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The 2011 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days in Marathons County was considered very successful based on feedback received from many exhibitors and show visitors. The attendance for the three-day show was estimated to be just under 60,000. Nearly all the exhibits and equipment have been removed, see photo below. Activities on Seehafer Acres are returning to normal.
A special thank you goes to the volunteers who spent countless hours insuring the success of the show especially after impact the July 1 wind storm. The support of the more than 600 exhibitors is recognized and greatly appreciated. Countless other people are thanked including land enforcement which resulted in excellent traffic movement to and from the show.
As this show closes, the plans for the 2012 show in Outagamie County near New London are moving rapidly. That show will be July 17-19 on two dairy farm.
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A view of the tent city site on Sunday, July 24. Some machinery and several trailers remained.
Collecting wood chips is progressing with one of the large piles visible in this picture.
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Forage harvesting, baling and bale wrapping were the featured field demonstrations during the 2011 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days in Marathon County on Thursday. See below for three demonstrations.
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Forage harvesting demonstration at the 2011 show. An estimated 60 feet were merged into a single large windrow. |
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Baling demonstration on Thursday during the 2011 show. |
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Bale wrapping demonstrations with three bale wrappers in this scene. |
Wednesday is another excellent day at Wisconsin Farm Technology Days. Weather conditions were nearly perfect; sunny and cool. The number of visitors appears to be larger today and traffic flow into parking went well. Visitor traffic throughout tent city was excellent. Below are two photos showing visitors in one tent and a street scene.
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Inside Agribusiness A and B, the largest tent, 80 by 240 feet.
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Sixth Street scene from the north end on Wednesday morning. |
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Seventh Street scene from the North end on Wednesday |
The first day of the show was very successful with excellent attendance estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors. The weather was excellent with some cloudiness resulting in very comfortable conditions for show visitors. All planned activities took place on schedule and Wisconsin Governor Walker participated in the opening ceremony Tuesday morning. Although traffic near the show site was heavy, little or no waiting occurred for visitors to enter the show parking lots.
The predicted weather conditions for the remaining two days (Wednesday and Thursday) are excellent with temperatures in the mid to upper 70’s and no precipitation until late Thursday. Wednesday tends to be the busiest show day with the largest attendance for the three days of the show.
Education is one of the many focuses of Wisconsin Farm Technology Days shows. The 2011 show is no exception. See four photos below which focus on the educational element of the show.
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Soil Doctors answering questions related to soil fertility and other related soil issues.
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Plastic recycling exhibit and a farm/highway safety exhibit in the background showing a car and manure tanker collision |
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Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has an exhibit on agricultural education and the FFA |
AgrAbility provides education and assistance for farmers with disabilities. |
Preparations for the 2011 show in Marathon County are nearing an end as the volunteers and others put the final touches on tent city. All the tents are erected and in their final readiness for tomorrow, Tuesday. Although more than one inch of rain fell early today, the ground is drying extremely well and is expected to be in excellent condition for opening day of the 2011 show. With a few hours of work, the show grounds and exhibitors are ready for an excellent opening.
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A view of the south side of Tent City Monday afternoon.
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Food Tent 5 was open on Monday, July 11, for volunteers and exhibitors. The operation of this food tent on Monday served as opportunity to insure operation will be successful during the show.
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Volunteers, tent providers and electrician are working feverish and long hours to insure the show site will be ready for the opening of this largest outdoor agricultural show in Wisconsin on Tuesday, July 12. All large replacement tents have been erected except one, Country Mercantile Tent. This replacement tent is currently located at the Jefferson County Fair until Sunday evening. The tent provider will deliver and erect this large tent by about 9 am Monday. It will require another few hours before the Country Mercantile exhibitors are able to move into the tent. This is one of many challenges faced by show workers and exhibitors.
Today, more machinery arrived and several exhibit buildings are under construction, many are completed. With the progress today and continued progress during the next three days, Marathon County will be well prepared to host the 2011 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, July 12-14 near Marshfield.
See below for three pictures taken July 8, 2011.
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Gate C Tents: Admission, Scooter and Information (left to right) are located on northeast corner of Tent City.
Scooters for people with disabilities are also available at the southeast corner of Tent City, Gate E.
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Replacement Progress Pavilion tent erected on July 8. This will be home to many university and government agency exhibits such a Crop Doctor, Soil Doctor, AgrAbility, WIDATCP, WIDPI, WIDNR, WTCS, USDA-NRCS and USDA-FSA during the show. |
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Machinery company's exhibit nearly ready for visitors. |
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Setup for Wisconsin Farm Technology Days is going extremely well after the wind damage that occurred July 1. Today many of the replacement tents arrived and the four remaining replacement tents will arrive Friday morning. Nearly all the replacement tents will be erected by the end of the day Friday. The electrical and wireless services will be established shortly after the tents are erected.
Erection of these tents is progressing extremely well. The Family Living Tent has been erected as well as a large Agribusiness tent. Both were replacement tents. Activity at the unloading dock was very high. Many machinery exhibits are nearly complete and more than ten buildings have been constructed.
Marathon County volunteers, electrician, exhibitors, and tent providers are spending long hours and working hard. The show site will be ready to start on Tuesday, July 12.
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The replacement Family Living Tent was erected on July 7, Thursday. |
A replacement Agribusiness was erected on July 7, Thursday. |
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Many trucks loaded with machinery arrived at the loading dock on Thursday, July 7. |
A machinery exhibit is near completion on July 7, Thursday. |
A wind storm on July 1 caused damage to many large tents that had been erected in tent city. Marathon County volunteers have been working long hours to insure an excellent show will take place July 12-14. Many of the tents have been repaired and erected as viewed from the corner of Seehafer Avenue and Ninth Street . A number of large tents were damaged and need to be replaced. One Agribusiness tent (40 by 240 feet ) was erected on Wednesday, July 6 from parts of damaged tents. A second Agribusiness tent is ready for erection. A number of replacement tents will be erected today July 7. Plans are to have the remaining tents erected on Friday and if necessary on Saturday.
A large number of machines arrived on July 6 and many lots are fully populated with machines. Numerous building have been constructed. Most of the buildings constructed before the storm received no visible damage.
A special thank you goes to Marathon county volunteers for their efforts. Our electrician and tent provider have been putting in long hours and are thanked as well.
More updates will be posted to this web site in the coming days.
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Exhibitor tents at the 2011 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days site on July 6. |
Agribusiness tent erected on July 6 and another tent ready for erection. |
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Some of the machines on Landoll lot on July 6. |
Walters Building shown on July 3 with no visible damage. |
Badger State Tractor Pullers
bringing show to the Central Wisconsin Fairgrounds in Marshfield
Pull set for 6:30 PM Wednesday July, 13th in Marshfield
The Badger State Tractor Pullers headquartered in Southern Wisconsin will for the third consecutive year host the Farm Technology Pull during FTD. The event which will start at 6:30 PM, will feature five classes this year, Light Limited Diesel Super Stock Tractors, 640 Diesel Pro Farm Tractors, 4X4 super Stock Trucks, 4X4 Pro Stock Diesel Trucks, and the new class to BSTP Diesel Limit Pro Stock Tractors which can produce up to 2,000 turbocharged horsepower.
Tickets will be $10 at the gate or $8 if purchased at Lot #503 which is BSTP’s location at the FTD show (kids 6 and under are free). There will be several pulling tractors displayed throughout the show located in exhibitors booths, Pioneer Seeds, Hennessey Implement, and Cook’s Country Trucking to name a few.
BSTP normally do not have shows this far north on their circuit, but working with FTD it gives an extra reason to attend the FTD show and then go see a great pull after. This year’s show should have about 8 Light Limited Diesel Super Stock Tractors, 12 640 Diesel Pro Farm Tractors, 10 4X4 super Stock Trucks, 8 4X4 Pro Stock Diesel Trucks, and 8 Diesel Limit Pro Stock Tractors. BSTP puts on about 30 pulls throughout the summer and has approximately 75 active pulling vehicles.
This is a great family event so come and enjoy good food, good beverages, and a great show at the 2011 Farm Technology Pull July 13th.
Going once, going twice, SOLD!
Come to the first ever WI Auctioneers Association
Farm Technology Days Auction
This year, the WI Auctioneers Association recruited various members to bring donated items to the 2011 Farm Technology Days Show to put on the first ever live auction! The auction will be held from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the Family Living Tent on Tuesday, July 12th and Wednesday, July 13th. Just like any other auction, purchase a number and then let the bidding begin!
Not only will there be an assortment of items to purchase, but there will be a variety of auctioneers to listen to. This promises to be a high energy event with a benevolent purpose! All the money raised will be used for future WI Farm Technology Days events, will be reinvested into the Marathon County agricultural community and will be used for future educational scholarships.
RJ Stockwell, Inc. Land & Auction Company from Dorchester will be there to help ensure the auction runs smoothly. RJ Stockwell, Inc. has rapidly grown to become one of the leading auction companies in the industry. The RJ Stockwell Auction Team is young and energetic; bringing together a wealth of experience that is second to none. They will be there to ensure the auction moves right along finishing before guests, bidders and friends need to leave for the afternoon.
Marathon County Legacy Farms
Area farmers have a unique opportunity to be recognized as a Marathon County Legacy Farm by making a $300 donation to Marathon County Farm Technology Days. Becoming a piece of Marathon County history, donor names will be engraved on a plaque that will be permanently displayed in the Historical Farm Museum at Marathon Park. In addition to plaque recognition, Legacy Farm supporters will receive a commemorative Wisconsin Farm Technology Days collectible toy tractor, a special edition embroidered Marathon County Legacy Farm hat and certificate. Donors will be recognized on signage at the July 12-14, 2011 FTD show and at the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, as well as be acknowledged on the Marathon County Farm Technology Days website.
To become a Legacy Farm a minimum donation of $300 can be mailed to Marathon County Farm Technology Days. More information and donation forms can be found by clicking here. Marathon County Farm Technology Days is the largest agricultural outdoor show in Wisconsin. Seehafer Acres, a picture perfect modern dairy and crop farm near Marshfield, will host the July 12-14, 2011 show. The show will feature the latest agriculture technology, research and practical application developments for farms and businesses of various sizes and enterprise sizes. More than 600 exhibitors will showcase commercial and educational products/services, drawing approximately 80,000 visitors over the three day show.
Finding the Perfect Gift this Christmas
Christmas is just around the corner and finding that perfect gift has just become easy! Official Marathon County Farm Technology Days apparel and miscellaneous items are offered at bargain prices online at www.marathonfarmtech.com. Along with the hat, hooded sweatshirt, t-shirts (youth & adult), tote bag, and travel mug the collectible IH544 toy tractor with a 2-point mounted sickle mower is available for the first time ever. The commemorative toy tractor has never been designed to a toy scale until now. Purchasing a raffle ticket could make your loved one the lucky winner of a Polaris Sportsman 500 4-wheeler, a hand painted print, commemorative toy tractor or $300 cash. And for the baking/cooking lovers, a recipe book filled with a collection of favorite recipes will soon be available.
Help support and promote the Marathon County Farm Technology Days July 12-14, 2011 Show by purchasing any of the official show items today!
GPS Technology Helps Build Tent City
One of the greatest tools in layout and planning for the Farm Technology Days tent city area is Global Positioning System, or GPS for short. According to Mike Wildeck, UW-Extension Dairy Agent, and Executive Secretary In 1996, “the last time Marathon County hosted the show, the staking of tent city and the immediately surrounding area was a time-intensive process that took a crew of volunteers nearly two weeks.” Roughly sixty acres had to be dissected into several hundred commercial vendor lots, educational exhibits, service and supply areas. For planning purposes, fields were measured using aerial photos. Then about 30 days before the show started, a truckload of wooden stakes, several spools of baling twine, and tape measures were used to stake out the grounds. Several adjustments had to be made when conflicts were discovered right before the show.
For the 2011 show, planners are making use of satellite images, and GPS equipment that allows for much greater precision and a lot less work. The tent city layout is developed using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. Wildeck adds, “it’s a lot easier to work with than the 4 by 8’ sheet of plywood that we used in 1996. Today I can pull the CAD drawing into the surveying instrument, calibrate in the field with five different satellites, and know right the exact spot I’m standing in tent city--at least within an accuracy of plus or minus 1.7 feet.” When the time comes to stake off lots for the 2011 show, we will be using the services of a professional surveyor that can use our CAD drawing and stake off the entire tent city area in about a day. The technology that’s used today will do that job within an accuracy of 1 inch.
“That’s just amazing to me, that we’ve come that far in about fifteen years”, says Wildeck. “It makes the job a lot more fun too.”
Become a Sponsor
Marathon County Committee to Launch Fundraising Campaign.
The 2011 Farm Technology Fundraising Committee will be knocking on doors, making phone calls and meeting with potential donors starting this January. With the event cost of over a million dollars, Marathon County will need to raise an estimated $150,000 to $200,000. Donating to this event will give local businesses the opportunity to showcase their services, give back to the local community, and will be able to demonstrate the power of agriculture in Central Wisconsin. Other fundraising events being planned include a raffle, cookbook, and possible Fall Harvest Event.
If your business would like to donate to the 2011 Farm Technology Days event in Marathon County, feel free to contact Kelly Soczka Kaiser at 715-570-4342 or by email at kkaiser@winona.edu
Detour Route Secured
The Department of Transportation has determined the best detour route to be used during the week of the Farm Technology Days show. The Proposed detour route will be STH 97 to County Road "C" (west) to County Road "E" to STH 97. Maps will be available showing the proposed detour route along with directs routes into and out of the show, locations for shuttle service , along with alternate routes if needed.
Please follow the maps provide to insure easy access to and from the show.
Family Living Tent Picks Theme
The theme of the 2011 Family Living Tent will be “Bringing Families Back to the Basics”. The committee is planning a relaxing comfortable interactive tent during the 2011 show.
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