WWW.KAWARTHALIFE. NET | MAY 2013 | VOLUME 12 #3
RENAISSANCE MAN
HARRY
STODDART
LAKESIDE
LUXURY
A TASTE OF SPRINGTIME LINDSAY LILAC FEST
G N O CHEM ALIVE A R T A N D P H O T O G R A P H Y S T U D I O
The amazing people and other inhabitants of the Kawarthas provide a constant opportunity for the camera lenses of Chemong Alive’s Heather Glynn, whose work encompasses a blend of the region’s natural beauty in the form of family memories and wildlife.
Chemong Alive offers families the option of being photographed in more natural settings, such as a forest, garden, on a lake and more! We transfer photos to canvas, cards, plaques or enlargements. Great for cottage art, home and offices alike. Canvas art all made here in Bridgenorth. Senior and union discounts available. • nature photography • family portraits • pet photography • child photography • sporting events • reunions • birthdays • baptisims • pre-wedding • just because • calendars
We focus on bringing families and nature together. 13 Darling Drive, Omemee, ON K0L 2W0 email: chemong_alive@bell.net | phone: 705-292-1970
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12281 Highway 35 • Box 945 Minden K0M 2K0 • www.carriage-house.ca • 705-286-2994 • 866-457-4017
HIGHWAY 35
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Dear Friends
Contents
Inhale deeply. Smell spring in the air. Winter in Kawartha offers endless activities and amusements but spring heralds its own special delights. Open the windows, unshutter the cottage and put the boat in the water. Savour the freedom of stepping outside without a heavy jacket or boots. In this issue we look at some of the pleasures that make like life in the Kawarthas so, well, pleasurable. Awardwinning artists make their homes here, inspired by the beauty of our landscape and its affordability. Farmers markets reopen and we can once again witness and taste the bounty of this part of Ontario. Creative entrepreneurs are finding ways to make life a little more comfortable, easy or more luxurious. There are many forward-thinking folks in our region who are working to improve our current way of living and build a foundation for the future. One such visionary is Harry Stoddart. You can read about his agricultural transformation in this issue. The cottage and main tourism season is gearing up. How fortunate that we have so many pleasures to share with the rest of the world. It is my pleasure to share this issue of Kawartha Life with you.
Don MacLeod Publisher - Kawartha Life PUBLISHER: Don MacLeod ACCOUNT MANAGER: Kim Harrison, 905-240-0076 kimkawarthalife@hotmail.com EDITORIAL: Birgitta MacLeod CONTRIBUTORS: Darren Catherwood ŠCopyright 2013: All rights are reserved and articles may not be published without the written permission of the Publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of this paper, the Publishers assume no liability for loss or damage due to errors or omissions. The Publishers cannot be held accountable for any claims or results thereof as advertised in this publication.
HARRY STODDART
RECIPE
Renaissance farmer
A taste of springtime
Birgitta MacLeod..................................................6
Birgitta MacLeod................................................16
FLOATHOUSE
PAUL CHESTER
Convenience and comfort on the water
The gesture of nature
Birgitta MacLeod................................................10 MAP
Regional and Trent Severn Waterway ..................................................................................12
Birgitta MacLeod................................................18 ARTISTS
Rolling Hills Studio Tour Birgitta MacLeod ...............................................20 HAPPENINGS
ACCOMODATIONS
Lilac love-in
New lakeside luxury
Birgitta MacLeod................................................21
Birgitta MacLeod................................................14
HARRY STODDART
Renaissance farmer Birgitta MacLeod
I
n the late 1990’s, Harry Stoddart saw the writing on the wall with regards to the family farm he just purchased from his parents. More accurately, he saw what wasn’t there, what wasn’t in the soil or in the future for Stoddart Family Farms. Harry purchased his parents’ ‘farrow to finish’ hog farm in 1995. He considered his options and decided, for many reasons — economic, environmental, societal — that organic was the way to go. The tipping point was a devastating disease outbreak and price crash in ’98 that nearly cost him the farm. The first organic crop was put in in 1998 and by 2004 Harry had transitioned the entire land base to organic, cash grain production. Then Harry picked up some books and started read. “Organic was a step in the right direction. Twenty percent of the world’s greenhouse gases come from agriculture. But I did a lot of reading and came to understand the damage I was doing even with organic,” said Harry. “Things were happening on the land that I didn’t like. We had a minimum of livestock and hay in rotation and we weren’t caring for the soil. So in 2005 I decided to bring livestock back.” It goes against the grain of popular thinking, to increase livestock as a way of lowering the environmental impact of farming, since we often associate livestock, cattle in particular, with creation of greenhouse gases. All those cows doing what cows do during digestion. But Harry’s trips to the library and bookstore introduced him to a new strategy of holistic management and pasture rotation that would build up the soil instead of depleting it. Two books that he found particularly inspiring were The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan and Pasture Perfect, by Jo Robinson. Today, Stoddart Family Farms is a model of modern agri-business modelled on ancient practice. Livestock are grass and pasture fed, spending as much time outdoors
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as they can. Even the ducks like to waddle around in the snow sometimes. The Stoddarts raise Simmental and Angus cross cattle for beef production, Berkshire and Berkshire cross hogs for pork, as well as poultry and sheep. The Berkshire hog is an endangered but very tasty breed that Harry is helping to preserve. But his real labour of love is White Park cattle, another endangered breed. In fact, Stoddart Family Farms has the only purebred White Park in Canada. “We’re trying to get someone else to start a herd elsewhere. It’s a slow process. We currently have only seven females of breeding age,” Harry explained. Ultimately though, farming is a business, and without marketing, sales and some strategic planning, it’s just a hobby. As an entrepreneur, Harry is educated, well-read, networks like crazy, pays attention to the
I don’t think we are forced to choose between feeding people and reducing our impact on the environment. From my perspective, reducing our impact on the environment is key to sustaining food production long term — Harry Stoddart in The Real Dirt: Confessions of a Recovering Industrial Farmer
May 2013
numbers and thinks big picture. He has degree in agricultural economics from Guelph University and is web and techsavvy. For a seven year stretch he did the Toronto commute, working as a business consultant and analyst while keeping up the farm. He understands the value of cooperation and collaboration. Hard work is an understatement. “Getting to know a neighbour who was doing organics and doing organics very well gave me the confidence to do it myself. He became my business partner for a decade. That was the single best thing I did. We shared equipment and knowledge. Two could accomplish much more together. And it was all done on a handshake.” The two have since sold their original acreage to purchase separate farms and run their own operations. Harry sold what was once his parents’ business and now farms 560 acres on Zion Road in Little Britain. He markets and sells his beef, pork, lamb and
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poultry through a community share program. Subscribers sign up for shares based on ten pound units and the meat is delivered to various drop locations once per month. For Stoddart Family Farms this is the best way to market and sell its products. Consumers pay a little more per pound but understand the value of pasture-raised, hormone, antibiotic and GMO-free meat. Selling directly solidifies the relationship between producer and consumer but it makes good business sense too. “A small farm, from my perspective, can’t survive on commodity pricing,” said Harry. These days Harry is often called upon to speak about his experiences and vision. He’s on the faculty of Fleming College, teaching in the sustainable agriculture program. He’s in the final stages of editing his first book. The Real Dirt: Confessions of a Recovering Industrial Farmer, which is due to be published later this year. You might wonder how he does it all.
“There’s days I feel I have too many balls in the air but we’re a family. My wife Silvia, the kids, we all have our jobs. We’re on the farm full-time.” Harry and Silvia have five children, age ten to twenty. “Generating enough money to sustain the farmer and improve productivity is long term. My long term vision is the holistic management of the farm. We’re trying to rebuild the soil and renew diversity. We’ve planted over a hundred hardwood trees to create a natural fence line. The farm will look very different a hundred years from now.” To get a better picture of the farm and business today, visit the website, www.stoddart.ca. Because it’s a working farm it’s not possible to just drop by to make a purchase but the website has lots of interesting information about the operations, a video tour, information about the community share program and a many links to environmental resources. Certainly, food for thought. &
Your decisions as eaters will have the greatest impact on how agriculture changes in the next decades. You can choose a sustainable future. But choosing sustainable agriculture involves more than choosing a particular brand or label at your local supermarket. It involves gaining an understanding of the myriad dimensions of sustainability in agriculture. — Harry Stoddart in The Real Dirt: Confessions of a Recovering Industrial Farmer
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FLOATHOUSE
Convenience and comfort on the water Birgitta MacLeod
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bout thirty years ago, George Sartisohn was putting in a dock at his Beaver Lake cottage property and decided an upgrade was order. So he built a u-shaped dock and added a post and beam style upper deck that covered the boat slip. Voila, a beautiful and useful addition to his lakeside retreat. That original boathouse is the inspiration for Floathouse, George’s family business that builds and installs similar structures throughout the Kawartha’s.
“The most popular feature of our docks is the combination of a covered boat slip with a beautiful sun deck. Island dwellers and boat access property owners find our docks very appealing due to the fact that they are out of the elements when they arrive and leave,” according to George. “And all the materials used are eco-friendly and green approved.” Long lasting, the original Sartisohn family boathouse is still in use today. Today’s customers can choose colours and finishes to match or enhance their existing dwellings. The most popular models feature boat slips from ten feet wide up to twenty-eight feet
long. A Douglas fir post and beam structure supports the upper sun deck, accessible by a flight of stairs. Thinking of a party on the water? The decks and flotation can take it, keeping up to sixty people high and dry. High and dry are words familiar to many cottagers. Water levels on many lakes are dropping or fluctuating significantly over the years and even through the season. “Some lakes drop as much as six feet in height from spring to fall. Our floating docks and boathouses adapt to the changing water levels as opposed to pole and crib style
Floathouse, the perfect shoreline solution!
• Custom built post and beam floating boathouses • Spacious upper sundecks • Floors finished with waterproof membrane • Pressure treated, cedar or composite decking • Winch up ramps for easy installation • Beautifully crafted and durable To view other models visit – http//floathouse.net or call 905-420-1467 or 416-569-8750 10
May 2013
docks. Ramps are fixed to the shoreline and vary in length depending on how much the water levels drop,” explains George. Beyond the practicality, there are all kinds of convenient features you can add to your boathouse, including electric garage door openers, windows, electrical, a gazebo, even outdoor bars and kitchens. Each dock is custom made in the warehouse, delivered to your property and installed. They run the electrical from the dock to the shore and show you how to connect and disconnect your dock for the season. The Ministry of Natural Resources does not require a permit to build a floating dock or boathouse, but it’s always wise to contact your local government before you go ahead as there may be shoreline or other restrictions that will impact your design and installation. To view the range of models and learn more about Floathouse, visit their website www.floathouse.net &
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MAP
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ACCOMODATIONS
New lakeside luxury Birgitta MacLeod
F
orget tea rooms and handmade quilts, Lake Chemong has a new bed and breakfast that brings modern luxury to the B&B concept.
After years of renovations and landscaping, Sunny Montgomery has designed an idyllic retreat that is contemporary and luxurious, romantic and modern. Stillwater on the Lake is her labour of love. Sunny and her husband, Peter, bought the cottage ten years ago with the intention of turning it into a B&B. For many years the couple hosted international visitors when they lived in Toronto and they wanted a place that would appeal to urban travellers
RE/MAX ALL-STARS REALTY INC. Brokerage, independently owned and operated
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Honest Professional Friendly Over 25 years experience living in the Kawartha Lakes 73 Bolton Street, Bobcaygeon ON K0M 1A0 Bus. 705-738-2378 Fax: 705-738-5498 www.cathyhopkins.ca cathy@remax-kawartha.ca 14
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looking for comfort in a cottage country getaway. They’ve succeeded in creating European elegance in a rustic Ontario setting. There are two suites, one of which is just steps from the water. There’s also a ‘bunky’ on one of several decks that lead down from the main house to the water. “Perfect for ‘glamping’, “says Sunny. In addition to overnight accommodations, the location is ideal for weddings. It’s intimate, private and very beautiful. Several decks and a winding garden path lead from the main house to the water and lakeside suite. In fact, it’s surprising how large the property is. Behind the main house the gardens and views are quite stunning. For visitors to the area there are plenty of diversions and amusements, but don’t be surprised if all you want to do is relax and soak up your fabulous surroundings. Stillwater on the Lake opens its doors on May 1, 2013. For more information and make reservations, visit the website www.stillwateronthelake.com. &
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RECIPE
A taste of springtime Birgitta MacLeod
M
ay is finally here and that means the return of our favourite farmers’ markets. What do you look for at the market in May? Rhubarb? Asparagus? After an exceptionally long winter, these spring arrivals bring a snap to our salads, desserts and mains and are a harbinger of the bounty to come. In Ontario, the principal varieties of asparagus are Viking and Centennial. A member of the lily family, it has been cultivated and enjoyed since the ancient Egyptian and Roman times. It’s a perennial that’s not difficult to grow and looks nice in the garden once the harvesting season is
past. Once planted it takes three years for the plants to mature before the first picking but after that, you’ll be enjoying asparagus for another twenty-five years or so. When shopping for asparagus, look for bunches wrapped in white elastic bands bearing the Foodland Ontario logo, that way you’ll know it’s local and it’s fresh. Choose straight, crisp spears with tightly closed green or purple tips. To keep it fresh, wrap the stem ends in damp paper towels and cover the bunch with plastic. It doesn’t really matter whether the stalks are thin or thick, as both are equally flavourful. The “slender slims” do well in a stir-fry or sautéed and the thicker stems are ideal for grilling.
To tickle your taste buds and inspire you in the kitchen, the folks at Foodland Ontario offer some terrific recipes to highlight this spring arrivals. & recipe and photograph courtesy of Foodland Ontario
Bobcaygeon
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May 2013
The Original
Just for the Halibut G
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Asparagus-stuffed chicken breasts Serve this easy but elegant recipe with a green salad or potatoes and maple carrots for a special spring celebration. Preparation Time: 25 minutes; Baking Time: 25 to 30 minutes; Broiling Time: 2 to 3 minutes (optional) — Serves 4
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www.justforthehalibut.ca | 705-738-4545 Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless Ontario Chicken Breasts (5 to 6 oz/150 to 170 g each) 2 tbsp (25 mL) Dijon mustard 2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh tarragon Salt and pepper 4 slices Ontario Provolone Cheese 16 Ontario Asparagus Spears, trimmed (about 8 oz/250 g) 2 tbsp (25 mL) butter, melted 1/4 cup (50 mL) fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
Preparation Instructions: Place chicken between waxed paper; pound with mallet to flatten to 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness. Combine mustard, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste; spread evenly over rough side of each breast. Top each with cheese slice and 4 asparagus spears. Roll up chicken, letting asparagus protrude on both ends; secure with toothpicks. Place, seam side down, on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with a little of the butter. Toss crumbs with remaining butter; pat onto stuffed breasts. Sprinkle with pepper to taste. Bake in 400°F (200°C) oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes to brown topping if desired. Remove toothpicks and slice to serve. Tip: Allow toothpicks to protrude on side of stuffed chicken for easy removal after baking.
Nutritional Information: 1 Serving; Protein: 39 grams; Fat: 13 grams; Carbohydrates: 9 grams; Calories: 313; Fibre: 1 gram; Sodium: 540 mg May 2013
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PAUL CHESTER
The gesture of nature Birgitta MacLeod
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May 2013
I
n the rolling hills of Keene, Canadian artist Paul Chester is quietly marking his thirtieth year as a successful, professional visual artist. His landscape paintings, depicting the beauty and mystery of his environment, are sold in galleries from Calgary to Halifax as well as two galleries in the US. His wife, Corina, is also an artist and now that their children are adults, is finding new creative paths for her own expression. Paul and Corina live on forty-five scenic rolling acres, land that provides the inspiration for Paul’s luminous paintings and a natural canvas for Corina’s gardening. His paintings are vivid yet mysterious and seem to reveal themselves differently over time. Collectors have said they love the texture, colours, and peaceful sensibility. They often comment on how they regularly see something new in each piece. “My paintings are emotional responses to what I see in nature. Most of it is done from memory. I try not to get too literal in my paintings,” says Paul “When I started out it had to be more accurate. I’ve become more abstracted over the years, more minimal. I’m more interested in the message, in the gesture of nature. And I love foggy days; there’s no mystery in a sunny day.” Paul works quite quickly, completing at least 100 paintings a year and working on several, as many as ten, at once. His preferred medium is oil, for its superior blending and transparency. He also likes to scratch and carve at the painting as he works and oils stand up well to this technique. “Paint is in my blood, my makeup. I always remain receptive in front of the canvas or wood panel, to where the paint flows. That’s very important. It’s a communication. You have to be in tune with it. That’s also the fun of not knowing where you’re going to go.” After thirty years Paul says he is still inspired to paint, but he may spend some more time with sculpture in the coming years. He also plays and composes music for guitar and hopes to release a CD this winter. And, of course, there’s the business side of being a successful artist. To help separate administration from creativity, Paul rents an office in Peterborough to maintain his studio as his sanctuary. He says that one of the keys to his success is his relationship with the galleries that represent him. His advice to aspiring artists: “get your work shown in as many galleries as you can.” In a separate studio in their home, Corina Chester is spending more time on her own art. Over the years she has worked in various media, including pencil, graphite, gouache, monoprinting, mosaic and encaustic. Her current favourites are oil stick and mono printing. She often uses a technique called gelatin plate monoprinting to create small but interesting works that draw you in for a closer examination. “Monoprinting is spontaneous. Whatever happens, happens. This helps me loosen up as I’m bit of a control freak,” says Corina. “Artists are never bored,” she adds. To view more of Paul Chester’s paintings, visit his website, www.paulchester.com. Locally his work can be purchased at Christensen Fine Art in Peterborough and META4 Contemporary Craft Gallery in Port Perry. Corina’s work can be seen at www.corkiestudio.blogspot.ca and at META4 Contemporary Craft Gallery as well. &
May 2013
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d n a e Com the enjoy thas r ’ a w a K If you know of a place or person in Kawartha that you think the rest of the world should get to know, please contact us at Kawartha Life.
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ARTISTS
Rolling Hills Studio Tour Birgitta MacLeod
T
his month a group of artists are rolling out the welcome mat and inviting you into their studios. There are eleven artists participating in the Rolling Hills Mother’s Day Studio tour this year. This free, self-guided tour is in the beautiful, Oak Ridges region of the City of Kawartha Lakes. It’s a great spring day trip, with or without mom, along the rolling hills and picturesque highways and byways of Bethany, Pontypool, and surrounding area. Conveniently, this eclectic group of artists all live within a 30 minute driving radius of each other, and offer a truly diverse array of work. The artists and artisans work in a wide variety of media, including copper and silver, oils, acrylics, watercolours and photography. You’ll be able to view and purchase jewellery, animal portraits,
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weaving, soapstone carvings, leather sculpture, sculptural fountains, wildlife art and original paintings. With demonstrations at some of the studios, the tour is both educational and entertaining. Many of these talented artists are awardwinners with work in collections around the world. Wildlife artist Andrew Hoag’s search for expressive art has taken him from the Rocky Mountains to the plains of Africa. His work can be found in private and corporate collections around the world, including England, Switzerland, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. During the tour you can visit his studio, located on a 200 acre nature preserve near Bethany. Bethany is also home to the studio of Paul and Beverley Williams. For almost forty years the couple has been creating awardwinning artwork in leather sculpture, masks
and unique sculptural fountains in brass, copper and stone. Their studio is located in an old general store. There’s even a “secret garden” out back, featuring interesting water features and fountains. Perhaps the most unique or unusual art form on the tour is the work of Carol Jones. Carol is a wildlife artist who paints on feathers. A few years ago Carol found a beautiful wild turkey feather in the woods and was inspired to paint an eagle head on it. She was hooked and now paints detailed portraits of local and exotic wildlife on feathers. Rolling Hills Studio Tour brochures are available in various businesses and information centres. You can also find more information and a detailed map of the area on the website, www.rollinghillsstudiotour.com or contact Beverley Williams at 705-277-2666 & May 2013
HAPPENINGS
Lilac love-in Birgitta MacLeod
L
ilacs are a fragrant favourite, equally at home in the historic promenades of European and Asian nobility and in the yards and fence lines of Ontario farm country. One of the best displays in the province is here in Kawartha, at the Lilac Gardens of Lindsay . If you’re lucky to visit while the shrubs are in bloom, you’re in for a visual and olfactory treat. The best time to visit the gardens is during the Lindsay Lilac Festival, taking place from May 25 to June 2 this year. It’s the thirteenth year for the festival which attracts busloads of tourists to stroll among the plants. During the festival, volunteer guides will escort you among the almost 600 lilac shrubs. There are about 130 varieties in all sizes, some fragrant and some not, and in a range of colours, from white to dark purple and pink. In previous years the Lilac Festival has included activities such as clowns and a tea room but this year the focus will be on the lilacs. You can learn about the different features of the various types of lilacs and how to care for them. There will be entertainment and refreshments available on both weekends.
Lilacs are a hardy shrub, a good thing for Canadian gardens, but they do require occasional maintenance to ensure they continue to bloom. You’ll be able to buy lilacs at the festival and on Saturday, May 25th Lindsay Horticultural Society will be holding its annual plant sale starting at 9:30 am. At 12 noon on the 26th the official opening ceremonies will take place.
The sale of lilac shrubs is major fundraiser for the Stewards of the Lilac Gardens of Lindsay. This volunteer organization cares for and maintains the lilac garden. The Lilac Garden is located in Logie Street Park in Lindsay. In 1830, Captain John Logie, from Ireland, was deeded 700 acres of land here, which later was subdivided and smaller parcels deeded to new Irish immigrants. One such immigrant, Mr. Timothy Ward, settled his family on the land where the lilacs now grow. Several generations lived in the original farmhouse which still stands. The Lilac Garden was the brainchild of Len Shea. Looking for a way to show appreciation for his being chosen a Citizen of the Year, Len proposed a heritage garden featuring lilacs for all to enjoy. Town Council agreed and in 1998 the first lilacs were planted. It’s become such an attraction that in 2007 the lilac was proclaimed the “Official Shrub of the City of Kawartha Lakes” Admission to the Lilac Festival is free, with donations gladly accepted. For more information, visit the website www.lilacgardensoflindsay.org &
To advertise with Kawartha Life call Kim Harrison st 905-240-0076 or by email kimkawarthalife@hotmail.com
May 2013
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