Just four days ago in Sweet Day I was enjoying a taste of spring. Now the temperatures have fallen 25 degrees, the clouds have moved in, and it's miserably wet. Night temperatures will be near freezing.

That's normal for February. That's why the World Ag Expo in Tulare happens the second week in February. There's no point to having a show in good weather since the farmers would be in their fields. The purpose of the show is to sell equipment to farmers, but they won't come if they can work their fields.

It really is a big deal. It really is an international event. It started in 1968 as the Tulare Field and Row Crop Equipment Show and was held at the Tulare County Fairgrounds. But, it has been such a success that it is now held at the International Agri-Center - which was created for the show - and changed its name to reflect the reality of what was happening.

I think of it as the Hi Tech Redneck show, though this is an exceedingly eclectic area and the "rednecks" come in all colors and speak 20 different languages (translators on duty). The Hi tech part is pretty accurate.

I go to the show sometimes, but not often, and not recently. I have a buddy who is an exhibitor. He sells ranch and dairy supplies and equipment, and is a distributor for various products. I've manned his display area before while he takes a break. I know a bit about some of his products - such as electric fence goods - and can play a role if given a script for other things.

Mainly I just goofed with the passing kids. I discovered that an almost sure fire way to get someone to peel off from the passing stream of people and take a close look at your stuff is to connect with their kids. I don't even meet the eyes of adults, I look lower and catch the eye of the kids. Given that they mostly have a butt's eye view of the world they are attracted to anyone with eyes at their level and who pays attention to them. I try to make them laugh by doing something unexpected, like sticking a pencil in my nose or making a face. Their parents, usually dads, miss the whole thing and have no idea why their kids tug their hands and haul them to my booth. Stuff like that works with dogs too. I'm part dog.

I never actually sold anything for my buddy. This method may not be of any real value for a vendor, but it seems like a good thing to have some people, any people, stopping at the booth rather than just passing by. Others may be influenced to come over by seeing that it interests someone else. Retail juju. I know that it exists, but it's not my art.