The 2003 McLean County Fair provided the setting for launching the 2004 MCLEAN COUNTY BARN CALENDAR. Some 17 members of the Barn Group spent over 140 hours staffing the Barn Booth and selling those fabulous works of art. The Calendar Committee, along with Ken Yanzy and Ken Kashian, have created a real "collector's item". If you have pre-purchased calendars, they are available for pick up at the McLean County Extension Office on Hershey Road. If you haven't gotten your calendar yet, consider buying some as excellent holiday or year-end gifts. More details on September 11.

The next meeting of the Barnologists is scheduled for Thursday, September 11 at the McLean County Extension office at 402 N. Hershey. A number of exciting reports are on the agenda, including some discussion on by-laws and organizational structures. The program for the evening promises to be of great interest to many who ask how they can remodel their old buildings without spending so much money. Mr. & Mrs. Mary Travis from near Pontiac will be sharing how they restored their 1830s family barn for a fifth of what it would have cost to have had it done.

RURAL HERITAGE IN ILLINOIS is the theme of the state-wide Conference that the McLean County Barn Group is hosting at the IAA Building (1701 N. Towanda Ave., Bloomington) from 9:30-3:30 on September 20. This is a very important invitation to all the counties in Illinois to discuss what is going on in the state by way of farm preservation. The president of the National Barn Alliance, Chuck Law of Wisconsin, will be the featured speaker who will report on how other states are organizing around farm and barn preservation issues. A panel will report on activities going on in Illinois along with displays featuring groups at work in Illinois. Much of the afternoon will be devoted to issues and ways to 'network' and/or organize on a state-wide level. Registration for the Conference of $25.00 will include a served lunch. Registrations may be mailed to Ron Ropp (2245 Ropp Rd., Normal, IL 61761) by September 5, 2002.

With those who signed up at the County Fair to be included on the McLean County Barn Group mailing list, we are approaching some 350 persons expressing interest in barn histories and preservation. Among those are many who have given time and energy to projects, etc., and we will be grateful to anyone who is willing to give energy to a number of other emerging projects.

It is not too early to be thinking about how to decorate your old barn (or encourage someone else to do so) for the Christmas Barn Decorating contest. Also, if you know of a barn that would work well for next Spring's 4th Annual Barn Dance, please let us know.

We are grateful to those businesses that sponsored pages in the McLean County Barn Calendar. When you get your Barn Calendar, take the opportunity to let them know that we appreciate their support.

Hope to see you at the meeting, SEPTEMBER 11, at 7:00 p.m. at the Extension office in the Farm Bureau Building at 402 N. Hershey Road, Bloomington, IL.