Dave Nelson of New Haven, Mo., restores antique tractors; his story was woven into the fabric of several families’ that came to the Historic Farm Days show in Penfield, Ill., because of their connection to this man who works his magic on their tractors.

Under an awning in a corner of the grounds were two families joined in friendship because of a chance meeting at Dave’s home: Gordon and Mardelle Koch of Hudson, Iowa, and Al and Joyce Barbagallo and their son, Mike, from Imperial, Mo. “We met when we took our 350 to Dave and the Barbagallos were picking their 450 up,” Mardelle explained.

The two families have become fast Farmall friends that set up together at shows. The Koches had two tractors at Penfield – Gordon’s Super MTA that he bought and restored after he retired from farming and working at a packing plant, and his Farmall 350 that was a working tractor used on an auger. The 350 was restored around 2007.

The Barbagallos had their beautifully restored 420, which is also a family tractor.

“It was Uncle Ollie’s tractor,” Al said. “We used it on the farm. Then after he got sick, he passed it and his equipment to us, and it has become a show tractor.”

There were a few caveats when Uncle Ollie’s tractor was restored. One was that he had bent the throttle and it was to remain that way; the other was he insisted on only Farm Bureau tires.

“These things are done,” Joyce said, “so Uncle Ollie comes to the tractor shows with us!”

Dave received rave reviews on his paint and restoration job, but the real magic is not just in him restoring their Farmalls, but the connections made and the friendships forged. Another story involved the Niemeyer family’s newly restored 1966 Farmall 706 that Dave did.

It made its debut at Penfield. This story began with Eric Niemeyer, a farmer from Delaware, Ohio. “He was on a waiting list to have a tractor restored,” Dave said. “I called him in September, October and said, ‘We are ready.’”

Instead of bringing in the John Deere 4620 that had been on the list, Eric asked Dave if he could switch. He wanted to do the Farmall 706, the tractor his dad, Richard, used when he helped his son on the farm.

Eric, a first generation farmer, said, “I had no farming experience and no family that had farms. My dad was a city guy. I grew up in corporate America and we lived outside of Chicago in Illinois, but my whole life I had a passion for a farm.

“My first child was Max, born in 1999 and he had a lot of challenges.  He passed away September of 2004,” Eric said, adding it wasn’t the only blow to the grief-stricken family.

He landed a job with Enron out of college, then his own health issues left him looking for a new career. “I decided to start a new business. I almost passed away, then my son died. It was those life circumstances that helped me to pursue a dream of farming, so we started MadMax Farm.”

MadMax, named for their daughter, Madison, and Max, began in 2005. The first year of operation MadMax Farms grew five acres of pumpkins and made an attempt at sweet and ornamental corn. In 2006, it added 90 acres of soybeans to the rotation and in 2007, approximately 50 more acres.

In an effort to continue growth, in 2008 an additional 50 acres were added to MadMax Farms’ operation and in 2008 an additional 145.

Also in 2009 field corn was added to the rotation.

Richard helps at MadMax Farms and loves the Farmall 706, the second tractor Eric purchased. “Dad quickly fell in love with that tractor and I didn’t realize how fond he was of it. As the farm grew, we needed a bigger tractor in a year or two. I had pretty much retired it, but Dad used it when he mowed and would drive it around.

“About three years ago I decided to sell the tractor, without knowing how attached he was to the tractor. When I sold it, you would have thought he lost his puppy dog.”

With Richard so distressed, Eric said, “I went to the guy (I traded the 706 to) and he said yes, I could get it back – but at twice the price.” Soon the 706 needed some repairs. Eric decided to take it in to Dave and told his dad it was at the repair shop.

He had the idea of presenting the tractor to his father at the I&I Club’s Penfield Historic Days show and contacted the club’s Russell Buhr. “Russell said it fit into the spirit of the club, he needed to run it by leadership. Then back in March, April, I called again and Russell settled upon the Friday parade to make the announcement.”

This was a family gift all the Niemeyers were in on. When Richard saw Dave drive up on the 706 he had not seen for two years, he was stymied. He asked Eric what Dave was doing on the tractor. “Then Max Armstrong said, ‘Happy Father’s Day – that is your 706.’”

“It was a wonderful surprise; you only have one of these days in your entire life. I can’t put it into words,” Richard said.

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.