John Deere hosts turf care fly-in event with equipment demos and product updates

By Brian Ethridge

Four years after its last gathering, John Deere welcomed landscape contractors, dealers and prospective customers back to North Carolina for its professional landscape contractor turf care fly-in event, blending product launches, factory tours and hands-on equipment demos.

About 130 attendees participated over the course of the week, according to company officials, marking the first such fly-in event since 2022. The program had previously been held nearly every year and, representatives said, had become something many customers looked forward to.

“We’ve heard it time and time again from dealers and customers: When are you going to do an event like this again?” said Luke Gribble, go-to-market manager at John Deere Agriculture & Turf. “So we decided around the midpoint of last year to give it a go, put our team together and make it happen.”

Compact excavator updates

Among the machines drawing attention was the redesigned 26 P-Tier compact excavator, one of Deere’s newest additions to its compact construction lineup.

Gribble said one of the most noticeable upgrades is the cab, which now features expanded glass for improved visibility when trenching or moving materials. The machine includes heating and air conditioning, a sealed switch module and controls consistent with other Deere equipment to provide a more familiar layout for operators.

The 26 P-Tier also offers a long-arm option alongside the standard configuration, increasing digging capabilities. Additional auxiliary hydraulic functions expand attachment compatibility beyond a standard bucket, allowing contractors to run a wider range of tools.

“Customers can do a lot more with that machine than what they previously could,” Gribble said.

EFI mowers and extended service intervals

On the turf side, Deere highlighted its growing lineup of electronic fuel-injected, or EFI, commercial mowers. Gribble pointed to the Z997R EFI as the highest-horsepower gas model in the company’s EFI range.

The EFI lineup was reintroduced in 2024, and select models feature the Vanguard Oil Guard system that extends oil change intervals up to 500 hours, reducing maintenance downtime and total cost of ownership. The machines also include premium R-spec features such as a ComfortGlide seat with 4.5 inches of travel, advanced height-of-cut controls and deck options up to 72 inches.

Deere representatives also previewed the Z998R, a 100-inch diesel zero-turn mower expected to be available in July. The unit includes independent electric wing motors in the deck, drive-by-wire steering and load-match capability designed to maintain blade tip speed in heavy grass. The machine will come factory-equipped with JDLink connectivity.

Digital ecosystem gains attention

Beyond iron, company officials said many attendees were most interested in Deere’s Operations Center platform, which allows users to monitor fleet location, set geofences, track maintenance and analyze performance data.

Gribble said customers were often surprised the platform does not require a monthly subscription once machines are connected through JDLink.

“They’re really surprised that it’s a free tool,” he said. “Not only can you find machine location information, put geofences on it to help prevent things like theft, you can track your maintenance on it, you can order parts directly on it, you can analyze your whole fleet on it.”

Attendees also learned about digital tools such as online parts ordering and mobile apps that provide access to operator manuals and parts diagrams, along with financing options tailored to landscape businesses.

Hands-on feedback

The event included ride-and-drive opportunities across commercial mowers, compact tractors, utility vehicles and compact construction equipment. Safety briefings preceded the demos, with Deere staff on hand to answer questions and collect feedback.

One contractor from the Des Moines, Iowa, area said the experience gave him exposure to machines he does not regularly operate.

“The experience has been awesome,” he said. “I think it’s really cool that John Deere puts this on for guys like us to get out here and see equipment we don’t necessarily get to operate every day. That’s pretty cool.”

He pointed specifically to the 1585 TerrainCut front mower with a heated cab, noting its potential for stone removal and winter applications with attachments such as a blade or blower.

Factory connection

A highlight for many attendees was touring the North Carolina factory floor, where commercial mowers move from raw steel through paint and final assembly.

“There’s something special about bringing customers on-site to the factory so they can see everything in action and experience it,” Gribble said.

Encouraged by positive feedback from customers and internal teams, company officials said they hope the event will return on a more regular basis.