Old Fashioned Christmas on Knox Farm = Fabulous!!

The Christmas Season is when we find time to spend with family and friends, to celebrate traditions old and new and to create everlasting memories. Having moved to Brooklin over eleven years ago, we have accumulated a number of local Christmas traditions: Christmas in the Village at Grass Park, a drive down Old Scugog Road to take in the Christmas lights, the Oshawa Santa parade and a visit to Cullen Gardens to take in the Christmas displays. Many traditions are passed down from one generation to another but a new one can be started at any time. This fall I discovered that Knox Pumpkin Farm will be hosting their 1st annual Old Fashioned Christmas on the Farm which means I have a new tradition on my list.

The one hundred and fifty year old, 300 acre Knox farm is just 10 minutes east of Brooklin located near the hamlet of Solina. The farm has been in the Knox family since 1946 and they grow a number of crops including pumpkins, squash, corn, wheat, barley, soybeans and hay. Their family has a large network of friends and family who have pitched in over the years to keep the farm operating through its many transitions from Dairy to Beef to a blend of Beef, Cash Crops and Pumpkins. The Knox’s love having people on the farm so several years ago, the family decided that they needed to share the farm experience with their community and they opened their gates to the public and school groups each October.

I recently had the opportunity to spend the afternoon with Jenny Knox, whose enthusiasm and passion for farming and traditions is evident from the moment you meet her. She generously shares her knowledge with fellow farmers and gives her time to various organizations. I was amazed to learn that in addition to their responsibilities on the farm, all members of the family also work off of the farm. So it is remarkable that they actually find time to sleep, let alone plan to host a month long Christmas celebration after hosting thousands of people in October!

A Knox Family Christmas always includes 4 Christmas trees in the farm house including one that is at least 14ft tall, fresh greenery inside and out, candles, lanterns, sleigh bells on hooks and at least 40 family members for dinner.

This December, the Knox farm will be providing for all who attend, an Old Fashion Christmas experience including Fresh Christmas trees and Greenery, Mulled Cider, Caroling by the Campfire, Sleigh Rides, a live Nativity scene, a Christmas Boo-tique, pony rides, animal viewing in the barn, face painting, visits by Santa and Mrs. Claus, delicious homemade kettle corn, a straw jump and the corn maize. Additionaly, on the weekend of December 18th and 19th, a very special opportunity is being offered as Santa and Mrs. Claus will be hosting families in the Knox Family log cabin built in 1850 (pictured above). These special tours will include a wagon ride out to the cabin, children activities and of course a special talk with Santa.

When you visit the farm you may see some familiar decorations, it turns out that the Knox family purchased a few items from Cullen Gardens after it closed including Bambi, Thumper and many lights. So it looks like one of my old traditions has been woven into a new one. I suggest that before you head out to the farm please visit their website at www.knoxpumpkinfarm.com as admissions rates apply and remember to dress warmly.

I wish you and your family a very Happy Holiday Season.

Old Fashioned Christmas on the Farm

I am excited! I have just come back from an interview with Jenny Knox of Knox Farm's in Hampton who will be hosting their first annual Old Fashioned Christmas on the Farm. I will be writing an article for the Brooklin Town Crier December 3rd Edition but in the meantime please check out www.knoxpumpkinfarm.com for information about the activities.

Pumpkin Patches and other fun farm experiences in Durham Region

Durham Region has many farms that not only grow pumpkins but offer fun farm experiences for the whole family.

• Knox Pumpkin Farm, Hampton, www.knoxpumpkinfarm.com
• Coopers CSA Farm and Corn Maze, Zephyr www.coopersfarm.ca
• Brooks Farm, Zephyr, www.brooksfarms.com
• Pingles Farm, Hampton, www.pinglesfarmmarket.com
• Whittamore’s Farm, Markham, www.whittamoresfarm.com
• Lintons Farm, Oshawa, www.lintonsfarmmarket.com

These next few weeks are perfect for a family visit to the local pumpkin patch.

National Local Food Day in Canada?

I recently read that the NDP have introduced a Private Members Bill, C-579 that would declare the last Friday before Thanksgiving as “National Local Food Day”.The bill has already garnered support from the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and the National Farmers Union (NFU).

I think this is a great way to support local farmers and have Canadians reflect on where their food comes from.

Read more: http://www.ndp.ca/press/allen-introduces-national-local-food-day-bill#ixzz12Ttgeklg

Famers Markets in Durham Region

Produce that you purchase at your local farmer's market has often been picked within 24 hours of your purchase. This freshness means that not only does your food taste great but the nutritional value is at its peak. In addition, you will also find that there is a greater variety of produce that you do not always find in the grocery store because the farmer does not have a high-yield demand so is free to try small crops of various fruits and vegetables. My favourite find is purple carrots!

Check out the following markets:

Ø Brooklin Farmer’s Market (64 Baldwin Street, Home Hardware parking Lot) Saturdays 8am-3pm

Ø Whitby Farmer’s Market (201 Brock St South, Whitby)
Wednesdays 9-4pm

Ø North Oshawa Farmers Market (1661 Harmony Road North, Oshawa)
Saturdays 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Ø Oshawa Centre Farmers Market ( 419 King Street West, Oshawa )

Southeast Parking Lot

FRIDAYS 8:3 0am to 4:00pm

Local Perspectives – Connecting Farm to Fork, Brooklin Town Crier Article, April 23rd Edition

There was a lot of activity at the Luther Vipond Arena on April 6 to 8th, but this time it wasn’t a hockey or lacrosse tournament. Instead, the arena hosted the 5th Annual Durham Farm Connections. The program was set-up to enhance knowledge, understanding and appreciation of agriculture in the Durham Region area, to provide opportunities to learn first-hand where food comes from, and to foster a broader understanding of the importance of agriculture today. Durham Farm Connections does this through two avenues: 1) a public open house and 2) a program geared to grade three students.

Approximately 650 people attended the Open House on the evening of Wednesday, April 8. This was a great opportunity to meet over 100 farmers from across Durham Region and their livestock, learn about the importance of the environment, learn about crops and farm machinery, and view agricultural murals made by the participating schools.

Approximately 1,200 students from across Durham Region, including students from Meadowcrest and Winchester, rotated through different farm-themed stations such as agricultural technology, land stewardship, production of dairy, eggs, pork and beef, horticulture, field crops and a sheep demonstration. There was a farmer at each station to talk to students and answer their questions. After completing all eight stations, the students watched a live demonstration of sheep shearing and wrapped-up the program by singing the program’s theme song.

This program provides an experience that aligns with the Ontario grade three curriculum requirements to learn about plants, soil systems and the differences between rural and urban communities. Students developed a better appreciation of the unique features and people in the community in which they live. Not only does agriculture usually define the community boundary between urban and rural, but in this region, we are situated in a location and climate range that allows for very diverse agricultural production. However, I was surprised to learn from the event organizer that, when asked, many of the students who participated in the program have never visited a farm before.

The Durham Farm Connections inaugural event which took place in 2006 received a Premier's Award in recognition of the success of the program. In speaking with Mary Ann Found, one of the key organizers for this year’s Durham Farm Connections programs, she said, "This event provides an important lesson for students about how their food is produced.” A former school teacher, Mary Ann has been active in the Durham Farm Connections Program and was a lead proponent behind the creation of the “Why Farming Matters” agricultural awareness trailer that operates in the Durham area.

International Earth Day on April 22nd provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our roles as consumers and to appreciate the contributions farmers make to our well being and to the richness of our community. In recent years, the number of farms in Durham Region, along with the rest of Ontario, is on the decline. Without local farms supplying our food purchasing systems, we will continue to find more and more foreign produce in the grocery stores and the loss of an important piece of our heritage.

Durham Farm Connections coming to Brooklin - April 7, 2010

Durham Farm Connections - April 7, 2010 at Luther Vipond Memorial Arena
4:30-8:30pm

This event offers many opportunities for Brooklin residents to learn how Durham Region Farmers help to put the food on your dinner table.

Admission is Free but donations of canned goods are accepted.

• Meet farmers from across Durham Region and their livestock.
• Learn how to protect our environment
• Learn about crops and farm machinery
• Cooking Demonstration (5:00pm and 6:30pm)
  
• Sheep Shearing (6:00pm and 7:30pm)
  
• View the agricultural murals made by participating schools
• Milk Maple the cow! (5:30pm and 7:00pm)
  

Maple Syrup Facts and Festivities

As winter begins to fade, it brings me back to one of my favourite memories of my childhood, going on a school trip to a maple syrup festival and eating maple taffy that has been poured on a bed of snow outside a sugar shack. There is nothing like the unique taste of maple on a crisp winter’s day.

While the maple leaf is a symbol of our country, it is important to note that not every maple tree can produce the sap used to make maple syrup. In Ontario, there are seven types of maples and only two, the sugar maple and the black maple, can be used in maple syrup production. The sugar maple grows in eastern North America, more specifically: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and 14 states in the USA. Canada produces 84% of the world’s maple syrup with over 90% of the supply coming from Quebec and 5% from Ontario. While our contribution is small, the maple industry in Ontario is worth approximately 15 million dollars annually.

I often wondered what brought about the flowing of the sap in late winter. After speaking to Paul Southwood, a Brooklin resident and maple syrup enthusiast, I learned that the ideal conditions are days with temperatures above freezing followed by nights that are below freezing. Aboriginals were the first to discover this delicious treat by cutting a slanting gash into the sugar maples and boiling the sap into sugar. Maple sugar was the first kind of sugar produced in eastern North America until cane sugar was introduced in 1875 by the Europeans. Maple syrup production has changed over time and has seen the sap collection change from buckets hung from every tree to the use a system tree taps and plastic tubing that are connected to the evaporator which boils the sap into syrup. On average and depending on the weather, each tap will release 40 litres of sap to produce one finished litre of maple syrup.

Once you have a container of this golden sweet stuff, you need to look beyond using it as a pancake and waffles topping and experiment with salad dressings, pies, cakes, cookies, frosting, bbq sauce, ice cream, salmon, ham, chicken; boiling it further can produce maple sugar, maple butter and my favourite, maple taffy! For maple recipe ideas check out www.foodland.gov.on.ca Another important fact is that maple syrup is best stored in the freezer as it will not freeze solid, and in just a few minutes at room temperature will make pouring a little easier.

The next few weeks provides us with an opportunity to experience the maple syrup harvest. I encourage you to take part in the upcoming festivities (see below) to enjoy the walk through the sugar bush, meet the people involved in the maple syrup production and best of all; sample the sweet maple syrup.

Maple Syrup Festivals and Farms

Bruce’s Mill (Stoufville) March 6-April 11th, www.maplesyrupfest.com

Horton Tree Farms – Maple Festival (Stoufville) mid-March – mid April www.hortontreefarms.com

Kortright Centre for Conservation (Kleinberg) March 6-April 11th, www.maplesyrupfest.com

Purple Woods Conservation Area (Oshawa), March 13-21 and weekends March 27/28 and April ¾, www.cloca.com/msf/index.htm

Siloam Orchards (Uxbridge) March 20-April 10th, www.siloamorchards.com

Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival (Sunderland) March 27-28 www.maplesyrupfestival.ca

Gates Open - Exploring Durham Region Farms

Savour Durham Weekend
October 3rd and 4th
10am to 4pm

Gates Open Farm Tour: $10 admission for adults, Children 16 & under are free

Visit: www.gatesopen.ca for more details.