TractorsFrom one news­paper cutout to 15 John Deere trac­tors

Some people find their way by following a clear plan. Others, by remaining true to a child­hood dream. For 36-year-old Piero Mele, farm manager at his uncle Luigi’s farm in Batti­paglia in the province of Salerno, it all began by leafing through agri­cul­tural maga­zines. “I used to ask for news­pa­pers and cata­logues, cut out the pictures of trac­tors and swap them with my school­mates,” he says. “One of those images always stuck with me; a John Deere 6620. I can’t explain it, but I had a feeling this brand would become part of my life sooner or later.”

The boy from back then has now become a farm manager who manages around 60ha of green­house space and produces rocket, baby spinach, lettuce, Swiss chard and red chard for indus­trial processing. The journey there was a step-by-step process and began rather by chance, following a brief foray into a completely different line of work.

“I tried working in a factory, but after two weeks I realised that being cooped up inside four walls wasn’t for me,” says Piero. “My uncle brought me into the busi­ness to lend a hand, and I’ve been here ever since. I never would have thought that, 17 years later, I’d be doing such a complex and respon­sible job.”

60ha of green­house space and 15 green-and-yellow team­mates

In the Piana del Sele, time is one of the most precious resources. Every step must be spot on; every oper­a­tion must be planned down to the last detail. Each day, Piero co-ordi­nates sowing, tillage, crop protec­tion, main­te­nance and the shift plans for tractor oper­a­tors. The harvested vegeta­bles are taken straight to cold stores and then trans­ported to a producer organ­i­sa­tion in Bergamo, where they are processed into ready-to-eat lettuce for the food retail sector.

To ensure this pace can be main­tained throughout the year, the farm relies on a fleet of 15 John Deere trac­tors: Five 5075Es, three 5115Ms, one 5105M, one 5090M, two 5130MLs, one 6330, one 6145M and a 6R 165. The machinery fleet is supple­mented by a number of trac­tors from other brands for less demanding tasks. “For us, John Deere trac­tors are our daily compan­ions,” notes Piero. “Each model has a specific task, be it drilling, crop protec­tion, trans­porting the crop or tillage. They are powerful, reli­able machines that are ready for use at any time. And that’s what makes the differ­ence when produc­tion runs all year round.”

The first John Deere that changed every­thing

The connec­tion with John Deere was estab­lished in 2011. At that time, a 5105M without a cab was intro­duced to the farm. It was primarily intended for use in the green­houses. Initially, this deci­sion was met with looks of disbe­lief locally. A tractor like that in this working envi­ron­ment? For many, it was hard to imagine. But this machine is still in oper­a­tion today, having clocked up around 18,000 oper­ating hours. For Piero, it stands as a symbol of a deci­sion that has proved its worth day after day.

We were told we were mad to buy a machine like that, because nobody else was using one in this sector. Yet it has proved its worth.

Piero Mele

“We were told we were mad to buy a machine like that, because nobody else was using one in this sector.” Yet it has proved its worth. “And when other busi­ness owners saw them in action, many of them started buying John Deere trac­tors too,” he adds. Within the fleet, however, another tractor holds the top spot in terms of emotional attach­ment: the 6145M, a custom-coloured machine without a cab, which Piero describes almost as an exten­sion of his own working style. “It is unique and easily handles heavy-duty tasks like subsoiling or use with a spading machine (roto­vator). When people see it driving past, they know I’m behind the wheel,” he says proudly.

Tinkering, improving, sharing expe­ri­ences

Piero’s passion does not end at the steering wheel. Over the years, he has chan­nelled his mechan­ical training and the expe­ri­ence gained on the farm into a constant quest for better solu­tions. When­ever a task can be carried out more quickly, more precisely or with fewer passes, he starts tinkering. Over time, this has led to more than 30 home‑grown inno­va­tions. These include an auto­matic post-clearing machine for clearing the area between the support posts of green­houses, a combi­na­tion of a compaction roller and a fertiliser spreader, and an equip­ment trailer that allows machinery to be moved inde­pen­dently.

“Every device is devel­oped to meet a specific need,” he explains. “If a task can be done better or more quickly, I try to find a solu­tion. I owe a great deal to my uncle Luigi, because he trusts me and lets me exper­i­ment freely.” Some of these ideas have long since become known outside the farm, thanks in part to social media. On his Insta­gram page, Piero­Farm – which now has more than 45,000 followers – Piero shares daily insights into his working life, show­casing machinery, work processes and new projects. “I get ques­tions, advice and enquiries from farmers all over Italy. It’s really rewarding to see that what we do can also be of use to others.”

John Deere – part of the family

As well as the machines’ perfor­mance, what matters most to Piero is the rela­tion­ship he has built up over the years with the dealer and customer support team. He sees both as an inte­gral part of the invest­ment and funda­mental to ensuring the farm runs smoothly day in, day out. “I always say, before you fall in love with a tractor, you have to fall in love with the service. Break­downs can happen but knowing that you will get the support you need within a few hours means you can carry on working with peace of mind.”

This connec­tion with John Deere has long since taken root in Piero’s family, too. One of his most emotional memo­ries coin­cides with the birth of his first son. That was the very day a new John Deere arrived on the farm. “I was in the hospital when I got the photo of the tractor on the flatbed carrier. That was a moment I will never forget.” Today, his chil­dren share their father’s enthu­siasm. They wear person­alised T-shirts featuring the John Deere logo and look forward to every oppor­tu­nity to climb onto a tractor. “If I can manage it, I’ll pick them up from school in the 6R. Seeing their smile is worth more than anything else in the world. This passion is now in our DNA.”