On a post-Kalamazoo Toy Show trip to our local Tracor Supply Store, dad and I discovered this year's Indiana FFA tractor -- a Farmall Super M. At least I think it's a Super M. I could be wrong, because as soon as I lifted it off of the shelf with that "hey dad, look at this" expression on my face, he took it.

   That's right, he declared it a great Christmas present and he took it right to the checkout counter! The cashier placed it in a bag that I couldn't see through and that's the last I'll see of it until Christmas morning.

   I know its this year's Indiana FFA fund-raising tractor, and I know that it's available exclusively through Tractor Supply Co., but I can't even remember what the box looked like! It wasn't even in my hands for 10 seconds -- another lesson in patience and the Christmas spirit!!

   The Christmas section at my local Mill’s Fleet Farm is a fun place to shop. They always seem to have items that I just don’t see anywhere else. And while I don’t have much use for a life-sized reindeer made up of blinking lights, I did make an interesting discovery in the lights section. Noma bubble lights—remember those?

   My grandparents had them on their tree and I remember staring at them as a kid, trying to figure out how they worked. Well, they still make ‘em, and though they aren’t inexpensive, they would be a fun addition to the tree. I think they’ll look great bubbling away right next to all of my blinking and talking Hallmark ornaments!

   The vintage Noma lights are quite collectible these days as well, and if you’d like more information, check out George Nelson’s amazing museum site: www.oldchristmaslights.com — it’s a “virtual museum of electric Yuletide lighting history.”

   If the nostalgia has gripped you, and you’re considering adding bubble lights to your tree, stay away from my local Mill’s Fleet Farm ‘cause I’m going there tomorrow morning to pick up a package or two. But feel free to check out the wide variety of cool lights available at

www.christmas-treasures.com — besides the bubblers, they have teardrop lights, flickering flame lights, petal lights, LED lights, and those excellent revolving color wheels that shine different colors on your tree.

   Sunday at the Nationals began early -- daylight savings time will do that to you. I headed out to the tents at 6:30, but there wasn't much activity. Sunday mornings take a little while to get rolling. By 7am a few tents were open and early bird buyers were ducking inside to avoid the chilly breezes -- and yes, I remembered my gloves this time!

   I stopped by Glen's tent as I did on Saturday, and noticed that several gorgeous pressed steel pieces had found new owners. He still had the wooden Buddy L fire station set with its two vehicles --- it was in pristine condition and I've never seen one at all, let alone in that condition.

   Back at Beckman, I shopped for a while and discovered two more Hubley tractors that I couldn't resist. When folks ask me what I collect, I must admit I'm tempted to say, "I collect whatever isn't pictured in the latest edition of my book!" But those Hubleys are charming and I'm taking them to our photo studio tomorrow. I'll have images up soon.

   The Sunday crowds in Hallway 2 aren't in a fever pitch to discover every last toy on their wish lists, they socalize a bit more and take time to really enjoy the show. It's a more relaxed feel, and I always ask people with bags stuffed with toys what they bought. One collector found a Dealer's Edition 1:16-scale Ertl New Holland with triples that was so big, he admitted that he wasn't sure where he was going to display it. He just had to have it, and we all understand that!

   Packing up at the end of the show was relatively painless, I sold quite a few boxes of books, which meant only a few trips back and forth to load the enormous Chevy Suburban I was driving. Yes, that was me in the white Suburban with the cover of the new edition taped to the back window!

   The extremely cool thing about packing up and driving away is the amount of waves and well-wishes for a safe trip home that you give and receive. I've never seen a show where all of the exhausted dealers take special time out to shake hands and wish you well and promise to see you next year -- even the dealers that weren't set up anywhere near your table. It's just one more thing that makes this show a truly special event.

   I'll have picutres soon. Mark your calendar for the first weekend in November and make plans to attend next year, you'll be glad you did.

p.s. We called Dick C. and all is well -- he just couln't make the trip this year. But he'll be back at the Smith-Miller table next year.

   Saturday at the Nationals begins in the pre-dawn hours. The outdoor vendors were up and active around 6:30am and yours truly was there for the freezing fun. A word of advice if you're joining the early morning tent explorations: bring a good pair of gloves and wear them! Although the daily temperatures were to reach the mid-50s, the early morning was drenched in a deep frost and temps were only around 30.

   Outside, you'll be amazed by the quantity and variety of pedal tractors and pedal cars, as well as the availability of pressed steel. Most vendors offer pressed steel, usually in a less than mint condition, but a few dealers had fine examples. Always fond of Tiny Tonkas, my first purchase of the day was a Hot Rod in its box. I also found a Hubley Kiddie Toy tractor that was well-played but completely intact for just $2. Picking up the cold tractor, I realized that I'd left my gloves back in the truck -- big mistake.

   Back at Beckman High School, the 8 to 9am hour is for floor rights patrons and dealers. It was my first opportunity to walk around the dealer tables, and I enjoyed every minute. There are toys here that I've only seen pictured in my book, and every step was an education. I added the first Auburn Rubber toy to my collection as I strolled through the gymnasium and discovered a tractor with driver. You know the one where the driver's head is tilted over to the left? It's that one, in a nice orange color.

    Hallway 2 was busy the entire day, and I'd be willing to guess that the attendance for this year's show is one of the best ever. I really never had another opportunity to leave the Toy Shop table and shop. Many thanks to the Toy Shop and Toy Cars & Models readers who stopped by the table --I enjoyed talking toys with you all. I must have, I was hoarse by the end of the day!!

   The Standard Catalog of Farm Toys 3rd Edition was very well-recieved, and several collectors who picked it up on Friday came back today to give the title a "thumbs up." I'm looking forward to receiving feedback from readers around the country, so don't be shy about contacting me.

   Tomorrow, the show wraps up and I'll be sorry to see the weekend end. I only see most of these folks once a year, and I've enjoyed their company.

   Catch you tomorrow!

Welcome to Farmtoyland!!!

A perfect fall day made for ideal travel to Dyersville where I was greeted by familiar faces in Beckman High School's Hallway 2. One notable exception was Dick C., who is the representative for Smith-Miller. I hope all is well and that he makes it to the show tomorrow. Dick C's table is located next to the Toy Shop table and talking toys with him throughout the show is always an education and a genuine pleasure.

Fridays at the show are always a bustle of activity. I arrived around 2pm and had to hurry to get the table set up before the show opened to floor rights patrons at 3. The general public was admitted at 6pm and the school enjoyed steady traffic until the 9pm close.

I really didn't get to peruse the tables, but did head straight for the Toy Farmer table to pick up this year's show model, the 1:64-scale Case 2470. It is another in their series of vintage 4WD tractors, and will be a fine addition to my collection. I also picked up the latest edition of Dick's Farm Toys Price Guide, a valuable reference and one that inspires my own research into farm toys -- there's an awful lot to know, and Dick Sonnek does a terrific job.

THe solid crowds prevented me from doing much socializing with the other members of Hallway 2 (easily one of the best parts about the Nationals), but I'll snap some photos and catch up with these wonderful folks tomorrow. If you come to the show, be ready to talk toys, everyone here has a wealth of knowledge that can help you get more out of the hobby than you ever imagined.

I was visited by a number of collectors from the Netherlands who had very kind words about the Standard Catalog of Farm Toys -- this hobby has really gone global, and I'm looking forward to talking farm toys with enthusiastic collectors in Europe.

Well, that's it for tonight, I'm exhausted!!

More fun farm toy stories tomorrow. And by tomorrow, I don't mean the 8am dealer hour, this show starts for the day when the outside dealers open their tents, sometime around 6:30am!!! I'll be there!