—Uncattf Farming. Saturdiy. Oct, n. 1975 64 By Dieter Krieg MALTA, 111. - We had to get up fairly early in the morning (5:15 to be exact) in order to beat the crowds to the Farm Progress Show which was held here last week. Reports from the previous day’s activities indicated that 75,000 people had visited the show in spite of rain and mud, and the line of cars and buses waiting to get to it streched out for seven miles at one point. The group of farmers from this area - who went along on a two-day tour sponsored by Penn-Jersey Harvestore - arrived at the site shortly before 8:00 a.m. amidst small patches of morning fog, cool air, and plenty of sunshine. The 1,100 acre James Willrett farm, site of the 23rd annual Farm Progress show, was already bustling with activity as onlookers swarmed out to the fields and 50-acre fairground. More than a dozen private airplanes were m the air at any given moment, making their ap proach to the landing strip which had been provided by show managers. The flying farmers kept on coming in a steady stream for the next two hours, sometimes touching down at the landing site at a rate of five per minute. To give readers of Lan caster Farming an idea of the size of the show, here are some “yardsticks” to go by: The Chicago Tribune devoted its entire back page of its October 1 issue to the event, calling it a farm supershow. The U.S. Postal Service set up a post office at the fairgrounds. Midwest farm show cost The Good Year blimp flew overhead. Hundreds of airplanes and campers arrived • to say nothing about the many buses and thousands of cars. The Federal Aviation Ad ministration was present at the radio control tower to supervise landings. . Hugh Doyle, who manned the temporary airstrip control facilities on the Willrett farm, told reporters that some 500 airplanes landed on the farm Tuesday - sometimes as frequently as one eveiy 10 seconds. A veteran control tower em ployee at the nearby Rock ford airport, Doyle com pared the air traffic to that of O’Hare Field in Chicago. He commented that a few “hairy situations” came up from time to time as planes landed one after another, but no mishaps occurred. “Our main problems are the Harvestores and low power lines to the approach, and the ditch at the end of the runway,” he was quoted as saying. The Morning Star, a Rock ford, 111. daily, began its coverage on the first day of the show on page one and then spilled it to the inside to take up an entire page. The complete name of the annual event is the ‘‘Prairie Farmer Farm Progress Show,” because Prairie Farmer magazine organizes the event. Although the show is supposedly strictly for promoting agriculture, many of the exhibitors went out of their way to attract attention by way of en tertainment. There were no rides and shooting booths, but there was somewhat of a carnival atmosphere just the same. Bands played, singers sang, visitors played games such as Bingo, and there was even a lottery and a Spanish dancer. One amazing tiller-planter seen at the show was prototype model developed by Harold Crow of Milford, lU. It was said to allow a farmer to prepare and plant more than 80 acres per day. Hie equipment at the show not only demonstrated mechanical and engineering advancements in farming, but also offered visitors a glimpse of the latest technologies. For someone not familiar with farming today, or farming in the WHITE WASHING With DAIRY WHITE - DRIES WHITE - DOES NOT RUB OFF EASILY - NO WET FLOORS - IS COMPATIBLE WITH DISINFECTANT - WASHES OFF WINDOWS AND PIPELINES EASILY. Also BARN CLEANING SERVICE Available With Compressed Air With increase in business I have put on another spray rig We will take on work within 100 mile radius of Lancaster MAYNARD L. BEITZEL Spraying Since 1961 Witmer, Pa. 717-392-7227 If no answer call Willard Beitzel 717-733-6357 Barn spraying our business, not a sideline. COMMERCIAL and AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS WE OFFER COMPLETE ERECTION ON ANY SIZE OR STYLE BUILDING, for Further Information On Our STEEL BUILDINGS And GRAIN STORAGE ....fee/ free To Mail Attached Coupon Or Call Today! No Obligation. SPECIAL TRADE-IN ROAD-GRADER WITH CAB ft HEATER Midwest, it “was un believable,” to use the words of 76-year old farmer who had fanned nearly all his life near Manhattan, Kansas. Not to be distracted from their business, Midwestern farmers were kept up to date on the latest happenings at the Chicago Board of Trade, simply by entertaining one of several tents which offered market reports as an extra attractions. While eastern fairs usually have large tents shared by several exhibitors, the Farm Progress Show had one tent per exhibitor. And often times that wasn’t enough so arenas, complete with VERNON E. MYER STEEL BUILDINGS AND GRAIN STORAGE R D #4 LEBANON, PA 17042 PHONE (717) 867-4139 r—' Wloii Coupon Today! I □ SEND STEEL BUILDINGS LITERATURE □ SEND GRAIN STORAGE LITERATURE I NAME j ADDRESS ll CITY, J TELEPHONE STATE Z1P..,. * f * i vV * - lb.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers