Farm show vendors looking for good run

Old hands at hawking ag equipment, a father-daughter sales team drove 1,200 miles in 30 hours so they could pitch to Northern California farmers.

Charles and Nikki Petri hauled all the way from Sidney, Neb., over the weekend so they could sell trailer hitches and lights at the Colusa Farm Show, a three-day agriculture expo that runs Tuesday through Thursday at the Colusa County Fairgrounds.

"Our business has slowed down here, but it's still pretty good," said Nikki Petri while she set up their display. "We've been surprised we've been able to sell as much stuff out here as we have."

That's not a bad report card from someone who lives in a state with an unemployment rate that's less than half the national average, according to the Nebraska Department of Labor. Moreover, Nebraska's homes have increased in value the last two years, according to the state's Department of Revenue.

While the souring economy beat down the Yuba-Sutter area — jacked up unemployment and drove down home prices — the region's farming industry soared.

Sutter County's agricultural industry grew from $378 million in a pre-recession 2007 to $521 million in 2010, the last year for which data is available. Farmers also saw solid years in the two years in between.

Yuba County also had more money flowing into its farms and ranches. Agricultural receipts increased from $153 million to $195 million, or 27 percent higher, from 2007 and 2010.

All that's good for David Tallman, 45, owner of Tallman Ladders, a nearly 60-year-old company started by his grandfather and based out of Hood River, Ore. Tallman and his forebears have hit all but one of the 46 Colusa Farm Shows since they first started.

Like the Petri father and daughter, Tallman drove a long ways to get to the Colusa show for the opportunity to sell his aluminum ladders, primarily to farmers with orchards who need extra height to pluck peaches and other fruit.

"There's fruit to be picked down here," he said, "and we got ladders to help them pick it."

Also like the Petri duo, Tallman plans to get two ag expos for the price of one drive to California. After he wraps at Colusa, he's going to trek down to Tulare for next week's World Ag Expo.

"Business is really strong," he said as he set up his demo alone in a hall with 70 booths, most of which had yet to be erected as of Sunday afternoon. "We'd like to get in more strong down here."

Aside from the Petris, Tallman and a work crew, the fairgrounds were deserted on Super Bowl Sunday. Irrigation pipe that could double as playground equipment and tractors with tires that tower over men sat idle.

That will change, said Thomas Saunders of Colusa, who helped haul the equipment into the fairgrounds over the weekend, a project that will continue today as vendors gear up for the flocks of farmers looking to upgrade their operations.

Said Saunders, "They'll be going like crazy."

CONTACT reporter Jonathan Edwards at jedwards@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4780. Find him on Facebook at /ADjedwards or on Twitter at @ADjedwards.