Sales, shows, conferences allow growers to gather

By TIM HEARDEN

Capital Press

ANDERSON, Calif. -- The next couple of weeks will be busy for farmers, ranchers, timber producers and ag-related businesses in Northern California and Southern Oregon as shows and sales kick into high gear.

After this weekend's Red Bluff Bull and Gelding Sale wraps up, many in the cattle industry will head to Klamath Falls, Ore., for the Klamath Bull and Horse Sale Jan. 31-Feb. 3.

From there, some vendors may proceed to the Colusa Farm Show on Feb. 5-7 and the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference at the Shasta District Fair grounds here Feb. 7-9.

Here is a rundown of the upcoming events.

* Klamath bull sale. The 53rd annual event at the Klamath County Fairgrounds will include 147 bull entries in the main sale on Feb. 2. For the first time this year, working stock dogs will be sold, and the horse sale is being moved from Saturday afternoon to Friday night, coordinator Andra Campbell said.

The weekend's activities will begin Jan. 31 with dog trials, and a ranch rodeo will be held Feb. 2-3.

* Colusa Farm Show. As many as 40,000 people attend the self-proclaimed "Granddaddy of Farm Shows" at the Colusa County Fairgrounds.

This year's 48th annual show will feature both large and small vendors promising one-stop shopping for virtually all of a farm's needs. Tractors and other large equipment fill the parking lot and some lawn areas at the fairgrounds in Colusa, while smaller products are displayed indoors.

This year's show will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and include an ag leadership breakfast on Feb. 6. Admission to the show is free.

* Logging conference. The 64th annual Sierra Cascade Logging Conference and forest products expo will include speakers and panel discussions as well as an FFA forestry contest, logging exhibitions, log loading and truck driving skills competitions and a "backhoe rodeo."

Barnie Gyant, a U.S. Forest Service deputy regional forester, will headline a kickoff breakfast Feb. 7, and American Forest Resource Council executive director Tom Partin will discuss challenges facing rural communities on Feb. 8.

"We've seen a really tough economy, but we certainly have had a tremendous response from all our exhibitors," said Monte Adams, a past president and director of the conference.

Admission to the expo is free, but tickets are required for the kickoff breakfast and several other events.

Online

Klamath Bull and Horse Sale: http://www.klamathbullsale.com/

Colusa Farm Show: http://www.thefarmshow.com/index.html

Sierra Cascade Logging Conference: http://sierracascadeexpo.com/