Opportunities remain for volunteers to get involved, the Ontario Plowmen’s Association says
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A popular event for rural Ontarians is beginning to take shape.
Preparations for the 2023 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) are underway in Dufferin County, says Floyd Wills, president of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association.
“Everything is coming along well,” he told Farms.com. “The fields are in great shape and we’ve started to open containers up and pull out supplies like signs, stakes and tables to paint and put around the sites. By the end of this week, we should have the hydro layout staked in.”
This year marks the 104th edition of the IPM and the first time Dufferin County plays host to the event and its visitors.
“Anyone who didn’t know it was coming will find out pretty quick,” Wills said. “And everyone is making sure to put a Dufferin County spin on the event.”
The event takes place from Sept. 19 to 23.
Over those five days, upwards of 60,000 people are expected to visit the IPM and enjoy the plowing, food, entertainment, and other amenities.
And though the show is geared towards the rural community, anyone living in Dufferin County and the surrounding area is encouraged to experience the IPM.
“It’s got a lot of outdoor living components that I think people will enjoy,” Wills said. “There will be vendors with outdoor furnaces, and at least two modular homes will be built on site. There’s also lots of opportunities to look at new landscaping tools and things for people from rural and urban neighbourhoods.”
Volunteers and community support play an important part in putting on a successful plowing match.
Hundreds of volunteers donate their time to support the match and the community, Wills said.
“I’ve been to a lot of the meetings, and we don’t see the volunteers,” he said. “They’re busy working hard to set up and do everything that needs to be done, and they deserve our thanks. And if anyone is interested in volunteering, we can definitely find something for you to do.”
Wills especially wanted to highlight the support from the townships of Amaranth and Grand Valley.
These two municipalities have provided resources and support to help organize the match, he said.
“They’ve been very supportive of what we’re doing, have made offices available for meetings and provided us with support for road preparations, gateways, signs and everything.”