Our Collections
Chris has been a longtime fan of John Deere. Looking through the family scrapbooks, it is easy to see his favorite toys. It was a natural choice for him to follow his love of green!
His collection has grown to include equipment, memorabilia and custom toys.
The current restoration project is a 55H combine. His enthusiasm
is not shared by his five-year-old daughter who couldn't believe that dad
was excited about that "junky old combine." Some of his favorite
pieces include a 1920s dealers catalog, a sales catalog from the
Deere dealership that his father and grandfather owned in the 1960s, and
the 55H. He is always looking to add to this collection and
currently on his list is a model 36 hillside combine, tillage equipment
and literature on all models of combines.
In 1979, with the help of his dad and grandfather he began restoring a 1929 Model A Roadster pickup. This project is still in the works with hopes of finishing in the next couple of years.
Then restoration will begin on a 1921 Premier Roadster. Both of these
automobiles were owned by Chris' grandfather and are stored on the ranch.
Tires were removed for the war effort in the 1940s, and both had seen damage
from the flood of 1964. However, both will make wonderful keepsakes
for future generations.
Carrie's current restoration project is a doctor's buggy from the late 1800s. It is almost complete, with only a paint job needed. When this project is finished, she hopes to find a sleigh to restore and then a carriage. With her grandfather's saddles, Chris' grandfather's saddles, bridles and equipment, the collection seems to be growing. Horses and their equipment is a love that Carrie shares with her grandfather. She has always loved listening to his stories of farming with horses.
Her Snow Village collection was started years ago as a Christmas gift. Growing every year, it is taking over the storage space. This is a passion that is shared with Carrie's sister, and a longtime high school friend. Weekends are spent planning purchases and changes in display. It has become an annual event to set this up with the help of Carrie and Chris' oldest daughter. However, it has been difficult for mom to share!
Some
of her favorite pieces include the Christmas Shop, Grandma's Cottage and
the Florist Shop. Always on the lookout for retired pieces, her current
wish list includes: J. Young's Granary, Turn of the Century House, Stone
Mill House, Hartford House, Snow Village Factory and Village
Public Library.
While traveling through Iowa on their honeymoon, Chris and Carrie discovered the National Farm Toy Museum in Dyersville. With the Ertl factory just blocks away, another collection was born. Specializing in 1/64 scale farm equipment and trucks, mostly John Deere green, Carrie has added a few other colors. Some favorite pieces were added by Carrie's uncles, toys from their childhood. This is a collection Chris and Carrie enjoy sharing, but it has been difficult to explain to their daughters that some toys are meant to play with, and some to sit on the shelf.