American powerhouse

The north-east of England has a long and proud history for shipbuilding and coal mining, but agriculture is the most important source of employment in the area. Mike’s family has been working the land for several generations. The farm extends to 500 acres of arable land, and contract work is undertaken on a further 2,500 acres.

“We grow mainly barley, wheat, and oilseed rape,” said Mike, who has been a big fan of John Deere tractors since he was a boy. “The farm has been using John Deere machinery since the 1980s. I started collecting old JD tractors around the time of the millennium. My first tractor was a 4020. I like tractors from the late ’60s and early ’70s, and they make up the bulk of my collection. John Deere tractors were a rare sight