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Minnesota brothers still love their A-C's At left is one of the machine shops on the Braunwarth farm. YOUNG AMERICA, Minn. – For the almost 90 years Jim Braunwarth has been on Earth, there's been one constant: Allis-Chalmers tractors and equipment. From his youth on the family dairy farm north of Young America, Minn., to working as a mechanic to, now, rescuing tractors from fencerows, Braunwarth, 87, has always had A-C's around. He and his brothers, John and Rich, agree it's just "part of their blood." Growing up, Braunwarth said, his family raised Jerseys and Jersey/Holstein-cross cattle, milking 60-72 cows in a stanchion barn. They always ran Allis-Chalmers equipment, he said. Their first A-C was a 1937 WC on steel; it was later converted to rubber. They had horses around until 1953, when their grandpa moved off the farm. The last tractor purchased for the farm was an 8070 FWA. One favorite was a 7060 that saw a lot of use, and they had many other tractors through the years. Rich ran the dairy herd with their dad and his father-in-law until the cows were sold in 1992. For the Braunwarths, it was either get bigger or get out, and it seemed unlikely the next generation was going to farm. Twelve years ago, the barn burned down, and sadly, several tractors and some hunting equipment were lost in the blaze. While still in high school, Braunwarth started working for local A-C dealer, Bailey's Sales and Service. Bailey's also had a farm, where he started out picking corn with a WD. After graduation, he went to work at Bongard's Creamery; he was laid off in fall 1957 and got a call to come work full time back in the dealership's shop. Lano Equipment bought Bailey's in 1969, and he worked there full time until he was 67, when he cut back to part time. His entire career as a mechanic, he and brother John, who also worked off the farm, continued helping out on the farm, with Jim keeping equipment running and John in the field, while Rich cared for the cattle. As a mechanic, Jim started out working on all the equipment and cars, but he eventually concentrated on planters, combines, headers and air carts. He was trained at the dealership and attended many schools organized by Allis-Chalmers and other companies. His work at Bailey's was interrupted when he was drafted into the U.S. armed forces in 1963. He worked in teletype maintenance in Germany and enjoyed his time there, he said. Photos by Dave Clausen Allis-Chalmers equipment has always been part of the lives of Minnesota brothers, from left, John, Jim and Rich Braunwarth. By Old Allis News staff 22 OLD ALLIS NEWS