Mark the date on the calendar- April 28, 2012. Unless you are in the field planting, you don't have an excuse not to bring your favorite older tractor, especially an antique, or even your newest, biggest tractor, to the 6th annual Indiana FFA Tractor Drive. It's 40 miles of fun and fellowship, and it raises money for the Indiana FFA.

The first drive six years ago started out from the In Diana State Fairgrounds, went straight through Indianapolis, around Monument circle, and wound up at the Indiana FFA Center at Trafalgar. Driving rain soaked some clothes, but also cemented some friendships on that first drive.

Since then, and this year is no exception, the drive will start and end in Johnson County, home of the Indiana FFA Leadership Center. It will begin at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, with easy access and plenty of parking for trailers that bring in the tractors. You will stop for lunch at the Indiana FFA Fellowship Center, have snacks along the way, and wind up back at the fairgrounds by 4:30 p.m. EDT, ready to head home.

If you're afraid you might run out of gas, need to stop to work on a clutch, have a complete disabling malfunction and need a tow- don't let any of that stop you. It's all happened before. Everyone pitches in to get you going again, and a trailing van follows the caravan of tractors to provide whatever services are needed.

What's needed are more participants. The highest total so far was 30 in 2010. Make it a chapter competition. The Delphi FFA chapter has made it one of the highlights of their year, and several tractors come down on trailers so both parents and students alike can participate. Delphi challenges other chapters to join them and participate.

Early bird registration is a $50 donation, which includes a free T-shirt. Early bird registration ends April 10. Late registration is a $50 donation. You can even register the day of the event if you're waiting on the weather to make up your mind.

You can find registration information at: www.indfianaffa.org, or contact Brian Buchanan, 3127-919-2025, Tim Newcomb, 317-439-1176, or Charlie Canary at 317-736-6874 for details.

Corporate sponsors include Beck's Hybrids, Indiana Prairie Farmer, and Chapter 7 International Collectors.