[AT] Portland Set Up Reconsidered

[Dean Vinson]

> Hi All, I've been asked by someone who goes to 
> all the Portland Directors meetings to get input
> from ATIS members about the new display areas at
> the Portland August show. 

Dave, I'll agree with Gene and George that the tractor display area out in the open field is damn little fun.  It's hot, far away, and not particularly interesting--just some tractors in rows.

I love the plowing demonstrations and would always be happy to see more of that sort of thing--not just plowing but cultivation and harvesting and whatever else could be done.  I'll happily brave heat and distance and flies and rough ground and whatever to go watch that kind of stuff.  But just to look at some tractors in rows?  Not nearly as much fun.

In prior years I always enjoyed the great variety of stuff all together in the central display area at Portland.  I'd come for the tractors and to shoot the breeze with ATIS folks, but also had a great time wandering past the engines and spark plugs and hog oilers and such, with periodic stops at the food booths or crafts barns, and periodic long swings around the swapmeet area.  But the tractors and the ability to enjoy a sense of ATIS community was the real draw.  If the layout makes it harder to enjoy those things, it'll certainly lessen the overall draw for me.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment!

Dean Vinson
Dayton, Ohio
www.vinsonfarm.net