“Did you go anywhere for the March Break?”
“Of course! To the Ottawa Valley Farm Show!”
“Oh, nowhere warm? Did you see or learn anything new?”
“No need. It’s warm in the building, there’s beer to drink, things to see and friends, old and new to chat with. There wasn’t really much more to see that we haven’t seen at the other two Farm shows we went to this year, but so and so is putting an addition on their barn. So and so has three kids now, and these guys got married last summer and have taken over his parents’ farm.”
Going down south for March Break is not a holiday most agriculture families are able to take, but for many that’s okay because there was the return of the Ottawa Valley Farm Show to look forward to this year. Going to the Ottawa Farm show is a tradition for many families.
Generations after generations go every year. Each year the newest additions to families get to join their parents and grandparents to see the show that has everyone excited. Parents and grandparents smile (or grimace) as the youngest little farmers climb into one piece of machinery
after another. Claiming each one is perfect for them and telling grandpa or daddy that they should buy it. You hear pride in a Grandpa’s voice as he explains to his aspiring grandchild the importance of proper animal care. You hear the exasperation in a grandchild’s voice as they try to
explain to the older generations how new technologies like drones can actually help save on time and labour.
There’s something for everyone at the Ottawa Valley Farm Show, and although there is much to be learned about the continuous changes and improvements for the industry, most don’t really go with the intention to wheel and deal. The main purpose of visiting the show is for the
socialization aspect of the event. It’s an excuse to pile a group of country lads and lasses into a van and road trip into the city to visit other fellow countrymen they may not have seen since the last farm show. Every couple of feet there is always someone new to stop and talk to for at least ten minutes. It takes all day to get through three halls, simply because there’s always someone to catch up with.
A day off the farm also usually means supper at Lone Star or another favourite restaurant. Or maybe a visit to the casino to try your luck with friends you haven’t seen all winter. However a day at the farm show plays out, it is a March Break event many were pleased to see the return
of this year. It’s an excuse to gather a community that plays such a significant role in our day to day lives. To give them a chance to step away from the physical and mental stresses of their day to day work environment and to enjoy some time visiting with old and new friends. There’s no
need to travel for hours on a plane and spend thousands of dollars on a vacation (maybe just on a new tractor instead), in order to enjoy a little March Break getaway.
