Vintage Farmers

Tractors - Vintage Farmers

Matt Wilde
By  Matthew Wilde , Progressive Farmer Crops Editor
Clayton, Clint and Jim Loeb use mostly vintage John Deere tractors from the 1950s through the 1970s to farm nearly 900 acres of corn. (Progressive Farmer image by Matthew Wilde)

Few things make Jim Loeb happier than the roar of a John Deere 5020 and the subsequent belch of black exhaust, as the small but mighty diesel tractor lunges forward with a full grain cart in tow.

The jubilant feelings intensify when Loeb's 17-year-old grandson, Clayton Loeb, is behind the wheel. It encapsulates everything the 71-year-old La Porte City, Iowa, farmer holds dear: family, farming and vintage John Deere tractors.

"My grandson was trying to get up a hill with the 1967 5020 pulling a 900-bushel grain cart, and he didn't make it," Jim recalls during the past harvest. "He backs her down.

"I said, 'The old girl is pissed off, she can do it.' It started barking as he went up the hill (again)," he continues. "He had her revved up this time (and made it). That's good for a little bitty [engine] block pulling 50,000 pounds (of corn) and the tractor and grain cart weighing another 30,000 pounds."

It didn't shock Loeb the tractor conquered the hill. He and his family restored the vintage green tractor years before to have beauty and power. They installed a turbo to crank out about 170 hp, which is about 50 more than when it rolled off the assembly line in nearby Waterloo, Iowa.

"She will pull anything," says Clayton, a senior at Union High School. "She surprises me every day."

FAMILY TRADITION

Loeb Farms has 15 vintage John Deere tractors -- two 3010s, a 4010, a 4020 powershift, two 4320s, three 5020s and six 6030s -- in its stable of tractors. Most are fully restored.

The Loebs predominantly use John Deere tractors built in the 1960s and '70s, which lack the creature comforts and technology of modern machines, to grow about 1,000 acres of corn.

The family's newest tractor, a 1995 John Deere 8400 with front-wheel assist, is considered the ugly stepsister of the fleet. Jim farms with his son, Clint, and his wife, Seraysa, and two of their six children. Even though the 8400 has an air-ride seat, GPS guidance and auto-steer, they all prefer the older tractors. They primarily use the 8400 out of necessity to plant where technology is needed.

"You would think you would want to drive the newer tractor, but in reality, it's not nearly as comfortable compared to the old 6030," Clint says. "It rides so smooth, and it turns great. You hit the inside brake and, she goes right around."

BUCKING THE TREND

It's not uncommon on farmsteads today to see an older tractor or two power an auger or pull a wagon. However, it is unusual in an era of precision agriculture for an operation that isn't a hobby farm to shun tractors with roomy, luxurious cabs and push-button controls, and filled with technology.

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It isn't that the Loeb's aren't good farmers. Their corn yields typically exceed the county average, which was 183.4 bushels per acre from 2010-2019.

Jim Loeb says there's a reason behind his use of, and obsession with, older green iron. In the early 1990s, he decided to invest in land instead of machinery to grow his operation. And, older equipment is easier for the family to repair themselves.

"We had better luck with older stuff anyway, so we got rid of the newer machinery and bought land," Jim explains. "Older, well-maintained tractors retain their value, while newer machinery does not.

"Land values have gone up from about $1,100 per acre [when Loeb started buying] to well over $10,000 per acre now," he continues. "That was the best decision I made."

Clint and the rest of the Loeb clan never questioned Jim's choice. They embrace it.

No hefty equipment payments have allowed Loeb Farms to buy 400 acres since the early 1990s, which means more security to continue the family operation well into the future. No machinery payments also lower their corn-production costs to sub-$3.50 per bushel.

"This might be the year [2020] the tractors [financially] save the day," Clint says, noting a mid-summer drought reduced yields and revenue.

MORE THAN MONEY

The financial benefits of older equipment are nice, but the joy that accompanies the time spent together to find, fix and operate vintage tractors is what the family truly cherishes.

In a way, the tractors cultivate a bond like no other. That happens when family members travel to Louisiana to buy a rusty John Deere 6030 tractor for $1,500 -- which the family aptly named after the state. In fact, they have named several tractors after the state where the equipment was purchased.

The Loebs spent about $20,000 and several months to tear it down to the frame, rebuild the engine and transmission, change castings and tires, and paint Louisiana to look and work like new.

Jim Loeb says the time spent traveling to find tractors, searching junkyards for parts and turning wrenches together is priceless.

"Family time is what it's all about," he exclaims.

Clint adds the tractors are family. Using manuals and trial and error at times, the Loebs -- all self-taught mechanics -- keep the machines in the field. Clint says they know almost every bolt, gasket and torque spec by heart.

"It has got to the point that Seraysa can put one of these tractors back together herself," he proudly brags.

"I didn't grow up farming, but I love it and the old tractors," Seraysa adds. "The 6030s are my favorite."

STRONG VALUE

That sentiment rings true for a lot of farmers, explains Kyle McMahon, CEO and founder of Tractor Zoom. The company connects farmers and auctioneers to facilitate the sale of used farm equipment. Iron Comps, powered by Tractor Zoom, tracks sales.

Recent auction data shows 6030s in reasonable condition sell for about $21,000. Restored, meticulously maintained versions bring in the high to mid-$30,000 range. A new 1977 6030 costs $29,000.

"The older John Deere tractors built in the 1960s and '70s, like the 6030s, definitely hold their value," McMahon says. "There are farmers that love and are willing to overpay for them for sentimental reasons."

Clint believes "Louisiana" alone is worth $40,000 "all day long." He believes all the family's vintage tractors, though it takes time and money to keep them in the field, far exceed what's invested in them. But, don't expect a Loeb tractor sale anytime soon. The implements still have a lot of grain to haul and fields to till and spray.

"They perform remarkably well for their age," Clint contends. "I love the tractors. It would be hard to get rid of them."

> Follow Matthew Wilde on Twitter @progressivwilde.

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