A 2,000-mile vintage tractor trek across America supporting FFA

Life can take unexpected turns, as shown by 69-year-old Minnesota FFA alumnus Mark Koehn, who traveled from the northern U.S. to the Gulf of Mexico on a 1940 Farmall “M” tractor, tracing a path far from his earlier days as a hog farmer.

Along what has been called the Agri-Cruise Across the States, Koehn raised awareness for FFA members and alumni, inspiring countless individuals with his dedication to community and farming education.

Koehn spent the first 20 years of his professional life as a hog producer. “At that time, it was a large-scale hog producer. Now, it would be considered a small-scale operation,” he reflected.

His 120-sow farrow-to-finish operation provided a livelihood until the industry’s shift toward integration made it impossible to sustain. Despite his dedication, the economics of the trade forced him to transition to another career.

“In 1987, I was elected or nominated to be the youngest-ever Pork All-American from Minnesota,” Koehn said. But even such accolades couldn’t shield him from the harsh realities of plummeting prices. “We just hit some terrible prices, and I could not make a living feeding my family on something that I was very good at.”

After leaving the hog industry, Koehn began a second career in property tax assessment, specializing in agricultural properties. Starting as an appraiser, he rose to become a senior ag appraiser for Stearns County, Minnesota.

Koehn’s contributions went beyond daily duties.

“I actually wrote and developed a curriculum that will probably be used for about the next 20 years to train assessors on farm-related assessment issues,” he explained.

His dedication to agricultural education and advocacy continued to shape his professional endeavors, culminating in his role as chairman of the Minnesota Association of Assessing Officers Agricultural Committee.

Now retired, Koehn embraces what he calls his most rewarding role yet: grandparenting. “We have eight of those little boogers, and they are so much fun. If we’d known how great-grandchildren are, we’d have had them first,” he joked.

A cross-country trek went from a dream to reality

For Koehn, retirement offered the opportunity to fulfill a long-held dream. Inspired by a story he read 15 years ago about a man who drove a John Deere tractor from Oklahoma to North Carolina, Koehn envisioned his own journey.

“I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to drive from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico?,” he said.

After acquiring his father’s 1940 Farmall M tractor during a family farm auction, Koehn had it restored by students at Holdingford High School. “They do like five or six tractors a year and do a wonderful job of restoring them,” he said.

The restored tractor, which hauled a small camper behind it, became the centerpiece of his cross-country adventure.

The journey’s realization took years of planning and overcoming obstacles. Between a demanding career, the COVID-19 pandemic, and family commitments, the trip was repeatedly delayed.

With the support of the Upsala FFA Alumni group, Koehn finalized logistics, set up fundraising initiatives, and secured local sponsorships. The proceeds were divided among the local FFA alumni chapter (50 percent), the Minnesota Alumni Association (25 percent), and the National FFA Alumni Association (25 percent). The fundraiser is still ongoing through Venmo. 

In September, Koehn began his 1,900-mile journey from Lancaster, Minnesota, near the Canadian border. Driving the tractor at an average speed of 15 miles per hour, he avoided freeways and major cities, often navigating less-traveled roads. The route took him west of Kansas City to avoid the hilly terrain of the Ozarks.

Koehn said his slow pace allowed him to appreciate the country’s beauty.

“You see lots of things that you don’t when you’re going 70 miles an hour in a car,” he noted. Each evening, he documented his experiences on Facebook, connecting with thousands of followers.

Throughout his journey, Koehn encountered extraordinary acts of kindness. The support was overwhelming from people offering meals and donations to those cheering him on. He recalled a particularly touching moment:

“About a hundred feet ahead of me, I noticed an elderly lady in a mobility scooter at the end of her driveway. She started frantically waving a white dish towel. I thought, my goodness, she’s in trouble. So, I bailed off the tractor and ran over. She said, ‘Oh, heavens, yes. I’ve been waiting for you for 20 minutes.’ It turns out her daughter had been following my journey on Facebook. She baked me cookies and gave me a $10 bill.”

Encounters like these reaffirmed Koehn’s faith in humanity.

“Almost every day, there were five, six, seven, or eight people that I came in contact with who bought me lunch, paid for gas, or made donations,” he said.

The trip wasn’t without its challenges. Mechanical issues arose, such as a starter failure in Iowa and a transmission problem in Texas. However, with the help of local mechanics and his resourcefulness, Koehn kept the tractor running.

Finding overnight parking was another difficulty.

“It was hard when I’d drive through town at 6 or 7 o’clock at night,” he said. Nevertheless, people often welcomed him onto their properties, ensuring he had a safe place to stay.

Koehn’s journey finally came to a close in Winnie, Texas, near the Gulf of Mexico. He arrived during rice harvest season and participated in the local rice parade. Though he initially planned to sell the tractor and camper in Texas, logistical challenges led him to bring the camper back home while the tractor found a new home at a local museum thanks to Nikki Fitz, author of The Farm Wife The Farm Life

Koehn aimed to promote the importance of FFA alumni chapters in supporting local FFA initiatives.

“Less than 50 percent of FFA chapters across the nation have an alumni association supporting them,” he explained. “Every time an FFA alumni chapter is organized, it gives a big boost to the ag instructor, the community, and the kids.”

Koehn says that his efforts resonated nationwide, inspiring others to establish alumni chapters. “What’s good for agriculture is good for FFA, and what’s good for agriculture is good for America,” he quoted from a supporter he met along the way.

Though Koehn considers his cross-country trek a “one-and-done” adventure, he remains committed to staying active in retirement. He’s currently contemplating a new project: writing a book about the now-defunct feeder pig industry. Tentatively titled This Little Piggy Went, the book aims to document an essential yet overlooked part of agricultural history.

As Koehn said, “I’m extremely glad I did the trip. It was the journey of a lifetime.”



Heidi Crnkovic, is the Associate Editor for AGDAILY. She is a New Mexico native with deep-seated roots in the Southwest and a passion for all things agriculture.