39 Ate Today? Thank a Farmer. Better Farming | September 2024 FIELD TRIP Some 500 farmers attended the two Forage Expo events, with 400 showing up to Gorrie and 100 to St. Isidore. “We got very lucky with the weather in the end. Both days were nice days, except in St. Isidore, remnants of Hurricane Beryl went through and the fields were sopping wet. We did have to shift some things around, but farmers are incredibly resourceful. By noon, Thomas Haerle let us know it was dry enough to get the mowers out.” Producers watched different equipment demos from various manufacturers, with mowers, conditioners, tedders, rakes, mergers, and balers on display. OMAFA’s Ian McDonald and Christine O’Reilly were also in the field to answer questions from farmers. “They were excellent resources for farmers to speak with. I couldn’t imagine doing these events without them. “I was really impressed by people standing out there in the heat and watching and paying attention. I heard lots of little conversations about the pros and cons of the different pieces of equipment and discussing what the rep had said.” The trade show brought vendors and farmers together to discuss other aspects of forage beyond machinery, like seed and tech. “There were lots of companies that took part, and everyone was happy with the people coming by, and they got to have great chats. They’re a big part of the event.” After the event in Gorrie, Marcrest Manufacturing invited the audience to visit their shop and check out their hay dryers. “Quite a few people stuck around to the end. We had great feedback. “It’s a lot of prep work, lots of people,” she explains. “But at the end of the day, we love getting messages afterwards. We already have people looking forward to 2025!” BF Taking a break.
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