Buffalo Bill Farm and Ranch Expo celebrates 30 years

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The D&N Event Center’s main event in their 40,000-square-foot building to kick-off the new year was the Buffalo Bill Farm and Ranch Expo hosted by the agri-business committee of the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation. “We had it last year before COVID-19 shut things down, and though we talked about a virtual event this year, we felt it just was not fair to the vendors or to those who come to visit with them face to face,“ said Kathy Swain, vice-president of the NPAC. We usually have between 110 and 120 vendors, but this year due to COVID, we have 85. To encourage social distancing, the aisles are wider, and the concessions are by a local restaurant not by students to raise funds.”

The exhibits run the gambit from equipment such as tractors to ATVs, feed supplies including rations, and minerals, insurance, banking, land brokers and just about anything else that a rancher or farmer would need to make his work easier and more efficient. Ten new vendors were on hand for this the 30th Farm and Ranch Expo which was held Feb. 3 and 4.

Two of the new vendors run their businesses side by side so did the same with their booths. Jame Arrollo is one of the servicemen at Mr. Appliance. He has been with the company six years. Leisha Hughey, is with the Glass Doctor, a business that is only 10 months old. Their businesses are on north Jeffers.

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Another of the ‘newbies’ came from an hour north, and has been opened less than six months. Sandoz‘R’ is a production welding, metal fabrication shop in the old Pearson Livestock Equipment facility on the east edge of Thedford. Laura Honeywell, office manager for the company and her daughter, Cheyenne, were showcasing the custom products the new company is capable of. “We also just acquired our first mobile welding truck so can travel to the ranch,” Cheyenne said. They have one of the largest powder coat painting areas as well. They also sell metal and welding supplies. On display was one of the custom products that would hold either four strands of high tensile wire or rolls of barbed wire that could be hitched to a UTV. They also had steel fence post drivers of various lengths. Both ladies were in agreement that this was the right place to be to get them noticed for the area.