Despite the downturn in the economy, many area farmers are looking to spend. That's what they're saying while strolling through thousands of square feet of shopping space at the Peoria Civic Center for the annual Farm Show.

As a third generation family farmer with 10-thousand acres to take care of, Aaron Gingerich is looking for equipment to make work easier and make more money.

"I'm looking to buy to better my bottom line. I'm not going to buy extra stuff. I'm not going to buy little things here and there. I'm going to make sure what I spend is going to help my bottom line," The 24-year-old Gingerinch says.

The big thing is, he like many other farmers are buying. This is while most shoppers are cutting spending.

"With the way things are going now, if you don't get them ordered early, you won't get them. 38 I wanted to get up here and check them out so I could have them for the spring," Gingerich says.

"They do this winter because they have a very good year this year. And, I think some guys are going to have to spend some money for tax reasons. I think next year could be different," Opey Rowell with Yarger Machinery Sales in Manito says.

It's been a wild year on the farm. Corn prices hit record highs this summer before plunging like the stock market in the fall. Still, the sales pitch to farmers is spend a little more now and you'll save in the long run.

"Later in the evening when it gets tough during harvest season, guys are able to run later or if you have weed problems it helps to eliminate that. It just makes things go a little easier," Ag Equipment Salesman Bob Risher says.

After checking out all the high-tech and high-costing equipment, some farmers are finding it hard to figure out where it all started like open air tractors.

"It just amazes me back when my dad farm. We did a lot of work with the tractors having no cabs on them. Today, it's like sitting in the living room," Gary Dye, a 48-year-Farmer from Havana says.

From climbing into the cab of a couple hundred thousand dollar combine to finding the newer more eco-friendly tiller, farmers are cashing in with their cash crops.

The 27th annual Greater Peoria Farm Show runs through Thursday at the Civic Center. There are more than 300-companies selling more than a thousand products at the free show.