Shows
The Grow RenaissanceEp. 42 No Farms, No Food? How Trees Rewrote the Human StoryIn this episode of Pasture Prime Time, host Neil Dahlstrom sits down with Elspeth Hay—writer, forager, podcaster and author of Feed Us With Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food (New Society, July 2025)—to unpack the forest-rooted wisdom behind perennial nut trees as a regenerative alternative to field monocultures. Hay shares how a TEDx talk on edible acorns hurled her into a five-year journey of ancestral agroecology, unlearning the dominance of annuals and the myth that “no farms equals no food.” She delves into how replicating a single Asiatic tree lineage—like modern bananas, where the genetically uniform Cavendish cultivar...
2025-08-0444 min
Agriculture of AmericaAOA Wednesday 7-30-2025Wednesday on AOA, we start the show discussing USDA's reorganization plans and get perspective from former USDA Undersecretary Robert Bonnie. In Segment Two, we hear from Neil Dahlstrom, Manager of Archives and History at John Deere and author of Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture, to learn more about the book. In Segment Three, we catch up with Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins to discuss a number of topics including the latest news surrounding the Grain Belt Express. Then we close the show in Segment Four discussing 30 years of innovation fr...
2025-07-3041 min
The Noon(er) ChatNoon(er) Chat with Neil DahlstromThe most interesting tractor history you'll ever hear....including Henry Ford!Sponsored by Kerr Auction
2025-07-1558 min
SharkFarmer Podcast470 Neil Dahlstrom Preserving HistoryHow dose a company like John Deere preserve it's history? Listen as I talk with Neil Dahlstrom, author of Tractor Wars
2025-06-0347 min
Land Ledger PodcastEp #17: How Henry Ford Lost the Tractor War (and Why It Matters Today) with Brian KearneyWhat can the century-old tractor wars teach today’s AgTech founders about innovation, strategy—and knowing when to let go of the past? In this solo episode of The Land Ledger, Brian Kearney explores the early battle for tractor dominance through insights from Tractor Wars by Neil Dahlstrom. He unpacks how Ford, John Deere, and International Harvester each took different paths in shaping ag innovation. From Henry Ford’s missteps to John Deere’s patient, long-game strategy, Brian connects these historic lessons to today’s AgTech entrepreneurs and investors.Find show notes and resources here: https://tinyurl.com/4tmbv4
2025-05-0720 min
Radio MonmouthNeil Dahlstrom, Branded Properties and Heritage Manager with John Deere ArchivesNeil Dahlstrom, Branded Properties and Heritage Manager with John Deere Archives, talks with WRAM's Vanessa and Kailey about his book Tractor Wars and the recently released documentary on PBS.
2025-05-0612 minLand Ledger PodcastEp #15: How the “Tractor Wars” Transformed American Agriculture with Neil DahlstromWhat can the rise of steam-powered tractors teach us about today’s tech booms? In this episode of The Land Ledger, Brian Kearney sits down with Neil Dahlstrom, historian and author of Tractor Wars, for a deep dive into the early evolution of farm technology and the major players that shaped it. Neil shares insights from his extensive archival research, shedding light on the surprising boom of steam engine tractors and their use in large-scale farming operations, as well as the roles of major companies like John Deere, International Harvester, and Ford Motor Company in shaping the competitive landscape of...
2025-04-2343 min
Future of Agriculture[History of Agriculture] Tractor Wars"Tractor Wars" by Neil Dahlstrom: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1953295746/Software is Feeding the World (Rhishi's newsletter): https://www.rhishipethe.com/sftw[History of Agriculture] Cyrus McCormick And The Birth Of Mechanical Harvesting It's impossible to picture the modern food system we have today without the invention of the tractor. And it happened really not that long ago, just over a hundred years ago.Today we're gonna be talking about this book, "Tractor Wars" by Neil Dahlstrom. Neil is the manager of archives and history at John Deere and tackling this bo...
2025-04-2343 min
RFD Vintage CountryRFD Vintage Country April 12, 2025Interview with Quad Cities author Neil Dahlstrom. His book, released in 2022, “Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture”, has resulted in a PBS documentary. The book will be available in paperback in May.
2025-04-1204 min
Closing Market ReportMar 11 | Closing Market ReportTractor Wars Airs Tonight @ 7pm on Channel 12- Naomi Blohm, TotalFarmMarketing.com- John Reid, UofI Center for Digital Agriculture- Neil Dahlstrom, Author of Tractor Wars- Don Day, DayWeather.com
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2025-03-1124 min
Closing Market Report2025 ADAO | Tractor Wars with Neil DahlstromTractor Wars book signing and documentary with Neil Dahlstrom
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2025-03-0806 min
On Life and LandJohn Deere History with Neil DahlstromJoin us for our first episode of the new season as we bring back one of our favorite guests, Neil Dahlstrom, Deere & Company Branded Properties and Heritage Manager. Neil tells us a bit about his current projects, and in honor of John Deere's birthday, lets us in on some of the lesser-known facts about the history of the company and of the man himself. On Life & Land is produced for John Deere by Bader Rutter and is hosted by David Jones, former editor of John Deere's The Furrow magazine. Recording, mixing and mastering services are provided by R...
2025-02-0440 min
Weather & Ag In FocusWAG: Preserving the history of John DeereTodays guest is John Deere archivist Neil Dahlstrom! Be sure to like and follow us on our Weather And Ag In Focus Facebook page. You can watch WAG on Acres TV and YouTube. You can listen to our podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever podcasts are streamed.
2025-01-3040 min
Everything Ag & Then SomeFirst or Last - John Deere Archivist Neil Dahlstrom Pt. 2Part two of our conversation with Neil Dahlstrom, John Deere's Archivist, where we talk about the early innovators at Deere that brought the company from a successful plow-maker to the world leader in agricultural manufacturing. We also learn about the true origins of "Nothing Runs Like a Deere."
Neil Dahlstrom - Branded Properties & Heritage Manager - John Deere
Sam Paulson - Sales Specialist Manager
Chris Horob - Precision Support Manager
Dale Vatthauer - Sales Manager
2024-11-2940 minEverything Ag & Then SomeFirst or Last - John Deere Archivist Neil Dahlstrom Pt. 2Part two of our conversation with Neil Dahlstrom, John Deere's Archivist, where we talk about the early innovators at Deere that brought the company from a successful plow-maker to the world leader in agricultural manufacturing. We also learn about the true origins of "Nothing Runs Like a Deere."
Neil Dahlstrom - Branded Properties & Heritage Manager - John Deere
Sam Paulson - Sales Specialist Manager
Chris Horob - Precision Support Manager
Dale Vatthauer - Sales Manager
2024-11-2940 minEverything Ag & Then SomeGreat Googly Moogly - John Deere Archivist Neil Dahlstrom Pt. 1Part 1: the podcast is down in Moline, IL, at the John Deere Archive, to talk with Archivist, Neil Dahlstrom, about what it means to manage the heritage of Deere & Co., what types of items are actually preserved in the archive, and some stories from Neil’s book & TV series: Tractor Wars.
Neil Dahlstrom - Branded Properties & Heritage Manager - John Deere
Sam Paulson - Sales Specialist Manager
Chris Horob - Precision Support Manager
Dale Vatthauer - Sales Manager
2024-11-2646 minEverything Ag & Then SomeGreat Googly Moogly - John Deere Archivist Neil Dahlstrom Pt. 1Part 1: the podcast is down in Moline, IL, at the John Deere Archive, to talk with Archivist, Neil Dahlstrom, about what it means to manage the heritage of Deere & Co., what types of items are actually preserved in the archive, and some stories from Neil’s book & TV series: Tractor Wars.
Neil Dahlstrom - Branded Properties & Heritage Manager - John Deere
Sam Paulson - Sales Specialist Manager
Chris Horob - Precision Support Manager
Dale Vatthauer - Sales Manager
2024-11-2646 min
Farm4Profit PodcastF4F - Neil Dahlstrom - Lover of History@neil_dahlstrom Where are they from, what do they farm, how did they get into farmingHow’s the family - do they farm with family?Husband (Son) & FatherQuad CitiesWhat are they up to today?What they see that excites them?Author of #1 bestselling book Tractor WarsPublished 3 booksTractor WarsThe John Deere Story: A biography of Plowmakers John and Charles DeereLicoln’s Wrath: Fierce Mobs, Brilliant Scoundrels, and a President’s Mission to Destroy the PressAlmost 2M views on a documentary of the book Iowa PBS had a television premiere of the book Tractor Wars - winner of the 2022 American...
2024-08-081h 11
SpaceBase PodcastFrom Defence and Strategic Intelligence, to STEM Education and Advocacy: An Interview with Sam LeskeAn interview with Sam Leske, Sam Leske, Director at Milky-Way.Kiwi, a social enterprise whose goal is to inspire people to think about our collective future and how they can actively contribute through quality science education with an added cosmic perspective. Sam has a long career in Aoteroa’s Defence Force, first as a Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot, to Head of the Operational Intelligence and Head of Strategic Intelligence at NZ Defence Force. He also worked for the Ministry of Primary Industries as Director of Intelligence Coordination and Plans and Director of Biosecurity Support Services. He was the...
2024-03-2352 min
Relevant or IrrelevantBONUS: Tractor WarsBONUS DISCUSSION: Welcome to the 16th season of "Relevant Or Irrelevant"!Neil Dahlstrom, Branded Properties and Heritage Manager at John Deere, is the guest for "ROI" episode 527. He joins the group to talk about "Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, And The Birth of Modern Agriculture."The host for this edition is John Kealey, and the history buffs are Jay Swords and Rick Sweet.Opinions expressed in this program are those of the hosts and the guest(s), and not necessarily those of KALA-FM or St. Ambrose University. This prog...
2023-09-1612 minRelevant or IrrelevantTractor WarsWelcome to the 16th season of "Relevant Or Irrelevant"!Neil Dahlstrom, Branded Properties and Heritage Manager at John Deere, is the guest for "ROI" episode 527. He joins the group to talk about "Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, And The Birth of Modern Agriculture."The host for this edition is John Kealey, and the history buffs are Jay Swords and Rick Sweet.Opinions expressed in this program are those of the hosts and the guest(s), and not necessarily those of KALA-FM or St. Ambrose University. This program is recorded at KAL...
2023-09-1629 min
The Entrepreneur's EthicWhat's Your Frontier? | Neil Dahlstrom | Ep. 10In this week’s podcast, I interview Deere historian and archivist Neil Dahlstrom about John Deere and his legacy. Neil describes John Deere as a frontier entrepreneur archetype. You’ll enjoy learning about what he means by this and how a frontier mindset might be useful for you today.
This is the second installment in my exploration of Ethic 6: Enjoy the Edge, as exemplified by historic entrepreneur John Deere.
www.kevinkimle.com
2023-07-0152 min
CFO BookshelfThe Indiana Jones of Business ArchivesNot only is Neil Dahlstrom the author of the business historical narrative Tractor Wars, but he's also the Branded Properties and Heritage Manager at John Deere. Before that, he was Deere's Corporate History and Archives Manager.Neil admits he wanted to be Indiana Jones when he grew up and even worked in a museum in high school.During this conversation, we learn what a corporate archivist does, how to start a company archive, and how to start a career in this field.
2023-05-2217 minCFO BookshelfTractor WarsAll of us have heard of the cola wars, the tennis shoe wars, and certainly the PC wars. But the tractor wars?Neil Dahlstrom is a historian and archivist for John Deere, and he's the author of Tractor Wars, a historical narrative of the race to be the top manufacturer of power farming at the turn of the twentieth century. Will it be International Harvester, Ford, or the much smaller player, John Deere?Neil's book is a story of what-ifs, including pricing wars, business rollups, marketing insights, and bold moves by Henry Ford.
2023-05-2037 min
If These Heels Could TalkEps 172- BOOK- Tractor WarsTractor Wars by Neil Dahlstrom is a book about the disruption of an industry and the start (and end) of hundreds of American companies. The birth of mechanized farming was not a fast, easy, or simple one and had huge numbers of heavy hitters at the heart of the change. Working from John Deere company archives, the author describes an industry struggling to get a toehold with their target audience in farmers. Listen in as Michelle and JoyGenea discuss the business lessons they learned from Tractor Wars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjbSdjFOp78
2023-03-2226 min
The History Factory PodcastS2E3: Tractor Wars with Neil DahlstromOn the latest installment of “History Factory Plugged In,” host Jason Dressel reminisces about his childhood growing up on a farm in North Carolina. We welcome Neil Dahlstrom, author and Branded Properties and Heritage Manager at John Deere, to discuss his latest book, Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture. The two talk about the development of the tractor industry in America and muse on what a day in the life of a corporate archivist entails.
Company history comes alive with “History Factory Plugged In.” We explore the rich heritage of major organizations in this...
2022-04-2828 min
The Meb Faber Show - Better InvestingNeil Dahlstrom, John Deere – Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture | #408Today’s guest is Neil Dahlstrom, the archivist and historian for John Deere and author of Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture.In today’s episode, business wars hits the farm! Neil’s book is a case study on the evolution of the tractor industry and it’s importance during a time the world was experiencing a global plague, World War & food shortages. We touch on all the major players, including a young Henry Ford. We even walk through he different strategies each company took around pricing and distribution. As we...
2022-04-2053 min
FOCUS on AgricultureEpisode 70: Neil Dahlstrom - Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture"Before John Deere, Ford, and International Harvester became icons of American business, they were competitors in a forgotten battle for the farm. From 1908 to 1928, against the backdrop of a world war and economic depression, these brands were engaged in a race to introduce the tractor and revolutionize farming."
Neil Dahlstrom is the author of The John Deere Story: A Biography of Plowmakers John and Charles Deere, and Lincoln’s Wrath: Fierce Mobs, Brilliant Scoundrels, and a President’s Mission to Destroy the Press. Since the release of these two books he’s built a career in corporate archive...
2022-04-1845 min
The 1853 Podcast1853 Podcast -- 2021-22 -- Episode No. 23Neil Dahlstrom ’98 discusses his critically acclaimed new book, "Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture."
2022-03-1821 min
Ag on TapTractor WarsIn this month’s episode of Ag on Tap, Rusty talks with author Neil Dahlstrom about the history of tractors in America and the rivalry that came with it. Dahlstrom, who is the manager of history and archives at John Deere, tells the story in his book Tractor Wars.
2022-02-2200 min
Successful Farming PodcastSF Podcast 90: Tractor WarsAt the beginning of the 20th century, John Deere, Ford, and International Harvester were duking it out in a little-known race to introduce the tractor and revolutionize farming. John Deere historian and author Neil Dahlstrom joins me in this podcast to talk about the birth of modern agriculture through his book, "Tractor Wars." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2022-02-1428 min
What Color is Your Tractor?The Story of John Deere: The Reason Behind the Color WarsBorn in Vermont in 1804, John Deere worked as a blacksmith’s apprentice before embarking on his own legendary career, moving to Illinois, and coming up with his life-changing idea – the steel plow. 218 years later, John Deere is one of the most well known brands on the planet. John Deere green has been worn proudly for generations, has songs devoted to it and put Moline, Indiana on the map. Chrissy Wozniak sits down to hear the story, told by John Deere Archivist Neil Dahlstrom. Neil goes over the timeline of ideas and innovation, and talks about some little known...
2022-02-0333 min
Don’t Miss The Full Audiobook Everyone Is Talking About — So Sensational!Tractor Wars by Neil DahlstromPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/186916to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Tractor Wars
Author: Neil Dahlstrom
Narrator: Brian Holsopple
Format: mp3
Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
Release date: 01-19-22
Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 63 ratings
Genres: Agricultural & Food Sciences
Publisher's Summary:
Before John Deere, Ford, and International Harvester became icons of American business, they were competitors in a forgotten battle for the farm. By the turn of the 20th century, four million people had left rural America and moved to cities. With the tractor, a shrinking farm population could still feed a growing world. Tractor Wars is the untold story of...
2022-01-197h 50
Agweek PodcastAgweek Podcast: History of John Deere and the American Tractor WarsAgweek reporter Noah Fish talks with Neil Dahlstrom, branded properties and heritage manager at John Deere, on his book Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture which is being released Jan. 11.
2022-01-1414 min
Machinery Pete PodcastNew Book “Tractor Wars – John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester and the Birth of American Agriculture”Machinery Pete interviews Neil Dahlstrom, Manager of Archives and History for John Deere about his new book, “Tractor Wars – John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester and the Birth of American Agriculture.” Dahlstrom shares fascinating stories from the period 100+ years ago on the race for dominance and relevance in the burgeoning new American market for farm tractors. Pete also provides a recap of a November 6, 2021 farm retirement he filmed for his TV show in Keymar, MD….according to Pete “The Hottest Auction I’ve Seen in my 32 Years.”[:35] - Machinery Pete teases this episode’s interview[2:10] - McGrew Auction recap[7...
2021-11-0955 min
Property, Australia's Favourite Obsession#24 Neil Dahlstrom - What affect can the tractor have on land prices?This week, we are joined by Neil Dahlstrom; archivist, researcher and writer to discuss how the not-so-humble tractor has improved land value and human productivity since it was first introduced to our farming and agriculture systems. Once we start to see examples of our 5 drivers of property prices in action and how they directly increase human productivity you can't unsee it!If you like today's episode, Neil's book "Tractor Wars" is available for pre-order now via the link below:https://amzn.to/3hDxTp1 (Released Jan 11th 2022)Neil's other books can also be found...
2021-09-161h 46
Open Field RadioWho put the green in John Deere? Neil Dahlstrom, archivist for John DeereOFR S2 E1
Welcome to Season 2!
In this episode we talk with Neil Dahlstrom, archivist for John Deere. It's a great conversation that goes way beyond tractors and John Deere green, however, we do talk about it! Neil has a new book coming out and he also talks about his experience on History Channel.
2021-09-0142 min
Farm Equipment PodcastThe Deere Historical Perspective: Researching the John Deere StoryIn this episode of the Deere Historical Perspective, brought to you by Osmundson, we’re introduced to Neil Dahlstrom, historian, author and manager of the John Deere Archives and History in East Moline, Illinois. A life-long history aficionado, Neil has been working in the archives for nearly twenty years, finding fascination in how one man’s innovation with a steel plow could lead to the juggernaut company it is today.
2020-06-2908 min
SpaceBase PodcastOn Inspiration, Astrobiology, and the Origins of Life in the Universe: An Interview with Haritina MogosanuAn interview with Haritina Mogosanu, Executive Director of the New Zealand Astrobiology Network and a research scientist for the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science. She is the Senior Science Communicator at Space Place at Carter Observatory and is also a founding board member of Kiwispace and New Zealand Mars Society. Haritina was educated in Romania, in horticultural engineering and has Master degrees in Environmental Management and International Security in Intelligence. She was nominated for the Wellingtonian of the year award in 2015, and awarded the International Year of Astronomy 2009 certificate of appreciation. She holds the honour of h...
2020-05-1834 min
2019-07-1843 minOn Life and LandThe Archivist's LifeAs one of the nation's most beloved brands, Deere & Company has an extensive collection of historical documents, equipment, literature, and memorabilia. Join us for an interview with Deere & Company archivist Neil Dahlstrom as we talk about the history of the company and of The Furrow magazine, how he decides what to keep and what to throw away, and some of the more notable items currently stored in the collection.
2019-01-2951 min
Agriculture Technology PodcastEp. 60 100 Years Of John Deere TractorsIn this special episode, we speak with Neil Dahlstrom, manager of corporate archives and history at John Deere Company, about John Deere's milestone of manufacturing tractors for 100 years. Starting with the purchase of the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company in 1918, John Deere has had a rich history of innovation and has focused on the needs of their customers.
Don't forget to follow RDO Equipment Co. on social media on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. You can connect with Tony Kramer on Twitter @RDOTonyK
2018-02-2124 min