Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1544539
were afraid of that 7000 Series Power Shift when it first came out," Rechberger said. "(Mike) really pushed that. He sold very few Power Director tractors. We became known for knowing how to work on (the Power Shift)." The 7000 Series was his grandpa's "his bread and butter" until the debut of the 8000 Series, he said. "This was probably the best time for Allis-Chalmers, too." Mike, a farmer himself, was one of the first in the area to experiment with no-till corn, which A-C was big on in the late-1960s/early-1970s. More than anything, Rechberger said, his grandpa instilled in him the enjoyment of farming, and they love being in the field just as much or even more than they enjoy working with the iron. The fact that the family uses what they sell in their own cash-crop and livestock operation has given them a lot of credibility with farmers. "If you're going to sell it, you ought to own one yourself," Rechberger said. "I really think that it's worth a lot for the people that know we're farmers, too." The 1980s were tough with the demise of the orange, and Kelly's signed on with Deutz-Allis. Everyone was in survival mode, he said, but they worked to keep farmers' Allises going through it all. Rechberger is pleased with how AGCO has continued to support A-C parts availability over the years but is even more excited to see so much growth and interest from organizations in producing high- quality after-market parts. "Without those folks, the support for orange really is over," he said. Regarding the current trend toward introducing autonomous tractors, he said, "there's always been this race for horsepower, but in the next 20 years, I expect we will see all these little 8-10 foot wide tillage tools on these autonomous, small, 100-horsepower units. "I'd rather be on an open-station smelling the dirt," he adds. Rechberger's current fun project is restoration of an original Big Al engine and the original 1973 Freightliner cabover in which it came. This is a once- in-a-lifetime opportunity, he said, adding, "We're starting to lay some purple paint. … It's pretty exciting." It's a 385 model that was ridden hard and put away wet, but it's salvageable, he said. "The best thing we can do as a business is continue to adapt and overcome the challenges of the industry, the way that our ancestors did," Rechberger concludes. "Our job is to make the day-to-day lives of our customers more efficient, easier and more enjoyable. Remember, farming is supposed to be fun." Above are Derek and cousin Ty in front and cousin Drew and brother Greg in back. At left are some equipment in the new dealership. Below left are Derek and his grandpa. Mike plowed with his new 190 and plow, below right. Continued from Page 35 Family loves farming first 36 OLD ALLIS NEWS