Allow me to stipulate that I used a short form in my title if you’re pondering what in the heck The Royal is. The Royal in question refers to The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair that takes place annually in Toronto, Ontario, and it has been something my family and I have frequented since my sister and I were small children.
The Royal has tremendous relevance to my family because we are involved in agriculture, but the purpose of The Royal, in my question, is not entirely to serve farmers and producers; rather, it serves as a tremendous opportunity for individuals unfamiliar with agricultural practices to immerse themselves in the farming environment and hopefully learn a thing or two.
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of elements of The Royal that arguably are intended for farmers and producers. But there is a hell of a lot more that appeals to all sorts of people as opposed to strictly people affiliated with agriculture.
It blows me away to consider the number of people I still meet that have not only never been to The Royal, but furthermore, have never heard of it. It was inaugurated in 1922 for goodness sake.
This year was sort of special in the sense it was the first time my husband, Blaine, went. I knew he would enjoy it because of his own background in farming, but it was great to see him enjoy it to the extent he did. He and I spent quite a bit of time watching some classes of the horse show, and seeing as he used to work for a horse farm, and I used to ride, the event was quite fitting.
My family and I have always significantly enjoyed going to The Royal, and this year, my dad was present in the Chicken Farmers of Ontario booth answering all sorts of questions from folks curious about chicken farming. Twas a solid day all around.
Photo by Stijn te Strake on Unsplash
ontheedgeofeverything 