Living in the Country » Plowing Match http://living-in-the-country.com Living in the City... Living Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:56:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 IPM invests profits in health care http://living-in-the-country.com/2009/01/ipm-invests-profits-in-health-care/ http://living-in-the-country.com/2009/01/ipm-invests-profits-in-health-care/#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:28:27 +0000 Sam Mooney http://living-in-the-country.com/?p=345 Bruce Country health care will benefit from a profitable plowing match in Teeswater

BRUCE IPM invests over $800,000 of profits into Health Care and Community Projects

Organizers of the 2008 IPM have realized a profit of approximately $822,000. After an unforgettable rainy, muddy weekend when exhibitors and trailers were arriving on site an astounding 94,400 visitors attended the five day show when the gates opened Tuesday September 16 just north of Teeswater.

In the early stages of planning the IPM Committee selected local health care as the main beneficiary of any profits having the greatest impact for all Bruce County residents. A meeting is scheduled for early February when the IPM Executive will meet with representatives from local Hospital Foundations to discuss equipment available to be funded within their facilities. A total of $500,000 has been budgeted to support local health care in area hospitals.

Community organizations will also be recognized for their contributions to the IPM in exchange for volunteer time, resources or services. Donations totaling $130,000 from profits of the International Plowing Match are: Tractor Square Dancing “Team Farmall” $6000; The Municipality of South Bruce $30,000; The Municipality of Arran-Elderslie $5000; Bruce County Plowmen’s Association $30,000; Bruce County Heritage Association $5000; Bruce County Genealogy Society $1000; Bruce County Woodlot Association $2000; Bruce County Foster Parent Association $2500; Formosa Lions Club $500; Belmore Community Centre (Kitchen) $3000; Bruce County EMS $25,000; Bruce County Mutual Aid Fire Association (new equipment) $10,000; and St. John’s Ambulance $10,000.

Organizations receiving a total of $69,140.00 for time working at the IPM include: Quota International (Owen Sound), Mildmay Rotary Club, Clifford Rotary Club, Southampton Rotary Club, OES Goodwill Chapter (Harriston), Paisley Rotary Club, Chesley Rotary Club, Huron Shores ATV Club, 543 Squadron Air Cadets, Belmore Minor Sports, Ripley Lions Club, Teeswater 4H Club, Formosa Lions Club, Walkerton Knights of Columbus, Walkerton Rotary Club, Paisley Kinsmen Club, Trinity Lutheran Church (Walkerton), Chepstow Lions Club, Ripley Lions Club, Tiverton Lions Club, Lucknow Lions Club, Special Olympics Central Bruce, Walkerton District Secondary School, Walkerton Hawks Jr. C Hockey Club, Cargill District Community Fund, Mildmay OSS Broomball, F.E. Madill Secondary School Rugby Team, Saugeen Shores Winterhawks Hockey Club, Kincardine Rotary Club, Wingham Jr. C Hockey Club, Teeswater Culross Horticultural Society and the Teeswater Culross Fire Department.

The IPM also has set aside $82,000 for IPM Committee and Executive Members to direct $2000 dollars each to a charity or community organization of their choice in reward of their efforts and time dedicated to the IPM. Their commitment for success by keeping costs low while also fundraising had a dramatic impact on the event profits.

Event organizers acknowledge the success of the event would not have been made possible without the overwhelming response from the local community and businesses who supported the IPM. The entire county of Bruce along with surrounding Huron, Grey, Wellington and Perth Counties were behind the IPM from the very first announcement that the event was going to be held in Midwestern Ontario.

Official financial figures will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association held in the District of Temiskaming host of the 2009 IPM in late February. The IPM comes back to south-western Ontario in 2010 to be held near St. Thomas in Elgin County, then in Eastern Ontario hosted by Prescott-Russell for more information visit www.plowingmatch.org.

]]> http://living-in-the-country.com/2009/01/ipm-invests-profits-in-health-care/feed/ 1 Lucky Dog at the IPM – video http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/09/lucky-dog-at-the-ipm-video/ http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/09/lucky-dog-at-the-ipm-video/#comments Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:46:56 +0000 Sam Mooney http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/09/lucky-dog-at-the-ipm-video/ The band is Lucky Dog.  Maybe band is the wrong word, they’re a trio
and play a mix of their own music and some country and rock songs. They’re the trio I mentioned yesterday.

The video is my first attempt although the camera work isn’t mine, thanks to a friend for that.

]]> http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/09/lucky-dog-at-the-ipm-video/feed/ 0 International Plowing Match 2008, Teeswater, Bruce County http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/09/international-plowing-match-2008-teeswater-bruce-county/ http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/09/international-plowing-match-2008-teeswater-bruce-county/#comments Thu, 18 Sep 2008 02:17:49 +0000 Sam http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/09/international-plowing-match-2008-teeswater-bruce-county/ This afternoon I went to the Plowing Match – or the IPM as it’s now called – for the first time in 25 years.  (I sound really old, don’t I?)

IPM-Teeswater-2008

There was much more of a ‘fair’ feel than I remember but 25 years is a long time and my memory isn’t what it once was. 

I have to admit that I didn’t go into any of the tents or look at any exhibits.  I got sidetracked in the hospitality tent.  There was a terrific band playing and I ended up staying until they finished their set which happened to coincide with the closing for today.  

The band is Lucky Dog.  Maybe band is the wrong word, they’re a trio and play a mix of their own music and some country and rock songs.  I’m going to post about them as soon as I figure out how to upload a video clip – and get someone to edit it for me.

In the meantime – a photo.

Lucky-Dog

Lucky Dog at the International Plowing Match in Teeswater

from left: Anthony McCann, Steve Wilson, Bob Walters.

My curmudgeonly companion had 2 complaints comments.  Instead of playing City of New Orleans (which I love) he thought Lucky Dog should have played one of Gordon Lightfoot’s Railway Trilogy and he thought that the beer served should have been from a Bruce County Brewery.

]]> http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/09/international-plowing-match-2008-teeswater-bruce-county/feed/ 0 Bruce County Humour http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/08/bruce-county-humour/ http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/08/bruce-county-humour/#comments Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:25:13 +0000 Sam Mooney http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/08/bruce-county-humour/ A friend sent me these pointers for city slickers planning to visit Huron, Bruce and/or Grey Counties.

It’s not that she has anything against city folks…she just wants them to feel at home and help them understand us.

Don’t be insulted, it’s all in good fun, so don’t take it the wrong way.

THE RULES OF RURAL ONTARIO ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Listen up City Slickers!

1. Pull your droopy pants up. You look like a city slicker.

2. Kids…turn your caps straight, your heads aren’t crooked.

3. Let’s get this straight; it’s called a ‘dirt road.’ I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you’re going to get dust on your Lexus.

4. They are cattle. They’re live steaks. They smell funny to you. But they smell like money to us. Get over it. Don’t like it? Hwy 7 & 401 goes east and west, Hwy 15 & 416 goes north and south. Pick one.

5. So you have a $60,000 car. We’re not that impressed. We have $150,000 combines and hay balers that are driven only 3 weeks a year.

6. So every person in rural Ontario waves. It’s called ‘being friendly.

7. If that cell phone rings while an 8-point buck and 3 does are coming in, we WILL shoot it out of your hand.   You better hope you don’t have it up to your ear at the time.

8. Yeah, we eat meat and potatoes. You really want sushi & caviar? It’s probably available around here at the corner bait shop.

9. The ‘Opener’ refers to the first day of deer hunting season. It’s a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.

10. MEN open doors for women. That is applied to all women, regardless of age. iF THEY DON’T OPEN THE DOOR, THEY GET THEIR ASSES KICKED.

11. There’s little for ‘vegetarians’ on the menu. Order steak. Or you can order the Chef’s Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham and turkey.

12. When we set a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables and breads. We use three spices:  salt, pepper and ketchup.

13. You bring ‘coke’ into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice.

14. You bring ‘Mary Jane’ into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.

15. Ontario HockeyLeague and Minor Hockey is as important here as the Maple Leafs and Montreal Habs, and  more fun to watch.

16. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don’t hit the water hazards — it spooks the fish.

17. Colleges? We have them all over. We have Universities and Community Colleges. They come outta there with an education plus a love for God and country, and they still wave at everybody when they come for the holidays.

18. We have a whole ton of folks in the Armed Forces. So don’t mess with us. If you do, you will get whipped by the best. 

19. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump crap ain’t music, anyway. We don’t want to hear it anymore than we want to see your boxers. (Refer back to #1).

20. 2 inches of snow & ice isn’t a blizzard – it’s a vacation. Drive like you got some sense in it, and DON’T take all our bread, milk, and bleach from the grocery stores. This ain’t Alaska , worst case you may have to live a  whole day without croissants. The pickups with snow blades and tractors with snow blowers will have you out the next day.

Ipm_photo_007_2 21. By the way, the International Plowing Match starts a month from now on September the 16th…at Teeswater, Bruce County, Ontario.

Come on over and enjoy.

]]> http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/08/bruce-county-humour/feed/ 0 Bruce County, The International Plowing Match, and The Girl From Holyrood http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/03/bruce-county-the-international-plowing-match-and-the-girl-from-holyrood/ http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/03/bruce-county-the-international-plowing-match-and-the-girl-from-holyrood/#comments Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:35:33 +0000 Jim http://living-in-the-country.com/2008/03/bruce-county-the-international-plowing-match-and-the-girl-from-holyrood/ When Family Shows Up At The LCBO

This is going to be a very big year for Bruce County. There’s the Lucknow Reunion, the Southampton and Kincardine anniversaries and then there’s the big one!

The International Plowing Match (IPM), will be held at the little riverside town known locally as "Terrific Teeswater", not far from where I live.

So what does my family and the LCBO have to do with this?

My cousin Mary Wiley is promoting something called 20 Bees Wine. One of her bigIpm_wine  projects for this busy Bruce County year is to supply commemorative wines for IPM…a red and a white. 20 Bees is produced by a group of independent grape growers in the Niagara region, with big ideas. Their wines are all "VQA" meaning they are guaranteed to be 100% Ontario.

The IPM white is a 2006 Chardonnay, lively and a tiny bit fruity, that goes well with grilled pork, chicken, fish, pesto sauces and mild cheeses.

The red is a 2006 Cabernet-Merlot. It’s perfect with red meats (this is cattle country after all), and slightly aged cheeses. The taste hints of red berry fruit. The wines were created to complement all the foods available in Bruce County.

Mary was born on a farm near a Bruce County crossroads hamlet called Holyrood, just up the road from where I am now living in retirement. It’s a tiny place, so when we locals pass by there, we never blink.

Ipmwinetasting015_4 Mary was always in the thick of things and has been spokesperson for various agricultural groups and organizations; now she’s moved into the world of wines.

She’s busy as a you-know-what, buzzing about Niagara Vintners.

The IPM logo is proudly and prominently displayed on every bottle.

The label will be a collector’s item I’m sure.

So cheers to Mary, and to Ontario wine and of course to the International Plowing Match.

They’d better have lots of it on hand, because the plowing match is expecting more than 100,000 visitors to attend, starting this fall, Tuesday September 6th.

You can learn more about 20 Bees here… and more about IPM here.

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