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NEWS • April 24, 2026 • 3 min read

Farmers, Backbone of America

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Diane Dubshinski
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3 min read 6 views
Farmers, Backbone of America
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Odd to say, but currently, there are approximately 4 million tractors on farms and ranches across the United States.  Believe it or not, John Deere ‘s Company manufactured tractors, but John Deere himself never rode on a tractor.  John Deere born in February 7, 1804 in Rutland, Vermont, was one of the major leaders of the industrial age But died in 1886 more than 30 years before his company began manufacturing tractors.  

At a very young age, John Deere took on the position of a blacksmith apprenticeship, mainly practicing out of Vermont in various towns.  After his first two blacksmith shops burned to the ground, Mr. Deere decided to pick up and move out to Grade Detour, Illinois, with his wife and five children following a year later.  The most popular machine he made to start out with was created mainly by error.  While forging a steel blade for a local sawmill, the blade cracked, and as Mr.Deere picked  it up, he realized that the blade was bent in a concave U shape and could be utilized to plow fields of the time instead of using wood or cast-iron.  John Deere, remember that name, As through the years, Mr. Deere had the foresight and the dream of the growth in the agricultural field and the value of manufacturing farming equipment.  

By 1840, he had produced 40 more plows.  Originally, he procured steel shipments England for his plows, but as the Civil War ended in America, the steel industry exploded.  The Years that followed, increased the growth of many, many companies through the industrial age.    Mr. Deere  produced a number of different types of equipment, which include  planters, cultivators, plows, and wagons, bailers, corn and cotton planters, and even bicycles.  Throughout the years, John Deere Company overcame many hurdles to hold on to the growth that has been accumulated through the years. They even created the first company paid Pension plan with  many other companies to follow.  John Deere held strong during the depression years and World War II  June 1, 1972, Deere company, symbol,  DE,  went public as an ipo split adjusted  price of .59 a share and currently trades over $500 a share.  Well known through the industry, shows the company logo, “Nothing  Runs Like A Deere.”

If you look a little closer to John Deere logo, you will see that the yellow color represents harvest ready crops while the green signifies growing crops.  Is it any wonder that this very well, detailed company is so successful which in turn  makes the United States of America’s agriculture strength just as strong for our farmers



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