Watershed Magazine Winter 2019/2020

W I N T E R 2 0 1 9 / 2 0 2 0

WATERSHED

Volume 19, Issue 74

L I F E I N N O RT H U M B E R L A N D, P R I N C E E D WA R D CO U N TY A N D Q U I N T E

CHRISTMAS FICTION

TREE OF LIGHT

BUILDING A

BACKYARD RINK

ICE

FISHING

THE WORK OF

PETER SPORRING

let it

snow

This stunning kitchen

located on Rice Lake,

Ontario

C L A S S I C & T I M E L E S S

■ Kitchen & Bath Planning

■ Project Management

■ Colour Consultations

■ Farrow & Ball Paint & Paper

■ Tiles

■ Countertops

distributor of

■ Outdoor Kitchens

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the time it takes to get to the gym, your exercise is complete. No more

fighting your way through rain, snow and ice to keep your family fit.

St. Lawrence Pools is proud to present BH Fitness hailing from Spain.

BH has been making high-end fitness equipment for over 40 years.

Experience European quality for yourself.

Specializing in rehabilitation equipment

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WATERSHED 3

4 | WINTER 2019/2020

Northumberland’s

most experienced

kitchen and bath

design team.

We provide exceptional

customer service and innovative

design as we take your project further

with professional installation

including, flooring, tile back splash,

lighting and paint.

All of this in the largest

and most stylish showrooms.

Let our experts show you how.

COBOURG

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COBOURG

KITCHEN DESIGNERS

KITCHEN DESIGNERS

FLOORING EXPERTS

Brian Gough

brian@yourhomehardware.ca

Jill Jankovich

jill@yourhomehardware.ca

Drew Bagshaw

drew@yourhomehardware.ca

Tracy MacFarlane

tracy@yourhomehardware.ca

Diana Dickson

diana@yourhomehardware.ca

Nena Reddom

nena@yourhomehardware.ca

Judie Greer

judie@yourhomehardware.ca

Tammy Adley

tammy@yourhomehardware.ca

Janet Sproule

flooring@yourhomehardware.ca

PORT HOPE

905.885.4568

177 Toronto Rd

COBOURG

905.372.3381

650 Division St

www.yourhomehardware.ca

Let us make your dream a reality.

WATERSHED 5

Audley Interiors

your home is my palette...

home design at its best

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w w w . a u d l e y i n t e r i o r s . c o m

6 | WINTER 2019/2020

MY PHILOSOPHY...

GROWTH

OVER TIME

Professional Wealth

Management

contents

Lynn Hardy

INVESTMENT ADVISOR

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

204 D Division St., Cobourg

905-372-4364 lynn.hardy@rbc.com

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada

are separate corporate entities which are affiliated.

*Member CIPF. ®Registered trademark of Royal Bank of

Canada. Used under licence. RBC Dominion Securities is

a registered trademark of Royal Bank of Canada. Used

under licence. ©Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

38

photograph by Graham Davies

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F E A T U R E S

CHRISTMAS FICTION – TREE OF LIFE

Swaying atop a giant pine tree with a string of Christmas

lights clenched between his teeth, a father senses the

slippage of time and tradition.

by CHRIS CAMERON

INTO THE WOODS – THE WORK

OF PETER SPORRING

Artist, outdoorsman and craftsman, Peter Sporring

escapes to the forest to find the raw material for his

hand-built furniture, his turned pieces and for the

firewood that heats his self-built, off-grid cabin in

central Hastings County.

by CONRAD BEAUBIEN

THE RISE OF THE

SMALL TOWN PRESS

If you think that the printed word is dead, think again!

Independent local publishers are as busy as ever, giving

voice to emergent writers and storytellers within our

community.

by ELIZABETH PALERMO

photograph courtesy Peter Sporring

Area Rugs/Runners . Carpet/Vinyl . Hardwood/Laminate

Tile . Mirrors/Prints . Hunter Douglas Window Treatments

STORE HOURS

M,T,W,F – 9:00-5:30 PM THURS – 9:00-6:00 PM SAT – 9:00-4:00 PM SUN – 11:00-3:00 PM

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905.372.3331 800.265.6871 WWW.DICKSONCARPETONE.CA

WATERSHED 9

DO IT ALL WITH THE TRACTOR

THAT DOES IT ALL.

A year round kind of tractor Kubota’s Standard L-Series was built to be

versatile. It can transition effortlessly between seasons and tasks with the

simple change of an implement. It’s a one-stop-shop kind of tractor.

Kubota.ca

EQUIPMENT SALES

BELLEVILLE

771 Wallbridge Loyalist Road

613.969.6246

PICTON

99 County Road 34

613.476.6597

10 | WINTER 2019/2020

contents

illustration by Jane Kessler

follow us on

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D E P A R T M E N T S

MAILBAG

INSIDE WATERSHED

FENCE POSTS:

A One-Horse Open Sleigh

by DAN NEEDLES

MUST, MUST, MUST:

What’s New And What’s To Do

FOOD AND DRINK SCENE:

Watershed Presents From the Fencerows

and From the Forest

by JANE KELLY

GEORGE’S POND:

A Thousand Words

by GEORGE SMITH

JUST THE FACTS:

Building an Outdoor Skating Rink

by DAVID BOJARZIN

LOVIN’ THE LOCAL:

A Showcase of Locally C urated Products

by STEPHANIE CAMPBELL

INNOVATION:

Nectar Technologies

by JANET DAVIES

FIELD NOTES:

Bird Feeders are Ready but Who Will We See?

by TERRY SPRAGUE

HABITAT:

Gifts with a Conservation Legacy

by NORM WAGENAAR

CULTURAL CURRENTS:

Emebet Belete

by KATHRYN MACDONALD

BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE:

Friendship on a Frozen Lake

by JOHNNY C.Y. LAM

A CURATED COLLECTION:

The John M. Parrott Gallery presents:

Bedros Aslanian

WATERSHEDDINGS:

Seasonal Guide To Regional Events

by INGRID NACHTRIEB

MEANDERINGS:

J. David Ford

WATERSHED 11

FIRST WORDS |

EVERY GOOD STORYTELLER RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO BUILD UP A LITTLE TENSION, TO GIVE A

HINT OF THINGS TO COME. I follow that principle at Christmas. Ramping up the anticipation before

Christmas morning is all part of an unfolding story.

When the kids wake up, nobody – nobody but Papa – is allowed to go downstairs. First they have to wait

for all the adults to emerge, brush their teeth and shake off the effects of the Christmas Eve eggnogs. Everyone

sits on the stairs. The adults yawn; the kids squirm and giggle, feigning escape from their parents’ grip,

all in anticipation of the big moment. Papa goes downstairs and starts the coffee production line. He puts on

the Christmas carols and then, just before the kids are about to blow a gasket, he checks to see that Santa has

arrived. At that orchestrated moment, (with apologies to George Friderik Handel) when the Hallelujah Chorus

blasts out of the Sonos, the kids are allowed to come downstairs.

Last year, in early December, my eldest grandson, who was six at the time, asked if we could practice

Christmas. I wasn’t sure what he was talking about until he told me – step by step – how the game would unfold.

First we brought up a tabletop Christmas tree from the basement, then we wrapped up some of the toys

that were scattered about in the family room and we hung our stockings on the mantle. Finally, we lined up

on the stairs. We waited, we wondered whether Santa had come and then Thompson called out for Papa to

start the music…you know Papa, the Ha-yea-u-ya music.

On command, Papa pushed the play button. The kids, and I include myself in this term, ran down the

stairs to the living room where the Christmas scene awaited. We unwrapped the presents that we had placed

around the tree minutes before and finished off the cookies that Santa had left behind.

Thompson’s little mind had created the perfect story, complete with a setting, anticipation, an unfolding

plot and a fairytale ending. Later in the afternoon, his four year old sister was still singing Ha-yea-u-ya, Hayea-u-ya,

Ha-yea-u-ya.

Merry Christmas.

contributors

Watershed Magazine

is proud to partner

with community-based

organizations that enrich

the cultural, social,

environmental and

economic fabric

of our region.

Visit our website

watershedmagazine.com

to learn more about

our partners.

P A R T N E R S

sheila trenholm

Over the years, Sheila has played

many roles at Watershed. She

has written stories, edited articles

and most recently, has

blended her love of the outdoors

with her love of good

food to help create the Watershed

Presents line. When she’s

not scheming with her sister in

Grafton, she’s cooking up a storm

in her native Alberta. She’s

catered a fly fishing lodge, a

heli-ski lodge, weddings and

even an isolated tent camp on

the banks of the Bow River. She

travels the world experiencing

various cultures through their

cuisine but if you ask her, there

is no place like home.

alana lee

A portrait and commercial photographer

in Northumberland

County, Alana has a passion for

telling stories through her imagery.

Initially trained in zoology

and working a career in genetics,

Alana taught herself the art of

photography as a therapeutic

process following her diagnosis

of Multiple Sclerosis.

Alana creates painterly style

traditional portraits and fine art,

and also serves local businesses,

entrepreneurs, and individuals by

providing headshots and commercial

photography services.

When not behind the camera

Alana enjoys spending time in

nature and developing the family

homestead north of Port Hope.

elizabeth palermo

A Ryerson University graduate,

Elizabeth has covered news and

the arts at CHUM Television for

10 years, while writing about

Toronto’s underground music

scene for Eye Weekly and Remix

magazines. Elizabeth is driven to

write stories about the underdog

and grassroots culture. Since

starting a family and moving to

rural Port Hope, she embraces a

lifestyle more aligned with nature,

and is often fundraising for

local causes and supporting the

arts community.

12 | WINTER 2019/2020

rest, relax, enjoy

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

JANE KELLY

EDITOR

STEPHANIE CAMPBELL

ART DIRECTOR

MEG BOTHA

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES

JEANETTE CARTER

jcarter@watershedmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Shelagh Armstrong

Lorne Aronson

Conrad Beaubien

David Bojarzin

Chris Cameron

John Corey

Janet Davies

Tom Groot

John Jeronimus

Jane Kessler

Johnny C.Y. Lam

Signe Langford

Alana Lee

Kathryn MacDonald

Brad Manning

Ingrid Nachtrieb

Dan Needles

Elizabeth Palermo

Lee Rapp

George Smith

Terry Sprague

Roger Thomas

Sheila Trenholm

Norm Wagenaar

COVER ILLUSTRATION

Blue & Grey Arrangement

oil on canvas, 30 x 40,

by Sandra Pratt

available at Vail Gallery

Watershed is published four times a year by Shelter Fell Publications

Inc. and is distributed by controlled circulation in

Cobourg, Port Hope, Belleville, Picton, Township of Alnwick/

Haldimand, Township of Cramahe and Hamilton Township.

Copies are also available at selected locations throughout

Northumberland County, Peterborough, Prince Edward County,

Quinte Region and at key locations in southern Ontario.

© 2019 Shelter Fell Publications Inc.

All rights reserved. No reproduction by any means or any form

may be made without prior written consent by the publisher.

Subscription Rates: 1 year: $19.99, 2 years: $35.99, 3 years:

$50.99 International Subscription: $39.99 per year (all prices

include H.S.T.)

For information regarding advertising, editorial, or subscriptions:

E-mail: info@watershedmagazine.com

Written inquiries should be addressed to:

Shelter Fell Publications Inc.,

160 Joice Road, Grafton, ON K0K 2G0

Advertising Deadline for Spring 2020

Friday, February 14, 2020

Canada Post Agreement Number 40613631

A Perennial Inspiration Since 1951

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WATERSHED 13

WATERSHED |

ad listing

ACCOMMODATION

Montrose Inn 41

Kate’s Kitchen

Complex Design

Expert Installation

Complete Satisfaction

Custom Homes, Additions,

Garage Packages, Renovations

Serving The Quinte & Northumberland Area

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RUTHERFORD FINANCIAL

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Alex Rutherford

CFP, CLU, CH.F.C., TEP.

Alex is a Certified Financial

Planner, Chartered Life

Underwriter, Chartered

Financial Consultant and

Tax Estate Planner with

over 37 years of experience

helping people make

decisions on Life Insurance

and Investing for their

Family and Business.

ART GALLERIES/SHOWS

Andara Gallery 75

Frantic Farms 6

META4 Contemporary Craft Gallery 76

Northumberland Players 73

Stonewood Gallery 43

BOOKS

Books & Company 16

Furby House Books 36

Let’s Talk Books 34

CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

Apt One Records 26

Belleville Downtown DocFest 74

Belleville Theatre Guild 75

Brighton Barn Theatre 26

EDUCATION

Contact North Online Learning 44

Northumberland County - OAFVC 79

FASHION/JEWELLERY/GIFTS

Brittany N Bros. – Cobourg 34

Brittany N Bros. – Port Perry 76

City Revival 45

Dragonfly 27

Happy Place 26

L’Elle Couture 40

Lafferty’s 58

Lustre & Tarnish 63

Magpie 74

The Glass Garden 77

Trentmendous 6

Willow Lifestyle Boutique 27

FINANCIAL SERVICES

CIBC Wood Gundy - 18

Ley Wealth Management

Milner Financial 11

RBC Dominion Securities Inc. 9

Rutherford Financial 14

The Bay of Quinte Financial Advisors 7

Association

FINE FOODS/CATERING

Centre & Main Chocolate 6

Nessie’s Gifts & British Fare 77

Our Lucky Stars Café 6

The Bakery 6

The Village Pantry 6

Tyrone Mills Limited 75

GARDEN/LANDSCAPING

County Arborists Inc. 41

Deerhaven Farm & Garden Ltd. 55

Dibbits Excavating & Landscape Supply 55

Hollandale Landscaping & Garden Centre13

Lily in the Valley 28

Lockyer’s Country Gardens 45

Maple Leaves Forever 44

Quinn’s Blooms & Greenery 34

Skratt Tree Service 57

Wentworth Landscapes 3

HEALTH/WELLNESS

Beauty Works Spa 8

Bespoke Aromatics 43

Centre for Total Well Being 74

Connect Hearing - Hogans Hearing 18

Ed’s House - Northumberland Hospice 50

Euphoria Wellness Spa 80

Family Dental Centre 4

Fieldstone Spa 34

Master Healer 77

Northumberland Heights 49

Wellness Retreat & Spa

Quinte Hearing Centre 19

Renew Beautiful 63

Skin Laser Clinic 18

The Natural 6

HOBBY SUPPLIES/BICYCLES

Dalewood Golf Club 48

Green Canoe Outfitters 57

Pedego PEC 63

HOME DESIGN

Acanthus Interiors 15

Audley Interiors 6

Gary Page Upholstery 36

Vosburgh Home Decor 36

HOME FURNISHINGS/DECOR/GIFTS

Barratt’s Pro Office 26

Bennett’s Home Furnishings 23

Cheeky Bee 6

CountryTime Furniture and Home Decor 29

Dwellissimo 36

Finkle Electric 35

14 | WINTER 2019/2020

Gilbert & Lighthall 16

James Reid Furniture 44

Kate’s Kitchen 58

Kingston Royal Rugs 17,77

Lukes for Home 76

Metaphorhome 6

Pinnacle Music Studios 58

Rousseau’s Fine Furniture 13

The Blue House 26

Tugg’s Furniture 11

Vanvark Electric 55

Winker’s Nook 6

Spencer and Greene Real Estate 68

Wellings of Picton 28

RESTAURANTS

Lily’s 16

The Boathouse Seafood Restaurant 58

The Blue Sail Seafood Company 50

The Waring House 54

TRAVEL/TOURISM

Belleville Downtown Improvement Area 72

Brighton DBIA 26

ADDING BEAUTY

TO EVERY CORNER

OF YOUR HOME

HOME IMPROVEMENT

A & E Ceramic Tile & Marble 58

Alota Tile 54

Colour Concepts 36

Dane and Jute 28

Décor Chic 58

Dickson Carpet One 9

EC Awnings 77

Ella’s Drapery 34

Fireplace Specialties 29

Glengarry Construction 14

Home Hardware – Cobourg 5

Ian Laurie Design Build 54

Kingsmill Kitchens & Bath 2

Northumberland Glass & Windows 34

Quinte Smart Homes 48

Red Ball Radio 40

Sage Design & Construction 41

Sine’s Flooring 26

St. Lawrence Pools 3

The County Fireplace Company 10

VEHICLE SALES/SERVICE

Anderson Equipment Sales 10

Competition Motors 40

Peter Smith GM 51

Bennett’s Home

Furnishings

NATURE/PETS

Goods’ Garden Cat Resort 26

Northumberland County Forest 57

Out on a Limb 26

The Birdhouse Nature Store 50

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Alana Lee Photography 36

SMM Law Professional Corporation 43

REAL ESTATE/DEVELOPMENT

Bosley Real Estate 10

Century 21 Lanthorn Ltd. - Erin Lachance 66

Chestnut Park Real Estate - Barrington 69

Chestnut Park Real Estate Ltd. - Hubicki 69

Chestnut Park Real Estate Ltd. - McGee 69

Island Park, Sienna Senior Living 4

Keller Williams - The County Guys 70

New Amherst Homes 68

Orchard Hill 69

Palisade Gardens 33

RE/MAX Lakeshore Realty - Fairman 66

RE/MAX Collection - Pennington 67

RE/MAX - Tony Pulla 64,65

Royal LePage – Diana Cassidy-Bush 70

Royal LePage - Elizabeth Crombie 66

Gary Page

Upholstery

CANADIAN MADE

FURNITURE AND BEDDING

CUSTOM DRAPERY AND BLINDS

LIGHTING

CARPETING AND AREA RUGS

UPHOLSTERY

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DESIGN SERVICES

46 John Street

Port Hope

905.885.8648

acanthusinteriors@outlook.com

www.acanthusinteriors.ca

WATERSHED 15

Mailbag

Letters to the Editor

Before reading the

articles, I carefully

review each ad and

make a wish list

of somewhere new to

go or discover. Your

magazine is presented

in such a way that

you want to read the

ads – even before

the editorial!

MICHELLE WIEST,

WELLINGTON

A NOTE REGARDING JEAN MORRISON

As an independent female publisher, I thought

you would be interested to know that Jean Morrison,

a stalwart champion of a free and independent

press, passed away recently. The grand old

publisher of Napanee refused to sell her weekly

newspapers to conglomerates and chains. When

she died recently at the age of 97, she was probably

the oldest of Canadian publishers and certainly

owner of two of Canada’s oldest independent

weeklies: The Napanee Beaver (1870) and The

Picton Gazette (1830).

Jean and Earl Morrison purchased The Beaver

in 1953, taking over the publication from the Templeton

family that had owned it since 1892. Much

older than The Beaver is her other paper, The Picton

Gazette, first published in 1830 as The Hallowell

Free Press. The Morrisons purchased it in 1977.

Earl died in 1978, leaving Jean to run the papers

for the next 41 years.

She regarded The Beaver as Lennox & Addington

County’s newspaper of record, and said on the

paper’s 140th anniversary: “Since 1870, The Beaver

has always been independently owned – a fact of

which we are extremely proud, in this age of

media conglomerations and monopolies. We are

directly invested in L&A, and we wouldn’t have it

any other way.”

Influential in the Canadian and Ontario Community

Newspaper Associations, Mrs. Morrison will

be missed.

Orland French, Belleville

. . .

TONY GERMAN AND THE HMCS SKEENA

I just read the latest Watershed – brilliant, as usual

– and the Skeena article by David Newland is a

terrific piece of writing and most interesting. But I

was disappointed that there was no mention of

the leader and key players who put the North -

umberland Navy League and the HMCS Skeena of

Port Hope on the map in the late ’90s.

The leader was Tony German, a career naval

16 | WINTER 2019/2020

officer who had been a student at Trinity College

School and went on to serve at sea in WWII.

When Tony moved back to Port Hope in 1996,

the Northumberland Navy League was virtually

inactive and the Port Hope sea cadet corps was

tiny. But Tony changed all that. He became President

of the Navy League, and dragooned some

other veterans onto the Board – most notably Ken

Scott, Ian Tate and Don McKinnon. He also dragooned

me.

Tony was very much the commander in chief, a

tireless leader who demanded much of his valiant

team of veterans, and especially of his deputy Ken

Scott. Under their watch, the Northumberland

Navy League and the corps of cadets grew to be

one of the most active in all of Canada.

They spearheaded the drive to renovate the

HMCS Skeena building, and raised the funds that

made it possible. They reached out to fellow veterans

and brought admirals, ambassadors, and

other dignitaries to Port Hope for Skeena and

Naval events.

When Tony died in 2011, his memorial service

was held at the HMCS Skeena. Ken Scott and others

spoke movingly of Tony’s public service and extraordinary

contribution to the Navy he loved, and

to Skeena. It was the tremendous legacy of a

great Canadian.

I feel that Tony and his valiant band of veterans,

all now gone, should be remembered.

Lest we forget.

Selena Forsyth, Port Hope

I happened to be visiting

Prince Edward County recently

on my way to my

Queen’s University 50th

Home coming (Chemical Engineering

Class of 1969),

when I picked up a copy of

the Fall 2019 issue of Watershed,

and I read the main

article about the wreck of

HMCS Skeena.

Well it turns out that my father served on HMCS

Skeena at that time. He was Ean Victor Pearce

Sunderland (Commander, R.C.N.). He was a sublieutenant

at the time. He died in 1994, but prior

to his death, I convinced him to write about his war

time activities.

Brian Sunderland, West Kelowna, BC

MARSHALL MCLUHAN’S . . LEGACY .

Thank you for your excellent article on Marshall

McLuhan’s legacy (The McLuhan Way, Fall 2019). It

took me back to my years at U of T from 1962 to

1968, first as a science student, then as a dentistry

student, when Marshall was one of the hot topics,

and was publishing his work. I joined a fraternity

whose members were in many different faculties

because, like Marshall, I wanted a diversified

exposure. There, I remember our talks and discussions

on Marshall’s work.

I also recall a lecture, I believe in the 1980s,

given by a Brock University professor who spoke

of the new internet – its potential and its path

forward. That future is now the present.

I enjoy your magazine and look for new issues,

as it is professional and well-presented. It enlightens

us on the present and past in this great diversified

area.

Dr. R .G. McKay, via email

A FURBY HOUSE THANK . . YOU .

Thank you for acknowledging the 30th anniversary

of Furby House Books in Port Hope. It is a great

credit to the staff who continue to be informed

and helpful. It is also a great credit to our customers

who support independent bookstores.

Watershed continues to be a “bestseller” in the store.

Lou Pamenter, Port Hope

Watershed looks forward to reading all your letters!

Please forward your letters to: Watershed Magazine,

160 Joice Road, Grafton, ON K0K 2G0

or e-mail us at: info@watershedmagazine.com

WATERSHED 17

18 | WINTER 2019/2020

INSIDE

NOTEWORTHY

Thirty years ago, Peter Sporring planted 60,000 trees

on his 100-acre property in Hastings County. Today,

that forest supplies the raw lumber that he spins on his

lathe and sculpts with his woodworking tools.

The Work of Peter Sporring, Pg.38

The modern world is throwing some curves at bee colonies.

According to Marc-André Roberge, the CEO of Nectar

Technologies, up to 40% of managed bees die every year.

Climate change, chemicals, diseases and parasites are

taking their toll on populations. But help is on its way.

Innovation, Pg.52

Did the long suffering editors at Watershed miss a typo

when, in Terry Sprague’s column he mentions that “there

will not be an irruption of winter finches to our area”?

Shouldn’t it read eruption? Well actually, no, an irruption

is “a sudden upsurge in numbers especially when

natural ecological balances and checks are disturbed.”

Field Notes, Pg.55

A quick tally of local conservation easements and land

donations totals more than 1,100 acres over a dozen different

properties, from Bethany east to Hastings, the Oak

Ridges Moraine south to the shores of Lake Ontario.

Habitat, Pg.56

Margaret Atwood once said that “any loss of the independent

presses could snuff out the next generation of

talent.” But small presses have gained a strong foothold

in Canada. In Watershed country alone, there are a

dozen indie publishers who give voice to aspiring writers

and poets.

The Rise of the Small Press, Pg.46

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Well, I know now. I know a little more how

much a simple thing like a snowfall can mean

to a person.”

SYLVIA PLATH

HERE TO HELP

A few tips to help navigate the cocktail party season.

First of all, relax, and as soon as you arrive, head

straight to the bar and get a drink – alcoholic or

non-alcoholic. A drink in hand puts people at ease.

Put your phone away the minute you arrive.

If you don’t know a lot of people, sidle up to

folks who aren’t engaged in intense conversation

and introduce yourself. Then follow up by saying,

“We haven’t met, but I know the host/hostess

through such and such…”

Try not to talk just about yourself. A good conversation

goes both ways. A compliment puts people

at ease and opens up topics of conversation.

Ask questions. But remember what your mother

told you about politics and religion at the dinner

table? The same goes for cocktail party conversations

– avoid controversial topics at all costs. Try

not to put people on the spot with questions like,

“Do you have kids?” or “Are you married?”

Don’t start a conversation with, “So what do you

do?” It’s an intimidating question for many folks .

Avoid broccoli on the veggie tray. There’s nothing

worse than a green floret on your teeth when you

smile. Stick to bite-sized hors d’oeuvres that you

can pop in your mouth and then keep socializing.

And one last tip: Breathe…and smile. You can do

this. Just think of all the gossip you’ll have to share

with your partner by the end of the evening.

WATERSHED 19

Watershed

P R E S E N T S

from the forest

Referencing the old growth forests that

towered over vast tracts of untouched land,

this collection captures the essence of the maples,

the pines and the cedars that sustained the

First Nations who in turn, shared

their knowledge and understanding of

the forest with the early settlers.

Johnstown Juniper Berry Rub

Oak Ridges Moraine Maple Sugar Buds

Oak Ridges Moraine Spruce Tip Maple Syrup

Shelter Valley Cedar Tip Jelly

.

from the fencerow

This collection is inspired by the old summer

kitchen where wild berries were boiled down

to make jams and jellies, where orchard apples

were pressed to extract their golden juices and

where evening breezes, carrying the

honey-sweet scent of wild flowers wafted

through its open doors.

Shelter Valley Cedar Tip Rub

Brighton Bay Black Currant & Thyme Syrup

Old Kingston Road Crab Apple & Rosemary Jelly

Oak Savannah Field Flower Honey

EXCLUSIVE COLLECTIONS

available online www.watershedmagzine.com

FENCE POSTS |

A ONE-HORSE OPEN SLEIGH

True Confessions from the Ninth Concession

BY DAN NEEDLES ILLUSTRATION BY SHELAGH ARMSTRONG

MY GREAT-UNCLE BOB WAS THE FIRST member

of our family to leave the rat race and seek the simple

life on a hundred-acre hill farm north of the

city. In the 1930s, he found a secluded property that

perched on the watershed of the Humber, the

Grand and the Nottawasaga rivers in Dufferin

County. He moved into the tiny fieldstone house

and started working the land with a team of horses,

filling the barn with loose hay every summer and

milking his cow like it was 1850. His much older

half-brother, my grandfather, was so taken by this

idyllic way of life that he seriously considered giving

up his practice as an ophthalmologist and joining

Bob on the farm.

As a young man I used to drive over to Bob’s farm

to fish the trout pond at the top of his property in

Mono Township. Bob claimed that if you peed on

the south side of that pond it would flow into Lake

Ontario, on the west side it would end up in Lake

Erie, and on the north side it would go all the way

to Georgian Bay. Looking at a topographical map, I

can see it doesn’t quite work out that way, but I

liked how Bob talked about his farm being at the

very top of the world.

At some point Bob gave up farming and started

teaching history and geography at the Orangeville

high school. All his equipment went into the barn

and stayed there until the summer of 1992 when my

mother found him one morning, lying face down in

his flower garden beside his little pioneer house. She

was his closest living relative at that point and, since

Bob had willed the farm to the Nature Conservancy

(it is now known as the Goulding West property),

she invited the family to come and take whatever

they wanted from the house and barn. In the haymow

I found a red sleigh built by the McLaughlin

Carriage Company about 1910, and I took it home

to my own haymow 30 miles north where it sat forgotten

for another 27 years.

My son and I go fishing every spring with an old

friend, Will Samis, who farms on the North Channel

of Georgian Bay. He takes us way up into the Algoma

Highlands to a remote lake and cabin he has

owned for 50 years and where speckled trout frolic

at the very top of their world. While we are away his

hired man, Levi, a young Amish lad, does chores for

him. Levi also helps out during haying and maple

syrup season, and works in the barnyard training

draught horses, including a very elegant black

Canadian stallion Will calls “Lawrence of Algoma.”

Last year Will informed me sadly that his old sleigh

had disintegrated under Lawrence’s guidance. I decided

it was time for Uncle Bob’s sleigh to make a

comeback.

Will took the sleigh to Levi’s blacksmith cousin

Eli, who advised that the structure was basically

sound, but both runners were quite badly worn and

it was now impossible to find the hard carbon steel

from which sleigh runners of yesteryear were made.

Will remembered seeing what appeared to be the

remains of an old sleigh in an abandoned lumber

camp just a few hundred yards from his fishing

cabin. So he drove north for two hours, paddled

over two lakes with some tools, and pried the ancient

runners loose from the rubbish pile left by the

lumbermen of the 1920s.

Eli announced joyfully that the runners were a

perfect fit, from the very same model cranked out

by the Oshawa plant between 1900 and 1910. Even

better, there was absolutely no wear on them at all.

Eli recovered the seat with Sunbrella fabric which

wears like a pig’s nose. Then he gave the whole thing

a fresh coat of red paint. (Somehow Levi has secured

permission from his Amish bishop to drive a

red sleigh. At least his horse is black.)

And so, if you happen to be passing through Iron

Bridge on a snowy evening you may just catch a

glimpse of Lawrence of Algoma prancing through

the snow with Uncle Bob’s bright red one-horse

open sleigh gliding behind him. It will not be a perfect

“Jingle Bells” scene because, of course, bells are

not permitted. But it is still a triumph of reclamation,

and the sort of moment that lifts my spirits

and restores my soul.

Editor’s note: Author and playwright Dan Needles is

the recipient of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.

His new book, True Confessions from the Ninth Concession

(Douglas & McIntyre), a collection from 20 years of his

columns for Watershed and other publications, is

available at bookstores.

WATERSHED 21

MUST DO

A SELECTION OF THINGS TO DO

AND DISCOVER ACROSS OUR REGION

MUST SKATE

If you aren’t ready to build your own backyard

rink (see Page 42) check out public skating venues

throughout the area. There’s always plenty

of rink time at most community arenas and it’s

not just for rough and ready hockey players or

precision figure skaters anymore. Skating is a

Canadian rite of passage and a great place to

meet up with friends after work or on weekends.

Community outdoor rinks are growing in numbers

as well; from Cobourg’s Frink to Castleton’s

Sports Fields or try a skate under the stars with

the Bay of Quinte or Wellington’s shoreline offering

up a natural backdrop of frozen wonder.

MUST FEEL THE COLD

Begin to understand the serious challenges that

many homeless experience during long, freezing

winter nights. Join the Coldest Night of the

Year national walk-a-thon to raise funds for charities

serving hungry, homeless and hurting people

in our communities and in 140 neighbourhoods

across Canada. Coordinating the local

walk in Watershed country is Port Hope’s Green

Wood Coalition – a street-level organization that

uses a community model of caring to walk

alongside people who are hungry, homeless

and hurting.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

cnoy.org/home

MUST GET

OUTSIDE

Wax up your skis and take an early morning

glide along any of our region’s cross-country ski

trails. Wind your way past cedars and pines and

breathe in the cold, crisp air. Catch a glimpse of

a white-tailed doe or a mischievous otter. Push

yourself further into the forest and get that heart

rate going and maybe even beat your own personal

best. Arrive back at your car with rosy

cheeks and a well-deserved smile on your face.

Go ahead and order that extra tall hot chocolate

– you deserve it!

For a list of local Conservation Areas with groomed

ski trails, visit one or visit them all at:

ontarioconservationareas.ca

If solo cross country skiing makes you pine for

companionship – check out the Ganaraska Forest

Centre’s annual Cross-Country Ski and

Snowshoe Day. Join a guided ski through the

forest and then strap on some snowshoes to try

out this family-friendly activity. Pre-registration

required. $25+hst includes equipment rental.

Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe Day

January 18, 9:30am & 1pm

Ganaraska Forest Centre

10585 Cold Springs Camp Rd. Campbellcroft

905-885-8173 or visit grca.on.ca

22 | WINTER 2019/2020

MUST SHOP

LOCAL

Christmas markets and holiday Farmers’ Markets

are bursting at the seams with locally made

and inspired products designed, created and

built by makers throughout Watershed country.

These are not your grandmother’s church bazaar

offerings; you can browse a selection of haute

knit-wear, sample decadent holiday treats, collect

one-of-a-kind jewellery or add to your

home collection with handwoven baskets and

textiles. Discover the handiwork of local artists

or anyone in the side hustle game. Shop local,

support local and love the local.

MUST IMBIBE

There’s art, there’s food, there’s wine… Welcome

to Prince Edward County’s Vintner Festival

located at 13 winery venues, each as unique as

the person behind the label. This mid-February

fête – presented by Prince Edward County

Winegrowers Association – brings wine aficionados

together to indulge, imbibe and get

inspired over a weekend of wine tasting, food

pairings, music and a host of outdoor activities.

February 15 - 17

princeedwardcountywine.ca

MUST

FLASHBACK

Prince Edward County is taking a cue from the

past with Flashback February. This year’s theme

is Visions of our Past and includes a week of

hands-on learning, live demonstrations, opportunities

to share stories, heritage-focused culinary

workshops, film screenings, and historical

experiences to spark conversation and honour

the unique cultural heritage of the County. Local

experts, curators, artists and innovators will be

on hand to host and dig into our rich history.

visitpec.ca/flashback-february

Call 613-476-2148 ext. 2521 for locations

and a full schedule of events.

WATERSHED 23

24 | WINTER 2019/2020

C H R I S T M A S

F I C T I O N

TREE OF

LIGHT

BY CHRIS CAMERON

ILLUSTRATION BY SHELAGH ARMSTRONG

THE NOVEMBER WIND PICKS UP STRENGTH

and sways the old pine tree back and forth. A solo

figure in dark winter clothing clings to a branch near

the top, looking like a sailor in a crow’s nest on a

storm-lashed ship.

It is the first weekend of Advent, and just as he has

done every year, the man is about to string hundreds

of Christmas lights into the boughs of the huge, ancient

pine that stands in front of his house. Earlier, as

he was starting his climb, a neighbour walking his

dog looked up from the sidewalk and wished him

good luck, the way the soldiers in the Great War

wished their mates luck just before they went over

the top of the trench. The neighbours all know about

his annual ritual of the lights; they smile with something

that might be a mix of wonder and pity.

Another familiar feature of the season is the email

correspondence about whether his children and their

families will be home for the holidays. It has been a

while, he and his wife remind them, as they always

do. But his kids have their own holiday traditions to

nurture, their own children to tend to. The stress of

packing them into cars or airplanes at the busiest

time of the year is exhausting just to think of. It’s

funny: when you are raising your children it seems

some days will never end. After, you wonder where

they all went.

WATERSHED 25

beautifulbrighton

arts,eats, and boutiques

Wishes you a Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year.

There will not be a Christmas

Show at the Barn this year.

Deliver us from Mama

by Jones, Hope and Wooten

APRIL/MAY

Key for Two

by Dave Freeman and John Chapman

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Visit our website brightonbarntheatre.ca

for information on our 2020 shows

Where your cat wants to stay

when you are away

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A N A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E w w w . b r i g h t o n . c a

He doubts they would even remember that it was

because of them that he began his Christmas lightstringing

chore.

When they first moved into their house in the

mid-nineties, the kids insisted that the giant pine

tree in the front yard would make a cool place for

Christmas lights. All you have to do, they told him,

is climb up to the top and string them on the

branches all the way down. They never wavered in

their belief that he could do it. That’s probably the

reason he accepted the challenge, even though he

knew he was sentencing himself to annual floggings

by branches and impaling by twigs as he attempted

to breach the heights of the crotchety old pine. If

you’re a father, there’s a time in their lives when

your children believe you can do anything.

The sky overhead is turning steel-wool grey in the

late afternoon, and the clouds that sit low over the

hills are looking swollen and bruised. I’ve left it too

late in the day, he thinks, laughing at himself. I’ll be

lucky if I can see what I’m doing in twenty minutes.

But it has to be done today; a storm is coming and

his tree will be unclimbable if it is covered in snow.

It will become part of the winter’s forest; accessible

only to owls and cardinals.

The hills of Northumberland seem to entice and

trap snow. Although the squalls are stronger near

the lake, in places like Cobourg or Brighton, the

more serious, more permanent snow prefers the

places farther north, where it falls and settles gently

but steadfastly. It is the best snow he has ever

known. When what falls in the big city has been

trampled slush-brown by boots and traffic and

washed away down storm drains, Northumberland

snow always stays for Christmas. If the Inuit had a

word for it, they might call it lovable.

Through a gap in the branches he can see into his

house: the family room is lit by a single lamp beside

his chair, and the yellow light spilling onto the

ground outside the window promises warmth and

comfort after his work is finished. He can remember

a full score of Christmases in that family room:

the tree, the children, the glow from the fireplace.

He knows his wife is inside somewhere, working,

cooking, or napping – she barely notices his treeclimbing

exploits anymore and knows he will come

inside when he is done, not before.

He strains further up the tree. His strategy, refined

over decades, is to work his way down, pushing

the Christmas lights out onto the branches as

he goes. His body is swaddled in the many strings

of lights he is carrying. A sharp twig pokes him in

the scalp and the wind swirls motes of dead bark

into his eyes. “I have definitely seen poems lovelier

than you,” he snarls at his tree. As if in response, a

medium-sized branch snaps off in his hand. “Are

they all so brittle this year?” he wonders, looking

down at the one he is standing on. The tree’s limbs

– like his own – are not as strong or supple as they

once were. Each year his ascent wears both of them

down a bit more. He reaches suddenly for a higher

branch and an old shoulder injury wakens and

groans in protest.

The large pine has begun to look worse for wear

in the past few years. Old age plus decades of weathering

have caused many of its branches to wither

and die, collapsing into themselves like arthritic

hands. Its needles are now sparse. “If Charlie

Brown’s tree had survived to senility,” he thinks,

“this is what it would look like. I should get rid of it

and plant a newer, healthier, fuller tree.” But history

and tradition grip him as firmly as he grips the

rough bark of the branches.

His daughter climbed into this tree as a child to

read her first books. She would sit cradled in one

special bough, away from everything except the

worlds created by Enid Blyton, Louisa May Alcott,

L. M. Montgomery. Now she writes her own books.

His son’s second-floor bedroom window looked out

through the branches, and the glow from the

Christmas lights shone inward every December

from the days he was a preschooler until the year he

moved to the other side of the country to begin his

career. His wife still gardens in its shade, growing

more and more things every summer, even after all

these years. Stringing the tree with its lights is part

of the weft of the family fabric. Like so many liturgies

of life, this one has become ingrained and does

not invite change. And like life, the light-stringing

doesn’t become any easier over time; but over time

you become more accepting of how difficult it is.

It’s possible he dreamed that someday his children

would take over the task when they became

old enough, and when he became too old. That

time came and went, and the mantle was somehow

never passed, so the project remained his. In addition

to the vestigial value of what he’s doing, he actually

feels a sense of duty to the scraggly tree itself,

as one would to a perennial relative who’s unappealing

to look at, difficult to love, but impossible to

imagine not there.

And so he climbs, ducking, weaving, and squeezing

himself through the limbs and needles. His surroundings

grow darker and more disorienting by

the minute. The branches seem to assume a new

configuration every year, always keeping him guessing

where to step, where to hold on. The laws of entropy

govern his project. Strings of lights he had

meticulously disentangled on the ground have entwined

themselves together again like mating eels.

With one frozen hand wrapped around the tree

trunk he uses the other to try to unravel them, assisted

by his teeth. When you are up a tree, you will

use any available resource to help you stay there.

It is a long way down. He looks out over his property.

Beyond the roof of his house the Trent River

flows. The river has a life cycle of its own, repeated

through the seasons. In spring, after the ice melts, it

rushes past with a frightening intensity, as if it

knows it is utterly unstoppable and can go where it

wants. When the cold weather comes, the banks grow

shoulders of snow-covered ice, although the moving

river never allows a total freezing of its path.

Looking farther into the distance, he can see the

WATERSHED 27

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Turkey, Belgium and Afghanistan.

For unique hardwood, broadloom,

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home accessories visit Port Hope’s

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28 | WINTER 2019/2020

snow approaching from the west, blurring the overlapping

lines of the Trent Hills until everything is a

swirling veil of hornet’s-nest grey. “About half an

hour before it gets here,” he thinks. Time to finish

up before the snow makes the footing treacherous.

“If I fall, I will probably hit about fifteen branches

on the way down before landing in a crumpled

heap on the ground below.” He tightens his grip, the

action sending a new ache through his fingers.

Why not, many have asked him, simply leave the

lights up there in the tree all year round? He has a

stock answer ready: to him there is something uncompromisingly

seasonal about Christmas lights.

They would look out of place whipping and snapping

around in a July thunderstorm. What’s more,

he’s always liked the way the light-stringing ritual

bookends his holiday season. “As soon as they go

up I can start humming carols,” he tells his neighbours,

“and when they come down I can forget

about the Christmas past and start looking forward

to the New Year.” They stare as if to say that

this is not a good enough reason, and maybe it

isn’t anymore.

“This may be the last year I do the lights,” he told

his son over the phone the other day.

A laugh. “Impossible. You’ll be doing those lights

till you’re a hundred.” But his son may have heard

something in his father’s voice, a tone different from

all the years when he’d said the same thing.

And so this year for the first time since the grandchildren

were babies, everyone will come. Calls have

been made between the siblings, flights booked,

transportation arranged. He and his wife have already

pulled apart the dining room table to insert

the extra leaf, dug out the toboggan, made sure Netflix

is working. They’ll be here.

Gradually he works his way down the tree. The

strings are woven through and around the branches,

and every light has a place by the time he sets

foot on earth again. Almost on cue, white flakes

start to fall, so big and heavy and thick that they

coat everything in seconds.

He walks through the snow-dappled gloom to

plug the joined light strings into an extension cord,

then goes down the driveway onto the road to see

the results. The lights curl upward around the pine

boughs like wisps of coloured smoke, reaching into

the cascade of snowflakes above and casting a warm

glow onto the whitening ground below. His tree

looks beautiful. Whatever majesty it once possessed

is restored.

He and his wife will spend the coming evenings

peering out the front window into the December

darkness, watching for the movement of headlights

through the forest and listening for the snow-muffled

sound of tires on the driveway. Waiting for their

family to follow the tree that lights their way home,

like a star.

And so he climbs,

ducking, weaving,

and squeezing himself

through the limbs

and needles. His

surroundings grow

darker and more

disorienting by the

minute.

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WATERSHED 29

Watershed

P R E S E N T S

30 | WINTER 2019/2020

FOOD & DRINK SCENE

A collection of products drawn from the fields and fencerows

that reflect the local landscape and our unique history

BY JANE KELLY

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALANA LEE

This is a story about a bunch of gals

who set out on a journey together.

It was an adventure that would

pool our best qualities and values

– creativity, determination and

friendship – and test us to the limit.

It was an adventure that took us down

the path of history, wended its way

through endless hours of developing

ideas, led us into unfamiliar territory

of production and made us

appreciate the value of laughter.

I don’t know how the idea hatched. I’ve always

been fascinated by how the settlers

made their way into the wilderness, how

they learned the value of the tall grass

prairie and the forests from the First Nations,

and how the simplest of foods could

sustain them. Some of their names are familiar

to people who live in the area –

Catharine Parr Traill, Susanna Moodie,

Susan Greeley – and other names have

slipped quietly into history. Part of me wanted

to uncover their stories and to explore

their lives.

Another part of me wanted to celebrate

my mom. She wasn’t your typical 1960s

housewife looking for bridge party recipes.

Her cookbooks line my bookshelves today

and when I open them, I am transported

back to her kitchen where the stained jelly

bag hung from the cupboard door handle,

drip, drip, dripping its jewel-like contents

into a pot on the stove. She was forever

creating jams and jellies from the fruit in

her garden, but also from the wild.

Chokecherries, quince, crab apples, black

currants and gooseberries bubbled and

boiled on her stove over the years. I imagined

adapting the recipes from my childhood

to include the natural ingredients

used by the settlers who foraged the

edges of the forests and the fencerows for

the berries that they boiled up in iron cauldrons

over open fires.

But I couldn’t move forward without the

help of my sister, Sheila. Suffice to say that

she inherited my mother’s love of cooking

and that she is my soulmate. Between us,

we began to envision a line of Watershed

products that would reflect the past, while

at the same time tease and tempt the

palate.

Cooking up ideas is one thing, bringing

them to fruition is another.

In the late spring, we started foraging,

carefully clipping the fragrant tips of the

cedar boughs and spruce buds. We laid

thousands of spruce tips on tarps to dry.

We dehydrated cedar boughs in the oven

and sent every moth packing, from Grafton

to the very tip of Prince Edward County.

We sourced crab apples, currants, juniper

berries – fruit and berries gathered from

the landscape that sustained our forefathers.

As the summer unfolded, our ideas

began to gain steam – literally – as the

pots boiled on our kitchen stoves. Samples

were lined up, tested and retested – more

opposite page from left to right: Micol Marotti,

Stephanie Campbell, Meg Botha, Jane Kelly

and Sheila Trenholm

WATERSHED 31

32 | WINTER 2019/2020

FOOD & DRINK SCENE

As the summer

unfolded, we began

to gain steam –

literally – as the pots

boiled on our kitchen

stoves. Samples were

lined up, tested and

retested – more lemon

here, a pinch of maple

sugar there...

lemon here, a pinch of maple sugar there –

until we recognized that we were on the

right track. At that point, we packed up

our ingredients and headed to the Ontario

Agri-Food Venture Centre (OAFVC) in Colborne

to start production.

While Sheila and I managed the actual

production of the Watershed Presents

products, Meg and Stephanie, two gals

who are both familiar to our readers,

worked their magic behind the scene.

Over the summer, Meg pored over fonts

and pantone colours, considered every

bottle and container shape until she was

happy with the subtle combinations of

text, colour and design elements that

would showcase our products.

Although Stephanie didn’t work in the test

kitchen, she was the brains behind bringing

our products to market. Her understanding

of social media, her organization

and communications skills kept us on track,

creating a pathway from production to the

final delivery.

Micol joined the Watershed team a little

later. Her inherent love of the landscape

made her the perfect fit – just the right gal

to bring the beauty of nature to our product

presentation.

While the pots boiled on the stove and

ideas bubbled up through the steam,

Dave Manser was down in our barn, pushing

truckloads of barn boards through his

whining bandsaw. He handcrafted hundreds

of boxes from the salvaged barnboards

gathered from the countryside –

weathered boxes that spoke to time and

history. His dedication was an inspiration to

all of us.

We had the perfect number of cooks in the

kitchen to roll out two signature Watershed

Presents product lines – From the Forest

and From the Fencerows.

The Watershed Presents collection speaks

to the landscape that we love, to our ancestors

who discovered the value of the

natural world and, in the long run, to a

group of gals who took the seed of an

idea and allowed it to grow.

Publisher’s note: They say that behind every

man is a good woman. Well, when it comes

to Watershed Presents, behind every good

woman is a good man. Over the last six

months our husbands have encouraged and

supported us. When I think of what my husband

John has put up with, the word saint

comes to mind.

WATERSHED 33

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A N A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E

34 | WINTER 2019/2020

FOOD & DRINK SCENE

The Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre: an invaluable resource

At first it was intimidating.

A kitchen filled with vats and pipes,

hoses and stainless steel tables, where

utensils, bottles and jars are washed

and sterilized, where ingredients

are weighed and reweighed. But

there we were, wearing white lab

coats and hair nets ready to start

production at the Ontario Agri-

Food Venture Centre (OAFVC).

But we weren’t alone.

The OAFVC team helped with our Watershed

Presents collection of products from the outset.

Our first contact was with Trissia Mellor, manager

of the vast OAFVC facility located in Colborne

that handles food processing, packaging, bottling,

and labelling for clients throughout Ontario.

The challenge was to take our small batch recipes

and convert them to the commercial scale. Trissia

guided us through the process, provided us with

the technical backup and the moral support we

needed. There was so much we didn’t understand

but Trissia was there for us at every step of

the journey.

solutions when we ran into difficulties. Both Neil

and Trissia were determined that we, as newbies

to the commercial food business, had the backup

needed to see our products to market.

Kwame or one of the other Food Service Workers

was always with us during the long hours of

production. When we rolled into the OAFVC at

seven in the morning, Kwame was waiting at the

delivery door. In the commercial kitchen, he

stirred ingredients into the massive vats, checked

temperatures, sterilized bottles and watched

over the bottling machine, making sure the calibration

was always perfect.

Neil Horner’s title at the OAFVC is Consulting

Operations Specialist. He understands the

OAFVC facility inside out. He determined what

machinery best suited our production needs, he

fine-tuned our production lines and provided

The bottom line: our curated collection of products

is available because of the support of the

whole team at the OAFVC. Thank you.

from left to right: Neil Horner, Trissia Mellor, Kwame

The 2019 recipient Excellence in Business award

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WATERSHED 35

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36 | WINTER 2019/2020

FOOD & DRINK SCENE

Cooking with Wild Abandon

At play in the kitchen with what grows at the fencerows and in the forest.

BY SIGNE LANGFORD

I’m obsessed with food that’s collected from the

wild. I get a little too excited, perhaps, stumbling

upon a meadow of wildflowers abuzz with bees –

I can almost taste the honey – and the sight of a

tree full of apples – misshapen, neglected, but

sweet – in an abandoned orchard fills my head

with thoughts of jelly and pie.

Our region is bursting with a bounty just waiting

to be enjoyed by the adventurous eater. And the

folks behind Watershed magazine feel the same

way I do about eating the tasty wild things.

While I might just go outside and bring in a

handful of dandelion greens to fry up, this creative

team has captured the essence of the

flavours that grow along the fencerows and in

the forests and packaged them in pretty little

bottles, tins, and jars.

I recently had the pleasure of playing with the

Watershed Presents line of products in my

kitchen and here are a few of the delicious ways I

put them to use:

Old Kingston Road Crab Apple & Rosemary Jelly

and Shelter Valley Cedar Tip Jelly – both are

simply delicious – savoury and sweet on pork,

poultry, charcuterie and cheeses, or straight up

on buttered toast. Try a spoonful of either jelly as

a topping for thumbprint cheese shortbread,

alongside pork chops instead of applesauce, or

with the holiday bird in lieu of cranberry sauce. I

fried up a buttery, crunchy, grilled cheese sandwich

with local smoked gouda and the Crab

Apple & Rosemary Jelly, and glazed roasted

local pork side ribs with the Cedar Tip Jelly –

both were out of this world. Warm up either of

the jellies and use them to glaze poultry or to

top a rustic fruit galette or cheesecake.

Shelter Valley Cedar Tip Rub and Johnstown

Juniper Berry Rub – both of these dry rubs are

super-aromatic, bursting with citrusy notes and

herbaceousness. I used the cedar tip rub on a

rack of pork side ribs, and on a piece of local

pickerel cooked en papillote. I used the juniper

berry rub with butter and fresh orange. Either of

the rubs work beautifully with game, poultry, fish,

and pork – juniper and venison is a match made

in woodland heaven. With beef, I suggest the

cedar tip rub, and of course, mix either with a

few drops of oil to turn them into a wet rub; a

good splash of beer, cider, wine or even yogurt

will morph them into magnificent marinades.

Brighton Bay Black Currant & Thyme Syrup –

this is a showstopper! The ruby colour and bold,

sophisticated flavour of currants and thyme is unbelievably

good over ice cream – it’s a simple yet

elegant dessert. I also jazzed up a good splash

of locally-distilled gin with this not-too-sweet

syrup, gave it a shake with ice, garnished with a

sprig of thyme or cedar, and voila!, a new classic

was born: the pretty pink Fencerowtini! Other

uses: add to a vinaigrette; use to glaze meats

and poultry; add to your favourite barbecue

sauce recipe; use it to make unique versions of

Bellinis, kirs, and other cocktails; or simply to elevate

sparkling water.

Oak Ridges Moraine Spruce Tip Maple Syrup –

sweet, herbal, spicy perfection. Sure, drizzle it

over waffles and pancakes for that special

brunch, but this very grown-up maple syrup –

with its hint of herbal heat – means it complements

poultry, pork, salmon, trout, and savoury

waffles and fried chicken. You can add it to a

vinaigrette; sweeten roasted root veggies; add a

drop to your favourite rye on the rocks; pour

generously over vanilla ice cream.

Oak Ridges Moraine Maple Sugar Buds – pure,

simple, natural, sweetness. Think: meltingly soft

rock candy. Simply enjoy like hard candy, or use a

nutmeg grater or microplaner to sprinkle it over

oatmeal, home baking – cookies, cakes, pastry,

sweet breads – or drop a rock of it into your coffee,

tea, or hot after-dinner toddy. Grate it over a

good dollop of whipped cream, you know, the

one floating on top of that Irish coffee!

‘

WATERSHED 37

in the woods

THE WORK OF

PETER SPORRING

BY CONRAD BEAUBIEN

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SACHA WARUNKIW AND PETER SPORRING

Drawing inspiration from a lifelong love of

the forest, Peter Sporring’s work expresses his deep

appreciation of the trees that feed his soul.

38 | WINTER 2019/2020

The art of Peter Sporring spans a creative range from whimsical

works of art to objects with a practical purpose.

WHEN PETER SPORRING WAS FIVE YEARS OLD HIS

GRANDFATHER SOREN SAID TO HIM; “PEDER,”

pronouncing his grandson’s name in the elder’s Danish

tongue, “you might be able to chop a tree down but you

are never going to kill it,” he advised. “It will continue to

shrink and swell as it draws life from the air around it.”

The notion of a tree as life force, the concept of the forest

as an ecosystem is a creed that Peter Sporring has adhered

to from that day forward. Now, seven decades later, while

standing before a row of windows in his workshop in

Belleville, the admitted ‘man of few words’ talks about how

his life has been shaped by wood.

“I thrive in the forest; it’s nurturing to be surrounded by

trees,” Sporring begins. In 1949 his father was a herdsman

on a farm outside of Ottawa where the owner at that time,

W.J. LeClair, published a magazine called Trees of Canada,

the official medium of the Canadian Lumberman’s Association.

“LeClair said that when woodlands were exploited

for profit, replanting and forest regeneration were clear responsibilities.

That reinforced my thinking,” he says. “On

the second dairy farm we lived on, the owner would encourage

me to build or repair anything in wood that came

along. At age fourteen, that was a lot more interesting than

milking cows or doing farm chores.”

Sporring later graduated from Kemptville Agriculture

College in Eastern Ontario where training in business

management and farm mechanics added to his experience.

He started his own business in 1983, combining his many

skills – metal fabrication, fine wood carving, furniture

building and house construction – and then went on to a

career at Bell Canada. Later, as he reached his goal of independence,

Sporring’s multiple skills offered advantage and

opportunity. “I now take pride in building lathes and

portable sawmills to harvest and shape my primary materials

– lumber.”

Outfitted in a wood turner’s smock, Sporring reaches for

WATERSHED 39

“To sit on a log

in the middle of

the woods is to

appreciate all

forms of life that

are constantly

changing, either

because of us or

in spite of us.”

PETER SPORRING

a roughing gouge from a row of finely honed chisels

and gouges. “I will often temper the steel and shape

a wooden handle to make a tool for certain projects.

Whether turning a vessel or bowl out of one block

of wood or from a segmented form that sometimes

combines hundreds of pieces…tools need to suit

their intended purpose.”

Sporring sharpens his gouge before powering up

his 1950s Delta lathe. The clatter fills the room. His

hand eases the gouge onto a tool rest that offsets the

force of a toaster-sized block of combined walnut

and maple wood spinning at 700 rpm. The contact

of steel and lumber unleashes a storm of wood

chips as the woodblock slowly transforms into a

bowl shape.

“I like a soft finish using tung oil for completed

work,” he says.

With his long-time partner Pam, Sporring regularly

retreats to a self-built, off-grid cabin near an

environmentally protected area in central Hastings

County. “I think the forest and humans have the

potential to enhance each other in symbiotic relationship,”

he contemplates. “Since my teenage years

the woods have been a place to go, for escape, for a

sense of wonder.”

Sporring’s relationship with woodlands is about

stewardship. Harvesting trees on the Hastings property

allows for new growth while providing raw material

for building furniture, turned pieces and firewood.

“I like the physical part of harvesting, burning off

energy,” he says. “Then, when the machines are shut

down, waiting is virtual silence, save for the harmonics

of nature.”

Sporring sources ninety per cent of his raw lumber

from his hundred-acre property, where thirty

years ago he planted 60,000 trees of mixed forest

species. “It’s consoling to be with these trees now as

they reach maturity,” he says. “To sit on a log in the

middle of the woods is to appreciate all forms of life

that are constantly changing, either because of us or

in spite of us.”

On a workbench in his Belleville shop, Sporring

points out a recently completed endeavour. “My

grandfather was an avid chess player,” he reminisces.

“I had him in mind as I worked on this chess board.

I turned each knight, bishop, queen – every piece on

the lathe – to round the bases and then carved the

forms by hand.” He then details how he inlaid walnut

and maple sections for the board surface and

rendered the cabinetry work to tie in a base and

storage drawer.

“Some of this wood came from my cabin retreat,”

he reflects. “I guess that makes this chess game a

homage to my grandfather, a grand master when

passing down life lessons.”

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GEORGE’S POND |

A THOUSAND WORDS

BY GEORGE SMITH

ILLUSTRATION BY LEE RAPP

SUBSCRIBING TO THE NOTION THAT A PICTURE

is worth a thousand words, when Joy and I tied the

knot in 1968, we decided to create a photo journal –

a collection of anniversary pictures chronicling

our journey through life together. I’m always

struck by the stories those images tell.

The first entry, a shot of the happy

couple walking down the aisle moments

after exchanging vows, is run-of-themill

wedding photography, but it remains

a vivid reminder of how poorly

that day started when the priest forgot to

book the organist, forcing Joy to make her

grand entrance in utter silence, save for the

sound of her footsteps echoing through a

hushed church. Fortunately, a talented

church singer among our guests came to

the rescue, delivering several fitting

numbers a cappella.

Anniversary pic number one finds

us in a little trattoria in the shadow

of Rome’s Trevi Fountain. It was the

final evening of a six-week European

junket that took us to some of Europe’s

most storied capitals – a trip made possible

only with the guidance of our faithful travel companion,

Arthur Frommer’s Europe on $5 a Day.

Several snapshots taken in our first home, a modest

Oshawa semi purchased for $21,000, underscore

just how fortunate we were to double our investment

over four years, allowing us to purchase rural

acreage overlooking Rice Lake and build the place

we called home for forty years.

Many of those Green Acres era photos are set

against a backdrop of the massive vegetable gardens

I insisted on growing. I planted, weeded, hoed and

picked while Joy blanched, pickled and froze. My

bride did not share my enthusiasm for those overly

bounteous harvests and there were a few tense moments.

We laugh about it now. Not then.

Fast forward to anniversary number 34. Bizarre.

Dinner was at a charming waterfront inn on Stoney

Lake. But our relaxing al fresco pre-dinner drink was

interrupted when a perfect stranger plopped himself

down at our table. This was one strange lad who

regaled us with tall tales of the many influential

people he knew (including Alberta Premier Ralph

Klein) and claimed to own the biggest array of oversized

watercraft docked nearby. A personal boat

tour was next on his agenda, but first, he had to go

inside and speak with management to ensure that,

as his very good friends, we would be treated royally.

That was the last we saw of him.

On our 39th we posed in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Paris was an add-on after our son’s marriage in the

East Sussex village of Alfriston. That across-thepond

wedding provided the perfect opportunity

for side trips to the City of Light and my mother’s

birthplace in Scotland. Many memories.

Last year, with our 50th looming and mindful

that “go big or go home” is not how their parents

operate, our kids still insisted on marking

the occasion. Small, low-key and just

family they promised.

When the big day arrived, they commandeered

our family room, forbade us entry,

excluded us from the preparations while they

worked their magic. Finally allowed admittance,

we were greeted by dozens of congratulatory balloons

and presented with fancy, gold-trimmed

printed menus replete with the pretentious food

and beverage descriptions you’d expect in some

high-end eatery.

One wine boasted a “straw colour with a

fruity and floral aroma featuring apple

and green pepper.” A beer was described

as “a classic English bitter with subdued

carbonation and a malt-forward flavour

profile.” The rhetoric continued with the

“Artisan Lasagne” featuring “home-baked

pasta layered with meat sauce, the finest Italian

cheeses and chef’s choice of local market ingredients.”

All very lah di dah. But the joke was on us as the

flowery prose notwithstanding, the food came from

Costco and the beers from my son’s home brewery.

We had a good laugh and, their humble origins

aside, all the comestibles and libations lived up to

those over-the-top descriptors.

We’ll keep adding to that album as long as we’re

both around. But how long will those images remain

relevant? Sometimes a picture really is worth a

thousand words. Historic world events like 9/11 attest

to the truth of that. But on a more personal

micro level, pictures have a limited shelf life.

I have dozens of photographs of my departed

parents. They’re nice to have, but the stories they tell

are fading fast. I also have several boxes of my

mother’s diaries. Many entries are utterly mundane,

but many more are poignant accounts of the times

in which she lived and the difficulties she faced in

her latter years. So much family history that will endure

long after those photographs have become all

but meaningless.

Likewise, with our anniversary album. The stories

underpinning those images are accessible only to

people close enough in time and place to fill in the

blanks. Sadly, in a few generations those pictorial

histories will be lost. Gone. But time has no power

to diminish the stories contained in my mother’s diaries.

They will live on. Words are immortal. Images

not so much.

Trees add

value to your

property.

We add

value to

your trees.

WATERSHED 41

JUST THE FACTS |

BUILDING AN

OUTDOOR SKATING RINK

A step-by-step guide for building and maintaining an outdoor rink for endless,

old-fashioned Canadian backyard fun

BY DAVID BOJARZIN

WE’D BEEN HEMMING AND HAWING FOR

WEEKS. “Winters aren’t what they used to be,” one

of us shrugged. We shook our heads glumly. “Seems

like a lot of work for one month’s enjoyment,”

someone else mumbled. We nodded our heads

glumly. Then someone (probably me) muttered

something old and tired about the greenhouse effect,

and we suddenly realized we were making excuses

when we could be making hay.

That was last November. On a cool Saturday afternoon

in the April that followed, after a near perfect

winter for making and maintaining ice, we disassembled

our first neighbourhood rink feeling

pretty darn good about the winter we’d given our

kids and truth be told, ourselves.

Was it hard work? Absolutely. Was it time-consuming?

You bet. Was it worth it? As of this writing,

plans for year two are well underway. Enough said.

What follows is a simple plan for building a lowcost

backyard skating rink. When approached in a

do-it-yourself spirit of improvisation, it will result

in a rink every bit as successful as ours.

To the neighbourhood skating rink crew: Ben,

Bernie, Dave, Duane, Mark, Mike, Ron and Will.

Thanks guys, and here’s to another frigid winter.

STEP 1: CHOOSING A LOCATION

Before buying materials, you’ll want to make sure

your backyard is suitable for a rink. The most important

requirement is a relatively even surface with -

out much slope. Small bumps and undulations won’t

present much of a problem, but significant sloping

will cause most of the water to flow downhill, resulting

in thin ice at the high end of your rink, and

42 | WINTER 2019/2020

too much pressure on the boards at the low end. Try

to find an area with no more than a 6-to-9 inch difference

between its highest and lowest point.

Although far less important than slope, choose an

area that is shady during the day if possible. Winter

sun can soften ice even when the temperature is

below zero.

Once you’ve chosen your location, mark off your

rink area and measure its dimensions.

STEP 2: GATHERING MATERIALS

To build your rink, you’ll need:

l 2 x 6-inch (or 2 x 8-inch) lumber for the frame –

the amount depends on the size of the rink you’re

planning. Remember to include the lumber needed

to join the pieces of the frame (see Step 3)

l Wooden stakes – again, the number depends on

rink size

l Screws or nails to connect the frame

l A drill, hammer and saw

l A thick clear plastic liner

l Large staples and a staple gun to attach the liner to

the frame

It’s important to use boards no higher than 6 to 8

inches for your rink frame. As tempting as it may be

to build a hockey-style rink with 4-foot-high

boards, the idea won’t seem as great when you have

to shovel a foot of snow over a four foot barrier to

clear Maple Leaf Gardens for action. The boards

should be easy for all users to step over.

Because it can be somewhat expensive, you might

also be tempted to do without a plastic liner. Resist

this temptation and cough up the cash. A liner prevents

the garden from flooding, retains water during

warm spells, and generally results in smoother,

higher quality ice. And if you’re concerned a liner

will damage your lawn, don’t be. Ours looked better

than ever the following spring.

STEP 3: BUILDING THE FRAME

Now that you’ve chosen the perfect location and

have the materials you need, it’s time to build the

frame.

l Cut a number of foot-long sections of lumber to

use as joiners.

l Join the boards by butting them against each other

and attaching them with screws or nails and a joiner.

l Once the frame is complete, drive a stake into the

ground at every second or third joiner. Then attach

each stake to its joiner to keep the frame from

shifting.

STEP 4: ATTACHING THE LINER

Wait until just before your first flood to attach the

plastic liner to the frame. This keeps animals and

anxious kids from damaging the plastic.

Keep an eye on the forecast, and when you see several

consecutive days of well-below-freezing temperatures

approaching, attach the liner as follows:

l Clear the area inside the frame of sticks and stones

that could puncture the liner. (Leaving your grass

a little long in the fall can provide a natural liner

cushion.)

l Spread the liner out flat on the ground within the

frame, folding it up and over the sides, ensuring all

sides have several inches of excess plastic.

l Staple it in place one side at a time, allowing

enough give so the entire liner lies flat with the

ground when you’ve finished. If the liner is

stretched too tightly, the weight of the water could

tear it or rip out the staples when you flood.

STEP 5: THE FIRST FLOOD

Let temperature, not snow cover, determine when

to flood. In fact, when you use a liner, snow is not

necessary at all. Once the temperature is well below

freezing (around –10°C or colder) and will be for

some time, run your garden hose over the liner

until it is covered in three or four inches of water at

its highest point.

Before anyone uses the ice, it needs to be frozen

solid, which usually takes several days. When checking

the ice, wear shoes, not skates, to prevent damaging

the liner.

ONGOING MAINTENANCE

As the rink is used, “snow” builds up and will need

to be cleared. However, each time you remove this

wear-and-tear snow, you’re shoveling away a portion

of your ice pad, so occasional re-flooding is required

to maintain the pad’s thickness.

The best time to flood is late in the evening, generally

the coldest part of the day. Scrape the ice clear

with a shovel, then cover the entire pad with a fresh

layer of water. Try not to spray water onto an established

pad directly from a garden hose. Even when

the hose is kept moving, the force of the water tends

to bore holes in even the hardest ice. While a variety

of commercial “rink rakes” have been developed to

solve this problem, one of our crew constructed his

own version by punching holes in a piece of PVC

pipe. For minor touch-ups, this worked well.

For a major resurfacing, we filled several garbage

bins and positioned them at various parts of the

rink. We then tipped them one at a time, moving

from one end of the rink to the other until the entire

surface was covered. We also found that hot

water works better than cold for re-flooding because

it seems to freeze more smoothly.

You’ll find that ice maintenance is more art than

science, and you’ll develop techniques that work best

for your rink. Here are a few extra maintenance tips.

l To repair holes and cracks, pack them with snow

before flooding.

l Keep leaves, sticks, pucks, nets, etc. off the ice

when the rink is not in use. Just as the sun will

melt ice near a darkly painted frame, it will melt

objects and debris into the ice, leaving assorted

holes and cracks. Last year, a leaf fell onto our rink

in the morning and by mid-afternoon it had melted

more than an inch into the ice.

l Don’t be in too big a hurry to shovel after a snowfall,

a good snowfall acts as an insulation blanket

keeping the ice cold and hard.

Anneke Russell Sarah Jacob Graham Andrews

The Fleming Building

1005 Elgin Street West, Suite 205

Cobourg, Ontario, K9A 5J4

tel: 905-372-3395 or

fax: 905-372-1695

email: hello@smmlaw.com

smmlaw.com

Real Estate

Wills

Estates

Powers of Attorney

Estate Planning

Family Law

Corporate/Commercial

Franchises

Business Law

Litigation

Small Claims

Environmental Law

Construction Liens

WATERSHED 43

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Available in family and pet friendly fabrics.

44 | WINTER 2019/2020

W A T E R S H E D P R E S E N T S

LOVIN’ THE LOCAL

We’re Lovin’ the Local: A showcase of locally made and

locally inspired products that reflect the heart and soul of entrepreneurs

rooted in Watershed Country

PARKWOOD PLANK CO.

Rustic farmhouse signs and home décor

cultivated, curated and created by hand.

– FB: @parkwoodplanks –

WILD THINGS

All natural products, including maple water, rieshi and

chaga, foraged from the hills of Northumberland County.

– Instagram: @wildthings.co –

ROYAL SUGAR BAKING

The loveliest, to-die-for decadence

on a plate made just for you.

– Instagram: @royalsugarbaking –

BOHOME DESIGN BY CARA

Modern art on a modern canvas for that

on-trend bohemian vibe.

– Instagram: @bohome.design –

Gap to Gucci

USED CLOTHING

THE PRICKLE PARLOUR

A unique, little shop that carries rare indoor

house plants to help with air purification.

– FB: @ThePrickleParlor –

DRAGONFLY DESIGN STUDIO

Handcrafted jewellery with a loving twist

set against a whimsical palette.

– Instagram: @dragonflydesignstudio –

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cityrevival.com

@city_revival

WATERSHED 45

THERISE

OF THE

SMALL

TOWN

PRESS

BY ELIZABETH PALERMO

46 | WINTER 2019/2020

An upswing of small press

publishing is promoting and

preserving a diverse range

of Canadian voices

INSIDE THE BUSTLING STOREFRONT OF BOOKS

& COMPANY IN PICTON is an arresting display of 50

titles spanning poetry to nonfiction, all printed by a

local independent press, Invisible Publishing. A small

but mighty force, Invisible Publishing is located in a snug

office at the back of the bookstore. Its mission is to introduce

the voices of new writers to the community and to sustain

and encourage creative writing within that community.

Invisible’s publisher Leigh Nash has a knack for identifying

unique voices. It’s part of the company’s mandate and

is how it came to publishing New Brunswick-born Michelle

Winters’ debut novel, I Am a Truck, which promptly landed

on the 2017 Giller Prize shortlist, Canada’s richest literary

prize. According to Leigh, Invisible publishes a lot of first

books and unusual titles that may not find homes elsewhere.

“We joke that we’re the farm team for the bigger

houses,” says Leigh.

No joke. Margaret Atwood, who started out with small

Canadian publishers, once said that “any loss of the independent

presses could snuff out the next generation of talent.”

That was when Random House finalized its takeover of

seminal Canadian indie press McClelland & Stewart in 2012,

the same year that Canada’s largest independent publisher

Douglas & McIntyre filed for bankruptcy protection and

other Canadian big publishing houses were being bought up

by foreign owners.

Despite these losses and a dwindling retail book market

at the time, Canadian small presses persevered.

Of the 245 identified English-language publishers across

the country, 78 per cent are small presses dedicated to publishing

diverse and debut books, with a dozen right here in

Watershed country.

WATERSHED 47

WATERSHED

DELIVERS

YOUR

MESSAGE

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Restoring a niche market, indie presses, also

known as the small press and the oft-quirky micropress,

publish an influx of emergent voices. The revival

of the do-it-yourself aesthetic empowers young

writers, and at the same time allows seasoned writers

and small presses to persist in the precarious business

for the sheer love of beautiful prose and recording regional

history.

Invisible Publishing was founded in Halifax in

2007 as a non-profit company, a rare move in Canadian

publishing that was organized by a group of

friends looking for an economical way to incorporate.

Eight years later, then publisher Robby McGregor

asked Leigh to take over as the company

teetered on a ‘grow or die’ position. Leigh said yes,

and moved Invisible Publishing to Prince Edward

County, keeping it as a nonprofit. The nice ethos of

this nonprofit is that all the money goes back into

paying staff more and hiring guest blog editors to

gain paid publication credits, which are essential for

grant eligibility.

“We don’t need to ensure a book is going to sell

hundreds of thousands of copies in order to publish

because we don’t have shareholders that we have to

appease,” says Leigh, who publishes about 10 books

a year with funding from arts councils. This fall the

company hit the sales threshold to receive financial

support from the Canada Book Fund. “One of the

great benefits of government funding is that I can

take that money and publish local work, take chances

on younger writers and nurture them at all stages

of their career. I’m not sure there’s room for that at

the multinational level that’s all about profits.”

While referring to herself as a traditional publisher,

paying advances and royalties, editing, designing

and marketing – essentially taking on all the risk of

putting a book in the world – Leigh, like so many

small publishers, shares the workload with authors.

“Once publication became a sure thing, it was gruelling

work from there on in,” says Michelle Winters,

who was convinced after four years of sitting in

a variety of slush piles that her novel, I Am a Truck,

would never be published. But when it came time to

promote her work, she played a significant role. “I

had all these visions of what a book tour would be.

With a small publisher, you launch a book in any

town where you know 15 people, that’s how glam it

is. I was comfortable to do the work, and so glad to

be published that I didn’t care.”

Being nominated for the Giller Prize catapulted

Michelle into the world of agents, book deals and

upper-tier publishers – at once hectic, demanding

and amazing. “You go into it understanding you’re

not going to make a lot of money. I have friends who

haven’t broken triple digits with a small press,” says

Michelle. She’s taking advantage of every opportunity

that’s stemmed from the nomination in case they’re

the only ones to come her way. “I’m still not surefooted

with the success. I’ve been mainly focused on

writing, but cramming in some painting and, of

course, still working my regular software job.”

Barely breaking even is a reality for small presses.

But the good news is indie presses are prevailing in

the wake of e-books. There is resistance to the conventional

wisdom that digital everything is the new

normal. Recent studies suggest that the reading public,

especially millennials, aren’t as enamoured with

digital reading as was expected. “There’s a beautiful

renaissance of people in their 20s and 30s starting

up small presses. Not to sell thousands of copies, but

to create a home for new writing,” says Cobourgbased

writer, poet, and editor Stuart Ross. He read

Michelle’s book in its earliest stages and endorsed it

to Leigh, once again proving instrumental in promoting

the publication of debut writers. Pivotal in

Toronto’s small press scene in the 1980s, Stuart is

well-known for wearing a sign around his neck selling

chapbooks – small collections of poetry that are

generally no more than 40 pages – on Yonge Street.

“I sold 7,000 chapbooks over that period, which

is unbelievable to me now. I actually started building

an audience. They were serious and came back

year after year to buy my books,” says Stuart, now

an award-winning author of twenty books of poetry,

fiction and essays. Winning the 2019 Harbourfront

Festival Prize for his contribution to Canadian

literature, Stuart joined company with past recipients

Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood and Michael

Ondaatje. This year he’s celebrating the 40th anniversary

of his micropress, Proper Tales Press, and

publishing his hero, Canada’s former Parliamentary

Poet Laureate George Bowering. “He knows I’m a

great fan…He’s won the Governor General Award

several times and is incredibly established, and he

gave me a chapbook to publish!”

Stuart started out with a post-punk DIY vision

for books as objets d’art. In 1987, he and poet Nich -

olas Power founded the Toronto Small Press Book

Fair, which evolved into The Indie Literary Market

that continues today. Back then, writers – hugely influenced

by pioneering visual poet, jwcurry – wrote

poems on the soles of running shoes and published

scores of thought-provoking pamphlets. “It drove

home to me the importance of micropresses as

laboratories where really experimental things can

be done,” says Stuart, whose extensive publishing

credits include Cobourg writer Allison Chisholm’s

first chapbook and full-length poetry book. “The

real reason to have a chapbook press is because

of the tiny audience, because of its experimental

nature.”

Serving small audiences with niche market books

is the very backbone of regional publishing, a smart

move for the small press. Traditional stories and

histories have considerable cultural impact and

connect people in communities. “Lots of people

write books to the audience in their area and big

publishers won’t go for it, so the independent press

48 | WINTER 2019/2020

“Nobody gets rich in the independent press business. It’s a labour of love. And

most of us don’t know when – or how – to stop.” ORLAND FRENCH

is ensuring a regional public record,” says Orland

French, long-time journalist, author and Watershed

contributor.

Orland has published 25 books about local and

personal history from his home in Belleville under

the imprint Wallbridge House Publishing, including

his own Letters to Vimy (2017) and Wind, Water,

Barley and Wine (2013), a popular read in regular

reprint about the geology of Prince Edward County

and how it affects the region’s development.

Last June, Invisible Publishing released Tanya

Finestone’s book, Don’t Honk Twice: A Prince Edward

County Anthology and 1,500 copies promptly

sold out. Profits were donated to the Prince Edward

Learning Centre, fulfilling another aspect of Invisible’s

mandate: supporting other local nonprofits.

Regional marketing projects are the main focus for

the Ontario Book Publishers Organization (OBPO)

based in Picton. With two-thirds of English Canadian

publishers located in Ontario, Executive Director

Holly Kent says there’s a penchant for local pride

versus province-wide. The OBPO represents the

needs of 48 publishers to government and arts organizations,

but the ultimate goal “is to harness that

local pride and focus on books by county writers,

county publishers, and books set in the county.” By

increasing local advertising, hosting events, and displaying

local books at the Drake Devonshire and

the Belleville Chapters, they saw a spike in sales and

an enthusiastic response from County residents.

At best, most small presses operate from a home

office, and are no stranger to the kitchen table. After

20 years, and at age 75, Orland packed up his small

press last summer. “The trick is in sales and marketing.

Wallbridge House Publishing, while it sounds

lofty, consisted of a couple of computers, printers, a

camera or two, and various odds and ends. The staff

consisted of myself, my wife and the dog,” says Orland.

“Nobody gets rich in the independent press

business. It’s a labour of love. And most of us don’t

know when – or how – to stop.”

For author and publisher Richard Grove, his Hidden

Brook Press in Brighton shows no sign of stopping

despite nearly always being in the red. After 30

years of publishing his own writing, that of friends

and colleagues, and eventually eminent writers like

Don Gutteridge and John B. Lee, Hidden Brook

Press is gaining greater recognition.

“I like the CanLit world. I’m in this for the love of

people and being introduced to quality writing,”

says Richard, whose anthologies offer new writers

the chance to be published. Climbing the literary

ladder is a long process, and small presses can serve

as rungs in that ladder. “It’s quite rewarding,” he says

of authors like Kate Marshall Flaherty and Allan

Briesmaster, “to publish a couple of their books and

next thing they’re published elsewhere with a better

contract.” After three fall releases, including his own

novel, Some Sort of Normal, his biggest undertaking

is next: publishing In a Fragile Moment: A Landscape

of Canadian Poetry, a critical study of 31

Canadian writers.

The publishing world has changed dramatically

WATERSHED 49

with unprecedented access to the market, print-ondemand

services, and digital distribution. While

Hidden Brook Press reaches stores worldwide with

Ingram global distribution, Invisible Publishing

pays Publishers Group Canada and Raincoast Book

Distribution Inc. to do the heavy lifting of reaching

Canadian audiences. Cobourg author and indie

publisher Shane Joseph established Blue Denim

Press in 2011 as a hybrid form of self-publishing

with a collective of authors promoting each other

online and on the road.

“Technology made publishing a democracy. [In

the past] there were only a few ways to get books

into publishing houses and once they had a stable

of writers, they tended to stick to them because they

were tried and true. If you didn’t get noticed, you

were always a commoner,” says Shane, who published

four books last year, including his latest novel

Milltown and the Spirit of the Hills anthology, Hill

Spirits 4. He and fellow authors share the all-consuming

task of marketing by attending readings in

Toronto to gain exposure. “I’m doing this for others

like me struggling to get published. It’s a pseudo

form of publishing where I have my work vetted

and edited by a pool of authors. Our liability is

stamina – not financial.”

Thanks to independent publishers pressing on,

more Canadian stories are being produced into

physical books, folded corners and all. The hardest

thing for small presses is getting authors known to

readers. Seeking out and buying small press books,

and requesting them at libraries, directly supports

Canadian culture, and authors and book producers

earning a wage for their art. “Nobody else is going

to keep our voice and stories alive for us,” says Leigh.

“That’s what small presses do best. As humans,

we’re built to tell stories.”

JANET KELLOUGH

The Untoward Assassin

It wasn’t a matter of whodunit, but who would do

something about it, when prolific Prince Edward

County mystery writer Janet Kellough wasn’t getting

booked at literary festivals. So, she created

Women Killing It, a crime writer’s festival now

three years running, with fellow author Vicki Delaney.

“Crime writers are producing incredible stuff.

Literary festivals will have only one mystery panel

and book the bigger names again and again. We

said, ‘What the heck, we’ll do it ourselves.’”

Known for her Thaddeus Lewis Mystery series set

in 19th century Upper Canada, now at seven books

with The Untoward Assassin, Janet self-published

her first two books in the early 2000s. She feels fortunate

that an agent who came calling proved legitimate.

“It’s a huge boost to confidence to have someone

in your corner. Standing out as self-published is

a challenge. You get a lot of spam offers.”

After producing most of the Thaddeus Lewis series

with indie imprint Dundern Press, she then

started to explore the possibility of writing a speculative

fiction thriller. “That parachuted me into another

world. I went to the Ad Astra sci-fi conference

in Toronto and had a wonderful time. And if you’re

not having fun, why do it?”

LINDA HUTSELL-MANNING

Fearless and Determined: Two Years Teaching

in a One-Room School

Linda Hutsell-Manning didn’t know she could

write, nor that she was dyslexic until she went to

university as a mature student in 1970 and gravitated

to English courses. The teacher of a one-room

school in Hamilton Township from 1963-65 wanted

to continue onto a Master’s degree, but two professors

thought she had talent. “They said, ‘You

don’t want to be an academic. Write fiction.’ They

threw me into the lion’s den of rejections.”

At 41, while raising three children, she started

submitting short fiction to literary magazines,

which were promptly returned. Her children’s

book, Wondrous Tales of Wicked Winston, was rejected

32 times before Annick Press picked it up in

1981. Linda left teaching and published children’s

books for the next 20 years.

When her story about a one-room school begged

to be told, the now 79-year-old interviewed 18 former

students. Her memoir Fearless and Determined:

Two Years Teaching in a One-Room School, was released

in October with Blue Denim Press to an

overwhelming response. Linda shows no sign of

stopping with ongoing poetry and short fiction to

finish. “Oftentimes a character starts talking and

keeps coming back to bother me until I write it

down – because life gets in the way.”

KATIE HOOGENDAM

Courage

Writing longer than she could hold a pencil, Katie

Hoogendam would dictate stories to her mother for

the books they made together. Nowadays, writing

poetry feels necessary for her well-being. Her first

chapbook, mothertongue, was handmade and selfpublished

last year as a fundraiser for her mother’s

medical needs at the time. “The joy was in the

doing, not the selling, and I really didn’t want to

wait six months or six years for somebody else to

deem my work good enough to market.”

Katie shares her writing in varied ways: on the

Spirit of the Hills radio show “Word on the Hills,” at

the Cobourg Poetry Workshop’s “Third Thursday

Series,” and onstage at SOTH’s fall festival with her

10-minute play, Plan X. Raising a family in Cobourg,

she’s known for reading autobiographical stories by

listeners on Northumberland 89.7.FM. “I truly loved

the experience of reading personal stories aloud to

the listening world, from joyous to sorrowful.”

While compiling her second chapbook, Courage,

50 | WINTER 2019/2020

“With a small publisher, you launch a book in any town where you know

15 people. That’s how glam it is.” MICHELLE WINTERS

Katie is writing a young adult novel. “Simply to see

if I can do it. I write in flurries and then let the thing

sit for months on end. My main goal is not perfection,

but rather completion.”

DONNA WOOTTON

What Shirley Missed

Working with small presses is about personal connection

for Port Hope author Donna Wootton.

She’s tried self-publishing, but nothing beats the editorial

guidance that Hidden Brook Press offered

with What Shirley Missed, her new novel about a 61-

year-old woman who never grows up. “It’s way better

to work with an editor and publisher. The first

chapter is always the hardest. It was probably

rewritten a dozen times!”

Although writing is typically considered creative

work and math as logical, for Donna, writing has its

own logic. “A writer makes up their own world and

truths relative to the context of the story.” As a

member of writers’ groups and retreats, Donna receives

valuable feedback. She’s also received support

in processing the recent loss of her husband. “I

thought I’d never write again, but they helped me

write through it.”

Being an author is all-absorbing for Donna. Now

that her husband is gone, she’s having to upkeep

everything he did around the house. “Sometimes

writing can take over and you’re not paying attention

to life around you. It’s a great imposition to

have to be practical. It’s very important to be in

your own world to be creative.”

BRIAN WAY

The Prince of Leroy

Growing up on a farm in Prince Edward County,

Brian Way was writing before he knew how, copying

comic strips from the Toronto Telegram as a kid and

having his parents explain what the “bubbles” were

saying. An avid young reader and writer of comics

and poems, stories abounded in Brian’s home, especially

in an era before electronic media. He’s continued

writing creatively all his life. “Writing for me is

as natural as breathing.”

A celebrated poet and author of diverse works,

Brian’s studies at Queens University and Western

provided the opportunity to read everything from

Beowulf to Purdy, from the metaphysical to contemporary

poetry, plays, novels, essays, diaries, literary

criticism, philosophy, painting, and electronic media.

“Who knew that a world-class poet could and would

someday stride forth from my own backyard!”

Brian’s latest work includes a 4-part book, Bee,

that’s geared to elementary students and was given as

prizes at the Ameliasburgh Fair, and his novel, The

Prince of Leroy, that’s published by Hidden Brook

Press and is becoming a screenplay. His writing encompasses

contemporary, new modernism, magic

realism, and literary fiction. “Attempting to be genuine

– really, that is about all any writer can do.”

WATERSHED 51

52 | WINTER 2019/2020

BEE HOPEFUL

INNOVATION |

Honeybees have a new champion in

the form of a small sensor designed to monitor the health of their hives and

transmit the information directly to the beekeeper

BY JANET DAVIES

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHILIPPE JACQUES

THE TREES ARE TURNING, THE LAKE RESTLESS

AND BEES are hard at work in the fields when I

meet with Marc-André Roberge, CEO of Nectar

Technologies. He’s in Prince Edward County to deliver

material to Sylvain Segard and Wilma

Vreeswijk of Millefleurs Lavender Farm. They are

one of 12 locations, from Quebec to California,

beta-testing Nectar’s remote hive management system

that has the potential to transform global apiculture

– beekeeping.

I asked Marc-André to go slow with me, as I am

not very technical and, in his perfect, somewhat

quirky English, he told me, “Don’t worry. I am not

very technical, either. My partners are the technical

ones.” Marc-André’s passion for bees was ignited

when he was an industrial design student in Montreal,

volunteering at Santropol Roulant Beekeeping

Collective. He recalls, “The first time I looked inside

a hive, I was overwhelmed. So much life, so much

activity.” He learned all about hive management and

how much things have changed in 20 years. “Traditional

beekeeping was always quite simple,” he says.

“You could manage your whole apiary by sampling

hives and taking appropriate action based on past

experience. You would expect and get uniform results.”

Not so today. Beekeepers have to make many

more decisions based on conditions in individual

hives, because the modern world throws so many

more challenges at foraging bees.

“Up to 40 per cent of managed bees die annually,

compared to 15 per cent historically,” says Marc-

André. “It happens all over the world. Climate

change. More monoculture means less biodiversity

and more chemicals, there are new diseases and parasites,

and land development destroys foraging

grounds.” The insect kingdom is in decline, and that

will have a devastating impact on global agriculture.

Humans have kept honeybees for thousands of

years. In the future, we’re going to need them even

more to make up for wild pollinators we are losing.

Marc-André’s end game is to help restore biodiversity

in the world. “We need to disrupt conventional

agriculture and recognize that biodiversity is essential

to feeding our planet,” he says. Right now he

wants to arm beekeepers with twenty-first century

technology to help them manage their bees.

In 2016, a Google-sponsored incubator program

opened his eyes to how technology could help him

protect and nurture his bees. Google believes designers

have not just imagination but a global view

that, combined with technology, can solve global

problems. Its 30 Weeks program brought designers

and start-up tech companies together in hopes of

igniting ideas and forging connections. Marc-André

was inspired. Back in Montreal he pulled together a

collection of kids with multiple degrees from

McGill University, all who shared two nerdy passions

– machine learning and bee keeping. Industrial

designer became entrepreneur and Nectar Technologies

was born. He might not be very technical,

but Marc-André is a hell of a fundraiser. He has

raised over a million dollars for the research and development

his project needed to take flight.

THE SENSOR IN THE HIVE

Now in its sixth generation, Nectar’s remote hive

management system works by placing a small sensor,

a BeeCon, in each hive to gather data including

temperature, humidity, weight, even the location

which will show if a hive is being moved because,

yes, hive stealing is a thing. The presence of a queen

bee affects many of these conditions, so the BeeCon

will detect if she’s there. It’s unobtrusive, the bees

pretty much ignore it, other than to daub it with

wax, as they will any foreign object. Marc designed

the casing and concedes it could be any shape. “But

a hexagon speaks to the collective imagination. People

see it and think bees.”

Data is gathered at 15-minute intervals and, using

local cellular service, is transmitted via Bluetooth to

a nearby BeeHub. From there it is sent to an online

server, the famous cloud, where artificial intelligence

and algorithms kick in to analyze the data

and return it to beekeepers, via their cellphones. It’s

like getting a text message from the bees. “I wanted

to find a way for my bees to tell me what’s going on

in the hive, instead of having to visit each one,” says

Marc-André. He believed technology could enable a

dialogue with bees, and Nectar has done it: given

bees a voice. Armed with the information, beekeepers

can focus on hives that need them and turn up

ready to deal with the issues identified, saving time,

money and, hopefully, bees.

WATERSHED 53

“The first time

I looked inside

a hive, I was

overwhelmed.

So much life, so

much activity.”

Marc-andré roberge

NECTAR IN ONTARIO

I asked Marc-André why Nectar chose Prince Edward

County as one of only two Ontario locations.

(The other is Cold Creek Apiary in nearby

Brighton.) “Good question,” he laughs. “It’s not in

our target market of large scale operations. But the

people here were among the first to believe in us,

and that made a big difference.” The County-based

Upper Canada Equity Fund invested in Nectar early

on as part of its mission to fund innovative startups,

particularly knowledge-based, that will contribute

to rural life and opportunities. “It was not

just money,” he says. “They and Prince Edward

County Lennox and Addington Community Futures

Development Corporation (PELA CFDC) are

very supportive and introduced us to beekeepers

and many others who are interested in what we are

doing.” He cocks his head to one side and smiles.

“And Prince Edward County is so beautiful. We like

to come here.” They hope to open an apiary lab in

the County to continue their research.

WHAT’S NEXT

Earlier this year, Marc-André and two partners

drove 10,000 km from Montreal to Seattle to deliver

BeeCons and BeeHubs to testers. “We could have

shipped them, but we wanted to meet everyone and

make it personal. We stayed at people’s homes, met

other beekeepers which was very valuable and had a

lot of fun.” The testers are vitally important to product

development. “They have all been very helpful

and patient. We have done many replacements and

tweaks to equipment because we must get it absolutely

right for the end users, so anything they tell

us about their experience is important.”

The hardware is ready and Nectar’s public launch

is next year. From Millefleur’s 70 hives dotted around

the County to the Alberta operation with 30,000

hives, the testers have proven the system’s value in

honeybee management and the potential return on

investment. Now Nectar must encourage people to

change the way they do things. “It has to be easy to

adopt as a management tool, seamless and easy,” he

says. There is already international interest from avocado

and almond producers and investors, too.

Marc-André, a man who passionately loves bees,

rather shocked me when he said, “Honeybees are

livestock.” I’d never thought of them that way, but

he’s right. We can’t manage wild insects, but we can

manage honeybees – feed them, treat diseases, rebuild

colonies, replace queens.

The health of honeybees is an indicator of the

health of the wider ecosystem, so Nectar’s data

gathering system, with its artificial intelligence and

algorithms and text messages from bees, could contribute

to the future of the insect world. If Nectar’s

end game is saving the planet, we support them and

wish them luck.

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54 | WINTER 2019/2020

FIELD NOTES |

FEEDERS ARE READY,

BUT WHO WILL WE SEE?

BY TERRY SPRAGUE

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN VIEIRA

are awaiting the arrival of cheery cold-season visitors

to their feeders. Food supply in the wild – locally

and elsewhere – is the major factor that determines

which birds we will see outside our windows.

Across Watershed country, bushes and trees are

sagging beneath the weight of seeds and fruit. It has

been a productive season and wintering birds will

be pleased. But how will this bountiful harvest

translate into visitors to our backyards? Birds spend

only 20 per cent of their time at feeders. The balance

is spent foraging for food in the wild. Feeders

are a convenience, one of many stops during the

course of a day. The question is, if there is plenty of

food in the wild, will local birds even bother to pay

attention to our carefully prepared fare?

Don’t worry. The resident birds – blue jays, chickadees,

juncos and nuthatches – should continue to

patronize our feeders as they have done every year.

Old habitats among our resident birds are hard to

break. But there may be fewer of them that take

advantage of the abundance of food in the wild, but

they’ll come.

More difficult to predict is the winter arrival of the

northern finches, a family that includes pine grosbeaks,

common redpolls, white-winged and red

crossbills and pine siskins. These species breed in the

boreal forests of Ontario and only migrate south

when their natural larders become bare. This is when

the northern finches find our bird feeders in a movement

known to birders as an ‘irruption.’ When they

arrive, they gorge themselves on a supply of natural

and human-supplied seed that never seems to end.

Birder extraordinaire Ron Pittaway of Minden

has been studying finch movement for more than

20 years. Ever year, he predicts which northern bird

species we should expect to see in our area and at

our feeders, basing his predictions on his intimate

knowledge and understanding of the preferred

wild foods of each species, and the abundance of

that crop. If any single crop or food supply has

crashed in the north, the species that depends on

Thrasher

that crop, may show up here.

Ron’s findings for this year conclude there will

not be an irruption of winter finches to our area.

Most winter finches will stay in the north thanks

to abundant spruce cone crops across the boreal

forests in Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland.

This year’s conifer, birch and other seed crops are

plentiful to excellent in much of the northeast. The

odd boreal straggler may appear south, but not the

droves of finches that we have seen some winters.

Don’t worry. If the northern finches don’t come

to our area, there will still be lots of colour provided

by the blue jays, cardinals and woodpeckers, along

with the soft browns of mourning doves and American

tree sparrows.

Our feeders are poised and ready.

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WATERSHED 55

GIFTS

WITH A CONSERVATION LEGACY

Land trusts not only provide a means for landowners to ensure their properties are

protected for future generations, they also come with tax benefits

BY NORM WAGENAAR

IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN A GIFT THAT

TRULY KEEPS ON GIVING, consider a donation

of land to a local land trust or other conservation

organization.

That’s crazy, you say. No one would do that.

There you’d be wrong. A quick tally of donations

of lands and conservation easements listed

on Watershed country land trust web sites

totals more than 1,100 acres on a dozen different

properties, from Bethany east to Hastings,

the Oak Ridges Moraine south to the shores of

Lake Ontario.

So who gives land, and why?

One reason is purely monetary. For a donor

in the right income bracket, a land gift can provide

a tax receipt easily in the six-figure range,

which can be carried forward for 10 years. But a

look at some of the back-stories behind local

donations suggests motivations that have more

to do with land stewardship than tax strategies.

Among the lands donated to the Lone Pine

Land Trust is the 76 acre Munn Tract, located

about a kilometre east of Codrington. When

the Munn family bought the land in the early

seventies much of it was unforested and damaged

by overgrazing. Over the next 30 years the

family planted nearly 100,000 trees, matching

tree species with the soil qualities of each site.

As a result, the property contains a variety of

forest habitats including red oak, red pine,

white pine and spruce, all of which are being

managed to encourage progression to mixed

forest. About one quarter of the property consists

of climax hardwood forest while its lower

regions feature large cedars and springs forming

the headwaters of Marsh and Salt Creeks. A

meadow area near the property entrance provides

habitat for grassland birds and mammals.

The late Cora Munn and her family donated

the land in November 2011; it was Cora’s vision

that the property be maintained as a wildlife reserve

in perpetuity. But you don’t need to make

an outright gift of land, if you have a property

with natural values you’d like to see protected.

56 | WINTER 2019/2020

HABITAT |

Giving away land for conservation purposes is clearly not something

anyone does on a whim. It’s a process which takes time…

Readers with long memories may recall that in the

spring of 2007 we visited Ralph McKim’s 260 acre

Bethany-area property, which includes springs that

feed the headwaters of Fleetwood Creek. That Watershed

story focussed on the Oak Ridges moraine

and how its protection benefits local ecosystems.

Four years later, Ralph and his wife Jean Garsonnin

added to the protection already offered through

the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act by working

with the Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) to put a conservation

easement on the property. A conservation

easement allows owners to sell their lands, but with

restrictions on activities that new owners are legally

obligated to meet. Kawartha Land Trust is responsible

for overseeing the conditions of the easement

and must monitor the property at least once a year.

Ralph McKim’s story with the property, named

Ballyduff Trails after a hamlet that existed nearby,

begins with its purchase in 1986. But he credits his

awareness of its natural values to a geographer and

a biologist who lived there while Ralph and his wife

were working in Africa. “They made us aware of the

ecological wealth of the property…and of the responsibility

we had unknowingly undertaken, to

protect it. In a sense, they gave us new eyes – a new

vision. On our return to Canada they helped us

plan and implement our forest management, develop

our trails and begin to build our prairie – in effect,

become responsible stewards.”

As for why he chose further protection on a property

already protected by a provincial Act, Ralph

McKim says “Our concern was, and is, that a change

in government can result in a change of values, policies

and legislation. We wanted to protect our property

from any such regression. Short of expropriation,

we think we have achieved this.”

Not just any property can qualify as an Ecological

Gift. Generally speaking, properties that qualify are

those that can contribute to the conservation of

Canada’s biodiversity and environmental heritage.

Ontario has a very specific list of criteria that includes

habitat for at-risk species, provincially significant

wetlands, areas next to parks, and areas protected

for their natural values under the Oak Ridges

Moraine Conservation Plan.

If you’re interested in pursuing a gift of property

or a conservation easement, and you think your

lands might qualify, your first step would be to contact

a local land trust or a conservation authority,

which can also accept land gifts and issue charitable

receipts. The Ecological Gifts program has a list of

eligible recipients on its web site.

Next steps would include working with your chosen

gift recipient to fill out an application and

arrange an appraisal of the value of your gift. In the

case of an outright donation, known as ‘fee-simple’

in land donation jargon, this will be based on its

current real estate value. If you were to go with a

conservation easement, the value of your gift – in a

process known as ‘split receipting’ – would be determined

by the difference in its market value before

and after the conservation easement.

One of the factors involved in split receipting is

the ongoing cost to the recipient. Ralph McKim

notes that Kawartha Land Trust (KLT), where he’s a

trustee, seeks a contribution to an endowment fund

which provides funds for monitoring and stewardship

activities. “The first ‘ask’ for the contribution is

to the donor. If the donor is unable to make the

contribution, KLT may seek to raise the funds, especially

if the property is of high ecological value.”

Giving away land for conservation purposes is

clearly not something anyone does on a whim. It’s

a process which takes time; it seems reasonable to

say that if you made a decision to make such a gift

this Christmas, you might spend much of 2020

working out details. But since the Ecological Gifts

program began in the mid-90s, literally thousands

of Canadians have made these gifts to the future,

helping to support natural systems that ultimately

support us all.

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WATERSHED 57

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A N A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E

58 | WINTER 2019/2020

CULTURAL CURRENTS |

p o r t r a i t o f a n a r t i s t

emebet belete

“MOVING FORWARD” IS THE APTLY NAMED,

current series of acrylic paintings by Emebet Belete. In

BY KATHRYN MACDONALD

them, we view each subject from the back. In some

paintings, the hair is covered by a gauzy netela or

shawl. In others, it is braided with beads or tied in the

colours of Ethiopia. Occasionally, we glimpse a slight

profile, maybe a cheek. According to the artist, “We

don’t need to see the faces. We are all people. We are all

the same, all moving forward.” The paintings are uncluttered,

and this is the way Emebet wants them. She

hopes that the blocks of colour within gentle shapes

will lead us to pause and contemplate.

Emebet’s interests in culture and people inhabit her

paintings and are grounded in her life experiences. Her

philosophy lives in her art. She thinks positively about

culture and change. As the writer Virginia Woolf famously

wrote: “A self that goes on changing is a self

that goes on living.” There have been many changes

along Emebet’s path. She is now settled in Belleville

where she teaches and has a studio to explore the interconnectedness

of memory and living.

WATERSHED 59

60 WINTER 2019/2020

BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE |

friendship

on a frozen lake

What does it take to persuade a group of men to spend a freezing

afternoon on a windswept lake staring down a fishing hole? Apparently a couple of text

messages and the promise of fresh fish, cooked and enjoyed al fresco.

Or should that be ‘al freezo?’.

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHNNY C.Y. LAM

IF YOU’RE READING THIS STORY BY A ROARING FIRE, you may shake your head

and wonder why anyone in their right mind would go fishing on a frozen lake in -20˚C

temperatures. In part the answer is that the Bay of Quinte is as good as it gets for

catching walleye, yellow and white perch, large and smallmouth bass, northern pike,

whitefish, and crappie. But it’s also about camaraderie which, they say, is best expressed

under harsh and difficult conditions. Ice fishing fits those conditions perfectly. It’s about

being together, helping one another, and sharing – a story, a joke, a steaming cup of

WATERSHED 61

62 WINTER 2019/2020

Setting up our tents with the wind whipping across

the ice was a challenge. It took all of us, each holding a corner while screwing

down a peg, to secure our shelters.

coffee or, if you’re lucky, a toasty fish-on-a-bun in

the middle of a frozen lake.

My most recent ice fishing excursion started with

a text message from my friend, Kyle Otsuka: The

conditions look perfect for tomorrow boys! That text

set off a flurry of messages, each ping confirming

who was in and what they could bring along. I just

got a brand new gas-powered auger that I’ve been

dying to use, texted Dustin Coldicott. I’m in too but

I don’t have any gear, messaged Albert Ponzo. Another

friend, Neil Dowson, came in on the thread:

I’ll bring things for fish-on-a-bun in case we catch

something.

I smiled to myself. I would be in pretty good

company – three of my fellow fishermen work in

the food and hospitality business and the other is

an outdoorsman. Neil is a professional chef who

once cooked for the Queen. He moved here from

England seven years ago and is now the executive

chef at Midtown Brewery in Wellington. He admits

the winter takes a fair bit of getting used to but he’s

embraced the Canadian lifestyle. It didn’t take him

long to recognize that the Bay of Quinte is home to

world-class fishing in the summer and the winter.

Albert is the executive chef at Picton’s Royal Hotel,

Kyle is co-owner of Zest Kitchen Shop and Dustin

is an all-round outdoorsman. Yup, pretty good

company...

We set out on one of the coldest days in February

– so cold my eyes watered in the outside air and

tears froze on my lashes. But the sun was shining.

We packed up our gear – tents, stoves, heaters,

chairs, bait, food, drinks, fishing gear, camera equipment,

sub-zero clothing and cooking supplies –

after all, there were three chefs among us. We even

packed a table. All of our supplies fit inside two

sleds which we pulled behind us.

The wind chill was brutal as we dragged the two

heavy sleds a kilometre north on the snow-covered

lake. Occasionally, we came across patches of clear

ice where we could see into the dark abyss under

our feet. White air pockets in organic shapes appeared

trapped in frozen time capsules; large crack

lines made geometric patterns in the ice.

Setting up our tents with the wind whipping

across the ice was a challenge. It took all of us, each

holding a corner while screwing down a peg, to secure

our shelters.

“Thank goodness you brought the gas-powered

auger, Dustin. Otherwise, we’d have had to drill

each hole by hand and sweated through our clothes

doing it,” said Kyle with a smile. That day the ice

was 50 centimetres thick, a tough task for a hand

auger.

Once our holes were drilled and we had settled

inside the tents out of the wind, we warmed up with

the help of propane heaters and our combined body

heat. We each had our mise en place and a hole of

our own to drop our lines into. We shared stories

and jokes but at times we were quiet, sitting with

our own thoughts as the frozen lake burped and

cracked. But the fish weren’t biting.

After a few hours, Neil popped his head in our

tent. “Hungry gents?” he asked with a smile. He

then pulled out a bag of frozen walleye fillets from

his knapsack. Kyle brought out a brand new cast

iron pan. “Let’s put this thing to the test!” he said,

firing up the multi-fuel cook stove. The walleye sizzled

in hot butter for ten minutes. Neil produced

some fresh brioche, chopped lettuce and his homemade

tartar sauce.

“This is incredible Neil… The tartar sauce is

insane!” said Albert – high compliments from a

discerning chef.

For the rest of that afternoon leading up to sunset,

we ate, laughed and stared into our fishing holes

patiently. Suddenly, I heard a scream from the other

tent. “Fish on!” It was Dustin, who caught the one

and only fish that day – a bite-size walleye.

opposite page clockwise from top left: Kyle Otsuka; Dustin

Coldicott; Neil Dowson; Kyle Otsuka and Albert Ponzo; Neil

Dowson; filleting the catch of the day; Kyle Otsuka

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WATERSHED 63

A N A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

A SHOWCASE OF FINE HOMES

WATERFRONT

WATERFRONT

BELLE LEA ACRES

CUSTOM HOME

203 LAKESHORE RD.,

GRAFTON

$2,590,000 MLS 179646

11 PEBBLE BEACH DR.,

COBOURG

$2,390,000 MLS 222237

9544 HOTSELL RD.,

BALTIMORE

$1,849,000 MLS 222774

1366 ONTARIO ST.,

COBOURG

$1,250,000 MLS 214417

EXECUTIVE MANOR

THE CITADEL

VINTAGE ABODE

ORIGINAL CANADIANA

225 BOYLE RD.,

GRAFTON

$1,199,000 MLS 203712

201 DIVISION ST.,

COBOURG

$1,150,000 MLS 168507

22 WARD ST. ,

PORT HOPE

$899,900 MLS 217359

154 ONTARIO ST.,

COBOURG

$789,000 MLS 226564

VICTORIAN BEAUTY

2 ACRES & STREAM

SOLD

PENTHOUSE

67 KING ST. E.,

COLBORNE

$785,900 MLS 220043

9119 DALE RD.,

COBOURG

$779,000 MLS 223717

64 ELLEN ST.,

PORT HOPE

MLS 222068

6D-130 QUEEN ST.,

COBOURG

$745,000 MLS 228953

Tony Pulla...Realtor Since 1970

Want it sold? Want your price? Want peace of mind?

HIRE PULLA...WHAT YOU WANT IS WHAT YOU GET.

FOR LEGENDARY RESULTS HIRE PULLA

tony@pulla.ca . 905.373.1980 . www.pulla.ca

*Based on MLS statistics of the Cobourg-Port Hope Real Estate Board/Northumberland Hills Association of Realtors® (1995-2018)

64 | WINTER 2019/2020

A N A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

A SHOWCASE OF FINE HOMES

COUNTRY BUNGALOW

HERITAGE GEM

SOLD

WATERFRONT LOT INCL.

880 DINGMAN RD.,

CASTLETON

859 LAKESHORE RD.,

GRAFTON

758 DAINTRY CRES.,

COBOURG

307 LAKEBREEZE DR.,

ROASENEATH LANDING

$659,000 MLS 213910

$579,900 MLS 164392

MLS 220106

$559,000 MLS 218660

EXECUTIVE HOME

ON RAVINE LOT

VINTAGE GEM

LARGE FAMILY HOME

957 FREI ST.,

COBOURG

$555,000 MLS 228811

19B PARK ST. E.,

COLBORNE

$549,000 MLS 200980

197 DURHAM ST.,

COBOURG

$545,900 MLS 223309

220 OLD SHELTER VALLEY RD.,

GRAFTON

$519,000 MLS 207429

WESTPARK VILLAGE

1874 SCHOOL HOUSE

PERFECT FAMILY HOME

LOCATION, LOCATION

818 LESLIE ST.,

COBOURG

714 DUDLEY RD.,

HALDIMAND TWP

460 WESTWOOD DR.,

COBOURG

422 COTTESMORE AVE.,

COBOURG

$459,000 MLS 228762

$469,000 MLS 202695

$434,900 205184

$439,000 MLS 221671

Lakeshore Realty Inc.

BROKERAGE – EACH OFFICE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED

THE PULLA TEAM

Northumberland County’s

Leading Real Estate Sales

Team for the past 24 years*

Tony Pulla

Broker

tony@pulla.ca

Jan Rosamond

Sales Representative

rosamond@pulla.ca

Jill Williams


jill@pulla.ca

Nikki Pulla

Administrative Assistant

pullaoffice@pulla.ca

1011 Elgin Street W., Cobourg . Direct Line 905.373.1980 . Office 905.373.7653

*Based on MLS statistics of the Cobourg-Port Hope Real Estate Board/Northumberland Hills Association of Realtors® (1995-2018)

WATERSHED 65

LIVE WHERE YOU

LOVE TO VISIT

DREAMS BECOME A REALITY

MILLION DOLLAR VIEW

Perched high atop the escarpment overlooking

Adolphus Reach, this 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom

executive bungalow offers stunning views and

magnificent sunsets. Situated on 7 acres of land

and nestled among trees, this property offers the

natural beauty Prince Edward County is known

for in abundance.

ELEGANCE ON THE WATER

Nestled among trees and boasting a splendid view

of the Bay of Quinte, the “Summerhouse” is a

truly beautiful property located between Belleville

and Trenton. The bright interior offers classic appointments

with luxurious flair. Both bedrooms

have ensuites and the water sparkles with southern

exposure.

$999,000 MLS 222904 $995,000 MLS 221469

THE HAYLOFT DANCEHALL EST. 1967.

COTTAGE & WATERFRONT

The Hayloft Dancehall is an iconic Prince

Edward County property, est. 1967. This 2.2

acre property comes complete alongside a board

and batten, 4 season cottage with upper and

lower decks. A little slice of waterfront magic

with beautiful views of Sandbanks’ famous

Outlet beach, and sunsets that promise to never

get old! This live music venue has been host to

many popular Canadian musicians, dance parties,

and unforgettable weddings.

$989,000 MLS 228422 & 228436

IMMACULATE CENTURY HOME.

CIRCA 1914

“The Magnolia House”, due to the famous front

yard yearly spectacle! This century home has

been loved and cared for meticulously. Much of

the original charm still beaming through, like

stain glass windows, cedar-lined closets, side sunroom

for afternoon reading, red brick exterior,

and a “rock” solid foundation. All the important

updates have been done top to bottom. Newer

cork flooring blends perfectly with original

Hardwood floors.

$669,000 MLS 220205

104 Main Street Picton

T: 613.476.2700 | TF: 877.476.0096

pictonhomes.com

Live Where You Love To Visit

Trademarks owned or controlled by the Canadian Real Estate Association. Used under licence.

Elizabeth Crombie Suzanne White*

*Sales Representative and Licensed Assistant to Elizabeth Crombie, Sales Representative

Erin Lynn Lachance


Century21 Lanthorn

Real Estate Ltd.

613.476.2100

613.668.3386

erinlynn.lachance@century21.ca

www.pictonhomes.com

century21.ca/erinlynn.lachance

AN EXQUISITE WATERFRONT ESTATE

107 STEWART RD., BRIGHTON

Designed by Jack Arnold, the Magnifique model

from his luxury Country French Classic collection

provides unmatched authenticity, quality & sophisticated

style. With fine finishes & attention to

EVERY detail both inside & out, settle into this gracious

4 bedroom, 3 bath resort-style, stone estate set

on 2.83 acres with 53 feet of waterfront, dock & lagoon

style in ground pool. A two-storey great room

offers a profound feeling of coziness w/ its wood

burning FP & tranquil views of the shoreline while

the spacious, custom designed kitchen w/ SS appliances,

Babinga wood dining table & b/i computer

station offers access to the pool, MF laundry & att.

garage. The master retreat feats. a spa-esque 5 piece

ensuite w/an elegant egg tub, walk-in closet, water

views & w/o to the patio. Arched african mahogany

french doors lead to the den on a quiet night while

your family embraces the space on the 2nd level.

Such a distinctive offering rarely presents itselfplease

contact for full feature list!

Sydney Fairman, B.A.


Re/Max Lakeshore Realty

Inc. Brokerage

1011 Elgin St. W

Cobourg, ON K9A 5J4

office 905.373.7653

direct 905.396.8600

sydney@sydneysells.com

$1,465,000 MLS 201403

For more information visit us at www.sydneysells.com

66 | WINTER 2019/2020

REDEFINING LUXURY REAL ESTATE

SOLD

100 LAKEHURST STREET, BRIGHTON – Introducing Lakehurst

House, a custom-designed bungalow on the shores of Lake Ontario.

This Award-winning custom-designed Tobey home is a

contemporary masterpiece. Featuring 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms,

and over 100 feet of sandy beach waterfront just steps away from

Presque’ile Park!

$950,000 MLS 226371

35 HAVELOCK STREET, COBOURG – Featured in both Apartment

Therapy and HGTV Canada, this 3+1 Jackson style

charmer with sun-soaked sitting and living rooms on the main

floor is perfectly located on a quiet street, across from a park. Just

a six-minute walk to the VIA train station (in heels) and a fiveminute

walk to the beach (in flip flops)!

$524,900 MLS 227287

2909 STU BLACK ROAD, HAMILTON TOWNSHIP – The picturesque

fields and rolling hills of Northumberland are the backdrops

for this exquisitely designed home. Elegant and sophisticated, this

modern bungalow offers over 3,500 square feet of living space. Featuring

4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a fully finishedwalkout lower

level. Minutes from Dalewood Golf & Country Club.

$890,000 MLS 221153

120 HARDEN DRIVE, GRAFTON – Lush forest & nature are the

backdrops for this exquisitely designed Stalwood built home. Elegant

& sophisticated, the open floor plan offers a great room with

vaulted ceilings and natural gas fireplace. Featuring 3 bedrooms,

2 baths and a fully finished basement. Minutes to the 401 this

home is ideally located for commuters looking for the Country life.

$699,900 MLS 218929

426 LAKESHORE ROAD, PORT HOPE – Inspired design & architecture

meet gracious comfort in perfect union in this Lakeside

Village bungaloft. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a

fully finished lower level. With views of Lake Ontario, and just

steps away from Port Hope Golf & Country Club, and Historic

Downtown, close to everything, yet in a world all your own.

$829,000 MLS 216263

10858 THIRD LINE, ROSENEATH – This spectacular Cape Cod

Country Estate is surrounded by 47 acres of vast land & countryside.

Featuring 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and a finished lower

level. Outside you'll find an I/G pool, barn with paddock, & a

massive shop perfect for your at-home business or to store all

the toys.

$1,190,000 MLS 215962

317 ACADEMY HILL ROAD, GRAFTON – 86 acres of the most captivating

views of Northumberland's rolling hills and countryside.

The expansive yet cozy bungalow is the epitome of casual elegance. 4

bedrooms 2 bathrooms, and finished lower level. Just minutes from

the 401, Grafton, & the renowned Ste Annes Spa, this home would

make the ideal country getaway or luxury rental retreat!

$995,000 MLS 213913

9869 COMMUNITY CENTRE ROAD, BALTIMORE –Enjoy

country living in a private, rural setting with a sophisticated,

warm contemporary home, only minutes to Cobourg & the 401,

featuring 4 bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a fully finished walkout

lower level. Around the bend from Northumberland Heights

Spa, hiking trails, and Baltimore arena.

$672,000 MLS 228829

710 ELMER HUTTON – Elegant bungalow in the sought after exclusive

community of New Amherst. This recently renovated

home features 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a rare to be found,

fully finished lower level offering ample space for guests! Located

just seconds from the 401 in Cobourg's popular west end, this

home is what luxury livng is all about.

$619,000 MLS 228680

For more information visit

www.JacquelinePennington.com

t 905.372.2552

c 905.375.0062

Re/Max Rouge River Realty

WATERSHED 67

GARDEN TOWNHOUSE FLATS

IN NEW AMHERST VILLAGE

NEW AMHERST

H O M E S

Small Town

Living At

Its Best!

Visit our sales office at

950 New Amherst Blvd.

Cobourg, Ontario

sales@newamherst.com

starting at

$424,900

INCLUDES PREMIUM PACKAGE VALUED AT $100,000

These one level, freehold townhomes offer 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and

include: air conditioning, in-floor heating, 12’ ceilings, oversized windows &

doors, vinyl plank flooring, premium siding, covered deck, 500 sq.ft. of attic

space, paved parking. End units include a detached double car garage with

an additional 660 sq.ft. of finished living space.

90 DAY

CLOSING

AVAILABLE

Limited Inventory

For more information visit us at

www.newamhersthomes.com or call 1.866.528.9618

COUNTRY LIVING AT IT'S BEST!

CASTLETON – 1890's Italianate Home. Original character, 6-8 Bedroom, soaring 12

foot ceilings, formal living/dining room, bar, main floor laundry, sun room, eat in

kitchen, fenced yard, free high speed internet, private drive.

$275,000 MLS 215459

SOLD

BALTIMORE – Spectacular, modern, custom built 2 bedroom home, set atop the

rolling hills Northumberland is loved for. Brilliant view! Pond. Acreage. Views from

every room and decks to take in the beauty of each season.

EXCLUSIVE LISTING

Kimberley

Spencer


t 416.616.1499

o 416.698.2090

Real Estate

Homeward

Brokerage

BAILIEBORO – RICE LAKE – Waterfront. One of the most dramatic, panoramic lake

views you will find. 12 acres of sugar bush, 60 acres workable, 30' pond, artesian springs,

2 homes, 101.89.

MLS X4320357

BALTIMORE – 112 acres on Fabulous Hickerson Road. Sandy bottomed stream,

mixed forest, 45 acres workable. Scenic, rolling and you can’t beat the neighbourhood!

$499,000 MLS 210323

visit SpencerandGreene.com or email SpencerandGreene@gmail.com

Living and Selling

Northumberland

for over 20 years.

68 | WINTER 2019/2020

TRUST . INTEGRITY . KNOWLEDGE . DISCRETION

Look to our professionals in Northumberland for astute advice,

expert opinions and reliable service. We go the ‘extra mile’.

Dee McGee


Port Hope 905.800.0321

mail@mcgees.ca

www.mcgees.ca

Tina Hubicki


905.800.0321

tinahubicki@chestnutpark.com

www.tinahubicki.ca

Fionna Barrington


Office 905.800.0321

fionna@chestnutpark.com

www.fionnabarrington.com

Real Estate Limited, Brokerage

Experience with a fresh approach

WATERSHED 69

HOME IS WHERE OUR STORY BEGINS

SOUTH ROAD, NORTH FRONTENAC, MINKTRACK LAKE & LITTLE MINK LAKE

Let your imagination run wild with this remarkable 105 acre Waterfront property, with lots of development

potential. Frontage on 2 Lakes - Little Mink Lake (approximately 40 acres in size) and Minktrack

Lake (spring feed clean clear lake that reaches 90-100 feet depths and is over 100 acres in size -

with stunning frontage and great fishing) both lakes allow motorized boats! Deeded right of way to

the property, over 3 km of roads/trails throughout makes it easy to view!

$499,900 MLS 224690

1042 SMART ROAD, CLOYNE, MAZINAW LAKE

Picture your days on the Magnificent Mazinaw Lake in this updated stunning home! Premiere Crystal

Clean lake with amazing boating, swimming, fishing and the Iconic Bon Echo Provincial Park with

beautiful sand beaches! This property offers convenient road access, unlimited possibilities to just relax

and unwind at the cottage or to live full time and create a home based business! Gently sloping lawn to

a beautiful sand bar - great for kids of all ages! Conveniently located close to LOTS of amenities.

$649,900 MLS 232253

613.969.7629

dianacassidybush.com

dianacb@royallepage.ca

BROKERAGE

INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

Once upon a time...

In the most beautiful of lands was a community steeped with rich history offering a tapestry

of diverse agriculture, fine food, wine, arts and a sense of well being.

We offer our Buyers: Complimentary STAY & SEARCH Program

We offer our Sellers: Complimentary Exclusive Design & Staging Services,

Professional Photography & Videography, Moving & Packing Kit

Aleks Ninkovic


613.790.7676

Dale Chapman


613.813.7676

Call the County Home

@thecountyguys | info@thecountyguys.com

70 | WINTER 2019/2020

A CURATED COLLECTION |

A Day in Winter

B e d r o s A s l a n i a n

Watershed Magazine has partnered with two of our region’s most

valuable cultural assets – The John M. Parrott Gallery in Belleville and

the Art Gallery of Northumberland (AGN) in Cobourg – to highlight select

works from their permanent collections.

BEDROS ASLANIAN WAS BORN IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT IN 1937

and divides his time between Greece and Montreal. He paints and records

places that have had an impact on him – the narrow streets of the Greek

Islands as well as the vast landscapes of Quebec. His work is shown and

collected internationally throughout Canada, the United States, Europe

and Japan. The Parrott Gallery is home to his painting, A Day in the Winter,

which was a gift from the artist after his exhibition in December 1994.

“I feel that this is an important piece to our collection because it is typical

of this artist and very aptly represents the style and accomplishment of his

work. His palette is expertly blended with influences both from the

Mediterranean and his new home in Canada.” John M. Parrott Art Gallery

Curator, Susan Holland.

The John M. Parrott Art Gallery is a cultural hub for Belleville and the Quinte

region, providing an exhibition space for local, national and international artists.

WATERSHED 71

WATERSHEDDINGS

YOUR REGIONAL EVENT GUIDE

To submit your event listing visit Area Events on our website www.watershedmagazine.com | ILLUSTRATIONS BY JANE KESSLER

ART GALLERIES

ANDREW CSAFORDI STUDIO – 54 Wilson Rd.

Bloomfield. Email andrew@andrewcsafordi.com or call

613-393-1572.

ART GALLERY OF NORTHUMBERLAND – Victoria

Hall, 3rd floor, 55 King St. W. Cobourg. Call 905-372-

0333 or visit artgalleryofnorthumberland.com.

UNTIL JAN. 5 – PINK FIELD, BLUE FOG – Torontobased

artist, Amanda McCavour, works with stitch to

create large-scale embroidered installations.

ARTS ON MAIN GALLERY – 223 Main St. Picton.

Gallery will be closed Jan. 27 – Mar. 4. Call 613-476-

5665 or visit artsonmaingallery.ca.

BÄRBEL SMITH GALLERY – 16 Robertson St. Colborne.

Call 289-251-2363 or visit barbelsmith.com.

BELLEVILLE ART ASSOCIATION – Studio and

Gallery. 208 Front St. Belleville. Call 613-968-8632 or

visit bellevilleart.ca.

GALLERY ONE-TWENTY-ONE – 48 Bridge St. E.

Belleville. For more information call 613-962-4609 or

visit gallery121artists.com.

JOHN M. PARROTT ART GALLERY – 254 Pinnacle

St. Belleville. Visit bellevillelibrary.com or call 613-968-

6731 ext. 2240.

DEC. 5 – JAN. 2 – THE FABRIC OF THE LAND –

Fibre, paint and mixed media artist Joan Reive. Also

“Wonderful World of Whimsy”, by artists Juliann

Eckert and Margaret Ruttan.

DEC. 14 – CHRISTMAS CONCERT – Featuring the

Carpe Diem String Ensemble. 2:30-3:30pm.

JAN. 9 – FEB. 13 – INHERITANCE – Installation work

by artist Kimberly Tucker. Also “Captain Albert and

the Chronicles of Edenia”, comic book art and storytelling

of Blas Villagomez. Opening reception for both

shows Jan. 9. 6-7:30pm.

FEB. 20 – MAR. 25 – JURIED SHOW – East Central Ontario

Art Association. Opening reception Feb. 20. 6-

7:30pm.

KAWARTHA ARTISTS’ GALLERY – 201 McDonnel

St. Peterborough. For details visit kawarthaartists.org

or call 705-741-2817.

META4 – 200 Queen St. Port Perry. Call 905-985-

1534 or visit meta4gallery.ca.

NORTHUMBERLAND ARTS GALLERY – 8 Queen St.

Port Hope. An exciting variety of work of local craftspeople

and a great place to find special gifts for special

people. Visit northumberlandarts897.ca.

OENO GALLERY – 2274 Cty. Rd. 1 Bloomfield. Call

613-393-2216 or visit oenogallery.com.

SCUGOG COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS – 181 Perry St.

Port Perry. Visit scugogarts.ca or call 905-982-2121.

STIRLING LIBRARY ART GALLERY – 43 West Front

St. Stirling. For more information call 613-395-2837

or visit stirlinglibrary.com.

UNTIL JAN. 18 – THIS IS ME! – Featuring artist Bob

McIntosh of Stirling, and blown glass artist Mark Armstrong

of Wellington adorning the gallery windows.

FEB. 4 – MAR. 28 – FAMILY TRADITIONS – Featuring

the talented Gibson family. Highlighting acrylic,

abstract/multi-media and watercolour paintings, pencil

drawings and photography. Opening reception Feb.

8. 1-3pm. All welcome.

THE ARTS QUINTE WEST GALLERY – 84 Dundas St.

W. Trenton. Call 613-392-7635 or visit artsquintewest.ca.

THE COLBORNE ART GALLERY – 51 King St. E. Colborne.

For more information call 905-355-1798 or

visit thecolborneartgallery.ca.

UNTIL DEC. 22 – CHRISTMAS MARKET.

TWEED HERITAGE CENTRE GALLERY – Memorial

Hall Gallery, 40 Victoria St. N. Tweed. For more information

call 613-478-3989.

Community

AGN SPOTLIGHT – Artist series featuring local artists

and their stories and passions for their art form, from

poetry to opera, modern dance and animation film,

along with the artists’ personal connections to

Northumberland County. Each evening will transform

the AGN gallery into an intimate performance space.

Tickets $20. Art Gallery of Northumberland, Cobourg.

Visit artgalleryofnorthumberland.com

JAN. 30 – SHANNON LINTON – A Journey from

Opera to Pop Music. 7pm.

MAR. 5 – DANCING IN THE HILLS – Northumberland

Contemporary Dance Collective. 7pm.

BELLEVILLE FARMERS’ MARKET – Tues.,Thu. & Sat.

7am-6pm. Year-round. Pinnacle St. Adjacent to City

Hall. Call 613-476-1255.

BELLEVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY – 254 Pinnacle St.

Belleville. Call 613-968-6731 ext. 2037 or visit bellevillelibrary.ca

for information.

DEC. 12 – BAFFIN ISLAND – Trek the Akshayak Pass.

Part of “Armchair Traveler”, a retro travelogue series

featuring local adventurers. 6:30pm.

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72 | WINTER 2019/2020

BRIGHTON COMPUTER CLUB – Meets the 2nd &

4th Tues. Jan. to May. 9:30am. King Edward Park

Community Centre, Elizabeth St. Brighton. Membership

$20 at the door. No cheques or credit. Bring your

own cup or mug for free tea or coffee, cookies included.

Guests attend first meeting for free. Email

brightoncomputerclub@gmail.com.

CFUW BELLEVILLE & DISTRICT – Meets the 3rd Thu.

of each month. St. Thomas Church Hall, 201 Church

St. Belleville. 7pm. Visit cfuwbelleville.com.

CFUW NORTHUMBERLAND – Meets the 1st Mon.

of each month at HTM Insurance, 1185 Elgin St. W.

Cobourg. Women interested in action, advocacy and

education for girls and women. 7pm. For more information

visit cfuw-northumberland.org.

COBOURG FARMERS’ MARKET – Sat. 8am-1pm.

Until Dec. 21. Market Square behind Victoria Hall.

For more information visit cobourgfarmersmarket.org

or facebook.com/CobourgFarmersMarket.

GANARASKA CHORDSMEN – A barbershop chorus

singing music from the 50s and up welcomes new

members – men of all ages who enjoy singing – to its

rehearsals. The only requirement to join is the ability

to carry a tune. Most Tuesdays. 7-9:30pm. St. John’s

Parish Hall, 33 Pine St. N. Port Hope. Email goldenthroat@hotmail.com

or visit ganaraskachordsmen.ca

for more information.

HAPPY HARMONY – Women’s choir singing original

four-part harmonies for music from the 50s, 60s and

70s. Rehearsals every Thu. 7-9pm. Brittany Brant

Music Centre, 10 Industrial Park Rd. Shannonville.

Open to all women who love to sing. Call 613-438-

7664 or visit happyharmonychoir.ca.

HASTINGS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY – Meets

the 3rd Tues. of each month. Maranatha, 100 College

St. W. Belleville. 7:30pm. Visit hastingshistory.ca.

JOYFULL NOISE CHOIR – We sing music of the 50s,

60s & 70s. Women’s choirs meet weekly in Cobourg

(Wed.) and Oshawa (Tues.). 7-9pm. No auditions and

no need to read music. You’ve just got to love

singing! First night is free. Call 1-877-433-4386 or

visit joyfull-noise.com for more information.

LAKESHORE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY – Meets the

2nd Thu. of each month. 6:30-9pm. Visitors welcome.

HTM Insurance, 1185 Elgin St. W. Cobourg. Visit

lakeshoregenealogicalsociety.ca.

NORTHUMBERLAND HILLS STITCHERY GUILD –

Meets the 2nd & 4th Tues. of each month Sept.-June.

9:30am-1pm. Lions Community Centre, 157 Elgin St.

E. Cobourg. All levels of experience welcome. Visit

nhsg.ca or follow us on facebook.

NORTHUMBERLAND PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB –

Meets the 1st Mon. of each month. 7pm. Salvation

Army Church Gym, 59 Ballantine St. Cobourg. For details

e-mail info_mail@northumberlandphoto.ca or

visit northumberlandphoto.ca or .

ONTARIO GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY – Quinte

Branch. Presentations on Jan. 18, Feb. 15 & Mar. 21.

1pm. Everyone welcome. Quinte West Public Library,

7 Creswell Dr. Trenton. Visit quinte.ogs.on.ca for more

information.

PINE RIDGE HIKING CLUB – Enjoy exercise and recreation

on the beautiful trails of Northumberland County.

Visit pineridgehikingclub.ca for membership information

and hiking schedule.

PROBUS CLUB OF BELLEVILLE – Retirees and semiretirees

meet on the 2nd and 4th Thu. of each month

to enjoy interesting guest speakers, fellowship and

fun. 10am. Maranatha Church, 100 College St. W.

Belleville. Call 613-968-3172 for information.

QUINTE CRAFT GUILD – Talented local crafters &

artisans who enjoy making and selling their high-quality

handmade products. For more information visit

facebook.com/QuinteCraftGuild.

QUINTE WOOD CARVERS – Meets every Mon. 1pm and

Thu. 7pm. Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 516 Victoria

Ave. Belleville. Call 613-968-2934 or visit quintewoodcarvers.ca.

SACRED CIRCLE DANCE – Gathers in community

monthly. Both meditative and lively dances are

grounding and healing with simple steps and uplifting

music from around the world. Dec. 15, Jan. 26 & Feb.

23. 2:30-4:30pm. All welcome, learn as you go. No

partners necessary. By donation for room rental. St.

Peter's Anglican Church, 240 College St. Cobourg.

For more information email moonfire@eagle.ca.

SENIORS’ BID EUCHRE – Every Tues. 3:30-5:30pm.

All skill levels welcome. Cobourg Seniors’ Activity

Centre, 750 D’Arcy St. Call 905-372-5510 or visit

cobourg.ca/en/recreation-and-culture/seniors.aspx.

SENIORS’ TABLE TENNIS – Every Mon. 1-3pm.

Thu./Fri. 9:30-11:30am. All skill levels welcome.

Cobourg Seniors’ Activity Centre, 750 D’Arcy St. Visit

cobourg.ca/en/recreation-and-culture/seniors.aspx or

call 905-372-5510.

SHOUT SISTER CHOIR – All-inclusive women’s choirs.

For more information and a list of chapters visit shoutsisterchoir.ca

or email members@shoutsisterchoir.ca.

BELLEVILLE – Every Tues. 7-9pm. Emmanuel Baptist

Church, Belleville.

NORTHUMBERLAND – Every Wed. 7-9pm. Trinity

United Church, Cobourg.

PICTON – Every Thu. 7-9 pm. St. Mary Magdalene

Church, Picton.

THE 55+ CLUB – Every Tues. Moonshot Euchre. Play

starts at 1pm. Colborne Legion, 92 King St. E. Colborne.

Call 905-355-5479 or visit colbornelegion.org.

VICTORIA HALL VOLUNTEERS – A fundraising

group whose members meet on the 4th Mon. of each

month. 7:30pm. Citizens’ Forum, Victoria Hall, 55

King St. W. Cobourg. New members are welcome.

Call 905-372-4964 or visit victoriahallvolunteers.ca.

Concerts

BRIDGE STREET UNITED CHURCH – 60 Bridge St. E.

Belleville. Call 613-962-9178. Admission by freewill

offering.

DEC. 22 – CHRISTMAS CONCERT – And Singalong.

2:30pm.

BRIGHTON BARN THEATRE – 96 Young St. Brighton.

Visit brightonbarntheatre.ca or call 613-475-2144.

DEC. 12 – 15 – CHRISTMAS AT THE BARN – Celebrate

the Christmas season with the gift of music,

from stunningly beautiful chorals to toe-tapping jigs.

2pm & 7:30pm.

CAMECO CAPITOL ARTS CENTRE – 20 Queen St.

Port Hope. For information visit capitoltheatre.com or

call 905-885-1071.

DEC. 28 – SIMPLY QUEEN – A Live Tribute. 8pm.

DEC. 31 – BEATLES ’68 – The White Album in Story

and Song. 8pm.

COMMAND PERFORMANCE CHOIR – For tickets

and information visit commandperformancechoir.com.

DEC. 20 – YULETIDE EVERGREENS – Music of Britten,

Rutter, Mendelssohn. Tea and scones at the interval.

A portion of proceeds donated to the Food Bank.

St. Mary Magdalene Church, 335 Main St. Picton.

7:30pm.

GLENWOOD CEMETERY – 47 Ferguson St. Picton.

Admission by donation. All proceeds go to maintenance

and restoration of Glenwood’s Heritage Chapel.

Visit glenwoodcemetery.ca or call 613-476-3511.

MARMORA

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DEC. 8 – A RENAISSANCE CHRISTMAS – With the

Renaissance Troubadours. 2pm.

HASTINGS AND PRINCE EDWARD REGIONAL

CHORUS – Supporting the musical and personal

growth of youth in grades 4-12. Visit hperc.ca.

DEC. 8 – SONGS OF JOY – St. Thomas’ Anglican

Church, Belleville. 7pm.

KAWARTHA YOUTH ORCHESTRA – Email

info@thekyo.org or visit thekyo.org.

MAR. 8 – MUSIC FOR MID-WINTER – All Saints’ Anglican

Church, 235 Rubidge St. 3pm.

LA JEUNESSE YOUTH ORCHESTRA – Visit ljyo.ca for

information.

FEB. 23 – IN THE SPOTLIGHT – Port Hope United

Church. 3pm.

LES AMIS CONCERTS – Chamber Music Series. Visit

lesamisconcerts.org.

JAN. 26 – VC2 – The Loft, 201 Division St. Cobourg.

3pm.

FEB. 23 – INVOCATION OF SPRING – Victoria Hall,

Cobourg. 3pm.

MAR. 29 – IF LIFE WERE A MIRROR… – The Loft,

201 Division St. Cobourg. 3pm.

NIGHT KITCHEN TOO – Belleville's Acoustic Musical

Variety Show. Dec. 21, Jan. 18, Feb. 22 & Mar. 21 at

Pinnacle Playhouse, Belleville. 8pm. Find us on facebook

or call 613-849-1976 for more details.

NORTHUMBERLAND CHORUS – call 905-375-

5143isit northumberland-chorus.com.

DEC. 2 – ROSEWOOD ESTATES – 255 Densmore Rd.

Cobourg. 7pm.

DEC. 9 – EMPIRE CROSSING – 224 Ward St. Port

Hope. 7pm.

NORTHUMBERLAND ORCHESTRA & CHOIR – Trinity

United Church, 284 Division St. Cobourg. Call 905-

376-3021 or visit northumberlandmusic.ca.

FEB. 8 – QUARTETTO GELATO – 7:30pm.

FEB. 29 – COME MEET THE ORCHESTRA – Meet

the soloists and try out your favourite instruments

after the concert. 2pm.

OLD CHURCH THEATRE – 940 Bonisteel Rd. Trenton.

Call 613-848-1411 or visit oldchurch.ca.

DEC. 7 – ROB LUTES – 7pm.

DEC. 14 – BILL WOOD & BURKE CARROLL – 7:30pm.

DEC. 15 – TONY VANI & KENNY PAUZE – 2pm.

DEC. 19 – RED DIRT SKINNERS – 7:30pm.

ORIANA SINGERS – Visit orianasingers.com or email

info@orianasingers.com.

DEC. 7 & 8 – CHRISTMAS FAVOURITES – Presenting

the first concert of the 50th season, with guest Mary

Lou Fallis, Canada's foremost musical comedienne. St.

Paul’s Presbyterian Church, 131 Walton St. Port Hope.

Sat. 7:30pm. Sun. 3pm. Tickets at Snapd Tix and

Burnham Market.

PORT HOPE UNITED CHURCH – 34 South St. Port

Hope. Call 905-885-2421 or visit porthopeunitedchurch.com.

NOV. 30 – PEDALS AND PIPES – Featuring Andre

Knevel, organist, and Liselotte Rokyta, pan flutist, and

showcasing the Casavant Organ. 7pm.

DEC. 22 – THE GOOD LOVELIES – 1pm.

ST. MATTHEW’S UNITED CHURCH – 25 Holloway

St. Belleville. Visit stmatthewsbelleville.com or call

613-967-1511.

DEC. 8 – HAPPY HARMONY – Fundraiser for the

Belleville Christmas Sharing Program. Free will admission.

2pm.

DEC. 20 – THE SCOTT WOODS BAND – Old Time

Country Christmas. 7pm.

ST. THOMAS’ ANGLICAN CHURCH – 201 Church

St. Belleville. Visit stthomasbelleville.ca or call 613-

962-3636.

DEC. 15 – CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT – 4:30pm.

JAN. 19 – OBOE AND ORGAN CONCERT – 4:30pm.

FEB. 16 – TROMBONE AND ORGAN CONCERT –

4:30pm.

MAR. 15 – CELLO AND ORGAN CONCERT – 4:30pm.

SONG – Sounds of the Next Generation. Visit songprogram.org

or call 905-269-7433.

DEC. 14 – WINTERCHILD SONG – Port Hope United

Church. Admission $5. 3pm.

THE CONCERT HALL AT VICTORIA HALL – 55 King

St. W. Cobourg. Visit concerthallatvictoriahall.com or

call 905-372-2210.

DEC. 8 – SULTANS OF STRING – 3pm.

DEC. 9 – CHRISTMAS WITH JOHN MCDERMOTT –

7:30pm.

DEC. 10 – A JAZZY CHRISTMAS – Featuring The

Bruce McGregor Trio. 2pm.

DEC. 27 – ALL MCCARTNEY LIVE – Beatles, McCartney,

Wings tribute. 8pm.

DEC. 31 – ELTON ROHN – 8pm.

FEB. 8 – THE ROYALS BIG BAND – With Tanya Wills.

8pm.

THE EMPIRE THEATRE – 321 Front St. Belleville. Call

613-969-0099 or visit theempiretheatre.com.

DEC. 10 – THE BARRA MACNEILS – 7:30pm.

DEC. 13 – A CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR – With

Pete Paquette and guests. 7pm.

DEC. 14 – CHANTAL KREVIAZUK – 7:30pm.

JAN. 25 – HOTEL CALIFORNIA – Eagles tribute.

7:30pm.

FEB. 28 – CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE – Led Zeppelin IV.

7:30pm.

FEB. 29 – ABBAMANIA – With Lady Gaga, Freddie

Mercury & Madonna tributes. 7:30pm.

MAR. 21 – THE HIGHWAYMEN – A Musical Tribute.

7pm.

MAR. 26 – CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE – Tom Petty &

The Heartbreakers’ Damn The Torpedos. 7:30pm.

THE QUINTE SYMPHONY – Visit thequintesymphony.com

or facebook.com/quintesymphony.

DEC. 15 – SONGS OF THE SEASON – With the Hastings

and Prince Edward Regional Chorus. Bridge St.

Church, Belleville. 2:30pm.

THE REGENT THEATRE – 224 Main St. Picton. Call

613-476-8416 or visit theregenttheatre.org.

DEC. 7 – A SWINGIN’ CHRISTMAS – With Toronto

All-Star Big Band. 2pm.

TOWN HALL 1873 – 302 Queen St. Port Perry. Call

905-985-8181 or visit townhalltheatre.ca.

DEC. 14 – THE BEATLES TRIBUTE SHOW – 8pm.

DEC. 15 – JOY TO THE WORLD – 2:30pm.

DEC. 20 – ELVIS BLUE CHRISTMAS – 8pm.

JAN. 10 – MUDMEN – Canada’s Celtic Rock Warriors.

8pm.

FEB. 29 – FOREIGNER MEETS JOURNEY – Tribute

band. 8pm.

TWEED & CO. – Visit tweedandcompany.com or

email info@tweedandcompany.com.

DEC. 21 – A TWEED & COMPANY CHRISTMAS –

St. Andrew’s United Church, 55 Victoria St. N. Tweed.

2pm & 7pm.

Fairs & Festivals

JAN. 25 – POLAR BEAR FESTIVAL – Are you brave

enough to test the icy waters of the Trent River? Take

the plunge at 12pm at Campbellford’s Lions Beach

and head over to St. John’s United Church to enjoy a

hearty lunch. Contact the Campbellford Memorial

Hospital Auxiliary to plunge, pledge or participate.

Call 1-888-653-1556 or visit facebook.com/polarplungecmh.

FEB. 15 – 22 – FLASHBACK FEBRUARY – Visions

from Our Past. A week of hands-on learning, live

demonstrations, talks, film screenings, stories and

experiences exploring the unique cultural heritage

of Prince Edward County. Experts, curators, artists

and innovators will be on hand to spark conversation,

lead activities and dig into our rich history.

Visit visitpec.ca/flashback-february or call 613-476-

2148 ext. 2521 for locations and a full schedule of

events.

FEB. 29 – SAVOUR THE CHILL – “And Stay Awhile”

in downtown Belleville. Winter-themed arts and

crafts, exhibits and displays, ball hockey, snow sculpting

(weather permitting) and so much more. 10am-

3pm. FREE fun for the whole family! Don’t miss our

savory soup tasting contest at downtown restaurants

(small fee for soup). Visit bellevillechamber.ca or

downtownbelleville.ca or call 613-962-4597 for information.

MAR. 14 & 15 – MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL – Mark

the coming of spring with a fun-filled family weekend

in the Village of Warkworth and at Sandy Flat Sugar

Bush. At the sugar bush you'll find entertainment, sap

making demonstrations, sleigh rides, nature trails, log

sawing contest, 3-person plank race, snowshoe competition,

and delicious pancakes and sausages with famous

Warkworth maple syrup. Take a stroll around

the Village, stop for a coffee or lunch, and visit the

unique shops and galleries. For more information visit

warkworthmaplesyrupfestival.ca.

MAR. 28 – MAPLE SYRUP DAY – Join the GRCA in a

celebration of all things maple syrup. Participate in

tours of Maple Valley, demonstrations in the Sugar

Shack, games and stories around the campfire and

crafts in the Seminar Room. Enjoy live music and a

pancake feast in the Great Hall. 10am-1pm. Tickets

purchased at the gatehouse upon arrival. Ganaraska

Forest Centre, 10585 Cold Springs Camp Rd. Campbellcroft.

For information call 905-885-8173 or visit

grca.on.ca.

Food & Drink

DEC. – MAR. – PUB NIGHT – After a day of skiing or

snowboarding, come and enjoy a great menu created

by Batawa Ski Hill’s own Chef Nicholas, craft beer

from the Bay of Quinte Craft region and live music.

Select Fridays and Saturdays. 6-9pm. Batawa Ski Hill,

99 Ski Club Lane, Batawa. Visit batawaskihill.com for

a complete schedule of Pub Night dates.

JAN. 25 – ROBERT BURNS DINNER – Visit

cobourghighlandgames.ca for a complete schedule,

location and other information about this highly anticipated

annual Cobourg event.

FEB. 1 – SPORTSMAN’S NIGHT – Cobourg Rotary’s

annual gourmet dinner, dance and auctions. Lions

Community Centre, 157 Elgin St. E. Cobourg. Tickets

$200. Call 905-372-6217 or visit cobourgrotary.ca for

more information.

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FEB. 15 – 17 – VINTER FESTIVAL – A large winter

group festival of winter art, food and wine pairings in

13 unique winery venues. Presented by Prince Edward

County Winegrowers Association. Visit princeedwardcountywine.ca

or facebook.com/vinterfestpec for information.

FEB. 22 – WINTER BREWS PUB CRAWL – Discover

downtown Cobourg through its charming restaurants

and pubs. Enjoy appetizers, local beers and designer

cocktails. For more information call 905-377-8024 or

visit downtowncobourg.ca.

FEB. 29 – DINNER AT DALEWOOD – Fundraising

event for the Northumberland Orchestra and Choir.

Delicious food, live music, great silent auction and

more. 6pm. $65 ($20 tax receipt). Dalewood Golf

Club, 7465 Dale Rd. Cobourg. For information and

tickets visit northumberlandmusic.ca.

Garden Clubs/

Horticultural Societies

AMELIASBURGH GARDEN CLUB – Meets the last

Mon. of each month. 7pm. Ameliasburgh Town Hall,

13 Coleman St. Visit ameliasburghgardenclub.com.

APPLE COUNTRY GARDEN CLUB – Meets the 3rd

Tues. of each month. 1:30pm. Keeler Centre, 80 Division

St. Colborne. Visit cramahehort.ca or email

cramahehort@gmail.com.

BELLEVILLE GARDEN CLUB – Meets the 4th Tues.

of each month. 7pm. Eastside Secondary School,

275 Farley Ave. Belleville. For more information visit

gardenontario.org/society-listing/entry/71.

BRIGHTON GARDEN CLUB – Meets the 4th Tues. of

each month. 7pm. King Edward Community Centre,

81 Elizabeth St. Brighton. Call 613-475-9563 or 613-

392-5543 or email blknutson2016@gmail.com

JAN. 28 – BLUE FROG WATER GARDENS.

CAMPBELLFORD & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL

SOCIETY – Serving all of Trent Hills. Meets the 1st

Mon. of each month. 7:30pm. Christ Church Anglican

(corner of Church/Kent Sts.). Call 705-947-2045 or

visit gardenontario.org/society-listing/entry/332.

COBOURG HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY – Meets the

1st Wed. of each month. 7pm. Columbus Centre, 232

Spencer St. E. Cobourg. Visit cobourggardenclub.ca

or email cobourghort@gardenontario.org.

DEC. 4 – BIRDS AND WILDLIFE IN YOUR GARDEN.

GRAFTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY – Meets the

2nd Tues. of each month. 7:30pm. Everyone welcome.

St. Andrew’s United Church, 137 Old Danforth

Rd. Email grafton.hort@gmail.com.

source Centre, 191 Portsmouth Ave. Visit kingstonhort.ca.

DEC. 12 – TREE HEALTH, VITALITY AND VIGOUR –

For Safer City Streets.

LAKEFIELD HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY – Meets the

2nd Tues. of each month. 7pm. Lakefield Marshland

Centre. Call 705-743-0068 or visit lakefieldhort.org.

DEC. 10 – CHRISTMAS PARTY – 6:30pm.

PORT HOPE GARDEN CLUB – Meets monthly.

7:30pm. Ruth Clarke Centre, 81 Mill St. S. Port Hope.

Visit gardenontario.org/society-listing/entry/692 or call

905-885-0098.

PEC HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY – Meets the last

Wed. of each month. 7pm. Picton Town Hall, 2 Ross

St. Visit pechorticultural.org or email pechorticultural@gmail.com.

STIRLING & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY –

Meets the 3rd Mon. of each month. 7pm. St. Andrew’s

Presbyterian Church, 110 Mill St. Call 613-395-

9165 or email stirlingdhs@gmail.com.

TRENTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY & GARDEN

CLUB – Meets the 3rd Thu. of each month. 7pm.

Trenton United Church, 85 Dundas St. E. Trenton. Visit

trentonhortsociety.ca or call 613-849-5506.

TWEED HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY – Meets the 1st

Tues. of each month. 7pm. Tweed Public Library. Visit

tweedhort.ca or e-mail info@tweedhort.ca.

Holiday Activities

UNTIL DEC. 16 – FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS AND TREES

– The Capitol Arts Centre in Port Hope is transformed

into a winter wonderland with Christmas trees available

to be won by raffle. Draw starts at 2pm Dec. 16.

Call 905-885-1071 or visit capitoltheatre.com.

UNTIL DEC. 22 – CARRIAGE RIDES – Classically vintage

Port Perry offers free horse-drawn carriage rides

and free visits with Santa on Saturdays 12-4pm and

Sundays 1-4pm. Take a complementary tour of one of

Ontario's prettiest towns. For details call 905-985-

0814 or visit discoverportperry.ca.

UNTIL JAN. 1 – FANTASY OF LIGHTS – Fraser Park,

Trenton and Frankford Tourist Park. Enjoy magical light

displays while listening to favourite holiday carols. Call

613-392-2841 or visit quintewest.ca.

UNTIL JAN. 5 – CHRISTMAS MAGIC – Rotary Harbourfront

Park and Cobourg waterfront become magical

when they are lit up with over 100,000 lights. 6-

10pm nightly. Call 1-888-262-6874 or visit

cobourgtourism.ca for more information.

at Barnum House in Grafton. 1-4pm. Tickets $20 or 2

for $35. Children free. For more information email

jackietinson@gmail.com or call 905-885-1768.

DEC. 1 – CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE – Horsedrawn

wagon rides stop at the Town Hall, library, museum’s

log cabin and Victoria schoolhouse, each with

a special program. 1-4pm. Village of Ameliasburgh.

For more information call 613-476-2148 ext. 2522 or

email amelmuseum@pecounty.on.ca.

DEC. 1 – CHRISTMASFEST – Bring the kids and join

in on the fun at Hastings Legion Branch 106. Visit

with Santa and Mrs. Claus. 10-1pm. 10 Front St. W.

Hastings. Call 705-696-1353 or visit visittrenthills.ca.

DEC. 5 – CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE – Join us in

downtown Millbrook for shopping and lots of fun activities.

5-9pm. For information call 705-932-2929 or

visit cavanmonaghan.net.

DEC. 6 – YULETIDE CAROLLING – Annual celebration

of the Christmas season with music director

Randy Mills leading a full church in joyous song. Village

of Wesleyville, 2082 Lakeshore Rd. 7-8:30pm. No

charge. Donations to Fare Share Food Bank invited.

Call 905-885-1344 or visit wesleyvillevillage.com for

more information.

DEC. 6 – 8 – FESTIVAL OF TREES – Festive fun for

the whole family with many trees and prizes to be raffled

off. Sneak peek Fri. 6-9 pm. Free admission. Raffle

tickets $2 on sale at the Warkworth Town Hall.

Draws starting 2pm Sun. All proceeds to Percy Agricultural

Society. For more information or to donate

email tracy.russell@sympatico.com or call 905-344-

7709.

DEC. 6, 13 & 20 – MAGIC UNDER THE STARS –

Many shops in the charming village of Warkworth will

be open until 9pm. Featuring Santa, holiday pop-up

shops, mulled wine, hot chocolate, music, horsedrawn

wagon rides, warming stations, raffle and

more. Visit warkworth.ca for details.

DEC. 7 – CHRISTMAS AT O’HARA – Experience an

old-fashioned Christmas at the Homestead. The Log

Cabin and Visitors Centre will be decorated in period

themed wreaths and lanterns. Enjoy delicious hot

cider and musical entertainment fireside in the Log

Cabin, and shop for unique gifts. O’Hara Mill Homestead

and Conservation Area, 638 Mill Rd. Madoc.

11am-7pm. Visit ohara-mill.org or call 613-473-2084.

DEC. 7 – REINDEER RUN/WALK – A fun, familyfriendly

event. Refreshments and draw prizes after the

race. 9-11am. In support of Northumberland Hills

Hospital Foundation. Victoria Park, Cobourg. Visit

events.runningroom.com.

oneer Christmas. Join along in a carol sing, shop in

the Christmas market, enjoy horse-drawn wagon

rides, meet Father Christmas and more. On Sunday,

witness a live nativity. 5-9pm. Lang Pioneer Village,

104 Lang Rd. Keene. Visit langpioneervillage.ca or call

705-295-6694.

DEC. 7 & 8 – CRÈCHES FROM AROUND THE

WORLD – A display of over 100 nativity sets from

around the world. Morning coffee and afternoon tea

available for $5. Sat. 10am-4pm. Sun. 1-4pm. St.

Mark’s Anglican Church, 51 King St. Port Hope. Free

admission. Call 905-885-1960.

DEC. 7, 14 & 21 – HORSE AND WAGON RIDES –

Enjoy a free horse and wagon ride through downtown

Port Hope to celebrate the festive season. Rides

start and end on the Walton Street Bridge. 11am-

2pm. Visit porthope.ca/events for more information.

DEC. 8 – CHILDREN’S OLD-FASHIONED CHRIST-

MAS – Visit with Santa Claus and his elf in the pioneer

church at Scugog Shores Museum. Bake and

decorate cookies in the log cabin, create unique ornaments,

decorate traditional Victorian Christmas cards,

visit with the blacksmith and more. Hot chocolate and

apple cider will be served. 11am-3pm. Scugog Shores

Museum, 16210 Island Rd. Port Perry. Call 905-985-

8698 ext. 103 or visit scugog.ca.

DEC. 8 – SANTA CLAUS PET PARADE – Join us for

Castleton’s most fun and furry seasonal event. Castleton

Town Hall. 2-4pm. Kindly pre-register your pet by

Dec. 6 at barleg300@gmail.com.

DEC. 14 – HOLLY TROLLEY – Hop on a San Francisco

style trolley to visit the Frankford and Trenton Fantasy

of Lights displays. Hop off to enjoy the lights up close

and hop back on the next trolley to see yet another

fantastic display. Warm up with hot chocolate and

treats, meet with Santa and enjoy festive music. Trolley

departs from the Trenton Town Hall, 55 King St.

Free admission. 5-10pm. Visit quintewest.ca for more

details.

DEC. 14 – PANCAKES WITH SANTA – Join us for

complimentary pancakes and meet Santa. Open to all

ages. 9-11am. Town Park Recreation Centre, Port

Hope. For details visit porthope.ca.

KINGSTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY – Meets the

2nd Thu. of each month. 7:30pm. Ongwanada Re-

DEC. 1 – BARNUM HOUSE AT CHRISTMASTIDE –

Costumed carolers, music and seasonal refreshments

DEC. 7 & 8 – CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT – Get

into the merriment of the season with a traditional pi-

DEC. 15 – CAROLLING WITH THE DONKEYS – Take

a tour of PrimRose Donkey Sanctuary and meet the

17 3 Y E A R S O L D

Tyrone Mills LTD.

(Since 1846)

One of Ontario's oldest waterpowered mills. Stoneground

flour, apple cider, jam, cheese, honey, fresh

baking and our apple cider doughnuts. Pine and

Cedar lumber are a specialty. Antique Woodworking

shop on second floor overlooking mill pond.

located in Tyrone 13km North of

Hwy. 401 at Liberty St., (Exit 432) Bowmanville.

905.263.8871

MON - SAT 9-6 | SUN 11-5 www.tyronemill.net

WATERSHED 75

animals. Complimentary refreshments. 1-3pm. 1296

Bowmanton Rd. Roseneath. Visit primrosedonkeysanctuary.com

or call 905-352-2772 for more information.

DEC. 31 – FIRST NIGHT – Enjoy a free night of activities

for the whole family in Cobourg's Rotary Harbourfront

Park. 7-10pm. Skating, music and fireworks

along the waterfront at 10pm. Call 1-888-262-6874

or visit experiencecobourg.ca for information.

Nature & Parks

FERRIS PROVINCIAL PARK – 474 Cty. Rd. 8 Campbellford.

Guided walks every Tuesday until Dec. 10.

Meet at the east end of the Suspension Bridge. 9am.

Rain or shine. Regular park fees apply. Call 705-632-

0894 or visit friendsofferris.ca.

NATURE CONSERVANCY OF CANADA – Join the

Conservation Volunteers to help protect Canada’s

species and natural areas. Call 1-866-281-5331 or

visit conservationvolunteers.ca.

NORTHUMBERLAND LAND TRUST – Preserving

Northumberland County – one acre at a time. Volunteers

are needed to assist with stewardship work parties.

9am-12pm. Visit nltrust.ca or email stewardship@nltrust.ca

or phone 905-342-3851 for additional

information and to register.

PRESQU’ILE PROVINCIAL PARK – 328 Presqu’ile

Pkwy. Brighton. Call 613-475-4324 ext. 225 or visit

friendsofpresquile.on.ca.

MAR. 21 & 22 – WATERFOWL WEEKEND – Volunteers

are at viewing stations ready to help you identify

up to 25 species of ducks, geese and swans. Children’s

activities, photo and art displays, Friends’ BBQ,

gift shop. Bushnell raffle. 10am-4pm. $10/vehicle entrance

fee. For more information call 613-475-4324

ext. 225 or email david.bree@ontario.ca.

PRINCE EDWARD POINT BIRD OBSERVATORY –

Research station that monitors migrating birds along

the south shore of Prince Edward County. 6056 Long

Point Rd. southeast of Picton. Visit peptbo.ca for more

information.

QUINTE FIELD NATURALISTS – Meets monthly.

7pm. Bridge Street United Church, Belleville. All welcome.

Donations gratefully accepted. Call 613-962-

9337 or visit facebook.com/QuinteFieldNaturalists.

JAN. 27 – ZERO WASTE LIVING – For the Love of

Nature. Guest speaker Laura Nash, host and producer

of The Zero Waste Countdown.

FEB. 24 – QUINTE AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS –

Guest speaker Brad McNevin, Quinte Conservation’s

new CAO.

MAR. 23 – STORIES FROM A MIGRATION

HOTSPOT! – Guest speaker David Bree, Presqu’ile

Park naturalist.

WILLOW BEACH FIELD NATURALISTS – Meetings

at Cobourg Public Library. 7:30pm. No cost. All welcome.

Visit willowbeachfieldnaturalists.org or call

908-885-2337. Guided field trips throughout the year.

For outing information contact Roger at 905-885-

9615 or ekrf@eagle.ca.

JAN. 31 – WHIP-POOR-WILL AND NIGHTHAWK

DECLINE.

FEB. 28 – AGM – Also silent auctions and illustrated

presentation, “Bad Reputation: Cormorants and Conservation”.

MAR. 27 – FLYING SQUIRRELS IN ONTARIO.

Shows & Sales

NOV. 30 – SNOWFLAKE MARKETPLACE & TEA –

Wrap up your Christmas shopping at our holiday marketplace,

featuring crafts, honey, soaps, bake table,

jewellery, clothing, purses and much more. 10am-

4pm. Tea available 12-2pm. St. Andrew's United

Church, 137 Old Danforth Rd. Grafton. Call Sharron

at 905-355-2691 for more information.

NOV. 30 & DEC. 1 – QUINTE MODEL RAILROAD

SHOW – Eastern Ontario's largest model railroad

show. 10am-4pm. Centennial Secondary School, 160

Palmer Rd. Belleville. Call Rick at 613-398-7260 or

visit bellevillemodelrailroadclub.ca.

NOV. 30 & DEC. 14 – CHRISTMAS MARKET – The

Dahlia May Flower Farm greenhouse will be transformed

into an old-fashioned Christmas market. Vendors

will offer beautiful items, from handmade wooden

ornaments and beer steins, to hand dipped

beeswax candles, beautiful children's items and

homemade skin care products. 9am-5pm. Dahlia May

Flower Farm, 1226 Stockdale Rd. Trenton.For details

visit dahliamayflowerfarm.com or call 613-403-5055.

DEC. 7 – CHRISTMAS SHOW – Hosted by Port Hope

Farmers’ Market. A mix of arts, crafts and market vendors.

Town Park Recreation Centre, 62 McCaul St.

Port Hope. 10am. Visit facebook.com/PHFarmersMarket.

DEC. 7 – ENCHANTED – Holiday Night Market. Entertainment,

food and retail vendors, cozy fire pits,

photos with Santa and more. 6-9pm. Front St. Downtown

Belleville. Visit downtownbelleville.ca for more

information.

DEC. 7 – LITTLE TREASURE SHOP – Customer appreciation

sale. A superb selection of holiday gifts,

jewellery, winter wear, baby items and much more!

15% off storewide, refreshments and complimentary

parking. 10am-4pm. Northumberland Hills Hospital

lobby. All proceeds to support the hospital. Call 905-

372-6811 ext. 3618 for information.

DEC. 7 – OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS TEA –

Enjoy tea and goodies while browsing the Colborne

Art Gallery’s exhibition and sale of original handmade

art and craft, including painting, jewellery, ceramics

and one-of-a-kind seasonal cards. 12-4pm. 51 King

St. E. Colborne. Visit thecolborneartgallery.ca or call

905-885-0188.

DEC. 14 – COOKIE EXTRAVAGANZA – Homemade

Christmas cookies for sale. $5/dozen. Mix and match.

Refreshments and light lunch available. St. Paul’s United

Church, Warkworth. 10am-2pm. For more information

email janet.torrance@distributel.net or call

705-924-3108.

DEC. 14 – NICK OF TIME – Christmas Craft Show.

100% handmade, 100% County event. Bloomfield’s

Town Hall is filled with over 2 dozen vendors, each offering

a large variety of handmade food or gift items.

Stop in to shop and have coffee or lunch in our canteen.

This year supporting County Kids Read. 10am-

3pm. 289 Main St. Bloomfield. Find us on facebook or

email paddison@xplornet.ca.

DEC. 14 & 15 – BUSY HANDS – Honey Pie Hives and

Herbals and Vicki’s Yoga invite you to attend their holiday

craft sale to source all your local Prince Edward

County products and gifts for the holidays. Sat. 9am-

6pm. Sun. 10am-4pm. Free admission. Essroc Arena,

111 Belleville St. Wellington. For more information

email honeypiehh@gmail.com.

DEC. 15 – HOLIDAY HABERDASHERY – Vendors,

artists, kids’ activities and silent auction. Strathcona

Paper Centre, 16 McPherson Dr. Napanee. 11am-

4pm. Free admission. Find us on facebook.

JAN. 12 – BRIDAL SHOW – A one-stop-shop for

your special day. 35+ vendors ranging from venues to

floral design, suits and wedding dresses. Brides are eligible

to win amazing door prizes, browse the show

floor with family and friends, watch the fashion show,

and taste some delicious wine and food. 12-4pm.

Lions Community Centre, 157 Elgin St. E. Cobourg.

Visit northumberlandbridalshow.com or call 905-372-

6217 to register.

JAN. 12 – UNVEILED – Bridal Boutique Event. Bridesto-be

are invited to mingle and plan with amazing

local wedding vendors in a swanky, social atmosphere.

Featuring a runway show by Lily’s Bridal, info

sessions, cocktails, delicious treats, complimentary

pampering treatments and a chance to win fabulous

prizes. Ramada Inn, 11 Bay Bridge Rd. Belleville.

11am-3pm. For details visit unveiledevent.ca.

FEB. 1 & 2 – ANTIQUE SHOW & SALE – Scugog

Community Recreation Centre, 1655 Reach St. Port

Perry. 10am-4pm. All proceeds to the projects of the

Lake Scugog Historical Society. Visit silvercreekantiques.com

or call 905-985-9250 for more information.

FEB. 22 & 23 – GANARASKA RAILWAY MODELERS

– Working model train displays, vendors and exhibits.

Largest and oldest 2-day model train show in

Northumberland. Pictures can be taken with Thomas

the Tank Engine. Sat. 10am-4pm. Sun. 10am-3pm.

Town Park Recreation Centre, 62 McCaul St. Port

Hope. Call 905-885-8786 or 705-875-7596 for more

information.

MAR. 13 – 15 – QUINTE SPORTSMAN – Boat and

RV show. Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, 265

Cannifton Rd. Belleville. Fri. 10am-9pm. Sat. 9am-

8pm. Sun. 9am-6pm. Call 613-966-6838 or visit quintesportsmanshow.com


Theatre & Film

4TH LINE THEATRE – Visit 4thlinetheatre.on.ca or call

705-932-4445.

DEC. 3 – 14 – THE FOOL OF CAVAN – A Christmas

Caper. A Nancy Drew-style mystery set in the 1960s in

Millbrook. St. Thomas Church, 16 Centre St. Millbrook.

7pm.

BELLEVILLE THEATRE GUILD – Pinnacle Playhouse,

256 Pinnacle St. Belleville. Call 613-967-1442 or visit

bellevilletheatreguild.ca.

NOV. 28 – DEC. 14 – CLIFFHANGER – By James

Yaffe. Is Socrates a bust when life and death hang in

the balance?

JAN. 30 – FEB. 15 – TEMPTING PROVIDENCE – By

Robert Chafe. True story of life, love and courage in

Newfoundland.

CAMECO CAPITOL ARTS CENTRE – 20 Queen St.

Port Hope. Visit capitoltheatre.com or call 905-885-

1071.

UNTIL DEC. 22 – CINDERELLA – The Panto. Nice &

naughty versions. 2pm & 8pm.

JAN. 4 – MAR. 14 – MET OPERA LIVE – Various Sat-

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76 | WINTER 2019/2020

urdays. 12:55pm. Visit the website for details.

JAN. 7 – FEB. 13 – TIFF FILMS – On the BIG screen.

Matinees at 1pm - $8. Evening shows at 7:30pm -

$10.

NORTHUMBERLAND PLAYERS – Call 905-372-0577

or visit northumberlandplayers.ca for more information.

NOV. 29 – DEC. 15 – MISS BENNETT – Christmas at

Pemberley. Firehall Theatre, Cobourg. 2pm & 8pm.

JAN. 17 – FEB. 2 – SUNSHINE BOYS – Dinner theatre

at Best Western Cobourg. Call 905-372-2105 to

reserve.

FEB. 21 – MAR. 1 – CHICAGO – Capitol Arts Centre,

Port Hope. 2pm & 8pm.

PRINCE EDWARD COMMUNITY THEATRE – Mount

Tabor Playhouse, 2179 Cty. Rd. 17, Milford. Visit

pecommtheatre.ca or call 613-476-5925 for more information.

MAR. 14 – 22 – THE LADIES FOURSOME – 2pm &

7:30pm.

QUINTE FILM ALTERNATIVE – Great Movie Wednesdays

at The Empire Theatre, Belleville. Screenings on

alternate Wednesdays. 2pm & 7:30pm. For a complete

schedule visit quintefilmalternative.ca.

STIRLING FESTIVAL THEATRE – 41 West Front St.

Stirling. Visit stirlingfestivaltheatre.com or call 613-

395-2100.

NOV. 22 – DEC. 31 – MOTHER GOOSE – The Panto.

Family & adult versions. 2pm & 8pm. Naughty New

Year’s 9:30pm.

THE REGENT THEATRE – 224 Main St. Picton. Call

613-476-8416 or visit theregenttheatre.org for more

information.

DEC. 8 – THE NUTCRACKER – Presented by County

School of Dance. 2pm & 7pm.

DEC. 14 – MANON – Met Opera Live. 1pm.

DEC. 15 – ART ON SCREEN – The Hermitage Museum:

St. Petersburg. 1pm.

JAN. 11 – WOZZECK – Met Opera Live. 1pm.

FEB. 1 – PORGY AND BESS – Met Opera Live. 1pm.

MAR. 14 – DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER – Met

Opera Live. 1pm.

TOWN HALL 1873 – 302 Queen St. Port Perry. Call

905-985-8181 or visit townhalltheatre.ca.

NOV. 29 – DEC. 7 – NUNCRACKERS – The Nunsense

Christmas Musical. 2pm & 8pm.

FEB. 13 – 22 – CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF – 2pm &

8pm.

TWEED & CO. THEATRE – For more information visit

tweedandcompany.com or email info@tweedandcompany.com.

DEC. 21 – A TWEED & CO. CHRISTMAS – St. Andrew’s

Church, 55 Victoria St. N. Tweed. 2pm & 7pm.

JAN. 24 – 26 – WEEKEND FILM FESTIVAL – Presented

by Northumberland Film Sundays. Weekend package

$60 includes five TIFF films plus Sat. evening reception

party at Victoria Hall, Cobourg. Films at

Rainbow Cinemas, Northumberland Mall, Cobourg.

Visit northumberlandfilm.ca for more information.

MAR. 6 – 8 – DOCFEST – Over 50 documentary films

at five downtown Belleville venues. Opening gala Fri.

at the Empire Theatre. 6pm. Live performance by

LeBarons after the gala screening. For film schedule

and tickets visit downtowndocfest.ca.

MAR. 11 – 15 – KINGSTON CANADIAN FILM FES-

TIVAL – Four full days of the best Canadian films of

the year plus parties, music, workshops, special events

and guest appearances. Downtown Kingston. Visit

kingcanfilmfest.com for tickets and information.

Tours & Open Houses

DEC. 4, 10, 12, 17 & 19 – GLANMORE BY

GASLIGHT – Enjoy a guided tour of Glanmore National

Historic Site by gaslight as the historic house is

beautifully decorated for the holidays. 7pm. 257

Bridge St. E. Belleville. For reservations please visit

glanmore.ca or call 613-962-2329.

DEC. 8 – CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTY – Set your

own pace as you tour wonderful Prince Edward County

homes all decked out in their holiday finery. Enjoy

samples of local treats like cider and Christmas cookies

along the way. Funds raised from this self-guided

tour support the preservation of heritage buildings in

the County. 11am-5pm. For information email

kennedy.pratt@kos.net.

JAN. 23 – TRINITY COLLEGE SCHOOL – Information

Night. Gain insight into the Grade 9 day program and

learn about the TCS approach to the foundations of

high school. Speak with members of the TCS community

and enjoy a tour of the Senior School. 6-8:30pm.

Trinity College School, 55 Deblaquire St. N. Port Hope.

Please contact admissions to register. Visit tcs.on.ca or

call 905-885-3209 for details.

MAR. 28 & 29 – MAPLE IN THE COUNTY – Celebrate

the first harvest of the 2020 season with a selfguided

driving tour through Prince Edward County.

Visit participating sugarbushes, enjoy pancake breakfasts

with fresh maple syrup, taffy on snow, S’mores,

petting zoos, BBQ sausages, lumberjack show, artisan

vendors, wineries and more. Visit mapleinthecounty.ca

for map and information.

Winter Sports

DEC. – MAR. – FREE PUBLIC SKATE & SWIM – Jack

Burger Sports Complex, 60 Highland Dr. Port Hope.

For a complete schedule visit porthope.ca/calendar or

call 905-885-2474.

DEC. – MAR. – ICE SKATING – Duncan McDonald

Community Gardens, 8 Couch Cr. Trenton and Dr.

McMullen Community Centre, 35 March St. Frankford.

Please consider bringing a non-perishable food

item for the Food Bank. Visit quintewest.ca for free

public skating schedule.

DEC. 14 – BATAWA SKI HILL – Come on out to

enjoy the first day of ski and snowboard season at the

small hill with a big heart. 9am-9pm. Batawa Ski Hill,

99 Ski Club Lane, Batawa. Visit batawaskihill.com for

more information.

JAN. 4 & 5 – ROGERS HOMETOWN HOCKEY – Experience

a great weekend of free hockey-related activities,

NHL Alumni appearances, music and fun for the

whole family. Join Ron MacLean and Tara Slone live on

site on Sunday. Location TBD. For more information

visit hometownhockey.com or call 905-372-4301.

JAN. 18 – CROSS-COUNTRY SKI & SNOWSHOE

DAY – Join the GRCA for an intro to cross-county skiing

followed by a guided ski through the Ganaraska

Forest. 9:30am & 1pm. Make a day of it and give

snowshoeing a try. Alternate date Feb. 2. Pre-registration

required. $25+hst includes equipment rental. Ganaraska

Forest Centre, 10585 Cold Springs Camp Rd.

Campbellcroft. For more information call 905-885-

8173 or visit grca.on.ca.

JAN. 25 – DION BRIGHTON SNOWSHOE RACE –

6km race in the Dion Ontario Snowshoe Running Series.

Goodrich-Loomis Conservation Area, Brighton.

10am. Registration 8:30-9:30am. Visit healthandadventure.com


JAN. 31 – FEB. 2 – POND HOCKEY CLASSIC – Hosted

by Canadian Armed Forces Members from CFB

Trenton and supporting Wounded Warriors Canada

and the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation. Hockey-themed

fundraising dinner Fri. An exciting 40 team

outdoor pond hockey tournament Sat. & Sun.

Batawa, next to the old Bata Shoe Factory. For details

visit hockeyfortroops.com.

FEB. 8 & 9 – SAND DUNES CUP – Snowmobile oval

racers and fans get together for the finest and fastest

vintage oval racing anywhere. Two days of racing on

3/8 mile track. Indoor seating available. Racing begins

at 10am. Admission $10. Children 6 & under free. Isaiah

Tubbs Resort, 1642 Cty. Rd. 12, West Lake. For

more information visit osorlife.ca.

FEB. 15 – 17 – FAMILY FISHING WEEKEND – License-free

ice fishing. Visit ontariofamilyfishing.com

for more details.

MARKETPLACE

A B U Y E R ’ S G U I D E T O R E G I O N A L S E R V I C E S

S E R V I C E S

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CALL

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WATERSHED

DELIVERS

YOUR

MESSAGE

www.watershedmagazine.com

WATERSHED 77

MEANDERINGS |

J. DAVID FORD

C I R C A 1 9 3 5

BY ELIZABETH PALERMO

J. David Frost second from the left

FOR DECADES, J. DAVID FORD’S PENCIL-WRITTEN NOTES LAY LONG FORGOTTEN AND

covered in dust. Marnie Bickle discovered them in the attic of the small white cottage her husband

inherited, just north of Port Hope in Canton. The notes chronicle David’s semi-nomadic northern

life – a life filled with enthralling adventure, suspense and discovery. Half Inuit, David’s ancestors

migrated from England in the 1800s and settled in Nain, Labrador. They moved throughout the east

Arctic, living alongside the Inuit and trapping for the Hudson’s Bay Company.

David’s northern stories frame an era and a way of life in the 1920s and ’30s before Ski-Doos and

supply planes. They tell tales of whale hunts, perilous journeys and of survival. Along with the manuscripts

were David’s letters written during WWII to the woman he eventually married. The couple

corresponded for four years via a program in Port Hope that had young women write to unmarried

soldiers. After the war, they married and built their cottage in the Northumberland Hills, a culture

in stark contrast to David’s Arctic home and one in which he struggled to settle. Within the local

community, David was regarded as a teller of tall tales but, according to Marnie Bickle, who edited

and published Native Born Son, “…he was someone people should have listened to… He was an

explorer of life…”

78 | WINTER 2019/2020

Join our growing list of food entrepreneur success stories.

We help turn concepts into viable, niche businesses.

OAFVC also offers unique educational and fundraising

opportunities as well as hands-on learning to local schools.

OAFVC supports and encourages the growing,

sustainable local-food economy across the province.

VISIT OAFVC.CA TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP YOU.

Located in Northumberland County

Just one minute south of Hwy 401 at exit 497

WATERSHED 79

Watershed Magazine Winter 2019/2020

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