Kansas Wheat at the 100th Kansas State Fair

This year marks a special birthday for the Kansas State Fair and an outstanding achievement for Kansas Wheat Farmers. As the Kansas State Fair begins celebrating its 100th birthday when the fair opens September 6 at 11 a.m., Kansas Wheat will be celebrating the accomplishments wheat farmers have had in the past 100 years.

On July 9, at Solomon Creek Farms near Colby, Mike Brown harvested the 25th billionth bushel of wheat in the past 100 years of Kansas farming. Over the past 100 years, productivity and determination have allowed Kansas farmers to produce over 25 billion bushels of wheat, which equals more than 1 trillion commercial loaves of bread.

The Kansas State opened for the first time September 13, 1913. Back then, fair goers were excited about the Boys’ Sheep Show, and one of the main attractions was Alexander The Monkey. 100 birthdays later, the state fair continues the tradition and will be celebrating the expansion, success and farm roots that have made the last 100 years great.

Cindy Falk, nutrition educator for Kansas Wheat said, “We hope to see you at the Kansas State Fair and help us celebrate the fair’s 100th birthday and success of the wheat industry and agriculture across the state of Kansas. We look forward to providing a fun and educational experience for all.”

At the Kansas Wheat exhibit inside the Pride of Kansas Building, visitors can view the 25th billionth bushel that was harvested at Solomon Creek Farms and learn about the products that one bushel of wheat produces.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to pick up a free copy of the Kansas Wheat Commission annual Recipe Book. This year’s edition features the 12 winning recipes from the National Festival of Breads.

Additional educational materials will be available for consumers and teachers. Fact sheets such as Flour 101 and Facts about Kansas Wheat Production will be available to all who visit.

This year the booth will feature Mr. and Mrs. Slice, costumed bread characters as a great photo opportunity for both kids and adults.

Winners of the 2013 Wheat Yield Contest will be honored in a short ceremony at the Kansas Wheat booth September 14 at 2:30 p.m. Governor Sam Brownback will present the awards to the three regional winners for their top wheat yields across the state. Chuck Downey, Leland Johnson and Ron Ohlde will each be presented with a $1,000 prize for their efforts in the contest. Downey will also be recognized as the winner of the Quality Initiative portion of the yield contest.

“We are proud to be celebrating the accomplishments of wheat farmers on this special occasion for the fair. This will be Kansas Wheat’s 51st year having a booth at the state fair and we are excited to continue this tradition of partnering with the state fair in promoting agriculture in the state of Kansas,” said Justin Gilpin, Kansas Wheat CEO.

Tickets for the Kansas State Fair are available at the gate or online at www.kansasstatefair.com