Farm & Ranch Expo Wednesday, Thursday

Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Rod Fries of Ellsworth, Kansas, left, and Sheldon Leffler of Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada, set up a Highline Manufacturing bale processor preparing for the fifth annual "McCook Farm & Ranch Expo" Wednesday and Thursday in McCook, Nebraska. Fries and Leffler -- "The Bale Pro Professionals" who are territory managers for six states each -- explained that the company's products are used for feeding and bedding livestock and land reclamation in Canada, the United States, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Exhibitors of everything agriculture-related -- from AACE Wash Systems to Zeitlow Distributing Co. -- will fill the Kiplinger and the Trudy arenas, the open-air pavilion, the Community Building, the Merchant Building and the 4-H Building on the Red Willow County fairgrounds in McCook, Nebraska, Wednesday and Thursday for the fifth annual "McCook Farm & Ranch Expo."

Show manager Darren Dale of Star Expos, rural Benkelman, Nebraska, said his farm and ranch show is the only farm show in the U.S. that includes a registered horse sale with it. The working ranch horse sale and benefit FFA auction, sponsored by Tres Rios Silver, begins at 6 p.m., Wednesday.

Horses for sale will be in the open stalls southwest of the Kiplinger Arena.

Wednesday's activities begin with a free producers breakfast from 7:30 a.m. until 9 a.m.; booths will be open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.

On Thursday, booths are open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

There will be free admission and free parking both days.

Dale said he has booked 350 vendors, including 75 that will set up in the new "Trudy Arena" south of the Kiplinger and an open-air pavilion. He's booked a vender from Saskatchewan, Canada, and one each from Washington State and Baltimore, Maryland.

Last year, approximately 12,000 people visited the two-day affair. Dale's expecting more this year, with forecasts of good weather and highs in the 50s.

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