Still fixin’: Nebraska teen gives update on repair projects

Kerry Hoffschneider
Sep 30, 2025
Sep 30, 2025

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Last fall, Midwest Messenger readers met Henry Dawson, a teen from Doniphan, Nebraska, who had a passion for finding something old and learning how to fix it.

kAms2HD@? :D `d ?@H[ 2?5 96 2?5 9:D `hdc D<J 3=F6 r96GJ ECF4< 92G6 2 76H >@C6 7C:6?5D 2C@F?5 – D@>6 y@9? s66C6 8C66? 82C56? EC24E@CD 2?5 DF49] z6CCJ w@77D49?:656C 42F89E FA H:E9 9:> 7@C 96C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]8C2K6>2DE6C8C@FA]4@>^9@A6\DE@C:6DQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm“w@A6 $E@C:6D 7C@> E96 w62CE=2?5”k^2m D6C:6D] %96:C :?E6CG:6H 7@==@HD]k^Am

k9bm(92E 92G6 J@F 366? 5@:?8[ w6?CJnk^9bm

kAm“~9[ ?@E9:?8 >F49[ ;FDE 3FJ:?8 2?5 D6==:?8 DEF77 96C6 2?5 E96C6] x 92G6 >@C6 @7 2 4@==64E:@? E92? E96 =2DE E:>6 J@F 42>6 E@ G:D:E] x 92G6 >J @H? DE@C286 F?:E 7:==65 H:E9 82C56? EC24E@CD E@@ ?@H[” s2HD@? D2:5[ H:E9 2? 6G6? <66= 2?5 2 HC6?49 C625J E@ 7:I]k^Am

Henry Dawson displays his 1964 John Deere 110 at Old Trusty Days in Clay Center.
Submitted photo

kAm“$:?46 H6 E2=<65 =2DE[ x 3@F89E @?6 @7 >J 5C62> 82C56? EC24E@CD[ 2 `hec y@9? s66C6 ``_ H:E9 2 H@C?\@FE EC2?D>:DD:@?] x 9@?6DE=J E9:?< x 2> EC25:?8 E92E @?6 7@C 2 y@9? s66C6 `c_] x 2=D@ 8@E 2 y@9? s66C6 a`_ 7C@> >J 36DE 7C:6?5] x AFE 2 9J5C2F=:4 =:7E @? E92E @?6[ 28 E:C6D[ D?@H 3=256[ 2?5 2 C62C H6:89E 3C24<6E] %92E :D 8@:?8 E@ 36 7@C C6>@G:?8 D?@H]”k^Am

k9bm(96C6 92D J@FC 4@==64E:@? 366? E2<:?8 J@F =2E6=Jnk^9bm

kAm“x H2D 2E ~=5 %CFDEJ s2JD E9:D J62C :? r=2J r6?E6C[ 2?5 x 3C@F89E 2=@?8 2 `heh rF3 r256EE6 2?5 E92E y@9? s66C6 ``_ x H2D E2=<:?8 23@FE 62C=:6C] x 6?E6C65 E96 A2C256 2?5 >@DE=J ;FDE 5C@G6 2C@F?5 2?5 E2=<65 E@ A6@A=6] xE H2D 7F?P” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“x 2=D@ 3@F89E 2 4@FA=6 @7 @=5 9:E 2?5 >:DD >@E@CD] }@E9:?8 92D C62==J 492?865 H:E9 >J r96GJ ECF4<] xE ?665D 2 7F6= AF>A[ 2?5 E96 A2C256 :D 4@>:?8 FA :? s@?:A92?] x 5@?’E <?@H J6E :7 x H:== 36 23=6 E@ 5C:G6 :E :? E96 A2C256] x ?665 E@ 86E 2 7F6= AF>A :? E:>6[” 96 ?@E65]k^Am

Dawson has added a storage unit to store his collection of old equipment he likes to rebuild.
Submitted photo

People are also reading…

Propagating the prairie: Couple creates business out of raising native plants
Cattle-station cookbook helps disaster
Back to grass: Focused on conservation, Midwest farmers return cropland to prairie state
Bison may not have future on Great Plains
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
100-year-old veteran recalls battles of World War II
Wisconsin popular destination for turkeys
Buyer beware: Problem cows, accessories sold separately
Breakfast offers ‘majestic’ chance to talk dairy
Missouri legislature extends ag tax credits
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Fickle weather creates field challenges
A herdsman’s claim to AI
Cook shares classic chicken and cookie recipes with a twist
Soybean market reacts to Trump’s visit to China

kAms2HD@? D2:5 9:D :?E6C6DE :? D>2== 6?8:?6D 2?5 EC24E@CD @7 2== D@CED 92D?’E =6DD6?65 2 3:E]k^Am

kAm“x 2EE6?5 vC2?5 xD=2?5 $6?:@C w:89 $49@@=[ 2?5 x 2> :? 2? 2FE@>2E:G6 A2E9H2J 2E D49@@=[” 96 D2:5] “x 2=D@ 2> E2<:?8 2 D9@A 4=2DD] (6 2C6 3F:=5:?8 2 D965 :? 4=2DD C:89E ?@H]”k^Am

kAmw6 :D 5@:?8 2== @7 E9:D H9:=6 96 7:==D 9:D @H? DE@C286 D965 H:E9 >@C6 EC62DFC6D E92E 96 =@G6D E@ H@C< @? 2?5 EC256]k^Am

kAmu63] a[ a_ae[ H:== >2C< 2 >:=6DE@?6 7@C s2HD@?] w6 H:== EFC? `e[ 5C:G:?8 286]k^Am

kAm“x 5@?’E <?@H 7@C DFC6 J6E H92E x 2> 8@:?8 E@ 5C:G6] x 2> =@@<:?8 :?E@ 2? @=5 s@586 s2<@E2 E92E :D :? >J ?6:893@C9@@5] ~C x >:89E ECJ 2?5 86E >J `hdc r96GJ b`__ ECF4< C@25 =682=]”k^Am

kAm“x H2?E E@ 36 2 >6492?:4 27E6C x 8C25F2E6[” 96 ?@E65 252>2?E=J]k^Am

k9bm(92E 6=D6 5@6D s2HD@? 5@ 7@C 7F?nk^9bm

JohnDeere210Henry'sFriendsoldhim.jpg — Dawson's John Deere 210 sits in his driveway.
Submitted photo

kAm“|J 3C@E96C 2?5 x 2=D@ 92G6 =:EE=6 >:?: 3:<6D E92E H6 5C:G6 2C@F?5] %92E :D H92E J@F’C6 962C:?8 :? E96 324<8C@F?5] xE’D >J 3C@E96C H:E9 9:D >:?: 3:<6] (6 7:?5 324< C@25D 2?5 5C:G6 2C@F?5] xE’D :? s@?:A92? D@ J@F 42? <:?5 @7 5@ E92E[” 96 25>:EE65]k^Am

kAm%96C6 2C6 ;FDE D@ >2?J >@C6 82C56? EC24E@CD E92E s2HD@? H@F=5 =:<6 E@ H@C< @?[ “x H@F=5 C62==J =:<6 E@ 86E 2 bb_ 5:6D6= y@9? s66C6] p=D@[ 2 y@9? s66C6 `a_ 2?5 rF3 r256EE6 fga s] x7 2?J@?6 92D @=5 82C56? EC24E@CD E96J H@F=5 =:<6 E@ D6==[ J@F 42? 42== >6 2E b_g\bfh\dhed] %92?< J@F]”k^Am

kAmk6>m$@[ E92E’D H92E w6?CJ 92D 366? FA E@] x? >J 9F>3=6 @A:?:@?[ E92E’D AC6EEJ 8@@5 ?6HD :? 2 H@C=5 E92E DFC6=J ?665D :E] %92E’D E96 <:?5 @7 “w@A6 :? E96 w62CE=2?5” E92E D9@F=5 <66A FD 2== 8@:?8] q642FD6 E96C6 :D :?5665 9@A6Pk^6>mk^Am

Kerry Hoffschnieder is a founder of the Lincoln, Nebraska-based GrazeMaster Group, who writes Hope Stories to show that caring for the soil and all natural resources is possible, profitable and benefits all life on earth. Reach her at kerry@grazemaster.com or visit grazemastergroup.com.