Episode 70: Neil Dahlstrom - Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture

<p>"Before John Deere, Ford, and International Harvester became icons of American business, they were competitors in a forgotten battle for the farm. &nbsp;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."</p> <p>Neil Dahlstrom is the author of <em>The John Deere Story: A Biography of Plowmakers John and Charles Deere</em>, and <em>Lincoln’s Wrath: Fierce Mobs, Brilliant Scoundrels, and a President’s Mission to Destroy the Press</em>. Since the release of these two books he’s built a career in corporate archives, agricultural and brand history. Today, Neil is the Manager of Archives and History at John Deere. &nbsp;</p> <p>Neil has appeared on The History Channel, NatGEO, PBS, and Book TV. He’s a member of the Kitchen Cabinet, the Food and Agriculture Advisory Board of The Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and was recently chair of the Society of American Archivists Business Archives Section and the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board. &nbsp;Listen to this episode in which he discusses the little-remembered story described in his latest book, <em>Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of American Agriculture</em>.</p> <p>You can learn more about this book, as well as Neil's other works at his website, <a href="//www.neildahlstrom.com">www.neildahlstrom.com</a>. &nbsp;Follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/neil_dahlstrom">@neil_dahlstrom</a> or connect on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorneildahlstrom/">@authorneildahlstrom</a>. &nbsp;His books are available through <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tractor-Wars-International-Harvester-Agriculture/dp/1953295746/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=">Amazon</a> or other booksellers.</p>