The Rural Voice, 2004-09, Page 18Crop plots (above left) and machinery demonstrations are among the big attractions at Canada's outdoor Farm Show.
Seeing is believing
Canada's Outdoor Farm Show thrives bjj offering farmers a
chance to see more than static displays
As it enters its second decade,
Canada's Outdoor Farm show
expects to continue to grow
when it's held September 14 to 16 at
near Woodstock.
"Last year, our tenth anniversary,
was a record year for the show," said
show president Ginty Jocius. "We
welcomed more than 38,000 visitors
and 571 exhibitors. Every time we
think we have reached our potential,
the show just keeps growing. We are
predicting over 600 exhibitors to
participate (this year). In fact, to
accommodate the demand for more
exhibit space, we have expanded
along the South Mall."
Key to the success of the show has
always been the chance for farmers
to see crops growing in fields or
equipment in action and this year is
no different.
As part of the Crops Expo, 10
major seed and chemical companies
will present seed and crop input plot
demos showcasing their newest
products.— all in one place. Visitors
can talk with company
representatives about the uses and
benefits of the latest products and
explore the plots up close.
"The crop plots are a unique point
of difference for our show," says
Henrietta Coole, director of client
14 THE RURAL VOICE
relations. "Visitors appreciate being
able to tour the various plots learning
about new crop input technology, on
the same day, with all the major
companies present."
Companies with plots on-site
include: BASF; Bayer CropScience;
Direct Seeds; Dow Agrosciences/
MycogenSeeds; DuPont/Pioneer;
Garst; Hyland Seeds;
Monsanto/DeKalb/First Line Seeds;
NK Brand, Syngenta Seeds; and
Pride Seeds.
In addition to the plots, there are a
variety of other crop demos and
exhibits at the show. Helmut Spieser,
an engineer with the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food,
will demonstrate effective spraying
systems using Folicur in a Bayer
Sprayer/Diagnostic Clinic that will
take place twice daily at the Bayer
plot.
The Ontario Soil and Crop
Improvement Association and the
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and
Food will also be on -hand at their
two -acre plot providing topical
information on crop production and
environmental management.
Farmers will have a chance to
learn about and observe corn forage
harvesting, vertical farming and the
diversity of ATVs and accessories
during the popular field
demonstrations.
The demos, which take place on
the southwest corner of the site (a
shuttle ride is available), offer
farmers a chance to see equipment in
action and learn about the latest
advancements in big iron.
"We like to change the field
demos each year so farmers can learn
about the newest equipment in the
field — some they might have seen
or heard of before and some they
might not have," says Clare Elston,
sales and demonstration co-ordinator.
A corn forage harvesting demo
will showcase the latest technology
in both self-propelled forage
harvesters up to six -row width and
conventional three -row harvesters.
Jn
the ATV/Utility Vehicle demo,
visitors can check out the latest
models of these popular farm
vehicles and see more than 25 units
in operation. They can also learn
about their many applications and the
accessories and attachments that can
be useful on the farm.
A vertical farming demo will
feature a comparison of fall zone till
versus conventional till for spring
planting of corn. Another demo will
address the effect of liquid manure as
a nutrient source compared to