Family Photo: Stephen and Janet Edwards and family hosted this year’s Renfrew County Plowing Match. RobDot Holsteins farm, located at 191 Snake River Line, is 125 years old and is a fifth generation farm. Stephen and Janet’s family members are, front row from left, Carson, Colin, Kelsey, Stephen, Janet and niece Kaitlyn Edwards-Lemieux, back row: Shawn Edwards, Robert (Bob) and Dorothy Edwards.
by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — Rain showers may have dampened the people at the Renfrew County Plowing Match held Saturday, but it didn’t dampen their spirits.
“We had a few rain showers, but the crowd stayed,” said Myles England, president of the Renfrew County Plowmen’s Association.
The event was held at RobDot Holsteins farm on Snake River Line just outside of Cobden. It is a fifth generation farm. The current owners are Janet and Stephen Edwards (fourth generation) and they operate it with their children Colin, Kelsey and Carson. They purchased the farm from Dorothy and Robert Edwards in 2005.
The family was presented with a 125 year farmgate sign by the Renfrew County Junior Farmers.
The McGregor family from McNab/Braeside, which operates McGregor’s Produce, will receive the 2016 BMO Ontario Farm Family award at the International Plowing Match this weekend. They were the Farm Family chosen by the Renfrew County Plowmen’s Association. It was noted that farmers from Renfrew County have been presented with the Ontario Farm Family award for the past several years.
There were a variety of statements at the opening of the match on Saturday by various officials, including Michael Donohue, Mayor of Admaston/Bromley Township, Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon, also representing Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabuski, and Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MP Cheryl Gallant. They all noted, in one way or another, the importance of the plowing match as well as the importance of agriculture to Renfrew County.
Mr. England said 850 people paid to enter the event, and since children were free, figure there was in excess of 1,000 people at the event.
The new event this year was the team of trampoline performers from Spring Action. The husband and wife team are Olympic athletes and they put on quite a show, he said.
While there were plowmen and one woman this year on tractors, Mr. England noted there were no horse plowmen due to another plowing event happening and medical issues. Micky McGuire of Spencerville was this year’s plow judge.
Joyce Buckley of Kemptville won the women’s plow while Ron Stinson and Allan Hills won the Regular Plowing. Winston Roberts won the Antique Plowing followed by local men Reid Mick and Gary Keuhl. Admaston-Bromley Township councillor Bob Dick won the municipal council member plowing award while Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MP Cheryl Gallant won the elected official plowing award.
This year there was no Queen of The furrow, Mr. England said. There were several discussions held regarding Queen of The Furrow, and when a vote was taken, it was decided not to have that event this year, he said.
The thrashing mill, owned by Ronnie Kasaboski, had a large group of people around it all the time. Due to an arm injury, Mr. Kasaboski was not able to operate the mill, so Roy Bulmer stepped in to help.
Walking the grounds on Saturday, there was opportunity to watch sheep shearing, plowing, a dog agility show, a rabbit agility show, and a trampoline show; you had the chance to speak with several farm dealership operators and check out their machines as well as talk with antique tractor and equipment owners; there were plenty of vendors inside and out of the tents; to get around there were three horse-and-wagon rides; plenty of fun for children in the KidZone, and probably much more the editor of whitewaternews.ca did not even get to see.
Next year’s Renfrew County Plowing Match will be on property owned by Mel and Lynne Langton. It’s scheduled to happen on Sept. 16, 2017 where the annual truck pull is held.
