Agriculture - America's Heartland

Great Bend is the Heart of Kansas and the Heart of America's rural culture. Golden fields of wheat rustle in the wind, stalks bow to the weight of heavy sweet ears of corn, huge combines work night and day during harvest---the abundance and deep roots of our agricultural heritage is visible everywhere here. Visitors can learn and be a part of these heartland traditions.

Prairie people have always celebrated their connection to the land and the great gift it has given them. Every year, bright-eyed 4-H children bring their prize cucumbers, their hand-raised calves and their chocolate cakes to the Barton County Fair. The Fair retains a small-town community feel with children safely roaming the spacious grounds and adults stopping to eat delicious food and chat about local politics. But it also provides big name entertainment, a world-class carnival and midway, booth after booth of commercial offerings and displays and food that features the crops that grow so generously here. The Fair takes place in early July every year.

Nearby Ellinwood celebrates the hard work of the wheat farmers every year with the After Harvest Festival. The Festival has a spectacular parade down brick lined streets, a petting zoo, storytellers, roasted corn, concert and dance --sometimes rockin' to oldies and other times swingin' to the blues.

There's a weekly celebration in Great Bend during the spring, summer, and fall at the local Farmer's Market. Bright red tomatoes share space with yellow marigolds, and the change of seasons brings pumpkins, apples, and rhubarb--all the bounty of the Midwest.

Every even-numbered year, Great Bend is home to the largest farm show in the Midwest--the 3i Show. Farmers, ranchers and producers come to Great Bend to try out the newest equipment, see the latest techniques demonstrated, and talk about the things that concern them -- the weather, government regu-lations, new methods of farming, and raising livestock. It's a three day learning experience and a lot of fun.

Your next trip to the heartland should include its rich agricultural history. Call the Convention & Visitors Bureau for itineraries and suggestions that will help you get a glimpse of the farm. We'll suggest things like a trip to the feed yard or the alfalfa pellet mill, a tour of the Stafford County Flour Mill in Hudson and a look at agriculture's past in the big barn at the Barton County Historical Village.