Farm tour event to visit Saline County businesses

More than 250 people are expected to be in the area Aug. 2-4 to tour area farms and agribusinesses as part of the Young Farmers and Young Farm Wives Agriculture tour.

The tour, presented by Santa Fe Agri-Leaders, includes several stops in Saline County, including Marshall and Fenner Farms, United Hog Systems-Zeysing Farms and Mid-Missouri Energy.

Registrations are being taken up until the time of the event, according to John Morgan, Santa Fe Agri-Leaders adult advisor.

The family rate for the entire tour is $100 and the individual rate is $60. The student rate is $45. For a one-day tour, the family rate is $50 and the individual rate is $35.

The three-day event kicks off Sunday, Aug. 2, with registration from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Alma City Park where several pieces of antique, classic and modern farm machinery will be on display.

From 5:30 to 7 p.m., several local barbecue teams will prepare dinner. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., there will be a corn and soybean demonstration plot exhibit.

At 8:30 p.m., Fire Good Productions, which includes flamethrowers, fire-eaters, fire jugglers and fire hula-hoopers will entertain the crowd at the park.

The tours begin Monday, Aug. 3, with registration beginning at 6:30 a.m. at Santa Fe High School.

Breakfast will be served from 6:30 to 7:45 a.m. At 7:45 a.m., the busses leave for the tours, which last until 5 p.m.

Missouri Director of Agriculture Jon Hagler will be the speaker at the banquet Monday evening.

On Monday, the tour stops include:

--Heins Family Farms, a new 664-cow dairy facility operated by Paul and Cindy Heins and two sons, returning to what was once a 100-cow dairy operation.

--United Hog Systems and Zeysing Farms, owned by Robert Zeysing of Marshall, who began expanding in 1974, into an operation with more than 20,000 sows. The farm also has a 5,500-acre rotation of corn, soybeans and wheat.

--Salyer Farms. David and B.J. Salyer have a 1,050-acre farming operation consisting of pasture, corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, oil seed sunflowers and 40 head of Angus cows. They finish 80 head of cattle yearly in a dry lot, and added a Hoop Beef System building in 2008.

--Bredehoeft Farms Inc., a Lafayette County Century Farm located near Alma, operated by Neal, Kathy, Clark, Holly and Gene Bredehoeft. They raise corn and soybeans and actively support agribusiness via commodity groups, new-generation cooperatives, education and government.

--Mid-Missouri Energy, a 100-percent farmer-owned, new-generation cooperative ethanol facility located near Malta Bend. The plant currently markets over 44 million gallons of ethanol annually. They also sell CO2 for capture in a nearby facility, and market distiller's grain as a high-protein feed.

--Marshall and Fenner Farms. This farm consists of Oliver and Kathy Marshall, Sam and Ann Fenner, Brian and Jackie Marshall, Todd and Christy Marshall and Tom and Kristin Fenner. They have a large purebred Angus and crossbred cattle operation, finishing a large number of steers and heifers on the farm. They also manage a diversified row crop, pasture and hay business. Tom Fenner is the 2008-2009 state president of Missouri Young Farmers.

--Peters Family Farms. Clyde and Craig Peters farm about 2,100 acres in Lafayette and Pettis counties. They raise corn, soybeans, cattle and also do custom farming.

On Tuesday, Aug. 4, breakfast again begins at 6:30 a.m. The tour buses leave at 7:45 a.m. and the tour lasts until noon, where an end-of-tour luncheon will be served.

Tour stops on Tuesday include:

--Alma Farm Fresh Meats. This gate-to-plate foods processor was established in 1944. It has expanded and evolved over the years and continues to provide meats to the custom, retail and wholesale markets.

--Cedar Lane Greenhouse. In 2003, Bob and Sherry Finkeldei, along with sons Jason and Cory, transformed their traditional farm near Blackburn into a wholesale and retail greenhouse with more than 20,000 square feet of indoor production. They also have 15,000 growing chrysanthemums.

--Peters Orchards and Market, a fourth-generation family business that was founded more than 100 years ago. It is the largest apple orchard in Missouri, offering both wholesale and retail distribution. Their specialty store sells homegrown apples and peaches, along with a wide variety of other homegrown and homemade products.

On Monday, there is an alternative tour with stops in historic Lexington and Baltimore Vineyard and Winery.

Contact Marcia Gorrell at marshallag@socket.net

On the Net:
www.moyftour.info