Taking bids at the farm show seed auction way back in 2019.
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers
Guest Column
What’s up with the farm show? That is the number one question we are being asked. And the answer … it is now business as normal.
Directors of the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association are very excited to be planning ahead with confidence for the 2022 edition of the Ottawa Valley Farm Show to be held at Ottawa’s EY Centre March 15 to 17.
As a volunteer not-for-profit organization, with volunteer directors who do the bulk of the work to make the show happen, we were devastated to cancel the 2020 Ottawa Valley Farm Show only four days before it was due to open.
Remember those days back in March 2020? Rumours and talk of COVID were ramping up, and we were all deliberating and discussing what was going to happen next. Once it became clear our farm show could not go ahead, we immediately made the decision to cancel and shared the news publicly. Most exhibitors had been waiting for the call, despite having been packed up and ready for three busy days of farm show client visits, chats and business.
It was in October 2020, this time a full six months before opening the next farm show, that we learned the EY Centre was not able to guarantee an opening date. Two years in a row and no Ottawa Valley Farm Show.
In the downtime of these two seasons, OVSGA directors were busy. The new #AgInTheEast project of boxes of local ag products was a sell-out and overwhelming success. We hosted seed shows and presented awards, and we partnered with Farm and Food Care Ontario to host the inaugural Breakfast From the Farm at Carp Ag Society.
Now, in the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers 95th anniversary year, we are ready to move ahead with OVFS22. Plans are coming together, partners are lining up and exhibitors are excited. Many things will be the same. Hours will remain Tuesday 9-5, Wednesday 9-7 and Thursday 9-4. Tickets will soon be available for online purchase at $10 or at the door for $12 as in the past. There will be the Tuesday OVFS Grand Opening, the Wednesday Ottawa Valley Championship Seed, Feed and Forage Show Awards, and the Thursday Prestigious Pedigreed Seed Auction with proceeds to CHEO. The Wednesday evening feature event will be VITEO’s Annual Toy Auction.
There will also be some new additions and changes. Watch for a special guest at the grand opening, and the Algonquin College Ag Business students who will be working and planning together with us. Plus perhaps a few exciting additions to the speakers forum and displays at the front of the show.
Many exhibitor details are still to be finalized, and we will wait until later in December to confirm placements and contracts. But you will all hear from us then!
We will follow the COVID protocol of the day, and that will be finalized closer to March. All signs point to an eventful return of the Ottawa Valley Farm Show in March, and those of us at OVSGA could not be happier.
We have missed everyone … and look forward to seeing you again soon!
For more information visit www.ottawafarmshow.com
