When you walk into Kevin Cox's office in Parke County, newly completed as part of a new shop, you notice a modern office with a counter and computers and desks and chairs. But you also notice toy tractors and combines on shelves around the office.
"What we've done is collect the models that we've used on the farm ever since dad started here decades ago," he said. "See that International above you?"
No, I didn't see it. That's because I was looking for a red tractor. This one went so far back that it was actually green.
"We went from there through the models we've used up to what we're using today," he explained. Most of the rest of the toys on display were green. The tractors that represent what they use now are large, with duals and ready to pull large loads. The primary tool they pull to do minimum tillage is a McFarlane vertical tillage tool so they can disturb the soil but leave a lot of residue on top.
Then I noticed the combines. "That matches the first one dad had," Cox said, pointing to a John Deere model 45. It's a Prestige model with great detail.
Cox still has room to add more shelves as they trade for newer technology in tractors and combines in the years ahead. While advances in technology are already on display on the office, Cox's days of trading up aren't over.