Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways

Checking the 'J.R. Box'

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Decades ago, the TV show Dallas left a cliff-hanger season ending episode causing all to speculate as to what happened to J.R. Ewing. Growing up, I knew my own J.R.: a friend and influencer named James Ronald Latimer.

Finding Your Best Team Members on the Field... and in the Dealership

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Tim Brannon recalls some stories from his softball playing years, and the impressive players he had on his team — both on the field and in the dealership.

Are We on the Edge of a New Wave in Farm Machinery?

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

With the gatherings of the Farm Equipment Dealership Minds Summit and the National Strip-Tillage Conference a few days away, recent conversations caused me to pause and think about another paradigm shift in basic agricultural methodology that we, quite possibly, could be witnessing.

Percy: The Parts Selling Partsoid

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

A 24-7, 52 weeks of the year, no vacation or sick days, robotic parts manager. Doesn't that sound great?

UAPs & UFOs: Tales from the Bayou

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:52:46 -0400

Just in case you missed it, the government just had a huge document dump about UAPs: Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon.

John Deere: The Industry Leader?

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Tim Brannon tried to figure out the rationality of Deere's recent actions when it struck him: "this ain't your dad's old Deere."

Why I Don’t Walk A Lot…

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Last week we were cleaning out the farmhouse we are planning to move to, when I discovered an old envelope filled with photo copies of service records of Private Leeper Dobbins who served in the Civil War.

Is it real, or is it Memorex?

Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Is AI "dumbing down" this generation, or are they just as ingenuitive as older generations?

Discernment of a Real Expert

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Discernment of a real expert usually boils down to the asking of relevant questions, and being able to say I don't know but I will find out — and does.

What March Madness and Others Might Have Been...

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Tennessee's Vanderbilt Univ., once known only for its academia power, is now showing success on the athletic fields and the hardwood.

Seats on the Bus

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0400

William Ellison Jr., a farm equipment shortline manufacturer, perfected and sold a machine that changed the history of these United States, and possibly the world, more than any other single piece of farm equipment.

Maturing Process

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Have you ever looked, but not seen? When you make a mistake like this you have to be ready for the ribbing you get for the rest of your life.

Paradigm Shifts in Ag?

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Paradigm shifts in agricultural thinking will be coming. How many times have we thought that before?

An Inconvenient Lie(s)

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

"We just need some pure journalistic investigation to get to the bottom of self-serving, agenda-driven news that — when one follows the money — finds the lies and exaggerations that rob our pocketbooks and the future of our children faster." —Tim Brannon

Stopping by a Dealership on a Snowy Day

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Tim Brannon turns a Tennessee snow day at the tractor lot into a playful, Frost-inspired reflection on work, weather, and rural life.

Harvey’s Garage

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Rain, honking horns, and $7.50 customer service—Harvey’s Garage shows how dedication and a sense of humor built loyalty in small-town America.

High Tech Under the High Arch in St. Louie

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Tim Brannon shares how AI, precision tech and even a few glazed-over moments in St. Louis convinced him that high-tech farming is no longer optional.

My W roaDster

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

From a dusty trade-in to parade-ready low rider: a WD Allis gets a wild second life. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by NAEDA.

Loretta Lynn, National Farm Machinery Show and a Tractor Pull to Remember

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

He told me to get the AC 8550 from the Loretta Lynn Farm, get a set of rules, and prepare it to pull in the new 4WD class at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville. I said, “Do what?” Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by NAEDA.

Customer Service & Tribal Knowledge Set Dealers Apart from ‘Big Box’ Competition

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

We, as independent dealers, must provide extra service and expertise to compete and win over the box stores and bigs. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by NAEDA.

A Dealer’s Ode to Thanksgiving

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:00:00 -0500

Thanks to the farmers, the ranchers and hobbyists who make us a living and keep us the jolliest. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by NAEDA.

A Lesson from the Legends

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 23:00:00 -0500

Just prior to our participation in the “Dealer Panel,” several founders of farm equipment companies were inducted into Farm Equipment’s Shortline Legends Hall of Fame — with several things in common. A vision, hard work and a “stick to it” work ethic that resulted in successes that have lasted for generations. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by NAEDA.

A Tale of Two Farmers

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Never in our history have we experienced the diversity in agriculture as to the productivity of row crop vs. cattle producers. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by NAEDA.

One Size Does Not Fit All with Dealers and Shortlines

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Shortline equipment has long helped dealers stay profitable and adaptable — but as majors push “purity,” the tension between innovation, dealer needs, and manufacturer control is only growing. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by NAEDA.

Who Moved the Cheese?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In today’s ag market, the “cheese” has been moved again—are you adapting like Scratch and Sniff, or stuck hemming and hawing? Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by NAEDA.

I Shed a Tear

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A touching reflection on watching a grandson step into the family business — and the emotions that come with seeing him grow up behind the wheel.

Thoughts on D-Day and Ag

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Thanks to D-Day our farmers still feed ourselves and a lot of a hungry world that would otherwise fall victim to one of those 'what ifs.' Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by Bobcat Company.

Memorial Day Reflections

Tue, 27 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

To keep from getting in too much trouble I suggested we go to the new movie Platoon, a Vietnam war movie on a free night. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by Bobcat Company.

Are We in an Economic “Shift” Again?

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Amid global uncertainty and rising trade tensions, dealers face a high-stakes reality check. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by Bobcat Company.

Dealers Bridge a Mechanical World and a Field of Dreams

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

How one dealer chose to bridge the gap between a mechanical world and a field of dreams. Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways is brought to you by Bobcat Company.