BRAINERD — Every Labor Day weekend Mike Barrett lines up his tractor collection in the west ditch of Highway 25 near his home and across the road from Barrett Petfood Innovations south of Brainerd.
His tractor collection is made up of unique tractors — one-of-a-kind models and speciality units manufactured by American tractor companies to serve a purpose.
Barrett said he wanted to have one of each of the first 100 horsepower “muscle tractors.” They are all represented — Allis, Case, Oliver, Ford, John Deere, Minneapolis Moline, International Harvester and Massey-Fergerson.
At the front of the line is a Case tractor manufactured just for the 1976 Bicentennial. Barrett thinks just about 200 were created and each dealer just received one.
He travels the U.S. and Canada searching for his tractor collection. His wife Bunny has told him, “Don’t you think you have enough tractors?”
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Barrett grinned and said he has another super tractor and it is next to be restored.
“I am still using it in the field,” he said.
According to Barrett, many of the tractors he has in his collection are the same models he used and wore out on his farm. He either restores them or finds the same model at an auction.
He does the restoration work himself and now has Quality Refinishing in Foley to do the painting.
Barrett knows the story behind each tractor — from the cubic inches of the motor, the horsepower and why the tractor is unique. He even has a John Deere that is kind of the end of an era — one of the last ones that was two-wheel drive before the change over to four-wheel drive.
When asked if one of the John Deere tractors will start, Barrett replied, “Well I lined it up the other day.” Barrett takes pride in being able to start each tractor.
Barrett and his wife winter in Arizona, and it was there where he bumped into a 1957 Farmall Cub with a white grill. Barrett likes the white grills and now has several Farmalls of the same style in the line on Highway 25.
He is quick to explain that even at the age of 74, he has to keep farming and producing ingredients for the pet food. Barrett Petfood Innovations features natural ingredients and he contributes some of them from the farm.
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However, Barrett is holding out hope that one of his grandchildren will show an interest in the 2,000 acres of land he runs and join his grandpa in his love of farming.
Barrett is a father and grandfather and he loves to race cars at Brainerd International Raceway. This year, Barrett qualified to compete in the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals. He said he enjoys having his family and friends enjoy the sport from the comfort of an air-conditioned box at the racetrack.
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