Tractor in the Haystack: Great Stories of Tractor Archaeology »

Writer and photographer Scott Garvey is a regular contributor to the world’s largest tractor magazine, Classic Tractor. He is based in Saskatchewan, Canada.

The vintage tractor unearthed in a barn or shed can be a thrilling find like no other. This book tells dozens of stories of just such discoveries, of the treasured old tractor parked in a shed since 1927, of the pristine model unearthed at an estate sale, of the broken-down old beauty stashed in a barn where generations of children have made their secret hideaways. These are the classic tractors that are often as hard to find as a needle in a haystack—but far more fun to discover, as all of these delightful stories make abundantly clear.

Implement & Tractor Magazine

In addition to these nostalgic and interesting tales, Garvey - an author and photographer who hunts and restores old tractors when time permits - offers tips on how readers can find old-iron treasures of their own.

Foreword   Roger Welsch     7
Acknowledgments     13
Introduction     15
Finding Favorites     19
The Case in the Shed     19
My First Ford     25
A Transcontinental Team Effort     32
Forgotten, but Not Gone     36
Finding a Namesake     39
The Inspired Apprentice     44
An A for an H     49
Meeting His Waterloo     54
Buckthorn-Brush Moline     60
Junkyard Deals     67
Deere Hunting     67
Back from the Brink     74
Scrapyard Titan     82
Steam Power     87
A Walk in the Woods     87
Family Traditions     93
Across the Ice     103
Up the River without a Barge     108
The Collectors     117
Michigan Backyards     117
Fate Intervenes at the County Fair     127
Airborne Invasion     134
The Rock Island Line     139
Winning on a Long Shot     144
Firsts     151
An Oliver with a Twist     154
The Engagement Gift     159
Around the World     165
Island Hopping     165
A Case of La Dolce Vita     173
Radio Recovery     178
For the Father Who Has Everything     182
Hard to Part With     185
Finding the Parts     189
A Tap on the Shoulder     190
Digging Up Skeletons     194
One Piece at a Time     198
Out of Retirement and Back to Work     205
School's Out     205
Two for One     211
Overseas Transplants     214
An Extra Dexta     220
Rusting under a Willow Tree     224
Some Personal Favorites     229
Epilogue: There Are Still Treasures Out There     243
How to Find Hidden Old Iron     249
Index     254