Day 1:

What We Did At The Show

I must say I enjoyed the Farm Progress Show this year. Mostly because William and I went on Tuesday when it was perfect weather. We started the morning at the gate waiting for it to open after the big ceremony with the parade of a motorcycle. Making a bee line to the hospitality tent, we met some people we knew right away. At the tent was Illinois State Univ. Ag Dept. breakfast. We ate and talked to some professors and alums. Afterwards KJ gave us a ride on his golf cart to the area with the livestock equipment where we ordered a hay hauler from another ISU grad who was manning his exhibit.

I am always disappointed in the lack of livestock exhibitors at the Farm Progress Show. It’s all corn all the time. It seems to me. Anyway we talked to a lady who had vet supplies. She explained this electronic immobilizer for cattle that was very interesting. William would really like a brand for our cows. So we discussed that. She gave us a tip on locating a dry ice supply.

William just had to hear the Quebe Sisters sing and I wanted to win an Ipad. I didn’t feel like sitting for the whole performance but I wanted that Ipad. The sisters and band were really good. Well, we sat but I didn’t win it. They went thru about 5 names of people who weren’t present, one we even knew. Those idiots.

Then it was off to the Morton Buildings where we entered for the $50,000 towards a building. We have been talking about putting up a barn for our cattle for years. I told William, “I am done talking. Let’s just build the @#^% thing.”

Stopped at the John Deere tent and looked over the new combine, of course. (more about that later). William wanted to talk to someone who knew something about the trouble we have been having with one of our tractors. But no one new anything. Went in the tent to look at the new GreenStar Monitoring system. The technician there gave us a walk thru the new features. The new screens will have video available. The GreenStar expert at your dealership will eventually be able to see your monitor on his computer to walk you thru the settings. Was so interested in talking about the monitor, I missed the tweetup.

Then it was on to the seed dealers; Pioneer, Wyffels, & Stine. Talked to some nice guys there. Another ISU grad. William told them where their seed was lacking and what was good. Looked at a few plots. After this we were ready to head home.

QR Codes where everywhere. I think they just wanted to show off.

Lots of people were paying to give John Deere advertisement.  William said they were making more money on shirt sales than tractors.

I want one of these. And we have an old bin to do it. Will try to get the boys working on that.

Last but definitely the most expensive a big green combine. Praise God a radio with an audio input. Lots of cup, deep cup holders and cubby holes for a phone and stuff.(Refer back to my storage complaints: here & here) William questioned the Deere draper header. There is a big slat on both sides that grain could fall thru. And I can’t believe I didn’t even check out the refrigerator. Our dealer said it is more like plug in cooler anyway.

Well that is a wrap up of our experience at the Farm Progress Show. I was very pouty that I didn’t go home with a free Ipad. If you went and wrote about it like Dave did on his blog, leave a link in the comments.