The Kummer family received the first ever Butler Farm Show Founders' Award. From left, back, are Audra (Kummer) Bowers, Daxten Bowers, Rick Bowers, Randi Foertsch; right, back, Kathy Kummer, Trace Waltemyer, Jessi Waltemyer; second row, from left, Teagan Bowers, Lincoln Bowers, Kinzi Foertsch; and right second row, Jaxson Waltemyer, Cole Waltemyer; and front, from left: Christian Foertsch, Andi Foertsch and Dayton Bowers.

As a little boy, Randy Kummer rode his bike, even a pony at times, the two miles from his home to the Butler Farm Show grounds.

Since then, Kummer instilled a love of the farm show in his daughters, who have passed on the tradition to their children.

“It's a great honor for my husband,” said Kathy Kummer of Renfrew, whose husband died in September. “He put his all into this farm show, even last year when he was sick.”

The Kummer family is the first to receive the Farm Show Founders' Award, a new award that honors the show's founders and volunteers who carry on the family tradition that was started in 1948.

Families and individuals were nominated by the board and superintendents. The winner is selected by the award committee.

“We are proud to honor the Randy Kummer Family with the First Annual Farm Show Founders' Award,” farm show officials said in a news release.

Surprised and humble are the emotions Kathy said she felt when she learned her family was the recipient.

“It's in our blood; we do it because we enjoy it,” she said. “Just like any other hobby, it's part of us. We do it because it's where we belong.”

From sunup to sundown, the Kummer family works the farm show, even through winter storage. The Kummers have three daughters, Audra Bowers, 37, and twins Randi Foertsch, 31, and Jessi Waltemyer, 31.

Every year, they start their day at 6 a.m. gathering trash from the day before. They stop working when the last truck leaves after the pulls are finished.

The late Randy Kummer was the director of the Butler Farm Show for more than 40 years. He was in charge of activities in the arena, served on the grounds and buildings committee, was a member of the antique department, and was responsible for the winter storage contracts.

Kathy Kummer, who is a retired 4-H leader, served as the superintendent of the rabbit department for more than 20 years and on the awards committee.

Foertsch and her husband took over managing the winter storage contracts last year.

This year, all of her daughters helped with the tractor and truck pull events and were part of the cleanup crew all week.

Bowers pulled her father's tractor, named Shrek because of its green color and size, in the pull.

The farm show has been a lifelong affair for the family.

From the time her children were babies, the family attended the show.

Kummer recalled watching her husband pull, while she sat with their oldest daughter on a wagon covered by an umbrella.

Now, their nine grandchildren participate in events, including the peddle tractor pull, showing rabbits, pet education classes in the rabbit department, and pee-wee cow showmanship.

When her grandchildren pass by the vacant grounds, they say, “There's the Butler Farm Show,” Kummer said.

Whether a person shows cows or horses or focuses on home products, she said the event builds service, pride, life skills, sportsmanship and camaraderie.

Kummer said her husband would be pleased to know his lifelong work was acknowledged at this year's farm show.

“It's a very huge compliment, and something our family will always cherish and remember,” she said.