Bayfield

STOPS ALONG THE WAY, SUMMER 2021. PAGE 13. Bayfield

Art on the road

As the summer passes, you may just see a new sight around Huron County: a truck filled with art supplies and instructors ready to bring the experience of visual arts to many communities. The Bayfield Centre for the Arts (BCFA) is finalizing plans for its latest project: a rolling art studio.

While the pandemic has slowed down some of the original plans, the Mobile Art Truck is one that can be easily adapted to work within restrictions. The activities will be held outdoors and physical distancing can be managed. Though based in the town of Bayfield, the BCFA hopes to reach all communities in Huron County. Organizers are excited to promote the positive mental health benefits of participating in visual art activities, especially after over a year of lockdowns and social isolation.

Jamie McDougall of Lake Huron Chrysler has stepped up to help supply the truck and plans are underway to retrofit the interior to hold all the tables, chairs, easels, tents and, of course, art supplies necessary to set up a workshop wherever it is parked.

The intent is to have the truck at festivals, fairs and markets. However, until those events begin again, they hope to visit retirement homes, or even family events (depending on COVID-19 crowd size restrictions). All different types of visual arts will be offered: sketching, painting, photography, fibre and paper arts and sculpture, depending on what the community responds to and which instructors are available.

The truck will be available for a minimum of three hours and classes will take approximately 90 minutes. Costs will depend on sponsorships or will be affordably priced, based on a fee-for-service model. Booking can be found through the BCFA website or at bookme@bayfieldarts.ca

As things open up, there are also plans for monthly masterclasses to be held in Bayfield at The Barn on Main Street. These will be exciting, handson classes. The best way to find out more is to check out the website and sign up for the newsletter at www.bayfieldarts.ca

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Bayfield

Lakeside history

Wandering north along the pebbled Historic Main Street in Bayfield you will find a little gem tucked back slightly, but noticeable for its creative window displays and distinct architectural look. Originally built by the Erwin brothers in 1893 for the brothers’ furniture company, today it’s the home of the Bayfield Historical Society and Archives.

The building, once located across the street and next to the Erwins’ residence (their home was located in the building currently occupied by Bayberry Shoppe), was moved to its current location when its purpose shifted from a furniture shop to the village library.

While it may look tiny and quaint from the outside, step inside and you may be surprised. The archival collection housed here is mighty. One cabinet is dedicated to the war paraphernalia – documents, stories from World War I and World War II – collected from residents across Huron County. Another cabinet showcases Indigenous stone tools that were found in the Bayfield River Flats. For those looking to reminisce, artworks on display recall bygone days.

Given its coastal location, an exhibit on shipwrecks is extensive and includes items found on board these vessels. Meanwhile, an exhibit put together in 2020 focuses on fossils collected on the Bayfield beach. Ruth Gibson, the society’s president, explains that one fossil is organ pipe coral that is still found in oceans today.

She also explains that there’s “petrified wood too as there is a petrified forest under Lake Huron 20 kilometres from Bayfield and we think that this piece is from there.”

While the society had been preparing to host the Admiral Bayfield Project in August of this year, organizers postponed the event until 2022, but will be releasing a book about Admiral Henry Wolsey Bayfield as written by local historian David Yates. The Admiral, for whom the village is named, “was in the Royal Navy at 11 years old and fought. He spoke five Indigenous languages learned from mapping the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and other waterways,” explains Gibson of some of the Admiral’s achievements. The book will be out in July and available for purchase at the Archives and the Village Bookshop further along Main Street.

For those with ancestors in the region, the Bayfield Historical Society will research a family tree. Prices vary, but expect to pay about $100 for a pedigree with prices increasing depending on the level of research required. The society has received requests from across the U.S. as families seek to trace their ancestors who started here. 20 Main St N, Bayfield. More online at www.bayfieldhistorical.ca

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Bayfield

Little, but mighty

For many people, more time at home recently led to a passion for making bread. And for those looking for organic, locallygrown, stone-ground flours, we have a great source right here in Huron County.

Kelsey and Lucas Seeberger are the creative minds behind Farm Little, which you can find on Mill Road just east of Bayfield. They share a love of growing and producing good food, so when they found they were growing more than they needed for themselves they decided to open a farm shop.

They sell homegrown seasonal fruits and vegetables as they become available as well as stone-ground flours that they grind right there on the farm.

Kelsey has the green thumb and also serves as the chief baker. She’s always happy to chat with customers about tips for better bread making. She even pops a few flowers into the shop now and then.

Lucas grew up milling grains and is excited to carry on the family tradition with vintage equipment he sets up and maintains himself.

They have a selection of whole wheat, pastry, rye and spelt that come from local farms, and red fife that is grown in northern Ontario. All their flours are organic and they don’t use any harmful sprays or fertilizers.

It is easy to connect with them via their Facebook page - search for Farm Little-Bayfield, or drop by the shop.

Note – as a small start-up they are still cash only or e-transfer.

Bayfield

A new experience

With the COVID-19 lockdown in place, recently returned Huron County resident Mandy Sinclair took to the trails – the Goderich-to-Guelph Rail Trail, the Maitland Trail and smaller loops including Bannockburn near Bayfield and the Millennium Trail in Goderich – and admired how the seasons changed on the trails. And she went to the local cafés, bakeries and producers across Huron County. All the while, strategizing her latest venture: Tasting Huron County.

Hailing from Clinton, Sinclair spent 10 years in Morocco where she launched Tasting Marrakech food and cultural tours. She recently decided to bring the concept to Huron County.

“Having returned in July 2020, I thought I would stay just a few months before returning to Marrakech, Morocco,” says Sinclair. “But I started exploring the local food scene and spent many lockdown days cycling or walking on the trails. When it became clear that I wasn’t going anywhere throughout the winter, I bought snowshoes and started exploring the Maitland Trail along the Maitland River and the ideas for Tasting Huron County came to life.”

With two options – Tasting Huron County Breakfast Table and the Along the Way picnic delivery, Sinclair curates what she deems her favourite brunch and picnic essentials from producers across the county and delivers the curated food experiences directly to guests within Huron County. But it’s not just about the food. Emphasizing the outdoor spaces is also important.

The Tasting Huron County Along the Way picnic option allows travellers and locals alike to taste homegrown flavours against a picturesque natural backdrop. Part charcuterie board, part classic Canadian picnic with all products sourced from within Huron County, Sinclair will deliver to guests either to a park, campsite or even to the home for those who prefer a backyard picnic.

“I love the idea of throwing down a blanket and listening to the sound of the Maitland River trickle by in the summer months, or watching the sunset over Lake Huron with a few friends and some great food,” says Sinclair.

While the menu is subject to change based on new discoveries and products available, the picnic typically includes a selection of cheese and meats, honey and maple products, cold salads and a selection of desserts. Sinclair likes to compare her deliveries to that of a haul from a Huron County-wide farmers’ market.

To book or for more information, visit tastinghuroncounty.ca or e-mail info@tastinghuroncounty.ca.

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