Canada's Outdoor Farm Show

Monsanto Canada will be taking guided tours through their unique on-site research demonstration facilities to highlight the latest in biotechnology research on Canadian corn & soybeans. Details on how to sign up to tour this cutting-edge and innovative exhibit will be announced in July on their website www.monsanto.ca

One of the advantages of an outdoor farm show is that farmers don’t have to just “look” at a tractor – farmers can actually “drive” a tractor from each of the major manufacturers in order to “shop and compare” technologies. Pre-qualified producers can put different brands of tractors (in three horse power categories) through a driving obstacle course to test out the features and benefits of each for themselves. More details will follow in July.

The revolutionary Lely Voyager automatic grazing system is coming to North America! Honoured with Frances’ 2007 Innov'SPACE award for leading-edge technology, the intelligent Voyager grazing system consists of a solar panel, a battery and two mobile robots that remove the need for dairy farmers to move fencing for optimal rotational grazing. The robots allocate the forage by means of pre-programmed times, rate of movement and GPS co-ordinates. This innovation has to be seen to be believed. Also, compare new solar powered traditional fencing systems from Kane and Gallagher. Both companies will be onsite to discuss practical grazing systems for either your beef or dairy operation. Interested in solar powered pumping technology? Watch Kelln Solar pump over 2000ft. from Sally’s Creek to the grazing paddock. More details and demonstration times will follow in July.

At last year’s Show, farmers told us that they need to know approved ways to clean their combines in order to meet IP (Identity-Preserved) requirements. Our Show Team listened and have lined up a series of workshops out in the demo fields where experts will examine major brands of combines and discuss safe and efficient methods of cleaning. More details and workshop times will follow in July.

More and more farmers are getting involved in doing their own on-farm ag construction. From buildings to road repairs – from foundations to fencing – the demand for construction equipment on the farm is growing. This year, Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show will be offering an Ag Construction Expo, where different manufacturers can put their equipment through the paces and demonstrate exactly how it can be used. Located near the new pond at the southeast corner of the Show site, this exciting “hands-on” Expo will bring out the contractor in every farmer. More details to come in July.

The growing popularity of the “Local Foods” movement amongst consumers and the hospitality/tourism industry means that some farm families might be rethinking the benefits of this type of diversification. The new Local Foods Expo, amalgamated with the former Organics and Eco Expos, will help to answer questions from producers who want more information on how to market to this significant consumer audience. More information to come in July.