Changing With the "Times"
About This Issue

by Jason Hasert
 
February is definitely a month of "news" for the readers of Toy Tractor Times.  As you open this February edition of ToyTractoTimes, you will find articles with the central theme of change.  For example, you’ll find articles about changes in the Ertl precision line, changes made on real and toy tractors, changes you can make on your own toys through customizing, changes in farm equipment brand history, and where to buy toys.  Before getting to the articles, take a few moments to read on about some changes at ToyTractorTimes. 
 
First, to go along with the new format, we are offering a free one day trial to non subscribers.  Pass the word along to your toy collecting friends.  All they have to do is click on the subscribe button and they will see a free trial offer.  This free trial will give them instant access to try Toy Tractor Times for a full one day cycle.  We think they won’t be disappointed. 
 
The even bigger news is that in the February Toy Tractor Times you will find an all new and improved Toy Talk.  Look for it to be user friendly, offering many familiar features in addition to improvements such as better picture image options, emotion graphics and the ability to see who’s using the message board while you are logged in.  Toy Talk is a popular feature that was launched on ToyTractorshow.com on August 1, 2000.  It quickly gained popularity and on February 10, 2001 the message board was moved to NewAgTalk.com to offer a more professional format.  Over the past five years toy talk has had over 155,000 messages, over 3000 readers per week, and has brought toy collectors together from around the world.  Thanks to Toy Talk, farm collectors have been able to share ideas with Ertl farm toy manager, Bill Walters.  Bill has also "wowed" collectors on Toy Talk by giving sneak previews of Ertl farm toy replicas and prototypes.  All of this has been a free service of ToyTractorshow.com and will continue to be a free service at ToyTractorTimes.com.  Toy Talk will remain the same at its new home  but will allow our readers the convenience of using their user name and password to read articles and post about the topics all at the same location.  We want to make ToyTractorTimes.com your homepage for farm toy news and talk.  When you log on with your user name and password, not only will you  be able to read your favorite articles, you will also be able to talk with your friends and read about the latest topics happening in the hobby 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  If you are not a ToyTractorTimes.com member, you will still be able to use Toy Talk just like you always have.  If you are not a member of ToyTractorTimes.com, sign up for Toy Talk just like you always have and you can use it for free, and we hope you might consider subscribing to the magazine in the future.  Don’t forget to use your free trial for a sample of the hobby related articles.
 
The changes keep on rolling out!  Soon you will see a redevelopment of ToyTractorShow.com just like you saw with the January ToyTractorTimes.com  Look forward to more changes to come! 
 
A very special change has come to my life; after all, February is a month of love.  I have met a wonderful woman.  Her name is Stefanie Martin.  She and I will be entering a lifelong partnership on July 2, 2005.  Stefanie is a writing teacher and will be assisting me with articles as well as keeping up with who’s who on the message board.  Look for her as the Pink Panther.  She’s a perfect match since she is a good old Western Kentucky Farm Girl and feels right at home meeting people at the farm toy shows.  This year’s ToyTractorTimes.com anniversary tractor will have special meaning related to our wedding.  Let the guessing begin!  Just remember weddings have something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. 
 
Look for more changes in March as ToyTractorShow.com gets a whole new look.  The March ToyTractorTimes.com will cover all the exciting events from the St. Louis farm toy show. 
 
Until the next Times.
 
Jay