Tractor Trivia August 31

Combining Fun

This past weekend I purchased a combine. I was looking for an older machine to handle 20 or 30 acres on my little farm. I found a 510 Massey Diesel in good running condition. One of my jobs this week is to go get it.
 It brought back some fond memories of growing up on the farm west of Oklee. Our first self-propelled combine was a Super 27 Massey Harris. It was purchased from Jorgen Oftellie north of Gully, MN.  Not to long after we purchased a 55 John Deere combine from Engvald Larson, north of Oklee. I think our next combine was a Massey Harris 90 Special that was purchased from a Peterson east of Thief RIver Falls(I got to drive it home!). Now I loose the order but I know we got a 95 John Deere from Duane Cantwell and a Super 92 Massey Harris that was purchased at the Bill Bourque auction west of Oklee.  I got to drive them all but like I said, mom was the “combiner” in our family!  She took great pride in setting it so she wouldn’t throw over too much of the precious crop!
A couple years ago I was talking with Don and Alma Stenberg. He showed me a picture of a line-up of John Deere combines and their drivers heading custom combining. I picture like that and I am hooked! I had to ask  what the history behind this picture was. I DID write some things down, but I apologize if I don’t relay them 100% correctly.
It all started in 1958 when Arnold Stenberg and Orlo Rolandson made the first run. In 1959, Don and Alma went along after Don had gotten out of the service. In use were 3-92 Massey combines. In 1960, a Hi-Low 95 John Deere was added and two of the 92 went along. They learned something. The John Deere seemed to need less repairs as the 92s had more problems breaking sickle sections in though weeds.  When the 1961 harvest run started the crew this time featured all John Deere combines!  Have you seen the pictures of transporting combines in the old days of harvest runs. Often the combines were precariously loaded on the grain trucks often with wheels hanging off and really not fitting too well.  I doubt the modern day State Patrol would allow such a hauling practice! The  Stenbergs started hauling in the same fashion but after a while(in 1964) the drive belts were taken off and the combines were pulled backwards with the rear wheels on a tongue behind the trucks. Seemed slow to me but Don told me they managed 30 miles per/hour or so.
The run grew to taking 4-95 John Deere combines and in 1964 four 105 John Deere Square backs were used. I wish I could have drove one of those….I think. Two photographers were going to be sent to take pictures of the new 105s in action. Unfortunately  a couple of the combines developed transmission problems, so the photographers were canceled. At one point John Deere out of Dallas flew a transmission to Oklahoma CIty so one of the combines could be repaired, when they got there they found the part was NOT on the plane. It was reordered and arrived the next day.  It was an inconvenience and of course during harvest you do not want any time wasted.  The next year, (1965)John Deere sent Twins tickets for a peace offering for the transmission problems they had. You sports fans may remember 1965 was the year The Twins were American League Champions and lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series 4-3.  
Some other locals that participated in the combine run were truck drivers George and Alfred(1958) and later Erling, Marlin, Clifford, and Norman Olson also went on the run.  1968 was the last year of the custom harvesting run for the Stenbergs. A lot of land was in the soil bank and the Stenbergs concentrated further on their own grain farming operation.
I am sort of a home body and I don’t know if I would have liked to be gone so long, but I sort of wish I could have driven a new Super 92 Massey, or a 95 John Deere, or even a “big” 105 John Deere, I think I would have had a great time with that!
How about a little combine trivia!
1. The model 92 Massey had a 6 cylinder ________________ industrial engine mounted underneath.
A) Chrysler B)Hercules C) Perkins D) Wisconsin
2. The Massey Harris 92 was built from 1957-1959. The Super 92 was built from 1960-_______.
3. The 92 combine was manufactured in _________________, Canada!
4. The 95 John Deere combine has a __________ bushel hopper.
5. The model 95 and 105 John Deere combines had ______ forward speeds and one reverse.
Answers: 1. A. Chrysler 2. 1963 3. Toronto 4. 60 bushel 5. 4 speeds