FREE
FEBRUARY 2021
MAGAZINE
FEATURING
The Hanley Institute
Jenny Hanley is creating a safe space for youth in Flesherton
Read more on Page 16
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Make them feel special!
unique gifts gift baskets balloons full service flower shop
56 Main St. W., Markdale Order early to be sure you get a great gift! Call 519.986.2721 or order online markdaleflorist.ca
GET OUTSIDE THIS WINTER FOR
an Adventure close to Home!
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TRAILS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK | 30 km of Ski trails | 7km of Snowshoe trails |
MASTHEAD EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS AAKASH P. DASAI JENNY JELEN Markdale Resident and Deputy Mayor Author, Journalist and Horse of the Municipality of Grey Highlands Trainer / Coach with a Writing Habit JENNIFER THOMPSON Markdale Resident and Owner of L & W Bookkeeping Professionals
JEFF COLTON Flesherton Resident and Owner of Colton’s Garage
JEFF WILSON Priceville Resident and Accomplished Cartoonist, Blogtoonist & Illustrator
LORRAINE IRWIN Rocklyn Resident and Owner of Pure Music Garlic Products
BRIAN GLASSEY Cast & Blast Expert; Outdoors Writer & Author of the Series: “Dear Mike”
KEVIN ARTHUR LAND Arts Educator and Owner of Speaking Volumes Books & Audio in Flesherton
JONATHAN NHAN MIKE WIXSON Pharmacist, Diabetes Coach, Hypnotist Producer of the Hello Country Podcast & Co-Founder of Curate and Upgrade & Owner of The Pod Plant HILIARY BREADNER REUBEN MCCALLUM Lifelong Rocklyn Resident and Owner Realtor and Grey Highlands Resident; of Hiliary Breadner Graphics Capturing Life in Grey County
519.216.7287 agcojeff@gmail.com Mulmur, ON
Fencing Animal Feed & Bedding Custom Woodworking Equine Sales & Training
Not Just the Hay Farm 4
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e v o l e h t d a e r p S to your favourite
local businesses inter!! thiiss Win
Our community is l! ia c e p s s u s e k a m t a h w
Winter brings new opportunities to buy and sell in Grey County. If you have any questions, please let me know how I can help. from
Reuben McCallum Sales Representative
High Country Reality Inc., Brokerage and the rest of the
www.reubenmccallum.com
519.477.0418
Apparel Company Celebrating Grey County
GREY COUNTY APPAREL Co.
TRACTOR SERIES
HOODIES FOR SALE Exclusively at
Susan’s Delicatessen
15 Main St. West, Markdale www.susansmarkdale.com
L e t ’s Gitter Done
TABLE OF CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2021 PUBLISHER’S NOTE...p8 Let’s all show a bit more Love for our Local Communities in Grey County. COMMUNITY...p10 Deputy Mayor Desai of Grey Highlands makes sense of the cents. FOOD & DRINK...p13 What’s better than a sandwich from Susan’s? A sangwich from Susan’s! COVER STORY...p16 Jenny Jelen tells the story of Jenny Hanley’s journey to bring Love to local youth. HELLO COUNTRY KIDS...p18 Check out our newest editorial column, by and for Kids! FARM STORE LOVE...p24
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE is the only free, monthly magazine of its kind focused on life in Grey Highlands. It’s delivered by Canada Post to homes and farms with Kimberley, Markdale, Flesherton, Heathcote & Priceville addresses. Copies are available for pick-up at selected local businesses in Grey County. We capture life in Grey Highlands by highlighting the many positive contributions to our community by local farmers, business owners, elected officials, and residents. Hello Country is proudly independent and published from a barn / pick-up truck / stable / home office just outside beautiful Flesherton, Ontario!
Papa Country discovers local Farm Stores and writes about eating and loving local.
From our family to yours, we thank you very much for reading!
CARTOON...p30
No part of this publication in any of its forms may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.
Priceville’s Jeff Wilson illustrates Cupid’s Love for Local in this month’s cartoon. Published By
FIAT LUX MEDIA
All Rights Reserved
e sic P urM u Garlic Products
Shop our collection of Premium Organic Garlic Products online now!
www.puremusicgarlic.com/shop
Our products are made from Organic Garlic grown on our farm right here in Grey Highlands. Shopping local this winter helps support your friends and neighbours through this challenging time - Lorraine & Paul Irwin
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE LOVE LOCAL Love for the wonderful communities that make up Grey Highlands and Grey County as a whole? Wouldn’t that be nice?
Photo: Jenny Jelen
Love is one thing you can never get (or give) enough of. It transcends religion, race, age, gender...everyone needs Love.
PAPA COUNTRY
Publisher, Hello Country Magazine
hellocountrymagazine@gmail.com Instagram: @hellocountrymagazine www.hellocountry.ca February is the month of Love. Love for whom, though? Your wife? Your husband? Your kids? What if every month was the month of Love? What if, instead of just showing Love for our “loved ones” we also showed Love for our local businesses and farmers? How about
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But right now in the midst of this pandemic, we need Love more than ever. It is so easy to look at life through a negative lense and wake up complaining about this or that. It takes effort to wake up, give thanks and be positive...and show Love. Let’s put in the effort. Let’s show more Love to our spouses and children, our families and friends. But let’s not forget to show extra Love for our local farmers and business owners. They need more Love. Let’s give it to them. Let’s order more take-out from our local restaurants, buy more food from our local farm stores, and do more in general to shop locally. Let’s make it a habit...one worth keeping once this pandemic is behind us. This month, we’ve featured someone with a lot of Love to give. Jenny Hanley of The Hanley Institute leads with Love (sometimes tough Love) every day. And thank goodness she does. Read her story on page 16. As we celebrate the month of Love, don’t forget to show those closest to you how much you truly care. I do this by going to Markdale Flowers (about once every 28 days). They’ve developed a customized arrangement for me of a man leaving (and then shortly thereafter returning to) the dog house. It’s Mama Country’s favourite. Speaking of whom, I’d like to wish my wonderfully amazing wife a very Happy Valentine’s Day. Wishing all of you the same and I hope we can all band together this month and beyond to show more Love to our community. Keep on Loving Local!
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- Papa Country
o d u o y p l e Let me h do best. u o y t a h w “I help small business owners focus on doing their work by taking the money management, bookkeeping and paperwork off of their hands so they can spend more time with their family.� - Jenn Thompson
Contact me...
www.lwbookkeepingpro.com support@lwbookkeepingpro.com 519.477.5652
or Book a Free Consultation!
https://calendly.com/jathompson2314/15min
COMMUNITY MAKING SENSE OF THE CENTS
AAKASH P. DESAI
Deputy Mayor Municipality of Grey Highlands deputymayordesai@greyhighlands.ca DISCLAIMER: This article is not meant to act as a majority or dissenting opinion on matters discussed and decided at Council of the Municipality of Grey Highlands or the Council of the County of Grey. It is an honest effort to present facts, thoughts, rationales, and debates surrounding those items. And in some cases, it is just good news and celebrations. The last couple of months have been packed with very interesting meetings at the municipal level. Grey Highlands Council has spent upwards of 30 hours in meetings to deliberate on the 2021 municipal budget. Maybe by the time the deliberations are finished, we’ll be able to gather with our friends and family. The endgame for Council is to ensure that the budget we pass adequately responds to the needs of the population amidst the pandemic today, and one that will build a Grey Highlands that future generations can be proud of.
Council failed to discharge one of its key duties. It is, and should always be, Council’s responsibility to pick which expenditures remain on the draft budget that is taken to the public for input. In this case, Council asked staff to bring back a leaner budget. Effectively we said, “Do our job for us.” I doubt any member of Council was happy to see a 14.8% increase, but it is our job to make hard decisions. Despite what many have criticized as extremely high tax increases, I am proud of the fact that Grey Highlands remains the most affordable municipality in Grey County. Based on 2020 numbers, the average assessment of a single detached residential property was $262,308, which was the fourth highest in Grey County. The average local levy collected by the municipality was the lowest in Grey County at $1,449. I remain proud of being on councils that have provided relatively higher levels of service while maintaining an affordable cost to the taxpayers. The proposed budget that will go to the public includes $12.4 million to be collected in property taxes for 2021. The total capital expenditures are budgeted to be $4.61 million. About a quarter of that, $1.02 million will be funded by taxes collected this year, while the remainder, $3.59 million, will come from grants, reserves, and debentures. By the time you read this piece in February, Council will be a lot closer to passing a budget for the coming year. I have received feedback from several people and to those who took the time to do their research and provide positive feedback and constructive criticisms, Thank You Aakash P. Desai Deputy Mayor Municipality of Grey Highlands deputymayordesai@greyhighlands.ca (519) 477-0732
Usually, Council directs staff to present a budget that will accurately represent the cost of doing everything we discussed during the year. In November staff tabled a budget which proposed an increase of 14.8% to the levy. Following heated debate, Council voted, in a 4-3 decision, to send the budget back to staff. In doing so, I believe, 10
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COMMUNITY WE LOVE GREY HIGHLANDS We Love Grey Highlands!
Your one stop shop for Breakfast Essentials!
That’s why we do what we do. And what we do is publish this magazine as well as produce hyper-local apparel to celebrate Grey County! We want to give a shout-out to the great folks at the Grey Highlands Chamber of Commerce. Thank you for all you do to support our local business community. Hello Country Magazine & Grey County Apparel Co. are proud members of the Chamber and we encourage all local businesses to become members. It’s worth it!
Since 2013 A Truly Ontario Grocery Store
Celebrating local Entrepreneurs & Products at:
7 Toronto St. South, Markdale
519.986.4144
Hello Country Magazine and Beaver Valley Apparel Co. have also become proud corporate members of the Kimberley Community Association - a wonderful group of like minded folks with much love for local.
Check out their amazing newsletter on our website and consider joining the Association yourself. You don’t have to live in Kimberely to join. Contact Denise Hall for membership info :kcainfo2@gmail.com
KIMBERLEY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION Photo of group taken February 2020
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11
GREY COUNTY LIFE PROSPECTS FOR SPRING
REUBEN MCCALLUM
Sales Representative RE/MAX High Country Realty Inc., Brokerage facebook.com/reubenmccallumrealtor www.reubenmccallum.com (519) 477-0418 Could someone tell me what happened to January? At the risk of sounding like a parrot, the real estate market has churned on and presented us with some truly staggering numbers - again. Finding the balance for clients hoping for top dollar in this current climate can be complex. I continue to work hard in a responsible way and am dedicated to my client’s safety and success. I am REALLY looking forward to Spring. I am excited about the prospect of warmer weather, longer days and maybe even more than that; fresh, local maple syrup. It’s almost the season!
Have you ever tried to make maple syrup at home? I remember making maple syrup when I was a kid. We made the best ½ cup of syrup ever made but you will have to take my word for it. It was a week of waiting impatiently for the sap to drip and an afternoon making a small batch with the help of Dad. We only did it once though…not sure why but I am sure it had nothing to do with the mess we made, the hours it took to boil down while making sure it didn’t burn, short attention spans or the disappointment of a full pot turning into just about nothing.
It was a fun project we could do as a family. I am going to make it corny by telling you it taught us life lessons I did not appreciate at the time. It certainly gave us an appreciation for the time and effort local producers put into every bottle. Hard work, patience, and dedication can lead to a sweet reward and make everyone better as a result. Keep looking forward, be patient, make local business your Valentine, and check in on your neighbours. Keep working hard and stay dedicated, soon we will all be hanging out at the next community event... how sweet will that be?
www.apparelco.ca 12
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
FOOD & DRINK TRY A SANGWICH In my house, the sandwich (pronounced: sang-wich) is a staple. Mama Country makes her own bread and I dress it up with all of life’s good things. The only problem is, they never taste as good as the sandwiches from Susan’s - not even close! My entire sandwich world spun out of control the day I tried my first sandwich from Susan’s. It went like this... “Hi, Papa Country!” Catherine said as she greeted me. “What can I get you today?” Surprised she recognized me behind my snowmobile helmet, I answered: “Ah...how about two hot chocolates and some treats?” To which she replied: “You got it. But how about a sandwich?” Well, I hadn’t even considered the option of ordering anything but treats from Susan’s. Brownies, doughnuts, chocolatey things and other sweets have been the mainstay of my purchases thus far. “Ah...ya. A sandwich sounds fantastic,” I said while pointing to the biggest sandwich I could spot - the Stromboli (a delicious
SUSAN’S DELICATESSEN
15 Main Street West, Markdale (519) 270-1520 www.susansmarkdale.com Instagram: @susans.deli
combination of all the Italian delicacies I grew up eating). “I’ll try one of those.” “Just one?” Catherine asked. “Ah...better make it two,” I said knowing that I’d be extra hungry after my trip back down the rail trail with Big Brother (pictured above). Maybe Mama Country would like some, too. After downing our hot chocolates and scarfing back a few pre-trip Portuguese tarts, we got back on our snowmobile and headed home with food for the fam. Upon our arrival, the Stromboli made its appearance and after a (very) brief inspection was consumed with great speed and enjoyment, and a lot of happysounding mumbling. I ate mine, too :) So, if sangwiches are your thing, you know where to go to get lost in the wonderful world of all things delightful and yummy!
Easily accessible by snowmobile!
By: Papa Country
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WELLNESS THE HUMAN GIVENS The pandemic has been going on since March 2020, and seems that it will continue to have an impact on daily life for the foreseeable future. Home, work, and social routines have been thrown for a loop and many of our usual distractions, past times, hobbies, and escapes have been affected. From time-to-time, even before COVID-19, we had started to hear about how taking care of our mental health is so important. Throughout the pandemic, this message is coming more frequently, but reading articles and getting quick tips don’t always have the lasting impact. The intention of this series is to help you, not only during pandemic times but at any time, begin to understand some simple principles to guide you in better self care. I will be using the example of home schooling/virtual schooling throughout this series, but you can generalize the principles to any situation in your life. So let’s begin with a discussion on the broad topics of “mental health” and “self care”. These terms are almost nebulous and have different meanings to each person. In their entirety, they can cover subject matter that can fill many volumes. My focus here is how you can apply this to your own life. The first place that I will point you to is the work by Ivan Tyrell and Joe Griffins of the Human Givens Institute. They are psychotherapists from the UK that have summarized all the basic human needs in a concise list of “human givens”. These are innate needs that drive our behaviour as humans. Below, I have listed the 9 ‘givens’: • • • • • • • • •
Security Attention Sense of autonomy or control Emotional intimacy Feeling part of a wider community Privacy Sense of status within social groupings Sense of competence and achievement Meaning and Purpose
In the case that any of these needs are not met, our emotional well being can be compromised. While any of these can be affected at any time, I’d like to focus on ‘sense of autonomy or control’ and 14
JONATHAN NHAN
Co-Founder, Curate and Upgrade ‘privacy’.
Sense of Autonomy or Control In this current climate, is an aspect of autonomy or control that is lost. There are recommendations and restrictions that change depending on the local situation and it may seem that there is little that can be done to regain this control. Even within the new recommendations and restrictions, there are still elements that you can control, and exercise that autonomy to make decisions. For families that had to make the decision of whether or not to send children to school - it seemed the two options were in-person school or virtual school - both options that come with their pros and cons. Of course, there were other possible options as well hiring a tutor for home and bubbling with some other families, or homeschooling as options. Of course there are factors that influence what is possible, but creativity and opening up to possibilities can help to identify new areas where you can regain autonomy and control in your life. The key is to be open to any possibilities rather
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
Privacy The easiest way to think about this is “alone time”. Pre-pandemic, we all had our own little escapes in the day - whether it was a quiet lunch hour by yourself, or enjoying your own company on your drive home from work - there were moments in the day that you would take for yourself. With all the pandemic recommendations, many households are spending a lot more time together, and that togetherness can be a great opportunity for Attention, Emotional Intimacy, or Sense of Status in a Social Grouping, but it can make privacy a challenge. Recognizing that it is okay to want time for yourself, and even more than that, it is necessary to take time for yourself, is the first step to meeting this need. Being alone gives you the opportunity to process and recharge without having to give
Listen to the Podcast noW on
attention and energy to anyone else. Allow yourself to seek these moments. Know that it is okay to want some time away from your family, spouse, or kids. When you take this time for yourself, you’ll find that you can be present for those around you in a much more resourceful way. This is a fascinating list of innate needs to explore, and I encourage you to read up more on it if it piques your interest (link below). Understanding that you have innate physiological and emotional needs is a great first step to self care. Make sure that you take the time for yourself. If you are feeling “off”, there may be a human given that needs some attention. https://www.hgi.org.uk/human-givens/introduction/what-are-human-givens Jonathan Nhan Co-Founder Curate and Upgrade www.curateandupgrade.ca
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than closing yourself off to options without really considering them. Sometimes we talk ourselves out of taking control, and keep ourselves stuck just on the strength of our self-belief that things can only be a certain way. Really evaluate this and see if something is truly impossible, or if it is just something that you don’t want to do.
Life is more than a series of destinations. Every step on the journey is a moment to savour. Knowing the destination gives you something to aim for, and taking step after step will get you closer to that goal. Let’s walk together.
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COVER STORY THE HANLEY INSTITUTE Be kind. It’s that simple.
you for. Let’s just work on growing.”
Jenny Hanley isn’t about red tape or rules. She’s not into bureaucracy, and she certainly doesn’t tolerate any bullshit.
In order to help kids become responsible and respectful members of society, she said it’s easiest to just jump into tough topics. Hanley said the Four S’s, self esteem, suicide, substance abuse and sex, are all openly and honestly discussed at the centre.
When it comes to the kids at the Hanley Institute, her mission is extremely straightforward. “It’s a simple model,” she said. “We don’t enable kids; we empower them.” Hanley began the Hanley Institute in 2018. When she first opened the youth centre in Flesherton, she had two kids participate in after-school programs. Now, upwards of 20 pre-teens and teens can be found at the Spring Street facility any given day after school. On top of drop-ins and after school programs, Hanley also facilitates summer day camps, offers one-on-one education sessions and group workshops. Everything is designed to help rural kids in Grey County become the best possible versions of themselves through coping skills, effective communication, development of healthy friendships and relationships, and most importantly, being kind. “If a kid is not being the person they could be, that’s what I’m here for,” she said. “We want to give kids every opportunity we can.” Hanley is an Educational Assistant by day and has a background in Addiction Support. She’s also mom to a 19-yearold daughter, and legal guardian to an 18-year-old son. Her experiences parenting and working in schools and rehabilitation centres have helped create a very real and relevant environment in the Hanley Institute. “You need to talk their lingo and be real to them,” she said. “There’s too much enabling and sugar-coating shit with kids. For me, I’m straight up. Say it as it is.” No topic or conversation is off limits. Having worked with mental health patients, gangs and drug dealers, Hanley said: “There’s nothing you can say that I’m going to judge 16
“I want kids to have the correct information,” she said. “We talk about drugs all the time, and the consequences of drug use. That way, if kids make the conscious decision to get high, they at least have that information beforehand.” Her approach certainly resonates with the kids. Every time someone walks into the Hanley Institute, they must stop and make eye contact with the person they see in the mirror. Hanley supervises as they say something nice to that person. Next, they have to sign in and sign up for a job. That “chore” is their way of being part of the Hanley Institute household. “We’re a family,” Hanley said. “You make a mess, you clean it up.” Giving youth a say also helps make them feel like they belong. “I really want the youth to have a huge impact on how this place is run,” she said. Another initiative Hanley takes quite seriously is the rule of five. If a kid says something negative about someone or something, they have to verbalize five positives about that person or thing. Hanley said kids will hold other kids accountable. “This needs to be a safe place,” she said. “If kids are going to be jerks to each other, they’re not going to be welcome. Let’s make good choices.” Facilities like the Hanley Institute definitely exist in more urban centres, but Hanley said there is a need for centres in rural places like Grey County as well. The challenges facing area kids and teens are not dissimilar
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
By: Jenny Jelen from the challenges facing kids in cities, and the desire to have a place where they are valued, mentored and enjoy a sense of community is certainly no less strong. The vast majority of youth at the centre are the children of local families, and the facility as a whole is the result of contributions from the community. “The community has been amazing, making donations and putting on workshops and programs,” she said. “This place works because the community is so strong.” Hanley herself grew up in Grey County, and is proud to offer a safe place for local kids, where they can become their best selves and have their voices heard. “(Youth) live in a totally different world than we did,” she said. “Try to understand their point of view. Give them a chance; Get to know them.” When given the opportunity, she said it’s incredible how they shine. When Hanley started the Institute, the focus was to target teenagers and young adults. She laughed when she said older kids weren’t necessarily interested in coming to work on life, and didn’t always have a keen desire to make changes in their attitudes and decision-making skills. Taking proactive measures, Hanley began targeting younger kids, allowing them to be brought up in the productive environment the Institute offers, instilling good humanship from the ground up. “It’s my vision,” she said. “It was a dream that became a goal that’s becoming a reality.” All by following a simple mandate. Be Kind.
JENNY HANLEY
Owner, The Hanley Institute 13 Spring Street, Flesherton www.thehanleyinstitute.ca (519) 378-4082 Photo: Jenny Jelen
Regular programs are available for youth in Grades 6 and up. Summer camps and other programs are offered for younger kids, and Hanley would love to expand the centre to include programs for all ages. To learn more about the Hanley Institute, visit thehanleyinstitute.ca. Volunteers are always welcome, and anyone with a hobby or skill they can share with youth in a workshop setting is encouraged to get it in touch.
Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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HELLO COUNTRY KIDS NICE TO MEET YOU! I did it! I finally convinced my Daddy (you know him as Papa Country) to let me write for his magazine. In fact, he’s also agreed to share some of the money we make from the ads that run beside my articles. So...if you’re a business that sells stuff for kids or maybe you make food that kids like to eat, or you just like kids in general, email my Daddy and we’ll set you up with some sweet ads that will help you build your business. Kids love ads!
“Big Brother” lights his first fire at his newly built bushcraft camp on the back 40 of the Hello County Farm
Now that I’ve got the business stuff out of the way, I want to talk to you about what it’s like growing up in Grey Highlands during a pandemic.
I love being outside and building things. I recently built my own bushcraft camp down by the creek at the back of our property using a hatchet and knife. I made my own fire and only used 800 matches to get it going.
First off, I’m 8 years old and used to attend Agnes Macphail in Flesherton until the pandemic hit. I tried that virtual learning, but now my Mommy is homeschooling me.
I’ll keep you posted on all the random and fun things I do to stay busy and keep out of trouble (just kidding...I get in trouble all the time!). By: Big Brother Hey, Kids! Write to me at hellocountrykids@gmail.com
Instead of spending my days in a classroom, I learn about life outside on our farm. Daddy teaches me about science. When I fall down, he says: “That’s physics!” And he goes on and on about gravity and some guy named Isaac Newton who made up a bunch of laws. He likes to talk a lot. He thinks he’s very important (at least that’s what Mommy says about him).
Advertise in Hello Country Kids hellocountrymagazine@gmail.com
WORD SEARCH Kids
Find these words: HATCHET COLD KNIFE SNOW MATCHES STICK TARP FIRE
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For Word Search Answers please visit our website: www.hellocountry.ca
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SKI SERIES
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HISTORY THE GREEN DISEASE
BILL & JEAN HUTCHINSON
Pictured with Bill’s beloved John Deere 520 Bill and Jean Hutchinson were married on Sept 26 1953 in “The Little Church in Proton”. Their love and connection to one another is remarkable.
John Deere tractors, for his wife Jean, and for life. It’s narrated by Jean herself, reading a poem she wrote about Bill’s love for John Deere called “The Green Disease.”
Here is a screenshot from “The Green Disease” on the Grey Highlands Cultural Channel YouTube.
Robert Iantorno - “Museum Rob” Community and Heritage Curator Economic & Community Development Municipality of Grey Highlands (519) 924-2843
The video is an account of Bill’s love for
SUZZI & CATHERINE FROM SUSAN’S DELICATESSEN IN MARKDALE JOIN US ON THE PODCAST!
Listen Now: www.hellocountry.ca/podcast
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I GC
JENNIFER THOMPSON NEED MORE TIME? Unlike most, if not all, of my clients...I love bookkeeping! That’s why they choose me. I like helping them focus on what they’re best at, which in most cases is growing their business. It’s my experience that most entrepreneurs aren’t accountants. They tend to be very creative, outgoing individuals who are great with people, but don’t always have the time nor the inclination to deal with the minutia when it comes to their financials. If you’re a small business owner and you’re falling behind, let me help you. Don’t wait until June or October or even next February to do what should be done today.
JENNIFER THOMPSON
L & W Bookkeeping Professionals Where did January go?!
Do you know how much money you made in 2020? How about your expenses? All set to send your 2020 financials over to your accountant? Now that I’ve made you feel a little uncomfortable, let me start by saying: you’re not alone. 2020 has been tough on everyone and most small business owners aren’t anywhere close to having their books in order. But that’s ok. Winter’s a good time to get organized. But getting organized isn’t what it used to be, seeing as how we’ve all been under some sort of lockdown or stay-at-home order for a considerable amount of time. If your head is stuck in the sand (or snow, as it were), let me help. I know how daunting a task keeping up on all of your receivables and payables can be. Let’s be honest, it can be overwhelming if you let it. But, it’s the most crucial part of any business. So, how can you stay on top (and even get ahead) of your financial administrative obligations? Outsource to your friendly, local bookkeeper, that’s how. 22
Let’s face it, bookkeeping and preparing for tax season are not exactly on the top of everyone’s ‘fun things to do today’ list. But they are necessary. As I grow my business by taking on more local clients in Grey County, I see so many similarities. People are tired, frustrated, and yet still motivated to push on with their businesses into 2021 and beyond. Resilience is a quality shared by my clients. By handing over the functions that need to get done but take away from growing their business, my clients are able to use that additional time to re-focus, re-build, and re-define themselves as they head into this new year. Let me help you do the same.
L & W BOOKKEEPING PROFESSIONALS support@lwbookkeepingpro.com lwbookkeepingpro.com (519) 477-5652
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Coming Soon e it r u o v a f r u o y from . .. t is t r A ic h p a Gr
h by h’s sketc t n o m is See th
15 Main St. W., Markdale
0 on page 3
FARM STORE LOVE EATING & LOVING LOCAL As Mama Country and I continue to assimilate to Grey County culture, one of the things we’ve made a conscious effort to do is patronize local farm stores. We’ve been getting to know some local farmers, many of whom are actually our neighbours, and trying their products. So far, we’ve enjoyed food from Pure Music Garlic, Secret Lands Farm, Ace Hill Acres, and Azure Highlands Homestead. We’ve been so pleased with what we’ve purchased and are excited that there’s so much more available in terms of fresh vegetables and meat. Better yet, it’s all within a thirty-minute drive from our home just outside Flesherton.
We have so many great sources of local nutritiou s and delicious s food! We encourage our reader to do some exploring in your neighbourhood and shop local!
As we endeavour to promote and support our local Producers and Farm Stores, we’re happy to introduce our newest Editorial Contributor to Hello Country Magazine; Lorraine Irwin from Pure Music Garlic. Read her first story on page 26. By: Papa Country
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Local Organic
Regenerative
GUIDED FARM TOURS • ORGANIC MEATS • FARM-TO -TABLE DINING
FARM STORE THURS 10 - 6, FRI 10 - 6 & SAT 10 - 2
www.goodfamilyfarms.ca @goodfamilyfarmstore
157366 7th Line, Meaford ON
THE LIFE OF A GARLIC FARMER PART 1 Family Matters I remember the day Paul came home with a little brown bag with just five bulbs of garlic. He called them Music and he was thinking about growing garlic. That was 14 years ago and now we grow some of Canada’s best certified organic garlic, but before I continue on how those same five bulbs grew to 50,000 bulbs, let me say that it’svbeen a long road and a lot of going back to family roots. My husband was always a farmer. His parents were farmers and his grandparents were farmers. The same could be said for me except I could kill house plants and hated the thought of weeding, Paul had a natural green thumb. He also had a full-time job as an airline pilot that required him to be away for days at a time and I worked full-time in the hospitality industry and ran our 2 kids everywhere to help balance the lifestyle we thought we all wanted. Paul grew up on a 100-acre farm in Caledon with his mom and dad (who was also an airline pilot). His mom had a little market garden with fresh veggies and chickens. He grew up learning how to fix cars, fly airplanes and working up the land in crops. I grew up in Bracebridge on 50 acres of rock and water where my dad worked at the Muskoka airport and my mother was a stay-at-home mom who tended to everything else. I always remember that my brother could play sports and other stuff but all that was offered to me were Girl Guides and learning how to knit, crochet, preserve food by canning, and baking. I hated being a girl back then. I told myself that I would never bake or can any vegetables let alone weed a garden and harvest. Knitting was a waste of time and who ever wanted to needlepoint? I was going to move to the big city. Unfortunately, I lost my mom in my late teens and all I had were memories of my selfish thoughts and wasted time. Many years later, I met Paul and we started to have adventures together. We even sailed with his parents in some of the mostbeautiful and remote parts of the world and it was Paul’s mom who seemed to pick up the reigns where my mom had left off. 26
PAUL & LORRAINE IRWIN Owners, Boars Rock Farm & Pure Music Garlic Products www.puremusicgarlic.com
She reminded me that the boat was your home and always needed work, to live life in the moment and learn to adapt to any situations, there was always a farmer to buy food from and that you had to preserve it to make it last. Also, your family was your lifeline so keep the communications open so you can survive together. What I’msaying is that all those girly things I hated as a child were valuable life lessons that I now use every day. Go back to your roots, and start growing… Lorraine Irwin is a mother, a wife, a theatre buff and the owner of Pure Music Garlic Products. She makes all of her garlic products using Organic Garlic grown on their farm (Boars Rock Farm). Check out her ad on Page 7. PURE MUSIC GARLIC PRODUCTS puremusicgarlic@gmail.com puremusicgarlic.com @puremusicgarlic (519) 942-5410 BOARS ROCK FARM 136407 Grey Road 12, Grey Highlands boarsrockfarm.ca @boarsrockfarm
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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THE ARTS FLESHERTON CALLING The journey to Grey Highlands for Camille Watts began in Chicago, where she was born, but it had stops in New Jersey and Atlanta early on. At eight years of age, in her music class at school in Atlanta, she picked up a flute, and that was it. Her parents found her a mentor, and thus began a ten-year training process. By the time she was fourteen, while studying at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, she was already a professional. She joined the Atlanta and later, the Denver Symphony Orchestras as a flutist and solo piccoloist. There, she remained until 1990, when she moved to Toronto, “fleeing Reagan” in her words. She began playing both instruments for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. She has taught flute and piccolo for the National Youth Orchestra and teaches at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Music. Her husband, Jeff Reynolds, also teaches at the university, and has been doing so for well over 30 years, specializing in Trumpet and Conducting. He holds a PhD in Music Education, and the thesis he submitted reveals his creative streak. It involved his writing a fifteen- minute play, “The A.I. Blues”, with original blues music serving as the prologue and epilogue of the work. He has been a trumpet player worked for various orchestras and chamber ensembles. Over the years, he has been a part of the Victoria Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic, the Orchestra of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and closer to home, the Hamilton Philharmonic, where he worked with conductor Boris Brott. Theatre buffs may have also heard his work during his years as a member of the orchestra for the Stratford Festival. Among his favourite performances were from the works of Bela Bartok and Gustav Mahler. When asked how a musician maintains enthusiasm when performing a work twenty or thirty times, he responds that beyond one’s professionalism, there should always be “total immersion”. The result of this is always excitement “in the moment”. Those who might wish to discover what he means might want to read his book, “Trumpet for Dummies”.
KEVIN ARTHUR LAND
Owner, Speaking Volumes Books and Audio 12 Toronto Street, Flesherton kevinarthurland@gmail.com
piece, and after 46 years, he could not believe it was his own. He likens the feeling to seeing a video of yourself from the distant past and having the sensation that you did not look like that, and usually, it proved to be better than you remember. These days, he can be found at home in Grey County with Camille, his favourite accompanist, enjoying the music both within and without. They look forward to connecting with the land, the people, and the history. As they do, the soundtrack of their lives continues to play, whether it be Miles Davis, Michel Petrucianni, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Ali Farka Toure - a current favourite. Kevin Arthur Land is a playwright, screenwriter, arts educator, and the owner of Speaking Volumes Books and Audio in Flesherton. www.kevinarthurland.ca
Through all this, the composer in him has remained. Beyond his classical training, he has long nurtured a passion for jazz and the blues. In 1974, during his time at the University of Victoria, while working with a jazz ensemble which he founded, he wrote the jazz chart for “Good Time Blues”. Although he does not usually revisit his work from the past, he had the occasion some time ago to listen to the
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o t y a d o t s u Ca r u o y t u o b a n r a le . s n o i t p o g n i n n pre-pla
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90 Toronto Road, Box 130, Flesherton, Ontario
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