聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The roots of many people in the southeast extends deep into the soil of the province as Saskatchewan was founded in agriculture.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In Maryfield, a century ago, a tradition began which has continued throughout the years celebrating agricultural efforts in the area with the longstanding Maryfield Fair.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 a small town fair with a big town heart,鈥� Myrtle Chambers of the Maryfield Ag Society explained.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The formation of the Fair dates back to the creation of the Maryfield Ag Society. A letter in the Maryfield News on March 10, 1910, asked if there was interest in forming a society with a resounding 鈥測es,鈥� the society formed.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 First held in 1915 the Maryfield Fair became a success quickly offering the local agriculturalists a chance to showcase their finest quality produce, while providing a day of much needed rest and recreation.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although tough times in the 1930s led to the fair being suspended, it was never forgotten and as times improved it was brought back as a main feature in Maryfield.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The fair is a continued legacy, however, which connects past to present, while influencing the future of agriculture.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Chambers spoke with The Observer about the fair over the years as she is compiling a look at the fair over the years to be featured at the Fair鈥檚 100th to be held on Thursday, July 23.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the past the fair has focused on a variety of exhibits from grains, grasses, vegetables, cattle, horses, chickens, sheep, swine, and schoolwork encompassing life on the prairies. The past also saw summer fallow competitions, which have since ended with farmers now opting for continuous cropping.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淓ntries depend every year,鈥� Chambers, who is a judge, explained. 鈥淲e could have a dry year or a wet year, or if we get frost at the wrong time then the flowers are poor or we don鈥檛 get garden entries.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A fun way to get youth involved in the excitement of the Fair included the Junior Farmer Competition which had young farmers identify breeds of cattle, different weeds, and grains.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here have been changes over the years, some things were replaced with other things,鈥� Chambers explained.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For example the summer fallow competition is no longer, yet added to the lineup of items on display being judged is photography. However, exhibit mainstays include field products, garden goods, flowers, household art, sewing, crocheting, crafts, baking, canning, and more.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Another new event being hosted is the Maryfield and District Hunter/Jumper Show, which was first held last year.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 also changed from being mostly men involved to mostly women,鈥� Chambers added. 鈥淲e currently have 23 members within the Ag Society and a few also have life memberships. A few years ago Lilian Goldsmith and Freda Longman were given this.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A mainstay, however, is the Man-Sask Border Circuit (MSBC) horse show held in the rink each year. Many people question why the Fair is on a Thursday and not a weekend, which is based on the MSBC competition鈥檚 schedule.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Chambers said that features each year change, but a memorable one included working with local First Nations who hosted a pow wow during the Fair in 1955.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Other memorable features included Queen Elizabeth the Twoth, last year鈥檚 knife maker Brandon Gray of Moosomin, and Vern Reese an antiques appraiser.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hroughout the years we鈥檝e also had a Clean Team sponsored by Sask Power who are responsible for helping set up display tables and clean up afterwards, which has been a wonderful addition in making the Fair a success.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he Borderland Co-op has been wonderful over the years as well hosting the Price is Right, providing entertainment and popcorn, and supplying all of the breakfast.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Fun and innovative ideas have kept the Fair going strong over the years according to Chambers: 鈥淥ne year they held Fair Factor which included taste testing, an aim for the bail where they had to try and land on a bail in water, search for a poker chip, find the right key which was in a pail of manure that they had to go through, and rolling bale feeders. Everyone had quite a bit of fun watching that event.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽Throughout the years Chambers says there are many people who contributed to the Fair whom they miss, such as R.D. Clay who was a Belgian horse breeder that attended the Fair each year with his animals. Though there are countless people who have made contributions to the Fair that are remembered.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This comes with a desire to retire for some of the Maryfield Agriculture Society who will be looking for younger members to continue on the legacy.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪ome directors of the Fair have said it鈥檚 their last year and are looking to pass it down to the younger generation,鈥� Chambers explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 lasted through the years because people felt it was important part of Maryfield and district, because it鈥檚 just not people in Maryfield supporting or helping with it. I鈥檝e been involved since the early 80s. I had exhibited in Moosomin as a kid and now I鈥檓 a judge. It鈥檚 that involvement throughout the ages that helps keep this going.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Participants in fact take part in the Maryfield Fair from Moosomin to Virden to Elkhorn, as well as locally from Maryfield and surrounding area such as Redvers, Wawota, and Fairlight.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t is a truly community effort because it鈥檚 no longer just the Ag Society involved,鈥� Chambers said. 鈥淒ifferent groups put on different events throughout the day and help make the Fair a success each year.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This year鈥檚 line-up includes breakfast between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. with the opening of the 100th Maryfield Summer Fair to occur at 9 a.m. in the horse arena.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The MSBC and Hunter/Jumper shows will each begin at 9:30 a.m., while exhibit judging will begin at 9:20 a.m. following the Fair鈥檚 opening.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Other excitement includes bouncers for kids, a petting zoo, a chili cook-off, photo booth by Pat Siemens, Hoop Girl, cotton candy and snow cones, Shirley Campbell鈥檚 famous pie and ice cream, mechanical bull riding, and SGI Safety Games with the Safety Squad during the day.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The exhilarating exhibit auction will begin at 4 p.m., which Chambers says is always fun, with proceeds raised going towards STARS Air Ambulance. Supper will follow at 5 p.m. and evening entertainment will feature the Spotted Rain Dance Troupe from Cowessess First Nation who will perform pow wow dances.
