Niagara Farm Day a tradition in the making for young families

Mia Lesso loved seeing the horses and ponies at Niagara Farm Day. She and her family came to Grassie from St. Catharines to take in the event. She’s pictured here with her brother Henry, who’s getting a playful nudge from Clydesdale Rosie. ~ Luke Edwards photo

By Luke Edwards

The blue-purple tinge to his beard was all the evidence needed to show how valuable the annual Niagara Farm Day event is for Rob Davidson.

Returning to defend his pie eating crown, the Vineland man was one of several to throw etiquette and good manners to the wind, devouring his blueberry pie as fast as he could. This time, however, it was not fast enough.

“This year, he destroyed me,” Davidson said, pointing to the newly crowned champion Dan Montean standing next to him inside the Richardson Ag Hall at the West Niagara fairgrounds.

It was all in good fun, as the various contests - chicken wing, chocolate milk and pie - offered a different twist on the annual celebration of Niagara’s farming community.

The stained beard was a small price to pay for Davidson to offer his thanks to the region’s farmers as well as the organizers who make farm day a success.

“They work so hard to make it happen,” he said of the organizers. And of the farmers: ‘We wouldn’t be eating if not for them.”

For Montean, he brought his children out to the fairgrounds to check out the animals and learn a bit about farming in Niagara. The contests were an added bit of fun.

“We’re going to make a tradition out of it,” he said.

The annual event returned May 9, welcoming hundreds of visitors under mostly cooperative skies. Visitors could get up close and personal with livestock, including cattle, goats and some Clydesdales from Roy-a-Lea Farms.

“It’s good to get the public around the animals,” said Heather Spoelstra, who alongside her parents maintain a herd of about 50 Clydesdales up in Binbrook. They’ve been coming to Niagara Farm Day for several years, and Spoelstra said it remains an important day to share their passion for farming with the community.

Clydesdales are becoming a more popular breed of horse, Spoelstra said, in large part thanks to their docile and relaxed nature. For instance, police forces are turning to the breed for their cavalry divisions, as the animals are more likely to remain calm in tense situations.

There was no tension at farm day but there was plenty of excitement. Mia Lesso came with her family from St. Catharines, and was eager to meet Rosie and her one-month-old foal Princess.

“I just like animals,” she declared, shortly after Rosie gave her and her brother Henry a playful nudge.

Chris Mullet Koop, president of the Niagara Federation of Agriculture, said the day proved to be a success.

“It’s great to see so many kids and families,” he said. “It’s community building, it’s education, it’s interactive…It keeps people in touch with rural agriculture.”

The event was also just another way to showcase the West Niagara Agricultural Centre, which offers far more beyond the yearly fall fair.

“It’s great to have these facilities right here in West Niagara,” Mullet Koop said.