tractor Magazines
- Thread starter Redneck_Randy
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RHughes
Silver Member
While it's not specifically a "tractor" magazine, I subscribe to and enjoy Progressive Farmer. It's been around for years and usually has some great projects. They used to have an annual "Wizards of Steel" issue dedicated to documenting projects undertaken by subscribers.
Soundguy
Old Timer
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- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
Redneck_Randy said:
I read the 9n-2n-8n-NAA Newsleter, as well as the Ford/Fordson newsletter
Farm collector, antique iron. I even have a copy or two of the green machine.
Old allis news
Reccomend? Well.. i collec the old stuff.. and try to stick to mags dealing with the old stuff. I guess a recomendation would be to find a magazine that caters to yuor needs.
Soundguy
keerym
Bronze Member
I've often wondered why there wasn't a magazine geared toward the tractor crowd. There are pleny of car magazines, now they are truck magazines, and even diesel truck magazines. Is it not time for our own magazine? I could envision articles on new tractor lines, a monthly snap shot of their larger cousins on farms and construction sites, and maybe some articles on turf care, gardening, attachments, etc. I could think of dozens of article ideas.
Websites are popping up all the time for compact tractors, garden tractors, lawn tractors, and there have been farm sites for quite some time. I would think that some publisher out there is taking notice and looking into the idea. I would sign up, would you?
Websites are popping up all the time for compact tractors, garden tractors, lawn tractors, and there have been farm sites for quite some time. I would think that some publisher out there is taking notice and looking into the idea. I would sign up, would you?
Bob_Young
Veteran Member
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- Tractor
- Ford 4000; Ford 2000(both 3cyl.);JD40; 2004 Kubota L4300; 2006 Kubota B7610; new 2007 Kubota MX5000
I must be missing something.
Magazines are so "old school", why even consider one when you've got TBN? Sure there could be articles and pictures, but where would all the interesting commentary come from? One great thing about the new media is that falsehood and error get debunked "right quick". The same type of thing in dead tree media can live on as myth for years.
Only advantage I see is that it would give you something to read on the 'can'. Maybe something along the lines of the Consumer's Research Car issue would be of value in assessing reliability and the value of new features.
Product brochures make a good (and cheap) substitute for those addicted to the printed word.
Bob
Magazines are so "old school", why even consider one when you've got TBN? Sure there could be articles and pictures, but where would all the interesting commentary come from? One great thing about the new media is that falsehood and error get debunked "right quick". The same type of thing in dead tree media can live on as myth for years.
Only advantage I see is that it would give you something to read on the 'can'. Maybe something along the lines of the Consumer's Research Car issue would be of value in assessing reliability and the value of new features.
Product brochures make a good (and cheap) substitute for those addicted to the printed word.
Bob
Soundguy
Old Timer
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
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- 51,575
- Location
- Central florida
- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
Most of the antiques have their one publication.. That leaves the new guys mostly out in the cold. I'd subscribe if there was a magazine that focused on tractors in general.. old to new.. all colors, usage, parts, repairs, upgrades.. etc, etc. Perhaps have industry spotlights.. and as a feature story, focus on a different make/model each month. They could even have 'tear off and mail in' reader surveys geard towards collecting socio-geo data that the industry might find usefull ( or amusing.. etc.. )
Trouble is.. I think most people with 'new' tractors are so busy using them.. perhaps there might not be enough with spare time to subscribe to them??
One other mag I buy.. that isn't really a mag.. it a catalog I guess.. Is the heavy equipment trader... all for sale stuff.. I'd guess about 33% of it is tractors, and another 33 trailers, and the last 33 trucks/heavy equipment.. etc.
I pick one up every friday and browse thru it till' my fingers are black from the cheap newsprint it's printed on...kinda like a 'adult' mag for tractors i guess..
Soundguy
Trouble is.. I think most people with 'new' tractors are so busy using them.. perhaps there might not be enough with spare time to subscribe to them??
One other mag I buy.. that isn't really a mag.. it a catalog I guess.. Is the heavy equipment trader... all for sale stuff.. I'd guess about 33% of it is tractors, and another 33 trailers, and the last 33 trucks/heavy equipment.. etc.
I pick one up every friday and browse thru it till' my fingers are black from the cheap newsprint it's printed on...kinda like a 'adult' mag for tractors i guess..
Soundguy
Farmwithjunk
Super Member
Soundguy said:
Try to find "Tractor Shop Magazine". It has a mix of old and new. Most of the coverage is on late 50's through early 80's stuff, leaning towards '60's and '70's "high horsepower equipment" of that era. It's USUALLY around 20 to 24 pages, not a thick mag. Lots of history of the more obscure models. All the TSC stores around here carry them on their book rack. Your interest's seem to run somewhat parallel with mine, and I've found it to be most interesting.
Plenty of restorations, manufacturers "archive" material, and retired "insiders" info included.
On the issue of printed word vs. internet info as a source for our "entertainment, why not BOTH? Some of us just can't get enough!
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Progressive Farmer is one of my favorites. Not so much for their tractor stuff, which is minimal at best, but for the great articles they have about small farms. What I find realy interesting is how often somebody will ask a question here that was just in the magazine. From ticks, to roads, to food plots and pole barns. They seem to cover just about everything.
I read it cover to cover the day it arrives.
Eddie
I read it cover to cover the day it arrives.
Eddie
N80
Super Member
I too am surprised that there isn't a dedicated compact/uitlity tractor magazine. I think the internet, and TBN are great but I don't think it replaces hardcopy magazines with expert articles and good photography.
I suspect that the demographics for this type of magazine are fairly small, but no smaller than a lot of other hobbies/topics that have magazines. I race remote controlled nitro trucks with my son and they have 4 or 5 thick, glossy monthly magazines.
I talked to a JD salesman from a large dealership and asked him what the bulk of thier sales were and he said small tractors. They sell and service large Ag and heavy duty equipment but he says the money is in the little stuff right now.
And this little stuff is being purchased mostly by people with small spreads of land and are basically luxury items. This defines a market with disposable income and a demographic that treats thier tractor like a hobby item. My B-I-L is a typical farmer who has, I've come to find, seven JDs and 4 old Cases and he isn't remotely interested in reading about or buying tractor stuff, but that is not to be said of most of us who spend time here. I think 'we' would eat up a tractor magazine aimed at weekend warriors, hobby farmers and those of us managing hunt clubs, etc. I could see how-to articles, reader's rides photos, lots of ads, in depth reviews, plenty of pictures, and classifieds, etc.
Anyone starting such a magazine would have no trouble getting advertising from the big name brands. Even my daughter's Young Rider (horse magazine) has tractor ads in it from Kubota and others.
I get a kick out of this tractor stuff and would subscribe without a doubt.
I suspect that the demographics for this type of magazine are fairly small, but no smaller than a lot of other hobbies/topics that have magazines. I race remote controlled nitro trucks with my son and they have 4 or 5 thick, glossy monthly magazines.
I talked to a JD salesman from a large dealership and asked him what the bulk of thier sales were and he said small tractors. They sell and service large Ag and heavy duty equipment but he says the money is in the little stuff right now.
And this little stuff is being purchased mostly by people with small spreads of land and are basically luxury items. This defines a market with disposable income and a demographic that treats thier tractor like a hobby item. My B-I-L is a typical farmer who has, I've come to find, seven JDs and 4 old Cases and he isn't remotely interested in reading about or buying tractor stuff, but that is not to be said of most of us who spend time here. I think 'we' would eat up a tractor magazine aimed at weekend warriors, hobby farmers and those of us managing hunt clubs, etc. I could see how-to articles, reader's rides photos, lots of ads, in depth reviews, plenty of pictures, and classifieds, etc.
Anyone starting such a magazine would have no trouble getting advertising from the big name brands. Even my daughter's Young Rider (horse magazine) has tractor ads in it from Kubota and others.
I get a kick out of this tractor stuff and would subscribe without a doubt.
Turkeyman
Silver Member
Look at Hobby Farms ( www.hobbyfarms.com), last summer it had a article on square bailers. Not just tractors, all aspect of farming for fun and the associated logistics.