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58 THE RURAL VOICE
AgriTech
IPM 2001 makes connections online
By Janice Becker
Where will you be between
September 18 and 22?
For hundreds of thousands of
producers, suppliers. manufacturers,
and rural and urban residents alike
the place to be is Navan in the Region
of Ottawa -Carleton. The International
Plowing Match. being held in the
eastern Ontario region this fall, is just
days away from its grand opening.
Following in the footsteps of
Huron County's internet innovators
in 1999, plowing match organizers
for Rural Expo 2001 in Navan have
gone on-line with program schedules,
maps of the location, ticket and
souvenirs purchase possibilities as
well as trailer park reservation.
When looking for information on
the match, I began with the Ontario
Plowmen's Association site at
www.plowingmatch.org, which in
itself is a good site. Not only did I
find links to numerous plowing
match home pages, but connections
to local matches, junior events and
other information relevant to the
organization and its members.
Linking to the Navan IPM site,
which can also be found through
www.ipm2001.com, I found ample
information about the planned farm
show. Situated on 1,000 acres east of
Ottawa, the venue will consist of a
100 -acre tented city, 150 acres for
Machines in Motion, 25 acres for
antique and historical displays and
another 300 for plowing.
The trailer park, which will cover
88 acres, has both serviced ($140)
and unserviced ($90) sites which can
be reserved in advance. Souvenirs,
ranging from a $1 lapel button to a
$65 lady's watch, can also be
ordered.
A detailed program schedule
allows busy visitors to plan ahead for
their days at the IPM so none of the
favourite exhibits will be missed.
After perusing manufacturers'
displays, plowing competitions and
other assorted exhibits, rest and
relaxation can be found at one of the
many entertainment locations. A
choice of Olde Tyme music, French
Canadian singers and dancers,
highland dancers or western and
bluegrass tunes will be presented.
The maps provided on the site are
very good, beginning with a
provincial view, then regional and
local and one of tented city.
From the IPM home page, visitors
can check out the discussion forums
or e-mail organizers for more
information. As the event draws
closer, more material is expected to
be added to the site, so go surfing
frequently before you head north.
For those who like to plan well in
advance, the IPM 2002 "Meet Us in
the Country" organizers from
Glencoe. in Middlesex County, have
already got their site up and running.
Though details are limited for the
September 16-21, 2002 event, there
are maps of the area, ticket and
souvenir information, accomm-
ddation listings, cookbook recipes
and prices for trailer park rentals
($190 and 5-140).
Even Grey County, scheduled to
host "The Natural Choice" IPM in
2004, have a web presence.
If recounting memories from past
events or tracking down that
competitor who ousted you last year
is what you are looking for, the OPA
site offers IPM results from 2000 in
Wellington County and Huron's
show in 1999.
An interesting sidebar for those
searching for material on plowing
matches and the history of the
undertaking can be found at
www.goldiproductions.com/Pages/P
SVideosEach/Plow.html. The video
production company put together an
award-winning video called Field
Behind the Plow, a look back at IPMs
of the past and a history of the horse
and plow. The website displays great
photos of plowing events while writ-
ten material tells the tales. Copies of
the videos are available for purchase.
If you have suggestions about
interesting technologies impacting
the agricultural community or just for
feedback, contact me at
jlbecker@wightman.ca or through
The Rural Voice oftice.0
Janice Becker is a computer
enthusiast and journalist living near
Walton, ON. •