SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP)--There's several new 'toys' at the Farm and Ranch Museum in Gering and the boys in the shop are wasting no time in getting started playing with them. After all, there's a lot to be done at the FARM before the 'growing season' this summer.

"We've got a new 1920s rod weeder we're working on," said volunteer and shop hand Don Olson.

"And look what we just got from a fella down by Potter. A concrete block maker with forms," said Butch Feil.

Ask anyone involved with the FARM and they'll tell you there's plenty to do and more man (or women or kid) power is always welcome.

"We'll never run out of things to do or the need for money and time to do them," said longtime FARM supporter and past board member Kevin Sandberg.

Membership at the state's only agriculture museum is at an all-time high of 588 members. In 2004, 6,000 visitors toured the grounds.

The FARM has a full slate of events coming up in 2005. That means months of preparation and like any operating farm, pre-planning crop rotations.

This year the FARM will be featuring hay and small grains harvesting at their Harvest Festival. Plans are to plant approximately 10 acres of millet hay in mid June to have ready for the antique implement and horse-drawn harvest demonstrations by mid-September.

But there are also other ideas. Another stand of check-row corn, pumpkins, and sunflowers are all possibilities.

"Our real focus is on getting the museum cleaned up for the tourism season and getting more volunteers," said Nancy Haney, who oversees the set up of displays and special events at the museum.

Fenster said the museum board also needs to focus on attractions and events geared toward children.

"All the good museums I've been to have real good children's programs," he said. "That's an area we need to focus on or we are going to lose that generation."

Sandberg said interest is growing about the ongoing restoration projects at the museum.

"One thing we have going for us is that young people really seem to love restoring old equipment," he said. "I think we'll have people here to fill the spots in time."

Sandberg said he has two teenage sons, Phillip and Ryan, who have literally grown up during the past 14 years with the museum.

"I tell them that they were founding members of this, too," Sandberg said. "They used to be out here in their little bib overall digging in the dirt and trying to help."

Date: 3/24/05