Saying Goodby to an Old Friend

Monday afternoon Kevin who is a trucker with Worthington Ag Parts came to the farm to pick up my John Deere 7720 combine and 20 foot bean head. About a year ago I bought my cousin Chad's 9500 combine. Chad bought another combine and asked if I wanted to buy his which had only  3,500 hours on it. Plus, it was very well taken care of and had a lot of updates.

My 7720 had well over 7,000 hours on it, maybe closer to 8,000. I don't know for sure because the hour meter quit working years ago! I thought the best thing to do was sell it for salvage parts. I did not want it setting around the farm rusting away. However, it was still hard to let it go down the driveway. There were a lot of memories with that combine!

My Dad and uncle Roger bought the combine in 1984 when it was one year old. When Laura and Steve were little they rode with me in the cab. I suspect you wonder how a farmer could get attached to a piece of machinery?  When you lease a combine or trade every couple years I am sure it is different. However, I drove that 7720 combine for 35 years of my life. It sure was a good combine!

It was really a pleasure to work with Kevin from Worthington Ag Parts. What a professional with tons of experience! The weather and slippery roads caused some problems. He kept calling me on his cell phone to coordinate when he could get to the farm. Then, it was something to watch him load the combine and bean head in the snow and ice safely. Kevin said he had been hauling machinery since my combine was new So, my 7720 is gone, but not the pictures and memories!