The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1966-10-13, Page 23Norman A. Barber
FARMERS
turn idle acres into money makers!
Learn how you can improve your woodlot under the new Woodlands Im-
provement Act, effective January 1, 1967, in your area.
Visit the Lands and Forests exhibit at the Plowing Match where fores-
ters will be glad to answer your questions and offer free, technical ad-
vice.
Mini ster
DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS
Hon. A. Kelso Roberts Q.C., G.H.U. Bayly,
Deputy Minister
ONTARIO
We extend
a hearty
welcome
to all
associated
with the
International
Plowing Match
and invite those
attending the match
to visit our booth
OPNOTCH
TOPNOTCH FEEDS LIMITED
Branches at
Seaforth, Stratford, Milverton,
Kingston, Wroxeter, Port Stanley,
Tilbury, Dutton, Springfield,
Dundas, Moffat, Brussels, St. Thomas,
Dorchester
international Plowing Match News, October 10“ Pees 9 Host for 1966 Match
Huron can boast of history of progress.
Huron County, the site of the
1966 International. Plowing
Match, has a proud history of
progress since the first white
settlers arrived through the
virgin forest nearly 140 years
ago,
It was John Galt, the founder
of the Canada Company, who, in
1827, conceived the Huron Road
which cut across what was to
become Huron County, and on to
Lake Huron at Goderich.
The new road encouraged
settlement, and among those first
settlers were those who cleared
the area which this year is the
site of the International Plowing
Match, in McKillop Township.
The first wheat to be harvested
in the district was that planted
a short distance west of Seaforth
by Col. Van Egmond, the builder
of the HuronRoad, nowNo. 8 High-
way. The settlers early realized
to a high degree, with more than
95 percent using electric power.
and nearly 90 percent with tract-
ors and automobiles.
Scenery and picnic facilities,
equal to any in Ontario, Huron
each year is, the mecca of an
increasing number of tourists.
The International Plowing
Match is the largest outdoor
agricultural event of its kind in
Canada — if not in the world --
and each, year attracts daily at-
tendances of up to 50,000 people,
Located in McKillop Township,
on the northern limits of Sea-
wide variety of manufacturing
enterprises, and in recent years
the county has become One of
Canada's main sources of salt.
Most of the farms there are
over 5,000 farms in Huron
are engaged primarily In live-
stock, with about 33 percent in
dairy operations,
Huron has the most cattle and
poultry of any county in Ontario,
valued in 1965 at over $35 mil-
lion. Cash crops are increasing
rapidly in volume and value, and
now total in excess of $1,000,000.
Huron farmers are mechanized
forth, .activities will be .centred
on the 40.6acre$POtt Farms and
adjoining farms, a total area of
nearly 1,000 .acres being reserv-,
ed for- match activities.
The Tented City, featuring
more than 300 „exhibitors will
occupy nearly 100 acres. Laid out
in fully-serviced street s, the
Tented City will feature dig:plays
of every conceivable type of farm
machinery, as well as all sorts of
farm supplies. In addition, the
Tented. City will Include Match
headquarters and catering facilb,
ties for the thousands of visitors.
Progress since 1846
Seaforth mayor ready for 'em
If practice makes perfect, Ontario mayors who accept Seaforth Mayor John Flannery's challenge will
find they are up against keen competition. Mayor Flannery takes advantage of every fine day to improve
his plowing skills. Here he is practising at the farm of county committee co-chairman Gordon McGavin
while W, D. Stephenson, publicity committee chairman checks the furrows.
ticipating in such a large event
is good public relations.
The same can be said of radio,
television and press. These agen-
cies must be convinced they can
benefit or they would not be there.
Their representatives are always
on the job and anxious to be of
service.
OPA President says:
ATTENDANCE
Weather plays a big part in
the success or failure of any
outdoor event. Heavy losses have
been experienced over the years
because of unfavourable weather
conditions. Hurricane Hazel in
1954, when the match was inpro-
gress at Breslaw in Waterloo
County, has not been forgotten.
Despite this handicap and con-
trary to statements being made,
the attendance over the years has
ranged all the way from 60,000
to 150,000.
vesting the different crops in that
particular area.
This year, corn being the main
crop grown in Huron County
plans are made to demonstrate
corn harvesting in its entirety
from picking to drying and sto-
rage.
There will also be many more
demonstrations pertaining to that
area and many others in Ontario.
Something new which has been
added in the past five years is
schools, style shows,hairstyling,
etc. So at the plowing match of
today, there is something of in-
terest for everyone young and old
alike.
For the four days plowing there
are some 450 to 500 entires in
the different classes with prizes
of free trips to Europe as well
as trips throughout Canada and
United States and first prizes of
$100 down to $10 for 18th prize.
We feel the International Plow-
ing Match contributes a great deal
to agriculture.
COMMITTEE SYSTEM
Since the early days of the
International the Local Commit-
tee idea has been in effect. In
fact, it would be impossible to
stage a successful match without
the full support of the host coun-
ty.
This plan is sound in that it
provides a county with a wonder-
ful opportunity to advertise its
agriculture and allied industries.
It also gives cities and towns
within the county a chance to
co-operate with the rural people
in staging Canada's largest out-
door agricultural event.
The International has always
been in the fall at a time when
local committees can procure
from co-operating farmers the
necessary land for Tented City,
plowing competitions, parking
and demonstrations.
History of plowing
dates back in Huron
— Continued from page 7
It should be acknowledged that
churches, junior farmer s, wo-
men's institutes and service
clubs, also many individuals in
the food servicing business, have
made it a practise of partici-
pating. The net revenue from such
a venture is usually quite satis-
factory.
Down through the years a great
many churches and a community
centre building debts have been
liquidated, at least in part,
through money made at the In-
ternational Plowing Match.
TENTED CITY
Despite the fact the O.P.A.
has never put a campaign on to
sell space or has urged anyone
to buy, the number of exhibitors
and caterers has grown steadily
over the year. At the 1965 match
over 2 miles of frontage was
purchased.
Exhibitors and caterers are
supplied with hydro, telephone,
garbage pick-up, water under
pressure, toilet facilities, iden-
tification badges and the neces-
sary passes and what is more
important they are exposed to
large crowds of farm people
averaging from 20,000 to 30,000
per day.
Anyone familiar with Tented
City will note that it is laid
out in four streets which permits
both sides of each street to be
occupied.
One of these streets is used
entirely by manufacturers of
heavy machinery. The large ma-
chinery companies normally occ-
upy approximately 20 percent of
the Tented City exhibit area but
represent only 4 percent of the
total exhibitors.
SPECIAL SERVICES
The International Plowing
Match and Farm Machinery Dem-
onstration enjoys a great mea-
sure of support and co-operation
from various agencies and gov-
ernment departments.
Ontario Hydro has always sup-
plied power for exhibitors in Ten-
ted City, Ontario Provincial Po-
lice look after the traffic. The
Ontario Fire Marshal's Office
see to it that Tented City is kept
free of fire hazards and provide
protection.
The Department of Highways
carry a supply of signs and erect
them each year for the benefit
of those driving to the match.
Bell Telephone Company supplies
local and long distance service.
All this is given freely and
without cost to the Association,
and came about simply for the
asking. It is therefore assumed
those responsible feel that par-
By NORMAN BARBER
President, OPA
The International Plowing
Match was started in the year
1913 in York County by a few
men who had one objective in
mind and that was to improve
the methods of agriculture.
They started by building bet-
ter plows and training farmers
in the proper use and setting of
these plows. With this in mind
the implement companies took up
the challenge by building better
equipment to meet the needs of
the farmers of the day.
The International has blossom-
ed in to the biggest farm mach-
inery exhibit in the world which
covers an area of approximate-
Variety is unequaled!
ly 60 acres.
Those who have attended the
plowing match in the past will
agree that each year, they will
see something new in the farm
machinery and equipment display
which is so essential today in
getting their crops sown and
harvested with as little help as
possible.
I know of no other show that
one could see such a variety of
large or small equipment at one
showing.
Each year the plowing match
is held in a different county in
Ontario. With this in mind the
O ntario Plowmens Association
set forth with plans to demon-
strate the proper method of har-
the necessity of developing and
sharing their agricultural know-
ledge, and within a few years had
organized associations to this
end,
Typical is the report of a plow-
frig match held 101 years ago,
about three miles from Scott
Farms, the site of this year's
International, which appeared in
an issue of The Canadian Farm-
er, dated February 18, 1866. The
names of many of those men-
tioned in that early report are
to be found today among those
Huron people who are acting as
hosts to the 1966 event.
A visit to Huron at any time is
a rewarding experience; during
the activity of the Plowing Match
such a visit will be a particular
pleasant and a long-to-be-re-
membered occasion.
While Huron has a mainly agri-
cultural economy, there are a
By SIMON HALLOHAN
and L. E. CARDIFF
Huron Plowmen's Association
The Plowman's Associations in
the County of Huron were or-
ganized in South Huron in 1921
at Exeter and in North Huron in
1924 at Brussels. The two As-
sociations held successful plow-
ing matches for many years till
1959 when South Huron amalga-
mated with North Huron to form
the Huron Plowman's Associa-
tion.
With the exception of three
years during the war when all
Plowing Matches were discon-
tinued only two matches were
missed because of bad weather
during the forty-two years that
north Huron operated.
During those forty-two years
L. E. Cardiff who last year re-
tired as Huron member of par-
pliament has been secretary-
treasurer. An assistant, Russell
Bolton, was named several years
ago. Recalling difficulties faced
during the years, Mr. Cardiff
said "we have had some tough
years with the Finance Depart-
ment, but always pulled through.
Of late years all the Townships
in the County each donate twenty-
five dollars toward the Plow-
man's Association each y e a r.
This just about lets us break
even."
The locations for the match
vary each year from one side
of the County to the other de-
pending on where land is avail-
able. The land is donated free
of charge by Huron Countyfarm-
ers to the Plowman's Associa-
tion and is mostly chosen on one
of the better farms in the county.
There is a lot of detailed work
— please turn to page 11
Neighbouring MPPs
send their greetings
BY WILLIAM A. STEWART
Minister of Agriculture and Food.
May I extend my best personal
wishes for success to all those
who have worked so hard to or-
ganize the 1966International
Plowing Match. It is only by the
untiring efforts of such dedicated
people that events of the enor-
mous proportions of this Plow-
ing Match can be brought about.
It is my hope the 1966 Match
will prove to be not only an ex-
cellent place to meet friends but
will be a source of new ideas to
all engaged in every aspect of
the agricultural and food in-
dustry.
I urge all who possibly can to
make every effort to attend, you
will find it most worthwhile.
Campbell Murray of Martintown is shown standing in unsprayed test strips thick with guackgrass. On the right, he
stands in an area of the same field which received a split fall-spring treatment of Atrazine 65W.
"Fall-spring applications of ATRAZI NE 65W
eradicated quackgrass for me"
MMEMNSISIMInor msk
pressed nutgrass.
Mr. Murray is only one of the many Ontario corn
growers who have found in split fall-spring
applications of Atrazine 65W the means of
getting rid of hard to-eradicate quackgrass. For
full directions on using this new weed control
technique, consult the Atrazine 65W label or
ask your dealer for a Fisons Atrazine folder.
"Last year we only harvested about 25% of the
corn crop from this field due to heavy popula-
tions of quackgrass," Campbell Murray states.
"This year we're going to have a bumper crop,
thanks to Atrazine 65W !"
What made the difference was split applica-
tions of Atrazine. An initial spray was put on in
mid-November, followed by fail ploughing. The
field was sprayed again in the spring after the
weeds had emerged. This has completely erad-
icated quackgrass and almost entirely sup
Now is the time to art in order to be rid of
quackgrass Iii your corn fief & n''t
*Fiej'd 1.M. of CNN
Gesaprin brand of Atra,-ine 651N is available in n lb
BY MURRAY GAUNT
MPP, Huron-Bruce
I want to join with the people
of Huron in welcoming the thous-
ands of Visitors who will attend
the International Plowing Match
at Seaforth.
For many of the visitors it
will be the first opportunity they
will have had of seeing at first
hand the excellent farms and
modern agricultural facilites of
which we in Huron are so proud.
The success of the Interna-
tional reflects many long hours
of planning and work on the part
of a county wide committee. TO
each who played a part in mak-
ing the Match possible we extend
congratulations and good wishes
for an outstanding occasion.
bags and 60 lb cartoons from farm supply dealers
Fisons (Canada) Limited, 26 Prince Andrew Place, Don Mills, Ontario