News: Clark Co. - Farm Technology Days (2022)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Roehl, Zygarlicke, Nichols, Brown, Rueth

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/22/2022

Farm Tech Days to blend tradition and technology

By Valorie Brecht

The theme of this year’s Wisconsin Farm Technology Days in Clark County is “where tradition and technology meet,” an apt expression when considering the area’s past, present and future.

The popular event is less than three weeks away. Farm Technology Days will take place at Roehl Acres just south of Loyal July 12-14. The address is N7779 CTH K, Loyal. The show is expected to draw approximately 40,000 people.

Dennis and Suzie Roehl will host the event at their farm, which has been in the family since 1967 and grown from 33 cows to over 500 registered dairy cattle. Co-hosts are Doug and Kim Roehl, who operate the Rustic Occasions barn-turned-event-venue just down the road. The barn will feature a variety of entertainment and presentations throughout Farm Tech Days, such as demonstrations on cooking and how to make soap from goat’s milk.

The event will feature its typical “tent city” with 485 unique exhibitors, many of them businesses serving the agriculture industry, but there will also be a variety of local organizations represented.

Farm equipment company representatives will give field demonstrations in the morning and afternoon each day for farmers to see firsthand the equipment they are considering buying.

The morning sessions will include mowing (Tuesday and Wednesday only), merging and forage harvesting; and the afternoon sessions will include raking, baleage, baling and baleage, and bale wrapping.

“Customers will get the chance to come out and talk to the reps for like 15 minutes. They will get to look at the machine and actually see the product that went through the cutter,” said Ron Zygarlicke, who is heading up the field demos.

There will also be seed plots for farmers to view how well plants are growing from different companies’ seed.

Another highlight will be the farm tours.

“Our farm tours are going to be a little unique. Most of the time when you get a farm tour, you get on a bus and that’s it. We’re getting off the bus at the farm. You’ll actually be able to walk through my barn, past the robots [and] spend as much time as you want there looking at the robots, and then we’ll go through the milk house and you can feed a calf,” said Dennis Roehl.

He is looking forward to giving people the chance to see the capabilities of DeLaval milking technology and also provide the chance for people who aren’t familiar with farm life to get a little glimpse of it.

There will also be plenty of entertainment and educational opportunities throughout the week. The Rural Event Center and Tent will start things off with an opening ceremony Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and a planned appearance by Gov. Tony Evers, followed by appearances by Alice in Dairyland and various other individuals, and musical performances throughout the day. The equine arena will have horse pulls and horsemanship demonstrations. Clark County youth will perform music and dramas on the youth stage and show their animals in the livestock arena.

Other points of interest will include the Chevy Ride and Drive area, Wisconsin Cattleman’s Beef Tent, Extension Education Station, Innovation Square,

Touchstone Energy hot air balloon, state FFA tractor driving contest and the ATV/UTV ride and drive area. Also, there will be a farm safety and rescue area with demonstrations such as a tractor roll over and grain bin simulator. With events happening in at least five different locations at once, there should be something for everyone. Visit wifarmtechdays.org/2022-schedule-of-events for the complete schedule.

Visitors will also have the chance to view machines of yesteryear at the Heritage Display, including about 80 antique tractors, two to three steam engines and several restored garden tractors.

There will also be food on site for purchase. Local producers will provide the beef for burgers and dairy products like cheese, milk and ice cream.

New this year will be “Farm Tech Fest,” a country music concert happening the Wednesday night of Farm Tech Days. Joe Nichols, Sawyer Brown and Madison County will perform. For details, visit FarmTechFest.com.

“We’re very happy to showcase our county, community and state through this event,” said Chuck Rueth, chairperson of the Farm Tech Days executive committee.

For more information on Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, visit wifarmtechdays.org. More details will be shared in upcoming issues of The Press.