How were trees transported to sawmills years ago?
The western expansion and industrial revolution that occurred in the U.S. during the 19th century required billions of board feet of lumber. Trees were...
Early U.S. tractor history: The story begins in Iowa in 1892
A book titled Fordson, Farmall, and Poppin’ Johnny, written in 1987 by Robert C. Williams, tells the history of the tractor beginning with John Froelich’s 1892 contraption, generally credited with being the first gasoline engine powered traction engine, up through the 1980s.
Is it a nut, or is it a burr?
Sam Moore investigates potential reasons people may have once heard old-timers refer to the nuts that were used with bolts as burrs.
Rusty Iron celebrates 25 years
To commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Let's Talk Rusty Iron column being in the Farm and Dairy, Sam Moore duplicated his first effort.
A look back at early manufacturers of crawler tractors
Crawler tractors have quite the history.
Strite tractors once had a storied history
One of the many forgotten pioneers of the fledgling tractor industry was George T. Strite.
Building a high quality carriage is an art
Building a high quality body for a carriage “was an art in itself,” and even a good carpenter or cabinet maker would be unable to do it properly.
Moving from horses to motorized vehicles
A tale of how Doctor Carlos Booth, a physician from Youngstown, Ohio, became the first physician in America to make house calls in a motor vehicle.
Who invented the motorcycle? Well, let’s see…
After supper on a recent hot Saturday night, I was sitting on my front porch nursing a cold glass of Pinot Grigio and watching...
The Happy Farmer tractor was anything but happy
The Happy Farmer tractor did not exactly live up to its name.
