"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it." (ESV) (Amos 9:13)
VIEWS OF A FARM BOY
FARM PROGRESS SHOW--2018
OCTOBER--2018
The Farm Progress Show was held at Boone, Iowa, August 28-30, 2018. I went on Wednesday and the field demonstrations were cancelled due to very heavy rain the night before. The parking lot was a very large open field and I had to squish through some very heavy mud--for what seemed like a mile-just to get to the show site. There were a lot of things going on, but my thing is the farm machinery and I think I saw it all.
The Farm Progress Show, the world's largest outdoor farm exhibit, was established in 1953 by the Farm Progress Company. Farm Progress is a magazine publishing firm founded in 1819. Yes, that is almost two centuries of publishing farm magazines and other agriculture publications. (This includes my favorite farm magazine, Wallaces Farmer, which originated in 1855.) Next year, this great company's 200th anniversary will be celebrated at the Farm Progress Show. I always like to recognize special milestones--but here's the catch. The Farm Progress Show is an annual event that alternates locations between Boone, Iowa and Decatur, Illinois. This year it was at Boone, so you know what that means--the Farm Progress Company's double century mark will be observed at the Illinois location. I'm an Iowa guy and I won't be there--so here is what I'm going to do. Today I'm going to thank the Farm Progress Company for the great contributions to Iowa agriculture from 1819-2018 by saying, "Happy 199th anniversary!"
RETURN TO HOMEPAGE>>>>>>
My View for the Month: This year I spent my entire day at the Farm Progress Show just looking at the very newest in farm equipment. I go every two years when this great exhibit comes to Iowa. Each time I am truly amazed at the design and technical changes in the new equipment. I was born in 1932--my dad farmed with machinery powered by horses, which was the norm on many Iowa farms. It is difficult for me to even imagine how all of this change in technology and efficiency in farming has transpired during my lifetime. I am thankful for this because there is such a need. In 1932, the world population was about 2 billion people. Fast forward to today and the Worldmaster Website estimates the 2018 world population to be over 7.5 billion people (7,632,819,325 to be exact!) Feeding this many people is a worldwide problem and it requires a worldwide solution. I am thankful that some of this great farm equipment is available worldwide, where suitable farm land and economy allows. Then, I hope distribution of these foodstuffs will take place in an ethical manner that is fair to all. In the meantime--thanks to Iowa farmers who put in a "24-7-365' effort to support their own families and help feed a hungry world.