Farmer Carl Rufener waived life’s traditional luxuries of boating and golfing for antique tractors. This glimpse of just half of his collection proves his passion.
Rufener restored each of the approximately 50 tractors in his treasure trove. He’s even rebuilt tractors from as little as a box of pieces. Amazingly, each of them is in working condition.
His collection includes Leader, General, Silver King, the complete set of Shepherd Diesel, Gibson, Graham Bradley and more, ranging from 1938 to 1954. This display at his grain farm in Suffield, Ohio, includes 16 tractor makes and four Ohio-built machines.
Most of all, Rufener enjoys sharing his collection with others, whether it’s displayed in his yard or at one of the 12-15 fairs and antique shows he travels to each year.
Sharing Rufener’s labor of love are Bryan Rufener, Mike “Greaser” Govan and Dave “Pete” Einloth (pictured left to right, with Rufener the second from the right). The trio also works at the farm and in Rufener’s milk-hauling business.
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