Photos by Jennifer Browning or Gracey Tucker
G racey Tucker , a Senior with Brownsboro
FFA , is proof that when you set your mind on a goal , it can be accomplished . She did just that when she dreamed about and then submitted her John Deere tractor at the Shop Project Show at the 2023 Henderson County Livestock Show .
Gracey has entered rabbits in the livestock show in the past but this year she had a different plan in mind that didn ’ t have to be fed as much . However , the amount of hours put into this project were greater and took place in all types of elements .
Gracey , with the help of her father , restored a 1958 John Deere 620 Liquid Propane tractor through a lot of trial and error in long , hot summer days and biting cold winter days . She says they had some arguments , questioned their progress at times , and the process tested her will power and patience , but they had it complete before their deadline and bonded through the experience .
Two years ago , Gracey told her father she wanted to submit a tractor project but he knew how much work it would take as Gracey ’ s much older brothers had competed in the shop project category in the past .
Once they decided to proceed , they hunted down a John Deere tractor and purchased it April 4 , 2022 . They soon found over the first month that
Greater Athens Magazine | May 2023 | 7
they couldn ’ t do much to it except turn it over , so they started breaking it down piece by piece and for 8 months they worked this giant puzzle .
As parts came off , more work was created as they had to stitch a crack in the head , along with replacing two pistons . When they would come across a part they couldn ’ t make function or had to wait for a new part to come in , they wouldn ’ t let it slow them down and continued making progress in other areas .
Gracey has previous mechanical skills wiring trailers and working on various things at the school , but never to the scale of the tractor restoration . She says she is honored to represent her family and the school in this category , especially as the only female from Brownsboro High School to enter the Shop Project category .
She had some critics along the way but says , “ All of my work and knowledge came to show once it was all done . I was not only able to prove them wrong , but to prove myself right , and worthy of impressing the individuals that weren ’ t hopeful or encouraging to me .”
Gracey learned how to prioritize her time as she worked on the tractor and managed her other extra-curricular activities . She is also the President of the Brownsboro High School Media team and has her own photography business .
In another first for BHS , she placed third in the SkillsUSA District 5 hands-on photography