Meet Jackson, Indiana’s 8-year-old tractor-loving TikTok star

With hundreds of thousands of followers and million of likes, Just a Jackson Thing is a viral sensation on the social media site TikTok. The star of the channel is 8-year-old Jackson who could give any seasoned farmer or tractor expert a run for their money.

With the help of his mom, Jessica, Jackson started the TikTok channel to share his knowledge of tractors and mowers, and his love of farming. His videos quickly blew up with thousands of people flocking to his page to see him in action.

“I think it’s cool, I really think it is,” Jackson said, with a smile.

Jessica still can’t believe she has a viral son.

“We still laugh, like doing different things, we’re like ‘is this really our life?’ ‘How did that happen?'” Jessica said, adding they only do the TikTok videos because Jackson wants to.

He comes from a family of farmers including his grandpa and uncles. His mom and dad also grew up on a dairy farm and pig farm, respectively.

“Farming I would say is in my blood, I would say it’s there, I would definitely say it is,” he said.

It’s a lifestyle his parents felt was important for him to learn, and they’re happy to see their son fully embrace it.

“We know that growing up on a farm teaches you really good work value, and an appreciation of the work that goes into the food that we eat, so it’s just a really good way to grow up – we appreciated how we grew up – it’s hard work, it’s stressful at times, but there’s also a lot of good that comes from farming that we know, so we try to encourage that passion wherever we can and get him involved,” said Jessica.

For Positively Fort Wayne, WANE 15’s Emily Dwire got to tour the family’s large workshop on their property where Jackson tinkers with his mowers and tractors, all John Deere. His current favorite is a John Deere 430 tractor. Jackson and his dad were fixing an oil leak and giving the machine a tune-up when our cameras were there. His “just for fun” tractor is a 1970 John Deere 112 he got from his uncle. He also showed off his 420 mower explaining the engine, its gears, and how it runs.

They’re the same tractors that appear in his TikToks where Jackson gives his own tutorials of the equipment. Videos also feature Jackson working in the fields, exploring John Deere dealers and enjoying the Fort Wayne Farm Show.

“I’m just myself on there, that’s just me, myself, I don’t have a line or a script or anything, it just comes to my head,” he said.

Jessica, Jackson’s mom, knew early on her son was special. He was talking clearly by one-and-a-half, and could name specific trucks and tractors by two.

“We’ve been along with the Jackson ride for quite a while, now it’s just gone viral,” she said. “Every stage is amazing with him and just being able to see how he’s grown and learned, I just love the passion he has for farming and tractors.”

And for Jackson, the passion is strong.

“It’s fun to tear something apart, fix it, and then put it back together,” he said. “You get to figure out new stuff, you get to learn new stuff, you get to figure out new tractors and stuff and then you keep that knowledge and when you go buy other stuff, bigger equipment, maybe it has the same motor or something, you know that stuff.”

Wise beyond his years, Jackson believes the importance of generational farming, and programs like the Future Farmers of America, or FFA, can’t be overlooked.

“All those grandpas out there should really teach their children and grandchildren about  farming, showing them planting, working on equipment,” he said. “It’s our food source, it’s where food comes from, so we need that next generation of farmers.”

Jackson is homeschooled, and his mom often incorporates farming into her lessons to help her son better understand and relate to the material. One of his favorite subjects is history, which probably explains how he knows the intricate history of dozens of tractor manufacturers.

When his schoolwork is done, and Jackson isn’t tooling away on his tractors, you might find him working on a 6×12 foot miniature farm display, which is also featured in his TikToks. The display is always a work in progress, and Jackson hopes to build his grandpa’s farm on it eventually.

Watch the video below for more on the display.

He also has dozens of model trucks and tractors, some custom made, from different companies, and about 80 hats hung up on the wall. Yes, he always wears a hat.

At just 8-years-old, this viral star stays humble, even with a big job on the horizon.

John Deere is planning to send out a new Chief Tractor Officer to meet with Jackson who is going to do a TikTok commercial with them, and teach them a thing or two about tractors.

“I’m hoping [they] don’t know a thing about tractors and I’ll teach them everything I know about them, at least what I can get out in a day. I can get out stuff in a whole week and I still got more than that,” he said.

Who better for the job?

Jackson has several social media outlets where fans call follow along and learn from him.

• TikTok
• Instagram
• YouTube

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