Well friends just thought I would follow up with the result. I called the Deere dealership and they said that 9 times out of 10 that diesel is getting into the crank case is because of the diaphragm in the fuel transfer pump. Though I did run the test that was suggested on the forum (ran the lever handle while disconnected from the tractor but still connected to the fuel lines) and saw no fuel seeping out the back, the Deere dealership said the pumping action produced by that lever pales in comparison to the pumping that occurs from the engine. So I replaced the fuel transfer pump ($70) and it seems to have done the trick. I figured that even if it did not fix it, it would be advantageous to have a new diaphragm in the fuel transfer pump (seems you can't buy just the diaphragm.)
Thanks for the help. I'm a huge fan of what can be learned through this forum.