Barron County Farm Tech Days
Grounds Committee
Loading Dock Sub Committee
Committee Overview
Have a good dock available for unloading and loading equipment. Have people trained to operate the equipment used in unloading and loading. Have enough equipment and people on site for unloading and loading.
Committee Responsibilities
Unload and load all equipment in a safe and timely manner. Have safe equipment to use. Have all volunteers trained on equipment safety and operation.
Committee Structure
Select people that have experience in operating large farm equipment as well as skid steer and tele-handler experience. Have a large enough list of volunteers so you can have six to eight people available each day.
Timeline
Have your volunteer list completed six months prior to the show. Four to six weeks before the show have all your training done. Try to do this as completely as possible in one setting.
At The Show
Set Up
Call volunteers and make out a daily work schedule. Have people available by 7 AM and stay on site until 5:30 or 6 PM. Have at least six to eight volunteers and let them change shifts at 12 or 1 PM.
The last 3 days before the show and the three days after the show have more people available. This will be your busiest time.
Equipment Needed
5 tele-handlers with fork extensions
1 pay loader
6 skid steers w/ forks 1 small bucket and 2 large bucket attachments
2 large tractors
2 small tractors
2 golf carts
4 ATV’s
6 radios
Supply of chains, straps, ball hitches & hitch pins
Selection of wrenches to change out ball hitches
Volunteers
Have a list of 25 to 30 good (prior experience in using above equipment) volunteers. Schedule them so that they all can have the opportunity to help. Make sure that they are all trained and on the list for approved volunteers. Have someone that can train extra people that might want to help that are not trained.
Additional thoughts
On the loading dock we had an excellent list of volunteers to work with. Make sure to thank each and everyone of the volunteers for a job well done. The only thing that I would to change would be to have the loading dock and staging area as close to tent city as possible. Also have a good selection of chains, straps, ball hitches, hitch pins, and wood blocks for blocking tires available at all times.
Vern Hanson
Loading Dock Sub Committee