The chance to see the machines and equipment you're planning for your farming future and discuss face-to-face with the people in the know the latest in farming practices are just some of the drawcards of the 2019 Yorke Peninsula Field Days.
The longest-running field days event in Australia, established in 1894 and running on September 24, 25 and 26 at the Paskeville site, this year's event is shaping up to be one of the best.
Field Days chief executive officer Peter Anderson says registrations are on-track and a boost in confidence on the back of good opening rains across YP and promising looking crops should further drive the event.
"How do we measure success? The attendance through the gate is the obvious measure, but also the range and variety of exhibitors that come along to the field days," Mr Anderson said.
"What we try to encourage is manufacturers and distributors to come along and show their wares to give the local farmers opportunity to touch and feel equipment and talk to staff about the equipment they might be looking at for their operations.
"Looking at equipment on a website is all well and good but it can't beat coming along and having a look and a play and talking to people directly about those goods."
Mr Anderson said the YPFD was, of course, not just for local farmers.
"We get visitors from quite a distance away, including interstate, and we get exhibitors from interstate also," he said.
"It's a great opportunity for the locals and the exhibitors to get on site to mix and match it and talk to others to get a good feel for what's the best equipment that might suit their needs."
A few things have changed at the Paskeville site through the years. While a private airstrip across the road from the site used to accept plenty of visitors, fly-in visitors now land at the Kadina airstrip and a free shuttle bus takes them to the site.
The most noticeable change this year, though, will be the missing administration building, which was destroyed in an arson attack in February.
"It really is dependent on the exhibitors that come along to the field days, and while there are those who are permanent year-to-year, the equipment they bring along is changing all the time," Mr Anderson said.
He encouraged exhibitors to register before June 30 when the allocation of sites would commence.
"The bookings seem to be going very well at the moment, we're optimistic we will have a bumper year," he said. "We can only hope that we get good follow up rains and we have a bumper season. If that is to occur we will expect a very good attendance."
Bryan Littlely
Started with Fairfax (Rural Press) as a compositor in 1992 at the Victor Harbor Times and progressed to journalism as a cadet and then on to editor at The Barossa & Light Herald. After 8 years with Rural Press, joined News Corp as a journalist at The Advertiser. I held various senior positions at The Advertiser including Regional Editor, Motoring Editor, Chief Of Staff and Investigations Editor. My time with News Corp also included an 18 month secondment to the Northern Territory as Editor at the Centralian Advocate, Alice Springs. After a year working as assistant director of media with the Fair Work Ombudsman and a year at the helm of a public relations firm, I have returned to my farming background and home community on the Fleurieu Peninsula. I am co-founder of missing persons foundation, Leave A Light On Inc, and am also on the board of Indigenous foundation Around The Campfire. Local sport and community activities, horse racing and learning what I can about farming are my key interests outside of journalism.
Started with Fairfax (Rural Press) as a compositor in 1992 at the Victor Harbor Times and progressed to journalism as a cadet and then on to editor at The Barossa & Light Herald. After 8 years with Rural Press, joined News Corp as a journalist at The Advertiser. I held various senior positions at The Advertiser including Regional Editor, Motoring Editor, Chief Of Staff and Investigations Editor. My time with News Corp also included an 18 month secondment to the Northern Territory as Editor at the Centralian Advocate, Alice Springs. After a year working as assistant director of media with the Fair Work Ombudsman and a year at the helm of a public relations firm, I have returned to my farming background and home community on the Fleurieu Peninsula. I am co-founder of missing persons foundation, Leave A Light On Inc, and am also on the board of Indigenous foundation Around The Campfire. Local sport and community activities, horse racing and learning what I can about farming are my key interests outside of journalism.
