This document summarizes a virtual webinar about economic development in small, rural communities called the Teeny Tiny Summit. The webinar included presentations on transforming rural economies, creative collaboration projects in Fenelon Falls and Kawartha Lakes, the reimagined 2020 virtual Bayfield Agricultural Fair, and snapshots of other communities creatively bringing people together virtually. The agenda outlined three 90-minute webinar sessions to share examples, tools, and success stories for supporting small, rural places during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Virtual Meeting Etiquette
2
• Mute your microphone when you are not
speaking.
• Be mindful of background noise.
• Position your camera properly.
• Share your ideas & questions via the chat
feature.
VIRTUAL FORMAT
3. We encourage you to share!
Share content from today’s webinar, or
perspective and insight from your
community using the hashtag
#TeenyTinySummit
3 Teeny Tiny Summit Webinar
4. 4
• New virtual format with three
free 90 minute webinars
• Economic development that
works for small places
• Hear about examples,
relevant tools and success
stories
• Explore key issues in Teeny
Tiny Places
• Virtually connect and share
ideas
Teeny Tiny Webinar Agenda
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Time: 10:30 am (EST) – noon
Location: Virtual via Zoom
10:30 AM Opening Remarks – Katie Nolan
10:40 AM Economic Transformation of Rural Communities
Fleming College– Tom Phillips
11:00 AM Creative Collaboration - Fenelon Falls & Kawartha Lakes
City of Kawartha Lakes - Rebecca Mustard
Kawartha Cooperative - Jim Armstrong
Barn & Bunkie – Brandy Watson
Fenelon Falls Brewery Co.– Mathew Renda
11:20 AM Bayfield Virtual Fair & More
Bayfield Agricultural Society– Doug Yeo
11:40 AM Snapshots of Creatively Bringing Community Together
11:55 AM Closing Remarks
Noon Adjourn
VIRTUAL FORMAT
#TeenyTinySummit
6. Agricultural Societies
Societies are formed and governed by the Agricultural and Horticultural Organizations Act
Society’s purpose is to encourage an awareness of agriculture and to promote improvements in the quality of life of persons living in
an agricultural community by,
(a) Researching the needs of the agricultural community and developing programs to meet those needs;
(b) Holding agricultural exhibitions featuring competitions for which prizes may be awarded;
(c) Promoting the conservation of natural resources;
(d) Encouraging the beautification of the agricultural community;
(e) Supporting and providing facilities to encourage activities intended to enrich rural life; and
(f) Conducting or promoting horse races when authorized to do so by a by-law of the society.
7. Bayfield Ag Society –Early Years
Bayfield Agricultural Society was formed in 1856 as the StanleyBranch Agricultural Society and for 164 years has been hosting
an agricultural fair in the Bayfield community
In early years livestock was shown in Clan Gregor Square and indoor exhibits were placed in a nearby drill shed
Initially farmers examined the animals to know where to purchase the best breeding stock through the fairs
The grounds in the past had a race track, a crystal palace, a grand stand, board fence, parking for vehicles during the fair, and
a poultry building
Date of fair has changed from a Fall Fair
8. Agricultural Park
Agricultural Park was formed
from three parcels of land
purchased in 1886, 1891, and
1900 totalling 6.86 acres plus 3
lots where the Bayfield
Community Centre is located.
The land where the Community
Centre is located was donated
to the village for the purpose of
an arena in 1954 and 1967.
9. Activities
The Society’s main activity is hosting the annual agricultural fair
In recent years it has hosted two Breakfast on the Farm events
It assists with local events at the arena and within the village
10. Committees for the Fair
Art/photography
Church service
Concessions
Culinary arts
Fair book
Field crops
Flowers/plants
Friends of the fair
Fruits/vegetables
Gate
Handcrafts
Horses –Friesian
Horses –heavy
Horses -Arabian
Horses –miniature
Jamboree
Judge’s lunch
Midway
Music festival
Parade
Pet display
Publicity
Food booth
Evening meal
Children’s games
Woodworking
Youth class
Youth talent
4-H
Membership
Wreath
Flea market
Grounds
11. Actions Before Decision Making
Contacted all fair donors
Contacted all Committee Chairs
Participated in several of the OAAS webinars
Decision made in May but announced in June
12. Traditional to
What?
1. Parade
2. Demonstrations &
Interviews
3. Virtual Farm Visits
4. Competitions
5. Tours
6. Food
7. Entertainment
8. Publicity
13. Alternative Fair
Blossoms, Butterflies and Bees
Parade –decided it wasn’t feasible
Demonstrations & Interviews (balance of homecraft & agricultural)
harvesting wheat
market gardening (Firmly Rooted)
fruit farm/wine/hard cider (Bayfield Berry Farm)
4-H interview
visiting a Friesian horse farm
making a birdhouse
making a flower arrangement using the fair theme
judging jams
judging jellies
judging quilting
making tea biscuits
14. Alternate Fair cont.
Virtual Farm Visits –only honey operation covered
Competitions
youth classes: create a float, potato head person, animal dressed
posters
use of prize book (picture with it & best use)
Tours –participation was expected to be weak
Food
drive through barbecued chicken using local business
Entertainment
local music for those who wanted to stay behind
local talent was encouraged to send in videos
15. Publicity (at minimal cost)
Bayfield Breeze –electronic newspaper
Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Email contacts
Friends of the Fair
Word of Mouth
Free media outlets
16. Shocks and Challenges
new skills needed -most technical
timelines
lack of volunteers
getting the message out
additional regulations
Board participation
Public participation in competitions
over dependency on small number of volunteers
no visual feedback
absence of traditional sounds, sights, smells, and tastes of fair
17. Successes
good balance of agricultural and homecraft components –easier way to promote agriculture although no hands on activity
drive through dinner
guests invited to bring greetings made effort to create video greetings
one Board member dressed up for the occasion
learned new skills
municipality and organizations providing financial support were pleased something was being done
one of the few events to take place in Bayfield
introduced some of the farm sector to the fair business
18.
19. Delivery of Fair
Experience Evaluation
Facebook posts viewed by 7,447
Instagram reach 2,709
YouTube video views 473
Each day sections of the virtual fair
were released on our website for
viewing through YouTube.
The first night consisted of greetings
from the various guests and then
fireworks from the previous year.
The only activity on the fairgrounds
was the Drive Through Chicken
Dinner and live entertainment. A
fence was decorated with theme
related materials and birdhouses
donated were also being sold.
22. Prescott and Russell E-Business
GRANT PROGRAM
Prescott and Russell business owners who are researching e-
commerce platforms to enhance their online business activities
may apply for up to $1,000 toward the implementation of their
chosen e-commerce solution.
5 stakeholders
8 municipalities
Partnership of $ 67 000
First come first serve basis
Implemented and paid for between
March 15 and December 15, 2020.
An initiative resulting from the Prescott and Russell Economic Response and Recovery Plan, created in response to the COVID-
19 pandemic. Thanks to our partners Rural Oxford Economic Development Corporation for this initiative.
Geneviève Bougie gbougie@prescott-russell.on.ca
23. Virtual Farm Tour Snapshot –
Town of Georgina
• The virtual Field to table event consisted of behind the scenes
access to farms where viewer enjoyed tours, educational
experiences and interactive live with Georgina Farmers
• 9 farm partners, 9 pre-recorded videos highlighting different
topics, 9 live segments on Facebook, gift basket giveaway
• $1,350 spent on promotion
• 191,400 total estimated audience reach
• 105,515 video views
• 349 shares
• 9 farm partners
• For more info: Sean Columbus scolumbus@georgina.ca
24. Downtown Public
Washrooms
Snapshot – Scugog
• Partnership between Township of Scugog,
Port Perry BIA and Scugog Chamber of
Commerce to each pay 1/3 of the cost of a
classy port a potty
• A pilot project also took place closing the
main street to allow additional pedestrian
traffic on weekends in the summer
• Residents and visitors were welcomed to
take part in an online survey to share their
thoughts of the Queen Street Pedestrian
project
CP1
31. Here For Now Theatre Group – Formed 2020
Performances outdoors in local parkland.
#TeenyTinySummit 30
32. Community Gardens
• Access to food
• Learning new skills
• Working together at a safe
distance and outdoors
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33. Community Health &
Wellness
• Outdoor yoga and exercise classes
• Painted circles to insure distancing
• Invitation to use green spaces
34. Imagine We Can
Build Back Better…
• Poster Campaign and Scavenger Hunt
• Find all 6 posters downtown and enter to
win gift certificates to local businesses.
Climate Momentum Perth Stratford
#TeenyTinySummit 33
35. Seaforth Big Dig &
COVID19
Back Alley Project
• Encourage shoppers downtown during the dig & COVID19
• Decorated alleys behind businesses with back door access to
businesses
36. Call for Local Art
• Submissions used to decorate the
downtown core and featured on line.
Stratford Recovery Taskforce
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37. Lonely No More
Rural Community
Connections
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#TeenyTinySummit
• The Lonely No More program
consists of weekly Elder Circles, a
teleconference call between isolated
seniors, facilitated by trained
community members (volunteers).
• Elder Circles: Are a great place for
seniors to develop social networks
without having to face the weather, lack
of transportation or risk or infection.
• Empower community members to
become peer advocates for isolated and
at-risk seniors
• Can be adapted to numerous at risk
community groups.
A program by Gateway Rural Health
https://www.gatewayruralhealth.ca
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
38. Thank you for attending!
Please complete the evaluation and provide feedback for future webinars
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VIRTUAL FORMAT
Don’t miss the next Teeny Tiny Webinar
“Resilience”
October 28, 2020
10:30 am – noon
#TeenyTinySummit