Senior grain market analyst Bryce Knorr took a short break from the U.S. farm show circuit last week to speak at a field day in Canada. Tournée des Grandes Cultures du Québec, held about an hour outside of Montreal, featured results from a crop tour of corn and soybean fields around the province sponsored by the consulting firm GrainWiz. Held on the Ferme Blanchette et fils inc. near  La Presentation, the field day included many familiar sights,  and a few distinct to the French-speaking province.

Seed companies showed off test plots, just like in the U.S.

The machinery had a familiar color, too.

Cover crops are a hot topic for Canadian growers.

Senior grain market analyst Bryce Knorr took a short break from the U.S. farm show circuit last week to speak at a field day in Canada. (Photo: MariuszSzcygiel/Thinkstock)

A presentation on drone technology also drew interest.

Speakers gave presentations in a shed, with farmers seated on ubiquitous hay bales.

But that’s where the differences begin. Note the booth in the rear center of the photo. It housed translators providing simultaneous translation from English to the mostly French-speaking crowd.

East is east and west is west in the U.S., but in Quebec, it’s est and ouest.

There were many more cars than pickup trucks in the parking lot.

But the biggest difference was at the noonday, chef-prepared meal, served on white table cloths in a large tent, with plenty of conversation over a glass or two of wine.

The desserts were fancy too.

After the field day was over, a Quebec-styled barbeque celebrated a successful event with live music and more food. Besides sweet corn, the menu included bacon, but not the Canadian bacon sold in the U.S. This was raw, unsmoked and unsalted pork belly, grilled and then seasoned. Some ate just the bacon, while others had a BLT – but one that featured just one slice of tomato, along with an onion slice, mustard and a lot of bacon.

Of course in both the U.S. and Canada, tired little boys dream of being farmers at the end of a long day.