Get to Know Homestead Implements
Although we're quickly approaching our second business anniversary, we realize there might still be plenty you don't know about our company history! We thought we'd take a break from our regular implement-based articles to share a bit more about ourselves and everything that makes Homestead Implements unique.
Company History
Homestead Implements is a division of woman-owned Jamestown Advanced Products, a site furnishing and sheet-metal manufacturer with over thirty years of experience in the industry. Starting in 1987 as a fabrication shop, Jamestown Advanced quickly grew in size along with the products offered by the company. Thirty-five years later, Jamestown Advanced is synonymous in the outdoor industry with quality, durable, American-made site furnishings.
In 2019, plans began formulating expansion into tractor attachments, and Homestead Implements started to take shape. Over the next several months, our team of engineers, designers, marketing personnel, and managers created two lines of tractor attachments to fit nearly every sub-compact or compact tractor under fifty-five horsepower. Driven by co-owner and tractor enthusiast Lee Lodestro, Homestead Implements' sole focus was to manufacture and deliver high-quality American tractor attachments that far surpass many of the more prominent implement manufacturers.
Now, in 2022, Homestead Implements is breaking all sales numbers from 2021 and is quickly expanding into new products, revising existing designs, and improving production to keep our ever-important lead times as low as possible despite a rapid expansion of business.
Expansive Facility
Considering that Homestead Implements is a division of the much larger Jamestown Advanced Products, we had a unique opportunity to include services many other implement manufacturers may need to outsource. The primary example is our in-house powder-coat line that cleans each implement before applying paint to ensure proper adhesion and then cures the attachment in our ovens to lock in the protective coating before assembly. This equipment allows us to offer powder-coat colors to match any major tractor brand in the market today.
We have plenty of room to pre-manufacture and stage implements with our massive 135,000 square foot facility. Our New York plant has a long and rich manufacturing history, going back to World War II airplanes and unmanned aircraft production. Despite the massive floor plan, every inch is occupied by raw material, machinery, and finished products for both of our divisions. With multiple lasers running non-stop, numerous heavy brakes, a dozen welding stations, and so much more involved, there is zero downtime from receiving raw material to sending out finished products.
Additionally, with thirty years of freight shipping experience, our Shipping & Receiving team seamlessly moves implements from final assembly to the truck and out the door to your homestead. Our decades of freight knowledge have allowed us to offer free shipping to the Continental United States and Ontario, Canada, as well as our new Contactless Delivery option. These freight and delivery policy advancements have established Homestead as a leading implement manufacturer for sub-compact and compact tractors. Homestead Implements can handle the increased demand for attachments and is in a great position to continue growing within our existing space.
Regional History
As a manufacturer of tractor attachments in Western New York, our entire team is well-versed in how seasonality and weather impact life on the homestead. Storms, inclement weather, and an often-unreliable departure from winter are all familiar, and we feel that experience lends itself well to our ability to create long-lasting and durable implements for your homestead. You can trust that our Snow Equipment has been battle-tested during unpredictable lake effect snows that can sometimes dump several feet of snow in a short amount of time. On average, county residents can expect to move over 160 inches, 13 feet, of snow each year.
Chautauqua County, where we call home, is a diverse landscape with wide-reaching agricultural pursuits. Corn, grapes, dairy production, and livestock are just some of the ways farmers utilize their property in Western New York. Over 35% of the acreage in Chautauqua County is designated farmland, number one by percentage in all of New York State. We are proud to become a new part of the area's rich agricultural history and hope to continue developing our relationships with local agricultural organizations. Learn more about the rich farming history of Chautauqua County through the Cornell Cooperative Extension "Farm Facts Brochure."
Diverse Team
Part of what makes Homestead Implements different is our team of engineers, production personnel, sales, and staff. The diverse knowledge and experiences each person brings to the table have been instrumental in our success and drive our continued expansion and growth. Between all divisions and facets of production, we have over 150 employees working day in and day out to produce high-quality American site furnishings, steel products, and heavy-duty tractor attachments.
We've recruited highly talented engineers from around the globe to design our attachments. Their knowledge is critical to better understanding applied forces, structural integrity in design, and effectively balancing our tractor attachments' strength, performance, and weight. Their ingenuity and creativity in tackling complex problems are crucial to our continued development and success.
Homestead Implements is exceptionally thankful for everyone who has a hand in every implement that goes out our door. Not only that, but the opinions, thoughts, and experiences each person brings to the table are essential to our success!
Tractor Enthusiasts
Homestead would not be where it is today without the excitement brought to the table by the slew of tractor enthusiasts throughout the building. Lee has owned tractors and other outdoor equipment for decades and became tired of purchasing big-brand implements, and having them lead to disappointing results and broken equipment. Hence, he recruited Plant & Engineering Manager, Jeff, to help manufacture our line of attachments. Jeff is no stranger to tractors, as he operates his homestead with plenty of livestock and property to manage.
Additionally, our lead Sales Representative Chris has years of heavy equipment experience and is well-versed in everything from a sub-compact tractor to a one-hundred horsepower skid steer or excavator. Many of you who have spent time on the phone in the last two years with Chris have benefitted from his extensive knowledge and excellent customer service. Chris has an incredibly positive and enthusiastic approach to his position, and it shows itself in his customer interaction.
Our goal was simple. Create a line of tractor attachments that get the job done the first time, will last for generations, and completely change the way you expand and maintain your homestead. Everything from our geographic location to the enthusiasm in the building for this product line makes Homestead a premier provider of tractor attachments in North America. Still not convinced? Give us a call or visit our Facebook Owner Group to learn why Homestead Implements is the best fit for your tractor, homestead, and life.