Trip to the Plowing Match

It will be a sunny, warm day at the farmette, but not quite yet. It's 8C with a high of 21C.

Trump continues his ridiculous and dangerous ways. He rejected the Strait of Hormuz offer from Iran because, apparently, 'they're losing badly'. Riiiiight. Also, he's waiting Canada out in the trade war. He thinks we're the ones at fault. Typical.

Here at the farmette, life goes on. We've pretty much wrapped up harvest season. I took down the sunflowers (they were so big they were falling over) and dug up the carrots this week.

The sunflowers will be left out to dry and the seeds collected. I blanched and froze the carrots. We had a fresh one last night along with a local pork cutlet and one of the farmette potatoes for supper. Yum.

On Thursday, we made the half-hour trip to the International Plowing Match just outside Walkerton. It's been years since we went to one. A great day and an excellent turnout to a gigantic event.

There was everything from antique tractors and equipment to the latest high-tech gadgets. Here I am beside an old-time steam engine. Both cleaned up to look good.

And here's Rob beside a new sprayer. The boom was massive, and it was equipped with precision spray technology. Which means it only puts product on the parts of the field that need it.

There are now drones that spray fields, too. Amazing how agricultural technology has advanced since I started at the ministry 30+ years ago.

A couple of the more interesting displays were a contraption that moves mature trees (a Norway spruce that's 12.8

metres tall and 18 metric tonnes) and a luxury outhouse that's solar powered. Cool. Bet our grandparents would have appreciated it.

The absolute best were the square dancing tractors. Seriously. The guys driving them really are precise. They have to be, with the do-si-dos and swing-your-partner moves. Double cool.

Anyway, another week is in the books here in Grey County. Until next time.

Gratuitous cat photo courtesy of Hobbes, who is looking at his brother Calvin lurking against the fence.