Antique tractors galore

BLOOMING PRAIRIE  — For 87-year-old Ron Janning, tractors are more than farm equipment; they are a lifelong passion that honors the past, connects family and carries stories built over decades.

“Dad was always painting and fancying up his tractors on the farm,” Janning said. “He was probably the only guy around with a nice, shiny tractor out there (farming).”

That early influence sparked a lifelong interest for Janning.

Today, Janning owns a collection of 27 antique tractors, including his father’s 1924 Farmall Regular. It was one of the first affordable tractors designed for plowing and cultivating. He also operates four modern tractors and farms about 300 acres of corn and soybeans while running Janning Seeds and  Fertilizer.

Each tractor in his collection has a story.

One of the most meaningful is a 1959 Farmall Cub, which his late wife admired. Janning purchased it in pieces and restored it himself.

“I put it all together because he (the seller) had it all apart, and tuned it up, painted it, and my wife was happy with that,” Janning said.

More than 15 years later, the tractor remains in the family, with one of his children hoping to keep it.

One way Janning shows them to others is by regularly bringing his tractors to the Steele County Fair every summer, where he serves as a superintendent and helps with the historical society. Several of his restored tractors are displayed there each year.

Beyond collecting tractors, Janning has both participated in and sponsored tractor pulls over the years and plans to compete again this season after a 6-year break.

He still remembers buying his first tractor, a pulling tractor, in 1967. It was a 1935 Farmall F-30.

“On the way home, I entered it in a tractor pull and got second place,” Janning said. “It was an impulse decision, too. That was fun.”

Another unique piece in his collection is a rare white demonstration tractor 1950 Farmall Super A. Dealers used these models to showcase equipment in the field before repainting them for sale. Janning later learned the tractor he purchased at an auction from a friend had never been sold by the dealership.

“They’d go out and do some plowing, cultivating in the field and demonstrate it to all the farmers,” he said.

Over the years, his interest in antique tractors has taken him far beyond Minnesota, including a trip to Canada to purchase a 1956 International W400.

Overall, Janning estimates he has restored around 50 tractors — not only for himself, but for others, too.

“I just enjoy working on them and restoring them,” Janning said. “My dad was a little bit that way, too.”

While Janning can repair nearly anything mechanical, newer tractors with computers are a different story.

“If they needed wheels, needed paint or the engine needed to be overhauled — there was a lot of things you had to do to get them running right,” Janning said. “I can fix just about anything.”

Through decades of restoration work, Janning has seen firsthand how tractors have evolved over time, from materials used to paint colors.

“(In terms of tractors), 1935 was a breaking point for internationals, going from green to red,” he said.

The passion began with his father and has been passed to subsequent generations, including his four children — three still living — and 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Many of them share his appreciation for tractors.

“They just like to have fun with them (the tractors),” Janning said. “They’re used to it like I am. They just enjoy the darn things.”

Looking back, Janning said he would do it all again, but maybe with a few changes.

“I’d probably buy a few more if anything,” he said. “Certain models I let go would have been worth quite a little. Now, they’re all worth something.”

He is still searching for one model in particular: a WD-40 International Standard.

“That’s kind of an oddball,” he said. “I haven’t found one yet.”

While he has begun selling a few tractors to make room for newer farming equipment, he still uses some classics on the farm, including a 1967 Farmall 806 and a 1960 Farmall 460.

Janning has farmed since 1964, always with an appreciation for antique tractors. He built much of his property himself, including the houses and sheds, often making sacrifices along the way.

“Dad said he’d get me $1,500 for a down payment if I’d sell the new car,” Janning said. “So, I sold a new car, drove an old oil-burning wreck for I don’t even know how many years.”

Before farming and running his seed and fertilizer business, Janning worked at Oakdale Motors, where he serviced vehicles and received additional training through the company. Those skills carried over into his restoration work.

Today, he sells LG seeds, though the brand is undergoing changes following its acquisition by GDM in late 2025. While products are still available this season, the brand is expected to be phased into Mustang Seeds starting June 1.

Still, Janning has no plans to slow down.

“That’s fun,” he said. “You can’t just sit around.”

With spring and summer approaching, he plans to stay busy and keep the tractors running.