Annual Farm Show Kicks Off

by Joel Young, Meteorologist/Reporter
January 23, 2013 6:25 PM


For those who haven’t lived around farming, some may assume that farmers have several months of time off between growing seasons. Those who have know that’s certainly not the case.

For farmers all over the Upper Midwest, the planning starts well ahead of the planting. Of course, that goes for not only the farmers, but for everyone in the business.

 “Every year, there are new things that come up that are different with the technology that comes along with the new equipment. Whether it’s a new monitor in the cab of a tractor or a new monitor in a sprayer,” says Mark Matzen of Butler Machinery Company in Sioux Falls.

Everyone from farm equipment salesmen to farmers, and even their families began coming together for the 16th annual Sioux Falls Farm Show at the convention center. It’s an event many haven’t missed since the very beginning.

It’s just always interesting to talk to different manufacturers. How they hire labor and the profits they look at is interesting,” says Weldon Ziemann, who farms in the Fairmont, Minnesota area.

Each year, although technologies and techniques change, the main focus is getting the job done by spending the least amount possible.

“Everybody’s looking for those types of efficiencies and there are always good questions about it,” says Matzen.

“Well, we just look at the efficiency. What can be done with so many dollars and how can we produce crops a little bit cheaper,” says Ziemann.

Of course, each year brings new challenges that stand in their way. Many of these challenges require farmers to adjust accordingly.

“The main concern is the moisture. If it’s a no till or minimum till individual, you want to keep what moisture there is out there in the ground, so they want to do the minimum amount of tillage as possible,” says Tim Scherr of Summers Manufacturing based out of North Dakota.
     
This event gives these farmers an opportunity to gather together and share ideas on how to be more efficient in 20-13.

The Sioux Falls Farm Show is held each year at the Sioux Falls Convention Center while the Sioux Empire Farm Show, which involves livestock, is held at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds.