Blyth Brussels Citizen - August 2023

A scary situation

The Village of Brussels was the site of a brief, yet tense stand-off between the Ontario Provincial Police and a 44-year-old Huron East man on Saturday afternoon. The police closed the main street through the village and brought in the West Region Tactics and Rescue Unit and the West Region Emergency Response Team to resolve the situation peacefully, which would eventually come to pass. At 2:46 p.m., the man was

taken into custody without issue. He has since been charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, uttering threats (damage or injure animal), imitation firearm (use while committing offence) and possession of firearm or ammunition contrary to prohibition order. After his first Ontario Court of Justice appearance in Goderich, the man was remanded into police custody. (John Stephenson photo)

Plowing Match coming to Albers farm Police request

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

The 95th annual Huron County Plowing Match, hosted by the Huron County Plowmen’s Association, will be held on Aug. 17-18 just northeast of Brussels on the home farm of Peter and Leisa Albers.

The match will begin on Aug. 17 with Junior Day. The young plowers will practice from 9-11 a.m., followed by the competition from 12-3 p.m.

Also that day, the Princess competition will go ahead. Six young women have put their names forward in the hopes of succeeding Jillian Shortreed, last year’s winner of the Princess competition.

On Friday, Aug. 18, registration will open at 8 a.m. and the competition will begin at 9 a.m.

Speeches to help decide the Queen of the Furrow competition winner will begin that day at 1 p.m. and former Huron County Queen of

the Furrow and current Ontario Queen Maranda Klaver will be part of the festivities. Eight young women will be vying for the crown

Later that day, the Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association, as well as several implement dealers, will be there and demonstrating as part of the match. The association will demonstrate between 2-4 p.m. that day.

The vendor market will go ahead

Tigers

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

The Belmore Stingers have a slim lead in the Huron County Fastball League standings with a record of 12-3 and 24 points as they continue to manage a three-game losing streak.

The Brussels Tigers have won

this year again and the association is actively looking for more vendors. Reach out to Margaret Vincent at vincent9margaret @msn.com if you are interested.

There will also be antique displays, organized by Henry and Annette Hendriks from the Lucknow area. They are also looking to involve more people, so reach out to them at 519-529-7560 for more information.

At 5 p.m., the banquet will begin

their last two games and are in second place, also with 24 points and a record of 12-2.

The Milverton Millwrights have won their last three games and sit in third place with a record of 9-3 and 18 points. The Sebringville Sting are in fourth place with a record of 8-4 and 16 points, followed by the Wingham Hitmen in fifth place with

with a meal catered by Cardiff Catering. That night, the plowing awards will be handed out and the 2023 Queen of the Furrow will be crowned, ending the local reign of Luanne McGregor.

There will also be both a silent and live auction at the banquet after dinner has been served.

On both days, the Brussels Leo Club will be serving lunch, while the Brussels Optimist Club will be dishing out breakfast on Friday.

a record of 8-5 and 16 points, the sixth-place Mitchell Mets with a record of 7-5 and 14 points and the Monkton Muskrats in seventh place with a record of 6-7 and 12 points.

The Goderich Grizzlies are in eighth place with a record of 5-10 with 10 points, followed by the ninth-place Fullarton A’s at 4-8 with eight points, the 10th-place Walton

By

Huron County OPP Detachment

Commander Jason Younan spoke to North Huron Council at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 8 in regards to police visibility in the area.

Younan explained that the majority of the OPP’s engagement in North Huron is spent in Wingham, as a move to technology-based platforms has allowed the OPP to pinpoint which areas are most in need of service.

“Gone are the days of patrolling dirt roads at random,” he said, going on to point out that, “analytics tells us that we should spend 63 per cent of our time [in North Huron] in Wingham.“

Younan pointed to specific problem areas within Wingham, citing hundreds of individual occurrences in recent years on Josephine Street alone, mostly theft and other property crimes.

He also noted 36 incidents that have taken place in Wingham and District Hospital over the same time period, which, while troubling, has led to the OPP forging a stronger relationship with the hospital.

Part of the OPP presentation highlighted increases in RIDE programs and foot and school patrols in Wingham. Younan said he is proud of the efforts of officers in Wingham, telling council that, “I review videos of officers all the time - they are there in the dark places where people are doing things.”

Commander Younan also included a request to council for a space in Wingham for officers to work out of, as they are spending so much time downtown. The optimal space would include a 24-hour desk with a computer and a bathroom.

“The preference is

Continued on page 16

Brewers with a record of 3-9-1 and seven points, the 11th-place Brussels Bangers with a record of 2-11-1 and five points and the lastplace Wroxeter Rippers with a record of 2-10 and just four points.

On Aug. 4, the Milverton Millwrights were in Brussels to play the Bangers and won by a

Continued on page 9

Scott Stephenson The Citizen

Lucknow’s Scott Chow is getting ‘Fired

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

On Aug. 18, Lucknow-based musician Scott Chow will be the latest musical performer in this summer’s hottest culinary event/concert series - Fired Up Fridays at Grassroots Wood Fired Pizza. The evening will feature Chow’s musical stylings, accompanied by local beer from Grand Bend’s Torched Brewing and, of course, delectable pizzas from the Grassroots crew. The Citizen sat down with Chow ahead of his upcoming performance to learn a little bit about the man behind the music.

Born in Hong Kong, Chow came with his family to Canada in 1979.

“When I started Grade 1 in Thornhill, I didn’t speak a word of English,” he explained. “Eventually we settled in Markham, Ontario and that’s where I basically grew up.”

The musically-minded Chow attended Humber College for jazz, which led to a career teaching and performing music, with a minor life detour into retail. “Retail was pretty much my life for 15 years - I started working for a big chain of music stores called Walters Music. We used to have a store in every shopping mall… I worked my way up to General Manager, and then one day I just realized, ‘Hey! I’m in the music industry but I wasn’t playing any music!’ Within two weeks I resigned from my job.”

Meeting his wife Karissa led the two back to her hometown of Lucknow two decades ago. It was a big change from a life spent largely in urban areas, but Chow is happy

he made the leap. “Lucknow is awesome! There’s just something about being up here that’s peaceful. Even when it’s hot and humid, it’s not sticky.”

He started teaching private music classes, going on to educate hundreds of local youths. In an area where sports reigns supreme, Chow hopes that offering an option for musically-inclined kids has had an impact on his community. “Music lessons were only half music lessons, and it was half just talking with the kids, trying to break stereotypes. You can be artsy and score 50 goals… you don’t have to just be one thing; you can be five things. And I hope that it did make a difference.”

Coming to Lucknow also brought Chow back to another one of his passions: live performance. “There used to be a restaurant called the Fireside Café [near Wingham], and Dave and Linda Phillips were gracious enough to let me play there every Thursday and Friday night. I really got to hone my skills and build up my repertoire again, so I really owe a lot to them. We still keep in touch.” Dave was also a jazz drummer, and the two would often perform together. In a charming convergence of moments in the flow of Wingham’s musical history, CKNX Barn Dance regulars like Kenny Ducharme and Ernie King could often be found in the audience of their shows. He remembers that time as a singular one in his life so far. “There’s a lot of times that you wish something would be like that forever, but then it wouldn’t be special - turning points are meant to be exactly that.

Countryside culture

Musician Scott Chow will be performing at Grassroots Farm on Friday, Aug. 18 as part of the Fired Up Fridays culinary event/concert series. The upcoming show offers a prime opportunity to experience Chow’s musical talents amidst a picturesque rural setting.

(Scott Stephenson photo)

The time is now, not later.”

Fireside Café may be closed now, but the experience he had there made the artist vow to always keep musical performances as part of his life, no matter what else he has going on. “During the day, I’m a carpenter and a general contractor… but I’ll never let music fall by the wayside like I did when I was younger.”

Chow also spent a spell

performing with Kincardine’s Lighthouse Swing Band, playing big band and classics by the likes of Duke Ellington, an experience that he found both enriching and edifying. “They are all fantastic people and great musicians… the music scene out here’s not as active as the bigger hubs… but for such a small population in such a massive piece of land up the peninsula here, we have some top notch, like,

world-class musicians.”

One such musician is sax player

Jason Hunter, who is an operator at the Bruce Power plant. “He’s one of the top 50 saxophone players in North America,” said Chow. “If Michael Bublé came through town and was short a saxophone player, Jason might get a call, that’s the calibre he is!” Chow is also excited about the

NH Council votes to preserve town hall meetings

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

At a regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 8, North Huron Council voted against an amendment to its procedural bylaw that guarantees a public town hall meeting at least once a year.

Councillors were divided in their opinions about the value of town hall meetings. Councillor Mitch

Wright spoke in favour of keeping the town hall requirement. “What I am concerned about is the elimination of any public meeting,” he said. He cited the elimination of the parks committee as an example of the problem. “People used to have the ability to ask questions of council, and that’s been taken away.”

Wright went on to urge that council move in the opposite

direction, saying that they should “interact with the taxpayers more, not less…. What is gained by eliminating the public meeting?… I don’t see anything gained, and I see opportunities lost. They lose the ability to ask questions and get answers.”

Deputy-Reeve Kevin Falconer argued that public meetings were an ineffective way of interacting with constituents, as the format is too

Crack of the bat

Brussels was the stage for an electrifying battle as the Belmore Stingers faced off against the Brussels Tigers in a riveting game last week that left fans on the edge of their seats. The Tigers would win in extra innings by a score of 8-7. (John

Music runs in the family

Continued from page 2 calibre of musical talent emerging in his own family. “Our daughter Lachlan is following in my footsteps. She’s actually playing up in Paisley this weekend… she’s also performed at FIG Restaurant in Ripley - the food there is just great, as good as anything you’d have in the city! I’ve actually opened for her a few times which is kinda nice… it’s a dream come true as a musician and a father to have your child beside you.” Their family has a long, local musical history as well - Karissa’s grandfather was a fiddle player who entertained the citizens of Lucknow many years ago. Being a performer in a rural area is not without its challenges. Pay can range from low to nonexistent, the post-COVID landscape has fewer venues geared towards live shows, and there is the ubiquitous competition of a flickering TV with the hockey game on. “Culture can still be a bit hard out here,” he remarked. “But there’s hidden treasures everywhere. Down all these concessions, each one has its own beach, and each beach is different. You should adventure!” His upcoming show at Grassroots is a great example of one of the area’s (semi) hidden gems. Tucked down a tree-lined driveway, the farm reveals itself slowly to visitors as they drive up. The welcoming alpacas, the farm store, the vegetable gardens and the fields all lead guests to the barn where the main event goes down every Friday night of the summer. “Places like Grassroots are great for giving a venue for artists. A lot of the younger folk you see playing have been my students, like Natalie Irwin, who just performed there. She’s excellent. What they’re doing, pairing food and drinks with music is a great way of bringing people out.”

If you want to make the scene this

summer, check out Scott Chow at Grassroots on Aug. 18 - grab a pizza, catch up with friends and

neighbours and enjoy the sights and sounds of a summer evening in the country.

broad. “Basically all the public meetings we had were just stone throwing,” he said. Falconer also countered Wright’s assertion that the public town hall is the only place for citizens to voice their opinions, pointing out that there is an allotted time at the beginning of every meeting for public comment.

Wright pushed back against the idea that public comment is the equivalent of a public town hall meeting. “I’ve heard a lot of people voice frustrations about the public comment method. Yeah, they can ask a question, but they can never get an answer.” Wright suggested that public meetings could be made into a less chaotic situation if everyone had to send their questions in advance. Wright also made note of the fact that many members of the North Huron staff don’t live within the municipality,

saying that “it’s easy to lose touch with what is important to the people that live here and I think it’s important to keep the connection. I think we should have more public meetings, to be quite honest.”

Councillor Chris Palmer recalled past open meetings he’s experienced as difficult, but felt they are essential to successful governance, commenting that “open meetings can be really, really tough, but we shouldn’t shy away from that…. It’s hard, but I still think we should do it.”

Council voted against the proposed amendment to the procedure bylaw that would abandon the town hall meeting requirement, but voted in favour of a complementary recommendation that township staff update the methods they use to receive public input during the budgeting process.

Mary might well complain of Martha!

(Charles Spurgeon, “Flowers from a Puritan’s Garden”)

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

“The world eats up our time, our energies, and our thoughts — and God has but a little share, little worship, little reverence.”

For the most part in our households, Mary might well complain of Martha, for family cares still encumber many and keep them away from Jesus’ feet. Very seldom are Christians nowadays too much in the closet, too much with their Bibles, too much at prayer-meetings. Alas, the most of them are all zeal for the world, the shop, or the evening party! “Martha, Martha!” we may well complain to the Master of you for you leave Him alone, and forsake His teaching and all for this poor, cumbering world!

Lord, help us to balance our duties, and thus may we serve you after the best manner, through your grace.

A Grace Gem

Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church, Listowel, ON 519-492-1359

There are so many people out there who do so much to improve their community. This is your opportunity to show your appreciation for all they do.

Each year a committee chooses an outstanding citizen from each of the Blyth and area and Brussels and area communities and wider Huron County area to receive an award for contribution to the community. If you know someone you think should be honoured, please fill in the form and send it in. You may attach a longer explanation of why you think your nominee should win, if you like. If you have nominated someone before and they didn't win, we encourage you to submit again. Emailed submissions can be sent to Shawn Loughlin at editor@northhuron.on.ca I nominate

Stephenson photo)

Pictured on left, Margaret McInroy being presented her 2022 Citizen of the Year award by North Huron Publishing member Ralph Watson.

Editorials Opinions

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info@northhuron.on.ca

A group of top medical officials are calling for a federal inquiry into Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At issue for the more than a dozen physicians and health advocates who published a set of editorials and analysis papers in the British Medical Journal was “devastation in long-term care homes, to vaccine hoarding, to higher death rates among lower-income communities”.

When the virus hit, Canada’s initial response was swift and seemed to be effective, but it wasn’t long before our complex healthcare system, which varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, became overwhelmed. Long-term care facilities suffered the greatest with the most-vulnerable populations and little preparation for the overworked staff.

An inquiry into the response seems like the only way to ensure that we are prepared to protect these communities for the next threat.

Also at issue is the number of people who fell for disinformation. Perhaps an inquiry could offer some insight into how a strong communication system and an integrated pandemic response among all of the provinces could have helped politicians combat voters’ distrust of the government and public health as the mask mandates and vaccine policies dragged on month after month.

One thing is certain - the public is not going to put up with another wave of this pandemic, let alone be ready for another novel virus to hit on a global scale. A better plan has to be ready before the next one. – DS

The path forward

Well, what now? Well, they’ve released the betting odds on the women most likely to be Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s next squeeze, so, we have that to mull over. But, really... what now?

Trudeau and his wife of 18 years, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, decided to separate. Such a high-profile marriage (remember their steamy photo shoot for Vogue?) has resulted in an equally high-profile split. Aside from making a little dough betting on Trudeau’s next love interest (there doesn’t seem to be as much action on Sophie’s choice for a new beau - sexist), what does it mean for Canadians?

To some, Trudeau is among the most reviled Prime Ministers in our history (he has inspired a crude, yet popular flag) and many have asked if it’s time the Liberal Party move on. What impact will the Trudeaus’ split have on the 2025 federal election? Will the personal turmoil serve to humanize Trudeau to voters? Will it go the other way (see, even his wife can’t stand him)? Will he be encouraged to take a step back and spend more time with his children? Will he dig his heels in and throw himself even further into politics? Will he make way for a new leader?

The uncertainty of it all, not just for Trudeau, but for Canada, begs that we take notice. Trudeau is only the second Prime Minister to split with his spouse while in the top job (he wasn’t even the first Trudeau to do it) and people handle these situations in a number of ways.

How Trudeau and, frankly, his political opponents will navigate the next two years remains to be seen. Figuring that out might be more of a longshot than Madonna (+5000) dating Trudeau. – SL

Underspending, understaffed

If your child accidentally ingested laundry detergent, and your local emergency room was closed temporarily (or permanently) for budgetary reasons, you could try reassuring your frightened offspring by telling them about the Ontario government’s commitment to frugal financial stewardship on the way to the next nearest hospital. See if it helps.

It won’t, at least, not in the same way an emergency room physician and nursing team would if they were available to respond to your child’s emergency situation. But they aren’t always available, and the blame for this gap in essential care rests squarely on the shoulders of the P.C. government and its unwavering vision of how budgeted money should be spent, whether that vision be wise, unwise, or otherwise.

A report from the Financial Accountability Office (FAO) of Ontario released last week says the provincial government spent around $7 billion less than planned this fiscal year, with healthcare seeing a reduction of about $1.6 billion. Other sectors spent less than anticipated, but healthcare experienced the largest cut due to reductions in COVID19 testing, vaccination efforts, hospital operation and home care.

The opposition parties have criticized the underspending for its impact on services, while the government counters that the FAO’s views do not accurately represent actual spending. For years, emergency rooms throughout Ontario have faced rotating closures due to staffing shortages. Rather than providing necessary resources and adequate funding, the government is actively choosing to spend less on healthcare than even it had previously said it was going to spend in the 2023 budget.

Rural Ontarians deserve timely access to healthcare and operational, well-equipped ERs. Instead, local families are being told to carefully schedule all emergency situations to occur during the work week and for children to develop a taste and tolerance for laundry detergent. – SBS

Looking Back Through the Years

August 11, 1966

The Brussels Bantam baseball team achieved a momentous victory in the Western Ontario Athletic Association (WOAA) semi-finals, securing a win in its first game with remarkable skill. In a dominant performance, the team outclassed Blyth, securing a resounding 14-4 win. The local team’s firepower was unstoppable, led by M. McDonald, G. Bennett, D. McLean, and D. Elliott.

Taking charge of the game’s crucial moments, the battery for Brussels consisted of pitcher McLean and catcher G. Wilson. Their partnership on the field played a significant role in the team’s success.

The game drew an enthusiastic audience, with a substantial gathering of parents and interested spectators, which added to the gratification of the team’s remarkable victory.

Following the team’s triumph in Blyth on Wednesday night with a convincing 17-7 victory, Brussels solidified their series win. The upcoming challenge for the team from Brussels would be a championship series against Wingham.

***

In a heartwarming celebration, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Pollard, originally from Morris Township, marked their 60th wedding anniversary in Brussels on a joyous Monday. The couple’s love story began when they tied the knot at the Brussels Methodist Church, officiated by the late Rev. Ezra G. Powell.

Following their wedding, they embarked on a farming journey, initially in Grey Township, and later in Morris Township. After

several years, they settled in Brussels, where Mr. Pollard served the community diligently by carrying the mail for an impressive 16-year period.

***

The St. Ambrose Altar Society’s July gathering took on a delightful picnic format, hosted at Mrs. Gerald Ryan’s charming home in Walton. Led by President Mrs. Connelly, the meeting began with a concise business session, and the program segment was overseen by Mrs. J. Blake and Mrs. Kernaghan.

The children and their holiday guests had a blast engaging in games, races and other fun activities. For the participating ladies, a series of skill-based games were arranged, and prizes were awarded to the victorious participants across all categories.

The event proved to be a wonderful blend of camaraderie, enjoyment, and friendly competition.

***

Miss Kate McNabb of Cranbrook received delightful company from Mrs. George MacDonald and Mrs. Fred Hayden from Molesworth. Together, they embarked on a journey to Detroit, where they spent several enjoyable days. Their visit centered around spending time with two dear friends, Mrs. De Witt McGuire (formerly Lydia Jeschke) and Mrs. Freeman Spencer (formerly Alma Querengesser).

The bond among the ladies went back to their days at Cranbrook school, and this reunion provided a wonderful opportunity to reminisce and create new cherished memories together.

August 22, 1976

Health and Welfare Minister

Marc Lalonde announced that a group of retired individuals in Blyth was awarded a significant federal grant of $8,699.

The Senior Bowlers Club intended to use the grant to establish lawn bowling greens and a shuffleboard court, which would be developed in collaboration with the Blyth Lions Club.

The grant was part of the government’s New Horizons program, and Blyth’s Senior Bowlers Club was among 149 groups across Canada receiving support.

Since its inception in 1972, the New Horizons program had funded a total of 6,011 projects, amounting to $35,110,771.

***

The Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs, the Honourable Bryce Mackasey, made an important announcement regarding new regulations pertaining to the flammability of rugs and carpets. These regulations were put into effect immediately to ensure consumer safety.

Under the revised regulations, it was now prohibited to import, advertise, or sell rugs that did not adhere to Canada’s established flammability requirements.

***

Hullett Township Council convened and successfully passed a tough new bylaw to deter cattle from straying onto township roads. According to the newly-enacted bylaw, owners of cattle found wandering on township roads could face fines of up to $300. The primary objective behind this regulation was to discourage cattle from venturing onto other people’s property and causing potential disruptions or damage.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright

Other Views

Trump is the latest U.S. insanity case

It’s almost impossible, if you follow current events, to ignore the history being made south of the border with the charging of a past-president Donald Trump with illegal attempts to keep the current President Joe Biden from taking the office in 2021.

American politics usually are more dramatic than things on this side of the border. I can remember only one time when things were more dramatic in Canada: on the occasion of the 1970 October Crisis in Quebec when the FLQ militant Quebec independence movement, after carrying out more than 200 bombings and killing six people over the previous decade, kidnapped British trade commissioner James Cross and then kidnapped and subsequently murdered Quebec cabinet minister Pierre Laporte in October 1970.

I was the young editor of the Clinton NewsRecord at the time, only a year out of university. Part of my duty was covering the closure of the former Royal Canadian Air Force base south of Clinton (now Vanastra). I had become accustomed to slowing down and giving a simple wave at the guardhouse at the entrance to the base, but with new federal restrictions orders, I was stopped and my identity and purpose confirmed, before I was allowed to enter.

But in a few weeks, things returned to normal. South of the border there were regular protests against the U.S. war in Vietnam, which had been promoted by Democratic U.S. Presidents such as John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnston as an effort to stop the spread of Communism. Ironically, it had been a Republican, Richard Nixon, who, in 1975, ended the war.

In the meantime, investigations into Nixon’s illegal attempts to influence American voters in the election of 1968 were ongoing in the

Keith Roulston From the cluttered desk

Washington Post and New York Times and, finally, staffers at the newspapers dug up enough evidence that Nixon faced an attempt to impeach him. When it became obvious that Republican leaders were prepared to support impeachment, Nixon resigned, after getting a promise from his Vice-President Gerald Ford, that he would issue a pardon to halt the impeachment process.

Prior to that crisis, there was the ongoing anti-Communist campaign led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the early 1950s, when I was still a child. Movies like Trumbo, starring Bryan Cranston, show how Hollywood writers, seeking a fairer world in the 1930s and during World War II, foolishly supported Communism, but were persecuted and sent to jail under McCarthy’s rule. Trumbo spent 11 months in jail and when he was released wasn’t allowed to work at major studios, but he and other writers used their skills, borrowing the names of others. When his movie Roman Holiday won the Academy Award for best screenplay in 1953, the prize was given to a writer who could officially accept it. Only later, when the paranoia lifted, could Trumbo accept the award he had earned.

Now, we’re back in another era of American paranoia when Trump claims that he actually won the 2020 election that installed Biden as president. Having made an early declaration

that he will be a candidate for president in the 2024 presidential election, Trump claims that Biden is attempting to sideline him by conducting persecution against him, with more than 100 charges so far for breaking the law and, more likely, for his attempt to interfere with the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, which he lost by a relatively small margin. Biden hardly says a word about the charges filed by independent prosecutor Jack Smith.

According to Trump, Smith is a “deranged, sick man”. Trump claimed there is no way he could get a fair trial from District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who will hear his case, because she was appointed by President Barack Obama. What’s more, he challenged last week, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!”

And despite his legal problems, Trump continues to be popular with Republican voters eligible for the 2024 election. According to an NBC poll, a whopping two-thirds of Republican primary voters say they stand behind him and dismiss concerns about his electability. Ironically, the more charges against him, the higher his popularity seems to grow.

As mentioned earlier, sometimes voters in the west’s leading democracy go off on these frightening diversions. What’s frightening about Trump is that he promises to change the rules governing his country if he is re-elected. Since, in the past, he has shown admiration for dictators like Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un while downplaying democratic leaders like Canada’s Justin Trudeau, one wonders what a Trump-dominated America might become. Hopefully someday sanity will return south of the border. If it does, one wonders how many Trump supporters will forget they once backed a crazed would-be dictator.

Summer: A time for traditional traditions

Ah, the illustrious and often overlooked event known as the Huron County Chaffing Match! While the Huron County Plowing Match might steal the limelight with its grand displays of precision furrow-making, the Chaffing Match is a true spectacle of agricultural finesse that tickles the senses and leaves spectators agog.

Picture this: a sun-drenched field, scattered with bales of straw, and a throng of eager participants armed with pitchforks, rakes and other implements of chaff manipulation. The air is filled with a heady blend of wheaty fragrances and the promise of dusty excitement.

The event kicks off with the ceremonial Chaff Parade, where the most dazzlingly decorated carts laden with freshly harvested chaff are paraded around the arena. Floats adorned with chaff sculptures reminiscent of famous landmarks, mythical creatures and various agricultural machinery roll by, each trying to outdo the others in creativity. Spectators applaud and cheer, showering the participants with confetti made from - you guessed it - chaff.

Now, the heart of the Chaffing Match lies in the Chaff Sculpture Competition. Teams of skilled artisans gather around piles of chaff, engaging in an intense and cutthroat battle of chaffitecture (that’s chaff + architecture). They mold, sculpt and stack chaff into awe-inspiring creations that defy gravity and common sense. You’ll find chaff pyramids that put the Egyptians to shame, chaff renditions of famous works of art, and even chaff-based replicas of tractors and plows - because one can never escape the shadow of the Plowing Match entirely.

As the sculptures reach ever-higher heights, tension fills the air. Gasps escape the crowd as delicate chaff arches quiver on the brink of

Scott Stephenson

The Chaff

collapse, prompting spectators to hold their collective breath until either the structure stands tall or chaff confetti rains down upon the defeated sculptors. Judges armed with magnifying glasses scrutinize the sculptures, awarding points for structural integrity, artistic flair and overall chaffiness.

Of course, no Chaffing Match would be complete without the Chaff Toss Championship. Competitors hurl fistfuls of chaff high into the air, their eyes gleaming with determination, as they aim for maximum height and hang time. The victorious chaff tosser is showered with accolades and, fittingly, chaff confetti.

Food vendors offer a variety of chaff-themed delicacies, from chaff-infused cotton candy to chaff-dusted popcorn. And who could forget the Chaff Beauty Pageant, where participants are judged on the elegance and grace with which they carry themselves amid the chaffladen grounds?

Back by popular demand this year is the one and only, the wheat whisperer, the chaff connoisseur extraordinaire - Chaffy the Chaff Master! Clad in a vibrant, chaff-inspired costume that shimmers with the essence of a thousand harvested fields, Chaffy is the undeniably charismatic and slightly quirky mascot of the Huron County Chaffing Match. Chaffy’s headgear is a masterpiece in itselfa towering crown of intricately woven wheat stalks that rise majestically above the crowd.

Four rooms

AShawn Loughlin

Shawn’s Sense

s you read this column week after week (after week), you must think to yourself, “How could it ever get better than this?” I don’t know that even I have the answer to that question - though I appreciate your compliment nonetheless - but that doesn’t mean I can’t try to find it right alongside you. So, what’s better than one column from Shawn Loughlin? How about four minicolumns? Let the great experiment begin! ***

As I watched The Donnellys: A Trilogy wrap up on the weekend, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a hot take former reporter Denny Scott and I had for many years. It is that Cam Laurie, a local who has taken on several memorable roles at the Blyth Festival, including in the aforementioned trilogy, has the best Festival performance of recent years. For a theatre company that has played host to the J.D. Nicholsens, Catherine Fitchs, Randy Hughsons and Severn Thompsons of the world, it was Laurie as the dead plane passenger in Falling: A Wake, sitting motionless for an hour and a half while Fitch and Tony Munch put on an acting clinic, who gets my acting praise. Think it’s easy? Try it. ***

Speaking of the Donnelly shows, this week marks my third and final review of the plays and my third and final failed attempt to work an anecdote into one of them. And here it is! (Warning, strong language lies ahead.)

The crown boasts a rotating assortment of chaff sculptures that reflect the themes of the event. A pair of oversized sunglasses sits atop Chaffy’s head, reminiscent of aviator shades, completing the look of a mascot ready to conquer the world.

Chaffy’s demeanour is a blend of agricultural expertise and boundless enthusiasm; always ready with a chaff pun, a hearty laugh, and an infectious energy that sweeps the crowd into a frenzy of chaff appreciation.

During the Chaffing Match, Chaffy is everywhere - dancing with chaff enthusiasts, leading the Chaff Parade, and even making surprise appearances on the Chaff Match’s iconic Long-o-Tron Long Screen TV courtesy of the hardworking engineers down at LongTech Inc. Chaffy’s presence is so ubiquitous that even the participants of the Chaff Sculpture Competition find themselves occasionally looking over their shoulders, half-expecting to catch a glimpse of Chaffy’s chaff-crowned head nodding in approval.

In between all the antics, Chaffy takes a moment to remind everyone about the importance of chaff in agriculture, its role in soil health and its versatile uses. They weave these educational tidbits seamlessly into their chaff-related anecdotes, ensuring that even while they entertain, they’re also sowing seeds of knowledge among the crowd.

So there you have it, the marvelous extravaganza that is the Huron County Chaffing Match - an event that’s chaff-tastic in every sense, where wheat stubble becomes a medium of mirth, and chaff itself achieves the status of a star.

Though cast aside, it finds its grace, In winds of change, it finds its place.

So let us learn, from chaff's embrace, To bloom with purpose, in every space.

In Goodfellas, Henry Hill tries to make sense of his friend being murdered as a result of some real high-level mafia stuff, saying, “It was among the Italians - it was real ‘greaseball’ shit.” As I watched the Donnelly shows, as someone with an Irish last name, I couldn’t shake that the story of that family and its murderous neighbours is “real ‘Mick’ shit”. In fact, that was my one-line review for Jess. Growing up as a liberal thinker in Catholic school (which I won’t dare dive into in a minicolumn), I admit to not quite understanding the quarrels between those of different religions that all follow Jesus. Like, you all follow Jesus, so you’re all on the same page, right? Far from it. I’ll never understand it.

***

Late last month marked what would have been Terry Fox’s 65th birthday. Fox died at the tender age of just 22, but his name still echoes and his impact remains massive.

Here at The Citizen, we just marked the retirement of a long-term employee, Dianne Josling. I don’t know about you, but when I think of 65, I think of retirement. To think of Terry making it to an age of retirement is both inspiring and sad at the same time.

I hope to make it to 65 and beyond, just like everyone else in the world. To think of how long ago it was that Terry died and all he could have done between then and now really puts the magnitude of his loss into perspective. ***

Another column I’ve been wanting to write, though I don’t think I could pick enough meat off the bone is about the birds and the bees. I remember Jess asking me if either of my parents had a ‘birds and bees’ chat with me.

As a teen, I remember watching Lethal Weapon 2 with my dad and he (briefly) explained the importance of condoms (there is a scene in that movie in which Murtaugh’s daughter stars in a condom commercial and his cop buddies find it rather hilarious).

Think it’s silly (as I do) and say what you will (as I have), but I never fathered a child until I was ready and working towards starting a family. So, thanks Lethal Weapon 2!

Peaceful resolution

A tense situation played out on the main street of Brussels on Saturday, as the Ontario Provincial Police were called to a residence in the village for a call that turned into a short stand-off. Police employed the emergency response and tactical teams in the hopes of resolving the situation peacefully. In the end, a 44-year-old Huron East man was arrested and charged with four offences. (John Stephenson photos)

BY JO-ANN MCDONALD

The summer rushes on and here we are, already halfway through. The week at the Branch was normal and the weekend started with the Catch the Ace draw on Friday evening. There was a nice crowd on hand for burgers and fries for supper and then the draw was held. The foursome of Jo-Ann, Judy and Sandra and helper Kathy readied and ran the draw.

The lucky weekly winner was Rick McDonald and he won $135. He chose envelope number 18 and the six of spades was revealed. The

estimated jackpot for next week could be $2,500. Get your tickets at Brussels Pharmacy, Brussels Variety, McDonald Home Hardware and the Legion. Remember, your support of the Catch the Ace draw means monies raised are donated back to the many community programs.

Jo-Ann and Judy then went upstairs to thaw fish for the fish fry on the next day. Deb Ross organized all that needed to be taken by the crew and the day was over. On Saturday, the fish fry

‘Chaordic’ times for columnist

Holiday reports are coming in and the world is a happy place. Good weather, good company and memories made - all these and more will mark 2023 summer holidays.

Chaordic is my word of the day. I saw the word while reading and it sums up so many situations. I put it in my memory file. As our world and lives change, our familiar times change and, depending on the amount of change coming, chaos can be felt. Perhaps it’s because we’re getting older and have more time to think, that chaos can seem threatening. If change is managed well, details are shared, questions noted, concerns filed and order starts. There was a chaordic moment!

So, be assured, as your world changes, order will follow and this is where your faith and trust are required. Just another reminder that we do not run the world.

Life changes quickly. The best laid plans can be side tracked in a minute. Julie Harrison made the world stop in a little bit of chaos last week as she took some steps in an undignified manner. Jason and Patty looked after things and the New Liskeard hospital became Julie’s temporary Holiday Inn. Order has returned and they’re back in our area again. Hurrah.

Hello from Agnes Schell. She’s making a good life in Palmerston in the retirement section of Royal

crew headed to Mitchell to feed 300 for the Mitchell Lions Club fundraiser.

The crew included Chris Brown, Dan Fritz, Doug Mitchell, Rick McDonald, Steve Knight, Judy Lee and Jo-Ann McDonald. A good afternoon and job by all.

Mark your calendar for Aug. 18 and the patio performance (weather-permitting) of the Lucky Charms. There will be a $5 cover charge. It will be a night of great musical entertainment right in downtown Brussels. Come out and enjoy from 7:30-11 p.m.

Terrace. We played 20 questions last week as we caught up on family, community and friends. Life changes, but all is well with Agnes. Betty Shaw got home from the hospital. She’s known and lived with Harvey long enough to know he needs a little watching, right Harvey? Happy you’re home, Betty.

Thanks go to the Legion for supporting the pool and seniors in our community. This summer, the Legion has offered free swim time for seniors, a nice addition to the Lions Club subsidy for the youth. Be sure to use the pool at 1 p.m. on weekdays and thank the Legion for its generosity.

Market day is on the second and fourth Fridays of the month on Richmond Square. Come and see the bounty of our area and taste the freshness of the food for sale. And, you can’t forget that it’s a good spot to chat and see others out and about.

Playing a tune

Jeff Culbert presented ‘Following the Donnelly Songs and Stories’ on Sunday at Memorial Hall as part of the Blyth Festival’s Bonanza Weekend. Festival fans will remember Culbert from Dear Johnny Deere (John Stephenson photo)

What do an intelligent spider, a humble pig and a feisty rat have in common? They were all part of E.B. White’s novel, Charlotte’s Web (1952). Charlotte, Wilbur and Templeton all came to life for a little, curly headed girl in a Grade 1 classroom in a rural town in Western Tennessee.

I am 54 years old, and I still recollect my teacher, Mrs. Hall, gathering our little group around her brown, wooden chair as she read Charlotte’s Web to us each morning. Sitting “criss-cross applesauce” with my hand in my lap, I listened intently to every word that came from her lips. It was simply mesmerizing!

I was transported to Zuckerman’s farm where I witnessed each character awaken which, no doubt, activated my imagination in a way that no video game ever could. There were no colourful illustrations, and there was no video of Charlotte and Wilbur to view, at that time, so it forced me to use my

The Reading Web with Cindy Norgate

mind’s eye to “see” what the author was trying to relay.

If you’re asking yourself why I saw the need to mention this story or what the purpose of this article might be, I understand. The reason is that this book ignited in me a passion for reading, new vocabulary, new ideas, creative writing, and, more importantly, a genuine curiosity about the world in which we live. This very well may have also been the spark that led me to pursue a career in education.

You may have children, grandchildren, nieces/nephews, or neighbours who have young ones in tow. A growing need for literacy and reading improvement among youngsters has become an intense desire of mine for some time now.

Trained in educating students with learning disabilities at university, only kindled that spark that remained from many years prior.

Peter Mansbridge, journalist, author and Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation Board Member, stated, “Literacy is one of the most

powerful tools we can give our children. It impacts them in a way that cannot be overstated. It should not be seen as a gift, but as a right. The right to read.”

My intention is to share activities, book and website reviews, and a plethora of other ideas that can benefit the young ones in your life. Not only can it benefit them, but I hope you, too, will find joy in igniting that spark in a child’s eyes.

Lastly, mark your calendar and bring a little relative or friend to the Blyth Library on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 9:30 a.m. to enjoy a story time with me. Our theme that day is one of my favourites: ice cream!

As we leave it here for this week, maybe you have a favourite book that transformed your life as well. If so, I hope you sit back for a moment and allow that special memory to warm your soul.

“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book,” Groucho Marx.

Goderich Lions Club establishes John Grace Fund

By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot The Rural Voice

Former Goderich Mayor John Grace was a keen environmentalist and community advocate before he died tragically last year and members of the Goderich Lions Club are honouring his legacy by creating the John Grace Fund.

“This fund reflects John’s commitment to the environment,” says Nigel Bellchamber, who is a board member of the Maitland Conservation Foundation, a registered charity established to raise funds for projects undertaken by the Maitland Valley Conservation

Authority. The John Grace Environmental Fund is administered by the Goderich Lions Club and the money will be raised through the club’s efforts. However, the club is making a donation to the foundation so funds can be used by the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority to naturalize flood plains, river valleys and buffer watercourses with native trees, shrubs and plants.

“I think John Grace would be chuffed about it,” says Peter Shepherd, who is Chairman of the Goderich Lions Club’s Environment Committee. “It would be right up his alley.” The Goderich Lions kickstarted the fund with a $25,000

donation and have $100,000 set aside for the fund’s growth in years ahead.

Grace was the mayor of Goderich when he died while boating on a lake north of Thunder Bay in August of 2022. Known for his leadership and volunteerism in Goderich and area, he was passionate about the environment.

“He understood the lake, the power of the lake and the watershed that feeds it,” says Bellchamber. “He knew how important it is to conserve the watershed and make sure the rivers in it are clean and healthy to contribute to a healthy lake.”

The new fund will promote Grace’s passion for protecting the environment by funding projects that would have aligned with Grace’s values.

“We hope to see more reforestation of the watershed area, which is something Lions members

Happy birthday to Rhonda (Badley) Rickwood on Aug. 12; Corine Falconer and Matthew McNichol on Aug. 13, and Graham Jackson on Aug. 16. Happy birthday everyone.

Happy anniversary to Bernadette and Bill Andrews of Goderich (formerly of Auburn) on Aug. 17. Come and join in the laughter and conversation in the garden at Blyth United Church on Wednesdays from 10-11:30 a.m. Bring along your lawn chair. Everyone welcome.

Deb and Fred Hakkers returned home on Thursday, Aug. 3 after spending an enjoyable two weeks visiting with relatives in Holland. They enjoyed a side trip to Germany and took a boat cruise during their stay.

On Tuesday, as I write this, the sun has been shining and the weather is enjoyable. The farmers in this area have been busy harvesting their wheat crops and baling up the straw.

Enjoy this next week and stay safe as summer is passing us by quickly. Give that favourite person a call to let them know you are thinking of them.

and other Lions Clubs can contribute to and participate in,” explained Shepherd. “We want to replant areas that have been taken away. Farmers need to agree to it and that has not been a problem. They have been very co-operative… farmers are very environmentally conscious.”

Bellchamber and Shepherd are encouraging other Lions Clubs, community groups and individuals to consider donating to the fund to honour Grace’s legacy. Tax receipts are available.

“You can donate to the John Grace Fund and contribute to specific kinds of projects,” explained Bellchamber. “If you want to contribute to reforestation in vulnerable areas, that is possible.”

Bellchamber believes Grace would be very humbled by this fund set up in his name. “He was a very engaging, passionate and persistent guy,” remembered Bellchamber.

“When the tornado went through Goderich and decimated the trees on The Square, John took it on himself to lead the charge for reforestation of The Square. He was able to convince other organizations, communities and private members to make significant contributions. I think that was symbolic of his commitment to the environment and to the community.”

Donations can be made via any Goderich Lions Club member or by contacting the MVCA.

Sports

Tigers eye year-end tournaments

On the two bag

Last Wednesday, the Brussels U13 Girls Tigers hosted the St. Marys Rockies in Brussels, just ahead of a Huron County Fastball League game between the Brussels Tigers and Belmore Stingers. The girls won by a score of 20-5 and that good fortune must have stayed on the field, as the Tigers then beat the first-place Stingers in eight innings by a score of 8-7. (John Stephenson photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

Year-end tournaments are coming up for a number of Brussels Tigers youth teams over the next two weekends as the season winds down and a return to school can be seen in the distance.

This weekend, the U17 Boys will play their year-end tournament in Stratford’s Peckham Park, while the U11 Boys will play in Wingham and the U15 Boys team’s year-end tournament had yet to be determined.

Tonight, Aug. 11, the U11 Girls will host the Mitchell Hornets 1 team, followed by the U13 Girls hosting the Exeter 1 team for an exhibition game.

On Monday, Aug. 14, the U13 Girls will be in Goderich for an exhibition game, while the U7 Black team will host the Wingham Orange team.

The U13 Boys team will then be on the road on Aug. 16 to play Mildmay.

On the weekend of Aug. 18-20, the U13 Girls will take part in their year-end tournament in Stratford. The U11 Girls will be in Exeter to end their season and the U9 team will host its division’s year-end tournament in Brussels.

On Aug. 21, the U13 Boys will welcome Seaforth to the village for a game and be on the road a few nights later when they take on Benmiller on Aug. 23.

This is all ahead of Aug. 26, when the U13 Boys will be in Mildmay for their year-end tournament and the end of their great season.

Looking back, the U11 Girls hosted Lucknow 1 on Aug. 8 and won by a score of 13-5.

The U7 Red team hosted Mildmay Grey and the U9 team hosted Lucknow Gold that night as well, but scores for those games

were unavailable at press time.

On Aug. 7, the U13 Girls were in Sebringville to play the Sting and won by a score of 19-5. The U7 team was due to host Ethel and the U13 Boys were scheduled to host the Wingham Blue team, but those games were cancelled due to the rain.

On Aug. 3, the U13 Boys beat Wingham Blue on the road by a score of 16-1. The U17 Boys were supposed to be on the road to play the St. Clements Twin Centres, but that game was cancelled.

The U13 Girls beat the St. Marys Rockies in Brussels on Aug. 2 by a score of 20-5. Also that night, the U11 Boys hosted Wingham and the U7 team was on the road to play Mildmay, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.

The U11 Girls beat the North Middlesex Skeeters on the road on Aug. 1 by a score of 16-10. The TBall Red team was in Belgrave and the U9 team hosted Benmiller that night, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.

The U15 Boys were scheduled to host Sebringville that night, but that game was cancelled.

On July 31, the U11 Girls beat the Mitchell Hornets 2 on the road by a score of 8-5 and the U13 Boys hosted Mildmay and lost by a score of 12-11. Also that night, the U7 Red team hosted Wingham Blue, the U11 Boys were on the road to take on Mildmay and the U17 Boys were in Wilmot, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.

On Aug. 9, the U11 Girls were in Mitchell to play the Hornets 1 team, the U9 team was in Londesborough, the U13 Girls hosted the Sebringville Sting and the U15 Boys were in Wilmot, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.

U17 Girls keep up winning ways

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

The end of the season is in sight for the Londesborough Legends youth baseball teams, with tournaments on the horizon.

This weekend, the U17 Girls will play their year-end tournament in Wilmot, beginning with a game against the Shakespeare Falcons on Friday night, followed by a

Saturday morning game with the host Wilmot Thunder and a game just after noon with the Exeter Extremes.

The U11 Boys also have their year-end tournament this weekend. They’ll be in Wingham to wrap up their season.

On Monday, Aug. 14, the U9 team will be on the road to play Mildmay. That following weekend, three teams will play in their year-

end tournaments. The U13 girls will be in Stratford, while the U9 team will be in Brussels and the U11 Girls will be in Exeter.

Looking back, the U17 Girls won their exhibition game with the Goderich Seahawks on the road on Aug. 8 by a score of 3-1. Also that night, the U11 Boys hosted Benmiller A and the U11 Girls hosted the Seaforth Wolverines, but scores for those games were

Who do you have in the fifth?

Last Sunday was ladies’ day at the Clinton Raceway, which encouraged women to attend and everyone to wear pink to get in the spirit of the day. (John Stephenson photo)

unavailable at press time.

On Aug. 3, the U11 Girls hosted Lucknow 1 and came out on top by a score of 20-14, while the U17 Girls also won that night, beating the Listowel Legends in Londesborough by a score of 21-5.

The previous night, Aug. 2, the U13 Girls lost their home game to the Clinton Mustangs 1 team by a score of 12-6, while the U17 Girls beat the Wilmot Thunder in Londesborough by a score of 7-0.

On Aug. 1, the U11 Girls lost to the Zurich Thunder in Auburn by a score of 17-6, but the U17 Girls beat the Shakespeare Falcons on the road by a score of 18-10.

On July 31, the U11 Girls lost to the Mitchell Hornets 1 team on the road by a score of 12-6. Also that night, the U11 Boys played Benmiller A on the road and the U9 team hosted Ethel Yellow, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.

On Aug. 9, the U9 team hosted the Brussels Tigers and the U13 Girls were in Zurich to take on the Thunder, while the U11 Girls were on the road to play the Mitchell Hornets 2 team on Aug. 10, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.

Double-headers coming in Fastball League action

Clash of the titans

Last Wednesday night, the first- and second-place teams in the Huron County Fastball League standings, the Belmore Stingers and Brussels Tigers, clashed in Brussels and it needed extra innings to be settled. However, when it was all said and done, the Tigers won by a score of 8-7. The Stingers were undefeated for over half of the season, but have since lost three straight. (John Stephenson photo)

Continued from page 1 score of 13-9. That came hot on the heels of another win for the Millwrights, who hosted the Monkton Muskrats on Aug. 3 and won by a score of 10-9.

On Aug. 2, the first- and secondplace teams clashed in Brussels with the Tigers beating the Belmore Stingers by a score of 8-7 in a game that went eight innings. Also that night, the Walton Brewers were in

Mitchell to play the Mets and it was the home team that won by a score of 9-4.

On July 31, the Brussels Tigers were in Goderich to play the Grizzlies and the Tigers shut out the home team by a score of 7-0 in a game that took just six innings to complete.

On July 30, the Milverton Millwrights were due to play the Belmore Stingers in Belmore, but

that game was postponed. Also that day, the Fullarton A’s hosted the Monkton Muskrats and Monkton won by a score of 8-6 in eight innings, while the Brussels Bangers hosted the Wingham Hitmen for a game originally scheduled for June 30 and the Hitmen won by a score of 11-2.

On Aug. 8, the Goderich Grizzlies were in Walton to play the Brewers, followed by Aug. 9 games

Tough loss

between the Goderich Grizzlies and Brussels Bangers in Brussels and the Wingham Hitmen and Mitchell Mets in Mitchell, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.

On Aug. 10, the Fullarton A’s were in Sebringville to play the Sting in a game originally scheduled for June 23, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time.

Tonight, Aug. 11, there are four games on the Huron County Fastball League schedule. The Milverton Millwrights will be in Monkton to play the Muskrats, the Sebringville Sting will be in Brussels to play the Bangers, and the Mitchell Mets and Wroxeter Rippers will play a home-and-home double-header in Wroxeter. One of the games was originally scheduled to be played on July 12.

On Aug. 12, the Brussels Bangers will head to Wingham to play the Hitmen and, the next day, the Walton Brewers will be on the road to play the Sebringville Sting and the Fullarton A’s will host the Wroxeter Rippers.

The Walton Brewers are in action again on Aug. 15, heading to Fullarton to play the A’s, followed by an Aug. 16 contest between the Goderich Grizzlies and the Brussels Bangers in Brussels. Then, on Aug. 17, the Wroxeter Rippers will head to Milverton to play the Millwrights in a game originally scheduled to be played on July 20.

There are four games on the schedule for Aug. 18.

Battling for Brussels supremacy in, well, Brussels are the Tigers and the Bangers, while the Hitmen will host the Walton Brewers in Wingham, the Milverton Millwrights will be in Sebringville

to play the Sting and the Wroxeter Rippers will play the Muskrats in Monkton.

On Aug. 20, the Brussels Bangers will be on the road for a game with the Sebringville Sting and the Wroxeter Rippers will host the Wingham Hitmen.

The next night, the Belmore Stingers and Wroxeter Rippers will play a home-and-home doubleheader in Wroxeter with one of the games originally scheduled to be played on June 25.

On Aug. 22, the Walton Brewers will host the Brussels Tigers and the Mitchell Mets will be in Sebringville to play the Sting in a game originally scheduled to be played on June 25.

On Aug. 23, the Goderich Grizzlies will be in Monkton to play the Mets and on Aug. 24, the Belmore Stingers will head to Milverton to play the Millwrights. There are five games on the schedule for Aug. 25. The Sebringville Sting will host the Brussels Tigers, the Belmore Stingers will be in Brussels to play the Bangers, the Walton Brewers will play the Muskrats in Monkton, the Fullarton A’s will travel to Wroxeter to play the Rippers and the Goderich Grizzlies will host the Wingham Hitmen.

With the season winding down, many teams have fewer than 10 games left to play.

Milverton, Sebringville, Mitchell, Fullarton and Wroxeter all have 10 games left to play, while Walton, Monkton and Wingham have nine, the Brussels Tigers and Brussels Bangers both have eight and the Belmore Stingers and Goderich Grizzlies both have seven games still left to play in the regular season.

Fun By The Numbers

Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mindbending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

The Brussels Bangers welcomed the Milverton Millwrights to Brussels last Friday night, but the home team ended up on the wrong end of a 13-9 score. (John Stephenson photo)

Women in Ag. Club hosts Klaver as panelist

Shared experiences

What’s it like to be a woman working in agriculture? Five women working in agriculture gave an honest account of their experiences at the Women in Agriculture Club networking night, hosted by the University of Guelph earlier this year. The panelists were, from left: Clarissa McCallum, Maranda Klaver, Lauren Benoit, Nicole Toebes and Michelle Linington. (Photo courtesy of Nathalie Amyotte)

By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot The Rural Voice

Coming from a farm family of five girls, Maranda Klaver said people have said right to her face that they bet her dad wished he had a son with whom he could farm.

“It’s hard not to be insulted by that,” said Klaver, who is the current Ontario Queen of the Furrow. She was one of five women speaking on a panel about what it is like to be a woman in agriculture at a University of Guelph’s Women in Agriculture Club. “Meanwhile, my parents just wanted a lot of children. We never had an excuse to get out of work. However, I did get a truck licence. It was definitely a step outside my comfort zone but it also proved I could do what males do and I found when you step outside your comfort zone, you can achieve things you never thought you would.”

Each panelist was given the

chance to answer a series of questions and their answers rang with frankness, confidence and thoughtfulness. Joining Maranda on the panel were Michelle Linington, who is a research analyst with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAFRA); Lauren Benoit, an agronomist with Bayer Crop Science; Clarissa McCallum, a marketing co-ordinator with Semex, and Nicole Toebes, a farmer, market gardener and Founder/CEO of Mudeas Workwear, which creates overalls for women.

What do you love about working in the agriculture industry?

Nicole: “It keeps me involved with the community and I can tell you that the people in agriculture are some of the best people you will ever know.”

Clarissa: “You do not have to come from a farm to be in agriculture and I have found a way to be part of it in a way that I love

Queen of the Furrow, Seaforth’s Maranda Klaver, was part of a Women in Agriculture Club panel that discussed the

learn and see things you’ve never seen before.”

What is the perception of being a female in the agricultural industry?

Michelle: “My perception has changed as I get older. I did not find my dream job right out of school and I suspected I would have to work harder to prove myself. But I didn’t really find that to be true. I’ve had a positive experience so far and have worked for companies that have been predominantly women which were just as hard as working in companies that were predominantly men. I’ve had issues with sexual harassment from both men and women. Overall, though, it has been very positive.”

Lauren: “The people you surround yourself with consistently have a lot of influence on how you see the world. I work in a collaborative environment and have a lot of talented friends and their support has been powerful. Certainly, I do run into people who do not see my value. I just ignore it because I know my value. I know I am incredibly smart and talented, and always have been.”

you will end up when you settle for a short-term job and you don’t think good things can happen to you, but they can. You just need goals and a plan, then work towards that goal and don’t say ‘no’ to a foot in the door.”

Lauren: “Earning a Master’s was a challenge, but there are lists on how to do it and you can start checking the boxes to achieve your Master’s. As to a career, you look at the skills you have, the skills you need to build, then you find the opportunities and take them when they show up. Other times you may not know what you want to do. There is no shame in jumping around and trying new things… keep working on yourself and building your résumé.”

Maranda: “You have to have confidence that things will work out. I struggled after college. I applied for jobs I did not get, so I took a step back and rethought it. I realized no one really has it all together and when you get told ‘no’ do not take it personally. Think of ‘no’ as a ‘new opportunity’.”

and is successful. People in agriculture have been very welcoming.”

Lauren: “We are always innovating and learning new things. I travelled last week to learn about new breeding techniques and it was so cool to be a part of it.”

Maranda: “Every day is different. When I graduated from Ridgetown, there were four jobs waiting for me and none were the same… there are so many career paths to choose from.”

Michelle: “Agriculture is a phenomenal community… these are my people. Like Maranda, I love that every day is different. Every county is different. Every farm is different. There is always an opportunity to

Clarissa: “I work on a team where men are the minority, but I find the men are supportive of the women. There are companies that recognize women are better at marketing than men. You need to find the place where you fit to make an impact.”

Nicole: “My perception was that women’s workwear was severely lacking and I had a problem to solve. Going into it, I had a huge cheerleading section of women, but there are very hard days being a business entrepreneur and I have not always been kind to myself. I need that community of women. I had a friend text me, alerting me to the fact that I am kinder to her than I am to myself and that made me think.” What are the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the agriculture industry?

Clarissa: “I applied three times before I found a successful summer job after graduation. It led to an internship. You do not know where

Michelle: “I am a person who does not live to work. I work to live. Part of my process was accepting that I do not love my job all the time. And I may have to compromise on pay and location to do other things in my life. What has guided me in my career path has been a strong mentor. Tom is my champion and I find his encouragement has been crucial to every job I have had. He has been a beacon of light. When I applied to the ministry, I was full of doubts but he said, ‘worst-case scenario, you get experience creating a government résumé’. When I got an interview, he said, ‘worst-case scenario, you get experience with a government interview.’ Well, I got the job!”

How do you find mentors?

Michelle: “Well, you don’t just walk up to someone and say, ‘will you be my mentor?’ They kind of fall into place.”

Maranda: “I don’t have a specific person but I have social media. I

Gateway’s ‘Cultivating Memories’ launches

On Thursday, July 27, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) hosted a garden party at Harbour Hills Retirement Community in Goderich. The garden party was hosted in celebration of the six raised accessible garden beds introduced to Braemar Retirement Centre, Wingham and Harbour Hills

Club hosts panel

Looking for a mentor?

Five women discussed everything from mentors to challenges and advice at a Women in Agriculture Club panel discussion, hosted earlier this year at the University of Guelph. Agronomist Lauren Benoit, above, was one of the panelists. (Courtesy photo)

Continued from page 10 follow people who are encouraging, who have tips and tricks and who teach me that it is okay not to be okay.”

Lauren: “Finding a mentor is an organic thing that evolves over time. I have different mentors for different things. As an agronomist, my work is technical so when I need tech. advice, I go to certain people. Also, do not underestimate your ability to mentor someone else and be their champion.”

Nicole: “The entrepreneur’s brain works daily. I also have three little kids. So there is this 75-year-old woman who is a neighbour of mine who, if I have questions or need a shoulder to cry on, she is there. In business, I have a friend who also runs a business and we talk every day. We ping ideas off each other and go on little retreats to talk about what is right in our businesses. I am now starting to get people asking me for advice and I have a deep appreciation for people who come to me and ask questions. If you are kind and respectful, I will tell you just about anything!”

What piece of advice would you give to women in agriculture in this room?

Michelle: “I laughed when I saw [that] the first presentation talked about the need for women to make boundaries. I did not at first and I have paid for it. I have had to take stress leaves and go on medication and therapy. I would have been more confident if I had set boundaries and

put up with less bullshit. I also think my colleagues would have respected me more if I had. Now, I have set boundaries and I push back… if you say something that is not okay, I will tell you that it is not okay. Also, if a boss calls me at six in the morning, I push back. I do not work for them at 6 a.m. I work within my set hours and that allows me to have a life outside of work and a strong relationship at home. It’s so important to set boundaries, even with people in your family though that can feel awkward.”

Maranda: “Whatever you do, do it with purpose and confidence. A lack of confidence is a killer of dreams.”

Lauren. “Looking at my career, what has been a good force has been the people around me who support me. It adds to happiness. Professionally, it pays to invest in people.”

Clarissa: “My advice is to not be afraid to graduate. I find my 9-to-5 workday is way more relaxing than university was. I love my office job, but when I am done, I am done. I go home and live my life. For me, that includes photography, specifically show cattle photography.”

Nicole. “I am learning the boundaries thing. I also truly love what I do and am happy to do it 24/7, but how can I do it all at my best? I also need to be a good mom to my kids and not be on my phone answering e-mails. What matters is your core passion about what you do in the agriculture industry.”

Retirement Community, Goderich.

The aim of this project, “Cultivating Memories”, is to reestablish the connection between food production and activities that many residents in Huron County have done all their lives. The transition from a property with a garden to a retirement residence or a long-term care facility can be difficult.

One of the residents spoke about the challenges of moving to a retirement residence after losing her husband and losing her house and losing her garden. This project allowed her to continue doing what she had always loved doing: gardening.

The event began with a tour of the three thriving, raised-garden beds

that Harbour Hills residents tirelessly cultivated over the past few months. Snapdragons, strawberries, brown-eyed susans and many other plants have flourished. During the event, greetings were brought from Gateway CERH, the Town of Goderich, Huron County Council, and Cultivating Memories project leads Sage Milne and Alexa Harrison.

Thanks were given to the staff member Ronda DeBoer of Braemar, as well as Ruby DeBrower of Harbour Hill, to Steve Moran who built the garden boxes, Pam Somers from the Goderich Horticultural Society and local TD Representative Karla Green whose funding made the project possible.

One staff member commented on how many men from the facility who were former farmers routinely came out to tend to their “crops”.

“It has been an inspiring experience being able to see the enormous growth that has taken place at each of these facilities. In discussion with the residents for which plants they wanted to grow, I had an overwhelming number of ideas for what plants as well as valuable information about how the plants should be arranged among the three garden boxes,” said Sage Milne, Gateway CERH Project Lead.

This project was made possible by funding from the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

What a party!

The Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health recently held a garden party to mark the launch of its ‘Cultivating Memories’ project. From left: Alexa Harrison, Karla Gree, Ronda DeBoer, Ruby DeBrower, Nancy Simpson, Jennifer Black, Marie, and Sage Milne (Courtesy photo)

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Proposed Zoning By-law Amendment for a 5-Year Review of the North Huron Zoning By-law

The Township of North Huron has initiated a review of its Zoning By-law. Following the hosting of open houses, a public meeting in which the Zoning By-law Amendment may be considered will be held on Monday, September 18th at 6:00pm at the Town Hall Theatre, 274 Josephine St., Wingham

To view the existing Zoning By-law and review the draft amendment, please visit the North Huron website at: northhuron.ca/en/build-invest-grow/zoning.aspx

Have Your Say:

Persons wishing to participate in the planning process may submit comments, objections, or concerns by mail to the Township or to Hanna Holman, Planner, at hholman@huroncounty.ca. You may speak during the public meeting. However, individuals are encouraged to submit their written comments before the meeting for consideration by September 11, 2023 to be included on the Council agenda. Comments and opinions submitted on the Zoning By-law Review, including the originator’s name and address, become part of the public record, and may be viewed by the general public and may be published in a planning report and Council agenda.

Your Rights:

If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Township of North Huron before the Zoning By-law Amendment is passed, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision of the Township of North Huron to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

If a person or public body does not make an oral submission at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Township of North Huron before the Zoning By-law Amendment is passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Board, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body.

Dated at the Township of North Huron This 8th day of August, 2023

Carson Lamb, Director of Legislative Services/Clerk Township of North Huron 274 Josephine Street, Wingham ON N0G 2W0

(519)-357-3550

4-H exchange leads to years of friendship

Now and then

In August of 1977, Jean Siertsema and Becky Garner were featured on the front page of The Blyth Standard, left, as participants in the 4-H exchange program, with Siertsema hailing from RR3, Blyth and Garner

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

Last weekend, hundreds of people flocked to Memorial Hall and the Blyth Festival’s Harvest Stage for Bonanza Weekend. Among them were two women who, thanks to a 4-H exchange program, have now been friends for nearly 50 years.

On Aug. 17, 1977, Jean Siertsema (now Siertsema-Bennett) and Becky Garner (now Garner-Rouse) were pictured on the front page of The Blyth Standard, sitting towards the camera, but also slightly backto-back, featured as participants in a 4-H exchange program.

Siertsema-Bennett lived just north of Blyth and welcomed GarnerRouse from Butler County, Ohio. This came after Siertsema-Bennett had travelled to Ohio just a few months earlier in June.

Speaking with The Citizen last weekend, the two women said they clicked instantly and have remained great friends ever since those fateful weeks in the summer of 1977, visiting annually in most years and celebrating many milestones together. Their parents would even meet and get along, planning their own trips together, independent of the two women.

Garner-Rouse and some friends had come to Blyth to take in some of the Festival’s shows on Bonanza Weekend and, of course, see Siertsema-Bennett.

Siertsema-Bennett had already done the 4-H exchange the previous year, travelling to Pennsylvania, and she would do it again in 1978, travelling to Wisconsin, but it was when Garner-Rouse picked her up in her chocolate brown Chevrolet Monza (a lemon, says GarnerRouse - indeed it was only made for about five years) that their lives would change forever.

Both were outgoing and shared similar interests and came from similar backgrounds. Garner-Rouse said she thought it was funny when Siertsema-Bennett made herself feel at home when they arrived in Ohio, changing into pajamas and sitting on the floor and started talking with the family upon first

arrival (Garner-Rouse says her mother used to joke that SiertsemaBennett sat down, started talking and never stopped).

Siertsema-Bennett said it was because she felt at home. She immediately felt comfortable with the family and things haven’t changed since.

In The Blyth Standard story, written by Debbie Ranney in August of 1977, the newspaper noted the local 4-H exchange tour, which included stops at the Goderich salt mines, Quality Produce in Exeter, Centralia College, the Goderich courthouse and Dominion Roads in Goderich. Guest speakers were Huron County agricultural representative Don Pullen, Huron County Warden Doug McNeil and Huron County Clerk-Treasurer Bill Hanley.

At the time, Garner-Rouse said she didn’t notice many differences between the two locations, aside from Ohio being much more hilly than Huron County and the Ohio crops being a few weeks ahead of Ontario’s.

In regards to 4-H, Garner-Rouse also noted a more robust participation in Huron County. In Ohio, she said in 1977, 4-H Clubs would be lucky to attract between 12 and 15 members, while, in Huron County, it was commonplace for a club to average 25 members.

In the story, Siertsema-Bennett also detailed her time in Ohio, which consisted of a slideshow presentation at a local 4-H meeting, a trip to the King’s Island amusement park, a picnic and pool party and special trip on a showboat named “Majestic”, which included plays and musical entertainment.

That year, 27 Huron County 4-H members made their way to Butler  County, Ohio as part of the exchange, while only six Butler County residents were able to make their way back up to Huron County due to their farming commitments.

Since that memorable summer, the two women have been just about the best of friends, never missing a chance to get together or mark an occasion. For example, both women celebrated the other’s parents’ 50th wedding anniversary.

from Butler County, Ohio. Now, almost 50 years later, the two women remain the best of friends, connecting annually or more frequently and becoming like family with one another. (File photo, left, Shawn Loughlin photo, right)

Siertsema-Bennett had an emergency medical situation days before Garner-Rouse’s parents were due to celebrate and she surprised everyone (including her own parents) by making the trip lastminute.

The two have also travelled extensively together, visiting many states in an effort to do something special on milestone anniversaries of the start of their friendship. They went to Arizona for their 35th and Virginia and Washington, D.C. for their 40th. Plans for their 45th anniversary were interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Siertsema-Bennett was actually in Ohio visiting Garner-Rouse in March of 2020 as the pandemic was gaining steam, but before

everything shut down as a result).

Now, their 50th anniversary is right around the corner and, while nothing has been formalized yet, they did talk about it a bit over the weekend with Utah, one of GarnerRouse’s favourite areas, being floated as a possible destination.

In the years that followed those first trips in 1977, Garner-Rouse forged a career in transportation, still living in Butler County. In fact, 20 years ago, she built a new house on the exact homestead where she grew up. The land, Garner-Rouse says, has been in her family since 1808. Her great-great-greatgreat-grandfather received the land by way of a land grant from Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the U.S. and one of the

country’s Founding Fathers. Meanwhile, Siertsema-Bennett, the daughter of the late Hebo and Marg, went to nursing school and travelled out west to work, putting roots down, for a time, in Saskatchewan and Alberta before returning to Ontario, eventually making her home in Lucan and working in the London area. Now, she trains personal support workers through the Avon Maitland District  School Board.

The women can’t point to anything special that has kept their friendship strong over the years, aside from plenty of shared interests and an openness that they have with one another. They agree that, at this point, they’re all just part of the same family.

By Bruce Buttar, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

The environment is important to all of us, but it’s particularly key for farmers and their businesses. That’s because we need healthy soils and clean air and water to grow the crops and raise the livestock that provide the food, fuel and fibre on which we all depend.

This makes environmental stewardship a core part of our jobs as farmers, but, as it’s also a responsibility we carry on behalf of society, it’s a job we can’t do alone.

That’s why it was great to see two separate announcements from the provincial government recently for programming to enable research and projects that support water quality and soil health.

I farm near Cobourg and I attended one of those events that took place in our part of the province when David Piccini, Ontario’s Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, visited Kaiser Lake Farms near Napanee to announce a $6 million investment into projects that will support the health of the Great Lakes.

Of particular interest to farmers is the support for projects that enhance agricultural land stewardship and will help keep runoff from agricultural nutrients out of the Great Lakes.

Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson then visited Shuh Orchards in Waterloo Region to announce $68 million in funding for three new programs to support sustainable farm initiatives.

The bulk of the funding will be made available to farmers through the Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program (RALP) to reduce tillage, create water retention ponds, and other practices

and projects to reduce emissions and sequester carbon. Funds will also be available to farmers through the Agricultural Stewardship Initiative to help modify equipment and operating practices on the farm.

The third program, On-Farm Applied Research and Monitoring (ONFARM), will dedicate funding to agricultural sustainability research to improve soil health and water quality.

During Minister Piccini’s visit, Kaiser Lake Farms showcased various practices farmers can use to protect water quality and the environment.

These include buffer strips of perennial plants alongside crop fields to reduce water run-off, grass waterways to funnel surface water into drains, cover crops to minimize soil erosion and build soil organic matter, and tile drains that help surface water get into the ground and make it accessible to plants and nutrients.

These are just some examples of tools and practices many farmers right across Ontario have been using for years - in some cases decades - as part of their ongoing commitments to farm sustainably from both an economic and an environmental perspective.

On my own farm, for example, which is in a very hilly area of Ontario, I started no-till planting in the 1980s to minimize erosion, boost soil structure and encourage healthier soils. I’ve also long been involved in our local soil and crop improvement association, which supports agricultural research and farmer learning around environmental stewardship practices.

As technology evolves, many new tools are becoming available to farmers, like precision farm equipment that lets us apply fertilizer in the precise spots where

the soil needs it, or minimize spraying to only target weeds directly, or robots that can scout for pests, make yield predictions, or take care of weed control.

Farmers are always trying to be more efficient and do a better job to produce more food with fewer resources. These types of

– $199

Solomon A. Martin of Priceville, consigned four head. One red steer weighed 1,060 lbs and sold for a price of $239.

John Martin of Lucknow, consigned four head. One holstein steer weighed 715 lbs. and sold for a price of $228.

Bennewies Livestock Inc. of Bornholm, consigned seven head. One holstein steer weighed 700 lbs. and sold for a price of $228.

Lambs: Under 50 lbs: $260 – $300

lbs.: $274 – $320

technologies will help us do that, while also continually improving environmental stewardship and sustainability. That’s not just good for farmers; we all benefit from an environment that’s healthy, thriving and sustainable today and for future generations.

Water and soil, after all, are two

Environmental stewardship is a shared responsibility

of the main ingredients that we depend on to feed ourselves, so it’s tremendously important that we manage those valuable resources wisely and we appreciate the support of government through programs like the ones that were just recently announced to help us do that.

The Butterfly Effect

The Brussels and District Horticultural Society recently completed

a butterfly garden. Enjoying the results of the effort are, back row, from left:

Bachert from Bachert XCavating and Perry Pearce and, front row, from left:

Horticultural Society President Julie Pearce and Barb Cadotte. (John

and

photo)

Sean Thomas of Goderich, consigned three head. Two kid goats averaged 54 lbs. and sold for an average price of $475.

Carman & Cheryl Bridge of Kincardine, consigned 15 head. Three lambs averaged 94 lbs. and sold for an average price of $280.

Ian Caldwell of Belgrave, consigned 35 head. Thirteen black heifers averaged 848 lbs. and sold for an average price of $285.50.

Reidholm Farms of Moorefield, consigned 44 head. Eight black heifers averaged 680 lbs. and sold for an

Groenberg Farms of Lucknow, consigned 10 head. Five charolais steers averaged 899 lbs. and sold for average price of $330.50. Franken Farms of Teeswater, consigned 12 head. Six red

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GERBERS FIREWOOD SERVING you for over 15 years. Your number one source of quality slabwood and bodywood. Delivery available. No Sunday calls. 519-274-1236, 519441-2085. 01-50p

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2008 FORD EDGE. Good condition, well-maintained, 195518 easy miles. Colour gray. 226-8896432.

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REPRINTS OF PHOTOS taken by Citizen photographers are available to purchase. All are in colour. 4x6 – $5.00, 5x7 – $6.00, 8x10 – $10.00. Phone to order 519-523-4792 or email: info@northhuron.on.ca tfn

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THE CITIZEN IS AVAILABLE TO purchase at these locations – Auburn Co-op, Auburn Esso, Belgrave Variety, Blyth Variety, Blyth Food Market, Blyth Ultramar, Brussels Foodland, Brussels Variety, Clinton Convenience, Clinton Foodland, Fogal’s YIG in Wingham, Wingham Mini Mart, Seaforth Foodland, GT Mini Mart in Seaforth, Fincher’s in Goderich, Goderich Victoria St. Shell and The Citizen Blyth.

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TWO TEN-FOOT DIAMETER

gazebos, octagon, built with round cedar logs. One 8 X 16 gazebo built with pressure treated 4x4s. Two blocks north of Whitechurch at 382 Whitechurch St.

PAPPLE - To our friends and neighbours on Drummond Street East and Coombs Street, thank you for contributing to placing a leaf for Gwen on the Tree of Remembrance in the Memory Garden. From Bruce, Shelley, Barb, Kent (Chop)

BRUSSELS OPTIMIST CLUB

Breakfast by donation. Friday, August 18th 7:30 - 10 am. Location: 42894 Browntown Road as part of the Huron County Plowing Match. All are welcome. Proceeds to playground refurbishment at North Woods Elementary (Ethel)

Are you experiencing an unplanned pregnancy? Are you a young parent? Do you feel overwhelmed and have questions? We have answers and we're here to help. Our services are free and completely confidential. Contact Room2Grow at 519-6060046 or visit our website www.room2grow.info

Wingham Columbus Centre

RSVP to Dorothy at 519 357 3562 x 101

Horbanuiks to host UCW potluck picnic

FOR SALE - HP Envy Inspire 7220e All-in-one wireless printer (value $310), selling for $250 firm. Includes delivery within Huron County. Brand new - never used. Call/text: 226-963-1366. 32-3 -------------------------------------------

FOR SALE - Brand new, unused Logitech 4K Pro Magnetic Webcam for Pro Display XDR, with 2 cables/cords: short/long (value $282.44), selling $200 firm, includes delivery. Call/text: 226963-1366. 32-3

FOR SALE - Inversion table for back pain. $100; treadmill, $25; assortment of Athena dishes. 519357-3117. 32-3

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FOR SALE - Pioneer P39 chainsaw $50; Stihl 026 chainsaw $50; large cattle dehorner $100; cow kicker $35; large calf jack $100. 519-3356998. 32-3

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FOR SALE - 1997 Dodge truck, regular cab, 8' box, 318 automatic, driven daily. $1,000 OBO. 519-3450446. 31-3

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FOR SALE - Bandsaw 14" wood cutting. Extras, 2-1/4" blades, 11/2" blade. Instruction manual, and a complete illustrated guide to bandsaws. $450. 519-523-4485 31-3

FOR SALE - two Myers jet well pumps, one with double propeller, with pipe and new foot valve, best offer; parts for Massey Ferguson balers, 124-10-12-9-3; three wagon running gears, $150-$300. Call 519-

395-2225.

30-3

FOR SALE - antique cosmetic table, $25; large granite roasting pan with lid, $15; display case, $15; two folding lawn chairs, $10 and $15. 519-482-9868. 30-3

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FOR SALE - Thumper Sport massager, five speed, corded, $75, hardly used. 519-528-2284. 30-3

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FOR SALE - large corner unit desk, two drawers, pull-out keyboard tray, bookshelf, maple colour, asking $30. 519-887-8267. 30-3

FOR SALE - collection of 10 VHS movies, $10 for set; stamp collection with album, $20; 14 horseshoes, painted black, $35. 519524-9588.

30-3

FOR SALE - two small used window air conditioners, 5,000 BTU, $50 each or both for $75. 519441-1517. 30-3

FOR SALE - pocket door hardware – studs and two tracks, $50; storm door fits 36x80, 2" thick, white, $100. Please call 519-357-4040. 29-3

By BRENDA RADFORD

Licensed Lay Worship Leader Sue Barnett was in the pulpit at Londesborough United Church on Sunday, Aug. 6.

Her reflection that morning was based on Matt. 14: 13-21, an account of the miracle of Christ feeding the multitude on the hillside. The miracle of this story is that all 5,000 persons gathered that day to hear Christ speak were fed with five loaves and two fishes.

As Mrs. Barnett pointed out, Christ would have been pleased with the informality of this beach/picnic-style banquet. That day, Christ fed their souls with His word and their bodies with the meager fare. God was revealed in the miracle with the food. People grew in faith and trust in His word that day on the beach.

Leo and Lynda Horbanuik will host the United Church Women (UCW) potluck picnic at their farm the afternoon of Saturday, Aug. 19. You are invited to bring along plates, cutlery, beverage, lawn chairs and a dish of food to share.

Members of Londesborough United’s Official Board are reminded to mark their calendars

for the meeting on Sept. 5. Already we are well into August with September looming on the horizon. Every year I marvel at how quickly the summer has gone. I always find the next turn of the calendar page is difficult. However, we may have a glorious and warm fall!

Area ball teams are soon having their end-of-year tournaments, so if you haven’t made your way to the local diamond yet to enjoy a game, don’t put it off too long. Londesborough needs to be appreciative of the fact that their diamond is getting a great deal of use this summer. Many thanks to the coaches who are giving of their time for our young people.

The big reveal

The Seaforth Business Improvement Area and its representatives were on hand last week at Everspring Farms for the reveal of the town’s new mural. Looking from the left, it begins with the image on the right and continues with the image above, split by a door into the building. Artist Robert Johnson of Hensall is responsible for the work, which elicited high praise from the dozens in attendance that day. (Shawn Loughlin photos)

Firefighters checking homes

By Jo-Ann McDonald

It was a busy week for me and, as a result, I did not speak with many folks. I am sure there is lots of news going on, but I need folks to call and tell me their stories of good news.

Remember it is Coffee Chat at the Walton Inn on Saturday, Aug. 12. Drop by to see old friends, neighbours or meet new friends from around Walton. A donation towards the coffee is accepted, but not required. There will be muffins, juice and other snacks available.

The town of Brussels made the news on the weekend with a large police presence. We are glad to hear the situation was resolved with no injuries to anyone. The Ontario Provincial Police closed the roads and, after some time, the situation was resolved.

We have just celebrated the long weekend in August, which means summer is half over. Time flies! You always know when school is coming, because every other advertisement on TV is about “back to school” deals at retailers!

There was a great community effort and initiative by the Brussels Fire Department a couple of weeks

ago. They sent out three different teams of firefighters to multiple addresses to check for visible house numbers. They found at least two residential properties that did not have a visible house number from the street.

In a time of an emergency, whether fire, medical or police, being able to identify the right house quickly can make all the difference. They are asking you to help them to help you to easily identify your property for all first responders.

Make sure your house number is visible, clear away overgrown tree or bush branches, don’t hide them behind hanging plants or decorative flags or curtains. Be sure to stand outside your home, survey and see that they are visible. It could save your life.

There are properties in the country that have no 911 numbers. When farmers are combining and a fire starts, how do you tell them where you are? I am told you contact your municipal office to get a 911 number for your property. You need to know your lot and concession and name of road. Put that call on your list this week if you are missing your 911 number. Turning 40 is a big deal, so having a big party goes with it.

Congratulations to Jody Houston, who turned the big 4-0 last week. The celebration included a number of friends dressing up as superheroes and villains and the group being chauffeured by “Alfred” around the area. They stopped into Stratford for dinner

and then continued the tour back towards Brussels. Upon arriving home, Jody found more friends and family on the scene to continue the party. Sounds like a great time and a great way to celebrate your 40th trip around the sun!

Celebrating birthdays this past week includes Kristen Grobbink, Curtis and Luke McCallum, Scott Storey, Bruce Godkin, Angela Huether, Kenneth Huether, Adrienne Wakabayashi, Jody Semple Houston, Ken Glanville, Erin Mitchell, Marie Mitchell, Laurie Grobbink, Darryl Houston, Lisa Huether, Heidi Bachert, Greg Humphries, Brian McGavin, Tina McClure and Katie Williamson Janmaat. Happy birthday to all.

Dangerous situation

The Village of Brussels was the scene of an escalated police operation on Saturday, Aug. 5, leaving residents both concerned and curious. Members of the Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), in collaboration with the West Region Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU) and the West Region Emergency Response Team (ERT), swiftly responded to and managed an incident that unfolded in the area. (John Stephenson photo)

Younan seeking office space

Continued from page 1 something municipally owned and run, because we already have that relationship with the municipality. We traditionally find ourselves a place to put a computer, a place to sit, a place to have a coffee and maybe go to the washroom. Something highly visible is what we’re looking for. I am looking for your good graces and for your interest in deterring crime along the way,” he said.

Council debated the idea of providing the requested space. Reeve Paul Heffer said he is in favour of the idea, commenting, “I see it all makes sense,” and

DAVID ROSS KOCH

David Ross Koch, formerly of Gowanstown, passed away at Fordwich Village Nursing Home on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023 in his 78th year.

Husband of the late Millie (Baillie) Koch, David was the father of Lorne and Marion Koch of Clinton, Doug and Erica Koch of Brussels, and Darlene and Ray Dickieson of Palmerston.

He was the grandfather of Andrew, Bonnie, Cameron, Madison, and Caleb, and the brother-in-law of Clayton and Jean Baillie of Newton, Murray and Lois Baillie of Milverton, Linda and Stephen Westman of Brunner, and Lois Baillie of Seaforth.

He will be fondly remembered by several nieces and nephews.

David was predeceased by his parents, Clarence and Isabel (Campbell) Koch, and brother Donald Koch.

Visitation will be held at the Eaton Funeral Home, Listowel, where the funeral service will be held on Friday at 11 a.m. with Rev. Ralph Dwarika officiating.

Councillor Ric McBurney agreed, saying that it was “exactly what the townspeople want: visibility. They need more.” Councillor Chris Palmer concurred, adding that “Wingham is where most of the problems are.”

Deputy-Reeve Kevin Falconer questioned whether the crime issue is systemic to Wingham, and brought up concerns about whether allowing a police desk would be a step backwards for the township, pointing out that, “we had just gotten away from having extras in one place and everybody having the same amount… we got that down to a level playing field.”

The OPP took over police services in Wingham after the Wingham Police disbanded on Feb. 21, 2019, after 140 years of service. The decision was made largely due to budgetary concerns.

Palmer suggested that council consider a place off of Josephine Street, if needed, and asked staff to reach out to the Wingham hospital as a potential location.

Council agreed to have staff work with the OPP to gather additional information on the possibility of allotting space for officers in Wingham before any decision is made.

No August services at Knox United

Birthday greetings are extended to our granddaughter Callie Campbell who will be two years old on Aug. 11. We celebrated her birthday on Sunday, Aug. 6 at her home in Kitchener. Also on Aug. 11, Isabel Young will be 90 years young. She will be celebrating her birthday on Sunday, Aug. 13 at the Wingham Legion. Mike Cottrill will celebrate his birthday on Aug. 12. Enjoy your day.

The Community Coffee Break was well attended on Tuesday, Aug. 8 at the Belgrave Community Centre. Everyone enjoyed getting together for coffee, snacks and fellowship. The next coffee break is on Tuesday, Aug 22. Everyone is welcome.

There are no church services in August at Knox United Church, Belgrave.

Anniversary greetings are extended to Allen and Kim Walker on Aug. 12.

Our summer is slipping by in a hurry. We have had ideal weather and the crops and gardens are looking pretty good due to the rain

Obituaries

Interment at Fairview Cemetery, Listowel. Reception to follow at Listowel Legion. The service will be livestreamed and the link is available on the funeral home’s website.

Memorial donations to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Wallace Township, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, or the Fordwich Village Residents’ Council would be appreciated.

Online condolences may be left at www.eatonfuneralhome.ca

GARY STOREY

At Huronlea Home for the Aged in Brussels, on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, Gary Storey of Wingham passed away peacefully at the age of 85.

The cherished dad of Janet Storey of Brussels and Greg Storey of Wingham, Gary was the loving grandpa of Jamie, Ryan and Joshua O’Neil and great-grandpa of Grayson O’Neil. Gary will be lovingly remembered by his brother Irvine Storey and his wife Gwen and their family and his many nieces and nephews. Gary was predeceased by his

parents Louis and Olive (Groves) Storey and sisters Maxine Elliott and Lois Broome and her husband Bill.

A visitation was held at McBurney Funeral Home, Wingham, on Friday, Aug. 4. Final resting place, Wingham Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to Community Living Wingham and District, or the Children’s Health Foundation would be appreciated.

Online condolences at www.mcburneyfuneralhome.com.

we had with perfect temperatures. It is great to have cooler temperatures in the evenings. It cuts down on using air conditioning and is better for the environment.

Hopefully everyone had a good Civic holiday. The weatherman cooperated, except for Monday when we did get some much-needed rain. The summer holidays are winding down and students will be getting organized and getting ready to return to school. Students, enjoy your summer, what’s left of it. Some are playing soccer, baseball, road hockey, taking swimming lessons, going to the beach, camping, going for a walk, biking or just enjoying what Mother Nature has given us.

From the Minister’s Study

Let God disrupt you with love and wonder

BY REV. ALEX JEBSON, BLYTH AND BRUSSELS  UNITED CHURCHES

When I was cleaning up around the house the other day, I stumbled across the letter that Jean-Luc wrote to me for our wedding day. To be honest, the main thing that I remember from the wedding was how stressed I was - but, to be fair, we had to change the location of the reception just days earlier. The main thing that Jean-Luc remembers is that he didn’t get his apple crumble dessert because we had to go around to all the tables and say hello to people, and they had cleared our plates before we got back. I won’t go into what he wrote, but suffice to say, he can be far more eloquent than me.

I wish that I was more the romantic type - the type that you see on the cover of romance novels. Shirt half open, long hair blowing in the wind (and not being all tangled and curled from the humidity), with a sweeping score of strings swelling behind him. Alas, that’s not really how my mind tends to operate. But these little disruptions of love, like a love letter from a joyous, yet stressful day, can be the catalyst for us to both reflect on the deeper meaning of love, and, as inspiration for us to offer our own little actions of love each day.

The 19th century Danish theologian and philosopher Soren Kierkegaard is the one who said, “The Bible is God’s love letter to us.” And, at the risk of sounding like a cliché or ripping off the singer Jackie DeShannon, what the world needs now is love, sweet love.

The world is filled with apathy, hatred, and a lack of community and communication with others. People are so quick to marginalize, to demonize, to generalize to the point where love is very hard to fit into the letter.

For many, that is the definition of sin: being apart from God’s love and the love that God calls us to offer one another. And, in many ways, the “love” that we were taught to embody as Christians and in our communities growing up was more about control and a desire for sameness than true divine love.

In the face of such a need for love, we are offered in scripture, love letters that speak of God’s love. But this isn’t just the passive “God is love” that some espouse. This is a disruptive love, a love that both offers us inspiration and challenge; words to chew on and live out. It’s a love that goes deeper, wider and greater than any love we have ever known; love that pulls us in again after we run from it, we ignore it, or we feel unworthy to receive it.

The love letter offered from scripture could be words of devotion. The kind of love that comes from narratives like that of Ruth and Naomi, the mother-in-law who loses everything and the daughter-in-law who refuses to leave her side.

The speech that Ruth gives to Naomi is one that is heard in many ceremonies or affirmations of love. And rightfully so. “Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die - there will I be buried.” (Ruth 1:16-17)

That’s surely the stuff of love letters.

But just focusing on that one

speech might leave us skimming the rest of the love letter, and just how disruptive that love is. The relationship between Ruth and Naomi does exemplify the devotion that comes with a love inspired by God. But with that devotion comes several other qualities of divine love. There is trust, the desire and ability to build up a relationship, whether through family or other ties. There is openness, the freedom and solidarity that Naomi feels to be real about her emotions to Ruth and to God.

We get so wound up with Ruth’s speech, we miss Naomi’s response when they get to Bethlehem, where she weeps about her bitter situation: “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty; why call me Naomi when the Lord has dealt harshly with me, and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” (Ruth 1:21).

Divine love doesn’t assume we’re always at our best. It means coming to God and to our communities with our authentic emotions and fears, seeking solace and support.

There’s also something powerful in the Ruth narrative about the idea of chosen family, and God’s loving

and caring presence despite times of difficulty, change and liminality. It challenges the idea of what a relationship is supposed to look like, and with whom we are inspired to connect.

Ruth goes against the cultural norm of returning to her ancestral home, instead choosing to stay with Naomi, and, in a way, changing or deepening her identity. This breaking of norms and forging unexpected bonds is a hallmark of God’s boundless love, and it is a reason why many marginalized groups, such as women and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, find great comfort and love in these verses.

Or, instead of devotion, God’s love letter to you could be one of passion. Don’t believe me? Check out the Song of Solomon (aka the Song of Songs), which some have called the “sexiest” book in the Bible. Feel free to put the paper down for a minute and look it up. I promise, you’ll find some… interesting ways to compliment someone. My favourite poem from this book is the “Springtime Rhapsody” (Song of Solomon 2:817).

In this “Springtime Rhapsody”, we hear about love that is known in commitment, experience and joy. Some have interpreted these poems to be a symbol of love between God and the People or Christ and the Church, while others see this purely as love poetry. In any case, this delight in love, the joy and nature and passion of it, is something that disrupts the apathy that deadens the world.

These poems paint a steamy picture at times, but at their heart they are about commitment and delight and a desire to know and love the other, both of which are at the heart of Christian love. It is an embodied love, which can be quite disruptive. Even think about Jesus’ ministry; laying hands on ill people in a society of ritual purity, breaking bread and pouring wine with his hands and passing it to the disciples’ hands. The theologian Marcella Althaus-Reid spoke of this embodied love when she wrote, “In a way, what we need is to recover the memory of the scandal in theology, and with a vengeance… God, as found in the complexities

of the relationships of people… the theological scandal is that bodies speak, and God speaks through them.”

Or if you’re not really looking for passion and steamy romance, you might just need a love letter that restores and comforts. For that, perhaps you can turn to one of the most beloved and comforting passages in the entire Bible, as found in the Gospel of Matthew: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).

For people who are weary and worn, for people who have to spend their lives fighting systems and attitudes that deny their humanity and offer no love, for people who are trapped on society’s treadmill of constant productivity and no time for life, these are words of love that shock and delight.

But this loving rest and comfort

THE EDITOR,

Who would think that a bucolic rural place like Ashfield-ColborneWawanosh (ACW) could be such a hotbed of controversy?

For those not familiar with the local political climate, I refer to the recent proposal by ACW staff to eliminate open forum from the council meeting agenda. Open forum is one of the last remaining opportunities for the public to freely express opinions and concerns about council agenda items and decisions without having to jump through layers of bureaucracy and deadlines.

It appears to me that ACW would like to reduce the public to a herd of sheep, minding our own business most of the time and only sticking our heads up once every four years to mark an “X”. If this staff proposal is approved by council, it would be surprising, considering how some of the ACW councilors made much of their commitment to public involvement and participation when running for that “X”.

As one of the potential sheep, I

am concerned that our senior staff and council have no actual background and training in being shepherds. If the people of ACW are going to be treated like sheep, let’s get the potential shepherds the training they need.

Where, you ask? Well, obviously, the Australian Outback, where there is some serious sheep ranching going on.

If this open forum proposal is approved, I would like to propose an item for next year’s ACW budget: a two-year training course in sheep herding in the Australian Outback for senior staff and any council members voting for this. I think a lot of residents of ACW

would get on board with sending them there. I’ll kick in the suntan lotion myself. Who knows? They might like it so much they would decide to stay there.

Just one final thought. There is a type of government where the people being governed are not listened to, are actively discouraged from participating, where voices are silenced and the rulers make decisions without any input from the public: I believe it’s called a dictatorship.

When you marked an “X” in the last election in ACW, who would have thought it could be a vote for that?

Anne Marie Howard.

Continued from page 17 in God isn’t just a passive rest. We are also called in this love letter to learn from Christ; learn how to love and learn how to serve in love. The love that we are to learn from may seem like a heavy yoke, but being able to find refuge, an exemplar and loving support in God and others, that yoke doesn’t seem heavy at all. As the theologian Daniel Migliore explains, “While [love] will express itself sacrificially, it will be different from destructive selflessness, passivity, or mere acquiescence to whatever pressures are at work in a situation. Like faith, Christian love is an act of freedom… it is the

joyful practice of a new freedom for others that we have seen in and received from Christ.”

I hope that out of these narratives - these love letters from God - there has been something to disrupt you with love and wonder. Whether the love you need to receive from God today is a love made known in devotion, solidarity, passion, comfort, uplifting (or what have you) in Christ, such love is found. And in joy and with easy yokes, we offer such love unto others. How will you disrupt someone’s life with God’s love? That’s up to you to discern alongside God. Who knows? It might even be a love letter. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Jason Lamont of Seaforth provided

building in the south end of town by artist Robert Johnson. (Shawn Loughlin photo)

Entertainment Leisure &

Donnelly trilogy concludes with ‘Handcuffs’

The end

The Donnellys: A Trilogy concluded over Bonanza Weekend at the Blyth Festival with Handcuffs, the third and final installment in James Reaney’s historical epic of drama, violence and tragedy. The three plays - Sticks and Stones, St. Nicholas Hotel and Handcuffs - will now run together in three-show clusters for the rest of the month. From left: Hallie Seline, Masae Day, Paul Dunn, Mark Uhre, Geoffrey Armour, Cameron Laurie, Randy Hughson, Steven McCarthy and James Dallas Smith. (Terry Manzo photo)

By Shawn Loughlin

The Citizen

Remember when Titanic was the biggest movie in the world? It made over one billion dollars and yet, we all knew how it would end: the boat sinks.

Actor J.D. Smith addresses this as he sets the stage for Handcuffs with a quick, real-time prologue. Speaking directly to the audience, he calls them out for paying for their tickets and making the trip to Blyth (even enjoying dinner and a drink beforehand) for what? To see the Donnellys die - that’s what. The story of the Donnelly family only ends one way and it’s been that way for almost 150 years. The slaughter of the Donnellys began in St. Nicholas Hotel , the second installment in The Donnellys: A Trilogy by the late James Reaney, but in Handcuffs, we all knew we’d arrive at that fateful night in February of 1880 when the Donnelly home was set ablaze with several members inside the house.

It is a true story after all, so we also know that no one ever does pay for the crimes, which makes what we’re about to see happen to these characters, who we’ve come to know and understand over the past two shows, that much more tragic.

Producing the shows in threenight groupings is a smart move. Not only is it efficient and economical for the Blyth Festival, bringing people to Blyth to see the entire saga over the course of three nights, but it’s hard to imagine audience members not being caught up in the world of the Donnellys. The recurring characters, consistent themes and callbacks to previous shows surely all pay off seeing the

shows back-to-back-to-back.

Furthermore, as a classic potboiler of a drama leading to an explosive and tragic conclusion, the tension must ratchet up each night in a relentless manner, as opposed to the experience of viewers who have a few weeks to decompress before taking another step in the Donnellys’ journey.

Handcuffs returns us to familiar territory for those who have seen Sticks and Stones and St. Nicholas Hotel

The Donnellys are still a problem for everyone in the community - it seems - for their political leanings and their behaviour. They continue to fight back against those who would tell them how to vote, how to run their operation and the company they should keep.

Jim and Johannah Donnelly and their children remain steadfast in their convictions, insisting that they are free to do as they please and think as they wish in a country as free as Canada. (Jim has, over the course of the three shows, often lamented the bad old days in Ireland, thinking he had left them behind, only to find they followed the family to southwestern Ontario from Ireland.)

And, as neighbours have insisted that the Donnellys bend to their will and fall in line, it’s become clear that won’t be an option and the members of the community seek to break the Donnellys if they will not bend.

Several pieces of the puzzle fall into place, spelling disaster for the Donnellys. James Carroll, who despises the Donnellys, is handed a high level of power and even the Catholic Church has come on board, seemingly lending its

Donnellys, which is a much different energy than the community members who would taunt or badger the Donnellys after too much drink at a local bar.

It’s heartbreaking to see Jim and Johannah on the stage, after all the loss they had already suffered, knowing there was more to come.

Thinking back to the early days of Sticks and Stones, as an idealistic young family with just one young son, it’s hard not to get angry when you see their world come crashing down on them, finally.

And, with the inevitable conclusion just around the corner, it’s tough to watch the Donnellys plot and plan to defend what is theirs once and for all, knowing that their best laid plans will not make any difference to their fate.

The Donnellys: A Trilogy is a true triumph in the lineage of some of the Festival’s best work. As an institution that has championed the creation of original Canadian plays and the telling of local stories, the marriage between it and the work of Reaney, who was also at the forefront of this idea, just in his own way, is a perfect match.

The great experiment of

producing all three shows in one season should be remembered as a success along the lines of some of the Festival’s best spectacles. Furthermore, the shows, produced in this manner, brought to life by Artistic Director Gil Garratt and this fantastic cast, should serve as a history lesson and a reminder of the importance of Canadian stories.

On opening night, members of the Reaney family were in attendance to see the work of their father on stage once again. Garratt made a note of that to audience members. To think of the work done by people like Reaney, Paul Thompson (with more than one Donnelly play under his belt) and others in the early 1970s, lead to Keith Roulston, Anne Chislett and James Roy founding the Blyth Festival. Next year, the Festival will produce its 50th season.

What a celebration of the art of Canadian storytelling - an affirmation of the hard work, creativity and dedication that so many have worked towards all those years ago.

The Donnellys: A Trilogy is truly the Blyth Festival at its best.

support to putting an end to the Donnelly family’s failure to play ball once and for all.

The days of music and humour (for the most part) are behind us in the world of Handcuffs. The tragic end of the Donnellys trilogy is no place for it.

Masae Day is the first to step on the stage (after Smith’s direct address to the audience) just as she stepped off the boat from Tipperary, Ireland to come and be with the Donnellys. She’s a young relative who has no idea what she’s walking into.

The entire cast is fantastic and it’s hard, as an audience member, to not feel as though you’ve all embarked on this long journey together.

Geoffrey Armour’s Carroll has been building up steam since the closing minutes of St. Nicholas Hotel. Even if you didn’t know the historical context of his character, it’s clear to see that he would be a person of interest in Handcuffs , sure to spell some sort of trouble for the Donnellys. He was motivated, angry and willing to do what he felt was necessary to get rid of the

‘Chronicles of Sarnia’ brings laughs, heart

Let’s get started

In The Chronicles of Sarnia, Erin, left, played by Severn Thompson works to make lemonade (out of lemons) for her time capsule project in Matt Murray’s comedy with a tremendous gut punch of emotion along for the ride. From left: Thompson, Mark Crawford (standing), Murray Furrow and Amy Keating. (Terry Manzo photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

The success of Sophia Fabiilli’s Liars at a Funeral and now Matt Murray’s The Chronicles of Sarnia feels like an appropriate counterweight to what’s going on with The Donnellys: A Trilogy over on the Blyth Festival’s Harvest Stage.

Where the Donnellys shows are heavy, often dark and unbearably tragic (as J.D. Smith’s character says at the very beginning of Handcuffs, which also opened last weekend, audience members paid and came to the theatre to see the Donnellys die), the other two shows have been light, easy watches that bring with them more than their fair share of laughs.

Of course, with each of the comedies comes heart and time to stop and think about personal connections, family and the ones you love, but sometimes it’s just nice to have a laugh at the theatre.

The Chronicles of Sarnia is a tight story, told over the course of one cursed night, depending on who you ask.

Erin, played by Severn Thompson, a long-time history teacher who’s truly passionate about what came before her, spearheads a meeting to create a new time capsule but, despite her best intentions, she fails to attract the attention and participation in her project she hoped that she would.

Her husband is there, of course, though he’d much rather be at home watching hockey than missing the action. (Or is he? As someone who pulled the same stunt with World Series baseball and a high school girlfriend who wanted to go to the movies, I applaud both the audacity and the courage of Rick, played by Murray Furrow.)

Erin’s two honest-to-goodness guests are Marcus, played by Mark Crawford, and Clair, played by Amy Keating. Marcus is looking to reconnect with his hometown after years spent living in Toronto and Clair is on a quest to right herself with the law by way of community service hours.

The fifth member of the group is Owen, played by Sam Malkin. He is the caretaker of the church at which the planning meeting is being held. He handles everything in regards to

the building, but becomes a bit more involved in the time capsuleness of it all when the snow really starts to fall and all five find themselves unable to leave the church at the end of the meeting.

Murray sought to write a love letter to his beloved hometown, while, at the same time, re-evaluate what really creates history; what makes stories worth telling and worth reading.

Erin is clearly a perfectionist and someone who tries very hard to accomplish what she wants to accomplish. So, when she’s faced with this motley crew of misfits to make her passion project a reality, to say she’s a bit disappointed is truly an understatement.

However, as Erin takes steps to loosen up (to varying degrees of success) and the rest of the group begins to succumb to her infectious enthusiasm, everyone in the church hall begins to slowly tip-toe towards the ever-elusive and muchsought-after patch of common ground.

Thompson is the perfect actor to lead this project. She can wind up and be as tense and fastidious as Erin needs to be in one moment and then connect emotionally with another member of the cast in another.

And, while Erin serves as the story’s anchor, the rest of the cast is great. Everyone is perfect in the roles they’re asked to play and each has their turn to be hilariously funny in one moment and unbelievably touching in the next. They all connect with one another over the course of the night and divulge information about their lives that they wouldn’t otherwise be comfortable sharing, but they

form a bond in that church through

shared experiences, trauma and laughs that seems to make them better, more understanding people by the end of the show.

Furrow is both caring and funny in his turn as Rick as he tries to support Erin while navigating his own challenging circumstances (not all of which are hockey gamerelated).

Crawford’s comic instinctwhich should come as no surprise to Blyth Festival audience membersis tremendous. He brings the others into his life, which has taken some less-than-ideal twists and turns along the way, but he rediscovers some things about himself along the way.

Keating is the funniest of the bunch - both thanks to her performance and to the writing of the character - so it’s easy to write her off as burn-out comic relief. However, audience members and her fellow time capsule mates both learn alongside one another that there is much more to Clair than meets the eye/probation order.

Malkin’s Owen is both heartbreaking and wise. As the

oldest of the group, and with history taking centre stage, it’s hard not to listen intently when he talks. They could all learn something from him, and they likely do.

Director Miles Potter is very familiar with both comedy and many of his actors and it shows as the show is loose, free-flowing and simple (in a good way). He knows how to hit all the notes and put his actors in the right place at the time to connect with the audience.

The show begins with some edgy humour and strong language that may take some audience members off guard, and then journeys towards some real emotional gutpunches as it works its way towards its end. It truly gives the audiences the best of both worlds and shows the skill and versatility of everyone from Murray to Potter to the cast.

Again, in contrast to the heavy, complicated and often tragic saga of the Donnelly family, The Chronicles of Sarnia - which even plays during the daytime hours of August - feels like a sunny, tightly-packaged alternative that is right at home on the Memorial Hall stage.

first female pastor, Aleda struggles with feelings of inadequacy and questions the relevance of her ministry as she faces all the characters and challenges, large and small, that define village life. What happens when the strawberry social is threatened, and when a tragedy shakes the village to its core? $20.00

DR. BLOOM’S EVENT Maxwell Bloom, a successful and respected surgeon in London, Ontario, stumbles into an opportunity to realize a hidden dream — sponsoring an Arts Event-of-the-Year for the community. But he soon finds his life in chaos when three struggling artists move into his stately home to help with the event. Each takes advantage of him in unique ways. Now he finds himself staring point-blank into the face of personal struggles from his past. $20.00

ALICE MUNRO WRITING HER LIVES

Author Robert Thacker takes us on a fascinating journey of Munro’s life including growing up poor in Wingham and following through all her life stages including the slow but steady rise in her writing career. $24.95

SAM

Sam Johnstone is a pretty, talented girl who has been troubled by her name since the day she started kindergarten. Sam falls in love, but her name and the things she learns in a secret letter prevent her from accepting the proposal.

$24.00

BERNARDIN COMPLETE BOOK OF HOME PRESERVING

Preserve the fruits and vegetables of your own garden (and save money, too). 400 delicious and creative recipes for jams, jellies and other spreads, salsa, relish, chutney, ketchup, pickles and more. $29.95

THE VIEW FROM CASTLE ROCK

This book traces the generations of Alice Munro’s family. Evocative, gripping, and unexpected, the stories in this collection are Munro’s most personal stories. $21.00

TALES FROM THE TOWNSHIP

The latest edition of humorous short stories by Arnold Mathers. This book contains 28 short stories as well as 2 plays. All are comedies with some deeper meaning. $20.00

BACKYARD FORAGING

This book explores the fun, safe, and free way to eat locally. A foraging guide that safely leads you through harvesting etiquette, plant identification and tips on how to eat the leaves, flowers, nuts, seeds, roots, etc. of plants. $22.95

95th Huron County Plowing Match

Hosted by: Farm of Pete and Leisa Albers

42894 Browntown Road, Bluevale

Co-hosted by: Huron County Warden Glen McNeil

Thursday, August 17 & Friday, August 18, 2023

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

The 95th annual Huron County Plowing Match, hosted by the Huron County Plowmen’s Association, will be held on Aug. 17-18 just northeast of Brussels on the home farm of Peter and Leisa Albers.

The match will begin on Aug. 17 with Junior Day. The young plowers will practice from 9-11 a.m., followed by the competition from 12-3 p.m.

Also that day, the Princess competition will go ahead. Six young women have put their names forward in the hopes of succeeding Jillian Shortreed, last year’s winner of the Princess competition.

On Friday, Aug. 18, registration will open at 8 a.m. and the competition will begin at 9 a.m.

4

Speeches to help decide the Queen of the Furrow competition winner will begin that day at 1 p.m. and former Huron County Queen of the Furrow and current Ontario Queen Maranda Klaver will be part of the festivities. Eight young women will be vying for the crown. Later that day, the Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association, as well as several

implement dealers, will be there and demonstrating as part of the match. The association will demonstrate between 2-4 p.m. that day.

The vendor market will go ahead this year again and the association is actively looking for more vendors. Reach out to Margaret Vincent at vincent9margaret @msn.com if you are interested.

There will also be antique displays, organized by Henry and Annette Hendriks from the Lucknow area. They are also looking to involve more people, so reach out to them at 519-529-7560 for more information.

At 5 p.m., the banquet will begin with a meal catered by Cardiff Catering. That night, the plowing awards will be handed out and the

2023 Queen of the Furrow will be crowned, ending the local reign of Luanne McGregor. There will also be both a silent and live auction at the banquet after dinner has been served. On both days, the Brussels Leo Club will be serving lunch, while the Brussels Optimist Club will be dishing out breakfast on Friday, Aug. 18.

Wiersma looks ahead to 95th plowing match

International Plowing Match (IPM) next month. She has been very active at various events this past year promoting Huron County. The crowning of the 2023-2024 Huron County Queen will be held at our Friday night banquet, which is being held on site.

Many of our plowers will also compete at other matches and go on to join Luanne in competitions occurring at the 2023 IPM at Bowling Green, Ontario on Sept. 19-23 in Dufferin County.

Congratulations go to all of the deserving individuals who have represented and will continue to represent Huron County well at past, present and future IPM competitions. Many championships have been won by Huron County competitors.

Please join us at our plowing awards banquet on Friday night starting at 5 p.m. with the meal being served at 5:30 p.m. This year we will be having roast beef dinner catered by Cardiff’s Barbecue Catering. Advance tickets are required and you can get them from any Huron County Plowmen’s Association member.

I wish to extend a huge thank you to the many volunteers who have dedicated their time and energy to make the 2023 Huron County Plowing Match a success. We would not be able to host such a tremendous event without them.

Thank you also to the numerous sponsors that support our match. I would also like to thank Pete and Leisa Albers and their family, as

BY BRIAN WIERSMA, PRESIDENT OF THE HURON  COUNTY PLOWMEN’S  ASSOCIATION

I would like to invite you to the 95th Huron County Plowing Match, which is being held on Thursday, Aug. 17 and Friday, Aug. 18 at the home farm of Pete and Leisa Albers and their family at 42894 Browntown Road, Bluevale, Ontario in Huron East.

Thursday, Aug. 17 will be our match’s Junior Day, focusing on our junior plowers from the 4-H Sodbusters Club and the Princess competition. The current Huron County Princess is Jillian Shortreed, who has done an excellent job this past year.

We thank her for representing the Huron County Plowmen’s Association at various events throughout Huron County during the past year.

The Princess contestants’ speeches will begin on Thursday, at 1 p.m.

The Junior Day is the culmination of many hours of practice and preparation by the 4-H Sodbuster Club. Congratulations to all of the 4-H members for their hard work and dedication. Special thanks go out to Brian McGavin, Melissa Veldman and Don Dodds for their guidance and contributions to the club.

On Friday morning, breakfast is available on site from 7:30-9:30 a.m., hosted by the Brussels Optimist Club. The proceeds from the breakfast will be going towards new playground equipment at North Woods Public School.

Lunch will be available for purchase on site thanks to the Brussels Leo Club. The tractor plowing begins at 9 a.m. and the horse plowing at 10 a.m. with action continuing throughout the day. There will be a variety of displays to visit, in addition to the plowing in the field. The Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association will be putting on a demonstration from 2-4 p.m. They will show different types of cover crops and soil practices.

The speeches for the Queen of the Furrow competition will commence at 1 p.m. on Friday.

Our current Queen is Luanne McGregor, who has done an excellent job this past year. She will be representing us at the 2023

well as Huron County Warden Glen McNeil and Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan for hosting this year’s match. As planning has been underway for this year’s match, I have been reminded of the vital components involved. The association’s strength lies with the talented plowers, committed families, industrious volunteers and a supportive community. Thank you, again, to everyone involved, and for attending.

I am looking forward to a tremendous event and wish all of the competitors the best of luck with their ventures.

Brian Wiersma, Huron County Plowmen’s Association President

Klaver reflects on what was the year of a lifetime

and became very familiar with the new crew I would be hanging around for the next year. I learned that not only does the U.S. have a Bowling Green, but so does Ontario - and, right in the heart of Dufferin County, where 2023 IPM will be held. In the 104-year history of the IPM, this is the first year it will be held in Dufferin County! That is

something that is so exciting and historic that I am very proud to help promote that match over the course of my reign. November brought with it a variety of events across the province, like the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair with Huron Princess Jillian Shortreed, a Perth County 4-H event and local

school presentations, Christmas parades and toy shows, and a farmer appreciation dinner in Grey County with Grey Normandy Queen Megan Fisher. In December, I attended an IPM workshop for all the volunteers of Dufferin County and the Huron Plowmen’s Association held a

Maranda Klaver, 2019 Huron County Queen of the Furrow and 2022 Ontario Queen of the Furrow Continued on page 6

BY MARANDA KLAVER, 2022 ONTARIO QUEEN OF THE FURROW and 2019-2022 HURON COUNTY QUEEN OF

THE FURROW

And just like that, in the blink of an eye, my reign is almost over. It feels like I’ve been a Queen of the Furrow forever, like it has become part of my identity.

When I was crowned as Huron County Queen of the Furrow back in 2019, I had no idea what was coming my way and ended up getting way more queen time than I ever could’ve imagined. But I truly wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

It was a normal start to the local reign with fairs and plowing matches and parades; and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I had to learn how to go to events virtually and wearing a mask in public became the new normal. My oneyear reign was turned into a threeyear reign, which made me the longest reigning queen in Huron County history! Who knew that was in the cards when I signed up and won the title?

I loved every minute of being Huron County’s Queen of the Furrow. It connected me with a great group of plowing and agricultural enthusiasts - the absolute best supporters - and presented an opportunity to meet new people and attend fun events across the county.

The real cherry on top was finally getting the green light to head to the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) in Grenville County in September, 2022. I was just happy to be there after a whirlwind of a reign with all the drama from the pandemic.

The week of the IPM flew by. I went there with two goals: to make some new friends and connections, and do well in plowing. All the other queens were all so great to be around and it truly was so special to be around like-minded individuals finally after several long, drawn-out

years of the pandemic.

The night of the banquet, I had done everything I could. All the cards were laid out and it was out of my hands now and I could only sit back and see what happened... and then my name was called as the new Ontario Queen of the Furrow!

My next adventure was about to begin within moments after that crown was placed on my head. There was an unreal feeling that went through my body and mind when I was on stage. I didn’t believe it at first, but when I looked at previous Ontario Queen Anna Lennox, it hit me. I was now the Ontario Queen of the Furrow. Something so prestigious that I had worked towards over the past three years had just happened. I had looked up to all the previous Ontario Queens and now the queen that people would look up to was me!

My first official day on the new job was the Saturday of the IPM. I was escorted around by previous Queen Anna and she introduced me to everyone while showing me the ropes. Although I had been a queen for three years prior, it felt like a whole new world to me. Maybe that was because of the adrenaline still pumping through me or maybe all the excitement. Either way, I knew I was ready for it.

After the IPM was over, I embarked on my new journey as Ontario Queen of the Furrow on my own. In Huron, we have a Princess, so it was always nice to have a little buddy with me at events. As a result, this was a bit of a change for me. However, at each event, I usually ran into a fellow queen, otherwise it was an opportunity for me to get to know my fellow plowers.

I was able to attend the Haldimand Oneida Plowing Match alongside Oneida Queen Jacquelyn Easson. There, I met some members of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association’s Board of Directors. Next, I headed to Dufferin County

Photo by Terry Manzo.

U of G networking night an honour: Klaver

Paving the way

Just over a decade ago, in the good old days of 2012, Maranda Klaver, seated, was crowned Huron County Princess. Seven years later she would earn the title of Huron County Queen of the Furrow and, in September of 2022, she would win the provincial Queen of the Furrow crown. (File photo)

Continued from page 6 celebration party for my provincial win. I also attended several annual general meetings (AGM) of plowmen’s associations across the province, including Huron, Perth and Chatham-Kent. This was the first time I was able to meet Chatham Kent Queen Rebekah Ball. It was a busy end of the year but very memorable for sure.

To ring in the new year, I had the honour of being a guest speaker at several AGMs for local fairs like Brussels and the Huron Beef Producers. It’s a good thing I enjoy writing speeches, as this was just the beginning of it.

In February, I had one of the most memorable experiences of my reign. I was asked to be a guest panelist at the University of

Guelph’s Women in Agriculture Club for their Inspiring Women in Agriculture networking night. The request itself was enough of an honour, but being able to attend and have so many incredible people look up to me and not only care, but value the information I had to share, was something I’ll never forget.

This took being a role model to a whole new level. I was also able to meet up with Ottawa Carleton Queen Rhiannah Gallager, who was attending the event as a student.

March was farm show month. I attended London and Drayton farm shows with Bruce County Queen Hanna Van Stuyvenberg, collected all the free pens, and did some networking. I also attended an allchairs meeting for the upcoming IPM and heard about the updates

and progress that has been made so far. All the meetings for the IPM always get me so excited for what’s to come. Another big highlight was being able to attend the Kawartha Lakes Spotlight on Agriculture gala alongside Region of Durham Queen Meghan McLeod.

It was a great night of fun, food and agriculture. What more could you want?

In April, one of the big events prior to the IPM is the Ontario Plowmen’s Association’s annual convention, and this year it was

Continued

Busiest weeks of reign still ahead for Klaver

It was a warm day in Howick that saw Maranda Klaver, left, crowned Huron County Queen of the Furrow back in 2019. She would retain the crown for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic before handing it off to Luanne McGregor, but winning another in the form of the provincial title. Klaver was crowned by 2018 Queen Loretta Higgins, right. (File photo)

Continued from page 6 held in Coburg. Not only was it a great meeting with fellow plow members from across the province, but the Golden Plough from the first World Ploughing Match was right across the road from the hotel! There were so many big things that weekend and, of course, it got everyone excited and talking about the upcoming IPM.

May showers did not keep me down! I was excited to be a judge for the Milverton Fair Baby and Sweetheart of the Fair competitions. There were so many fantastic candidates, but, unfortunately, only one winner. Everyone who was willing to get on the stage was a winner in my eyes.

After the judging concluded, I headed to Tiverton with fellow plowman Tom Evans from Bruce County’s fundraiser dinner with Bruce Queen Hanna. Tom has qualified to represent Canada at the

World Ploughing Championships in Latvia this October. The hall was full! Tom has so much support behind him and we wish him all the very best luck later this year; we know you will do great and represent Canada very well.

The closer we get to September, the more events keep happening in Dufferin County. Peel-Dufferin Queen Mel Karpenko and I also attended the Grand Valley duck race where we advertised the IPM and helped sell souvenirs!

June was presentation month.

Alex Giger and I presented to the Orangeville Probus group. I was asked to be a guest speaker at the Brussels Optimist Club’s 50th anniversary dinner, and had the pleasure of being part of Farm and Food Care Ontario’s Breakfast on the Farm with 2022 Huron County Queen Luanne McGregor.

This year it just so happened to be in Huron County. It was designed as

presentation to the Caledon East and District Historical Society about the history of the IPM, the Queen of the Furrow program and the amalgamation of the Peel and Dufferin Plowmen’s Associations. It’s always neat to learn about a fellow association.

July proved to be the calm before the storm. I had one event, which was the Palmerston John Deere show and, as a fellow John Deere enthusiast, I was in my element! I attended with Wellington County

Queen Shayna Morphy. In the coming months, I am preparing for what I’m going to say will be the busiest time in my life. The peak of my reign will be here with plowing matches set to be held all over the province. I’m definitely very excited for this part of my reign, as it’s what every Ontario Queen of the Furrow waits for; where all the plowers do their best to try to get enough points to qualify for the IPM and get to know

a farm crawl events and one of the stops was at my Princess of the Furrow Grace Hallahan’s family’s dairy farm. I helped serve ice cream and promoted the Queen of the Furrow program and finally met up with Huron-Bruce MPP and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson. Recently, Queen Mel and I gave a

McGregor made historical connections at reunion

History on four wheels

Huron County Queen of the Furrow Luanne McGregor experienced a special moment last September when, at the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association, she was able to ride her greatgrandfather’s restored 1953 Massey-Harris tractor in one of the daily parades. (File photo)

BY LUANNE MCGREGOR,

2022/2023 HURON COUNTY  QUEEN OF THE FURROW

What a year! When I sat down to write this address, summarizing my year as Queen of the Furrow, I found myself at a loss for words. How do I sum up a year of amazing memories and experiences into one story?

To say I was shocked when my name was called a year ago would be an understatement. The day of the match was filled with so many fun moments, from meeting and getting to know the other competitors to the nerves of presenting my speech on the Farmerette program, I was there for the experience, no matter the outcome. And even though I had run several times in the past for both the Princess and Queen of the Furrow programs, I always found myself coming back.

These programs are so rewarding and beneficial towards building a young person’s character, allowing them to step out of their comfort zones, and meeting new friends along the way. A year ago, after I was crowned, I was excited for the year to come, as a past Seaforth Fall Fair Ambassador I was keen to put the crown back on after five years and step back into the community.

The first events I attended were the Perth and Middlesex County Plowing Matches where I got to see some familiar Huron County faces and meet some new faces from different areas and associations in Ontario.

A big weekend on my family’s yearly calendar is the Blyth Threshers, and, as a Hallahan whose great-grandfather was one of the founders, this is almost like an undeclared family reunion each year! This year was especially sentimental to me as I was honoured to be the first to drive my great-grandpa JT’s newly-restored 1953 Massey Harris in the parade around the grounds. In September, I also attended the Seaforth Fall Fair and watched two very deserving young ladies, Kira Driscoll and Layne MacGregor, crowned the Senior and Junior Ambassadors of the Fair. To have the opportunity to come back to my hometown as a past Ambassador, now representing the Huron County Plowmen’s Association, was a very proud moment. With fall fair season in

and her accomplishments representing Huron County.

Jillian and I then rang in the festive holiday season by attending many Santa Claus parades within Huron County. With each one, I found myself feeling more and more pride to be a part of such a family-oriented county! Before we rang in the new year, I attended the annual Huron County Plowmen’s Association meeting, where we formally met our very enthusiastic hosts for this year’s match: Pete and Leisa Albers. With talks of the upcoming year of 2023, my excitement for the coming months ahead and this year’s Plowing Match only grew!

In March, Jillian and I had the opportunity to be the first

representatives of the Huron County Plowmen’s Association to create a presentation and speak to several classes at St Anne’s Catholic Secondary School in Clinton. In our presentation, we discussed the Huron County Plowing Match, our two leadership programs, supported by the association, and what our year entails. We also discussed other leadership opportunities and programs in Huron County within the agricultural sector, like the Ambassador of the Fairs program, the 4-H Sodbusters Club and the Huron Perth Junior Farmers. It was truly a great feeling to return as a past graduate to show that you don’t have to be a “typical ag. kid” or come from a “traditional farming

family” to have a passion and drive for this industry and your community.

In April, the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OPA) held a convention at which all the local associations from across Ontario gathered to discuss common goals towards bettering each plowing match. And, of course, we all discussed the highlight of each plower’s year, which is the International Plowing Match (IPM), which is being held in Dufferin County this year. Although I was not able to attend in crown and sash, I found it fascinating to attend as a voting delegate of Huron County and see firsthand the passion everyone in

full swing, the next weekend I was off to the Howick Fall Fair where it was great to reconnect with a fellow Queen of the Furrow competitor and now friend Kaitlyn Kamrath at her hometown fair. I had the opportunity to meet the newlycrowned Ambassador Abigail Peel and speak with the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Affairs and Food Lisa Thompson.

The Howick Fair is a great representation of what happens when a very dedicated group of volunteers get together for a common goal of celebrating agriculture in their community.

After the excitement of fall fair season, Princess Jillian Shortreed and I were honoured to attend one of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture’s meeting, where we had the opportunity to listen to a presentation by Senator Rob Black, who has a deeply-rooted passion for the agriculture industry and all those who work within it.

December rolled around and Jillian and I attended Ontario Queen of the Furrow Maranda Klaver’s meet-and-greet celebration at the Seaforth Legion. It was a great day celebrating her

Perseverence paid off for McGregor with win

Putting down roots

Huron County Queen of the Furrow Luanne McGregor competed to be the Princess several times before winning the Queen’s crown. She is seen above at the 2016 Huron County Plowing Match. (File photo)

Continued from page 8 attendance had for the underrated art of plowing!

Our table watched with pride as Maranda gave her presentation as the Ontario Queen of the Furrow, discussing the Queen program and her journey thus far representing the OPA. Before we attended the banquet, a group of us from the Huron and Bruce County Associations took photos with the “Golden Plough”, which was conveniently located across the street from our hotel. This monument honours the “First World Ploughing Match”, which was held there in October of 1953.

May had sprung and Jillian and I were lucky enough to be welcomed at the District 8 competition in Milverton, where we watched as Abigail Peel from Howick was crowned this year’s District 8 Ambassador. It was a déjà vu moment for me - I found myself

looking back on fond memories from my year with my “District 8 girls” and the competition itself, which is when they voted me most congenial.

In June, I attended the Central Huron Ambassador of the Fair competition with my friend Emma Badley, who is representing the Mitchell Agricultural Society as their Ambassador this year. I have had such a fun time attending events this past year with some of my best friends and sharing in these special experiences! We both watched as Maria Pot and Paige Bruinsma were crowned the Senior and Junior Ambassadors of the Fair. They will both have remarkable years ahead of them.

On June 17, Jillian and I, along with Emma Badley, attended the Farm and Food Care Ontario Breakfast on Farm at both Grazing Meadows Wagyu near Brussels, and the Hallahan dairy farm north of

Blyth. At Grazing Meadows, just moments after arriving, Jillian, Emma and I were asked to stand alongside the Brussels Fall Fair Ambassadors and other dignitaries while Lisa Thompson made her announcement from the provincial government promising funding for Ontario’s agricultural societies.

After touring the grounds and learning more about the Wagyu, this special breed of beef cow, we made our way over to the Hallahans’ seventh-generation dairy farm. After learning more about their innovative milking technology, we threw on some hair nets and scooped ice cream for the

attendees from all across Ontario. Let’s just say, with the crowns, sashes and hair nets, we were quite the sight!

Breakfast on the Farm was not only a great showcase of two very diverse sectors in the agricultural industry within Huron County, but

Shortreed

Passing the (crown)

In 2022, Grace Hallahan, right, handed off the Princess crown to Jillian

left. Hallahan was crowned in 2019 and retained the Princess title throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Shortreed says it has been an “awesome” year. (File photo)

BY JILLIAN SHORTREED, HURON COUNTY 2022/2023

PRINCESS

As my time as the 2022/2023 Huron County Plowmen’s Princess comes to an end, I want to reflect on what a great year I had as Princess. It is hard to believe that it is coming to an end so quickly, but I had so many amazing experiences and opportunities along the way. I was very lucky to attend events with the Huron County Queen of the Furrow, Luanne McGregor, and also had the opportunity to attend some events with the Ontario Queen of the Furrow, Maranda Klaver.

My journey as Princess started on Aug. 18, the first day of the Huron County Plowing Match, when I was crowned at Brian and Annette Mackenzie’s farm. It was such a fun day. I made some special friendships and met so many people.

On Aug. 19, I joined the Queen of the Furrow contestants in listening to special guest speaker and local Olympian, Julie-Anne Staehli.

After, I took a walk out to the field to watch and support all the plowing competition participants, and then I listened to the Queen contestants’ speeches. Later, I attended the banquet, where Luanne was crowned Huron County Queen of the Furrow. I was so excited to be working alongside her for the coming year.

Our first official events started in September. On Sept. 6, Luanne and I attended the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association in Blyth. We spent the day there and later took part in the parade. On Sept. 17, I attended the Seaforth Fall Fair. I spent the day with Luanne and the Mitchell Fair Ambassador. We took part in the parade and the Huron County 4-H shows.

In October, I was invited to attend the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s regional meeting in Huron County. It was such a great experience. I had the chance to meet many special guests and listen to discussions about issues impacting the agriculture and food industry.

One of my most memorable moments was attending the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair on Nov. 5 in Toronto with Maranda. I watched many shows and I had a chance to meet and

interact with so many new people.

On Dec. 11, I attended a meetand-greet with the community to celebrate Maranda Klaver’s Ontario Queen of the Furrow win, held by the Huron County Plowmen’s Association at the Seaforth Legion.

Then, came the time of year for Christmas parades, where I went along with Luanne in the Blyth and Clinton parades.

In May, Luanne and I visited St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School and took the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Huron County Plowmen’s Association. We discussed the Queen and Princess programs, as well as the amazing opportunities for youth in the agricultural sector in Huron County. It was such a great experience to promote such amazing programs and explain the beneficial life skills these programs have given us.

On May 7, I was invited to attend the District 8 Ambassador competition in Milverton where I got to see seven contestants compete for the title.

In June, I attended Breakfast on the Farm on Tim and Donna Prior’s

beef cattle farm and then made my way over to Steve and Arletta Hallahan’s dairy farm for ice cream. It was such a fun day. Luanne and I had the opportunity to make a short video to thank a farmer and also helped out scooping ice cream.

I then attended my last event at the Zurich Fair. I took part in the parade and attended the 4-H goat show and handed out ribbons.

As I finish up my year and prepare for this year’s Huron County Plowing Match, I reflect on what an amazing year I had. It has been an honour to represent the best county in Ontario and I am so excited to see who will be crowned the next Huron County Princess. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and all the friends I have made along the way. I have really appreciated all the experiences I have had and the skills I have learned.

I invite everyone to join us at Pete and Leisa Albers’ farm at 42894 Browntown Road, Bluevale, on Aug. 17-18 for what promises to be another amazing Huron County Plowing Match.

Shortreed,

Wiersma’s term coming to end, Hallahan up next

An extended presidency

Huron County Plowmen’s Association President Brian Wiersma, seen above at last year’s match, had his term extended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, he’s days away from overseeing his second full match and First Vice-President Steve Hallahan is next in line for the association’s top job. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

This year’s Huron County Plowing Match, held on the home farm of Pete and Leisa Albers in Huron East, will mark the end of a successful and extended presidency of the Huron County Plowmen’s Association for Brian Wiersma.

Next year, Wiersma will make way for Steve Hallahan, who has been a member of the association for several years. His daughter, Grace, was crowned Huron County Princess in 2019 and spent several years (throughout the COVID-19 pandemic) representing the association at numerous events and functions. Hallahan is the current first vice-president, so his two-year term as president will begin ahead of the 2024 match, with Ross McIntosh waiting in the wings in the second vice-president position, poised to take on the presidency ahead of the 2026 match, should he choose to continue on that path.

Wiersma was set to serve a twoyear term at the helm of the Huron County Plowmen’s Association, but the COVID-19 pandemic had other ideas. The 2020 match - originally scheduled to be held at the farm of Pete and Leisa Albers, the site of this year’s match after a three-year crop rotation has again resulted in optimal plowing match conditionswas cancelled and the 2021 match was closed to the public with strict guidelines regarding travel, participation, sanitation and safety in place.

Last year’s match, held at the Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh farm of Brian and Annette MacKenzie, represented the first opportunity for the association to host a match that attendees and participants had come to know and love prior to 2020. The association membership then consulted with Wiersma and offered him another year on his term to achieve the full experience of hosting two proper plowing matches and he accepted.

This year, he’s proud to be able to return to the Albers site, saying it will be another great addition to the plowing match legacy of Huron County. His only wish, which is the same every year in regards to the plowing match, is for good weather.

match was in Howick, Central Huron and Ashfield-ColborneWawanosh and now in Huron East. Next year, he said, the match will be held in the south end of the county, though a site has yet to be chosen.

A long-time volunteer, Wiersma had dedicated his spare time to helping out at his local church, the Optimist Club and as a member of a men’s choir. However, after a number of years, he was looking for a different way to give back to the community. Brian McGavin, a long-time member of the local plowing match community, directed him to the Huron Plowmen’s Association, saying they were always looking for more help from dedicated volunteers.

After attending a few meetings, Wiersma became more involved. He became a director several years ago when the Fear family hosted on their farm between Belgrave and Brussels. This was after, however, McGavin encouraged Wiersma to try his hand at competitive plowing a handful of times at the matches. He hadn’t done it as a kid, other than for work on the farm, and he said it was a great experience. Competitive plowing and plowing on the farm, he said, are completely different, so learning how to compete in a plowing match really opened his eyes. Looking ahead, he hopes this year’s installment in the history of the Huron County Plowing Match will be another great one.

He thinks there’s a great foundation of volunteerism and giving back through not just the association, but with the Brussels Optimists and Brussels Leos, who will be providing meals and donating back their profits to worthy community causes (new playground equipment at North Woods Elementary School near Ethel in the case of the Optimists). Furthermore, he knows that Pete and Leisa Albers will be excellent hosts. Ahead of the 2020 match, the Albers family approached the association wanting to host a match in the future. That kind of enthusiasm and availability, he said, doesn’t happen every year, but it makes the jobs of volunteers like him a lot easier.

Good weather changes everything for an outdoor, agriculturallyfocused event like the plowing match.

Reflecting on last year’s match, which saw as high an attendance as most association members could recall in recent years, Wiersma said it was “awesome” to return to normal and host a traditional match, complete with an awards banquet and the crowning of a new Princess and Queen of the Furrow.

On that point, he says it has been so great for the county and for the association to have new Queen of the Furrow Luanne McGregor and Princess Jillian Shortreed representing the group and the community, in addition to the exposure Huron County has had as a result of Maranda Klaver’s Ontario Queen of the Furrow win last fall, making her just the fourth Huron County Queen to triumph at the provincial level.

He also thinks it’s great that the match has moved around during its time, serving all of the county. In just the last few years, he said, the

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Albers family ready to host match after delay

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

Finding an appropriate host farm is an essential part of the planning process for any successful plowing match. In addition to having facilities large enough to host the banquet, the location must have just the right fields for the event - a space that is easily accessible by crowds and farm equipment alike, with soil in the right condition to be worked competitively. And, of course, the property owners must be more than happy to accommodate the event. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better fit than Pete and Leisa Albers of Grey Township in Huron East - this year’s Huron County Plowing Match hosts.

Leisa started off by explaining the all-too-familiar delay in their hosting plans. “We were supposed to host actually in 2020, but COVID obviously shut that down. Our son, Peter, started plowing in, I think it was 2018. He got into it quite young, so that was our first experience being involved with a plowing match.”

“My sister hosted in 2016,” recalled Pete. “So maybe that was actually our first plowing match,” Leisa amended.

Peter has just turned 15, which means he first became involved with plowing matches when he was only 10 years old. He started out by becoming involved with the Huron County 4-H Club’s Sodbusters - a plowing-focused youth initiative supported by local plowing dynasty, the McGavin family. Gordon McGavin was a champion plowman who was inducted into the Ontario Agriculture Hall of Fame, while later-generation plowing match legends Brian and Jeff remain active supporters of the culture, offering their expertise to any interested young people, even lending out competition-ready plows to youths ready to learn about the artistry behind the industry at the heart and soul of Huron County.

The Albers’ son’s interest in the precision of plowing may have been put on hold during the pandemic, but in all that time, it never waned. “COVID slowing things down means that he’s only had two or three years of plowing experience in the past five years. But he is going to plow again this year,” Leisa elucidated. So, how does a newcomer excel in the exciting world of competitive plowing? Oddly enough, it’s the same route as the one to Carnegie Hall - practice!

After being denied the experience of hosting the 2020 Huron County Plowing Match, 2023 is the perfect year for the Albers to take another swing at it - the triskelion pattern of crop rotation means that the Albers field has transitioned from wheat (the crop-de-rigueur for any selfrespecting plowing match) to corn in 2021, followed by soybeans in 2022, which brings their fields back to the necessary wheat in 2023. “It’s a rotation of every three years, of course,” said Leisa.

The Albers are overjoyed to get another shot at being a part of this rich local tradition, even though it is a lot of work in the days leading up to the event. Facilities to successfully house the banquet and lunch and room for presentations from the Princess and Queen of the Furrow competitors is essential, which, for the Albers family, means finding accommodating neighbours willing to temporarily take in the

various pieces of farm equipment that would normally inhabit those spaces.

The Albers believe strongly in the power of community groups like the 4-H Club, and hope that more and more young people will catch the spirit and enjoy the benefits like their son Peter has. “Just get out and try it!” is their shared sentiment.

For anybody who’s seen the Albers’ property, it’s clear that the space is an ideal one for the upcoming plowing match. The facilities that will be used to house the banquet and speeches are ready to go, and in very close proximity to the fields the competitors will be plowing. “I think this is the perfect opportunity to host this event,” said Leisa.

Pete also has high hopes for the future of competitive plowing in the area. “Hopefully they can keep appealing to young kids the way they have year after year,” he said.

“The Sodbusters is a great feeder program for it,” added Leisa. The Albers family is especially excited

Continued on page 13

Patient and gracious

The 2023 Huron County Plowing Match host family: (from left to right) Alyssa, Pete, Leisa and Peter Albers with Livy the dog. (Courtesy photo)

Corbett says 2023 HCPM has something for everyone

STEVE CORBETT, ADVISORY  COUNCILLOR FOR THE HURON  COUNTY PLOWMEN’S ASSOCIATION

Albers family hoping hundreds will attend match

Continued from page 12 to be hosting the Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association as a first-time addition to the event - the group will be on hand offering demonstrations of the latest soil conservation techniques. Pete and Leisa are also grateful for the excellent efforts of the Brussels Leo Club and the Brussels Optimist Club for providing support throughout the match, and are hoping for a great turnout. “I’m hoping for at least 400 people for the supper” said Pete. “Well, I only have seating for 300 people,” Leisa reminded him. “Well, I like to set my sights high,” he responded. If you want to try to snag a spot at the HCPM, head on over to the Albers

BY STEVE CORBETT, ADVISORY COUNCILLOR  FOR THE HURON COUNTY  PLOWMEN’S ASSOCIATION

Welcome everyone to the 95th Huron County Plowing Match. As Advisory Councillor for Huron County Plowmen’s Association, I bring greetings from the Ontario Plowmen’s Association.

With a return to our traditional format, we have something for everyone, with horse, antique, conventional and rollover competitive plowing. A highlight this year will be a demonstration of strip tillage and cover crop practices by the Huron Soil and Crop Improvement Association.

On Thursday, the members of the 4-H Sodbusters Club will have their final practice in the morning and then have their achievement day in the afternoon. The Princess competition will also be held that afternoon.

On Friday, we have a full day planned, starting with breakfast and plowing registration. Throughout the day, exhibitors will be present. The Queen of the Furrow program will showcase many talented ladies vying to be the next Huron County Queen of the Furrow. The winner will compete at the International Plowing Match (IPM) and Rural Expo 2024, being held in Kawartha Lakes from Oct. 1-5. The crowning

will take place during the banquet on Friday evening.

In September, plan on joining us in Bowling Green, Dufferin County Sept. 19-23 for IPM and Rural Expo 2023 to support our local competitors and Huron Queen of the Furrow Luanne McGregor as she competes for Ontario Queen of the Furrow.

In 2025, we are heading south to the new Grimsby Fair Complex for that year’s IPM.

I hope to see you at our county match and many other local county matches as we ramp up to another successful plowing season. Best of luck to all competitors. See you in Bowling Green in September!

Soil and Crop Improvement Association to offer demo

A ‘Soil Man’

Farmer

(Scott Stephenson photo)

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

Good farming, good fields and good food all depend on the same thing - good soil. The 95th annual Huron County Plowing Match (HCPM) takes place Aug. 17-18, and Vice-President of the Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association (HCSCIA) Peter Nonkes was kind enough to take the time to walk The Citizen through the bare essentials of modern soil conservation techniques in the days leading up to the big match.

“We promote soil conservation, soil health and best management farming practices for the local area,” he said.

Any resident of Huron County worth their salt can name the three rotating cash crop celebrities of the area: corn, wheat and soybeans. But these shining stars are buoyed by an equally important supporting cast of cover crops. Nonkes wants these field workhorses to get their proper due. “We promote cover cropsafter your main crop is grown, you would grow a cover crop, something that’s not going to get harvested, to protect the soil from rain and wind and erosion over the winter.”

The HCSCIA is an active group in the county. Members meet several times annually to keep up to date on modern soil improvement and conservation techniques. They also get hands-on when it comes to showing off effective methods. “We have a demonstration farm in Clinton behind the retirement centre there… we did conservation draining there, which is where, instead of a grid pattern, you follow the contours of the land - it creates a better drainage system. We did cover crops for beans there last year and we’re doing cover crops for corn there this year, to kind of promote and also fine tune that system.”

Nonkes comes by his interest in

ecologies honestly. “I’m a farmer here in Huron County, the third generation on my farm. I grow corn, soybeans and wheat. I use cover crops in my rotation, so, after the wheat is done, I’m planting a cover crop of a five- or six-way mix and, after the corn comes off, I’ll be planting another cover crop of rye. Cover crops protect the soil, and increase organic matter and carbon in the soil, which is just another part of what we’re trying to do.”

Nonkes displays a knowledge of practical science that helps him understand the big picture when it comes to the soil and crop health that is essential to putting food on the table for Ontarians, and keeps

money flowing into our robust agricultural economy.

Understanding the importance of soil health is a critical part of agriculture, and agriculture is an essential part of our success as a society. Throughout history, there have been many mis-steps in the handling of soil management. The advent of the motorized tractor was an enormous boon for North America’s agricultural industries, but irresponsible management of these machines in the 1930s led to over-tilling, which became one of the contributing factors to the Dust Bowl in the west and food

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Soil health is HCSCIA’s primary concern

Getting down and dirty

The Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association held a special demonstration day near Clinton in June of 2019 to show off some innovative drainage. (File photo)

Continued from page 14 insecurity during the Great Depression. As we enter an age of extreme weather and societal restructuring, Huron County’s Eden-like conditions are becoming more rare every day, and historically important events like the HCPM help shine a light on our ever-evolving understanding of how we can best help our soil to help us help ourselves and our neighbours.

“This is the first year we’re partnering with the plowing match. We were invited by the [Huron County Plowmen’s Association] to come and show what we’re doing and get people interested in soil health. We’re very excited and honoured that they asked us to come. We’re going to have demonstrations there of a couple pieces of equipment and some cover crops.”

One of the demonstrations that Nonkes is most excited to show the community is strip-tilling. “Striptilling is when you till just where you’re going to plant the soilyou’re going to leave three quarters of the soil undisturbed. You just till the one quarter of the soil where you plant. Into that you’re going to hope to put your fertilizer for the year. Instead of broadcasting it all over the whole field, you’re going to concentrate it into your work strip,” he explained. This tried and true method has many benefits for modern day farmers. “It should minimize your fertilizer needs and reduce tillage. Reducing tillage will help with erosion, it will keep more roots in the soil, so the soil is less likely to move when you get those big three-inch rains, like we got the other day. If you still have the untilled root systems there, it will help the water get into the soil and not run-off as much. It increases the water-holding capability of your soil, which keeps it from washing away.”

This year’s plowing match will feature a demonstration of strip-till units. Nonkes feels that this kind of demonstration is key to getting the word out about new conservation techniques. “The machines will sow a strip and show how they run… people will be able to actually see how the machines are operated,” he explained. “We’re also going to have three different kinds of cover crop mixes there… some people want a simple mix, some people like a different complex species.” All cover crop seeds are being donated by Speare Seeds of Harriston.

“A good cover crop to start is just oats or oats barley. Then you can

add in more plants that have deeper roots, or grow more plants on top. You can also add a legume like a bean to fix nitrogen from the air into the soil to feed your next crop.”

Pairing with an association concerned with soil health is a natural fit for the plowing matchthat which is considered to be the ‘proper’ plowing technique may change over time, but the match itself is always a good way to get the word out. “Plowing was originally done to turn the soil over, so that in the next year, you’ve got a weed-free environment to plant in. So, you turn the soil over, you cultivate it, and then you’ll plant your crop… that was why people plowed. But now, conservation farming is getting to realize that the roots are important. So now we’re only plowing one quarter of the field… we are more precise, and we can do that because we have GPS in the tractor… our tractors will drive themselves right down a row now!”

Nonkes considers himself privileged to farm in Huron County.

“We have some very fertile soil here. If you look over all of Canada, right here in Huron County, we have a very productive soil, so we can grow really good crops And we don’t have to irrigate to grow here.

That’s another one of the blessings we have. We also have a lot of end users in the area - hog farmers, dairy farmers, a lot of chicken

farmers - all of them using the crops we grow. We also have a flour mill or even a couple flour mills. A lot of it all gets used in Ontario.”

If you’re interested in learning about strip-tilling techniques and cover crops, or you just want to feel the exhilaration of the ancient past meeting the current innovations, check out the 95th annual Huron County Plowing Match on Aug. 17

and 18, and let Nonkes and the HCSCIA demonstrate what a cover crop can do! The association’s

demonstration is scheduled to take place between 2-4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 18.

HCPM 2022 cautiously welcomed the public back

McGregor looks ahead to September’s IPM

At last

Maranda Klaver, the 2019 Huron County Queen of the Furrow, right, was pleased to pass off her local crown to Luanne McGregor, left, at last year’s match. It was clearly an emotional moment for both. (File photo)

Continued from page 9 also a great showcase of the people who reside within our county - selfless people who volunteer their time to educate others!

One of our last events was the Zurich Country Fair, where Jillian and I rode through the parade and had the privilege of bringing greetings on behalf of the Huron County Plowmen’s Association one last time and invited all in attendance to the 95th Huron County Plowing Match. We had a great day looking at all the entries, exhibits and watching the 4-H show, where we were once again reminded just how much pride in one’s community one small town can have!

When reflecting on the past year it makes me proud to have had the opportunity to represent such an amazing association and county. I had a goal this year of wanting to bring a different perspective to the crown and break the mold of what a “typical ag. kid” may be to some people, and I think that, in many ways, I achieved that.

I am excited for the months ahead as we celebrate the 95th Huron County Plowing Match at Pete and Leisa Albers’ family farm, handing off this title to one lucky recipient and going on to compete at the IPM in September. I am yet again excited to make many new memories, friends and experience all that the IPM has in store for me this September in Dufferin County.

This past year, I had an

Klaver thanks all as reign ends

Continued from page 7 each other before spending a week together in Dufferin County.

Hopefully, I will also be able to meet new queens across the province and watch them embark on their new journey and help prepare the current ones for the upcoming IPM. I’m mostly looking forward to the IPM and being able to spend a week with the queens and connect with the few I haven’t met. I encourage everyone to come out Sept. 19-23 and witness history in Dufferin County. There is something for everyone.

To all the volunteers and chairs of Dufferin County: thank you. You have all been fantastic to work with and have welcomed me with open arms. I am very honoured to have helped promote such a great county. You have all made it feel like home over the past year. This experience has been nothing short of incredible and something I will truly cherish forever, as I know it has been the opportunity of a lifetime.

To everyone in Huron County: thank you. I truly would not be here today without all of the support back home. There’s not a better feeling than coming home from an event and crossing the county lines back into Huron County. At almost every event I attended, I was asked where I was from, to which I would always proudly say that I’m from Huron County. The response was always positive, whether people were talking about the land and county itself or the people in it.

Before embarking on this journey as Ontario Queen, I thought my time as a queen had ended, so I

joined the Huron Queen and Princess Committee. It was very important to me to help keep the program running, as it is so beneficial and I had such a positive experience with the Huron Plowmen - why wouldn’t I want to help contribute? But, I guess my work as a queen wasn’t done yet and a few weeks later I was crowned as Ontario Queen. I am very excited to be attending Huron’s match as the Ontario

Queen as well as a helper. The party truly never stops!

I wish all the queens the best of luck at the IPM this year and I can’t wait to be by your side through it all. To the new Ontario Queen, whoever you may be, take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way and don’t forget to breathe. You are in for the opportunity of a lifetime and I can’t wait to watch you succeed and break the glass ceiling.

amazing support system behind me, including my parents, Steve and Anne Marie, who not only encouraged me this past year, but throughout my life to step out of my comfort zone and be involved within my community.

Thank you to my friends and my boyfriend Matt for always encouraging me. Thank you Jillian for not only being such an amazing Princess, but also an amazing friend. This past year has been a blast as we have attended various events together. I have loved watching you grow into a confident young lady, who I know will do amazing things!

Thank you to Maranda for your guidance and advice this past year. I cannot wait to experience all the IPM has to offer with you. Look out

Dufferin County, the Huron County girls are coming!

Finally, thank you to the Huron County Plowmen’s Association because without your support none of this would have been possible.

To everyone on the board, I applaud your countless years of hard work and dedication. The Huron County Plowing Match wouldn’t be a success without each and every one of you. You have blessed me with a life-changing opportunity and I cannot thank you enough for that.

It has been an amazing year that I will forever cherish, and, in the wise words of the author A. A. Milne, “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?”

McLellan welcomes match back to Huron East

Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan, seen above at the 2012 Huron County Plowing Match learning the ropes from 4-H Sodbusters Club leader Carol Leeming, left, and seasoned plowing judge and local legend Don Dodds, right. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin

The Citizen

While Pete and Leisa Albers will be playing host to this year’s Huron County Plowing Match, two ceremonial hosts, Huron County Warden Glen McNeil and Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan will also be on welcoming duty.

The Albers farm is in Grey Township in Huron East, just northeast of Brussels. It carries on a long and storied history of Huron East (and the five communities that

now comprise Huron East before amalgamation) hosting matches, including two International  Plowing Matches (the Mud Match at the Scott farm in 1966 and the most recent match hosted by the county, the 2017 IPM in Walton).

That history is not lost on MacLellan.

If Huron County is hosting a plowing match, MacLellan said, he’ll always be proud, but when it’s held in Huron East, there is an added sense of pride that kicks in.

Not just because he’s the mayor, MacLellan says, but because it means that the right site, the right facilities and the right fields are in place to showcase agriculture in the municipality on behalf of the county.

He says the match has always been a great opportunity for farmers to show off all they can do in Huron

County and this year should be no different.

In addition to being a long-time politician and youth hockey coach, MacLellan owns his own business. But he did not grow up on a farm, so he doesn’t have the agricultural background that, say, other members of Huron East Council might have, so he’s learned a lot at matches over the years, especially those he’s attended in Huron East.

It doesn’t take an agricultural background, however, to appreciate the pride farmers have in their equipment, their land and how they take care of the environment and those are all on display every year at the Huron

County Plowing Match, he says. The match was originally scheduled to go ahead on the Albers farm in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic stopped those plans in their tracks. Then, with a three-year wheat, corn and soybean crop rotation, the Albers family was again ready to put its name forward as a potential host in 2023. The Huron County match hasn’t been held in Huron East since the early 2010s, meaning that the most recent plowing match held in the community was the IPM in 2017 (though the 2021 match at the home farm of Ross and Barb McIntosh in Central Huron was a literal stone’s throw from Huron East, sitting right on the border between the two).

Princesses, Queens can be role models: Shortreed

At last year’s Huron County Plowing Match, Princess Jillian Shortreed, left, and Queen of the Furrow Luanne McGregor, right, were crowned. Later this month, both will hand their crowns to someone else after what both have called a great year together, representing the Huron County Plowmen’s Association. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

It has been a memorable year for Walton’s Jillian Shortreed, but, at this year’s Huron County Plowing Match, she will pass off the Princess crown to someone else.

At last year’s match, held at the Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh farm of Brian and Annette MacKenzie, Shortreed was crowned Princess, ending Grace Hallahan’s reign, which was the longest in Huron County history - extended as a result of matches and competitions not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Shortreed decided to put her name forward and be part of the competition, she did so as someone with a long and storied history with the match.

She and her family have been attending the match for years and have been very involved, so when the time came, it was just about as close to a no-brainer as it could be.

Plus, with a past-Princess for a sister, she had a built-in advisor and

coach for the challenge ahead.

While Shortreed was actively taking part in the competition, there was a certain drive to win; however, she really focused on having fun, making friends and enjoying the plowing match last year, rather than stressing about the performance.

She said she was nervous when it was her time to speak on the big stage, but that she felt she did well, though acknowledged the stiff competition she faced as well.

When she was named the winner, she said it honestly didn’t feel real. However, once she let it sink in and she was crowned, she was excited for the year ahead.

Not only did she enjoy her time alongside Luanne McGregor, who would be crowned the new Queen of the Furrow the next night, but being from the same county as the provincial Queen of the Furrow (Maranda Klaver would be crowned the following month in the Ottawa area) certainly opened plenty of doors and presented a lot of opportunities.

Shortreed said that one of the

most memorable events she attended was the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, an event she had never attended before. Being at events and seeing Klaver speak or present was a thrill, Shortreed said, and not all local Queens or Princesses get those opportunities. Over the course of the year, she really worked to further the story of the Princess and Queen of the Furrow programs alongside McGregor and Klaver. She said that, while crowns and sashes are involved, it was important to make it clear that the competition is not a beauty pageant, but a celebration of agricultural representatives. People like Klaver and McGregor can be real role models for women in

agriculture through a program like the Queen of the Furrow, she said. That was the message that Shortreed and McGregor brought to Clinton when they became the first Princess and Queen of the Furrow duo to speak at St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School. They spoke to the student body about the program, the match and all that the Huron County Plowmen’s Association does to further agriculture in the county.

Looking ahead now, Shortreed said it’s hard to believe that her year as Princess is coming to an end. She said she will carry with her great memories of the past 12 months, but that she’s excited to be part of this match and see who the next Princess will be.

As for the future, Shortreed said that, for her, the Princess program did its job and she is certainly considering being a contestant for Queen of the Furrow when the time comes.

Created as a feeder program for the Queen of the Furrow competition nearly 20 years ago, many Princesses and Princess contestants (including Klaver and McGregor) have gone on to win the Queen of the Furrow crown in Huron County. The Princess contestants will be on stage on Junior Day of the Huron County Plowing Match, set for Thursday, Aug. 17. The speeches will begin at 1 p.m. and a winner will be crowned later that afternoon.

McGavin looks back at half a century of involvement

Matriarch of a plowing dynasty

Marie McGavin has been involved with the local Queen of the Furrow competition since the 1970s, recruiting hundreds of participants over that time. She is seen above, second from left, with her fellow organizers and the Queen of the Furrow of the day, Kate Higgins, right, at the 2016 plowing match. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

Reflecting on about 50 years of involvement with the Huron  County Queen of the Furrow competition, Marie McGavin estimates that she’s recruited hundreds of young women to put their names forward and vie for the crown.

Thinking back to when she first got involved, figuring it was when her and Neil’s sons Brian and Jeff were young, McGavin thinks it was the 1970s that she first began to work her magic with the Huron County Queen of the Furrow competition.

McGavin saw the competition (not even necessarily winning it, but just taking part) as an opportunity for young women in the community to engage in public speaking and an interview process, both of which would improve their communication skills.

In fact, McGavin relayed a story about a recent encounter with a former contestant who is now in her 50s. She told McGavin that she still remembers advice she gave her back then to be confident and look her job interviewer in the eye. She had recently obtained a new job and chalked it up to that. McGavin thought that was a good example of the competition instilling skills in young women that will be remembered and continue to be useful for generations.

Over the years, Huron County has had robust participation in its Queen of the Furrow competition, usually attracting at least five or six contestants each year, compared to some counties that consistently struggle to bring out one or two people.

She remembers taking a step back when her daughter wanted to try her hand at winning the crown. That’s when Helen Craig and Ruth  Townsend became involved and they would remain involved for decades, though McGavin remembers those women doing the same later on, taking a step back when their daughters wanted to get involved.

Thinking back to the number of young women McGavin has brought into the program and seeing them mature, grow and develop their own families and careers over the years has made her well up with pride. She says she can see the impact the competitions have had on their lives and she has seen it over and over again.

She says that has always been the case when a young woman from Huron County has gone all the way and won the Ontario Queen of the Furrow crown. The county is lucky, McGavin said, to have representatives like current Ontario Queen of the Furrow Maranda Klaver and others to represent it.

Speaking of Klaver specifically, McGavin said Klaver has really taken the position of Ontario Queen of the Furrow to a new place with a firm focus on the work and importance of women in agriculture and what a big part of the agricultural puzzle the women of

the community are.

Looking back, as part of what really is the First Family of Plowing in Ontario (if not Canada),

McGavin says she is a “proud Grandma” when it comes to the impact of her family. Gordon McGavin, Neil’s father, of course, was a champion plowman and coach, as well as a major mover and shaker behind the scenes with the Ontario Plowmen’s Association, all the way to plowing champions like Brian and Jeff and grandchildren

who have become champions, like Jacob and Brandon McGavin.

This year’s Queen of the Furrow competition begins at 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 18 with the speeches, followed by the contestants heading out to the fields to plow. The winner will then be crowned that night as part of the awards gala at the match site.

Six to vie for 2023 Huron Princess crown

The Huron County Plowmen’s Association has always taken great pride in its annual Princess competition, even pioneering a provincial competition at the 2017 International Plowing Match, which yielded a winner from Huron County.

This year six young women from the community are vying for the crown and the opportunity to succeed Jillian Shortreed, Huron’s 2022 Princess.

EMMA SLATER

Emma Slater is 14 years old and hails from Listowel. This fall, she will be entering Grade 9 at St. Michael’s Catholic Secondary School in Stratford.

Some of her interests include art, spending time with friends and family and spending as much time outside as she can.

NAOMI CAMPBELL

Naomi Campbell is a 13-year-old resident of Belgrave in MorrisTurnberry who will be entering Grade 9 at F.E. Madill Secondary School in the fall.

She is part of a family of six, including her parents, two sisters and a brother and she is the second-

oldest in the family. At F.E. Madill in her Grade 8 year, Naomi participated in crosscountry running, nordic skiing, soccer, basketball and track and field. Her hobbies outside of school include soccer, running, skiing, reading, doing puzzles, baking and playing just about any other sport.

She says she’s very excited to take part in this year’s Princess competition and see how well she and her fellow competitors do on Junior Day at the plowing match.

AINSLEY GARNISS

Ainsley Garniss is the 14-yearold daughter of Cheryl and Adam Garniss of Morris-Turnberry.

This fall, Ainsley will be entering Grade 9 at F.E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham.

Some of her favourite activities include competitive swimming, downhill skiing and soccer. She lives at home on the family farm with her sisters Evelyn and Lyla.

Rachel Wilts is 14 years

and

Rachel plays baseball in the summer and broomball in the winter. She also enjoys camping, biking, kayaking and hanging out with her friends during the summer. Rachel says she’s a very outgoing person and she’s always in the mood for adventure. She also loves going for walks and runs and just being outside.

Jillian Simpson of Zurich is the daughter of Jenna Becker, Ron Simpson and Billy Brand. She attends St. Boniface School in Zurich.

She has participated in the figure skating nationals competition and her goal is to become a nurse or a personal support worker, to own her own farm and to help and give back within her community.

LILLIAN BEYERSBERGENOAKES

Lillian Beyersbergen-Oakes is the

13-year-old daughter of Mike Oakes and Kelly Beyersbergen. The F.E. Madill School student lives on a farm outside of Lucknow. She enjoys drawing, theatre, reading and spending time with friends and family. This is her second year competing in the competition. And, one day, she hopes to become a graphic designer and own her own business.

The Princess competition will begin at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17 at the match, which is also known as Junior Day, and will include the speeches from the competitors. The judges will then make their decision later that afternoon and crown a new Huron County Princess.

RACHEL WILTS

old

she is the youngest of five children in her family.

JILLIAN SIMPSON

This year’s Huron County Queen of the Furrow competition will hold special significance, as both outgoing Huron County Queen Luanne McGregor and Ontario Queen of the Furrow and 2019 Huron County Queen Maranda Klaver will both be in attendance as the sun sets on their reigns.

The competition has always been a big part of the Huron County Plowing Match and, with eight contestants this year vying for the crown, the 2023 installment promises to be no different.

RACHEL GRAS

Rachel Gras is the daughter of Andrew and Liz Gras.

She attends the University of Guelph, studying food and agricultural business with a minor in agriculture.

In the future, Rachel hopes to own a purebred sheep flock, to continue showing dairy calves and sheep and to stay involved with local 4-H Clubs.

DANA WILSON

Dana Wilson is the daughter of Lorin and Deb Wilson.

She is attending Fanshawe College and hopes to one day become a nurse or own her own farm. She also has dreams of travelling the world.

CHANTEL VANDORP

Chantel VanDorp lives near Clinton and she is the daughter of Karen and John VanDorp.

Chantel will be attending the University of Guelph in the fall to start a Master’s in population medicine with dreams of becoming a large animal veterinarian.

TORI CUTTING

Tori Cutting is the daughter of Susanne and Bryan Cutting.

She has served as an educational assistant at Sacred Heart Catholic School and she hopes to run her family’s chicken and cash crop farm one day.

CASSANDRA BOS

Cassandra Bos is the daughter of John and Tina Bos.

She attends St. Anne’s Catholic  Secondary School in Clinton and has dreams of becoming a photographer in the future.

MACKENZIE TERPSTRA

Mackenzie Terpstra is 21 years old. The daughter of Jason and Michelle Terpstra, Mackenzie works full-time at Special T Swine and part-time at Maple Lane Haven.

She is also heading into her fourth year of studying agriculture science at the University of Guelph. Mackenzie says her goal for the future is to continue being a part of the agricultural industry.

AMBER SIERTSEMA

Amber Siertsema is the daughter of Ken and Dianne Siertsema. She is a graduate of F.E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham and she hopes to work with animals when she chooses a career path.

EMMA ROBINSON

Emma Robinson is the 19-yearold daughter of Erin and Jeff Robinson of the Walton area.

She is attending the University of Guelph and working towards her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. She is currently working at Vista Villa, as well as her family’s pig farm.

This year’s Huron County Queen of the Furrow competition begins on Friday, Aug. 18 with speeches from the contestants beginning at 1 p.m. Following the on-stage component, the contestants will then head to the fields to plow before the judges make their choice that night at the awards gala.

* Round, Square & Rectangular Tube

*Expanded Metal

*Bar Grating

*Round and Square Bar

* Check Plate

*Mechanical Tube

* Roof Decking

*Reinforcing Bar & Mesh

*Horse, Hog & Goat Mesh

*Cold Rolled Round & Flat

*Aluminum & Stainless Bars

*Tool Steel

Warden Glen McNeil reflects back and looks forward

By Scott Stephenson

The Citizen

The 2023 Huron County Plowing Match (HCPM) is fast approaching, and Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Mayor, Huron County Warden, and match co-host Glen McNeil couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the prospect. The HCPM is an opportunity for farmers to show off their skills while highlighting all that is wonderful about the county’s unique agricultural environment.

McNeil’s connection to local farming goes back a long way, and he wears his pride in his family and love of his community on his sleeve. “We, as a family, are in the dairy business. Our son, Curtis, is the third generation. My dad and mom started the dairy business in 1935.”

Dairy farms in the 1930s were very different from today’s modern farms. Automatic milking machines were still a fairly novel invention. Dairy was stored in metal cans and glass bottles, and milk delivery men were still running routes all over North America. It’s a far cry from some of the high-tech megafarms of today.

A lot may have changed in the world of Huron County farming since the 1930s, and the McNeil farm has benefitted from many of today’s technological advancements, but the heart of their operation is still family, as it has been for three generations. One thing that has never changed is the McNeil family’s passion for all things farming. Glen reflected on his father’s simple approach to having a successful life. “Dad had three ambitions in life: to get married, to have a family and to have a herd of cows. And he accomplished that.” Having such a positive role model and a childhood spent on the farm made Glen’s decision to follow in his father’s footsteps equally simple. “My wife Vanda and I bought dad’s portion of the operation in ’77… we built a new dairy in ’77.”

Their son Curtis got involved in 2013, and a new, new dairy was built in 2016. “We did a succession plan 10 years ago and brought him into the business, and he does a very good job.”

No dairy farm is an island, and Glen attributes much of his family’s success to the supportive community of Huron County. It’s one of the reasons he’s always willing to help when it comes to supporting community traditions like the HCPM. “We have always

engages with local young people. “Junior Day is where it all starts… we’ve been very fortunate through the years to have young people that have excelled in their plowing ability.” Getting started young can be a great advantage for aspiring farmers. “They have to start somewhere,” explained Glen, “and some have gone on and been very successful at the International Plowing Matches, and even world plowing matches… it all starts at the county match.”

As match co-host with the Albers family members, who have graciously offered their property for the event, Glen feels fortunate that his official duties include ensuring all visitors feel welcomed and the young competitors feel positive support.

endeavoured to give back to the community that’s been so good to us,” he said.

One of Glen’s favourite things about the HCPM is the way it

He’s also very excited for Friday’s celebratory banquet and silent and live auction. “Our area is very, very generous, and we are looking forward to everyone’s involvement in the live auction.” Friday will also have an awards ceremony to honour the match’s winners and crown a new Queen of

McNeils share fond memories of past events

Wearer of many hats (hats not pictured)

Huron County Warden and Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Mayor Glen McNeil, above, delivers remarks at the 2022 Huron County Plowing Match. McNeil co-hosted last year’s event with Brian and Annette MacKenzie at Amalgamation Acres near St. Helens. (File photo)

Continued from page 24 the Furrow.

The McNeil family’s involvement in plowing matches, both local and international, has been going on for many years, and while every year is exciting in its own way, Glen recalls especially enjoying being involved in 1999’s International Plowing Match (IPM) in Dashwood, when he and Vanda were responsible for the Crop and Produce Showcase. “We thought it would be very informative and interesting for all attendees from Huron County and beyond. The match was extremely well attended, and the showcase was compiled of all produce that was grown in Huron County, whether it be hay, eggs - just all the commodities. It was a beautiful sight and many people came on a second day just to see it again. So our ‘99 involvement must have been our most significant contribution to a plowing match.”

So, how have plowing matches changed over the years? Glen may not have been born yet, but he cited the 1946 IPM in Port Albert as a crowning achievement in the early days of plowing matches. “It was just after the war, and it was hosted at the airport in Port Albert. All of the farm equipment dealers that brought their equipment there sold out. Nobody had anything left at the end of the match to bring home. There was such a pent-up desire for purchasing equipment,” Glen explained. Vanda added, “The ‘46 match was known as ‘The Victory Match’, since it was just after the war.” Fast forward to the swinging sixties - the ‘66 IPM, when weather conditions led to it being dubbed ‘The Mud Match’. “People lost their rubber boots in the mud!”

exclaimed Glen. Vanda has childhood memories of that match’s aftermath, remembering that “at the Scott farm, they were still plowing out rubber boots for years afterwards!” Vanda also recalls the ‘78 edition, when first man on the moon Neil Armstrong came to open the match at the Armstrong family farm, near Wingham.

“Plowing matches maintain the past heritage, and they also move forward,” said Glen. “You need to change with the times. And the HCPM is a great time to reflect, and look back in history as to the way soil has been cared for. It has

changed and, as I commented previously, we must change with the times.”

And what does Glen think the future of plowing matches in Huron County will look like? “The future will be as bright as the participants involved… we must celebrate the past and bring it forward,” he said, with a smile. “And I’d like to invite everyone in Huron County to come out to the match on both the Junior Day on Thursday and on Friday, and come to the banquet on Friday, meet new people and reconnect with old friends… in life, it’s all about the memories!”

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All lined up

Luanne McGregor proved to have just what it takes to be Huron County Queen of the Furrow in 2022. But, in 2019, above, she was still learning the ropes and the ins and outs of plowing. In the years that followed 2019, McGregor says she’s been spoiled to have 2019 Huron Queen of the Furrow and 2022 Ontario Queen of the Furrow Maranda Klaver in her corner. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin

The Citizen

The past year has been the experience of a lifetime for Luanne McGregor, who, after putting her name forward in both the Princess and Queen of the Furrow competitions, broke through last year to win the crown.

At last year’s match, held on the Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh farm of Brian and Annette MacKenzie, McGregor triumphed over a crowded field of young women vying to be the next Queen of the Furrow. McGregor now follows in the footsteps of Maranda Klaver,

who was crowned in 2019 and retained the title until 2022, a reign extended by the cancellations associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Klaver went on to be crowned Ontario Queen of the Furrow that September at the International Plowing Match (IPM), held in the Ottawa area. She has proven to be a guiding light, invaluable resource and inspiration for both McGregor and last year’s Princess, Jillian Shortreed.

McGregor said that, despite not winning the Princess crown or the Queen crown on her first attempt, her willingness to be part of the

competition again and again says something about it. She said she had so much fun and made many friends over the years, which is what kept her coming back to something she could see others shying away from if they were unsuccessful in their first attempt.

She was one of the young women competing against Klaver in 2019 and, when the competition returned in 2022, she was keen to again throw her hat into the ring, despite the loaded field.

Coming back a second time, she said she felt at ease and prepared unlike the 2019 competition and she thinks that maybe helped her performance when it was time to get up on stage. Although, she did acknowledge that every year is different and presents different opportunities and challenges.

McGregor spoke about the farmerette program and even relayed a personal story about a family friend who was connected to the farmerette program, which saw young women step up during the years of World War II and take on on-farm jobs across the province. She researched articles online and

read Bonnie Sitter’s book to learn more, and the more she learned, the more inspired she was by what these young women did for the country through agriculture in a time of need.

She even incorporated the family friend into her speech, which was news to the friend that day when she heard McGregor speak.

Out in the field, McGregor even felt more comfortable. While she doesn’t come from a traditional farming background, she has long been a champion for the world of agriculture and now works in the industry. She has seen her involvement in the Queen of the Furrow program as a victory for the non-traditional participants who maybe didn’t grow up on a farm and come from a long line of farming families.

However, she knew enough. McGregor says she knows how to drive a tractor, but, ahead of the 2022 competition, she paired up with her friend and plowing veteran Andrew Fear for some practice alongside members of the 4-H Sodbusters Club at their final tuneup before the big match. At the

competition, she was again paired with Fear and McGregor says the two spent their time laughing and having a great time, which kept them both loose throughout the competition.

So, when she was told she had won the competition, she was surprised and elated. She loved attending the different events, including a return to the Seaforth Fall Fair - where she had been its ambassador several years earlieras well as other opportunities to talk to and connect with other people from the community.

McGregor said she thoroughly enjoyed attending a local Huron County Federation of Agriculture meeting, going to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair with Klaver and Shortreed and speaking with the students at St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School about the Queen of the Furrow program. The last engagement was particularly fulfilling, as McGregor herself is a former St. Anne’s Eagle. Meeting and greeting as part of Farm and Food Care Ontario’s Breakfast on the Farm, which took

McGregor’s familial connections run deep as

More icing! Whoa, not that much

Luanne McGregor, left, and her cake-decorating partner at last year’s Huron County Plowing Match, Kaitlyn Kamrath, centre, must have done a good job, as McGregor captured the Queen of the Furrow crown. (File photo)

Continued from page 26 place at farms near both Brussels and Blyth, was also a highlight for McGregor. Not only does she have a familial connection to the Hallahans - the second stop on Breakfast on the Farm - but she was also able to be part of a special funding announcement for agricultural societies from the provincial government with HuronBruce MPP and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson.

She’s now working ahead to this year’s IPM, which will be held in Dufferin County for the very first time. McGregor hopes to do her best and, while she has big shoes to fill, she also has the support and counsel of the current Ontario Queen of the Furrow and McGregor says Klaver has been a tremendous resource and an amazing person to always have in her corner.

She plans to speak about the farmerettes again at the match, as she thinks the importance of that program and women in agriculture has only grown in the past year.

McGregor says she has felt spoiled this past year. Not only has

she forged a strong friendship with Shortreed, but the pair has been privy to many events and experiences they wouldn’t normally have access to as a result of Klaver’s win last September. Being in Klaver’s circle has been great. With her victory last year, if she accomplished anything, she hopes that it inspires other non-farm kids to get involved in the plowing match. She says you don’t need to be the child of farmers to get involved, you just need to be passionate about agriculture and to be that, you can come from anywhere.

2014 HCPM Princess is helping to carry the torch

do a one-to-two-minute speech,” said Fear. “The judges change every year, but it’s always a panel of three members of the community that have experience in agriculture or have been involved in the fair or any other community groups… Usually they want to know about how much you know about the history of the plowing match - it’s a bit like a job interview!”

The interview traditionally happens on the Thursday morning of the HCPM, and the public speaking component happens after lunch. Event organizer Ruth Townsend created the Princess program in 2005 as a way of getting younger girls to consider a possible future as Queen of the Furrow. “I think it’s a really good opportunity for girls to practise public speaking, and just practise in front of the public,” said Fear. “There’s a lot less opportunity to give presentations in elementary school now, and it can be really scary when you go on to high school or college, or university, if you’ve never done public speaking. This is just a fun way to get that experience. I think everyone in the plowing match world is really friendly, and

everybody’s really excited when they see you, and they always say, ‘hi’ - it’s just a great environment.”

In addition to being heard and winning a crown, the Princess gets to ride in Christmas parades and attend occasional educational meetings. “I think it’s all about celebrating agriculture and understanding the hard work that goes into farming - you don’t get to just take a pause and celebrate often, and the plowing match is a great opportunity to do that.”

As one of the event organizers,

one of Fear’s key responsibilities is finding interested young people to enter the contest. She receives a lot of useful guidance from local women with planning experience, and feels lucky to be a part of a group that includes Townsend, Arletta Hallahan, Val Shortreed and Natalie’s mother, Ann Marie Fear. “We’re sort of like the organizing committee that puts this together every year,” said Natalie. “It’s a really close-knit community, which is one of the many things that makes it special.”

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

The Huron County Plowing Match (HCPM) Princess competition will be taking place on Thursday, Aug. 17, and a new winner will be crowned, carrying on the legacy of 2022/2023 Princess Jillian Shortreed.

The contest is open to teenage girls between the ages of 12 and 17 who are passionate about their community, offering a unique opportunity for the county’s rural girls to share their voice with the public.

Huron County’s Natalie Fear is one of organizers of this year’s event, as she has done whenever called upon since 2014 when she won Princess of the Furrow at 16 years of age. “It was something that Brian McGavin asked my dad if I would be interested in, and on a whim I said yes… it was fun, but I didn’t expect to win!,” she explained. “Ever since then we’ve just been involved in helping out every year with a bit of the organizing.”

To become Princess doesn’t require any plowing. “You have to do a 10-minute interview and then

Fear, above, was crowned Princess at the 2014 Huron County Plowing Match. Since her victory, Fear has remained active with the Plowmen’s Association and is helping to organize this

New OPA Zone 3 Director Pepper brings fresh energy

BY ALLISON PEPPER, ZONE 3 DIRECTOR, ONTARIO PLOWMEN’S ASSOCIATION

My name is Allison Pepper and I am the Zone 3 Director of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OPA). I am a new representative this year with big shoes to fill following in Margaret Vincent’s

footsteps for this next term.

I am very excited to bring some younger enthusiasm and ideas to the Ontario Plowmen’s Association, as well as the International Plowing Match (IPM) this year and for the next few years to come.

You can be sure to find me this year running around at the IPM trying to ensure that everything runs very smoothly. I will be working a lot in the tented city on

special features, which comes after a lot of work before this year’s match with the marketing of the match.

Being a part of the OPA is really giving me insight into what’s to come, as we’re already well into the works of planning the next two IPMs. I am a past Bruce County Queen of the Furrow (2019-2022) and a member of the Bruce County Plowmen’s Association.

Since this is my first year, I am dipping my toes into all of the effort and work that goes on behind the scenes in order to put on both local matches, as well as the IPM coming up this year.

I would like to say a big thank you to Pete and Leisa Albers and family for being so welcoming and inviting as host of this year’s Huron County Plowing Match! I can’t wait for their match this year!

Ontario Queen is a role model says Klaver

A worthwhile journey

From being crowned Huron County Queen of the Furrow in 2019 to wearing the provincial crown and sash in 2022, Maranda Klaver says it’s been an amazing experience she wouldn’t trade for anything. (Scott Stephenson photo)

By Scott Stephenson The Citizen

Besides the practical skills gained from learning to work the fields, plowing matches help rural young people develop a sense of community and essential leadership abilities. These two complementary skill sets are perhaps most clearly illustrated through the Queen of the Furrow competition, in which interested daughters of Huron County come together to compete against each other in a balanced contest of physical and mental prowess. Each year, the county winners who excel, move on to the provincial level for a chance to become the Ontario Queen and inspire an even larger group of young people.

Maranda Klaver is the latest Ontario Queen of the Furrow and, after an unusual, pandemicextended, three-year reign as our local representative, she is getting ready to see the current Huron County Queen, Luanne McGregor, pass the crown to a new rural regent. Klaver knows what it takes to use a gentle hand to rule the land, and has the internal generosity needed to share her secrets with upand-coming young furrow fans who hope to find success in the fields.

“You start off in your local county and I was lucky enough to represent Huron County way back in 2019… I also had to interview with a panel of three judges, and discuss things like farming, my community, the plowing match, myself, my career and my future… we also got to plow a section of land, which was a lot of fun,” she said. “We also had to answer an on-stage impromptu question, which is very similar to an interview question but you just don’t know what is going to be asked and you’re on the stage in front of everyone.”

When asked about the issues she cares about the most, Klaver chose to talk about the mental health of farmers. It is a cause that,

to the International Plowing Match, and repeat all those same steps.”

While competing at the Ontario level, Klaver chose to stick with a subject that matters to her: mental health support for rural farmers.

Her passion impressed the judges.

“I was fortunate enough to capture the Ontario title,” she said. So what does the position of Huron County Queen of the Furrow mean to Klaver? “It’s meant to create a role model for women in agriculture, and for your county, and to promote the plowing

historically, has largely been neglected by both the mental health industry and rural communities.

The image of the stoic farmer is one that denies the extreme physical and mental strain that can fester unnoticed in one of our nation’s most essential and punishing industries. Klaver believes that needs to change. “I thought it was a really important subject before COVID happened and then obviously COVID happened and it really elevated the subject, which, in some ways, was great, because we need to end the stigma around it,” she said. “But post-pandemic, it’s still the elephant in the room,” she lamented.

“I was the successful candidate back in 2019, and I got to represent Huron County and then I got to go

On the lookout

Every year, the Huron County Plowing Match sets up an antique tractor display and this year the Huron County Plowmen’s Association is hoping to have one of the biggest displays yet. Residents are invited to bring their restored or unrestored tractors to the match on Aug. 18. There is no entry fee, but a certificate of insurance for $2 million liability is needed. If you are interested, contact Henry and Annette Hendriks at 519529-7560. Every year, there are awards for most original restored and most unoriginal unrestored antique tractor. Above is the display from the 2017 match in Crediton.

(Courtesy photo)

Klaver eager to meet Huron’s new Queen

Continued from page 30 match. It’s something I’ve always looked up to, since I was a kid. My older sister Samantha actually got into it and that’s kind of how I got into it - I just thought it was really cool. I come from a farming family with five girls and no brothers, and to see that representation. I want to be that role model for young women in agriculture, which is traditionally a male-dominated industry.”

Being Queen has certainly created changes in Klaver’s life. “I’m definitely very busy,” she laughed. “I get to go to events all across the province… there’s usually three or four events in a month. But in August I think I’ll be at more Queen events than I will be working, but that’s alright. Really, that’s what it’s all about - it’s all about networking and travelling to support the plowing match. I’m

very excited… it really has been the opportunity of a lifetime.”

When Klaver is not busy with her royal duties, she works as a Financial Protection Programs Specialist for Agricorp. Her reign as Queen is coming to an end, but there are still many exciting experiences for her to have before she passes the torch. “September is when the big show is: the International Plowing Match in Dufferin County. Since I’ve been on the move for so long, it hasn’t really sunk in yet that things will change. I’ve been Queen for four whole years… all good things must come to an end, but keep the good things coming, you know?”

To find out who’s going to be the next Huron County Queen of the Furrow, come to the competition at the Huron County Plowing Match and witness the crowning ceremony at the awards banquet.