Get an up-close look at our extensive line of compact and utility tractors, implements, attachments and more during the Drive Green Tractor Experience … coming to a John Deere dealership near you.

The 2010 Drive Green Utility Tractor Show is underway. You can find the full schedule on the John Deere website.

Building on the success of last year’s Drive Green Utility Tractor program, John Deere announces it is holding Drive Green Tractor Experience events at more than 50 locations across the southern and eastern United States for 2010. The dealer-sponsored events, which kick off in Texas, are designed to give rural property owners, agricultural producers and other interested consumers a chance to operate and ask questions about the latest models of utility tractors and other equipment available from John Deere.

Like last year, a uniquely detailed semi-tractor and trailer that will transport several utility tractors and other equipment to each of the major Drive Green Tractor Experience events. In addition, the legendary designer Chip Foose has customized a 1970 John Deere 4020 Tractor, which also will be featured at many of the events scheduled after early March.

In conjunction with the nationally scheduled Experience events, many John Deere dealers are hosting smaller Drive Green Experience activities at their local dealerships across the country. At all the Experience events, John Deere tractor specialists will be on hand to demonstrate the equipment and answer questions.

Eric says that the program has been real successful. The opportunity to get the truck on the road and deliver these new utility tractors to dealers around the country provided customers the chance to get on them which is what it’s all about. He says that one of the things that stood out for him was how the program got people into John Deere dealership who had never been there before. Attendance was way higher than they had hoped for overall. In fact, Eric says the program was expanded after the early success of the show stops.

When the show first started there was some limited availability on certain models so dealers were really happy to have some of these tractors on hand. The truck also provided a great promotional opportunity when it was parked outside dealerships.

Eric appreciates the staff and instructors who traveled along with the show around the country since it provided good consistency of information that was available at each stop. Looking ahead he says that they’re changing the tires on the truck and hope to have it back on the road again in the future.

You can listen to my interview with Eric here: Interview with Eric Hodson

Kasey Holden from Missoula, MT is the winner and a customer of Triple W Equipment.

Here’s what she wins.

Products: John Deere 5065 E (65HP) Tractor, John Deere Loader, Frontier Implement

The sweepstakes were held May 4 – June 13.

I just received photos from multiple western U.S. stops and have placed them into a new photo album which you can find here: Reno Branch Photo Album.

There are photos in there from cities like Odgen, South Jordan, Grand Junction, Yuba City, Chico, Salem, Pasco and Missoula. Thanks to Sarah Ruth for getting them to me.

So in coming days we’ll get a wrapup report from our truck driver, find out the final contest winner and even more. In the meantime, enjoy all the photos, videos and interviews.

Thanks and see you down the highway!

Thanks and see you down the highway!

Speaking of Gators, they are one of the types of equipment in use at the Fresno Unified School District. A number of their folks attended out show stop including Ernie Martin. He says they’re involved in the heavy equipment part of the school district which includes all their tractor work. He says the utility tractors are very handy for the type of work they do.

You can listen to my interview with Ernie here: Interview with Ernie Martin

Pictured at the Lasseter Eq Group, Unadilla, GA location, manager Steve Hughes (left) presenting the prize to winner Kenneth Dixon (right).

Kenneth wins a John Deere AC2-CG35H-P Compresserator with electric start valued at more than $2,500 (USD). Dixon registered for the prize at a Drive Green Utility Tractor Show event that took place in Tifton, GA earlier this year.

In Lynden, WA last week that guy was Rich Hubbard. Rich says he’s got a pretty diverse territory with a lot of property owners and small ag operations. I thanked him for having us there on a beautiful sunny day. He says feedback on the new utility tractors has been good.

In fact, he says they quoted a number of new tractors during the show stop at North Washington Implement.

You can listen to my interview with Rich here: Interview with Rich Hubbard

North Washington Implement Photo Album

He came out to purchase some blades for his wife’s John Deere mower. Doug says he’s got a John Deere 720 which he uses in local parades. When it comes to the new utility tractors he’s impressed with their safety. He says they’re really good for people who don’t run them every day. He also likes the fact that they run so long without needing adjustments since so many people aren’t mechanically inclined. So he likes the safety and longevity of the new tractors.

You can listen to my interview with Doug here: Interview with Doug Smith

North Washington Implement Photo Album

I’m thinking that the Mayberry farm is very much a John Deere type of operation. And that’s what I found out when I interviewed Annette. She says they use all sizes of John Deere tractors including these utility tractors and lawn mowers.

You can listen to my interview with Annette here: Interview with Annette Maybeery

North Washington Implement Photo Album

Max says they’ve been doing business as a John Deere dealer in Lynden since 1916. He says their customer business is “dairy and berry.” Max says this is the raspberry and blueberry capital of the world. Since they have so many dairies in their area he says these new utility tractors really work well in their business.

You can listen to my interview with Max here: Interview with Max Smith

North Washington Implement Photo Album

In this one you can see Dick Bedlington (left) who is a local farmer. I got to speak with him after he enjoyed one of the hamburgers being served for lunch.

Dick says he farms about 2,200 acres that includes potatoes and grain. He came out to look at the new utility tractors. Dick has a lot of John Deere equipment on his farm. In fact, he says “We’re all John Deere. Our company swears by John Deere.” When it comes to the utility tractors he says they use them on a small farm for early germination seed which is a mostly two row application.

You can listen to my interview with Dick here: Interview with Dick Bedlington

All my photos from today’s event can be found here: North Washington Implement Photo Album

Our show event is now underway and I’ll be conducting interviews and taking more photos throughout the next several hours.

You can find the beginning of my event photo album here: North Washington Implement Photo Album

While I was at Fresno Equipment I found out that in their ride and drive lot they had a precision guided tractor demonstration being run by local AMS Consultant, Joey Todd, pictured here. So I climbed in the cab with Joey and had him explain what was on display. To start with we were in an 8230 wheel tractor running RTK using iTEC Pro. Joey set up a field with boundaries so that the tractor would turn at the appropriate spot and raise and lower the implement. He said we were getting sub 1 inch accuracy. In California Joey says the need for precision is “a must” especially because of water restrictions. He also says that he’s seen this equipment being put into Gators for applications like spraying.

You can listen to my interview with Joey here: Interview with Joey Todd

First in the interview is Allen Ewards pictured here. He says they’ve “seen a little bit of everything.” He talks about how the weather has played a big role in how many people attend at our show stops and like the weather he says, “You just never know.” The feedback from people he’s met has been very positive. He’s met a wide cross section of people from first time customers to existing customers who want to see the latest and greatest. He’s been able to help the dealers at our show stops since he’s got the factory training which allows him to answer their questions too. He says that in general all the people he’s met have had a very positive attitude. As he puts it, “Nobody is quitting in the farming business.”

Joining us in the interview was Jim Stoffregen. Jim has teamed up with Allen at several locations across the country. One of the questions he gets hit with most is to explain the new numbering sequence which he says makes it so easy for people to know what kind of tractor they’re looking at.

Even though the show has been put on in a variety of venues from dealer locations to large arenas he says they’ve all seemed to work well.

He’s also seen that sales are happening even with concerns about the economy. Part of that may be that these new utility tractors are so versatile and can work in so many applications.

You can listen to my interview with Allen and Jim here: Interview with Allen and Jim

Fresno Equipment Photo Album

We started out learning about his experience getting the truck stuck in some mud in Maryland. All went well even though Tim says it was kind of a nightmare for a while. He says he’s met a lot of people and had an opportunity to hand out a lot of business cards. Tim says that other than having some different accents the people he meets all have similar questions and issues.

You can listen to my interview with Tim here: Truck Driver Diary

Fresno Equipment Photo Album

It’s the Drive Green Utility Tractor Show truck rolling along. This photo was taken by Sarah Ruth, Sales Promotion Coordinator for the John Deere Reno Branch. Sarah promises me photos from stops in her territory that I can’t make. I’ll be at one more event next week in Lynden, WA fyi.

Sarah would like to remind everyone of their Ideal Drive Green Promotion, which includes a John Deere 5065 E (65HP) Tractor, John Deere Loader, Frontier Implement for one year or up to 225 total hours, whichever occurs first. Come on out to one of our events and get yourself registered!

Pictured is Karen Rottman, the winner of a new John Deere AC2-CG35H-P Compresserator with electric start valued at more than $2,500 (USD).

Rottman registered for the prize at a Drive Green Utility Tractor Show event that took place in Ft. Worth Texas earlier this year.

She’s being presented her prize by Brad Horn, Sales Mgr., Fish & Still Equipment Company, Inc. In Marshall, TX.

We’ll try to get photos of all our winners and post them here for you when we can.

One of the people attending the show stop was Jason Langstraat. He just ordered four 9770 combines which he’ll be putting to work in his custom combining business. He says they already had 2 combines but needed more as his business has expanded. Those machines are still in the process of being built but while he was at the event he showed off a display model to a couple of friends who were probably curious about what he had ordered.

You can listen to my interview with Jason here: Interview with Jason Langstraat

Fresno Equipment Photo Album