Richfield, WI – Classic Green Reunion is on its way to West Bend, Wi, from June 12 – 14, 2025. On a breezy morning in Richfield, WI, where red barns still dot the landscape and the smell of fresh earth clings to the air, local farmer and collector Herb Lofy stands beside a row of green machines — each with a story etched in steel.
As the 2025 Classic Green Reunion approaches, Lofy reflected on a slice of Wisconsin farm history that stretches from horse-drawn threshers to self-propelled harvesting icons.
“Back in the 1940s, John Deere was only in the threshing machine business for about a decade,” Lofy said. “They bought out Wagner-Legol up in the Twin Cities around 1937. Ran with it until 1947, and then things changed — big time.”
That year, Deere transitioned into the world of combines — self-propelled machines that revolutionized how farmers harvested crops. Lofy pointed to one of his prized pieces: a late 1940s threshing machine that’s remarkably untouched.
“This one’s a one-owner machine from Arcadia, just a ways from the Mississippi. Never restored — just well cared for. The man I bought it from, his grandfather owned it, passed it to his dad, and then to him. He’s over in Jackson now. That’s real Wisconsin heritage right there.”
Lofy, dressed in blue coveralls, sunglasses and a baseball cap, was in his element as he shared the story about his collection of John Deere green.
Lofy walked to a machine from the late ’60s, when Deere was leading the combine evolution with models like the iconic 55.
“Back then, it was Deere and Massey neck-and-neck,” he said. “They were pushing the limits of harvesting. Alice Chalmers had their all-crop pull-types, but when it came to self-propelled, Deere and Massey were it.”
This particular machine came from the Heppi brothers of Jackson — caretakers in every sense of the word. “Mel Heckendorf owned it after them. He’s a good man, and he’ll be sharing its story at the reunion. I keep it mostly as a collector’s piece, but I’ll take it out every so often just to keep it alive. I’ve even got the corn head for it.”
The pride in Herb’s voice is unmistakable, especially when he talks about preserving these machines. “They were built tough. Most of them ended up scrapped — just the way of progress. But to keep some of these running, in this kind of condition, it’s something special. A connection to the people who worked the land before us.”
Behind the combines sits another relic — a two-cylinder John Deere tractor. “That sound,” Herb grinned. “That’s what got folks collecting. Deere rode those two-cylinders hard until the horsepower just couldn’t keep up.”
It wasn’t until 1960 that John Deere truly hit its stride with the release of the “New Generation” tractors — the 3010s and 4010s. “That’s when they really left their mark. Everyone else — International Harvester, Alice Chalmers, Minneapolis-Moline — they were solid. But Deere just took off. History proves it.”
Then there’s Herb’s workhorse: a 1997 John Deere combine — a fourth-owner machine, and his go-to during harvest. “It’s not just any combine,” he says, pointing to a rare sticker on the side. “One year in production. That was the 50th anniversary of Deere’s self-propelled combines. That’s why I keep it — a marker of how far we’ve come.”
At the upcoming Classic Green Reunion, held June 12–14, 2025, Lofy and other enthusiasts will show off machines from every era — including live demonstrations of a 1940s threshing machine in action.
Click HERE for more information about the 2025 Classic Green Reunion
“That’s the kind of history you can feel,” he said. “When folks come out to see it, young and old, you can see the appreciation light up. It’s not just about the machines — it’s about remembering where we came from.”
Whether it’s the unmistakable sound of a two-cylinder tractor or the dusty hum of a 60-year-old combine firing up for one more pass, Herb Lofy’s collection — and his stories — remind us that progress isn’t just about moving forward. Sometimes, it’s about honoring the machines that got us here.
See Herb and his historic John Deere equipment June 12–14 at the 2025 Classic Green Reunion — a celebration of innovation, tradition, and the unmistakable green and yellow that helped feed the world.
Classic GreenThe 3-day event features anything and everything John Deere or Deere related.
Classic Green Schedule-of-Events-2025_04_30Stay tuned for more details. The article below highlights this year’s Classic Green Reunion as it partners with the annual Washington County Breakfast on the Farm.
There will be a unique twist to the 2025 Washington County Breakfast on the Farm. Mike Strupp is an organizer with the Washington County Dairy Promotions Committee.
This will be the 37th annual Washington County Breakfast on the Farm. The event celebrates June as Wisconsin Dairy Month.
“Brian Peters and his wife Elizabeth will be the farm host,” said Strupp about the family farm on Pleasant Valley Drive. “But this year the breakfast will combine with the Classic Green Reunion.”
Strupp said the logistics are still be worked out, but the initial plan will have the Peters open their farm to activities, barn tours, and ice cream on Saturday, June 14, 2025. The breakfast itself will be served at the fairgrounds across the road during the Classic Green Reunion.
“The Classic Green Reunions are bi-annual events that are moved every couple years showcasing agriculture in each state,” said Travis Krueger of Kohlsville who is part of the Classic Green committee.
“Wisconsin is known as America’s Dairyland and we’re doing our local dairy breakfast in conjunction with the tractor show… I don’t know how much more Wisconsin we can get than that.”
Krueger said about 2000 John Deere tractors will be on display, but the real treasured part of this year’s event is the Peter’s Farm which is a smaller, traditional family dairy.
This will be the 37th Washington County Breakfast on the Farm and owners Brian and Elizabeth Peters said their family, including daughters Vivian, 11, and Morgan, 9, can’t wait to show off their 5th generation farm.
Maple Woods Dairy Farm LLC, 3121 Pleasant Valley Road, is the one sporting the Cedar Valley Cheese and Maple Syrup sign. Neighbors will recognize the farm during the fall with its wide selection of pumpkins watched over by a round smiling haybale.
Peters said the dairy farm was established in 1888. The farm currently milks 55 cows. Brian and Elizabeth purchased the farm from his parents in 2017. This will be their first time hosting Breakfast on the Farm on June 14, 2025.
Stay tuned for more details about the 2025 Washington County Breakfast on the Farm.
