Posted: 07.16.2010

Severe weather that rolled across Wisconsin Wednesday night into Thursday morning had Pierce county officials on edge.  Why?  Because next week, Pierce county will host the states largest OUTDOOR agriculture event - Wisconsin Farm Technology Days.

Greg Andrews, executive secretary of the Pierce County Farm Tech Committee, said they did evacuate tent city - the temporary city where exhibitors display their goods and services.  At around 2:15 on Wednesday Andrews told Pam Jahnke that sirens went off and the show site was completely evacuated.  "The good thing Pam is we know our emergency evacuation plan works," Andrews said, trying to put a positive spin on a tension filled moment.

Andrews said the Peterson farm where the show will be hosted literally dodged the weather bullet.  Andrews said 4-5 miles south of the farm, semis were overturned and buildings damaged.  18 miles north of the site in the community of Hammond, a wall cloud of sorts caused damage and demolished some homes and businesses there.  "I measured four tenths of an inch of rain here at tent city.  We're a little wet - we'll keep exhibitors from bringing in anything to big and heavy until the grounds dry - but outside of that, the sites in great shape,"  Andrews said.

With that kind of unexpected stress - how's the host family, Roger and Bev Peterson - holding up.  "You know Pam just before we started this interview Bev Peterson popped her head in my office with the biggest smile you've ever seen.  They're holding up real well."

Andrews expected that whatever large exhibitor equipment might be left to move in would be completed by Saturday evening.  

Field demonstrations should be on schedule too according to Andrews. "I just got done walking some of the wheat fields with the Peterson boys and it looks great.  We'll definitely hope to have combines rolling here next week."

Join Farm Director Pam Jahnke at Farm Technology Days next week.  Tuesday, she'll be a guest speaker in the Beef Tent.  Wednesday and Thursday she'll be broadcasting with Accelerated Genetics, the Wisconsin Corn Growers and the Wisconsin Soybean Growers from tent city.  Check back on this website for hourly updates from the show!

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