Don’t think Moline this year: The 2010, and sixth, Gathering of the Green will be at the River Center (convention) in Davenport, Iowa. This is the first time the biennial event is taking place across the river.

Mark the dates of March 17-20, because this mega-event is just around the corner.

This is paradise for JD enthusiasts to immerse themselves in everything John Deere. Ken Reese, co-chair of Gathering of the Green, shared, “For those not familiar with this top-notch event, it’s not a tractor show, but rather a convention-style program designed for John Deere antique two-cylinder and new generation tractor admirers.

“The ‘gathering’ is composed of restoration-related and historical workshops, drop-in question-and-answer sessions, vendors from across the USA offering a wide variety of items of interest to JD enthusiasts, three evening speakers, a fun auction, opening night reception, tractor-related tours, tours for spouses, displays and a banquet with a keynote speaker.”

Ken added the conference gives collectors a chance to learn about JD “’round the clock” and reminds collectors the gathering is “Where Friends Meet.” Along with 50-plus technical and historical workshops led by experts on many and varied topics, there are also more than 70 vendors and other tours.

Prior to the Gathering of the Green is the John Deere Memorabilia conference on March 16-17. The event is a regular for those who want to learn more about JD history and just see what is out there in the collector world. More than 1,600 two-cylinder enthusiasts from 43 states and Canada attended the 2008 conference.

The 2008 show included many great exhibits and vendors such as toy maker Paul Stephen, famed antique tractor artist Charles Freitag and Green Magazine editor Richard Hain.

Besides the events onsite, Gathering of the Green offers several local tours: the Kenny Bush Museum, historic Deere homes, Sears Manufacturing, Wallace Gardens, John Deere Pavilion and John Deere Store, Boetje’s Mustard, Deere & Co. World Headquarters/TPC Deere Run and local tractor collections.
They also have a couple of day tours, such as a trip to House on the Rock, and two wonderful Deere museums – Don McKinely’s McKinley/Huber Implement Museum in Quincy, Ill., and Darold Sindt’s Sindt Antique Museum in Keystone, Iowa. The museums are open by appointment.

Don is a retired educator and has been involved with Gathering of the Green and preserving agriculture for many a year. While many museums feature a certain brand, Don’s is heavy on Deere items, but it is most importantly a museum that focuses on the Depression Era.

He chose this time because, Don feels, “This knowledge is being lost generation by generation.”

The Darold Sindt collection is housed in the former John Deere dealership location on Main Street in Keystone. With more than 100 tractors and implements and riding mowers, pedal tractors, engines and other interesting memorabilia, this is an amazing stop for a JD enthusiast. The Sindt family owns a couple of Deere dealerships, and Darold and his wife, Paulette, and their family have created this amazing museum.

For more information about this conference, check out www.gatheringofthe green.com or e-mail Ken Reese at kwreese@aol.com

Registration closes on Feb. 15. Registration materials will be available on the website or by request through the information line, at 815-246-4121.

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.