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We are off on an adventure. This will be our first time attending the World Ag Expo in Tulare, California, an ag show hosted at the International Agri-Center from Feb. 8-10. Others who have attended this event have told us about the variety of farm equipment on display and the international crowds that attend. Both Duane and I are excited to do a little traveling and see some people we know.
I heard about this event when World Dairy Expo was going on in Madison last fall. I had finished giving a farm tour for a couple families, and a car pulled in the driveway. This car pulled in the driveway a little way, and I waved to them and hoped they would pull in further. We had unloaded the wagon ride, and the children from the tour were chasing a cat. The parents were all talking outside getting ready to go inside to pay for their tour. I could tell by the driver’s face that he didn’t know if he was in the right place, so I ran over to the car and introduced myself.
The four gentlemen inside the car apologized. They thought they were interrupting and recognized they didn’t have a reservation. They mentioned they were at WDE and were from California. They wanted something to do before they flew home the next day, and our farm was recommended as a good place to visit while in Wisconsin. It looked like they were going to leave, but I insisted they wait a moment until I had finished up with my families. 
After I said goodbye to the families who I had spent two hours with, the four guys got out of their air-conditioned vehicle and stepped onto the hot, dusty driveway. They introduced themselves and said they organize the World Ag Expo in California. They were interested in seeing our farm, cows and the robots. As we took the wagon, with our Oliver 550 pulling them to check out the farm, we started to talk about tractors and everything that we use to farm. They enjoyed seeing our few antique tractors and were impressed that Duane was using an Oliver 880, gasoline model, to mix feed until 2018 when we added more cows. We went from area to area, checking out the combine, baler, Steiger and row-trac. They chatted between each other and even mentioned that they don’t think New Holland would be doing any more research and development on the pull-type choppers any longer. They all felt New Holland would only be focusing on self-propelled models. They said the chopper we use hasn’t changed at all. It is the best design for the size of farming we are doing. 
In all this discussion, I was able to recognize that we are small in comparison to what must be happening in California. I have seen big farms and big equipment but apparently nothing compared to what they have at their show. They asked if I ever get off the farm and if I would I like to see their show. Smiling, I replied, “I do get off the farm, and of course, I would definitely like to see what they have in California.”
Well, they said they would send some tickets. Those tickets arrived in the mail in January with a note saying they were glad I chased after them and they still talk about their Hinchley farm tour.
    Tina Hinchley, and her husband,  Duane, daughter Anna, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots.  They also farm 2300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin.  The Hinchley’s have been hosting farm tours for over 25 years.

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