Who can turn over the best dirt? That will be decided on Saturday, August 1 in Comber. The Essex County Plowmen’s Association is hosting its annual Plowing Match. Association president Brian Sterling says the event is expected to attract local and out of town competitors. He says they will be judged, and the judges will focus on different criteria such as the nicest dirt, straightness, and conformity. Sterling says the event is a tradition in Essex County. “We have a lot of plowmen from in-county and out-of-county that come down for this and basically to show off their plowing skills out in the field, kind of a friendly competition really to see who can turn over some dirt and make it look the nicest,” says Sterling. He says judges will look at the plowed grounds that the plowmen do. “They get judged on several different pieces of criteria, and at the end of the day for most spectators, we’re turning dirt over, and it’s a competition of who can make that look the nicest,” he says. Sterling says the event also features activities for children. He says there will be a mini garden tractor with a miniature plow on-site for the kids. “They get to drive the tractor, of course, with the assistance of an adult that helps to operate it, but you actually get to try the real thing,” he says. “So last year we actually had 60 children that got to try that out.” The free event will feature small to large plows as well as antique to rollover-type plows. It takes place at Ian & Shaundra Ruston’s farm on County Road 46 just east of Gracie Sideroad. It runs from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Following the competition, there is a banquet starting at 5 p.m. at Visitation Parish Church on Comber Sideroad.
