Calendar Time as 2010 Approaches

I love this time of year because I love calendars. For how many years, I can't remember, I've had one of those "page a day" calendars next to my computer. For 2009 and a couple of years before that, it's been a joke of the day. Before that I enjoyed tearing off a new page on calendars that featured Far Side cartoons, exotic sports cars, classic cars, golf tips and a quote of the day.

I also enjoy beautiful picture calendars, those that feature a new picture for each month of the year. And, while I'm not a big fan of tractors, "The Original Classic Farm Tractors 2010 Collectors Edition" calendar is truly a thing of beauty. (To order one of the calendars for $10 each or 3 for $25, click here.) For this time of year I particularly like the January picture of a 1951 Ford 8N with enclosed cab, tank-like treads and a V-plow on the front taking on a huge pile of snow.

But, if you read today's Ramblin' column in The Gazette, you know that I wrote about this calendar because of the April picture of Kent Aschenbrenner's mist green 1959 Oliver 880, one of only 249 made. The weathered red machine shed and the green grass of spring immediately conjure up thoughts of warmer days and planting season.

This story behind this particular tractor also gives you a perspective on the traditions of farming. Not only is this a century farm -- in the same family for more than 100 years -- but the tractor was originally purchased by Kent's grandfather, Karl. It was sold after a decade because the transmission caused problems, but Kent tracked it down in a 2002-2003 search. It had been in Minnesota and was in the possession of Oliver collectors in Estherville, Iowa.

In pretty rough shape, with a cracked engine block and all, Kent bought the classic antique for $3,500 -- the same price it sold for new -- and spent another $14,000 or so to bring it up to snuff. He used it a little around the farm after the restoration was completed in 2005, but has since retired the tractor to display status. He has taken it to various shows where people dispute the fact Oliver ever used the lighter shade of green on a new tractor.

But, it's true. And Kent, 41, would know. His family has used Oliver tractors forever and he became a collector early in life. He now owns 10 Oliver tractors or the subsequent White tractors manufactured after that company bought Oliver in 1960.

"The whole thing started in 1995," Kent says. "I just decided when I came here to farm, well, my family had farmed with Olivers, and I wanted to find a couple of Olivers to farm with."

And now Kent's two sons, Jayson, 12, and Jon, 9, have climbed aboard the Oliver bandwagon. Who knows. Maybe some day they'll have a tractor that makes the page of a calendar.