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| 2001 OVFS Wrap-up Excellent weather on two of the three days and the addition of two new cattle auctions helped draw large crowds to this year's Ottawa Valley Farm Show held March 14-16 at Lansdowne Park. It was the 74th edition sponsored by the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association. While show organizers were concerned that a massive farm rally held at Lansdowne on the first day of the OVFS could cause major difficulties, the fact the protest was orderly and contained kept disruption to a minimum. While the number of visitors on the first day was down, many of those who decided to stay home came on the second and third days. Apart from serious parking congestion caused by Lansdowne management's new toll booths, many among close to 300 exhibitors expressed general satisfaction with the 2001 show, including their impression the protest overall didn't deter traffic at their booths. Several, such as Ultramar which was new this year, have already asked to book for next year. Once again, OVFS exhibitors brought with them leading-edge services and equipment, including the finest farm machinery and equipment money can buy, including robotic milkers offered by four different suppliers. The Sprung Structure cattle auctions - Simmental, Limousin, Hereford, Holstein/Jersey - were a phenomenal success, particularly the 39-head dairy heifer sale sponsored by Eastern Breeders Inc. which saw animals shipped off across Ontario and into Quebec, New York State and Ohio. EBI's Barry Mooney said the partnership with the OVFS produced one of his best sales ever. Also in the Sprung, the annual bull weight-guessing contest was won by the astute Lois James of Carleton Place who put it right on the money - $100 provided by event sponsor Ontario Farmer - by jotting down the exact weight of 2,567 pounds. Ottawa councillor Doug Thompson did double duty at the show, serving as special guest at the first day's official opening and later that night as speaker at the annual Seed Awards Banquet where Marc Bercier of St. Isidore and Vogledale Farms of Portland scooped a large share of the hardware. Special guest on Friday was Ontario's new Agriculture Minister Brian Coburn who took in the sights and officiated both at the Hereford sale and the Prestigious Pedigreed Seed Sale for CHEO. This year, the seed sale raised $5,000 for the children's hospital, bringing the 10-year total to $35,000. Special thanks to OMAFRA's Phyllis MacMaster who paid $500 for a Peter Snyder print, the first but not the last time the Seed Growers will include farm art in the sale. The next meeting of the Seed Growers is April 23 when plans for the special 75th OVFS will be discussed, including 2002 dates and the possibility of expanding into the Civic Centre arena, thereby reserving the entire park for the show's exclusive use. Tom Van Dusen, general manager, (613) 445-3407 Posted: Monday, April 16, 2001 |