The Green Girl weekly web column by Brenda Kruse

March 18, 2002

Formerly on FieldReporter.com

Gathering of the Green
Green Girl returns from a full week of green in Moline

For almost 1,500 John Deere fans from all over the U.S., last week was a fun one in Moline, Illinois, home of the Great Green!

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Memorabilia

The first event of the week was the Memorabilia Conference sponsored by the John Deere Collectors Center.

For the first time ever, collectors gathered at the Moline Tractor & Plow Co. dealership to discuss memorabilia topics for a day and a half. Attendance was strong considering the short notice and other activities scheduled for later in the week.

The following presentations were given to an interested crowd:

  • John Deere Historic Timeline by Al Jarosz

  • Buckles, Watch Fobs & Saddlery by Henry & Nikki Lindeman

  • Dealership & Advertising Signs by Derrick Sindt

  • Toys by Eldon Trumm

  • E-Bay: The World’s Marketplace by Brenda Kruse

  • Trade Cards & Pocket Ledgers by Al Jarosz

  • Lithographs by Dave Schnakenberg

  • Collectibles from Connected Companies by Dale Lenz

    • The Green Girl herself gave an explanation of eBay and how you can go "Deere" hunting on-line.

    Both days, the events ended with a "show & tell & trade" session that let buyers and sellers connect and comment on green goodies. Everyone enjoyed seeing what others own and learning something new about this growing hobby.

    According to organizers at Collectors Center, more memorabilia conferences will be held in the future so keep your eyes peeled for the next one!

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    The John Deere Collectors' Center in Moline, Illinois.

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    Gathering of the Green

    The Gathering of the Green kicked off on Wednesday evening March 6 and lasted until Saturday night March 9. During three activity-packed days and nights, JD enthusiasts attended workshop sessions, evening speakers, factory tours, and visited other local tourist attractions.

    GOG is held every two years and this was the second such event. Attendance for both guests and vendors grew by about 25 percent to around 1,250 this year.

    That included folks from 33 states and 20 diehard Deere fans from Canada. Two couples traveled the farthest…all the way from Alaska! Three couples came clear from the far northeast coast of Maine. And a strong contingency of fans from Washington state represented the far northwest coast. According to registration records, one guy from Texas made it too! All told, the guests represented 78 tractor clubs, 48 of which are two-cylinder clubs.

    In fact, four area clubs sponsor and host the Gathering of the Green Winter Fling: Deer Valley Collectors, Illinois Valley Two-Cylinder Club, North Easter Illinois Two-Cylinder Club, and the Northwest Illinois Two-Cylinder Club. These dedicated individuals spent the past two years planning and organizing this great green gathering. Hats off to them for their hard work in pulling off an amazing event!

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    Thanks to all!Ý

    Judging from the 200-some people who signed my guest book, many of you stopped by to say HI! Thanks to all who visited with me, complimented me on my book or said they enjoyed my presentation! In addition to several guests from Ontario, Canada, the following U.S. states were represented:Ý

    • Alaska

    • Iowa

    • Wisconsin

    • Illinois

    • Washington

    • South Dakota

    • Michigan

    • Missouri

    • Pennsylvania

    • Kansas

    • Minnesota

    • New York

    • Oklahoma

    • Maine

    • Nebraska

    • Ohio

    • Kentucky

    • New Jersey

    • Indiana

    • Colorado

    • Connecticut

    • Massachusetts

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    Many experts offered their knowledge as speakers at workshops on a wide range of topics from restoration and repair to toy collecting and the internet. Some of the "more famous" speakers included the two brothers Travis & Trevor Gottschalk who won National FFA Tractor Restoration Competitions, JR Hobbs, a.k.a. Mr. Thinker of Green Magazine, parts pro Greg Stephen, and Bill Proft, Toys columnist for Green Magazine.

    Evening entertainment included Roger Welsch, better known as "Ol Rog," the Nebraska professor/writer turned tractor restorer. His humorous tales of tractor projects and the local yokels in Dannebrog kept conference guests doubled over in laughter. He’s authored 26 books, the last of which is titled, "Love, Sex and Old Tractors." Unfortunately, he’s a little closer to bleeding Allis Chalmers orange than the famed John Deere green but admits his wife owns a great green machine!

    Randy Leffingwell, a well-known author and photographer of numerous tractor books, was scheduled to appear but couldn’t attend at the last minute.

    The other evening presenter was yours truly, The Green Girl, who spoke to a crowded room of about 350 folks. The topic was "Do You Bleed Green? A Guide to Memorable Memorabilia." A colorful PowerPoint presentation helped The Green Girl entertain, enlighten and educate everyone.

    The Green Girl also had a table in the vendor area to sell autographed copies of the JOHN DEERE COLLECTIBLES book and other JD memorabilia from her own collection.

    If it all sounds like tons of fun to you, be sure to mark your calendar for the next Gathering of the Green in 2004. To read more about the show’s highlights and see photographs, check out the official GOG website.

    Text Ý © 2002 Brenda Kruse. Photos by Brenda Kruse unless otherwise noted.
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