By Don A. Wright
It’s that time. For the 57th year in a row the World Ag Expo sprouts up exhibitors, informative panels and a million tons of swag in the rich, fertile gravel of the 60 acres (not counting parking) of the International Agri-Center grounds just south of the City of Tulare and just east of Highway 99. A press release from the IAC said so. What it didn’t say was how many acres 2.6 million square feet makes. I had to look that up, so you know, journalist math, beware. WAE runs from Tuesday, February 13th to Thursday, February 15th.
The press release said that last year more than 108,000 folks showed up from 49 states and 56 countries. It did not clarify which state of the union was the hold out. It’s not like even the most conservative states boycott California. Maybe this year we’ll get all 50 and that intransigent 10th dentist will recommend Dentine to his patients who chew gum. Either way there are still more than 1,200 exhibitors to visit. The best of those exhibitors are clients of WaterWrights.net, but more about that in a bit.
Walking Distance, In This Weather?
If you’re new to this event the WAE provides trams for folks to get around on and unless you’re a marathon runner in training by the afternoon of the first day you might want to be sure and familiarize yourself with the route. The Expo site is set up as a grid. The link will take you to a map of the entire site. Click on the map and it will give you details of where the exhibitor booths are located. It takes all three days for even a cursory visit with all the exhibitors.
Wear comfortable walking shoes or boots. One year I got a new pair of Justin Ropers and wore them the first day. That evening my feet were really hurting so I bought a pair of cushioned inserts. By the end of the second day, I was almost crippled. The inserts didn’t agree with me. The third day I wore tennis shoes, brought a walking stick, or as they are sometimes called, a cane. Also it can be quite chilly and foggy in Tulare this time of year. By the third day my head had stopped up, including my ears and I couldn’t hear very well. I use the WAE to network and make new business friends. Hobbling up to a potential client’s booth on a cane with one hand cupped behind my ear shouting, “Huh? What’d you say?” wasn’t my best presentation. So, shod yourself well and be ready for cool mornings. Many times the afternoons are beautiful, clear days with a view of the majestic Sierra Nevada. Sometimes it rains. Either way, rain or shine or fog, the show goes on.
Speaking of fog, I’ve grown accustomed to the perk of media parking. A glance at Google Earth will show what must be more than 90-acres of parking on all sides of the Expo. There was a year I wasn’t able to attend more than one day so I didn’t sign up as a reporter. (I won’t do that again.) In the morning the fog was so thick you could barely see the hood of your vehicle. I pulled into the lot and was directed hither and yon by smart, good looking, courteous volunteers wearing orange dayglo vests to a parking space.
By the afternoon the sun had come out and the climate had changed to beautiful. But I couldn’t find my car. I noticed a man who appeared to be searching for his ride as well. We got to talking and struck up a deal. We’d work together. If I found my ride first, I’d drive him around until we found his ride and vice-versa. He asked what I was driving. A green Saturn Vue. I asked him. A white Ford F-150.
There are so many things about the WAE worth taking your precious time to see. My favorite event is the annual Prayer Breakfast. It will be Wednesday, February 14th at 7:00am in the VIP Tent. There is a $20 ticket charge. In addition to music and food of course, there is a keynote speaker and a farming family from the Valley is honored for their good works and Christian faith. This year’s speaker is Thomas Henderson and the Lundberg Family has been chosen as representative of the values that have made this Valley and its people able to feed others.
Who To See
As noted above there are more than 1,200 exhibitors but none of them are more worthy of your time and effort than the following. Be sure to stop by their booths and say hello. Do us a favor and tell them you read about them in WaterWrights.net.
- HotSpot AG is a featured exhibitor with innovative hardware and software solutions for simplified irrigation management. See them at Booth, Pavilion A and B – 2118.
- Technoflo is a featured exhibitor serving both the ag and municipal water customer with solutions for flow measurement meters. See them at Booths, Pavilion A and B – 2332, 2333, 2334 and 2335.
- Duarte Nursery is family owned and operated. Located near Modesto in the Central Valley Duarte Nursery is the largest permanent crops nursery in the United States, with a history of innovative products and exceptional customer service. See them at Booth, South Exhibits – K24.
- Pacific Gas & Electric brings us energy. See Big Blue at Booth, South Exhibits – AB19.
- Pumpsight is a family owned, Central Valley business helping you get the most out of your irrigation pumping system. See them at Booth, Pavilion A and B – 2119.
- Roscoe Moss is the premier manufacturer of wells screens. See them at Booth, Farm Credit Dairy Center – 6640.
- BrightSky Renewables brings a unique take on smaller scale solar projects. Designed by and for farmers. See them at Booth Pavilion A – 1234.
All Together
No report on the World Ag Expo would be worth its salt if it doesn’t mention the heavy lifting done by volunteers. There are more than 1,200 people from the local community who generously give their time and talent to make possible the biggest farm show on earth. The International Ag-Center has a paid staff but all of the parking lot attendants, gate keepers, tram drivers and even the WAE Board are doing it for the love and pride they have in agriculture and their community.
They even have a year-round newsletter titled The Orange Jacket that informs the volunteer community of WAE schedules, activities, birthdays and even the passing of members. It says a lot for the character of those involved in agriculture. Thank you all.
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