The kids were loud and clear: The National Farm Machinery Show is more fun than a day in school!
Not much of a surprise, right? Lots of large, colorful equipment was spread as far as the eye can see, and booths packed with new technologies and resources were happily reaching out to people passing by. What also isn’t a surprise is that those same youngsters were quick to say that the event was educational, and their parents were happy to get their youngsters exposed to agriculture’s tools and machinery beyond what’s used on their own farms.
We spoke to two of families who were visiting Louisville this week for the show. Matt Schmidt, who has a cattle operation out of Kentucky, was there with his wife and 5- and 2-year-old daughters.
“They love it, and we love it. They enjoy seeing and playing around some of the machines, and it gives them a little bit more exposure to what I do.”
He said his kids like to get into the tractor and trucks with him at home, so their interest in the bigger equipment was obvious. And that was a theme among other children at the show. The siblings of one Maryland family excitedly said in tandem, “The big machines,” when asked what their favorite part of the show was. That family has a variety of livestock and crops on their farms, so spending time at an event like this was right up their alley.
For their two boys, it was their first time at the event. “We’re having a lot of fun,” one said. “I want to see more!”
