THERE was an air of cautious optimism at two major field days in Victoria last week.
Attendances were slightly lower than last year for the Seymour Alternative Farming Expo and Sungold field days at Warrnambool, but most exhibitors reported good business.
Organisers of the Seymour Alternative Farming Expo said attendances were marginally down on last year and attribute the fall to the recent bushfires.
"In light of the fires it was a pleasing result," SAFE event manager Colin Stray said.
Hilton Ford from IHS Machinery Sales in Port Melbourne exhibited at SAFE and said he had about 15 genuine inquiries on compact tractors.
And Paul Cooney from A Class Solar Systems in Mansfield said he and Glenn Eldridge from Miatah Solar Powered Solutions were "run off their feet" with inquiries.
"We have literally hundreds of quotations to follow up," Mr Cooney said.
"There was a phenomenal amount of interest in our solar-powered water pumps."
Further west at the Sungold field days at Warrnambool, it was a similar scenario.
Sungold's Cristy Kelson said gate attendances were slightly down on last year.
But Sungold exhibitor Gerard Kenna from Sinch Bale Feeders said it was one of the best field days he had attended for years.
"We had a great deal of interest in the bale feeder," Mr Kenna said.
"While there didn't seem to be the overall number of people around, we had plenty of genuine inquiries."
