WORLAND, Wyo. — Most people might think owning a handful of tractors is enough. For Pete Smet, that number passed 200 a long time ago.
What began as a teenage fascination with farm equipment has grown into an extensive collection of tractors spanning more than a century of agricultural history. From miniature models displayed on shelves to rare full-sized machines dating back to the early 1900s, Smet has turned his passion into a destination that attracts visitors from around the world.
Watch Pete Smet talk about his tractors:
“People say I'm nuts, but whatever,” Smet said.
His collection started when he was just 15 years old.
“I was 15 years old,” Smet said. “I never sold it. I kept it.”
That first tractor became the foundation for a collection that continues to grow decades later.
“I always save John Deere tractors and this is... I got a lot of them,” he said.
Rows of green tractors stretch across his property, representing different generations of farming technology. Some of the machines date back more than 100 years.
“The oldest one, it's got to be in the early 1900s,” Smet said.
Others are much newer.
“I got probably a 2013 in the garage with a loader on,” he added.
But for Smet, the collection is about more than owning old machinery. Each tractor represents a piece of history, and he can often tell visitors exactly where a machine came from and what makes it unique.
“I have the 10 series, the 20 series, and I'm starting to work on the 30 series. And I got all the A's, B's, R's,” he said.
A tour of the collection quickly becomes a lesson in John Deere history. Every machine has a story, and Smet enjoys sharing those stories with anyone willing to listen.
While some collectors focus on the monetary value of rare equipment, Smet says that is not what motivates him.
“I'll look at my tractors,” he said. “So the heck with the bank, you know, own nothing.”
Instead, his motivation is simple.
“I just like collecting and people need to look at stuff,” Smet said.
And people do.
According to Smet, visitors have traveled from across the United States and around the globe to see the collection.
“They come from all over the world,” he said. “They come with buses sometimes," Smet said.
Whether it's a small model tractor displayed indoors or a massive machine parked outside, Smet believes preserving these pieces of farming history is important for future generations.
“They don't make it no more,” Smet said. “So why not keep it? Right.”
For Smet, every tractor tells a story, and his collection ensures those stories will continue to be told for years to come.
