Crowd packs Ag Expo to raise farming awareness, have fun

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The 28th annual Heartland Agriculture and Natural Resources (Ag) Expo Friday and Saturday at the Black River Coliseum offered visitors of glimpse of the marriage between a centuries old tradition and new technology.

John McDonough of Autogation Systems LLC demonstrated how his product allows farmers to monitor and control irrigation from anywhere with a cellphone signal. He first thought of the concept nearly a year ago after talking with friends who are farmers.

"Their biggest complaint was, in today's world, why can't you control things with your cellphone?" McDonough said.

He then began work on his system.

"By simple text message, you can turn anything on or off and get feedback," McDonough said.

He demonstrated the product to visitors by sending a text from his phone, which turned on a light bulb. A message then was sent to his phone informing him the bulb was on.

The technology also can be used to shut down machines, turn motors and lights on or off, report temperature and report current liquid level.

McDonough believes the product can save farmers time, money on fuel and from unnecessary stress.

He'd hoped to get the product out into fields by last summer, but said he was still working out kinks. He was able to get the finished product out in time to install in grain bins, however. Now, Autogation has been installed for 13 clients, including three wastewater treatment facilities.

A.J. Foster, the new agronomist at the University of Missouri Extension office in Bloomfield, Mo., talked with McDonough about the product for some time.

"It's a novel idea, especially in this area, where irrigation is a big deal," he said. "It's really revolutionary as far as the benefits it can offer farmers."

Originally from Jamaica, Foster moved to the United States to study chemistry at Louisiana State University.

"I took a soil science class, and it changed everything," he said. "I realized I could be a chemist but be in the field."

Foster holds farmers in high regard.

"Agriculture is the most noble profession anyone can do," he said. "There's no greater thing anyone can do than to feed people."

Foster also was impressed with the expo turnout.

"It's good," he said. "It looks like all of Poplar Bluff, and a lot of kids. It's great to expose future generations to agriculture."

Event chairman Caleb Johns with the Three Rivers College Ag Club said the purpose is to increase awareness of farming in the area.

Scheduled in late January, the event takes advantage of what can be "down time" for most farmers, when they focus on caring for equipment but do not have to be in the field as often.

"This time of year, most farmers are done hauling grain," Johns explained.

A sophomore at Three Rivers, Johns is considering teaching agriculture some day, although he also enjoys his job at Otter Slough Conservation Area. He grew up working at Cates Orchard near Dudley, Mo., and was president of the Dexter High School FFA chapter his senior year.

"Growing up farming, it's just always been something I've done," he said, adding in recent years he has become more involved with cattle farming as well.

He described turnout as "packed all day."

"Hopefully we've done a lot of good for area businesses," Johns said.

Danny Brickell, owner of Bootheel Diesel in Sikeston, Mo., said his business always picks up new customers due to the expo.

"We've been coming to this ever since they started at the college," he added. "It's been a good year. I thought the weather might affect us, but it's been good."

Like many young visitors, Jaleya Kemp, 5, of Poplar Bluff said the petting zoo was her favorite.

"I liked the horse because it had brown fur," she said, munching on popcorn. "I didn't feed it. They stink. But mommy fed it."

Mother Moenika Ellis of Poplar Bluff said she had not been around farm animals much since she was in school.

"The kids were petting the horses like they were dogs, but I was kind of scared," she added. "They were laughing at me."

With mild weather Saturday, Ellis decided to bring her children to the event to expose them to new things.

"It's a learning experience," she said. "We wanted to get out and have a little family outing. There aren't a lot of family things to do."

Kemp interjected she now wants a pony.

"We're not getting a pony," Ellis said, laughing.

Donald and Karen Cash of Poplar Bluff said they've attended the expo most years for the last 15 years. This year, they watched 16-year-old son Joseph compete in the tractor driving contest.

"It seems like there are a lot of people," Donald said. "It's a big part of the community, ag is."

Phyllis Flanigan, county program director with the University of Missouri Extension, believes about 10,000 came to the Ag Expo.

"It was a huge success," she said.

Extension horticulture specialist Sarah Denkler said more than 500 children came to the Garden Adventure for Kids, offered by Master Gardeners.

"They learned how to plant seeds," she explained. "They made pine cone bird feeders. They made sock caterpillars, and they learned how to do plant cutting."

"Master Gardeners do a really good job of showing kids horticulture isn't hard," she said. "Kids really enjoy plants, and they get excited about it."

As usual, the live cow milking demonstrations were a popular attraction, according to Denkler.

Extension 4-H specialist Stephanie Milner distributed pamphlets for a scavenger hunt, which guided students through visiting several booths. After having all of the boxes on their pamphlets stamped, students could enter a drawing for prizes.

"We really enjoyed seeing lots and lots of farm families," Flanigan added.