Purdue puts its stamp on Farm Progress Show
Jacob Bromley, 7, New Carlisle, Ind.,
gets friendly with Herbie, a Madagascar hissing cockroach, at
the Farm Progress Show. Herbie belongs to the Purdue Entomology
Department's traveling insect exhibit. |
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The Farm Progress Show proved quite a showcase for Purdue
Agriculture. A three-day crowd estimated at 300,000 visited the 1,500-acre
show site on the Tippecanoe County farms of Jerry Smit, BS '78, and
Alan Kemper.
The show, rotated every three years between selected
farms in Indiana, Illinois and Ohio, is the largest of its kind in the
Midwest.
"The show's location just a few miles from campus
let us do some things we normally couldn't do at other Farm Progress
Show sites," says Dana Neary, events coordinator for Purdue Extension.
Purdue Agriculture was a high-profile tenant in the 80-acre
tent city that featured more than 400 exhibitors. Nearly every department
in the College of Agriculture, as well as the Schools of Consumer and
Family Sciences and Veterinary Medicine and the Offices of Admissions
and Academic Programs in Agriculture, participated, occupying 10 tents
and more than 22,000 square feet of display space.
"The show was a great success for Purdue,"
says David Petritz, director of Purdue Extension. "It certainly
surpassed my expectations. Our tents were full and people were talking
about Purdue."
The most popular display was, no doubt, the Boiler Mazer.
Thousands of people toured the five-acre corn maze modeled after the
Boilermaker Special train. Those who successfully navigated the maze
earned an "I survived the Boiler Mazer" sticker.
"Purdue plays a big role in the Farm Progress
Show," says show manager Keith Ryan. "In addition to all the
information that is provided in its exhibits, many people have roots
that go back to the university and want to maintain the connection."
Traffic in the fields was so heavy, show organizers
used a
traffic light to make sure combines didn't run into each
other during demonstrations.
From atop the "lifeguard tower," Kenton
Ross provides directions
for directionally challenged Boiler Mazer visitors.
The Boiler Mazer is scattered with dozens of
maze navigators. But
getting to the middle of the maze, the window of the Boilermaker
Special train, was only half of the battle. Participants also had to
find their way back out.
An event isn't an event without a blimp. While
Purdue's helium-filled balloon can't compete
with the Goodyear Blimp, it was an easily
recognizable landmark at the Farm Progress
Show.
