FARMALL LAND

Anyone else visited Farmall Land in Avoca Iowa? I-80 AT EXIT 40, RT 59, it's right at the south east corner of the intersection. Right across the interstate from the big Flying J truck stop.
If your interested at all in IH and the equipment they built it's easily worth the $10 admission. Only twelve more days to see it. It's closed Sept 27th and everything is being auctioned off on-line.
Saturday when my buddy and I were there bet there were 500 people walking around the buildings. Parking lot was packed, cars parked down the street for over a block.
Lot of the guys from the Red Power forum have been several times over the years. Everyone has enjoyed it. I kidded Jerry Mez the owner the ONLY THING I didn't see that was ag related was an IH #5 endgate seeder.

We were also there Saturday. I was talking to Kay who helps there and she said in the past there were days when no one showed up. She said a day like Saturday was equal to the total number of people who went through the museum in past in one year!! Jay said he really didn’t want to sell but never said why he was except in was time.

I bet everyone's there checking out the items before the auction. Don't have a chance to get away to go see it at this time. My mother's still in the hospital & it will be a little while before things get back to normal after she gets home in a couple days. Will be interesting to see what that collection of trailer queens will bring. May even do some bidding myself. Although it may not be much. I've donated to enough auctions this year. That one at the Darst museum was a wallet strangler. There's going to be a part two to that one next month. My wallet's screaming already.

Mike

I think those "ON Line" auctions are a bust??? Just as well put "Free Stuff" out on the highway???Cleddy

I know why I never stopped with the truck going by there the scale is right between the Walnut and Avoca exits. I was always waiting for the scale to close going west. Then would keep pedaling to not need to be around there. I'll never be able to see it now most likely.

I've been one time a few years back. Plan to go again some time this week. I'll get there early for a good parking spot.

I live about 40 miles from it. Been there 3 times! Hate to see it go.

I live about 40 miles from it, been there 3 times. Hate to see it go. I imagine Jerry’s age has a lot to do with it!

I live about 35 miles away and went for the first time about a month ago during he week to avoid the crowd and to maintain social distancing. Good crowd but Jerry had time to chat. He could have a huge auction just with signs, advertising, and other items of memorabilia. He must have really liked garden tractor pulling! I finished my M this winter and went to a late winter tractor ride and really was skewered for the fit of the hoods. Those critics would have a hay day on the M's and H's at Farmall Land. It's one of those small town deals that will be missed.

Depends on the auctioneers. Purple Wave seems to do OK - we have bought a lot from Richie Bros on line.

Next thing on my Bucket List is closer to home, I drove 1020 miles going to FARMALL LAND. Next one is The OLD RED FARM SHED in GALVA, ILLINOIS. I grew up about 20 miles from there. Jerry Kuster is the owner. Think he has 2 or 3 first serial number tractors built, first 2+2, first of one of the 66-series. MACHINERY PETE shot a video of the museum AND Jerry's private collection at his farm. That would be a 400 mile round trip. You get into some of the back sheds on the farm it's about like walking into Dad's machine shed. There's a CASWELL loader on one of the tractors and a CONTINENTAL post hole digger on another. Do a search for those antique implements. No live pto or live hydraulics or 3 pt hitch required.

Saw the video about 2+2 #1. Forgot where it was until now. Galva is close to Galesburg. Would have checked it out when I went to Missery a couple months back, if I had known in advance. Still have the Caswell or New Holland (NH bought up & rebranded a bunch of them) loader from my grandfathers H. Just took the cylinder frame & slide off of it about a month ago. Feels like that tractor has power steering now. The loader frame itself is a bit bent & sprung.... & the A-frame for the bucket latch looks like it melted in a fire, though it's just bent really bad. That can be torched off & replaced. Don't know what to do about the loader arms. Those baby I-beams look like a real bugger to straighten.

Have a good time at the museum!

Mike

My experience, in the last year, with online equipment auctions has been mediocre at best. Except for a couple of close ones, I haven't been able to get away to look at what I'm interested in. Only bought on item that I'm not the happiest about. A 3PT backhoe that looked great in the description. Plenty enough pictures posted of a good straight machine. When it arrived, the operator's platform was twisted, the left foot rest was bent up & two hydraulic hoses were snapped off at the cylinder, as well as most of the rubber blew off the hoses on the way here. The guy who dropped it off said the auction lot really manhandled it onto the trailer & I should give the place a call if I was unhappy. I did. Was told there's nothing they'll do about it, no refund given, **** off & was hung up on. So overall, that being my "worst buy", the auction companies are about a complete waste of time. They're either poorly managed or the people are complete a**hats.... or both. The equipment I've been ok with. My best buy was at the same auction as the backhoe. I got a NH Stackcruiser for a low dollar amount, got it home, cleaned it good, greased it, freed up two stuck valves & adjusted the linkages, added a couple hundred in parts & have an excellent machine. Best buy I've made in a while.

Mike

I live about 40 miles from it, been there 3 times. Hate to see it go. I imagine Jerry’s age has a lot to do with it!

I don’t know why my post appeared 3 times!