Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Reflecting on the first outdoor farm show

Reflecting on the first outdoor farm show

Jack Bonham remembers attending the first one almost 25 years ago

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

2017 marks the 24th anniversary of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, but there couldn’t be 24 farm shows if there wasn’t a first one.

And a select few, like 91-year-old Jack Bonham with JB Enterprises, can recall the atmosphere around the first outdoor farm show more than two decades ago.

“(The first outdoor show was in 1994) in Burford (Ont.),” he told Farms.com today. “That’s where (the late Ginty Jocius) started. It was really a good show. A lot of people showed up because they’d never been to any outdoor show before. I was quite surprised at how many people we did get (into the show).”

Bonham has attended every show since the first one and is impressed with its growth.

“(The show) has kept growing bigger and bigger,” he said. “I would say it’s at least three times the size of what it was when we first started. The new farm equipment has (also) really grown.”

 


Trending Video

Dream Projects Made Real | BX Summer Contest Winner Stories

Video: Dream Projects Made Real | BX Summer Contest Winner Stories



Three women. Three properties. Three summers that changed everything.

Meet the 2025 Kubota BX Summer Contest winners — and watch what happened when their biggest plans finally had the power to match them.

Akesh transformed her 9.8-acre property in just 3 months — clearing a historic barn, building a cottage garden, and growing vegetable beds for her family. Kathleen rebuilt her yard from the ground up after the 2023 wildfires devastated her property — creating a space where her children could play and grow again. Teresa reclaimed her family's 97-acre Ontario farm — moving topsoil, restoring fields, and honouring her mother's memory one season at a time.

Three dream projects. Three stories of vision, resilience, and hard work. One unforgettable summer with a Kubota BX.

"The BX made everything happen so quick." — Akesh "I feel like I can make a huge difference." — Kathleen "It's a dream come true. The answer to my prayers." — Teresa