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Brian Mason still drive’s his old man’s JD 2030 tractor.
Three generations of keeping tractors in good nick – Les, Sam and James Paddison.
By Jonathan Killick
news@localmatters.co.nz
Despite increasing urbanisation in Rodney, vintage tractors sitting in local barns tell a rich story of the area’s rural history.
The Paddison family of Matakana have been told they “bleed green” because of their fascination with John Deere tractors, which has lasted decades.
Les Paddison and his son Sam, who is a hay baling contractor, own eight John Deeres between them.
Les’ favourite is a 30 horsepower 1948 model John Deere – one of a collection of tractors bought by the Government to sell to returned servicemen.
Les bought his first John Deere in 1980 and recalls the moment he got his first tractor with an enclosed cab in 1999.
“It was like stepping into a world of luxury after baling hay for 12 years without one.
“Before that, when I got home I couldn’t read the paper because of the dust in my eyes.
“At that time people still criticised me for buying a tractor with a cab, but I should have done it years ago.”
The addition of suspension was also a high rating feature for Les, who says it’s a lot easier on his bones.
“I am in my 70s now and that suspension could have come a lot earlier in life.”
Today, his son Sam’s pride and joy is a computer-assisted 200 horsepower John Deere 6170R.
It uses GPS for auto steering and farmers can plot a course to make it automatically turn between rows on a field.
It is designed for the US and Australia where farmers can fall asleep in the time it takes to work a row.
It has a seat warmer, air conditioning and even a fridge to cool down some beers.
Sam’s son James, 3, knows each of the family’s tractors by name and can point out their parts, including where to change the oil.
Meanwhile, there are more than 20 tractors in Brian Mason’s shed in Tomarata, but even he loses count.
All of them are in working condition, although none of them could be started on the day this reporter visited.
Brian’s collection is a tribute to past farmers from all over the north, having mostly come from deceased estates.
There’s a British Leyland from Puhoi, a 61’ Ferguson once owned by the late Eddie Logue, a ’52 Ferguson from Tom Mulligan of Tomarata, and a ’59 Fordson Major once owned by the Hargreaves family in Oneriri, to name a few.
There’s also a red Massey Harris that belongs to Brian’s wife, which was bought in a clearance sale in Clevedon. The owner had lost his leg in a tractor pulley during an exhibition at the Glenbrook show and let the tractor go for a good price.
Brian also has a John Deere 2030 that was bought brand new by his father in 1979 and it is still used to work the farm.
“I’ve broken a peat swamp with it,” he says.
Each year in autumn, Brian and his mates take their vintage tractors to Tomarata Beach where they pull in some fish and have a BBQ to celebrate yesteryear with friends.
