Feature
A Legacy in Miniature
The 96-Year-Old Iowa Artisan Who Brought Tractors to Life
By Mara Watts
Iowa has long been known for its agriculture industry. It’ s also the birthplace of the late Frederick Rohwedder, the inventor of sliced bread. Zoom in on the map to Orange City, Iowa, and you’ ll find Jim DeBoer, a local 96-yearold with a special talent— carving intricately detailed model tractors and other farm equipment almost entirely out of wood.
A self-taught woodcarver, Jim’ s creations feature intricate details, including moving parts and steering mechanisms. On average, each toy replica took him nearly 80 to 100 hours, sometimes more, to complete.
Jim’ s craftsmanship is admired not only in Iowa but beyond. A talent that many might say is“ the greatest thing since sliced bread.”
Each meticulously crafted toy replica took Jim DeBoer 80 to 100 hours to complete, a testament to his dedication and love for the iconic John Deere brand.
Jim DeBoer’ s Story
At age 12, Jim and his family moved from town to a farm, where they purchased a brand-new John Deere B tractor. Jim was responsible for the tractor’ s upkeep, changing the oil and handling repairs himself. This sparked his fascination with tractors and other farm machinery.
“ We didn’ t have too many farm machinery toys at the time, so I started making my own,” he said.
One of the first replicas Jim carved was a spreader— a piece of farm equipment that spreads manure, seeds and other materials. To pull it, he needed a tractor, so he carved one.
10 | 515-574-2203 | 515-574-2189 | May 2025