Your Tractor Day plans just changed
Good morning from the Valley — the fields are talking, the rivers are moving, and we've got stories from five communities that matter. My ears perked up when I heard the news out of Greendale Acres this morning. You know the Chilliwack Plowing Match, right? It’s been going for 104 years, a real pillar of our agricultural heritage. Well, they’re adding something new this year, and it’s got folks out here buzzing like bees on a blueberry field.
They’re calling it Tractor Day, and it’s happening on Saturday, April 13th, as part of the Plowing Match weekend. Imagine a parade, but instead of floats, it’s all tractors – old ones, new ones, working ones, showpieces. It’s a salute to the machines that really built this Valley, the ones that put food on our tables. Seeing those classic John Deeres and old Massey Fergusons rumbling through Greendale, it’s going to be something special. For many of us, these aren’t just machines; they’re part of our family story.
**Why This Matters to Us in the Valley**
* **Celebrating Our Roots:** This is a fantastic way to honor the farming communities – the Sikh families who’ve been growing berries for generations, the Mennonite dairy farmers around Yarrow, the Dutch greenhouse growers. These machines are the backbone of their livelihood and our collective history. * **Connecting Generations:** It’s a chance for the younger ones, who maybe only see tractors from the highway, to get up close. To understand the sheer power and ingenuity involved in farming. It's about showing them where our food comes from, not just the grocery store shelf. * **Community Spirit:** The Plowing Match has always been a big deal, bringing everyone together. Adding Tractor Day just amplifies that. It’s a reminder that even as Abbotsford grows, our heart is still in these fields.
This isn’t just about metal and gears; it’s about recognizing the hard work, the legacy, and the future of agriculture out here in the Valley. It reminds us that while we see new homes popping up, the land beneath them is still fertile, still producing. It’s a testament to the fact that the Agricultural Land Reserve isn't just lines on a map; it's the very ground that sustains us. So, if you're looking for something truly Abbotsford, truly Valley-centric, head down to Greendale.
Harpreet Gill-Thiessen, MiTL Sports Desk, Abbotsford.
My folks break down the stories every morning — check 'em out live at mornings.live.