Every painting tells a story, and I love a good story. The narrative of this work is about family legacy, tragic loss, and restoration. It is a portrait of rural America that transcends 4 generations. It’s also pure Iowa, with a heartwarming story I am proud to share.
Legacies on the Forret Farmstead
2023. Acrylic on canvas, 36 in. x 18 in.
Frank Forret had a dilemma. It was 1958, and the Forret family needed to buy a tractor. With his parents, Frank farmed 112-acres near Calamus, in the fertile crescent of Eastern Iowa. Young Frank was sent to town to trade his father’s John Deere 60 for a newer version of the 60. Instead, Frank came home with a bigger and more expensive John Deere 720. It was his first brand-new tractor, and it cost a whopping $3,700—almost a full-year’s salary in 1958. He was enticed by the 720’s new-fangled power steering, not the mention the sheer power of 65.6 horses.
Frank’s parents were not pleased.
According to family lore, Frank’s purchase nearly got him kicked out of the house. However, that following spring Frank was able to plow circles around his father as they tilled the land. That extra 20 horsepower made them more productive, and young Frank was vindicated for his extravagant green acquisition.
For over 3 decades, the 720 was the all-around workhorse on the farm. By the 1990’s, the tractor wasn’t needed as much, so Frank sold the 720 to a local man named Doug Shultz for $5,000. Though he was reluctant to part with it, Frank knew Doug Shultz would appreciate the old workhorse.
Frank’s son Chris, who grew up on the 720, was especially sad to see the tractor go. Chris loved having the old John Deere on the farm. Even though Chris knew Doug was taking good care of it, he always wanted to bring the 720 back to the Forret farmstead. Doug Shultz was aware of this, and said that if any Forret family member wanted the tractor, he would sell it back for the same price he paid for it.
A few years went by, and Chris Forret had a son named Brian, who continued the family farming legacy. Tragedy struck the family in 2016, when Chris was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Chris fought courageously for 3 years, but lost the battle in June of 2019. He was only 46 years old. In the receiving line at Chris’ visitation, Doug Shultz told young Brian that the 720 would be returning home.
Later that fall, Doug Shultz called say he had something for them. As promised, Doug had returned the Forret family’s legacy, at no charge. The John Deere 720 was back home on the Forret farm.
Brian knew what he had to do. In January 2020, he began work to restore the 62-year-old tractor. With the help of family and friends, Brian stripped down the machine, repainting and refurbishing every part. When the Covid pandemic kept him home from school, Brian worked countless nights and weekends to repair every mechanical feature. His goal was to enter the rebuilt tractor in the 2020 Iowa State Fair in Des Moines that August.
Brian happened to be working in the paint booth in June when he learned the sad news over the shop radio: The 2020 Iowa State Fair had been cancelled. That fall, Brian went off to Iowa State University, 160 miles away, leaving the beloved tractor unfinished. College made finding time to work on the tractor more difficult. Brian also needed help repairing major dents in the tin work, leaving him no time to finish the project before the 2021 Iowa State Fair.
As a graduate of the Calamus-Wheatland FFA, and knowing he could only show the tractor at the Iowa State Fair in 2022, Brian ramped up his efforts. He got help from the folks at Titan Tire, who were able to locate the correct tires for the vintage machine. As a finishing touch, Brian added a pair of memorial plaques that were originally given as gifts to Brian’s mother and sister, years before the tractor came home. They read, “In Memory of Chris Forret: 1973 - 2019.”
Brian Forret finally entered the 720 in the Iowa State Fair Future Farmers of America Ag Mechanics Technology competition in 2022, as a 1st year tractor exhibitor, and the last year he was eligible to do so. The 1958 John Deere 720, serial number 7227492, looked even better than it did the day Grandpa Frank brought it home. Brian’s 2-1/2 years of hard work and dedication earned him a coveted blue ribbon in the Restored Tractor Class at the 2022 Iowa State Fair.
This is where I add my part to the story. Mike Forret, Brian’s uncle, saw my work at the 2022 Iowa State Fair, and commissioned me to create a painting of the 720 as a graduation gift for Brian. I took reference photos of the tractor on display at the Fair. I also asked Mike to send me photos of the Forret family farmstead. My idea was to show the tractor on the farm where it belonged. Mike sent 3 photos: One was taken too close to the house. One was taken in the dead of winter. But the third was perfect. I made the painting 12 inches wider than planned, to show the beauty of both farm and tractor in the composition.
I also emphasized the golden hour sunlight on the scene. The green of the grass clashed with the green of the John Deere, so I gave the yard a late-day sunlit glow. The tractor is the hero of the painting, but the big old brick house is equally important in the composition, as are the white barn and out-buildings. Even the trees have character, and help tell the story.
When I look at this canvas, I see more than a tractor, house or trees. The tractor itself is a symbol of this family—representing a daring, head-strong grandfather, a hard-working son taken too soon, and a dedicated grandson. I see the love and respect of a son for his father, and his father’s father. I see an appreciation for the old, tried-and-true ways. These are virtues we sadly seem to be losing in today’s modern world, and that’s why it was important for me to paint it. This canvas is full of emotional connections and, like the tractor, it pleases me to know that this painting will be a treasured family heirloom. Hopefully to the casual viewer, it also reflects the best of what still makes Iowa a wonderful place.
Though he never got to see the return of the 720, I am certain Chris Forret would be immensely proud, not only of his son Brian, but proud of all the family and friends—Doug Shultz, the Fuglsang’s (Jason and Don), Osky Wolf, Ronnie Peters, Lonnie Goettsch, Chandler Gannon, and everyone else who helped Brian in this noble endeavour.
Oh, and if you find yourself driving down the Lincoln Highway, somewhere between Calamus and Grand Mound, Iowa, slow down a bit. You just might see this very special tractor proudly on display—a family legacy for all to see.
(Note: “Legacies on the Forret Farmstead” was selected for the 3rd Place ribbon in Acrylic Painting at the 2023 Iowa State Fair.)