North America

The North Carolina Farm Family Behind the White House Easter Egg Roll

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:23:17 GMT

As a child, farmer Trey Braswell watched the president and first lady speak on the South Lawn of the White House during the annual Easter Egg Roll. This year, his family farm is continuing the tradition of supplying approximately 40,000 hard-boiled eggs to the historic event.

“As an egg farmer, these are things that you don’t expect,” Braswell said. “We believe our business is the Lord’s and we’re here to take care of it and be good stewards. It’s only by God’s grace that we have the opportunity to do this, to supply these eggs.” Braswell Family Farms began providing eggs, on and off, for the White House event in 1997. It is the fifth consecutive year the family has provided all of the eggs for the event on behalf of the American Egg Board.

The White House Easter Egg Roll officially began in 1878 and brings tens of thousands of people to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The Braswell family doesn’t just raise the eggs for the event; they also handle the whole process of getting the dyed eggs to the White House.

Dying White House Easter Eggs

(Intrepid Marketing Group)

“It takes several days and a lot of volunteer labor hours to cook them in small batches to chill them and then to dye them,” Braswell said. The family works with culinary partner Stocked Pot to complete the process. The company boils, dyes and packages the eggs in Winston-Salem, N. C. before they are stored in a Braswell warehouse in Virginia and delivered to Washington, D.C. The farm says the process means the eggs travel about 493 miles and move through five states before they reach the green grass on the South Lawn.

Secretary of Agriculture Visits Farm

This year, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited the farm and toured the operation. The visit included a round-table discussion on labor, input costs, hen health and flock security with state egg and soybean producers. The American Egg Board, American Farm Bureau Federation, North Carolina Farm Bureau, the North Carolina Egg Association and United Egg Producers also participated.

(Intrepid Marketing Group)

Braswell said the egg roll is a day politics are set aside and people of different backgrounds are brought together. He and his wife have taken their three children to the celebration twice. Braswell said the event isn’t just a business opportunity, but it holds personal weight. “It’s really cool that not only is it a great event at the White House, but we’re really celebrating one of the most important events in the history of the world as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection,” he said.

The event takes place Monday, April 6.

Barn Find Bonanza: Low-Hour John Deere 7810 Smashes Record

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 18:39:14 GMT

If you kick around the used farm equipment world long enough, every now and again you’ll come across the Holy Grail of auction finds: low-hour, premium condition (i.e. like new) pre-DEF machines.

Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson likes to call them “barn finds.”

This week’s Pete’s Pick of the Week is a pristine barn find that brought home a big return for its 89-year-old owner:

Last Wednesday at an online farm equipment auction in Viroqua, Wisc., a 2002 John Deere 7810 2WD row crop tractor with only 915 engine hours (shown top of page) sold for $158,392, which absolutely destroyed the previous record high for a 2WD 7810 by over $45,000.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

Another notable transaction from last week was a 1990 Case IH 7120 FWD tractor with over 4,000 engine hours (shown above) that sold for $61,000 at BigIron.com’s Rodney Patterson Farm Retirement online auction in Stratford, Iowa. It represents the second-highest all-time auction result for a 7120 with over 4,000 hours.

And this dealer-owned skid steer set a record for a used Case IH 435:

“You don’t see them very often, but they’re out there, more often than people think,” Pete says of the barn find John Deere 7810 and Case skid steer. “The guy probably retired decades ago and kept it to move some snow or something and it hardly had any hours on it. These pre-DEF, low-hour, barn finds always, always attract big money.”

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

And another notable auction result from the Rodney Patterson sale was a 1988 Case IH 1660 combine with 3,801 hours (shown above) that sold for $15,250.

Auction Market Insights

Pete shared a couple observations on the used farm equipment auction circuit during his appearance on AgriTalk this week:

His data shows that farm equipment auctions are up 14.5% through the end of September, year over year. And Pete anticipates an uptick in “whole farm fleet liquidations” in the months ahead and into 2026 due to the ongoing farm economy depression and many farmers aging out of active farming.

“[Right now] we’re just on the front end of this; the end of the year is going to be very busy as far as the number of auctions,” Pete says. “[There’s] all these different stressors and uncertainties out there, and combined with the fact the average age of the American farmer is older than me — and I’ll be 60 in a few weeks … yeah, there’s going to be a lot of auctions.”

Upcoming Auction to Watch

On Nov. 4, McGrew Equipment (Seven Valleys, Pa.) will host an auction featuring 150 skid steers (including an ASV PT100 with 141 hours) and several nice used tractors, like the Deutz-Fahr 5110G in the video above with only 33 hours. You can find more details at mcgrew-equipment.com.

Winter Is Coming: Farm Equipment Prep Pointers From an Oil and Fuels Expert

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:49:56 GMT

Every winter, after fall harvest and tillage are wrapped up, farmers begin prepping farm equipment for the long slumber ahead until spring planting arrives. Or, if you plan on using that tractor or UTV to move snow or for other tasks around the farm, you need to prep your machinery for that as well.

There are several essential steps farmers need to consider for winter farm machinery use and storage, says Jonathan Woetzel. Woetzel has enjoyed a long career with Minnesota-based cooperative CHS, where he focuses on quality assurance for the Cenex brand, which is CHS’ in-house label for its fuels, lubricants and propane.

How to handle fuel

Cenex fuel at Shumaker Ringnecks Pheasant Farm

(Adam Hester )

His first piece of winter farm equipment preparation advice for farmers and fleet managers is make sure you have the right diesel fuel on hand.

“The wax that naturally occurs in diesel fuel, especially No. 2 diesel fuel, when it gets too cold, the wax crystallizes and becomes a solid form that doesn’t pass through filters very well,” Woetzel explains. “There are fuels available, like our Cenex Winter Master premium diesel fuel, that include additives to prevent gelling.”

That unwanted fuel thickening, or gelling as Woetzel calls it, is mitigated specifically by cold flow improver (CFI) additives in the fuel.

For any gasoline-fueled equipment you’re not planning on running this winter, Woetzel recommends adding a fuel stabilizer to the tank if you’re not able to empty it out prior to storage. Although, oftentimes a premium winter diesel fuel blend will already contain fuel stabilizers, so check with your fuel supplier before investing in aftermarket stabilizers.

Oil and lubricants

Oil_Analysis_Cenex_rev

Changing the oil in any equipment you store for winter is a good idea, he adds.

“I say that because used oil, if it’s been in there for quite some time, has lost some of its ability to prevent rust and corrosion,” Woetzel says. “So, get the old oil out and put in fresh oil and a new filter, and then fire it up and run it for 10 minutes or so to circulate the oil. Now all the internal engine parts are coated with oil to prevent rust and corrosion.”

The quiet winter period is also a great time to send off any used oil samples for lab analysis, which helps detect internal equipment issues (e.g., contaminants like coolant leaks or unusual engine wear), and then you can address maintenance needs before spring planting season. Most oil testing services turn samples around in 48 hours and will email a PDF of the results.

Another consideration is oil type. You want engine oil that will flow quickly as the machine starts up. Woetzel says you want to use high-quality synthetic oil.

“A full synthetic gives better cold starting capabilities and lubrication,” he adds. “And you want to make sure you have the right viscosity grade, like a 5W-40. That 5W means it’s going to flow very well right away at cold startup and work well in cold temperatures.”

Coolant and antifreeze

dan anderson coolant

Because coolants and antifreeze are formulated for a wide range of temperatures, there’s not much to worry about in that regard. Woetzel does recommend checking your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommended coolant change intervals, and if you’re due for a coolant swap, get that done (and a coolant flush) before winter hits.

If you’ve purchased a used machine that’s already full of antifreeze, but you’re not sure what type or if it’s the right formulation for your climate, there are handheld testers that you can purchase to verify the fluid’s actual freeze point.

Finally: hit those grease points

types of grease

(Dan Anderson)

Take a second and think about when you last greased up all the grease points on your tractor, combine, planter or tillage tool, Woetzel says. If you’re putting the machine into storage and won’t need it until it warms up, a standard No. 2 grease is good for spring, summer and fall. If you’re going to keep using it during the winter, he recommends using a No. 1 grease.

“We tell them to switch to a No. 1 grease, which is softer and easier to pump, and it flows better,” Woetzel explains.

Your Next Read: Record Breaking Used Hay Baler And Seed Drill Headline Pete’s Pick of the Week

Record Breaking Used Hay Baler And Seed Drill Headline Pete's Pick of the Week

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:22:49 GMT

Hay and livestock equipment is scorching hot on the used farm equipment auction market. This week’s Pete’s Pick of the Week is a shining example of positive momentum within the segment.

At a Jason Aycock Auctioneering sale Saturday in South Hill, Va., a “really sharp” New Holland BR7060 round baler (shown top of page) with 7,700 bales on it sold for $31,000. That topped the previous record auction price by $2,000.

(Jason Aycock Auctioneering)

In the same auction lot, a Hayduster 107 10-foot no-till seed drill (shown above) with 1,110 acres on it sold for $22,000, which once again broke the previous record high at auction by $2,000.

Here is a video from Machinery Pete’s Facebook page showing both machines being auctioned off:

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

And a few weeks ago, at a Richie Brothers auction in Saskatchewan, a 2017 John Deere 569 round baler with 5,968 bales under its belt (shown right) sold for $56,000 CA, which equates to just over $40,000 USD. Machinery Pete says that’s the seventh highest price all-time on a John Deere 569.

Used utility tractors with loader attachments also remain in high demand in the livestock/cattle producer markets.

(Jason Aycock Auctioneering)

At the Aycock sale in Virginia over the weekend, a New Holland T5070 with over 4,000 engine hours on it (shown above) with a NH 852 T loader implement included sold for $41,000. Pete says that’s not a record, but it still represents a “pretty, pretty strong price.”

And what about other livestock farming equipment, like feed trucks? Are those machines also bringing big dollar bids at auction? Yes, they sure are, says Pete.

(Purple Wave Auctions )

A 2024 Kenworth C500 feed mixer truck with a Rotomix 7002016 XD mixer (shown above) and 16,424 miles on it sold for $203,500 at a PurpleWave.com online auction last Wednesday.

“Whether it’s a round baler or a loader tractor, one of the things driving the market here is, you know, what’s a new one cost? When you’re buying horsepower on the used tractor market, it’s such a contrast with the price of new to a good used one that, even though it’s a record price, it’s still a big gap between the [price of a] new one. And that makes it awful attractive for used buyers,” Pete says.

Upcoming Auction

On November 4 Big Iron Auctions/Sullivan Auctioneers will be hosting the Jon and Marcia Kinzenbaw “No Reserve Collector Tractor Auction” in Williamsburg, Iowa, and online at BigIron.com. Jon Kinzenbaw founded Kinze Manufacturing Inc.

You can check out the auction docket for that sale here , bidding closes November 4 at 9:00 am CDT.

Your Next Read: Machinery Pete’s 5 Pointers For Equipment Auctions

From Best Buy Toy to Pro Spray Drone: A Father-Son Duo Takes Flight In Missouri Cattle Country

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 19:41:27 GMT

Iowa State University freshman Rhett Keaton and his father, Vance, are launching a drone spraying side hustle.

The father-son duo started out just having some fun several years ago, buzzing around the house with a $20 drone from Best Buy that “drove mom crazy”. But now, they are getting serious about turning entertainment to revenue.

Vance, who runs 5K Cattle Company out of Anderson, Mo., ran out and purchased a DJI Agras T20P spray drone this spring, and both Keatons secured the Part 107 Commercial Pilot Certificate needed to operate on a farm. Combined with the private pesticide applicator’s license 5K Cattle Co. already held, the guys can now apply restricted-use pesticides to their own pasture ground.

University of Missouri Extension experts recently weighed in on the promise of drone usage in farming, and more specifically, in cattle operations. Field specialist Caleb O’Neal likens the technologies’ versatility and practicality to that of a UTV.

“Back in the 1980s, it would have been rare to see a UTV being used on a farm,” he says. “Visiting farms today, I’m hard-pressed to find an operation larger than 20 acres that doesn’t have some type of UTV that they utilize on a regular basis.”

And while the Keaton’s are banking on custom application services with a spray drone as their next play in ag, you don’t have to spray crops or weeds to use drones for the benefit of your farm or ranch, according to O’Neal.

Use of drones in agriculture is increasing as row crop and livestock producers find new ways to improve efficiency and productivity.

(Photo courtesy of Caleb O’Neal.)

“Livestock producers can monitor fences and availability of water and can make sure animals are where they should be without even opening a gate,” O’Neal explains. “Drone technology lets cattlemen quickly check estrus indication patches for optimized breeding timing, monitor cows during calving season, look for hidden newborn calves and look out for potential predators.

Getting back to the Keatons, the next step is for Rhett, who is majoring in ag systems technology in Ames this fall, to secure his Missouri commercial pesticide applicators license.

Once that happens, the pair can start marketing drone spraying services to neighboring farms. Their plan is to start locally with pasture and grassland applications before seeking out work on row crop farms to the north once foliar fungicide season hits.

Related - The Scoop Podcast: What’s Next For Ag Drone Application?

Even though the T20P is one of the smaller spray drones offered by DJI, Keaton says it’s proven to be the perfect fit so far. He also rents a neighbor’s spray drone, paying a per-acre fee, when he needs more than one bird to cover more ground.

“We do a lot of flying in and out of trees and stuff like that,” Keaton says. “Having that smaller drone with less capacity and a more efficient battery, I get about double the battery life as [the bigger drones] do. But I also have about half the tank.”

The reservoir on the T20P holds about 5.5 to 6 gallons of tank mix, so Keaton will usually need to land and refill his tank after about five or six minutes of spraying. He averages 23 acres per hour when everything is set up for a quick land-refill-takeoff cycle.

Keaton says Corteva’s DuraCor herbicide, an aerial application-approved formulation containing two Group 4 AIs, is the main product he’s been spraying from the drone thus far. The product label calls for 2 to 3 gallons of active ingredients (mixed with carrier water) applied per acre with coarse droplets.

A fellow rancher kicks the tires on Vance and Rhett Kaiser’s spray drone trailer at a field day event. The Kaisers operate 5K Cattle Company out of Anderson, Mo., and have plans to launch a spray drone custom application business in the near future.

(Rhett Keaton )

Keaton and Vance also picked up a nicely appointed spray drone trailer off — of all places — Facebook Marketplace. The whole setup – drone, trailer, extra batteries, etc. – cost about $30,000 all-in, Keaton says.

“We found one that was cheaper to buy than it was to build our own, especially with the generator — that is probably the most expensive part of that trailer,” he explains. “It already had the generator, pumps, the mix tanks and a thousand-gallon freshwater tank, and everything was lined up.”

With the spray drone in the air and the nice, shiny trailer parked edge-of-field as Keaton makes his passes, cleaning up weed escapes in fields that he says are “pretty clean” already, neighboring farmers often take notice and stop by to ask if he and his dad can come by and spray some of their ground, too. Their plan is to find the sweet spot between a $12 to $20 per acre fee to charge for their drone spraying services.

Speaking of sweet spots, O’Neal feels that spot spraying, guided by aerial imagery or even first-hand producer knowledge of where weed problems are significant and need to be addressed, is a good target for drone service providers like the Keatons.

“A pasture with a rash of blackberry weeds in isolated areas has great potential for a prescription herbicide application where only the problematic areas receive treatment via a spray drone, as opposed to a broadcast application where the entirety of the field is treated whether it needs it or not,” he says.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunity [for it] around us. There’s a lot of guys with hay fields, and they do a lot of burn down applications. That’s one thing we are planning on hitting on,” Keaton says. “I think some guys would be interested in that. Especially if we have a wet spring and guys can’t get in the field.”

Missouri Extension field specialist O’Neal agrees with that assertion.

“In my neck of the woods in southwestern Missouri, the topography can be quite unforgiving, with some areas too harsh to allow access by ground spray rig or even an ATV,” O’Neal says. “With an aerial piece of equipment like a utility drone, landowners can now get herbicide applications on these problematic areas and put them into useful forage production.”

With a pilot year of flying his family’s acres fastened securely under his belt, Keaton says the arrow looks to be pointing up on spray drone technology in agriculture.

“Hopefully we can expand and get maybe another trailer or a bigger drone, it just depends kind of on what’s calling for us,” he says. “I’ve got to see exactly how much work is out there in this business and from there just make it all work out. Our foot is just in the door [right now].”

Your Next Read: Now is the Time for Beef Producers to Invest with Purpose

Machinery Pete Goes Deep on Retro Farm Equipment With Pick of the Week

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 18:47:31 GMT

Whether it’s an old John Deere combine that grandpa ran for decades or a shiny orange Allis-Chalmers tractor that’s been in the family for generations, vintage farm equipment is a big draw on the auction circuit. The appeal of classic machinery is equal parts nostalgia, old-school craftsmanship and practicality.

This week’s Pete’s “Pick of the Week” selection is a pair of notable classic iron deals:

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

At a Rich & Rich Auctioneers sale in North Carolina, a narrow-front Farmall 806 tractor sold for a remarkable $16,000. That’s almost $10,000 over the average auction price, although Pete does mention that two similar 806s (one a rare front-assist model) sold for over $24,000 in recent months.

At the same Tar Heel State auction, a 1988 International Harvester 4586 four-wheel drive tractor sold for $24,250, which Pete says is the second-highest auction price of all time.

And most people that have been to a farm equipment auction know there are all sorts of machinery types that land on the docket apart from your usual mix of tractors, combines and sprayers.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

At a Richie Bros Auction in Tennessee, a 1923 Ford Model T Snowmobile farm truck, which Pete called a “quirky unit” due to it having front skis and rear tracks, sold for $30,000.

And a pre-1920s (Pete wasn’t sure on the exact year) Buckeye 1081 Traction Ditcher sold for $10,500 in St. Charles, Mich., last Tuesday.

Oct. 1 Auction

Pete says the Kiko Auctions “Clean Late Model Equipment” sale in Ohio on Wednesday, Oct. 1, has a solid mix of heavy construction and farm equipment from Case IH, John Deere and New Holland available to bid on. You can check that sale out here.

Pete's Pick: 3 Used Loader Tractors Draw Big Bids, Plus A Heartwarming Classic John Deere Buy

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 22:55:59 GMT

The used farm equipment auction market continues to show robust demand and strong resale prices for good condition, used loader tractors .

That’s exactly why Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson highlights three strong loader tractor transactions as his most recent Pete’s Pick of the Week.

At a Purple Wave online auction, a 2022 New Holland T5.110 tractor (885 engine hours) with a loader implement (pictured top of page) sold for $61,600. Pete says that is the highest auction price ever for that year/make/model, according to MachineryPete.com sales data. The machine was from Broken Bow, Okla.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

At a Younger Auction Company sale in Rockport, Mo., a 2014 Case IH Maxxum 125 tractor (2,135 hours) with a L756 loader sold for $72,500, which Pete says is the second-highest auction price ever for that model with a loader and more than 2,000 engine hours.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

And at another Purple Wave online auction, a 2021 John Deere 6155M tractor (860 hours) with a 640R loader implement sold for $135,300. Pete says that is the third-highest auction price of all time with a loader and more than 500 hours.

“Dollars are tight all across ag and, you know, not much new stuff is selling — and we understand why,” Pete says. “I think [we saw] more layoffs at the manufacturer level last week , unfortunately. So when this continues to stretch out, but you [still] need horsepower and equipment on the farm, what you tend to look for is the best condition used [machinery].”

Pete also shares this nice story out of Plain City, Ohio, where a young farmer named Wyatt bought his great grandfather, Don Hess’s, old John Deere 430 tractor at an auction for $900. It was also the young man’s birthday, so quite the 24 hours for that auction goer out in Ohio.

“It was just very cool, and it made a lot of people happy to see a young person interested in their great grandfather’s history and tractor, and keeping that in the family,” Pete says.

Your next read: A Dive Deep Into Used Equipment Market Forces and Tips to DIY Your Next Sale

A Dive Deep Into Used Equipment Market Forces and Tips to DIY Your Next Sale

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 18:23:55 GMT

Farmers are feeling the squeeze of low commodity prices and uncertainty in the market — and that’s especially true for soybean growers right now — yet good condition, pre-DEF used farm equipment is still in strong demand.

Whether you’re selling a row crop tractor down at the local auction, parking the old combine out by the road with a “For Sale” sign on it, or throwing up a listing on Facebook Marketplace, Casey Seymour and Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson say there are best practices sellers need to use to present their machines in the best possible light.

Focus on taking a high quantity of clear images from a variety of angles, and show any defects with the machine. Make sure to wash and clean the machine as best as possible.

A detailed written description of the machine that includes its operating hours, how it was used on your farm and any maintenance history you can share is also recommended.

Use video (cell phone camera is fine) to give the online buyer a virtual “walk around” of the machine. Another tactic is recording a selfie video. Have the owner stand in front of the machine and speak directly to buyers about various upgrades and features on the machine and why they should consider buying it.

“You can throw a fishing lure, but if you don’t put any bait on the fricking hook, you’re not going to catch a fish,” says Pete.

Once pictures and videos are ready (that’s the bait on the hook), it’s time to cast the line into the water by setting a fair and realistic price. Use MachineryPete.com as well as other online auction platforms like Big Iron and Purple Wave to see how much the same make/models have sold for recently. Try to avoid emotion in your pricing decision, and do not say “Call for Price” in the listing. It sets off red flags that the machine will be overpriced.

“At the end of the day, there’s really three things that matter: how many pictures [and videos] do you have that tell a good story about the machine, what does your description look like and are you priced fairly in the market,” adds Seymour. “That’s it. Boom, boom, boom.”

Economics Update

Rich Posson, business cycles analyst, Critical Point & Ag Financial Strategies, correctly predicted the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates this week, and he thinks rates could bottom out early in 2026 and then rise again in 2027. Find out what he is seeing in the world of macro and microeconomics that will affect machinery sales.

The High Plains Perspective

Aaron Fintel, used equipment specialist, 21st Century Equipment, joined the podcast to unpack the for-sale-by-owner trend and how sellers who choose to go that route can make sure they don’t leave any cash on the table.

Head over to YouTube to watch the full episode . Please be sure to hit the “Thumbs Up” button to “Like” the video and click on the “Subscribe” button to get a notification when a new episode drops.

Your next read: Tips And Tech Tools To Take The Sting Out Of Harvesting A Highly Variable Corn Crop

North America

The North Carolina Farm Family Behind the White House Easter Egg Roll

Secretary of Agriculture Visits Farm

Barn Find Bonanza: Low-Hour John Deere 7810 Smashes Record

Auction Market Insights

Upcoming Auction to Watch

Winter Is Coming: Farm Equipment Prep Pointers From an Oil and Fuels Expert

Record Breaking Used Hay Baler And Seed Drill Headline Pete's Pick of the Week

Upcoming Auction

From Best Buy Toy to Pro Spray Drone: A Father-Son Duo Takes Flight In Missouri Cattle Country

More spray drone stories:

Machinery Pete Goes Deep on Retro Farm Equipment With Pick of the Week

Pete's Pick: 3 Used Loader Tractors Draw Big Bids, Plus A Heartwarming Classic John Deere Buy

A Dive Deep Into Used Equipment Market Forces and Tips to DIY Your Next Sale

Economics Update

The High Plains Perspective