HARRISBURG, PA (WENY) -- “It was sitting in the field, it was pretty much useless," said Adam Keir, member of the Northeast Bradford FFA Chapter. "Engine was seized, it didn’t run. It had no chance.” 

Northeast Bradford High School student Keir had a task of legacy set before him this year-- restore the family tractor.

“This tractor is my great grandfather's, well now its mine. It’s a 1941 Farmall M," said Keir. "Through the FFA program, I was able to fully restore it.”

A junior in high school, Keir and a group of classmates worked on the project for months. 

“Basically there wasn’t a bolt left unturned. We rebuilt the engine, tore it fully apart. And I mean, transmission was seized," said Keir, "We just did a lot to it.”

There were challenges along the way...

“My friend came into my geometry class, mid class, and he told me the engine had a big crack in it. And I was like—I thought it was going to ruin the whole thing," said Keir. "But I found an engine block on Marketplace for a hundred bucks. So that was awesome.”

It all culminated in a heart stopping memory-

“Um, definitely the first time starting the engine. We got a few things wrong with it at first so it backfired, and it was really loud. But I’ve never actually heard the tractor run," said Keir, "or seen it run before this.” 

Keir won 'Most Improved' in the FFA Antique Tractor Restoration contest.

Many Bradford County residents stopped by the tractor display at the PA Farm Show Complex; some who had been keeping up with the project long before the big red machine made its way to Harrisburg.

One farmer stared at the tractor, impressed. They'd watched the equipment sitting in the field longer than Keir had been alive.

“it was good for my dad to get to see it for the first time, cause he has had it for a long time. It was really cool," said Keir.