LONDON, Ohio – According to Farm Science Review organizers, the top draw at their annual gathering is the exhibits of new farm equipment. On-site demonstrations, they say, are a close second.

This year there is no shortage of enticing demonstrations taking place all three days of the diamond anniversary of FSR, Sept. 20-22 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center. The grounds of FSR encompass 2,100 acres and 600 of those acres are dedicated to field demonstrations at the show. There will be both corn and soybean harvesting demonstrations scheduled each day.

“For six decades, Farm Science Review has offered demonstrations to showcase products, services and education to the public to improve profitability, sustainability and excitement for future possibilities,” said Nick Zachrich, FSR manager.

A key stop for any farmer, and one that has been present at the past 20 shows, is the Grain Cart with its Grain Rescue Simulator, which was designed by students from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The simulator is used to train first responders, grain industry employees and farm families about the hazards of flowing grain.

The demonstrations at this stop are scheduled several times each day and are headed by Dee Jepsen, state safety leader for OSU Extension.

“It is difficult for us as humans to always put safety first,” Jepsen said. “There are daily pressures that affect us. We attempt to get the message of safety out to people of all ages because people are getting more and more removed from what’s happening on the farm.”

In the past 10 years, 14 Ohio farmers have died due to engulfments in grain bins, entanglements in augers, falls from grain bin-related structures and electrocution. Live demonstrations of grain engulfment are scheduled regularly each day at the show.

According to Jepsen, the Grain Cart not only reaches farmers with the grain engulfment message, but warnings of other dangers as well, such as moving augers, dangers around bins and working alone. The Grain Cart is used statewide by the Ohio Fire Academy in its agricultural rescue direct-delivery training modules to educate first responders on grain bin engulfment.

Jepsen and her staff will be giving away Farm Stress Kits.

“They’re like first aid kits and when you open them up they contain resources for the farmer or anyone else that needs extra help in getting through the complications and uncertainties of farming,” Jepsen said. “There’s even a stress ball inside with the words ‘Slow Down, Address Your Stress.’”

Jepsen will also feature a new product that will help farmers and others getting on and off a flatbed trailer.

Farm Safety Scene is a hands-on demonstration that tests attendees’ awareness of a farm situation. People can inspect a tabletop, mini-farm scene to determine the number of safety hazards they can find, such as mishandling farm equipment or standing in an unsafe area.

Shuttles will run continuously each day from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., taking attendees to many field demonstrations at Trotter Field.

The demonstrations offer a variety of must-see, one-hour demonstrations. Showcased will be tillage, planters, strip-till, nutrient application tillage and vertical tillage, as well as the latest ag innovations. Also to be demonstrated is corn and soybean harvests, corn stalk shredding, baling and wrapping. Also slated is a field drainage installation. Patrons will be permitted to walk the fields and get up close to the equipment, put their hands to the soil and crops, and bombard the experts with questions they might have.

Attendees won’t want to miss the Ag Weather and Climate exhibit, located at 384 Friday Avenue. There the State Climate Office of Ohio (SCOO) will answer all weather and climate questions. The SCOO will provide a review of this year’s growing season weather and other seasonal outlooks. They will demonstrate the Field Application Resource Monitor (FARM). The FARM is a tool providing real-time and historical precipitation forecasts to help with farm management. Also at this stop will be two weather stations (one at the Small Farms Center, the other at the Agronomic Crops Team plots) to show how weather information is collected.

You may have been in an IMAX theater, but the one at FSR puts the visitor front and center of things on the farm. The agriculture-based films are sure to please as topics include a ride on a crop duster, exploration of natural habitats, the feeling of being a bee and zooming throughout the hive, an aerial tour of Ohio and what it’s like sitting in the seat of a cab driving a combine. This can be found at 483 Land Avenue.

Demonstrations of conservation and resource management practices can be seen at the Gwynne Conservation Area. There visitors will see a variety of habitats and ecosystems and examples of ways in which their land can be enhanced for economic, environmental and enjoyment purposes.

Things to see at the Gwynne include grassed waterways, dug-out and embankment ponds, streambank stabilization, crop tree plantings, warm season grasslands and native prairie plantings and conservation landscaping. Experts will not only have demonstrations but will answer any questions.

The Livestock Education Corral showcases the latest in livestock technologies and education. There will be ongoing fencing demonstrations.

At the Tobin Building (1011 Beef Street) attendees might want to explore the Career Fair. There attendees can visit with companies about employment or how to educate or train to become employees in agricultural businesses. This stop is open to all ages, from youth to professionals seeking a career change.

At the Small Farms Center, visitors can learn about raising miniature cattle, beginning farmer opportunities, organic grain basics, how to see meat from the farm, agroforestry practices, niches for small farm operations, dos and don’ts of fencing, beef cattle management, swine production, artificial insemination and others.