Old Home Week exhibits mix fun and farming history

While a good time is pretty much expected, there's no shortage of education at this year's Old Home Week festivities (in Prince Edward Island) either.
With exhibits like the Celebration of Agriculture display gracing the halls of the Charlottetown Civic Centre, visitors have decades of farming history at their fingertips.
And that's just the way Wayne Riley, Atlantic communications director for Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, likes it.
"What we're hoping is that they learn we've been here for 100 years, that we played a role in the development of the industry and that we still play a role," Riley said of the exhibit, which includes a section on the 100th anniversary of the Charlottetown Experimental Station, located on University Avenue.
Riley stressed that the exhibit showcases the agriculture industry in an informative way, so that people not familiar with farm life can develop a better understanding of it.
"Agriculture is not a static industry," he explained. "Agriculture is more than just food and even though people may not see farms in their daily life farms are still a major part of their daily life."
The exhibit features information on the Charlottetown Experimental Station dating back to when it was first established in 1909 and then covers its progression as the ninth federal agricultural research facility in Canada.
But experimental farm history isn't the only aspect of agriculture being showcased at the exhibit. The display also covers the history of various crops, including PEI's most well-known export: potatoes.
Put on by the PEI Potato Board, the display features recipes, interesting facts and even a potato clock, run entirely off two potatoes.
"There's a lot of work that goes into (the potato industry) that people don't realize," said Rebecca Smith, with the PEI Potato Board. "It's good for people to learn about that."
Visitors felt the same way.
"I thought it was very informative," said Rebecca Sosnkowski of Toronto, Ont.
Sosnkowski said her favourite part was the Sheppard's Farm display, adding people who have never seen a farm can learn a lot from the exhibit. -The Guardian