The Rural Voice, 2000-09, Page 52QUILTERS'.LINE.
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SEPTEMBER
21-24 2000
Looking To The Future
•
4. Antique & Educational Display
4. Stratford -Perth Museum Display
4► 4-H Exhibits
4. Daily Bingos
+4► "Four Seasons" Petting Zoo
Qs Tug -of -War Championships
4, Free Entertainment Daily
4, BMX Bike Competition
4, Teen Rock Concert
* "Farm to You Exhibit
+T► Giant Demo Derby
* Livestock Shows
�. Homecratt Displays
* Agricultural Displays
4, School Fair Exhibits
4, Seniors Program
4, Arm Wrestling Competition
4, Ambassador of the Fair Competition
KINSMEN BEER TENT WITH LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
cSfra l/orol 7airyro un ods
20 GLASTONBURY DRIVE; BOX 901
STRATFORD, ONTARIO; N5A 6W3
Phone: 519-271-5130 F, ;. 519-271-0062
E -Mail: sasfair@orc.ca
www.stratford.orc.ca/fair
1 -877 -717 -FAIR
48 THE RURAL VOICE
people "recognized that food does
taste better locally," says Schmidt in
realizing one of her dreams to help
promote local food production.
People told her they hadn't
realized how diverse Perth
County agriculture was, she
says. Tasters not only had a chance to
sample food from well-known
commodities like beef, pork, chicken
and milk, but also goat's milk cheese
and various ways of using garlic.
People were ready to try new
things, Schmidt says, and that helped
lay to rest some misconceptions
about food. Older residents, for
instance, who had been turned off
lamb because of the mutton they ate
during World War II, discovered just
how good young Ontario lamb is and
often went back for more.
Commodity groups liked the way
the show came off, Hill says. In their
evaluation of the show, rep-
resentatives of one commodity group
said they didn't think there was a
single thing that could be improved if
the show was done again.
Will it be done again? Hill says if
someone else wanted to take over the
project she'll be happy to offer
advice but for the museum it was a
one-time event. "It was a huge
undertaking. It took a year and a half
of planning. The committee gave up
a big chunk of time."
Schmidt agrees that maybe it's
best left a special one-time event.
"The mistake people make is when
something is an achievement of any
kind, it must be repeated," she says.
Flavours of Perth was meant to be
a millennium event to recognize
Perth's farmers and the good job they
are doing, Schmidt says. It was done
as much for the farmers as for the
consumers, providing a chance for
farmers to turn to each other and
realize their value. Consumers were
invited to take part in that
celebration.
Hill, who is leaving her post with
the museum, says it was gratifying to
see everyone buy into the concept for
the show, which included exhibits of
farm machinery old and new, talks by
food producers and an activity tent
for children. Maybe, she says, the
show could never be as successful
again. "The stars were lined up," she
says. Certainly the sun was on a rare
day in the summer of 2000.0