The Rural Voice, 2002-09, Page 651
0
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AgriTech
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Janice
Becker is a
computer
enthusiast
and
journalist
living near
Walton, ON.
In spite of a remarkably hot and
steamy summer in many parts of the
province, by late August, cooler
nights foretold of the coming fall.
And of course with fall, inevitably
comes the circuit of fall fairs and
exhibitions that draws farmers and
rural folks from the fields and barns.
One of the largest in Ontario is
Canada's Outdoor Farm Show,
September 10-12, at the University of
Guelph's research station near
Woodstock.
A tremendous amount of
information about the coming show
as well as past exhibitions can be
found at www.outdoorfarmshow.com.
Though the graphics are somewhat
slow to download, surfers can skip to
another page rather than waiting. The
list along the left allows for a jump to
pages of interest.
The Expos section provides a
synopsis of what will be displayed
and/or discussed on specific subjects.
While many are familiar, such as
beef, dairy, sheep/goat, swine and
nutrient management, there are also
several new topics to draw visitors.
The Eco Market gives farmers the
opportunity to view and buy unique
value-added products and possibly
inspire more to venture into
processing or improving their
products. Visitors will also be able to
partake in the largest hemp pancake
breakfast in Canada.
Guest speaker Tim O'Bryne of the
Alberta Farm Animal Care
Association will speak on animal
welfare and livestock handling at the
Transportation Expo. By checking
out the website, surfers can discover
more about O'Bryne's expertise in
the field of humane transportation
methods for animals.
Information at the Ag Fibre Expo
will show farmers how the move
shows on line
away from petro -chemically
produced products is opening new
markets for those in agriculture.
Exhibitors for across North America
and Europe will show how they are
using hemp, flax, switch grass, and
reed canary grass in new products.
"Meet Me at the Cairn", begun in
2000 at the Farm Women's Expo,
continues to grow as women bring
rocks from their farms to be added to
the monument.
Information on the Expos for
power crops and identity -preserved
crops was not yet available in late
August. New for field demonstrations
this year is the zone and open tillage
presentations.
The family programs are sure to
be educational and humorous as
Jennifer Moore talks of gardening
and Dan Needles, author of the
"Wingfield" series, reads from his
work. A cooking demo is also
planned.
A check of the web site should
also give intended visitors to the
Farm Show an incentive to stop by
their local farm equipment dealers' as
well. Have a look.
As is true every year, folks could
be kept busy every weekend and
some weekdays traveling to fall fairs
across the province.
Information on two of the most
well known can be found at
www.royalfair.org for the Royal
Winter Fair in Toronto and
www.westernfair.com/home.html for
the Western Fair in London.
However, many small communities
host fall fairs and links to inform-
ation on some can be found by
checking out the Rural Living
Canada site at
www.members.attcanada.ca/—kenruss
/Pag00018.htm. This site will link
surfers to such events as the Arran -
Tara Fair, www.btms.com/—agsociety,
that is marking its 145th anniversary
or the Roseneath Fall Fair,
www.eagle.ca/ —carousel/fair.html,
located north of Cobourg, that
features an antique carousel as its
centerpiece.
Contact me at jlbecker@
wightman.ca or through the Rural
Voice office, with topic suggestions
or feedback.0
SEPTEMBER 2002 61