Flint Hills hears the hum of antique John Deere tractors

Flint Hills hears the hum of antique John Deere tractors
Flint Hills hears the hum of antique John Deere tractors
The Flint Hills were alive with the sound of John Deere tractors in late September when a caravan of antique machines ended its 42-mile journey through Kansas, the Capital-Journal reports.

According to the news source, the tractors and their drivers all took part in the sixth annual Flint Hills Tractor Ride, which starts in Newbury and ends up in Lake Wabaunsee. The event is sponsored by the Flint Hill Tractor Club.

"We travel at 10 mph," said Dick Poovey, a Paxico resident and member of the tractor club.

During the long, slow ride, Poovey was riding a 1970 John Deere 4020 that his father bought new, then traded in 1981 for another model.  Having a soft spot for the heavy duty machine, Poovey thought it appropriate to ride the tractor in the event.

"I traced it down by the serial number," he said, adding that he had to wait more than two years for the owner to let go of the machine.

According to Tractor Data, the John Deere 4020 was first assembled in 1963, and was a part of the company's New Generation Series.