Let’s be clear, you’re reading this column at a Farm Progress brand, a company that runs the two largest outdoor farm shows in the country. Obviously, we get excited about our events. And I’ll be at each day of the Farm Progress Show and Husker Harvest Days this year.

Sure, I get paid for this, but I used to go before I worked here. The fall farm shows, including others like Ohio Farm Science Review and Sunbelt Ag Expo, are where you can kick the tires and talk to exhibitors to get questions answered.

Last year, the big shows returned live for the first time since 2020 — the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill., and Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Neb. It’s been four years since we’ve been in Boone, Iowa, for the Farm Progress Show! Time flies.

Our national events manager, Matt Jungmann, does a great job of telling the story about what you’ll find at both shows in his Manager’s Notebook column.

From the concert to autonomy to new equipment to a spotlight on startups, the Farm Progress Show has plenty going on.

When the live show returned in 2021, some questioned if farmers would come back. You all spent a year doing everything remotely, even ordering food in some cases. We found in Decatur and in Grand Island, that farmers do want to see equipment up close and personal.

But back then, the specter of the omicron variant was still upon us, and some folks may have skipped the show due to that risk. Today, the U.S. is finding its own way to manage through the pandemic.

For 2022, we’re putting COVID-19 behind us, and moving ahead at a time when supply chain issues are making things difficult. One benefit of a show is that you will get to see that shiny new machine on-site.

Maximize show visit

No matter what farm show you attend, chances are small you’re hitting the site blind. Every major farm show has a website with maps and information on golf cart rentals, hotels and campsites, directions to the show site, and how to buy tickets in advance.

Ordering tickets online and having them with you when you arrive — whether on your smartphone or in print form — can speed you through the entrance gates.

Many show websites also have an app you can use to plan your day. Farm Progress Show and Husker Harvest Days each have that capability through Map Your Show. Visit FarmProgressShow.com or HuskerHarvestDays.com to use the free registration at Map Your Show. That lets you plan your time. Then, if you log into the same account on your smartphone’s show app, all your information will be waiting for you.

The technology will help simplify your day — from seeing a new tractor to attending a crop demo in as few steps as possible.

Be sure to attend the Farm Progress Show on Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 and Husker Harvest Days on Sept. 13-15.  Here are some more tips for making the most of your visit:

A farm show is a look at the future of ag — and perhaps your future. Make the most of it.