[AT] Tractor club

[Dave Merchant]

Please send a membership application for the new club.

I have joined quite a few clubs over the years, and somehow just could 
never get it together to renew my membership.

Thanks
Dave Merchant


At 01:37 PM 8/19/2008, you wrote:
>      I have written about this before. I am still planning seriously on 
> forming a local tractor club of a slightly different nature. We do have 
> several good clubs here in surrounding counties (and a few counties 
> without any clubs) but the local club in Shelby County really sucks eggs 
> through a straw. It is comprised mostly of "pullers". Now I have nothing 
> against pullers but here unless you are a puller you are an outsider. The 
> local show has just gone down hill year after year. The pulling guys used 
> to come and line their tractors up then as soon as they had their pull 
> (they do have some nice pulls) they took them home. The last I saw they 
> didn't even participate in the show at all except for pulling and that is 
> away from the show area of the fairgrounds. Back when I was still in it 
> they were complaining about the numbers being down so bad so I hauled a 
> bunch of extra stuff in and lined it up. I had 5 of my better tractors, 
> an Allis Roto-baler and several Gravelys. I didn't!
>   just sit it there and leave, I sat with it and answered a lot of 
> questions about it. For my efforts, some made fun of my rusty stuff and 
> it got back to me that a couple complained about it. Those here that have 
> seen my stuff know that most of it isn't fancy or shiny but it isn't 
> junk. I joke about my "Trusty Rusties" and didn't mind them joking at all 
> but the complaints kind of stuck in my craw. As the show continued to go 
> down hill I finally just quit going. I believe the local engine guys 
> still do fairly well and I think the pulling guys still do OK but a lot 
> of the showing tractor guys have quit. They used to pull in maybe 250 to 
> 300 tractors. The last time I went I counted about 45.
>      My concept for a club is to be a much more member friendly and have 
> several gatherings a year based more on member interaction and perhaps 
> with workshops more important than showing. Maybe what I am trying to say 
> is that gathering the tractors and implements together would be more for 
> sharing than showing. Kind of like the Cubfests that George Willer 
> originally started have been. Not that we wouldn''t be showing but not 
> the kind of show where you come put a tractor in line and go home...   :-)
>      My concept would also welcome project tractors like non-runners or 
> incomplete tractors so the owner could get a lot of input. The correct 
> police would only be permitted to comment if they could muster a smile 
> first and belittling would be a hanging offence.   :-)
>      Between all of my tractors and son Scott's tractors and a few good 
> neighbors, a relative or two and some friends I think we could have a 
> decent starting show or at least a lot of fun... I have room for quite a 
> few campers and that is something the local show never had was camping. 
> Maybe if it had campfire "meetings" instead of one open winter meeting a 
> year at the courthouse it would have done better. Directors are important 
> but input needs to come from everybody.
>      I have several things to do first. One is be sure I have my 
> insurance ducks in a row. Another is to be sure I have a good date and 
> lastly I have to spring it all on Diana...   :-)
>-
>      I saw a brother-in-law get into trouble just last weekend for 
> "thinking without proper supervision".    ;-)
>
>
>
>farmer
>
>Francis Robinson
>Central Indiana USA
>robinson46176 at hotmail.com
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Get ideas on sharing photos from people like you.  Find new ways to share.
>http://www.windowslive.com/explore/photogallery/posts?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Photo_Gallery_082008
>_______________________________________________
>AT mailing list
>http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at

Dave Merchant
kosh at nesys.com
nesys_com at ameritech.net
dmerchant at layerzero.com

http://www.nesys.com
http://www.nesys.org
YouTube: SteamCrane