The Farm Tractor: 100 Years of North American Tractors
Brand: Voyageur Press
Categories: Books, Engineering & Transportation, Automotive


Used Book in Good Condition

Dimensions: 10.75 x 1.25 x 12.25 inches
ISBN-13: 978-0760330746
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0760330743
Publisher: Voyageur Press
Print length: 384 pages
Publication date: October 15, 2007
subtitle: Hardcover – October 15, 2007
author: Visit Amazon's Ralph W. Sanders Page search results Ralph W. Sanders Bob Feller
review: Editorial Reviews Review Farm Industry News, November 2007 “Sander’s work … comes close to earning the elusive label of ‘definitive.’ This large-format, beautifully photographed book is perfect for general browsing. After a smartly written first chapter hailing the rise of the tractor as an example of ‘muscles to motors,’ Sanders provides thorough histories of the major and minor tractors organized by manufacturer … The photography is first-rate and the Sanders’ prose is clear. The chapters on such stalwarts as Allis-Chambers, J.I. Case, International Harvester and John Deere are impressive surveys … An excellent book for those who know that tractors embody more than metal.” FFA New Horizons, December 2007 "If you enjoy learning about the rich history of tractors, this book is for you ... Besides its in-depth look at some of the rarest tractors ever made, the book also features more than 400 photos of tractors." Omaha World Herald , Nov. 21, 2007 (circ.: 184,100) “Tractor lovers will appreciate the photography and the nuts and bolts information on each tractor.” Reading The Farm Tractor is as comfortable as visiting with an old friend. You can start at the beginning, or drop in at any point. Artfully designed, the book is a showcase of Ralph Sanders’ world-class photography…But The Farm Tractor is more than just another pretty face. With more than 40 years’ experience, the author knows his stuff…Carefully researched, beautifully photographed, thoughtfully designed: The book is worthy of a second look.-- Farm Collector, November 2009 From the Inside Flap When tractors first arrived on farms, they were crudely designed machines that often broke down in the field. Most farmers couldn’t fathom the day they’d give up their trusty horse for one of these new, strange-looking contraptions. But innovation and improvements soon made tractors the newest workhorses on the farm—continually transforming agriculture throughout the twentieth century. The Farm Tractor: 100 Years of North American Tractors chronicles the changes iron power brought to farms, as well as gives an in-depth look at some of the most revolutionary tractors made. From the Fordson to the Farmall, the first Cat diesel tracklayer to the John Deere four-wheel-drive 8010, all the tractors that helped make America fertile agricultural ground are featured. Along with the offerings of major manufacturers, author and photographer Ralph W. Sanders also highlights “orphan” tractors like the Bates Steel Mule, Silver King, and the Sheppard diesels. With more than 400 beautiful images of great iconic tractors, this book shows every nut and bolt of these classic machines, as well as details their Nebraska test ratings, power capabilities, and groundbreaking features. The most comprehensive volume covering these mighty machines, The Farm Tractor is a welcome addition for anyone who still has close ties to the land. From the Back Cover The Farm Tractor: 100 Years of North American Tractors is a 384-page celebration of the iron powerhouses that revolutionized agriculture. This is the biggest, best, and most complete history ever of classic farm tractors! Farmer favorites like the groundbreaking Fordson, International Farmall, John Deere A & B models, Allis-Chalmers U, and Caterpillar tracklayers are all gloriously presented with more than 400 stunning photographs. Author, photographer, and tractor fan Ralph W. Sanders not only highlights every nut and bolt of these machines in his images, but he also details their development, innovative features, and horsepower capabilities. This book features all the models that cultivated America’s fields in the twentieth century—from the Samson Iron Horse and Bates Steel Mule to the Oliver 70 HC and Big Bud 16V-747, from the 1800s steamers to the high-powered diesel workhorses of the 1970s. Along with company brochures and advertisements, The Farm Tractor is an unparalleled look at American agriculture. About the Author Photographer-author Ralph W. Sanders has photographed tractors for more than 40 years. He grew up on an Illinois farm where he had ample opportunity to "exercise" a 1933 Farmall F-12 and 1948 Farmall C, as well as a Farmall H, Farmall MD, and McCormick W-6. He has worked as Illinois field editor for Prairie Farmer; associate editor at Successful Farming; full-time freelance agricultural photographer for Successful Farming, Deere & Co., Massey-Ferguson, Kinze Mfg., Vermeer Mfg., DuPont Ag, Monsanto Ag, and others. Sanders is the author of several books from Voyageur Press, including Vintage Farm Tractors, and photographer for DuPont's long-running Classic Tractors calendar. He lives in West Des Moines, Iowa. Bob Feller is a baseball hall of famer and vintage tractor collector. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Foreword By Bob Feller, Baseball Hall of Famer and vintage tractor collector The first tractor on our family farm in Iowa was a J. I. Case crossmotor that my father purchased in the 1920s. Our family's farm was located in the countryside near Van Meter in the south-central part of the state, and that medium-sized Case pulled a three-bottom plow with ease. Together, that tractor worked the land with us for almost a decade. When it was time to buy a new tractor in the early 1930s, my dad bought the first Caterpillar in Iowa. Not surprisingly, all our farming neighbors told him he was crazy. "It won't work," folks told him. People in our part of the country drove Fordsons or Farmalls, Johnny Poppers or Olivers--tractors with wheels on them. Nobody used a Caterpillar with those crazy crawler treads on them. It simply wasn't right. Well, naturally they were all wrong. That Cat Twenty proved itself on our farm and made a convert of me, and many another farmers. As I remember, my dad paid $2,300 for that Cat Twenty teamed with a twelve-foot Caterpillar combine. Just two years later, Cat sold that same combine Deere & Company. Working our land, I put in many hours at the controls of that Cat Twenty and the combine. They were solid machines that served us well for many years. My fascination with Caterpillars grew from those roots and continues to grow today. I left the family farm to earn my living throwing baseballs. When I was seventeen years old in 1936, I made my major league debut pitching for the Cleveland Indians against the St. Louis Cardinals. Over the years, I dueled from the pitching mound with some of the all-time greats, batters such as Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio--just me against them. Some of the veterans of those days said I threw the fastest pitches they had ever seen. We all took time out from baseball during the World War II years; I served with the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Alabama from the summer of 1942 through spring 1945. I returned to the mound in September 1945, and remained true to the Cleveland Indians until my retirement from baseball in 1956. At the end of eighteen years of throwing fastballs for the Indians, I had a record of 266 wins against 162 losses, a lifetime ERA of 3.25, and 2,581 strikeouts. In 1962, I was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot. Despite my achievements on the baseball diamond, a big part of my heart still belongs to the farm fields of my youth. Nostalgia for hallmarks of our roots seems to hit us harder as we grow older. For me, as for many farmers, one of the ties to my youth was the Caterpillar Twenty that I operated as a kid in the 1930s. I decided I wanted to track down another Twenty, which I soon did. Little did I know, but my life as a Cat collector had begun. Since finding the Twenty, my small Caterpillar collection has continued to grow. It's kind of my own personal Caterpillar "hall of fame" that includes my favorite Cat models: the Twenty, two Tens, a Forty , Twenty Two, Twenty Five, Twenty Eight, and a D4. All in all, I have owned twenty-seven Caterpillars, and even had the opportunity to drive a D11 on Cat's own proving grounds in East Peoria. Since then, I've sold off most of my collection, with the exception of my Cat Twenty and Twenty Eight--although I do have my eye out for a D5 and a D6. That fascination for old tractors never leaves you. . . . You can look at the latest and greatest farm tractor of any brand today and see the history in the machine--the lineage of the steam age, the perfection of the early gas tractors, the development of diesel power, and the creation of implement systems. Driving tractor today is a lot different than it was when I was a kid back in the 1930s! I don't think I need to explain the fascination for vintage farm tractors to anyone holding this book in their hands. Author and photographer Ralph Sanders tells the story of the farm tractor's great history and its importance in feeding the world. There have been other good books published on farm tractors in the past and there certainly will be more in the future, but The Farm Tractor: 100 Years of North American Tractors stands out in its scope, in-depth coverage, and beautiful photographs and illustrations. I hope tractor fans everywhere enjoy it. Read more