The Poster Child

Farm and home show draws crowd

Telegraph – Herald (Dubuque) February 7, 2003 | MARY NEVANS PEDERSON MAQUOKETA, Iowa – The KMAQ Farm and Home Show brings folks together every year to visit with each other, to learn about what’s new around the house and farm, and to enjoy entertainment at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Maquoketa. this web site farm and home

Thursday, hundreds of people wound their way through the rows of exhibits and vendor booths displaying everything from enormous farm trucks and organic food to carpet cleaning and landscaping services.

Les Johnson, vice president of Cornelius Seed, was greeting customers at the company booth.

“These shows are not so much to talk business – that’s done later. It’s more to keep in contact with your customers,” Johnson said. The 67-year-old company, based near Andrew, Iowa, sells corn, soybean and alfalfa seed. web site farm and home

Thursday was Pork Day and the lines were constant for pork burgers.

The Maquoketa Rotary Club and Maquoketa Area Chamber of Commerce also announced the annual agriculture awards:

* Outstanding Agribusiness – Florian Steffen, Maquoketa.

* Outstanding Farmer – Dave and Angie Burmahl, Maquoketa.

* Outstanding Public Service – The Farm Service Agency Farm Program in Maquoketa.

Ruth Grell, a retired farmer from De Witt, Iowa, said she attends the show nearly every year. “I just come up here to look around and to be with people,” she said. “There are a lot of people we know up here.” “She made me come,” said Gordon Reed, of Springbrook, Iowa, as he pointed to his wife, Marie. “She’s always looking for better cell phone systems. In this area you have a hard time making a cell phone work.”

News you can use The KMAQ Farm and Home Show continues today at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Maquoketa.

Doors open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For Beef Day, beef burgers will be sold at the food booth.

MARY NEVANS PEDERSON