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New Holland tractors have been in existence for over one hundred years.

The corporate entity now known as the New Holland Division of CNH Global began its corporate existence as the New Holland Machine Works founded as a blacksmith shop by Abram Zimmerman in  1895. Abe Zimmerman was the third child of the seven children born to Martin W. and Anna (Martin) Zimmerman. He purchased an old horse barn located on North Railroad Avenue on the edge of the town of New Holland to house the blacksmith shop.

Zimmerman’s major product line was his invention of a freeze-proof, hit-and-miss gasoline engine of various h.p. sizes These engines powered a variety of belt-driven barn and home implements, such as his New Holland livestock cob and feed mill, wood saw, stone crusher (for crushing stones taken from the field for paving the farm lane), to butter churns, washing machines and other appliances New Holland didn’t make. The New Holland gasoline engine had a unique tapered water jacket which, during freezing weather, would force the freezing water to rise in the jacket as ice, rather than simply expand and crack the water jacket.

Anytime you spot a blue tractor, know that it may be one of the New Holland tractors.  Or, it might be a Ford!

Image by CARLOS62 via Flickr

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

If you are fortunate enough to live near a Tractor Supply Store, you are lucky.   While they don’t and never did have any tractors in stock, they seem to have everything else.  Implements, lubricants, tools and feed are just a sampling of the stuff they have.  I have bought many parts for my tractors there.  Not the cheapest place, but a great selection.