New products, a new building and lots of educational seminars highlight this year’s New York Farm Show, which will be held Feb. 21-23 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.

The show is co-presented by American Agriculturist and the Northeast Equipment Dealers Association.

Show hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Five buildings, 24 new products
More than 400 exhibitors will be housed in five buildings, including the brand-new Expo Building, which opened last summer.

The 136,000-square-foot building is the largest indoor events space north of New York City between Boston and Cleveland. It was built as part of a multiyear revitalization of the fairgrounds complex.

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY: Farmers looking for the latest in robotic milking technology can come to the New York Farm Show to see machine demonstrations and talk to company representatives.

Thirty-one new exhibitors will be showing their products and services, from livestock stables and seeds to small implements and land leasing for hunters. There will also be 24 new products available to see, including new pendulum-style brushes for dairy farms and new disk bines from New Holland.

Plenty of educational workshops
This year’s schedule is jam packed with educational seminars and workshops. The New York Forest Owners Association returns with workshops all three days in the Arts and Home Center Somerset Room. Topics include ecology and management of invasive species; safe and useful trails; and woodlot management and income taxes.

American Agriculturist is presenting its FarmEd workshops Feb. 22 in the Arts and Home Center Bistro Room. Topics include the “4Rs” of farm nutrient management; spotted lanternfly and its effects on farmers; and managing ticks on the farm.

New York Beef Producers will be presenting daily seminars in the beef section of the Dairy Building. Feb. 21 and Feb. 22 topics include beef promotion, cattle weights and the BQA program. Feb. 23’s presentations will be handled by New York Junior Beef members.

New this year is Jason Hartschuh, agriculture Extension educator in Crawford County, Ohio, who will be presenting daily seminars in the Arts and Home Center Bistro Room on dairy farm competitiveness, getting started in dairy beef and managing commodity feed shrink.

Get that hot beef sundae
The popular hot beef sundae will be available every day starting at 11 a.m. The New York Beef Industry Council serves these bowls of buttery mashed potatoes on slow-roasted beef, topped with gravy, cheddar cheese and a cherry tomato.

It’s one of the hottest food items at the show.

Hitch pins and toys
4-H youths will once again have their hitch pin deal available at the main entrance doors of the Center of Progress, Dairy and Horticulture buildings.

They will be selling 6-by-3/4-inch Tisco hitch pins for $5 each or five for $20, as a county fundraiser.

FARMERS MEGAMALL: The New York Farm Show has been called the “farmers megamall,” and with good reason. Visitors can find anything ag related, including implements, small tools and even farm toys.

The annual Bob Watson NYS FFA Alumni and Supporters Toy Auction will be held Feb. 22.

Proceeds from this year’s auction will go to support a scholarship fund for students pursuing a career in agriculture education. 

The auction was started by Bob Watson, a former ag educator from Lafayette and a longtime president of the New York FFA Alumni Association.

In addition to the consignment of farm toys, this year there will be a Team Building Contest pitting agriculture programs across the state. Each program has been asked to work together to pick a theme, come up with a basket (or vessel) to hold their items and bring their creation to the auction. The programs will be judged by alumni association members and by attendees of the auction.

The following prizes will be awarded: Highest Bid, $250; People’s Choice, $200; and Most Creative, $150. 

Free tickets are available from your Northeast Equipment Dealers or by writing to New York Farm Show, P.O. Box 3470, Syracuse, NY 13220
Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your request by Feb. 15. Otherwise, tickets are $5 at the door and under 18 are free.

For more information on New York Farm Show, go to newyorkfarmshow.com.