The Rural Voice, 2004-09, Page 41d
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IPM offers tour of
a working Grey
County orchard
Afirst for the International
Plowing Match and Rural
Expo and a perfect fit with
Grey County.
This year's edition of the IPM
is offering an apple orchard tour at
Godscent Acres, conveniently
located directly across the road for
the Davison property, host farm of
the match.
"(Co-chair of the IPM) Pearl
Bumstead came up with the idea,"
says Gail Murray, who owns the
orchard with husband Bev.
"Apples are a major crop for Grey
County, with Bumstead calling it
the "hub of the apple industry".
The Murrays' orchard is
relatively young as orchards go.
The first trees were planted in
1991 with additional acreage
added in 1996 and 1998.
Closely connected to the
education program, the 20 -minute
wagon tours will take visitors
through the orchards while guides
describe the science of the
industry, the history of apples in
the Georgian Bay area, health
benefits connected to the fruit and
the time and labour involved in
producing a world-class apple.
An audiotape will accompany
the tour, with the guides stopping
to point out certain aspects of the
information and answer any
questions.
Participants will learn about the
varieties grown at Godscent as
well as view the equipment
required to run the operation, from
insect traps to tractors and
sprayers.
The apple harvest will be
gearing up by the time of the
plowing match so Murray says
visitors will see the bin carrier in
action.
To add to. the educational
aspect of the tour, a 12 -minute
video on apple production,
produced by the Georgian Bay
Fruit Growers Association, will be
shown in the education tent.
So look for the apple tour signs
to get a real taste of Grey
County.°
a search for the perfect site, Scott
says they came to him because of the
history of the land. "They knew the
match would work here, because it
had been held here in the past," he
says. "The land is level, which there
isn't a lot of in the area," he smiles,
"and it is sandy loam. There is three-
phase hydro, it is close to Meaford,
Owen Sound and Collingwood for
accommodations."
A couple other sites were also
considered before the Davison farm
was selected.
Roughly 150 acres of the
Davison land will by used,
mostly for the tented city (80
acres) and VIP plowing which will
be situated next to County Road 12,
west of Meaford.
Approximately 40 other
landowners have volunteered their
property, totalling in excess of 800
acres, for the events including 130
acres for the campgrounds, area for
antique tractors and equipment
displays, antique tractor pull track,
woodlots for tours and of course,
parking.
While the tented city area has
decreased from the 100 acres used in
1987, Scott says the campground
capacity has increased five -fold.
Aside from ensuring the grounds
are ready, Scott and Tracy have
numerous pre -event functions such as
dances and award banquets to attend
prior to the September 22 opening.
The couple will participate in the
opening and closing ceremonies and
parades, and Scott will speak to the
gathering.
Because of his status as host, he
will also be among the VIPs plowing
the front field.
For Tracy, involvement in such an
endeavour is a whole new
experience. "I am a city girl," she
smiles. And though she has attended
a match before, she says she has had
to learn as she goes. "It is just
starting to get hectic."
Though the Davisons admit there
are some inconveniences that come
as part of the package of being the
hosts ("I don't need all that hay"),
Scott says that the main reason he
a� d'"yes" was because "it is good for
the community."
And isn't saying yes in spite of
any personal inconveniences what
being a good host is all about?°
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Over 75 Years of Experience
SEPTEMBER 2004 37