Danny Hawken was inventive when farming in the Rowletta district, northwest of Moose Jaw.
Among his work was restoration of a 1925 Hudson car often seen in local car shows.
Upon retirement to Swift Current the self-taught welder and machinist had plenty of time for other works including scale models of John Deere farm equipment.
Although he could have sold the models for lots of money he chose to donate them to the Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village and Museum so the public could see them.
From parts that he built Hawken made a John Deere “clipper’’combine which was one of the first combines the company manufactured and replaced horse-drawn harvesters.
The “clipper” threshes grain like the real machine but is slow, he said
He built a John Deere D tractor with a hammer mill to chop feed. The model D was a company go-to tractor for decades.
Two more modern tractor models he did include a 9570 RT John Deere tractor and another tracked model.
The models will be on display at the museum’s John Deere building for the Sept.10-11 threshing bee.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net.
