Calen farmer Karinda Anderson plans to open John Deere Love Shack museum
An enthusiast with claims to Australia’s biggest collection of the yellow and green machinery is preparing to open a museum experience with a twist.
Mackay
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What started as a single toy for her son has turned into a collection, likely to be the biggest in Australia.
Calen farmer Karinda Anderson said she has collected anything and everything to do with the green and yellow John Deere machinery for close to three decades.
Now with the collection outgrowing the family home, Mrs Anderson is converting a house on their 162ha farm into a museum experience that includes a trip back in time to the days of hand cutting cane.
“There’s nothing (in the collection) that I’ve got two of,” she said.
“I’ve got a lady making us John Deere underwear.
“I’ve even got toilet paper with John Deeres on it.”
There is also John Deere crockery, cutlery, a mosaic, jewellery, a themed Christmas tree, cricket ball, board games, and makes and models of all scales — all proudly on display at “The John Deere Love Shack”.
“What else am I going to call it?” Mrs Anderson said with a laugh.
The museum complements the Oh Deere Farmstay, with visitors able to tour the property and learn about sugar cane farming from planting through to juicing complete with an authentic farmers’ morning tea.
Mrs Anderson said this included tomato sandwiches with sugar not salt, pancakes, and pumpkin scones.
“We’re passionate to teach people what happens in agriculture,” she said.
“My aim is, in time, is to teach the city dwellers, what it takes for a farmer to put food and water on the table.”
But there is also a serious side to Mrs Anderson’s pursuits, a way to prove “there is life after an illness”.
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The mother of four had a quad bike incident in front of her then three-year-old twins, suffering a brain aneurysm and 27 factures to her face and skull.
“I wasn’t supposed to survive,” Mrs Anderson said through tears.
“Now I’m also doing all this with leukaemia that’s not in remission.
“I guess my whatever to the world is never give up.
“There’s always something else to do.”
To keep up to date with the Oh Deere Farmstay and soon to open John Deere Love Shack, follow the Facebook page.
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