DYERSVILLE, Iowa — This year at the National Farm Toy Show, one former farmer’s love of agriculture was reflected in his winning farm layout. Bob Smulski recreated the dairy farm where he once lived and won first place in the Adult Large Scale Farm Layout category.

“I wish I had a shrinking machine,” Smulski said about building his display, which he did in a 1/16th-scale version, using photographs. Although his farm is gone, the memories live on through his miniature replica. The farm layout is built in part out of boards from the original barn that stood on his farm, and field stones from the silo. “I drew pictures of the dairy farm, then I built it,” he said, adding that he “got squeezed out with Milwaukee (Wis.) moving in.”

Living near the city limits, Smulski was forced to relocate when Milwaukee began to surround his farm. “I had 30 acres and rented 230,” he said, as well as a hog operation.

While the move ended his farming career and forced him to get out of the hog business, Smulski has been innovative. He started his own mini hay-bale business which is run, in part, out of his Internet website at www.bobsminihay market.com

Miniature hay bales are used by those in the farm toy hobby and other modeling hobbies, as well as a decorating tool. On his website, which is run by his daughter, April, she said the hay bales have become popular when joined with miniature pumpkins to create a table arrangement. Smulski also sells the pumpkins, so everything needed for the arrangement can be found in one place.

Smulski’s wife, Alyce, said he builds his hay bales out in the garage. “He makes about 5,000 every year,” she said.

Besides the bale business, Smulski also works putting hot tar roofs on buildings, since he has building as well as farming experience. He keeps his farm display set up year-round at his home. “I started building this about three years ago,” he said. “I used to use 1/64th scale; I’m not yet used to the 1/16th scale.”

His award-winning farm layout reflects almost every aspect of when he was farming. He had chickens, hogs, beef cattle, soybeans and corn, all which are part of the display.

“The original barn was built in 1839, and they put on an addition in the late forties,” he pointed out. “There was a concrete silo, too.” When Smulski can’t find what he wants, he just makes it – and sells it, as well. He has a Forage wagon made in a variety of brands, along with a 1946 GMC Gold truck with a grain box and a bale thrower wagon. He also makes and sells a 1/16th-scale corn crib.

The toys, the layout and the mini hay bales all came together for Smulski this year at Dyersville, when he won first place. This was his first visit to the National Show and though he had to be pushed to come, he could say, “I’m glad I did.”