Farm show a chance to see old friends

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Among the rows of booths and tables and videos are the people that make the New Ulm Farm Show buzz.

Old friends meet up at a table and chew the fat about each others' farms while children and their parents collect brochures, pencils, rulers and handfuls of candy in plastic bags.

The show's organizer, Frank Stuckey, a retired agriculture teacher from New Ulm, said the event was conceived by the Farm-City Hub Club 23 years ago to build relationships between city and rural business people and to bring customers to businesses.

But in the years since its first exhibits were set up, the show has become a chance for folks from all around to come and socialize.

"Two things," said Upper Midwest Management Corp. president Jim Thomas, when asked what brought him to the show. "To support the Hub Club and to see people you don't get to see on a regular basis."

Ted Sauers of New Ulm came to the show because his father worked for John Deere for 45 years. Sauers said he also decided to come because he grew up working on a farm.

"It's also a night out," he said. "I've been coming here every year, so it's a tradition. It's usually just the locals."

Kris Kohren of New Ulm said she and her family decided to stop by the show on their way home from having dinner at a restaurant.

"We always come because it's fun to see what's out there," she said. "And you run into people you know."

The annual event that showcases all things agricultural opened at the New Ulm Civic Center Friday night. This year marks the first year that the show has used the arena in the Civic Center after using Vogel Arena for 19 years.

Stuckey said he was concerned that some of the vendors might have trouble finding the new location. He said one vendor waited at the Vogel Fieldhouse for two hours before arriving at the Civic Center.

"It's like having your favorite seats at a ballgame," he said. "It's different, but it's fun. We've got 100 exhibitors with no complaints."

The show features close to 100 different booths ranging from construction companies, implement dealers, local churches, government agencies and area banks, all of whom have some candy or a cup of milk or soy nuts or pencils or rulers or brochures to give away.

Stuckey said he was pleased with Friday night's crowd. He said the show typically sees visitors from about 80 miles around New Ulm and from Iowa, South Dakota and Wisconsin. He said he recognized close to 40 of his former agriculture students at the show.

"This is a nice location because you don't have another big show in south-central Minnesota," he said. "For some people, this is the only show they go to."

The New Ulm Farm Show runs from 10-5 p.m. on Saturday and from 12-4 p.m. on Sunday at the New Ulm Civic Center.