Meet Marc and Loes Padrutt Two years ago, a farmer from Southern Illinois drove into the farmstead of Marc Padrutt and asked if that was the location of the Farm Progress Show. Marc courteously explained they were on the north side of Decatur, and they needed to be on the north side of Danville, about 75 miles east. As they drove away, Marc thought to himself, wouldn't that be great if he could be a host for the Farm Progress Show. Ironically, that will be his role for years to come, since 120 acres he operates for the Vernon Hebel family will be used for harvest and tillage demonstrations in the Farm Progress Show. The 36 year old Padrutt is the primary operator of a 1,200 acre corn and soybean farm, but is managing the Hebel property for the first time this year. When Farm Progress Companies expressed an interest in establishing a permanent biennial site at Decatur, local organizers visited with members of the Hebel family about a long term arrangement to include their land in the Show site. Vernon's daughters, LaVerne Durbin and Wilma Zinn, sought out Marc's advice whether it was a good idea, and then asked him to become the operator of their land. Padrutt's parents Jurg and Margrit began farming in Macon County 40 years ago after coming from Switzerland. Their roots in Swiss agriculture extend back many generations. Marc's knowledge of German, coupled with his fluency in English, provided an employment opportunity in Switzerland where he met his future wife, Loes, a native of the Netherlands. Marc returned to the Decatur area in 1998 with Loes, tobegin their family, which includes daughters, Fiona, 5, and Hannah, 3, and a newborn son/daughter, xxxxx. Marc grew up always knowing he wanted to farm, and being a fan of trade shows, finds himself in the best of both possible worlds as a Farm Progress Show host farmer. He believes in implementing good farming practices, researching crop inputs in depth and using a good agronomic mix on his farm, which is part of his risk management program. He will plant 12-15 different corn hybrids and 7-8 soybean varieties per year, use crop insurance and options through a marketing pool. One who enjoys large projects, Marc has appreciated being on the ground floor of the development of the Farm Progress Show site and all of the challenges that has gone along with it. Among those have been frost and drought that have hurt Central Illinois crops, as well as deer and shattercane problems on the Hebel farmland. He is one who is always up for a challenge, and learning the personality of the farm has been an enjoyable project. Organizers of Decatur's bid for the Farm Progress Show said the proposed show site would not have been large enough, had the Hebel Family not put its faith and trust in Marc Padrutt.