick a brand that’s important to them or their family, like John Deere, Cub Cadet, Allis-Chalmers or Case. There are lots of different brands to collect.”

It was Alan who first thought of creating the show’s garden tractor area. In the half-decade it’s been part of Old Threshers, it’s grown from three lonely garden tractors to more than 200 at the 2013 reunion.

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