[AT] Put a tentative mark on your calenders

[Robinson]

         Our U-Pick pumpkin patch is going over well enough this year that 
I have decided to start planning right now for a big pumpkin festival here 
at TMCOTKU (Shelbyville, Indiana) on the first weekend of October (first 
and second) 2005. Part of the event will be an antique tractor show (and 
putter) and I want to invite ATIS members to bring tractors or at least 
themselves to the event. There will be no general admission to anyone. I 
don't know insurance details yet but an about $5 membership fee may or may 
not be necessary to cover insurance cost. I still need to talk with my farm 
insurance company again to clarify a few details of what they will cover 
and what I will need to cover with outside coverage.
         There are millions of details to handle yet and a lot of planning 
and preparation to do between now and next Oct. We are right now planning 
for about 5 acres or more of U-Pick pumpkins. I intend for it to be a very 
busy weekend for anyone who comes. There will be primitive camping 
available for exhibitors and some guest and some with limited electrical 
available. Slightly like Cubfest 2004 but in a different location and a 
"lot" bigger area. All camping will be free.
         I have fallen in love with demonstration activities (when not 
under water like Portland) and am planning for a lot of different 
activities to watch. As I get planning a little further along I will post 
an outline of planned activities (it will be a bunch). We are also planning 
hay rides, perhaps by tractor and horse both. All such activities are free.
         If someone would be so kind as to pass this along to the SEL I 
would enjoy listening to some engines too.
         Unlike Cubfest which we kept fairly quiet locally this thing could 
get pretty big. We will be a lot more ready for this one than I was for 
Cubfest. We have been doing a fair amount of cleaning and landscaping since 
Cubfest and have a much better sense of direction now.
         Unlike Portland and even the Conner Prairie living history museum 
we demo at each year, here we will have hundreds of bushels of corn to 
shell and lots of slab wood to buzz saw up. We may also have some sorghum 
to squeeze and cook if I can get my timing right.  I have a press but will 
have to find or build a cooker. Also here many activities can involve 
digging in the dirt a little.
         Mark your calender and I will keep you posted...



"farmer"

Francis Robinson
Central Indiana, USA
robinson at svs.net