Saw a very sad sight driving through farm country yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon I was headed to town and decided to take a back road rather than the highway. Used to drive this route on a regular basis a few years back when the highway was under repair. Thinking I would see some tractors and combines setting out getting ready for harvest, I saw a sight I really did not expect.

As I approached a farm that usually has several John Deere tractors setting around, I noticed something looked much different than usual. It only took a second look to see what was different, and I realized what was wrong:

The farmers machine shed, and all of the tractors and equipment in and around it, had burned to the ground, total loss on everything. If I had not saw these tractors previously, I would not have known what brand or model they were. Nothing left, tractors were sitting on the rims, tires completely gone, no paint, glass, etc. Once working machines now just ruins. Very sad sight, I don't know what happened but I certainly hope that no one was hurt. Can't seem to find a news story on it, but I do remember seeing the local volunteer Fire Dept out the other night, guess that is where they went.

A shameful sight, kinda wish I had taken the highway now.

Which is why an all metal building is the only way to go for tractor storage

I know how ya feel. My neighbor as a kid was the "real" farmer of the area, most of us had a couple small tractors to make hay and a few cows, he had 1600 acres and a huge barn full of mostly Case and Ford equipment. He'd always let us ride along in the combine while he was harvesting and even let me drive a couple of his big Ford's.

One night dad woke up and there was a orange glow coming in the window, that barn nearly a mile away was fully engulfed in flames, it burned to the ground and took everything with it by the time the fire dept made it out there. The only tractor he had left was the old Ford 5000 that he had sitting outside that night. By morning the tractors and combine were rusted iron hulks that looked like they might have been sitting in a fence row for 100 years. No paint, no rubber or plastic, and even much of the sheet metal had burned or melted off. I'll never forget the sight of that tough as nails ol farmer standing there crying.

Hopefully he had good insurance.

Don't assume that a metal shed is going to give you security. St. Cloud lost a fire truck and had extensive building damage when their truck caught fire in the hall.

For sure,

I came so darned close to that happening to me one time that it just flat scared me for life.

Ever since, I keep 'em strung out all across the farm so they're not all in one 'pile'.

Allan

don't know where you are located but here in ohio, delaware county they have an a problem with arson,..burning old barns,..now have graduated to houses that are for sale. had same problem where i live 15 years ago,..lost about 8 old barns some with hay and others with equipment inside

I know exactly how you felt upon seeing the ruin.

In 2007 when Greensburg, Kansas was nearly wiped off of the map, the photos of brand new John Deere tractors and combines all twisted up in piles of debris was quite heart breaking even if I'm not an especial JD fan.

Photos at link.
Tornado damage on JD machines. New and Used

You just have to build more sheds Allan{~)}.

One or two tractors per shed.

I know what your saying, but here in Iowa we have to shed them or they will rust away in a few years.

I was amazed how bare the paint was on that 1066 I bought from out there with little or no rust.

Paint leaves here and they turn to rust.

Gary

Saw a similar sight here a couple years ago. Renter was storing hay in a retired landlord's shed. Somehow his Gehl skid loader caught the hay on fire. Burned the shed to the ground right around what used to be a bunch of 50/55 seiries Oliver tractors plus the skid loader.

Check it all out. See what you find that's worth a chance. When my barn burnt, someone I thought was nuts bought my old allis. for alot of money in my book. 2 years later it was at shows. Rubber pieces and sheetmetal, so he said, pieces that usually need repair or replacement anyway... and he reminded me, heat goes uphill, he had no doubt of the engine and tranny surviving. since then, all my equipment sheds have been plastic tarps and bungie cords...

At least there's a good chance that equipment is insured.

I drove past a farm this morning where they were lining up equipment for a forced sale due to bankruptcy.

I'd rather watch my stuff burn.

Don't suspect it would be happening during good farming times, but when I worked for PCA lending to commercial fishermen, we experienced several "friction fires"- from heat generated by the mortgage rubbing up against the insurance policy.

We had one sink in California, and when my branch manager (who was from California) heard about it, he smiled and said "Bet it was xx miles off Fort Bragg." I checked, and he was exactly right. Water is a mile deep, with treacherous currents, so nobody can go down and check for sabotage. Insurance co. was huffy, said it was "suspicious", said they wouldn't pay for a year while they "investigated." After a year, we got our check.

Seeing the same thing in the collector car market. Record number of cars getting stolen...

Guys bought these ecars back in 2005-2006 for insane prices and since then they have dropped by at least 50 percent. With a tight job market and these cars are insured for the stated value when they bough them....


A local guy bought a 69 Z-28 for 90k and now that car is worth 40-45 on a good day. He left it out in his driveway with the keys in it and went to get gas for his lawn mower. 5 minutes later he came back and the car was gone. I know the agent. He said the guy said he has never left the keys in the ignition before and it just happened to get stolen that day...oh..and he was laid off 3 months prior....

(quoted from post at 00:56:00 08/30/11) Which is why an all metal building is the only way to go for tractor storage

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I'm not completely sure of the building construction, but it looked like most machine sheds around this area, wooden structure with metal roof and siding. Morton buildings are popular, as are a few other brands. It was not a old wooden barn, this shed was sizable enough to hold a JD 8650 (I think) along with several other large tractors and implements.

My guess is that once the fire started, it grew rapidly due to the amount of fuel around. There were several fuel tanks close to the building, and I would expect the tractors had fuel in them as well. Could have been maybe a 1000 or more gallons of fuel on site?

Just a guess on my part, but a neighbor to my parents had a machine shed full of equipment burn a few years back, and he had just filled up all his tractors with fuel prior to the fire, plus had tanks nearby, then lightning struck. Total loss as well, nothing the fire crews could do with that much fuel for fire to feed on.

(quoted from post at 05:04:04 08/30/11) don't know where you are located but here in ohio, delaware county they have an a problem with arson,..burning old barns,..now have graduated to houses that are for sale. had same problem where i live 15 years ago,..lost about 8 old barns some with hay and others with equipment inside

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Sure hope it was not arson, we don't need those scumbags around!

About 10yrs ago we had the same "problem" with barns burning down in the area, until the POS responsible was caught. Turns out he was on the Fire Dept, and the authorities figured him out because he was the first on the scene every time, sometimes before the fire had been called in. I believe he is currently still in the iron bar motel.

(quoted from post at 01:55:19 08/30/11) Hopefully he had good insurance.

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Yeah, I hope so too. Still going to be tough going for a while, corn harvest is only a few days from starting, and he lost several tractors. Looked like a 50 series Deere 4wd (JD 8650 I think), a JD 4440 or 4640?, and a JD 4020 w/ loader. I had seen a JD 6030 around sometimes, but I don't think I saw it in the ruins. Hard to tell, everything is burned so badly it is almost not recognizable.

A farm I help out at had the same thing happen three years ago. All newer John Deere equipment. A tractor was plugged in and it shorted causing the whole shed to go up. Craziest thing was all the seed for the upcoming planting season was supposed to come the day before, but something came up. That was one big silver lining. After 3 years they are back at it full-strength. Figured it was about 1.5 million lost in machinery, but with good insurance it helped out a ton.