Saskatchewan farmer revives classic combine harvesters

WATCH: A Saskatchewan farmer has brought four classic combines back to life and back in the field. Mick Favel has the story.

A Saskatchewan farmer is celebrating harvest by showcasing four restored and functioning combine harvesters.

Mark Brodner is a farmer from near the village of Dysart. He has a background in mechanics and has always wanted a classic combine.

“All of these machines are barn finds. They all needed some sort of restoration, whether it’s seized engines or transmissions,” he explained.

The combines were all still in complete condition when they were discovered.

Brodner said depending on the piece, replacing worn parts could either be easy or troublesome.

The hobby of restoring machinery has caught on with Brodner’s wife and children.

Carey, Mark’s wife, said life is too short not to have a shared hobby with friends and family.

“At the end of the day, you have to more than just work. Between the combines, tractors and trucks, it’s something we can do as a family,” she said.

John Karpa was the original owner of one of the restored combines.

Anne Marie Sauer, John’s daughter, said she remembers the day her father brought home the brand-new combine.

“It has been sitting unused in the shed since 1998. My dad would have been so pleased to have it resurrected,” she said.

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Sauer’s husband worked with Karpa in the fields decades ago and was able to drive the restored combines.

The combines were built between 65 to 75 years ago. They run on gasoline and can reach speeds up to two miles an hour.

A pickup truck is required to unload the grain because the spout is built too low for modern methods.

“These combines aren’t going to do a lot of acres and hour. It takes a long time to get an acre in,” Brodner said.

“The new combined are all with GPS, computer controlled, sensors and monitors,” he added.

A dozen people from the area came to see the classic combines in action.