By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
Two Renfrew County farmers returned home with first place finishes in the 2017 Championship Seed, Feed and Forage Show held during the Ottawa Valley Farm Show earlier this month.
Jason Jamieson of Beachburg and Maynard van der Galien of Admaston/Bromley Township each returned home with a first-place finish while third-place finishes went to Larry Reaburn of Westmeath and Colin Deloughery.
This feed and forage show is for those who win at fairs in the eastern counties of Ontario, Mr. van der Galien said.
Mr. Jamieson, who gives full credit to his son Reuben, returned home with a first-place finish in the Special Export Hay Competition – second cut square bale. Mr. van der Galien returned home with a first-place finish in the Second cut alfalfa or other Legume 85 per cent or more legume. Mr. Deloughery’s third place finish was in grain corn while Mr. Reaburn’s was in spring wheat.
Fourteen-year-old Reuben has been cutting, tedding, raking, baling, picking-up and piling the hay in the barn for a few years. This past summer, Reuben said he did it all but put it in the barn by himself.
Reuben noted this is the second time the Jamieson family, which includes his father Jason and grandfather Art, have won first. However, there will be more firsts to come.
Mr. van der Galien noted he bales the hay specifically for the show. Prior to going to the championship seed and forage show, his hay won at the Renfrew Fair. He takes the same flake of hay from the Renfrew Fair to the show. He also took home a fourth and sixth place finish this year in other categories.
“I grow the hay for showing,” he said. “I have just a patch for hay. It’s one acre of alfalfa, grass, etc.”
This is not the first time he has won.
“I’m an old pro at this,” he said, adding, “I go way back to the ’70s.”
He recalled when farmer friend David Reid used to show his hay — for about 40 years, they would take turns winning.
Mr. van der Galien said there were many new people competing at this year’s seed and feed show, which is great.
“There’s a lot of young people entering from other counties,” he said.
Mr. van der Galien felt attendance was down at this year’s Ottawa Valley Farm Show, which was March 14, 15 and 16, because “there was nothing new this year for farmers. There was lots of technology, including a million dollar combine, which has been there before. There weren’t even any drones.”
