Farm family bleeds John Deere green
Glencoe couple has huge collection of tractors
By Maggie Gray
September 11 is a day etched into our memories—a day of remembrance, reflection, and honoring the lives and stories that matter. As baby boomers, we have witnessed historical moments that have reshaped us—perhaps teaching us to know more, be more, love more, and appreciate the simpler things in life. This past September 11, I wanted to do something special. And I did. I met a remarkable couple who opened their hearts and home to share a story of love, commitment, farming, and a lifetime together. Let me share their story with you...
Duane and Darlene Haug, now 90 and 89, have been married for 63 years and will celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary in November. Their story began with a chance meeting at a dance in their mid-20s. Within a few months came marriage, a farm, dairy cattle, hard work and, eventually, one of the largest collections of John Deere tractors and equipment in the state.
Their love story is rooted in the land and sprinkled with plenty of John Deere green.
Duane’s first John Deere memory came when he was about nine years old. His father owned a John Deere Model 47B, and one day, while his dad was cutting a neighbor’s meadow for horses, Duane got to drive the tractor while his father drove the mower. Little did that young boy know that his first experience behind the wheel would spark a lifelong passion.
Duane and Darlene were married in 1963 and began helping Darlene’s father farm on weekends. Her sister had moved away, leaving her parents in need of help with the farm and dairy cattle. Eventually, with help from Darlene’s parents, the couple purchased their own farm near Glencoe.
When they arrived, the 130-year-old home and farmstead needed plenty of work.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, the quality of the buildings on this place was about a 3 or 4,” Duane recalled.
There was no running water, no bathroom, an old windmill, and an outhouse. Together, they dug out the basement, brought running water into the house, added a bathroom, and gradually improved the property. Over the years came a machine shed, new barn, pole barn, and another shed.
In 1965, they began milking dairy cattle. Their days started around 5 or 5:30 in the morning, and they had to have 35 cows milked before the milk truck arrived promptly at 7 a.m. They also raised 28 young stock.
A new barn was built in 1972, and they became Grade A dairy producers. For more than 30 years, farming and dairy work were simply part of everyday life.
And Darlene was right there beside Duane.
She operated tractors, combined, baled hay, and drove the field chopper. She also worked an off-farm job in Glencoe for 34 years, balancing work, family, and the farm.
When asked whether she liked Duane when they first met, Darlene grinned.
“Well, we are still together,” she said with a chuckle.
That simple answer perhaps says more about their 63 years of marriage than any long explanation could.
Their John Deere collection is equally remarkable.
Duane estimates they have at least 30 tractors, with their grandson having added a couple more. The collection includes numerous two-cylinder models, including a 330, 430, 435 with a Detroit motor, 530, 630, 730 gas, 730 diesel, 830 and 80.
One of the most treasured tractors is the 530 two-cylinder that once belonged to Darlene’s father. That tractor planted the seed for what would become a remarkable collection.
“I started with John Deere and have stayed with them ever since,” Duane explained. “That 530 two-cylinder that belonged to Darlene’s father was the one that planted the seed—that’s what started it all.”
Among the collection is a particularly rare John Deere 330.
“I got that one out of North Carolina. They only made a thousand of them, and I paid $18,000 for that one!” Duane said. “It’s very rare. I could easily sell it and make money, but I’m not going to.”
The newest working addition is a John Deere 2955 6-cylinder tractor with a front-end loader, purchased in 1992. It continues to earn its keep, with their son and grandson regularly using it. Their grandson even moves snow with it and has added LED lights.
While Duane and Darlene no longer farm themselves, their connection to agriculture continues through their family. Their son, Tim, lives across the road and works as a parts manager at a local implement dealer.
“He farms the farmers,” Duane said with a smile.
Their daughter, Sherry, lives in Woodbury with her family and works at a medical clinic.
After selling their dairy cattle in 1994, the Haugs began renting their land. The same renter has been farming it since 1998.
Duane recognizes how difficult it would be for a young person to start farming today.
“When we started farming here, you could buy a nice used tractor for $3,000 or $4,000,” he said. Today, tractors can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. He believes someone starting out would likely need livestock, financial backing, or an off-farm job to make it work.
Imagine the changes they have witnessed—from horses pulling equipment to modern tractors equipped with auto steer. Agriculture has changed dramatically during their lifetime, but the importance of dependable equipment has remained.
For Duane, John Deere’s reputation for supporting older equipment is one reason he has remained loyal to the brand.
“John Deere has a very good history of keeping parts for older equipment to keep them running,” he said.
That dependability, along with the convenience of having a local dealer nearby, has meant a great deal to the couple.
They also have an impressive collection of John Deere Christmas ornaments and signs that light up with the familiar leaping deer logo—gifts from their son and grandson.
A visit to the Haug farm is about more than tractors and memorabilia.
It represents memories.
It represents family.
And perhaps most importantly, it represents a lifetime shared.
From that first childhood ride on his father’s tractor to the 530 that once belonged to Darlene’s father, and from early mornings milking cows to today’s grandchildren moving snow, John Deere has been woven into the fabric of the Haug family’s life.
The tractors may be painted green and yellow, but the story behind them is one of love, hard work, family, and perseverance.
After 63 years of marriage, Duane and Darlene have built something far more valuable than a collection of tractors. They have built a life together—one day, one field, one family memory, and one John Deere at a time.
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