Sponsored by Hoober, Inc., this group of farmers went to the Louisville National Farm Machinery Show last week. In the Year 2049, this Morton Building will still be Warranted Against Snow-Load Damage! "Past winter we had at least TA feet of wet snow on our Morton Building with no damage. In our area numerous farm buildings collapsed under the load. It's very reassuring to know that Morton's 50 year snow load warranty will be here for my son's future investment." After more than 250,000 satisfied customers and building industry. Morton Buildings non pro rated over 90 years of business warranties that include materials & experience, weVe learned what our A«r\ AA AATAII labor offer peace of mind, customers need. We use that Afim |f|Vl|| Vll Owning a Morton Building. . . its extensive knowledge and i/ 8111 l AIIIAr value will last ,or generations BUILDINGS *— Your building will be backed by the strongest written warranty in the CONTACT: Gettysburg, PA 717-624-3331 Meadville, PA 814-336-5083 Mt. Pleasant, PA 724-542-7930 Phillipsburg, NJ 908-454-7900 Centre Hall, PA 814-364-9500 Local Dealer Takes Farmers To Louisville Show P. O. Box 399, Morton, IL 61550 O 1999 Morton Buildings, Inc With the help of Hoober, Inc. more than 100 area farmers traveled to Kentucky for agri culture’s premier machinery showcase, the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville. More than 800 exhibitors were on hand at Freedom Hall to show their products during the 35th annual event, making the Louisville’s National Farm Ma chinery Show the largest indoor farm show in America. Each year, Hoober, Inc. brings customers from their stores in Intercourse, McAlisterville, and Middletown, DE, to Louisville for the show. Hoober makes all of the travel, transportation and hotel arrangements and plants group dinner and evening activi ties as well. “We have a lot of customers who like to come to the show to see the newest equipment and to see equipment they can’t see in our part of the country at shows or anywhere else,” said Larry Herr of Hoober, Inc. when asked why the dealership brings farm ers to Louisville each year. From the farmers standpoint, seeing so much equipment at one show definitely makes an impact, which is saying quite a bit since, in general, farmers are not easily impressed. “This is what the Pennsylva nia Farm Show used to be,” said dairy farmer Roy Hetrick from Bernville. “We’re here to see the new equipment. They have larger equipment here than they have at the Pennsylvania shows and our operation uses bigger equipment, so it’s good to know what’s available.” This is where the leading edge in agriculture is,” added Mechanicsville’s Joe Matejik. “When you read about some thing in a magazine, it’s already been at this show.” While the trip, which includes a night of high-horsepower tractor pulling action, is fun for the farmers, it is also an educational op portunity, a chance to catch a glimpse at the future of farming. “There’s always new technology here and it’s all under one roof,” said farmer Bill Dietrich of Lehigh County. “I’m interested in the short line companies. Coming to this show is a chance to see what we can do to maybe tweak our present equipment to make it perform a little bit better. “Plus I’ve learned a lot,” Dietrich added. “I use a zone tillage system and I’ve always been looking to place my starter fertilizer for corn a little closer to the seed. This morning I found a company that can place the fertilizer in the furrow, just along side the seed. You pick up stuff like that here. You wouldn’t learn about that back home.” Another positive aspect of the Louisville show is that each farmer, regardless of what they’re looking for or what they’re interested in, can find an exhibitor to meet their needs. Dan Seiple came looking for a used sprayer; others came for a glimpse at the new farm machinery, while one of Matejik’s goals was to find some different attachments for his corn planter. “At this show, if farmers are interested in one particular type of equipment, they’ll probably see five or six different options from different manufacturer’s,” Herr pointed out. “It gives them an idea of what they might be able to invest in.” “The show also provides a big benefit for us,” Herr added. “It gives us an opportunity as a company to see what new ideas and con cepts are out there that we may be able to adapt to our farmers in the East. Many times we come here and learn things that we’re able to then pass along to our customers.” And while being part of the three percent of the U.S. population that feeds the remaining 97% hasn’t been easy in recent years, many at the Louisville show were trying to remain op timistic. “There’s a good future in farming, there really is,” said Hetrick, a man with 52 years of farming experience under his belt. “You have to be focused, you have to be consistent, you have to work hard and you have to be a good manager. But there’s a lot of opportuni ties. It’s going to have to be on a more volume and quality scale, though.” “We’re in a rough down cycle,” said Ma tejik, “but I think we’re going to turn the corner here and come out of the bottom pretty soon.” Regardless of their view on the current sit uation and the outlook for the future, most echoed the sentiments of Dietrich. “I’m going to stick it out,” said Dietrich when asked about his future plans. “We’re in a low period right now, but I believe we’ll eventually come through this. Farming is in my blood and as long as I can continue to eco nomically do it, one way or another I’m going to keep going.”
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