10/11/2026
We are excited to share with you a wonderful collection of over 26 handmade wooden tractors & implements that were recently donated by John “Jack” Schwarz of Boerne, Texas. The details and craftsmanship that you will find in these pieces are truly amazing! You will need to come and see them for yourselves!
History about the Donor, John “Jack” Schwarz:
"I was born on December 24, 1942, to Walter and Marie Schwarz in Wakefield, Nebraska. My farming days began at an early age and by nine I was operating a John Deere Model B Tractor. Before and after school I worked on the family farm with my mom, dad, and sisters. It was hard work and long days, but it taught me valuable life lessons. Some of my fondest memories were operating Dad’s tractors like the John Deere B, Model 60 and an MT Loader. I combined oats, mowed, raked, and swept hay and did general barn and yard clearing.
After High School I went to the University of Nebraska and earned my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Even during college, I spent summers and holidays working on the farm. After Graduating, I went to work for Sandia Laboratories in New Mexico where I was responsible for building hardware for underground nuclear weapons testing. While in New Mexico, I went back to earn a master’s in engineering from the University of New Mexico. I also met the love of my life and wife, Carol. At the end of my career, I designed and built robotic devices for application of Radar Absorbing Material on the F-117 and Navy Ships.
My love for farming and tractors continued and I began collecting precision model tractors while mostly John Deere, I also collected Farmall, Oliver, Minneapolis Molene, Massey Harris and Allis Chambers. My collection grew to over 100 pieces.
Since schooling and my career helped me with designing and building equipment, I naturally took up woodworking. It became my passion and hobby for many years. Putting practical life lessons and knowledge to work, I built furniture and many other items. Then I began building wooden replica models of machinery, tractors, and farm implements.
The collection you are looking at today took me approximately 10 years to complete. I would find designs and then collect detailed pictures of equipment I was interested in building and do my best to build my models as close to real life as possible.
I hope that you enjoy looking at this collection as much as I enjoyed building them. With determination, hard work, and time, I have found that you can make your dreams and ideas a beautiful reality."
The wooden tractor & implement collection can be viewed at The Agricultural Museum & Arts Center on Saturdays between 10 am and 4 pm. There is also Harvest Time - Antique Tractor Pull & Raffle Fundraiser on October 24th, 2026 starting at 10 am.
Address: 102 City Park Rd in Boerne, TX
Website: theagricultural.org
