Forget the stereotype of beauty pageants for young girls. The Queen of the Furrow is not that.
Steeped in tradition and rooted in rural pride, this pageant plows ahead to grow the message that agriculture matters.
“The Queen of the Furrow program should never be confused with a beauty pageant as these young women have amazing skill sets with which they have been raised, and for most, they use these skills on their family farm each and every day,” said Melissa Snyders, chair of the 2013 International Plowing Match (IPM) Ontario Queen of the Furrow program.
“The Queen of the Furrow program acts as a tool for these young women to celebrate their heritage, to share their experiences and to discuss how they can be a part of sustaining and promoting agriculture, locally, nationally and globally,” Snyders said.
“If they no longer live on a farm, you can be sure that you will find the queen in a career related to agriculture.”
To earn the title at the provincial level, Queen of the Furrow candidates first compete in their home communities to represent their local plowing association.
In 2012-13, 22-year-old Cassandra Chornoboy of Guelph-Eramosa represented the Wellington County Plowmen’s Association (WCPA). She also held the title in 2010-11.
“The Wellington County Plowmen’s Association are some of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet,” Chornoboy said, explaining it was a privilege to represent the organization. “There is nothing like it.”
Bill Stickney, president of the WCPA, believes there is much value in having the role of Queen of the Furrow in his organization – not just for the tradition, but also for the future.
“They are young and eager and want to get the job done and get out in the limelight and promote the [WCPA],” Stickney said, noting it is much appreciated by the membership.
“They do a lot of publicity for us. They go to the fall fairs, the parades, 4-H events and other events throughout the year.”
Chornoboy said the role came naturally to her, as she has been raised on a beef and sheep farm that is entirely female-run, led by her mother.
The Queen of the Furrow competition also aligned with her personal values.
“It’s nice to have a young female face out there, promoting agriculture. Females are important to the future [of the farming industry],” Chornoboy said.
“The Queen of the Furrow is definitely a unique experience for that.”
Unique is right. Contestants can’t take home the title if they can’t drive a plow, and for many of them the competition is their first real experience. It might not sound like much to the experienced farmer, but to these young ladies, it’s a chance to be a part of something that has always been, as Chornoboy describes it, “a boy’s game.”
For more than 50 years, the Queen of the Furrow competition has given a voice and a platform to young women aged 16 to 25 to highlight important agricultural issues, encouraging future generations of leaders in their field.
“The Queen of the Furrow program has celebrated many successful years because of the young women that vie for their local Queen of the Furrow title,” said Snyders.
“These young ladies truly are remarkable. While they come from different backgrounds they all share one focus, and that is to keep agriculture strong and viable and to play a contributing role in what was once a predominantly male career path.”
This September, Chornoboy was one of 30 competitors from plowing associations across the province vying for the ultimate title, the Ontario Queen of the Furrow for the IPM. Held in Perth County, from Sept. 17 to 21, the event celebrated its centennial year as a key event in agriculture.
“The Queen of the Furrow program is definitely important to the tradition of the IPM,” Snyders said. “The Queen of the Furrow program is built around three major activities; an interview, competitive plowing and a prepared speech presentation, yet [they] are also judged on how they present themselves when they are in public and whether they would be an enthusiastic, confident, knowledgeable and professional ambassador for agriculture in general, as well as a positive role model for young women, not just in agriculture, but in any sector of society.”
While Chornoboy didn’t take home the provincial title (it went to Celie Diebold of Waterloo), she placed second in the Top Five Plow Queens portion of the competition.
“The International Plowing Match has been around for 100 years and it moves around the province,” Chornoboy said. “But it is always an amazing experience.”
Snyders says an important aspect of the role is to encourage others to participate in the competition – a task that Chornoboy was happy to champion, as her mentor Amelia Taylor, a former Queen of the Furrow, encouraged her to apply.
“I’d like everyone to know about it,” Chornoboy said, adding, “It’s always a challenge to find competitors because is conflicts with school for some, but it’s just a lot of fun, honestly, to go to events and learn more about your community and meet new people.”
One of Chornoboy’s honours was passing her title to her friend Jordan Pedersen, 18, of Erin, during the WCPA annual banquet on Oct. 19.
“The Wellington County Plowmen’s Association has always, to me, been an important agriculture association and I wanted to be a part of representing them,” Pedersen said.
She credits Chornoboy for getting her involved with the competition.
“I’ve known Cassandra for years,” Pedersen said. “She really encouraged me to get involved.”
The pair met through various 4-H groups, including the beef and sewing clubs, which Pedersen participated in for eight years, and at county fairs. Both girls are currently enrolled at the University of Guelph. Pedersen is studying studio art and philosophy.
“Queen of the Furrow was a good opportunity for me to keep the agriculture connection,” Pedersen said, noting she lives in town, but helps on the family farm located in Orton, which was passed down from her grandparents.
“It’s difficult to keep a balance in agriculture and the arts,” Pedersen said of her studies.
Though the arts are not a traditional path for a Queen of the Furrow candidate, Pedersen feels her challenge will be to merge her artistic and rural influences with this title.
“I was really interested in keeping my agriculture roots.”
While farming is in her blood, Pedersen admitted she’d never driven a plow before the competition, held at the Wellington County Plowing Match in August.
“But that was my favourite part,” Pedersen said of the competition. “Even the tractor driving was pretty forgiving.”
Pedersen admits she learned about plowing by watching YouTube videos with her father and studying parts of the plow.
“Every contestant gets a plow coach,” Chornoboy said, adding while she’d driven tractors before, the plow was new to her.
Pedersen insists the plowing portion is a great opportunity to learn and should never deter someone from trying out in the competition.
“The plowing is a very beautiful, but really rigid art,” Pedersen said with a laugh.
Chornoboy explained plow judges assess the competitors based on a points scale.
“Plowing in your own field is much different than plowing in competition,” Chornoboy said, adding she shares Pedersen’s sentiment. “Plowing day is the fun day.”
Like at the provincial level, when the WCPA hosts its banquet, the contestants are then asked to speak before a panel of judges in a three to five minute presentation on a topic of their choice, then each contestant is given an impromptu question.
“It really shows who can think on their feet and how they can think of agriculture issues both locally and globally,” Chornoboy said.
Pedersen was asked to speak to the issue of agriculture in the curriculum, a topic she is passionate about.
“It’s something that needs to be considered because it’s the most accessible way to reach children,” Pedersen said. “We need to make non-rural children aware of agriculture. I think our schools should support that.”
She adds, “I think for me it is that personal connection … if we introduced agriculture [in schools] people would be more aware, there would be more educated consumers.
“They don’t appreciate the value of their food. I think it’s important that youth understand where their food comes
from and what is involved in agriculture.”
Pedersen also wants people to see the future opportunities in agriculture.
“We need to teach people that agriculture isn’t just farming. There are many job opportunities in this area,” she said.
Making connections and being in the public eye is what Pedersen looks forward to most.
“That’s the exciting part; I get to do the parades, the fairs, school visits and other events,” Pedersen said, noting the role is flexible in terms of schedules and commitments.
But Pedersen wants to make the most of her year as queen. And just in case an unexpected opportunity pops up, Pedersen keeps her tiara and satin sash in the car.
A queen has to be ready to make a public appearance whenever she can.
“It’s what you make of it; if you’re really committed to learning and being a representative of the plowmen’s association, it’s a great opportunity. There is still an awareness to build of what the plowmen’s associations do,” she said.
“It a lot of fun just making appearances. Just by promoting it and wearing the gear at events, the more people see that and start asking questions, the more they’ll start to think about the value of agriculture.”
Pedersen and Chornoboy hope more young women will get involved and keep the tradition alive.
“I would want them to know they should just jump in and try it,” Pedersen said, noting it doesn’t matter if they have rural roots or are simply willing to advocate for agricultural issue. All they need is a willingness to learn.
“It’s so flexible and the organizers are really helpful … and the prizes don’t hurt either,” she quipped.
Prizes range from jewelry and clothes to gift certificates and a small scholarship.
“I was overwhelmed by the number of prizes,” Pedersen said.
“We have very generous sponsors and every contestant gets prizes. It’s really overwhelming.”
But don’t let the tiara and satin sash fool you. The Queen of the Furrow represents more than a pretty spokesperson. At the provincial level, the responsibilities increase, as does the platform. Pedersen hopes to find that out personally.
“The Ontario Queen of the Furrow is strong, independent, forward thinking and educated,” said Snyders. “The Ontario Queen of the Furrow elevates the role of women in agriculture … and the agri-food economy.”
Pedersen is focused on the year ahead, leading to the 2014 IPM set to take place in the Simcoe County community of Ivy. In the meantime, she intends to promote the WCPA wherever she can, and encourage other young women in the community to take part in next fall’s Queen of the Furrow competition.
To spread the word, Pedersen has created a FaceBook page: facebook.com/queenofthefurrowwellington.
Like Chornoboy, Pedersen exhibits the enthusiasm and commitment required to take her rightful role as Queen of the Furrow, to offer a fresh face and a fresh perspective on the future of women in agriculture.
For more information on the competition, contact Jordan Pedersen at 519-362-2282.
