by Carol Ekarius
search for a new objet d’art of equipment ? Seeking some information on new harvest ? Just looking for a nifty agency to spend a Saturday afternoon ? Then visit a farm show , where dealer display their wares and university researcher share information .
A childhood memory : Every year my dad would pack the family in the car , and we ’d head off to the urban center for a day at the annual boat show . My dad would study the late sport - sportfishing boats from manufacturers like Bertram or Hatteras ; my comrade and I would stare with glazed eyes at the speedboats and dreaming of having our own Donzi or Boston Whaler . We ’d all total home with a passel of calendered brochures and a venter aching from all the sweet and spicy treat we bolt at the show .
Rural America has its own version of these events in the farm show : Sprinkled throughout the state , farm shows give manufacturer and dealers a chance to show off their late line of farm equipment , and ag researchers a probability to update their community about the late innovation from university research program . Audiences are often contain of full menage , so farm - show managers schedule programs , like “ The Imagination Station , ” which features activities for small fry ( the insect hugging zoological garden is my favorite ) , or “ The Cut Flower Center , ” that declare oneself data on growing , selling and just enjoying thinned flowers . with child show often include entertainment — lay out from cowboy poetry to tractor pulls — and many include exhibitions of antique farm equipment and historical farm life .
FARM SHOWS : YESTERDAY AND TODAY“Farm show have been a functional aspect of the farming landscape painting since the 1800s , ” says Craig Fendrick , executive coordinator of the North American Farm Show Council , “ though in their former catamenia , they were strictly associated with county and state fair . But during the fifties and 60s , county and commonwealth fair began trying to attract a nonagricultural consultation with drive and concert , so there was an evolution to separate farming field days . These athletic field days continue to germinate to the farm shows as we now know them , and they are still evolve . ”
For model , “ Ag Progress Days began in the belated fifties as a traveling show that moved around Pennsylvania demonstrate haying time equipment and proficiency , ” explains Bob Oberheim , manager of Ag Progress Days at Pennsylvania State University . “ In 1976 , the show found a permanent home at Penn State , and today we host about 50,000 visitors each August , and have over 350 seller on site . ”
Ag Progress Days is one of the large events ( some are still very small with a few local dealers displaying their ware at a county fair or other community event ) , but Fendrick underscore , “ We ward off using the ‘ st ’ Holy Scripture ( giving , large , most ) to describe any of the 125 + , large - scale shows held around the country each year , because it is really hard to square up who would wear the standard . One show might have more floor space , another more seller ; some show are gratis , so attending physique are just an estimate that could be off by 10 or 20 percentage . ”
Farm show are plan to meet the needs of a wide variety of producers across a reach of disciplines . The National Farm Machinery Show , held each February at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville , Ky. , is one of the tumid indoor show in America , hosting close to 1,000 vendors and over 300,000 visitors , is a good example of this category . Other show are pitch toward particular crops , like the Georgia Peanut Show & Conference , or livestock species , such as the World Dairy Expo .
Traditionally , farm shows were aimed at large - scale , commercial-grade farmers . They displayed “ big iron”—tractors with tires taller than a piece and combines the size of it of a house . Although vender at farm shows still commit a great softwood of emphasis on the big - atomic number 26 market , they recognize the deepen demographic of rural America ( the number of farms dropped nationwide in the last agrarian census-1997 — but there was meaning increment in the number of small-scale farm — or those under 179 Akka ) . To fill the penury of these little farmers , vendors are display a variety of equipment suited to the unequaled needs of small , diversified operations , and show managers are scheduling presentment and workshop on topics like composting and veggie marketing , or prove “ driving ranges ” that allow the great unwashed to test drive skid - bullock loader or estate tractors .
AG PROGRESS DAYSRock Springs , Penn . , is home to Ag Progress Days . Located in south - primal Pennsylvania , just several miles from Penn State ’s main campus , Rock Springs blossoms into a small city for three day in mid - August when the university ’s outlying agricultural campus hosts Ag Progress Days .
Over the years , the program aspect of Ag Progress Days has developed into a major emphasis . The 2002 composition for the College of Agriculture ’s construction was “ Discover Your Future Today . ” Aimed at prospective scholarly person , the political program spotlight a miscellanea of vocation alternative in agriculture . alumnus represent seminar throughout the day and interactive displays were always available .
amusement is a must for any family - oriented event . session hold in the College Exhibits theater by passe-partout - storyteller Jan Kinney , betroth interview with traditional narrative , in addition to a limited hands - on museum exhibit from the Pasto Agricultural Museum entitled “ Early Farm and Home Pork Processing and Preservation . ” The “ A - labyrinth - N Corn Field ” maze ( accessible by wheelchair and infant stroller ) was great fun for youthful and old alike .
Horse lovers have become a major consultation at farm shows , and Ag Progress Days has reply with a building dedicate to “ The Equine Experience , ” support by Penn State , the Pennsylvania Quarter Horse Association and the American Quarter Horse Association ( AQHA ) . The building pass on visitors a chance to learn from veterinarians , prolongation specialists and equestrian clinicians from around Pennsylvania .
For the working James Leonard Farmer , workshop included a daily “ Graziers Forum , ” nutrient direction workshop and tours of university research plots and area farms . A popular tour was of the university ’s High Tunnel Vegetable Production inquiry plot of land , which leave folks a chance to see veggie , small yield and cut bloom being arise in plastic tunnel . By using the tunnels , farmers can produce crop class around . A regular cycle of plain machinery and farm safety demo have place during the show , give farmers a chance to see the latest and best production Department of Agriculture technology in action .
TOOLS OF THE TRADEFor the pocket-size - scale farmer , visiting a farm show is a great way to learn about raw tool and technologies or to browse for new equipment . Each show ruminate the lineament of Agriculture Department in the realm where it is located : In the south you may learn about the former preciseness USDA dick for cotton ; in Ohio you might learn about operate on a modest - scale blueberry bush farm ; and in Pennsylvania , you ’ll see dairy equipment ( and set of ice pick for cut-rate sale ) . Most manufacturers now display a wide variety of equipment that ’s designed with smaller landowners and part - time farmers in mind .
Steven Wiedmier , president of Tigerco Distribution , has been wait on farm show for more than 20 twelvemonth , and has see this change at first hand . “ There are more little farms out there , and we ’re doing our good to meet their demand . This mart is unforced to pay a little more for the right piece of equipment , but they desire it to be low upkeep and user - favorable .
Wiedmier has also notice an increase in attending at night and on weekends . “ When we started doing show , few had eventide minute , and if they did , there was n’t much of a crowd . Now , most farmers operate off the farm , so we ’ve seen mint of folks flock in to display after work . ”
accord to Wiedmier , the Aitchison Mini - Seed Drill is a good illustration of the character of equipment he now represents that suit the small- and hobby - farm market place . “ This is a unique ejaculate drill that ’s sized to pull in behind a small tractor or a four - Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler , ” he explicate . “ It fertilise come using a quick study mechanism that was originally develop by the pharmaceutic industry for sorting pills , so it can conform for any size of it seed and any seeding rate without having special attachments . It ’s also designed to make a little cavern around the seed that help pull together and maintain wet , so seed germinates more quickly . ”
The equipment suited for pocket-sized farm include not only seminal fluid drills , but manure spreader , haying equipment , tractor - mount fence prick , and the writer ’s favorite—”The Groundhog ” by Concord Environmental Equipment . The Groundhog is a handy , “ electric over hydraulic ” docker fastening with a cosmetic surgery capacity of 300 pound and 45 column inch off the ground that ’s designed to suit on a four - wheel ATV or public utility vehicle . The uncommitted attachments let in dump buckets , blades or prongs for forklift function . To this hobby farmer , it looks like the thoroughgoing pecker for handling manure , grading driveways , plough snow or hauling firewood . What more could the small farmer deficiency ?
