From small valley towns to Canada’s largest city Toronto, the fair is still the best event of the year even in a year when floods destroyed thousands of homes and cottages, delayed spring planting and never-ending rain prevented farmers from planting some fields at all.
For most farmers the wet summer delayed haying while farmers waited and watched nice green, high protein hay turn woody and brown with less nutrition and ability to provide profitable growth to animals and milk to sell.
Some of Canada’s trading partners threaten to take away some of the Canadian farmers export and even domestic market with new trade deals.
Farmers talk with their bankers and borrow even more to get by this discouraging year while the news reports that some of our world leaders are threatening to start WWIII.
Meanwhile at the local fairs kids still squeal on the rides, farmers show off their best animals and the heel chains still rattle when the six horse hitch rumbles by. The best baking in the county is judged to find out who would make a man proud to have supper at that home.
Some of our best fair directors, fair presidents, best friends and honorees of the agricultural society are no longer with us but we will have a toast to honour them and greet old friends that we always meet at the fair.
It’s always fun at the fair, but when you participate personally you feel the pride of competing with or even being the best in the class.
You don’t have to have an excellent cow or a giant horse worth more than your car to show at the fair. There are classes for the nicest plate of tomatoes, the best pickles, the best picture, tea biscuits or even antique car. Pick up a booklet at the fair office when you get your program and membership pass and you’ll be surprised at the variety of classes you can compete in. Often you can earn more prize money competing than your fair pass costs and end up with bragging rights for the next year.
Where else could you learn cow milking, sheep shearing, have lemonade or a beer and listen to country music or rock?
This will often be the culmination of a project for many 4-H members. Whether they show a calf, goat, rabbit or chicken they also compete in showmanship and judging, as well as show off their speaking skills.
There will be young 4-H members at the fair that will be community leaders in a few years.
If you miss one fall fair, there will be another one next weekend within driving distance. But the best fall fair will be in Pontiac County in Shawville on Labour Day weekend. Come meet old friends, toast those not with us and enjoy a spectacular event that was started generations ago by a few farmers that wanted to show thanks for another year.
Chris Judd is a farmer in Clarendon
on land that has been in his
family for generations.
gladcrest@gmail.com
