The Bayfield Ag Society met as usual last week but through a more common method these days by electronic means. It was great to see everyone comfortably in their homes dealing with the business on the agenda. After meetings everyone sits together to share a coffee and have some snacks and the tradition continued in separate buildings.
The Society decided to continue planning for the fair but aware that some things may need to be changed. It was reluctantly decided that this year there would be no large tent and fireworks might have to be a bigger show on our anniversary year at our next fair. Safety of volunteers and our fair guests will guide all future decisions.
This is a perfect year to plant a garden both with vegetables and flowers. One seed company from Manitoba has had 4 times the regular orders for seeds and has had to stop taking orders until it can fill the orders already received. It would then continue to take new orders. What a great sign that people are once again growing their own food and hopefully learning the benefits of canning and freezing surplus produce! The Society continues to encourage people making their art, craft and wood making projects. Everyone loves to see the creativity and the results of work by patient hands. We may have to keep our distance from others but it doesn’t stop people from taking pictures of images we normally take for granted. Our young people are now at home and creating projects would be a great pastime. Fairs are those meeting places where we bring together some of the things we do in our lives to show others and compete in a friendly manner. We can share these at any time by sending us along pictures and we will post them on our website.
Take a close look at our Facebook page to see some of the photos, videos and illustrations. They are meant to humour, inform, and admire. Our younger Directors are using it as a devise to spread accurate information about modern agriculture. Our fair book has been online since March but we will not distribute paper copies just yet.
This week is National Volunteer Week and the Bayfield Ag Society expresses a huge thank you to all its volunteers who give of their time, skills, advice, and creativity. They are all incredible individuals who make the Society and community stronger. The Society would also like to express thanks at this time of isolation to those who heal use, serve us, protect us, and comfort us.
We are all experiencing changed ways of living but that does not change our sense of community. Help someone (electronically or distantly) learn how to plant their garden, or make jam, or knit, or mix colours for an art piece, or create a poster. A sense of community is where people help one another and support one another. Bayfield will continue that tradition even with COVID-19.
