The 2017 Forest Products Equipment and Technology Expo — better known as Timber Expo — takes place Friday, June 9, and Saturday, June 10, at Penn State's Ag Progress Days site at Rock Springs. If you’re interested in forest products, machinery, services and best management practices, it may be worth your trip.

This biennial field day is aimed primarily at loggers, sawmill operators, value-added processors and forest landowners. It’s hosted by Penn State College of Ag Sciences and Pennsylvania Forest Products Association. Parking and admission are free.

More than 80 commercial exhibitors and vendors serving the forest-products and biomass industries are expected, says Show Manager Jesse Darlington. On-site and nearby in-the-woods demonstrations feature newer technologies including feller bunchers with processing heads, wheel loaders, log skidders, horizontal grinders and chippers.

DEMOS and DRIVES: Timber Expo Manager Jesse Darlington invites all to see the latest technology working in the in-the-woods demonstrations and to test-drive machines in the ride-and-drive area.

More to see and do
Other planned Timber 2017 activities include:

• Penn State Woodsmen's Team demonstrations. Watch ax-throwing, underhand chopping and crosscutting on both days.

• Game of Logging national finals. Professional and landowner classes will compete in world-recognized chain saw competition. Qualifiers from state-level competitions will compete in bore station, spring pole, big stump, precision stump, speed cut and tree-felling categories.

• Woodlot management tours. On both days, Penn State forestry experts will show visitors two types of sustainable harvesting practices — forest stand thinning and a shelterwood regeneration method. The 60-minute tours allow participants to see how both contrast with more commonly practiced “selective” cutting.

• Penn State's Pasto Agricultural Museum will host timber logging exhibits. Master Farmer Jim Walizer, alias the “Ax Whisperer,” will share his passion for the history of timber, logging and forestry during presentations twice each day.

• “Log-a-Load for Kids” truck parade. The forest-product industry's charitable efforts will be highlighted by a procession of vehicles that start on the University Park campus, proceed through downtown State College, and travel to the show grounds. The Saturday event culminates with a check presentation to the Children's Miracle Network. The national “Log a Load for Kids" campaign has raised about $20 million to help sick and injured children.

The Ag Progress Days site is 9 miles southwest of State College on State Route 45. For more details, visit timber. Twitter users can catch information with the #PaTimberShow hashtag.