When Mike Tews (founder of Rock Spreaders) was a very young boy his role model was his grandfather. His grandfather taught him everything about life and becoming a man. His grandfather owned an old tractor. Mike grew up riding on and driving that old tractor on a farm in Minnesota learning about hard work ethics, family values, and simple good times.

Mike as an adult had a dream of his own. He wanted to have an old tractor of his own to give his grand children rides on just as his grandfather had given him. In 2010 Mike was diagnosed with Terminal Cancer. He battled this terrible disease with every ounce of energy he had. On August 13th 2012 the good Lord took Mike home. Not to long after Mike had been diagnosed, he realized that there were a few things he still wanted to do. It was not long after that he called his daughter Mandi to ask her if she wanted to “see his tractor” out of the blue. Mandi stated, “What are you talking about, your BOBCAT?” She was referring to all his skid steer tractors used for “Rock Spreaders”. He was referring to an old 1946 International Farmall “A” tractor. All original and yes it was faded “PINK” from being in the sun for all those years. He was so proud of it and Mandi could tell how much joy this “OLD PINK TRACTOR” had immediately brought to her father. Several months’ later Mikes sister and brother in law came down from Minnesota to visit. Mikes brother in law and Mike worked on the tractor a little bit and the next thing you know this “OLD PINK TRACTOR” had come to life and was running! Mike hopped up on this old, rusty, PINK tractor and started driving around in her brothers’ old horse arena with a smile larger than life on his face. Immediately all the grandchildren ran out and jumped up on the “OLD PINK TRACTOR” and were laughing and smiling and having a blast riding around with grandpa on his old tractor. Then Mandi and her sister hopped up and rode around with their dad on the old tractor. At this very moment everyone present realized that MIKES DREAM had just come true!

The one possession that Mandi’s father had that meant the world to her was this “OLD PINK TRACTOR”. The reason for this was that it was the one thing that had brought so much happiness to him and such great memories for all during his battle with cancer. This old rusty tractor was so simple, and to her it symbolized her father. So several days before Christmas 2011 her husband went to her father Mike and mother Joyce and asked them if he could purchase this “OLD PINK TRACTOR” for Mandi and give it to her for Christmas. They agreed and the purchase was done. Well almost…One last detail had to be executed. A “BILL OF SALE”. A document was drawn up with 10 personalized family based conditions on it. The first line of the document read as follows. “I Mike Tews have sold to Mandi one “OLD PINK TRACTOR”! Mike gave this to Mandi in an envelope on Christmas when all the gifts had been opened up. As you can imagine it was an incredibly emotional time.

Not too long after Christmas, Mandi’s husband had a thought. What if he could pull off one more surprise? What if he could have the tractor restored and surprise Mandi and Mike with it so that they could both enjoy it together. So he did. With some help from a friend in Queen Creek, AZ the project was underway. Rich in Queen Creek worked day and night to get the project done in an unusually short amount of time. Not too awful long later the project was complete! At a family dinner at Mandi’s parents house the debut was about to take place. Mandi’s husband called her mother and asked her to unlock the RV Gate. He then drove the tractor into the back yard for the big surprise. It was about as emotional as the presentation of the “Bill Of Sale” at Christmas.

The tractor is now the major part of the Rock Spreaders Logo and forever will be. The silhouettes of the three children in the logo represent Rob and Mandi’s three boys and part of Mikes dream to one day give Rock Spreaders to his grandkids if they so desired.

Rock Spreaders – 
“Always has been, always will be family owned and operated”