Up to this wild destructive inflationary time, a guy had a chance to stay a farmer; even through the Depression, as nobody wanted your farm. So, when the opportunity came, most of us just started up from scratch again.
When I started updating my farm machinery in 1947, a new self-propelled combine was purchased for $3,900. In 1954, a second new one cost me $5,800. A new diesel wheel tractor was purchased in 1953 for $4,200. In 1958 this tractor was traded in for a giant of its time, for only $3,000 extra. For the two tractors and combines in my best 20 years of farming, I only had to pay $16,500 in cash.
Using my renter for comparison, and this is just one of his farm items, this summer he bought a second-hand wheel tractor costing $40,000.
Ya, sure, it does pull the same load much faster than my old tractor and it has front wheel power to help lift its heavier loads over the hills successfully. It also came equiped with a cab where he can sit comfortably as he worries about whether farm conditions will improve.
Using my renter for comparison, and this is just one of his farm items, this summer he bought a second-hand wheel tractor costing $40,000.
Ya, sure, it does pull the same load much faster than my old tractor and it has front wheel power to help lift its heavier loads over the hills successfully. It also came equiped with a cab where he can sit comfortably as he worries about whether farm conditions will improve.
"Sugar harvesting with one of our old combines"
Photo: Library of Congress
phil krogh
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