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News • New Mexico • United States • 2012-03-01

New exhibit features John Deere equipment: Display, lecture coincide with John Deere\'s 175th anniversary

For generations, farming and the name John Deere -- with its green tractors and equipment -- have been an interwoven mix that has produced great success and great memories.

The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum opens a new exhibit on March 8 called \"Green Machines: Celebrating 175 Years of John Deere.\" It features tractors from 1929-1952, as well as other implements and toys. A reception is planned for 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the museum\'s Tortugas Gallery.

In 2012, Deere & Company marks the 175th anniversary of its existence, which began when company founder John Deere successfully manufactured and marketed the self-scouring plow in 1837. John Deere is the world\'s leading manufacturer of agricultural equipment.

Much of the equipment in the exhibit comes from the collection of Norman Ruebush of Silver City. Ruebush\'s interest in John Deere tractors began in the 1940s and \'50s while he was working on his family\'s farm near Deming.

Now retired, he works daily in his shop, restoring John Deere tractors. He knows when they sound just right.

\"I love the sound of those two cylinders,\" he said.

Ruebush said his favorites are a 1948-G, and a 1950-A.

\"Both have a distinct sound,\" he said. \"Man oh man, when I hear the sound of those John Deeres poppin\'....\"

Ruebush bought his first tractor to restore in 1988 and said his hobby has \"mushroomed from there.\"

Other items in the exhibit include a couple of engines, a horse-drawn cultivator, a corn sheller, a cream separator, and a walking breaking plow. The exhibit also features some John Deere toy tractors and videos of the machines at work. The exhibit will be in the Tortugas Gallery for about a year and a half.

As part of the opening, the museum\'s lecture series at 7 p.m. on March 8 also will focus on John Deere. \"Green & Yellow Fever\" is the title of the presentation by brothers Gene and Doug Killam of Las Cruces. They will discuss the John Deere Company, progression of the John Deere tractor, as well as their own experiences in collecting and restoring John Deere tractors, implements and toys. Both worked for the same John Deere dealership in Waupun, Wis., for about two years to earn money for college tuition. During those two years, both were mentored by John Deere master mechanic Carl Neuman, now in his 80s.

Gene began collecting John Deere two cylinders in 1985 and peaked his collection in 2007 with 70 tractors, plus implements. Doug maintains a collection of about 15 John Deere two cylinder tractors and collectible lawn and garden tractors, as well as a collection of John Deere toy tractors.

For more information, please call (575) 522-4100. New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM 88011. www.nmfarmandranchmuseum.org

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