The huge Farmer-Stockman Show is Oct. 7-9
By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News
My phone has been ringing off the desk, and my message light blinks with those wanting to know when the annual Farmer-Stockman Show will be held.
The largest outdoor working farm and ranch show in the southwestern United States is Oct. 7-9 in Lubbock.
The show will have 54 acres of stationary exhibits and 600 acres of crops for field demonstrations.
Crops to actually be harvested during the show are corn, cotton, grain sorghum and alfalfa.
In addition to the many live field demonstrations, the exhibit field will be covered with the very latest in agricultural technology. Companies from throughout the nation will exhibit a variety of products.
The most common response show officials hear from visitors is: "I just can't believe how big this show is! I need more than one day to see it all."
The busy three-day schedule will include a variety of activities for the entire family. For producers, field demonstrations will show modern machinery in harvesting, tillage operations, and hay handling.
Livestock demonstrations have been expanded for 1997 to include live cattle handling demonstrations, horse training sessions, cutting horse demonstrations, and a live milking exhibit.
A new section of the show will address wildlife issues in relation to agriculture, and a variety of exhibitors will display their wildlife wares.
Family Living area expands
The ever-popular Family Living area has expanded programs on healthy lifestyles, farm safety, grain sorghum food products, square dancing, quilting, and fashion shows.
Crafters and antique exhibits offer some fun shopping opportunities.
For the nostalgic, the antique tractor and equipment exhibits offer a trip down memory lane. More than 60 individual exhibits will participate in this one event, and many of the tractors can be seen running in the parade at 11:20 a.m. each day of the farm show.
You can earn continuing education units during two programs. The first course, "Cotton Plant Mapping," is slated from noon until 1 p.m. Another course on "Boll Weevil Basics" is 3-4 p.m. each day.
The Farmer Stockman Show site is just 1-1/2 miles east of Loop 289 on East 50th Street (FM 835). Show hours are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $5 per person, with those 18 and under admitted free -- which means FFA and 4-H groups are quite welcome.
If you take a group of students, show officials invite you to come by the main office so they can help give you directions/materials for things that might be of special interest.
For more, you can call Monica Hightower at (806) 747-7134.
Liberty Lanes Ranch Chiangus sale comes to Abilene
The Liberty Lanes Ranch Chiangus of Santa Anna will stage its "Common Sense" Performance Tested Bull and Female Herd Reduction Sale at 11 a.m. Oct. 4 at Abilene Livestock Auction.
This farm writer has visited with Dr. B. Ward Lane of Liberty Lanes Ranch during several West Texas Fair years, including this month's fair.
The Dallas-based cattle raiser is an impressive man with an equally strong cattle operation.
He hasn't been afraid to put his cattle to the real test.
Liberty Lanes' Chiangus cattle have gone through Texas A&M's respected Ranch-to-Rail program for five years.
Dr. John McNeill, noted animal science professor, Texas A&M, will give participating ranchers a report card on how their cattle actually perform in the feedlot. Detailed records are kept on each animal's performance.
"It tells them how their products fit or don't fit the system," McNeill said.
With that, producers can fine tune their genetics toward the market place.
In their first test, Liberty Lanes Chiangus steers made $293.97 per head, compared with the overall average net of $178.40.
In a 1996-97 trial, Liberty Lanes' animals averaged 3.47 pounds of average daily gain (ADG).
Obviously, Lane is proud of such cattle. This should be a superb sale. A continental breakfast is 7:30 a.m., and pre-sale viewing starts at 8 a.m. For more, you may call him at (214) 369-4017, home; (972) 566-7860, office; or call Danny or Winnie Lane at (915) 348-9105.