Fashion at the Farm Progress Show?

A fashion show at the Farm Progress Show? Yeah, you heard me right. Western Edge is putting on a western-themed fashion show every day at 10:00 am in the Rural Life tent to showcase the newest in styles for your western apparel lifestyle. Outfits ranging from formal dress to casual in the stables outfits are displayed.

They also have a store set up right there in the tent for all of your shopping needs! Personally, my favorites are the rhinestone belts!

Farm Progress Show not just for large producers

While walking around this morning, I stumbled upon the Rural Life tent. Inside I found a lot of different displays and events that are catered toward those of us whom are not currently involved in production agriculture, as well as woman. So ladies, if your husband is still insisiting on wondering around, stop by the Rural Life tent for some light craft shopping and a place in the shade.

Rural Life is hosting several lectures throughout the show, as well. Here is a detailed schedule:

Thursday
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Tips to Make Gardening More Accessible
Melanie Erickson, Master Garndener
10:00 –11:00 a.m.
Rural Life Fashion Show
Western Edge western store
11:00 – Noon
A Twisted Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste
Leigh Rubin, syndicated cartoonist (Rubes) and author
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Annie’s Project Returns to the Farm Progress Show
Ruth Hambleton, Extension Educator, University of Illinois Extension
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Celebrate Women’s Suffrage – 1908- 2008
Charles Irwin and Suzanne Caswell, Boone County Historical Society

Varied Industry Tent

If you are here at the Farm Progress Show and would like a break from the rain or heat, check out the Varied Industry tent. Here you can find loads of companies and things to do to keep you busy for quite some time!

These are a few of the things I saw while in the tent:

• Clothing
• Wine
• Finance and credit services
• Building supplies
• GPS technology and information
• Seed companies
• Tools
• Electrical services
• And much, much more!

Rain or Shine: Farm Progress still abuzz

Despite the weather, thousands of people are still filtering into the Farm Progress Show this morning. Other than walking from exhibit to exhibit, you can easily stay fairly dry here. Almost all of the tents are covered, if not fully enclosed. And on top of that many company's came prepared. I have seen many different ponchos and umbrellas being handed out, all branded with the respective company's logo. People are tying bags around their feet and over their shoulder just to continue their adventure here at the Farm Progress Show. So in case you were debating your visit here to the show today, I would say "Come on over!" So grab your jacket out of the closet, roll up your pants, and don't forget your umbrella (or grab a free one here) and come enjoy the many different events still going on today. And look on the brighside, the crowds are smaller today!

Check the weather for Boone, IA out yourself if you'd like. It looks like rain all day today and possibly tomorrow.

Monsanto donates $1 million to Iowa State University

At 5:00 pm today a very exciting announcement was made inside of the Iowa State University tent. Monsanto has donated $1 million to Iowa State University for renovations of Curtiss Hall. And anyone who has been in Curtiss Hall recently will welcome the renovations. Trust me, as an Ag Ed major, I have been in there plenty enough to know the significance of this donation.

Remodeling will begin in 2009 and will reshape the atrium on the ground floor wing of the building, creating a mall-type atmosphere for all student ag services.


"Currently, students have to trek all over for student services. Now, they will all be located together including career services, ag study abroad, and various other programs making it more convenient for students and staff all together," said Mike Gaul, Iowa State University Career Services.


For more information visit Iowa State University or Monsanto

A planning process

The impressive tents and intense displays that you are seeing at the 2008 Farm Progress Show did not just appear overnight. 5 months ago a design was put together for all of the Monsanto displays. From the design displays, wall panels were all built at a display house in St. Louis, MO., also home to Monsanto's Headquarters. 4 months ago all tent, electrical, moving equipment, and logistics were being planned. 35 days ago the set up began to lead to a whopping 4,000 man hours (at a minimum) were put in, just for set-up alone.
















Overwhelmed yet? 15 truck loads of display materials, 2 trucks of give-aways, 9 truck loads of mulch, 2 trailers of plants were delivered to Boone, IA within the last month, just for one display area.

With that, my hat is off to the incredibly talented people of VisionStream, for all of their hard work and logistical magic that they perform year after year. I have been involved with several large-scale events, VEISHEA included, and this show puts all of those events to shame.

Discovery Auditorium

As an education major, I am passionate about continuous personal growth and why go far when you can get it right here. The Monsanto Discovery Auditorium has a jam-packed schedule of speakers for your enjoyment from both Monsanto personnel and other reliable resources.

Wednesday:

9:00 am The Science Behind Plant Breeding

10:00 am Monsanto's Pipeline to 2030

11:45 am Visitive Chef's Challenge

1:00 pm The Science Behind Plant Breeding

2:00 pm Monsanto's Pipeline to 2030

3:30 pm The Planting Population Boom!

Thursday:

9:00 am The Science Behind Plant Breeding
10:00 am Monsanto's Pipeline to 2030
11:00 am Visitive Chef's Challenge
1:00 pm The Science Behind Plant Breeding
2:00 pm Monsanto's Pipeline to 2030