FREE
JANUARY 2021
MAGAZINE
FEATURING
David Miles
A Friendly Face in Markdale & Dundalk Here to Help Families Read his story on Page 16
Supporting Local Farmers & Businesses In Grey Highlands
www.hellocountry.ca
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MASTHEAD EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS BILL WALKER JENNY JELEN Member of Provincial Parliament for the Author, Journalist and Horse Riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Trainer / Coach with a Writing Habit JENNIFER THOMPSON Markdale Resident and Owner of L & W Bookkeeping Professionals
JEFF COLTON Flesherton Resident and Owner of Colton’s Garage
JEFF WILSON Priceville Resident and Accomplished Cartoonist, Blogtoonist & Illustrator
GARY IKONA Grey Highlands Resident and Owner of Artemesia Cheese & Fine Food
BRIAN GLASSEY Cast & Blast Expert; Outdoors Writer & Author of the Series: “Dear Mike”
KEVIN ARTHUR LAND Arts Educator and Owner of Speaking Volumes Books & Audio in Flesherton
JONATHAN NHAN MIKE WIXSON Pharmacist, Diabetes Coach, Hypnotist Producer of the Hello Country Podcast & Co-Founder of Curate and Upgrade & Owner of The Pod Plant HILIARY BREADNER REUBEN MCCALLUM Lifelong Rocklyn Resident and Owner Realtor and Grey Highlands Resident; of Hiliary Breadner Graphics Capturing Life in Grey County
Not Just the Hay Farm
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HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
e n o y r e v E g in h Wis . r a e Y w e N y p p a aH
Here’s to a Fresh Start for 2 02 1!
Winter brings new opportunities to buy and sell in Grey County. If you have any questions, please let me know how I can help. from
Reuben McCallum Sales Representative
High Country Reality Inc., Brokerage and the rest of the
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NEED NEEd A
TOW? Your Local Snow Tire & Auto Service Specialists www.coltonsgarage.ca | 519.924.2323 57 Durham St, Flesherton
TABLE OF CONTENTS JANUARY 2021 PUBLISHER’S NOTE...p8 Goodbye 2020. Hello, 2021. Can’t wait for New Beginnings. BILL WALKER, MPP...p10 Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP, Bill Walker starts us off with a New Year’s message. FOOD & DRINK...p13 Featuring Susan’s Delicatessen in Markdale. “Meet Me At Susan’s” is REAL! COVER STORY...p16 David Miles of the Co-Operators in Dundalk & Markdale is helping farmers and families. GBCS CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!...p18 Georgian Bay Cremation Services Ltd. celebrates 20 years of serving local families. FARM STORE FEATURE...p24
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE is the only free, monthly magazine of its kind focused on life in Grey Highlands. It’s delivered by Canada Post to homes and farms with Markdale, Flesherton & Priceville addresses. Additional copies are available for pick-up at selected local businesses in Grey County. We capture life in Grey Highlands by highlighting the many positive contributions to our community by local farmers, business owners, elected officials, and residents. Hello Country is proudly independent and published from a barn / pick-up truck / stable / home office just outside beautiful Flesherton, Ontario!
Read about some of our Local Farmers in our first Farm Store Feature!
From our family to yours, we thank you very much for reading!
FLESHERTON CALLING...p28
No part of this publication in any of its forms may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.
Kevin Arthur Land shines a light on his neighbours at Arts On Ten in Flesherton. Published By
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Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE 2021. NEW BEGINNINGS. Museum Rob. He’s the best!” You know who’s also the best? Local Farmers! Yeah, I said it.
Photo: Jenny Jelen
They work so hard and do so much for our community and country as a whole, but they get so little credit. A recent visit to Boars Rock Farm in Rocklyn to drop magazines off for Paul and Lorraine Irwin of Pure Music Garlic changed my outlook on local farmers and inspired this edition.
PAPA COUNTRY
Publisher, Hello Country Magazine
hellocountrymagazine@gmail.com Instagram: @hellocountrymagazine www.hellocountry.ca Thank you to everyone who reached out to me to share their feedback about our First Edition. Whether it was by email, Instagram, or in person (often at Susan’s Delicatessen in Markdale), the message was largely the same: “I recognize everyone in here;” or “I’ve lived here all my life and I still learned a lot from reading it;” and, of course, “I know
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What was my outlook, you ask? Well, if I’m honest, I didn’t really have one. Mama Country, the Boys and I would often drive past all the local farms in Grey County and not think twice about them, other than “Wouldn’t it be nice if we knew who they were and what they sold.” And so inspired the Farm Store Feature included herein. I think it’ll become a regular fixture of this publication with the hope of connecting our Readers with our Local Farmers. Supporting Local Farmers. How’s that for a New Year’s Resolution? I suppose it’s fitting, then, that we’re featuring David Miles on the cover of this edition. He’s a Financial Advisor at Miles Insurance & Investments Inc. and works closely with local property owners and farmers to provide insurance coverage and investment services through The Co-Operators in Markdale and Dundalk. You can read this month’s cover story written by Jenny Jelen on page 16. As we kick off the new year, I’d like to wish you all a prosperous and healthy 2021. To quote a friend, Jeff Brown from Not Just The Hay Farm: “What could possibly go wrong?” From the Hello Country Family to yours, here’s to new beginnings! - Papa Country
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HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
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BILL WALKER, MPP NEW YEAR MESSAGE
BILL WALKER
MPP, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound www.billwalkermpp.com bill.walkerco@pc.ola.org It is my pleasure to offer a warm welcome to the Hello Country Magazine team, especially to Roger and family (aka Papa & Mama Country and boys) as you settle in the Grey Highlands community. All of us in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound welcome you with open arms for making the move to our ‘country’ and starting a new business that will be a great resource to my many constituents. I know you enjoyed successes in the past, and so I am confident you will achieve even more prosperity with your new print edition. As we ring in a new year and put 2020, a year like no other due to Covid-19, behind us, I am humbled by the resilience and strength of the people in our local communities. While the pandemic has caused much anxiety and stress for all of us, I continue to be awed by the high spirit of all those who have stepped up to help. From frontline heroes to the business community to the not-for-profit sector to neighbours and even strangers, we have seen incredible acts of kindness in every corner of our province during this pandemic.
this great province my home. I’m especially proud of the people of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound and how they have taken responsibility in their efforts to combat the spread of the virus, and thus protect one another from even greater hardship. It is my hope, and especially with the launch of a vaccine, that everyone will keep their diligence and we can soon put this challenge behind us and move toward whatever the new ‘normal’ may be. May everyone reflect on the things we can be grateful for, and the positives we have drawn from a truly challenging situation. May we continue to move toward recovery while fostering a spirit of hope and confidence, and an appreciation that we are blessed to live in the greatest community, in the greatest province, in the greatest country in the world. Happy New Year and wishing everyone the best of health and happiness in 2021, and beyond! Bill Walker MPP, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound
We have also witnessed innovation and cre- (519) 371-2421 / 1 (800) 461-2664) ativity, a resolve that has brought people 100 - 920 1st Avenue West together for the greater good, and an ‘On- Owen Sound tario Spirit’ that has made me proud to call 10 HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
COMMUNITY SUPPORT LOCAL Good riddance to 2020. COVID-19 has been tough on everyone, especially frontline health care workers. It’s also been difficult for small businesses in the area. We have been fortunate here in Grey Highlands that there haven’t been many actual cases. The pandemic has had a profound affect on local business, though. Fewer people allowed in a store equals fewer sales. It has been especially difficult for restaurants. It requires a lot of take-out orders to make up for reduced seating. This is why it’s so important to shop local and support your independent retailers and restaurants. Over the ten years I’ve been in business in Flesherton, I’ve experienced a slow but steady increase in sales and customers. I see this trend continuing after the threat of Covid has subsided. More newcomers are discovering the appeal of Grey Highlands. Home construction and real estate sales are up. According to the Grey Highlands Building and Development department, building permits have increased approximately 25% in the last year and are expected to increase in the New Year. This is great news for local
businesses, but it may be well into the summer before we see the full benefits of this growth. By supporting your small independent store or restaurant you will be helping them get through these next six months. I am optimistic that the next few years will bring real positive growth to the area. Every year at Artemesia Cheese I meet people who have recently moved to the area. Their enthusiasm is contagious and reminds me of the excitement I experienced when I first moved here. Some people may be wary of too much growth. Development is a double-edged sword. I believe that with only one ski hill in the area we should avoid the over development experienced in other local towns. Once again this is why it’s so important to shop local. The future is bright. The vaccine is almost here. We just need to make it through the winter. Wear a mask, social distance, be safe and SHOP LOCAL!!! Gary Ikona Artemesia Cheese and Fine Food
HISTORY MARKDALE
Since 2013 Sherring’s Hardware, (Currently home to Susan’s Deli) Summer 1958 during the filming of Wolf Dog.
Photo credit: Jeff Wilson, Wolf Dog, 1958 (The Movie Made In Markdale) on Facebook
A Truly Ontario Grocery Store
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Ontario’s Old Main Streets have stories to tell -and the Mojo is strong on Main St. Markdale. This photo captures the moment when Hollywood magic visited the bustling little rural town of 1950s Markdale for the production of the movie “Wolf Dog”. By: Robert Iantorno, Community and Heritage Curator, South Grey Museum
Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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GREY COUNTY LIFE HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT
REUBEN MCCALLUM
Sales Representative RE/MAX High Country Realty Inc., Brokerage facebook.com/reubenmccallumrealtor www.reubenmccallum.com (519) 477-0418 On to 2021! The beginning of each new year is always exciting, but the sugar rush of the holiday season will give way to the reality that we do have about 4 more months of snow. The shorter days and snow give us an opportunity to reflect on the past year and build a plan to move forward. For me, I am reflecting on 2020 in real estate and working to craft an updated strategy for my clients. Every month our area is posting strong numbers, a win for us locals who are looking to sell. If you are looking to make a move into the housing market for the first time, hold on to your hat. One downfall of living in the best County in Ontario (in my opinion) is that everyone else wants to live here, too. Reflection is important, but we can’t change the past. With that said, this time of year we like to focus on New Year’s Resolutions.
cool things since we started, and we feel it has made our community stronger. You can find them on social media. Volunteering is part of the Grey County lifestyle just as much as hanging out at the cottage or ski chalet, hiking or biking, and provides food for the soul that is as hearty as Grandma’s chicken soup. What is your cause? What do you enjoy doing? Do you have any skills that you feel a local volunteer organization would benefit from? Time is arguably the most valuable resource you can donate. Maybe you feel you just don’t have extra time, or joining a group is intimidating. No problem. I think you will find many groups are finding modern ways to run their organizations and whatever you can give (time, expertise or money) not only helps the people around you, but it makes you feel pretty darn good, too.
Every year I make the resolution to leave the community I live in stronger than it was the year before. I know, it sounds corny and manufactured but it is true. In 2017 I got involved with Rotaract and was part of the effort to establish the Rotaract Highlanders Locally. We have done some 12
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
FOOD & DRINK MEET ME AT SUSAN’S So this whole, “Meet “Meet Me At Susan’s” Susan’s” thing is REAL! It started out as a side comment by a friend, April Poppe. She mentioned it casually when we met up at Susan’s a few month’s ago. The saying made its way into an ad (see the outside back cover), and into reality (see below). Not only can you seek refuge from the weather at Susan’s Deli, you can also seek refuge from boring food. They’ve got homemade goodies one could only dream of - unless, of course, you’re Portuguese. In which case, you’ll feel right at home with their delectable tarts. Coffee, brownies, vegan cupcakes (pictured to the right), specialty products, and a variety of locally-made, artisan products and gift items are the main attraction. Oh, and the pizza, and the tarts, and the pumpkin squares, and the Danishes, and the list goes on... But the true allure isn’t the food or the drinks or the gifts - it’s the sense of community that exists at Susan’s that draws people.
SUSAN’S DELICATESSEN
15 Main Street West, Markdale (519) 270-1520 www.susansmarkdale.com Instagram: @susans.deli
People are flocking to Susan’s from all over Grey County and beyond, myself included. We think we’re going there to buy some tasty treats or unique gifts and pantry items, but we’re really attracted to the Markdale icon by its owners, Suzzi and Catherine. The pair are putting their all into creating a place where community comes to life. They’ve gone very, very far out of their way to support my side business; Grey County Apparel Co. - selling Hoodies on my behalf. A lot of people these days throw around the term ‘Support Local’, but Catherine & Suzzi live it. Daily, they endeavour to serve our community with good cheer, small town vibes and, oh yeah...amazing food!
Papa Country meeting Kathy McCarthy for the first time (his neighbour’s Mom) at Susan’s Deli in Markdale. Small town vibes.
Take it from me. I’ve spent a fair bit of time there lately and everybody who walks out of Susan’s Deli does it with a smile. By: Papa Country
Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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WELLNESS WHAT WILL YOU DO IN 2021? adjust.
JONATHAN NHAN
Co-Founder, Curate and Upgrade
2021: The year everyone has been waiting for. A serious question now: What will you do to make it the year that you want it to be? One thing that we can be guilty of at one time or another is to look outside for the answers to our problems when those answers really lie within. Now, there are always things that are made easier by having the right resources, but having the right mindset is an important foundational understanding. So now that the time has passed, the 365 days of 2020 have come and gone - what has changed? There are definitely some positives on the horizon and those things that are out of our control are seemingly beginning to come into control. If you were to imagine things going “back to normal”, what normal things would you go on living with in your life and just think about changing? What is stopping you from taking action? The beginning of the year is often a time for making resolutions. Personally, I haven’t found resolutions to be very effective. They’re too easy to ignore and forget about. What I have found immensely helpful is choosing one word and using that to set my intention for the year. In 2020, my word was ACTION. This word served me well as it propelled me forward to find solutions and make things happen in a year when many things were slowing down and stopping. The great thing is, that since I was guided by the word ACTION, regardless of the situation, I was able to adapt and 14
In January 2020, I was thinking about how to grow my hypnosis practice. I had a unique set of skills and I wanted to get out there and make some positive change in the world. I had the intention of working with people in person, as that was how the training took place. Moving to working online was not even a thought in my mind. Then of course, the pandemic began to ramp up and this could have been a perfect reason to put all those plans on hold. It is fascinating to reflect on having the word ACTION as an anchor to drive my intentions and continue moving the momentum forward. I was able to pivot and move my work online. At the time, I had not worked with hypnosis online. I had not even arranged a Zoom meeting for myself, but I didn’t let any of that stop me. I leveraged an awesome online community to learn how to make this technology work, and how to work hypnotically online. This turn of events has allowed me to expand my reach and work with people all over the world; USA, Saudi Arabia, China, and even in Grey Highlands! All of this is to say that setting this intention for 2020 has helped keep my mindset on track. For 2021, I have chosen FOCUS to guide my year. The great thing is, now ACTION and FOCUS can stack together! If you want to learn more about choosing a word to set your intention, you can contact me directly, follow me on social media, or learn more on our website. I can help you set your intention, then supercharge it. You can reach me at: jon@curateandupgrade.ca I’m looking forward to hearing from you. Jonathan Nhan Co-Founder, Curate and Upgrade Pharmacist, Certified Diabetes Coach, and Hypnotist Listen to the Curate and Upgrade Podcast www.curateandupgrade.ca
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
DEAR MIKE LETTER #2 Dear Mike, As I suspected, it’s been almost a month since my last update letter, and a lot has happened in that time! As I told you in my last letter, I was about to take the firearms safety course, and I have to tell you all about it, because I had no idea how extensive this process would turn out to be. I started by having to take the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. (C.F.S.C.) That involved a full weekend in the classroom learning a proven methodology of how to safely handle firearms and ammunition. Learning this method and practicing it has made me feel much comfortable simply being around a gun, because prior to this I had virtually no exposure to them other than movies and video games, or worse, through the news media’s nightly onslaught of gang shootings in Toronto. Guns were dangerous and kind or scary, and I didn’t want much to do with them. The method taught at this course showed me that I didn’t need to be afraid of a firearm if I learned how to safely handle it and prove to myself it was unloaded and safe. The method starts by teaching you how to approach and handle a firearm that you haven’t been in immediate contact with. They use the acronym A.C.T.S. - Assume the gun is loaded, Control the muzzle, Trigger – don’t touch the trigger until you are actually ready to fire the gun, Show – show yourself the gun is unloaded and safe. They went on to show us how to operate all of the different types of gun actions that we might encounter so that we were able to remove all of the ammunition from the gun and work the actions of the gun to eject any possible live rounds out of it. While we learned that, they introduced the second acronym – P.R.O.V.E. This is what you use once you have picked up a gun to “prove” to yourself that it’s safe. Point the gun in the safest possible direction. Remove all methods of feeding ammunition. Observe the chamber (the part of the gun where the bullet fits inside the barrel). Verify the feeding path (that means work the action a few times to make sure there is no more ammunition in the gun). Examine the bore (that means look into the gun to ensure there is
nothing obstructing the barrel). We learned that if we followed this method every time we touched a firearm, we would ensure that there would never be a safety issue or an accident. And numbers they showed us backed that up. The number of firearms-related incidents in Canada since this program has been instituted have dropped dramatically. I can see why. I feel so much more confident being around guns now that I have this course under my belt. Even though the actual firearms safety course was very extensive, the process to get my license was by no means complete. At the end of the weekend, I had to pass a practical exam where I had to be able to identify different types of ammuntion and firearms, and be able to safely handle those firearms and prove to the instructor that I could make a firearm safe by using the methodology laid out above. I also had to achieve at least an 85% score on a written exam on the same material. Once I did all of that, both the instructor of the course and I had to complete an application that got sent to the Chief Firearms Officer and the R.C.M.P. requesting my license. I had to send in a passport-style picture, and also provide the R.C.M.P. permission to run a criminal record check, a background check, and I had to provide them references that they would contact before they granted the license! Oh yeah, and there was a mandatory 28-day waiting period too, which means even for someone like me who was getting their firearms license for work purposes, there was no way to get it quickly in Canada. Mike, I had NO idea that Canadian gun owners had to jump through so many hoops to get a license. Honestly, I was shocked, and even a little relieved. It SHOULD require a lot to prove you are capable of handling such a responsibility. But I think we see what goes on in the United States and think that is what happens here too. I am happy to report that is not the case. One of the things I liked most about this course was that it made me look at firearms from a different perspective. I was born and raised in the GTA. I had no exposure to guns other than being appalled when another neighbourhood close to mine got shot up. In that world, nobody needed a gun. Cont’d on page 29
Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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COVER STORY SUPPORTING FARMERS AND New years are synonymous with new beginnings.
“Here, you can get to know somebody and develop a relationship with them.”
For newcomers to Grey County, 2021 can quite literally become a fresh start, away from the hustle and bustle and lockdown of city life. For long term residents, it’s a chance to press play on new opportunities and take country living to the next level.
In getting to know the community and the people in it, Miles said he’s developed a sense of “accountability” to his home that stretches beyond his day job.
Given all that the last year has brought, both lifers and newcomers alike can agree there’s never been a better time to plan for some peace of mind. For residents, having their assets insured is not only necessary, but offers a tremendous amount of reassurance and comfort during what can be questionable times. David Miles and the team at Co-Operators are always ready to help. “People need to insure their livelihoods are covered, while they’re doing what they’re doing,” said Miles, a financial advisor servicing The Co-Operators locations in both Dundalk and Markdale. On top of offering a variety of insurance packages, including coverage for homes, farms, commercial properties, life, investments and travel, The Co-Operators prides itself on servicing its community and clients in a way that works best for the customer. In the city, Miles said he has clients he’s never met face to face. That’s not quite the case in Grey County. “There’s more of a gravitational pull (for clients) to deal with someone local,” he said. “They want to establish a relationship with the associates. That’s the demographics here.” Much of what Miles does in a day includes meeting with clients in person, visiting them in their homes and getting to know them beyond just their insurance needs. “You can get insurance from a call away,” he said. “Some companies have apps for home and auto insurance, but there’s still a market of people who hate that. They want you to come out and see their farm. They want you to come see their barn. People want that personal touch,” Miles continues. 16
“I make sure when I can, I buy local or support local,” Miles said. “If a farmer (is insured) with us, I’d try to go buy groceries from them. It’s nice to get plugged in.” Looking for a change of pace himself, Miles and his family moved from the city just over a year ago. He said he likes being part of a community that’s on the upswing. “We’re hoping to see some new life, and new business and new growth in Dundalk,” he said. “We’re hoping for new joiners.” As the city sprawls outwards, it won’t be long before more and more people need to take advantage of the services that The Co-Operators provides. “Call, click or come in,” Miles said. “We’ll meet you on your level. It’s a one-stop shop.” Country Insurance and Financial Planning Grey County, like many other country living destinations, has its own unique set of challenges when it comes to providing comprehensive insurance. Helping residents understand how country living differs from city living, from an insurance perspective, is a big part of what Miles, a newcomer himself, is tasked with. “If there’s a fire in the city, they might be able to salvage something,” he said. “There are fire hydrants within a thousand feet. Here, it’s way different. We have municipal fire services which know their jurisdictions, and they actually have to shuttle independent units out to fight fires. By the time they do that, there are usually bigger losses, so our first risks are more thorough than they are in the city. That’s one of the main differences.” Another big difference from city living to country life is considering snow loads.
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
FAMILIES IN GREY COUNTY
By: Jenny Jelen
DAVID MILES
Owner, The Co-Operators (Dundalk & Markdale) Financial Advisor, Miles Insurance and Investments Inc. 43 Main Street West, Markdale 40 Main Street East, Dundalk (519) 923-2313 “You don’t really think about it until it happens,” Miles said. “You don’t really think about your roof caving in until it’s snowed six days in a row. All of a sudden you have thousands of pounds on your roof, and it could cave in. It’s not a super common occurrence, but it happens, and that’s why we’re here.” “The demographic is changing,” he said. “People are getting more and more freedom to work from home. Less commuting means more moving (to Grey County).” On top of providing clients with appropriate insurance for their rural lifestyle, Miles and The Co-Operators are also able to provide financial planning services catered to the clients they serve. “Farmers have unique problems,” he said. “Their whole life savings is in their land and their operation. They have tons of wealth in their land.” Inevitably, there will come a time when that wealth will need to be distributed.
Miles said. Specializing in financial planning means The Co-Operators can help farmers, as well as other country living residents, help make informed decisions to look after their life’s work. “As different solutions are offered in the market, we want to be thought of for these services,” Miles said. “You don’t have to go to a broker to get your farm insurance, and you don’t have to go to a credit union to get your investments done, and you don’t have to go to a bank to get your life insurance. You can just do all of that at The Co-Operators.”
For More Information To learn more about The Co-Operators, stop by or get in touch with the Dundalk office, located at 40 Main Street East at 519.923.2313 or the Markdale office, located at 43 Main Street West, at 519.986.3353.
“A lot of farmers are not effectively planning on how to pass that to their kids,” Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
17
Photo: Jenny Jelen
GEORGIAN BAY CREMATION SERVICES LTD. I struggle at times managing my ego. My wife is very good at reminding me when I’m getting a bit too big for my britches, though, and this helps to bring me back down to earth. So, where am I going with this intro? Not six feet underground, that’s where. Let me ask you a question: Is it weird that when I pass a cemetery, the first thing that comes to my mind is ‘man, these people are taking up a lot of space’? A tombstone marking a grave that encompasses maybe twenty square feet of surface area, you could argue, is somewhat egotistical. Now that I have sufficiently offended a very high percentage of my readers, allow me to digress as I dig myself out of the hole I just dug (get it?). By no means am I disparaging the practice of burying the deceased. I’m just trying to look at things from a different perspective. Writing about cremation isn’t exactly easy, but it sure does beat talking to my wife about our relationship. Speaking of Mama Country, I just asked her to read this and she’s walked away from my computer three times so far, each time shocked and laughing nervously as she weighs whether or not I’m serious about publishing this article. “I want to be buried,” she says seriously. “Don’t you?”
by Robert Fawcett. You may know him from his work with Fawcett Funeral Home, as well as a number of community-building initiatives, not the least of which is his recent support of The Hanley Institute; a non-profit community organization assisting youth in Grey County which now inhabits the former United Church building on Spring Street in Flesherton (for more about The Hanley Institute, see page 20). So, what’s next for GBCS? Alkaline Hydrolysis. Say what?! Alkaline Hydrolysis will give individuals considering their end-of-life choices an additional option of Aquamation - the process of using water instead of fire to reduce remains to unidentifiable dimensions. It’s expected that this service will be available by mid-2021. It’s worth noting that the cost of cremation differs from that of a burial service. In many cases, cremation is far less expensive. Today, Georgian Bay Cremation Services helps over 2,500 families a year ranging from communities across the regions of Huron, Grey-Bruce, Simcoe, Wellington, Peel, Dufferin, and the Muskokas. They employ seven people and provide generous revenues to support the cemetery system in the Municipality of Grey Highlands.
I just opened up a big can of worms (sorry, another burial pun). Death isn’t something we talk about in our house often. So, now that the topic is broached, do you want to be buried or cremated? Kind of a tough question to pose. I’m sure it’s not an easy one for you to answer. Or is it? Over the past twenty years, Georgian Bay Cremation Services (GBCS). has seen a growing number of families choosing cremation to honour their loved ones. Based right here in Flesherton, GBCS was started 18
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!
By: Papa Country
Con Cr
Considering Cremation
he choice of e-planning. mong many es.
not mation
tive to a o burying a A funeral or ortant e – and a ant event for grief.
amily and ng funeral as d one’s life her story and
90 Toronto Road, Box 130, Flesherton, ON N0C 1E0 519-924-2727 1-877-745-3154 fax: 519-924-3867 E-mail: info@georgianbaycremation.ca Web site: www.georgianbaycremation.ca
Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
19
THE HANLEY INSTITUTE BE KIND
THE HANLEY INSTITUTE
Jenny Hanley (pictured in foreground) www.thehanleyinstitute.ca I don’t recall being taught about addiction and mental health when I was in school. That was a long time ago, though, and perhaps I’m ignorant of today’s curriculum. The point here is that I’m admittedly not as sensitive to these issues as I should be. I always thought that addiction was a choice an adult made and that anxiety and depression were fleeting emotions; easy to overcome at will. Ignorant, right? But now I know addiction is a disease suffered by both young and old. I know now that anxiety and depression are serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions requiring much in the way of professional help to manage; not necessarily to cure entirely. I also know now that all of the above are currently affecting our youth right here in Grey County. But, thankfully, there’s help. The Hanley Institute in Flesherton was established in 2018 to do just that - assist youth in Grey County through counselling 20
and youth awareness programs, like oneon-one education sessions, family sessions, camps, workshops, and groups. Their team consists of caring professionals with one goal in mind: to help youth succeed. I reached out to Jenny Hanley for comment as I was curious to know what inspired her to start such an initiative. Her answer was humbling. But instead of printing her comment, I found something on The Hanley Institute website that encapsulated it from an honest, raw perspective. Below is a testimonial from Kyle Johnston, a local youth. It reads as follows: “I recommend The Hanley Institute because it saved me from dying. I am an addict in recovery and these staff are amazing with youth. They help me through my daily struggles day in and day out. I have severe depression and anxiety and Jenny (2nd mother) has been there for me 24/7 whenever I feel down or even happy just to talk to me about my day. This Organization is amazing for the youth!!!” By: Papa Country
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
COLTON’S GARAGE NEED A TOW?
JEFF COLTON
Owner, Colton’s Garage I know, you’re a very diligent reader and you’ve already come to our shop to get your snow tires put on. We thank you! But don’t forget, this is Grey County and it’s winter. So anything can happen out there on - even if you’ve got your snows on.
Wishing everyone a wonderful start to the new year. We’re here to help if you need us. Drive safe.
You know as well as I do that our roads can get slippery and even with the right tires, accidents can happen. So if you need a tow, we’re ready to go! We’re available to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - Towing and Flatbed service. Remember, we’re neighbours and around here, everyone helps everyone.
COLTON’S GARAGE YOUR GARAGE SINCE 1974 www.coltonsgarage.ca 57 Durham Street, Flesherton Instagram: @coltonsgarage (519) 924-2323
So if you’re ever in trouble or know someone who is, save our number in your phone or just tear this article out of the magazine and keep it in your glove box. You never know when you’ll need it. Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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JENNIFER THOMPSON BOOKKEEPING 101 tough go this year, but they’re some of the most resilient people out there. I should know. My husband is one of them. Not to keep putting Papa Country on the hot seat, but he’s the perfect example of an entrepreneur who’s trying to do everything; sales, operations, production, distribution, accounting...everything! It’s hard. That’s where I come in.
JENNIFER THOMPSON
L & W Bookkeeping Professionals
About a month ago, I received a copy of Hello Country’s first edition in the mail at our home in Markdale. I thought, ‘hey, this would be a good place to advertise my Bookkeeping business.’ I emailed Papa Country...and here we are! After a quick phone conversation with him, we knew we could help each other. I needed to promote my business locally and Papa Country needed to organize his financials. “It’s been a very busy year,” he said to me. “I’ve been working so hard, I haven’t been able to spend as much time with my family as they deserve. I need help.” What he needed was help with administrative financial work - receivables, payables, and organizing his books for his accountant come tax time - the kind of stuff a lot of small business owners place on the back burner in order to focus on actually making money, especially during Covid.
In short order, I’ve been able to set him up with a system that tracks his expenses, analyzes his cash flow, and generates reports that he can send to his accountant in preparation for tax season. He can even do it on his phone - which I find is very convenient for most busy professionals. If you’re a small business owner and you’re having a challenging time keeping your books organized and up to date, you’re not alone. 2020 has been a year that most folks have spent just trying to stay above water. If you’d like to chat about ways I can help alleviate some of the work that, let’s face it, unless you’re an accountant isn’t your core competency, give me a call or send me an email. Let’s figure out how I can help you spend more time doing what you do best; growing your business. L & W BOOKKEEPING PROFESSIONALS support@lwbookkeepingpro.com lwbookkeepingpro.com (519) 477-5652
“This pandemic has been tough on us,” Papa Country said to me. “I need to get better organized so I can get a clear picture of how we’re doing financially.” His situation is like so many others I work with. Small business owners have had a 22
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
Start off the new year
with the gift of reading a LOCALly illustrated story Lorem ipsum
The Tiny Voyageur: A young girls discovery of Metis History
Written by Rebekah Wilson
Beautifully Illustrated by her father and Priceville resident
Jeffrey Wilson
Available for sale at
PURE MUSIC GARLIC F A R M
“Ah, what is it?” I ask with childlike trepidation - not one to just consume random things given to me by local farmers.
S T O R E
Paul’s reply: “That’s black garlic.”
F E A T U R E
“Just eat it.” Paul says with a smile. I guess that was all the convincing I needed. Gulp. “Wow! What is that? It tastes like candy!” I said with eyes wide open.
PURE MUSIC GARLIC Owners, Paul & Lorraine Irwin
“Here, try this.” Paul Irwin says to me as he hands me what looks like a black jujube. I feel like I’m back in grade school when the police would visit to teach kids to ‘just say no’. What should I do, I think to myself.
I didn’t even know such a delicacy existed. But now that I do, I’m passing this knowledge on to you. Not only is black garlic real, it’s made locally right here in Grey County by Pure Music Garlic at Boars Rock Farm in Rocklyn. Lorraine and Paul Irwin offer it for sale at their Farm Store, along with a wide variety of other very delectable Certified Organic garlic products. Check out their Farm Store for all the good garlic things in life! Tell ‘em Papa Country sent ya :) (519) 942-5410 / puremusicgarlic.com Instagram: @puremusicgarlic 136407 Grey County Rd 12, Meaford
We have got you covered with all of your Entertaining needs. 24
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
www.greybrucefarmersweek.ca GOOD FAMILY FARMS other son Marcus and his wife, RuthAnne, run the day-to-day operations of their 1,000 acre farm. 700 acres of which are used to grow organic crops, while 300 acres provide pasture and bush for their cattle, heritage hogs, and chickens.
Do you know where your food comes from? For most of us, the answer is the local grocery store. For a growing number of folks, though, the answer is Good Family Farms in Meaford. Operating a Certified Organic farm, the Good family believes Regenerative farming is important for the health of their soil and animals. They raise organic grass fed beef, pasture raised pork, as well as pasture raised chickens and eggs. They also rational grass all their animals.
The Good Family Farm Store is open all year; Thursdays & Fridays 10AM to 6PM, and Saturdays 10AM to 2PM, where they sell their meats, honey and eggs and other local organic products. They’ve also partnered with Harvest Moon, a local market garden outfit, that grows certified organic vegetables on their farm which can also be purchased from the Farm Store. In addition, Good Family Farms offers weekly Farm to Table dinners at their Farm House. They work with local chef team, Sumac + Salt, to provide a 7-course, blind tasting menu showcasing ingredients sourced from their farm and other local producers from Grey County. (519) 616-1090 / goodfamilyfarms.ca Instagram: @goodfamilyfarms 157366 7th Line, Meaford
This is truly a family-owned business. Kim and Terry, along with their son Mitch and his partner, Samantha Brooker, and their Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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SIDEROAD FARM STORE F A R M
A wise woman once said, if you begin an article with a quotation, it will capture the readers’ attention. So here goes... “You can do all your grocery shopping here.” - Amy Kitchen, Sideroad Farm And that just about sums up this article.
S T O R E F E A T U R E
When you can roll up to a Farm Store, buy all your local and Certified Organic vegetables, organic fed & pasture-raised chicken, and even pick up fresh flowers, you know you’ve got a good thing going. Amy and Patrick Kitchen supply much of the products sold in the Farm Store from their own organic farm. Expats from B.C., the Kitchen’s are big on supporting local. They’ve partnered with local farms and food producers to supply the farm store with fresh, high quality and local products. You can shop their Farm Store online as well as in-person. They even offer home delivery as well as a pick-up service. If you’re thinking of supporting more Local
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Farmers in 2021, add Sideroad Farms in Walter’s Falls to your list. (519) 377-6673 / sideroadfarm.com Instagram: @sideroadfarmstore 805092 Sideroad 25 RR3, Markdale
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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THE ARTS FLESHERTON CALLING
At any given time, Jennifer Stenberg might have as many as ten different paintings on the go in her kitchen/studio. The pieces are not necessarily related in theme or content, and their origins might be radically different, so their only connection might be a temporal one. They just happen to be coming into existence at the same time. As she works on each individual piece, one thinks of the young Beth Harmon in the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit” playing multiple opponents yet keeping each game separate in her mind. Her creative and business partner Holger Majorahn, however, almost exclusively produces one work at a time, from start to finish. He works more spontaneously than Jennifer, and the origin of his paintings is often impulsive. Not surprising, perhaps, knowing that each of them came to a pursuit of art from a different path, and a different age. Born in Germany, Holger studied design at college in Munich, travelled extensively throughout Europe, then established a career as an illustrator and graphic designer. Jennifer, originally from Saskatchewan, spent the early part of her career as a journalist, working at the Edmonton Journal in the Lifestyle and Fashion area. She did not begin her transformation into a visual artist until she moved to Flesherton in the late 1990’s. Jennifer is on her fifth gallery since her move to Flesherton, the Arts on Ten Gallery Boutique, which she shares with partners, Holger and Anna-Maria Dickinson. A fence of Holger’s murals lines one side of the building, consisting of people who have made a difference to the world, from Margaret Atwood to Gord Downie, from Greta Thunberg to Nelson Mandela. The choice of subject might be the closest the two have come to collaboration, with Jennifer making suggestions and Holger taking up the challenge, sometimes after much consideration. 28
Operating a gallery for as long as they have, there is no shortage of stories to tell. Jennifer recalls a woman from Newfoundland who picked up her card at an art show in Durham and ended up commissioning 22 paintings from her. Or the fellow whose efforts to teach his companion how to buy art involved trying to knock as much as possible off the sticker price. They both remember the person who inherited a painting after the death of his mother who wanted the gallery to buy it back. When they travel together, they are not simply recharging their batteries, they are looking for source material. That is why Holger, who is frequently the driver, is not usually surprised when Jennifer shouts “Stop! Go back!”. He will turn around immediately. The unwritten rule is that “Art trumps everything”. Neither of them is particularly worried when they get lost. On one such occasion, it resulted in one of Jennifer’s best paintings ever. An artist never wants to habituate. As the saying goes, “if you are resting on your laurels, then you are using the wrong end”. Perhaps that is why Holger is currently working on three abstract paintings - more than one at a time and in a form he does not usually employ. It is a little like getting lost. He is in unfamiliar territory and he does not know where he will end up. Kevin Arthur Land is a playwright, screenwriter, arts educator, and the owner of Speaking Volumes Books and Audio in Flesherton. kevinarthurland.ca A new episode of ‘Slipstream’, Kevin’s film commentary series, is released every other Thursday on the Grey Highlands Cultural Channel on Youtube.
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
DEAR MIKE Cont’d from p15 The only people who had guns were the criminals. But the part that I had never considered was that outside of the GTA, people live differently and see firearms differently. There are thousands of farms, and hunt camps, and mining operations in Ontario, and most of them have at least one or two guns available at all times. For a farmer a gun is just another tool – a tool to shoot a rabid fox or racoon, a tool to put diseased, injured, or dying livestock out of their misery. Did you know that the Mennonite community is one of the highest per-capita gun owning populations in Ontario? Yet we never hear of Mennonites shooting each other. I also had no idea just how many people in Canada owned guns. I learned on this course that according to a Justice Canada report, about 26% of Canadian homes had at least one firearm, and that over THREE MILLION Canadians owned firearms! Not only that, but ALL of them had to go through the same process I just did. Wow. I had no idea. When you consider how many homes in our urban areas don’t have firearms, that must mean that most of the homes outside of those areas do. When you also consider the almost complete lack of gun crime happening outside of Canadian urban centres, it makes you wonder. How is it that the places with the most guns don’t have any gun crime, while the places where almost no guns exist have rampant gun crime? Have I been looking at things wrong? Maybe the problem isn’t the guns. Maybe the problem is the way people think. Maybe the solution is more nuanced and complex than just “Let’s get rid of all guns.” Hmm.
Imagine if everyone could be this warm and cozy in their own Tractor Hoodie
So that’s where things stand. I am in the mandatory 28-day waiting period to receive my P.A.L. - a Possession and Acquisition License. I’m still not sure I want to own a gun yet, though. I’m not really sure what I would use one for. But one of the guys that works in the warehouse at this new job has invited me to come to the range with him now that I have taken the safety course. So that will be my next adventure! All my love to the family. Miss you, Mikey. Brian
By: Brian Glassey Read Letter #1 at www.hellocountry.ca
SUPPORT LOCAL
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Available in Markdale
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519-924-2727
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