Agricultural History Project

The Agricultural History Project located in Watsonville, California collects and restores local antique tractors. The group is made up of members with officers to oversee and assist in direction of the project. It has over 350 members and currently thirty tractors ranging from 1920 through 1965.

The tractors and implements are shown at special events and parades to create awareness and preserve the history of California agriculture. The tractors and implements provide a visual to the onlooker that a photo could never capture. The size and shape of today’s tractors compared to those manufactured at the turn of the century bear little comparison. Even the tractor featured in this article is dwarfed by some of the earlier steam powered models of days past.

This 1952 Case DC was a donation to the project from the Borina Family who used it during the 1950’s for their apple farming business located in the Pajaro Valley of California.

When the group received the gift it was trailered in on an equipment trailer. Later members Ray Gohnert and Fred Mossbarger restored the DC. The pair repainted the tractor and did an engine tune-up as well as a variety of other necessary repairs over a six-month period.
The Case is shown at local parades, county fairs and special events.

Iron Memories thanks, CEO John Kegebein who graciously supplied the information for this story and member Lynne Grossi for photographing the DC for this article.