FREE
JUNE 2021
MAGAZINE
FEATURING
Talisa Haskins
and the importance of your mental health
Read more on Page 16
Supporting Local Farmers & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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MASTHEAD EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS MICHELLE PATEY JENNY JELEN Administrator at the Grey Highlands Author, Journalist and Horse Chamber of Commerce. Trainer / Coach with a Writing Habit JENNIFER THOMPSON Markdale Resident and Owner of L & W Bookkeeping Professionals
TYSON RIER Sales Representative for Huron Tractor in Chatsworth
JEFF WILSON Priceville Resident and Accomplished Cartoonist, Blogtoonist & Illustrator
LORRAINE IRWIN Rocklyn Resident and Owner of Pure Music Garlic Products
LOUELLA MARTIN KEVIN ARTHUR LAND Markdale resident and co-owner of Arts Educator and Owner of Speaking Azure Highlands Homestead 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 LIZ MARTINO-DURBANO REUBEN MCCALLUM Teacher, Certified Fitness Instructor & Realtor and Grey Highlands Resident; Wellness Guide Capturing Life in Grey County ROBERT IANTORNO Community and Heritage Curator, South Grey Museum in Flesherton
519.216.7287 agcojeff@gmail.com Mulmur, ON
AAKASH P. DESAI Markdale Resident and Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Grey Highlands
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HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
e g a t t o It ’s C Time Looking to buy or sell a cottage or lake house in Grey County? I can help. from
Reuben McCallum Sales Representative
High Country Reality Inc., Brokerage and the rest of the
www.reubenmccallum.com
519.477.0418
Not intended to solicit Buyers or Sellers currently under contract.
GREY COUNTY LIFE IT’S COTTAGE TIME As we head into Summer, cottages are going to be opening up and boats are going to be getting out on the water. All reminders that the cottage market is also going to be heating up, and I am ready! We are fortunate to have so many unique lakefront properties in Grey County. While each lake is different and equally beautiful in its own way, I would have to say one of my favourites is Williams Lake. Something about the colour of the water. Over the years we have had cottages listed for sale on Williams Lake, Irish Lake, Eugenia and others and I am always sure to stop and take a minute It is finally sounding like there may be some light to appreciate the water. I find it very at the end of the COVID tunnel. Yay! Now that the calming. nicer weather is here to stay, the grass is growing (really fast) and the leaves are out. Nicer weather This month, Hello Country informed and more sunshine really lift my mood and I could me they were looking to mental not be more excited to get out on the trails (safely) health as a focus for this edition. Cottages bring peace, relaxation and and take a breath of fresh air. family fun and while I do not have a cottage of my own, I do escape to a rented cottage for a few days over the Summer to unplug and unwind which I find so important for me.
www.apparelco.ca
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Taking time for yourself is never wasted time and after getting through the year we all just got through, I think it’s even more important. You deserve it. REUBEN MCCALLUM Sales Representative, RE/MAX High Country Realty Inc., Brokerage facebook.com/reubenmccallumrealtor www.reubenmccallum.com (519) 477-0418
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Not intended to solicit Buyers or Sellers currently under contract
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6
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
TABLE OF CONTENTS JUNE 2021 GREY COUNTY LIFE...p6
Reuben McCallum writes about the benefits of lakefront properties. It’s Cottage Time!
PUBLISHER’S NOTE...p8
Papa Country dedicates this edition to Mental Health Awareness and pokes a bit of fun at himself in the process, too.
LOCAL POLITICS...p10
Aakash Desai, Deputy Mayor of Grey Highlands, updates us on the biggest issue currently faced by Council.
WELLNESS - p14
Jonathan Nhan wants you to Pay Attention; and meet our newest Online Contributor, Liz Martino-Durbano.
COVER STORY - p16
Talisa Haskins, a Registered Psychotherapist and Grey Highlands resident, talks about mental health and the benefits of therapy.
HELLO COUNTRY KIDS - p19
A little something new from the Boys! Check out their toy wishlist and subscribe to their new YouTube show!
CARTOON...p30
Priceville’s Jeff Wilson offers his tips on how to cope with the stresses of the pandemic. Published By
Gourmet
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE is the only free, monthly magazine of its kind focused on life in Grey Highlands. It’s delivered by Canada Post to homes and farms with Kimberley, Markdale, Flesherton, Heathcote, Maxwell, Singhampton, Priceville addresses. Copies are available for pick-up at selected businesses in Grey Highlands. 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! From our family to yours, we thank you very much for reading! No part of this publication in any of its forms may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS SPECIAL OFFERS
Photo: Jenny Jelen
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PAPA COUNTRY
Publisher, Hello Country Magazine hellocountrymagazine@gmail.com Instagram: @hellocountrymagazine www.hellocountry.ca Welcome to our June edition.
If you’re anything like me, time feels like it’s flying by...or going ridiculously slowly if you’re like Mama Country, trapped at home with me and our Boys for over a year. One thing’s for sure, though, you’ve likely been touched in some capacity by mental health. I decided to dedicate this edition to Mental Health Awareness because I think it’s a topic that should be discussed more frequently and more openly. We’re getting better at sharing our feelings, especially younger adults and teens, but I think it’s important for everyone reading this to consider the fact that mental health is health. So, if you can speak freely to friends and family about your knee replacement, then you should feel comfortable speaking to them about feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed. I’m not a Registered Psychotherapist, but Talisa Haskins is. She sat down with Jenny Jelen to talk about her practice, the importance of therapy, and what she’s doing to help her patients take the first steps in their journey towards wellness. Read Talisa’s story on page 16. June is also associated with PRIDE. What does PRIDE mean to you? I’ve written a little piece about what PRIDE means to me. You can find it on page 26. 8
I’d like to thank our Editorial Contributors. Each month, they dig deep, write from their hearts, and provide compelling content for you to read. It’s an honour to work with them. Thank you all for your time. Lastly, I’d like to wish all the Dads out there a very happy Father’s Day! If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, please consider reaching out to someone for help. We’re all doing our best to get through this and if you’re struggling (or know someone who is), just know that you’re not alone. If you need a good laugh, just look up at the top left corner of this page and picture some serious Sideshow Bob hair bustin’ out from under that hat. The struggle is real, my friends.
- Papa Country
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HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
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LOCAL POLITICS COUNCIL UPDATE The importance of making the right decision here can not be overstated. Council is certainly in an unenviable position. In a recent email on the subject, it was called “one of the most important decisions made during this term of council.” Council will have to balance the wants of the community and good fiscal policy. Even in terms of what the community wants, there are various opinions on the best use of the parcels.
AAKASH P. DESAI
Deputy Mayor Municipality of Grey Highlands deputymayordesai@greyhighlands.ca DISCLAIMER: This article is not meant to act as a majority or dissenting opinion on matters discussed and decided at Council of the Municipality of Grey Highlands or the Council of the County of Grey. It is an honest effort to present facts, thoughts, rationales, and debates surrounding those items. And in some cases, it is just good news and celebrations. The theme for this month’s magazine is mental health. Since I don’t feel like I would be particularly good, or qualified, to speak on that I decided I would do a column bringing updates from Council.
In other news, the new Markdale hospital construction is well underway. At the May 18th Council Meeting representatives from the Centre Grey Health Services Foundation provided an update to Council during their delegation. They have also asked to collect on Council’s pledge of $1.2 million. In addition, they have also asked Council to consider an increase of $181,500 to that. This represents an annual 1% increase (15% total) to the original pledge. This is a “small representative of the interest earned over the years”. If you want to write to Council on these, or any other matters, you can send an email to council@greyhighlands.ca. This will send an email to all members of Council simultaneously. AAKASH P. DESAI Deputy Mayor Municipality of Grey Highlands deputymayordesai@greyhighlands.ca
The biggest issue in front of Council right now is the future of Beaver Valley. More precisely, the parcels of land that are now known in the community as the Talisman Lands. In March, the Municipality entered into a one-year Joint Venture Agreement with the owners of the Talisman Springs Inn property to promote and market the opportunities for these collective lands. The possibilities on what can happen on the lands have piqued the interest of several members of the community. On Friday May 21, a group called Friends of the Beaver Valley delegated to Council asking for three months to allow them to formulate a vision for the properties. 10
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
TRACTOR TALK WITH TYSON RIER You live on a country property. With that, comes the responsibility of property maintenance. I might be a little biased, but what better way to do that than with a John Deere compact tractor? With sizes from 23 horsepower up to 66 horsepower, John Deere has a tractor for any task. Plus, I can’t think of a better stress reliever than spending some time on the tractor. I call it my “ME” time. With everything going on in the world today, it’s very important to take some time to unwind, which is easy for me when I’m doing work with my tractor. I also feel a sense of accomplishment when I’m done. Having a compact tractor can make the toughest jobs look easy and with just about every attachment you can think of, a John Deere compact tractor can handle any task on your property.
TYSON RIER
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Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
11
MUSEUM ROB CELEBRATING LOCAL TALENT “Self Portrait No. 4” by Brodey Barwick, Markdale “Cohesive chaos” is how artist Brodey Barwick of Markdale describes his work. Zigzags, squiggles, patterns and fractals come together to make a whole. As it relates to mental health, this artist’s stream of consciousness illustrations seem to say that it’s alright to be a mess of tangled thoughts -keep going and you’ll be fine.
Robert “Museum Rob” Iantorno Community and Heritag Curator Economic & Community Development Municipality of Grey Highlands (519) 924-2843
Markdale Golf & Curling Club
They’re OPEN! Swing away at your local golf course and enjoy some outdoor fun and camaraderie (finally!). We’re all looking forward to sitting on their new patio with new furniture once the provincial COVID restrictions are lifted. Check in for details or to book your tee time:
www.markdalegolfandcurlingclub.ca 85 Edith Ave, Markdale (519) 986-2690
12
Klaus Holm, Custom Sawmilling
In case you missed it, Markdale resident Klaus Holm was featured on the cover of our May edition. Not only will he transport his mobile saw mill to your property to transform trees into lumber or decorative cuts and slabs, Klaus also makes custom furniture and pre-made pieces. He’s a cool dude and he does great work. But don’t take our word for it :)
Klaus Holm; Custom Sawmilling
(519) 216-1614
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
13
WELLNESS PAY ATTENTION Your attention may be more valuable than you realize. This pandemic drags on and on, and there have been so many starts and stops. This rollercoaster definitely affects our mental health, sometimes in ways that we don’t even realize. There are many components to effectively manage our mental health and it’s possible to take back control, even in situations where it feels like we have none. A great place to start is thinking about attention. You’ve likely heard and used the phrase “pay attention” without a second thought. Consider this short phrase and its meaning. If you are paying with attention, then it must have an intrinsic value that is being exchanged for something in return. I’ll offer you an interpretation: you are paying with your attention in exchange for an experience of the world around you. Where you focus your attention will inform your experience. Think about the vehicle that you drive. You place your attention onto the make and model of your car or truck because you need to know you are stepping into the right vehicle. The resultant experience is that you notice other cars or trucks of the same make and model more easily. There aren’t necessarily more people driving the same model vehicle, your attention has been paid towards collecting this experience. Of course this all happens unconsciously, without you having to think about it. Now let’s look at the pandemic and see how we are spending our attention. You may have paid attention towards news stories and the media. How has this informed your experience? Take a moment and step out of your current experience and ask yourself, are there other things that I could pay my attention towards to receive a better experience? If your attention was like money in your wallet and you had to pay for your experiences, would that change what you spend it on? You control your attention. When you direct your attention and choose your focus, you change your experience. One of the most practical ways of directing your attention is to ask yourself better questions. Rather than “why” questions, ask yourself “what” or “how” questions. You’ll find these are much more empowering. What is one thing that you could put your attention towards now that would make you feel appreciative or grateful? I have found that focusing on appreciation and gratitude is a great way to re-balance and re-centre. We’re thrown off centre by stress
14
and events that pull our attention. When we choose to pay attention to moments of appreciation or gratitude, we can balance off that stress. Much like physical momentum, our thoughts and moods carry their own momentum. Start small and begin to invest your attention wisely into the experiences that you want to have more of. Life is like the rhythmic swing of the pendulum; there will always be ups and downs but we can take comfort in knowing that we can exert control over this swing by spending our attention wisely. Email jon@curateandupgrade.ca to share your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you and, as a thank you, I’ll send you my Mindset Master PDF!
Jonathan Nhan Co-Founder Curate and Upgrade www.curateandupgrade.ca
NEW VIDEO TIPS
Hi, I’m Liz! I’m new around here and so excited to be a part of your journey. Join me as I share my passion for fitness, wellbeing and mental health. Over the coming warm months, I will help you find connection with nature as I guide you through an experience of personal discovery and empowerment through fitness and the outdoors. Thanks and Check out my video tips at www.hellocountry.ca Liz Martino-Durbano, M.Ed. Teacher, Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Instructor & Wellness Guide www.align-fitness.ca @align.soul.fitness
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SHOWCASE THE LAND YOU LOVE
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COVER STORY IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY It’s okay to not be okay. Especially in the most uncertain of times. It’s okay to be unsure, experience anxiety or depression, feel isolated, not know what to expect, or not know what to do next. It is certainly okay to feel uninspired. It’s also okay to ask for help. Talisa Haskins, a Registered Psychotherapist based in Flesherton, said the unprecedented version of life everyone on the planet is experiencing makes mental health and wellness more important than ever before. “If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that things are uncertain,” she said. Whether it’s directly related to the pandemic, like the loss of a loved one or the loss of health, or a peripheral stressor like employment uncertainty, financial concerns, or social struggles, the impacts are widespread and very real. “Yes, you will always have it better than someone else,” Haskins said. “But that doesn’t mean what you’re feeling isn’t hard. That doesn’t minimize your grief or your experience. It’s your truth.” Haskins has been providing counselling and therapy sessions for clients online, remotely, and from her front patio lockdown permitting - since COVID-19 began. “My job is to validate and hold space for someone to share.” Just like any form of health, Haskins said mental health is a scale that slides from well to unwell. There does not necessarily have to be a problem to want a “checkup” and “check-in” with someone who can listen freely and comfortably to what you’re feeling and provide a safe place to talk about it. “Therapy isn’t just for when you’re sick,” Haskins said. “Healthy body, healthy mind. It’s all a package. There are many aspects to being well.” 16
Even if it’s not entirely broken, it may not be entirely right. Haskins said it’s okay, even encouraged, to check in with one’s mental health before it spirals towards unwellness. “You may not feel hopeless or completely isolated, but the lack of motivation to move forward (exists),” she said. “Where are we going?” “Languishing” in “a state of dormancy; waiting to take (the next steps), waiting to wake up,” is very real. So many of us are waiting to return to some version of a “normal” life. “But when is that coming?” “We’ve moved through stages,” Haskins said. “In the beginning, there were lots of unknowns, lots of stress and fear. What is COVID? What is this illness? Am I going to get it? Is my family safe? No masks? Masks? Wash your hands? Distance? There are so many changes, just thrown at you. We as human beings cannot sustain that traumatic response in our brains. “When someone experiences something traumatic, the natural response is fight or flight or freeze. Our brains are wired to experience that in some kind of adrenaline rush, then get back to normal. That fades away, and we process that and move forward. It’s part of our nervous system’s natural response.” The brain is not designed to sustain the ongoing uncertainty humans have been living in for the past 18 months. “We’re kind of numb to what’s going on, out of a state of coping,” Haskins said. “We can’t take this in anymore. It’s just too much.” The solution? “There isn’t a magic wand, and there’s no magic pill,” Haskins said. “Sometimes it’s just accepting it.” Talking about it helps, too. “That’s why I am here,” Haskins said. “I want to find the people who can’t find me.”
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
By: Jenny Jelen We’re In It Together Given the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s impossible to not feel its reach at some level. Like everyone else, Haskins’ version of reality radically changed with the onset of the pandemic. “COVID changed everything for me,” she said. A former flight attendant, accustomed to travelling the world, Haskins said being home full-time has totally transformed her life, much the way it’s done for so many people. “I am impacted by what’s going on too,” Haskins said. When a new announcement is made, or a new order is enforced, Haskins said she feels it just as much as her clients. “Part of being a good therapist is being relatable,” she said.
TALISA HASKINS
Photo: Jenny Jelen
Registered Psychotherapist Flesherton (519) 800-5602 talisa@talisahaskins.com
Four Hugs When she’s feeling the weight of the global state, Haskins said she turns to hobbies like Haskins said research has proven that yoga, meditating, kayaking, and playing humans need at least four hugs a day. with her dog. “To be around other humans is crucial,” “What makes you happy? What makes you Haskins said. “They say you need an average feel good?” of four hugs a day. To go from bumping shoulders with somebody in an elevator to Whatever that is, do it. absolutely nothing… how detrimental is that to be cut off from all connection?” “There is no such thing as compassion fatigue,” she said. “We, as humans, are Finding connection with other humans, even born with compassion. You can never be if not physical, is so very important. tired of giving compassion. It’s innate. When you start to feel that compassion If you’re interested in reaching out for fatigue, what you’re actually experiencing mental health support, whether it’s COVIDis a lack of compassion towards yourself. related or not, Haskins would love to speak You’re working too hard, you’re giving too with you. Visit talisahaskins.com to learn much, or you’re holding onto what’s been more about her services or to schedule an giving to you, and not letting go. appointment. Haskins can also be reached by phone at (519) 800-5602 or by email at “Be kind to yourself.” talisa@talisahaskins.com. Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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GET OUTSIDE IT’S GOOD FOR YOU What is your coping mechanism when times get tough (like this whole last year processing pandemic stress)? Honestly, sometimes mine is deep in a box of caramel chocolate chip cookies or a whole loaf of rosemary sea salt from Brilliant Bread. An impromptu dance session to shake it all out or curling up to cuddle the kids and the kitten are soothing ways to slow the stress. These are some of the ingredients in my self care recipe for peace in mind. This recipe has a true star, though. The main ingredient for mental peace that is a surefire step towards clarity and calm - a walk in the woods. It is a win every time. This simple act can do so much to shift our moods that we may not realize there are actual chemical activities caused in the brain by being close to trees. Yes, not only does a walk in the woods seem to do good things, science is backing this up with evidence it actually is soul food to go for a cruise under the leaf canopy. Nature offers what some researchers have called “psychological ecosystem services”. From better sleep and stress management to clearer thinking and an increased sense of wellbeing and personal happiness, a walk in the woods can do the body and brain a whole lot of good. Yoshifumi
Miyazaki
is
a
Japanese
researcher who has conducted studies to measure the benefits of nature exposure. His research included testing at 28 different forest sites and looked into the benefits of phytoncides, the volatile organic compounds trees and plants emit to protect themselves from bacteria, fungi, and insects. His research shows a direct increase in immune function after exposure to forested areas and these compounds. There is a breadth of research showing scientific results and support that a walk in the woods, and even living nearer to urban trees, reduces cortisol levels, boosts cancer fighting cells, lowers blood pressure, and increases emotional resilience. With all of the science out there backing up that sense of calm we know we feel after getting outside, there is little room left to hum and haw over whether or not to go for a walk today. So, the next time you are having a challenge processing the weight of human existence or feel that stress level rising inside, put on your hikers and get the heck outside. It’s good for you. If you have an idea to create a trail or special area to explore and enjoy your land and forest bathe, DB Trailblazers specializes in bringing your backcountry property dreams into reality. DB TRAILBLAZERS info@dbtrailblazers.ca www.dbtrailblazers.ca @dbtrailblazers 519.477.4474
ALEXIS BRENNER DB Trailblazers
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HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
HELLO COUNTRY KIDS TOY WISH LIST You won’t believe this, but it’s true. I said to my Dad the other week that I really, really, REALLY wanted an excavator toy. You know, the kind that you can sit on and has handles that you can pull to control the boom, the arm, and bucket! Yeah, just like the one in the photo. I figured my brother and I could play with it in Mommy’s riding ring. She won’t mind. Go “Big Dig” or go home! Well, wouldn’t ya know...we just landed a new sponsor for Hello Country Kids who sells this very toy I speak of. You guessed it; PJ Knickerbockers in Markdale. Pam, the owner of PJ Knickerbockers, is super nice and must be very funny, too.
Daddy laughs a lot when he speaks to her on the phone. He might be laughing at his own jokes, though. Mommy says he does that a lot. Another epic toy they sell is Golf Pool! Check out the photo. How cool is that? It’s a combination of golf and pool. I guess that’s where they got its name. I can’t wait to try it out. Hey, Daddy. Is it my birthday yet?! Check out our new YouTube Channel... Hello Country Kids! We’d love it if you’d Like our videos & Subscribe to our channel. See you next month! By: Big Brother Subscribe to our new YouTube channel Hello Country Kids
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PLAY TIME Find these words:
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FOOD & DRINK (& MORE) ESPRESSO MACHINE!
Cappuccino
Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino...oh my! It’s finally here. Grey Highlands’ newest Espresso Machine arrived in Markdale to serve the drink of the Gods - coffee, really good coffee - straight from Susan’s Deli. Heck, yeah! Can you tell I like coffee? These days, it’s more like a non-negotiable necessity of life. But my at-home, drip coffee maker only goes so far...kinda like my tractor. Some days (most days), I need a bigger boost, more power...something that can get me up over that hump. So when I found out that the Espresso Machine at Susan’s, let’s call him Enzo, was all plumbed up and ready to go, I was their first customer. Probably not, but a boy can dream.
a nice “Bougie Cap” - I just made that up. It means a fancy cappuccino with cinnamon and brown sugar sprinkled on top. I’m not gonna lie. It’s pretty good. Don’t tell my wife, but I always sneak a few sips in the truck on my way home from Markdale. So, if you’re getting a bit sick of the drip, head on into Markdale and have a little visit with Enzo. - Papa Country SUSAN’S DELICATESSEN 15 Main Street West, Markdale www.susansmarkdale.com Instagram: @susans.deli (519) 270-1520
They say you can tell a man by the coffee he drinks. What was my order, you ask? Something simple, strong, and with a bit of sweetness. You guessed it. An Americano with honey. If you’re like Mama Country, you may enjoy 20
FARMERS’ COFFEE with roots in Owen Sound
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
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month’s See this
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JENNIFER THOMPSON BUSINESS TAX DEADLINE Businesses don’t run themselves. In my experience, you’ve got to keep a good eye on the true numbers so you can closely monitor one the most important facets of your business; cashflow. Call or email me and we can get started on your 2021 tax filing. I know it seems early, but it’s never too soon to get a handle on your profitability. In fact, there’s no better time than now to get organized and caught up so that next year at this time, you’ll be so much farther ahead in terms of understanding the health of your business. If you haven’t yet filed your 2020 taxes, I can help with that, too.
JENNIFER THOMPSON
L & W Bookkeeping Professionals
L & W BOOKKEEPING PROFESSIONALS support@lwbookkeepingpro.com lwbookkeepingpro.com (519) 477-5652
June 15 is the deadline to file your 2020 business income taxes and HST. So, how did you do last year? How are you doing so far for 2021? We’re already half-way through the year. Not sure? When I take on new clients, I often hear the same concerns: I’m making money, but I don’t really know how well my business is doing; I need to see exactly what my profit and loss looks like; My cashflow needs to be better; Can you help? Yes I can. The ability to generate accurate reports detailing your expenses, revenues, and all other pertinent billing information is crucial to understand the health of your business. I can provide this insight for you on a monthly or quarterly basis; or more frequently if need be. 22
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PROFILE: MARGERY FRISCH, AUTHOR Margery Frisch, a writer from Priceville, has published her first novel – Caught Up – a story that takes place 35 kilometres off the coast of Maine. Having once taught in a one-room school house on a Maine island, Frisch has drawn from that experience to tell a story with the past and present juxtaposed against each other: Sarah Jacobs returns to a Maine island where she once taught. She plans to write about that experience; about falling in love on the island 30 years ago. But a shooting that occurs out there the day before she arrives, thwarts her efforts to write about the past. She gets caught up in the ongoing lobster wars and the lives of the families who’ve been feuding for generations. History repeats itself as insecurities re-emerge; self-esteem tumbles and her past and present collide. You can buy the book directly from the author or online: macfrisch@gmail.com www.macfrisch.com
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THE LIFE OF A GARLIC FARMER PART 5 Let’s face it...what someone sees in one person on the outside, is not always what’s going on in the inside. I have noticed that since this pandemic, mental illness of some sort has reared its ugly head to just about everyone. Not being able to work because of shutdowns, not wanting to go outside out of fear, not being able to socialize or even seeing a loved one on the other side of the country can play on your emotional state of wellbeing. We are creatures of habit and when those daily routines are stopped immediately, our mind and body just can’t seem to cope. Oddly enough, stress is a fact of life. No matter how much I long for a stress-free life, I feel stress is actually necessary. Stress is a natural feeling of not being able to cope with specific demands and events. However, it all depends on how we take steps to manage it, so that it doesn’t negatively affect our lives. As a garlic farmer’s wife, I have a lot of stress: work commitments, financial pressures, and relationship issues. I’m not saying Paul is all my stress, but sometimes all it took was just a certain look to throw me off my kilter and he usually did that when I sat down to eat a chocolate bar. There are days that I have confusion, decreased concentration, irritability, anger, huge anxiety and a loss of my sense of humour. Just recently I made the decision to leave my career and focus on Pure Music Garlic and that added to the stress of living and working alongside each other with our grown-up kids. I feel like I’m staging my own sitcom or what I need to say when the police come, and by now I should own shares of local wine companies. But, between the two of us, we have starting managing what we need to do to not press those buttons, learning to work together and making each other laugh over the little stuff. Right now he’s in the greenhouse and garden, while I’m in the commercial kitchen processing garlic products. It’s really the best of both worlds, as we can go back to doing things as a couple.
PAUL & LORRAINE IRWIN Owners, Boars Rock Farm & Pure Music Garlic Products www.puremusicgarlic.com
and try to pace ourselves so we don’t lump all the hard things together, and we take one day at a time. We dance in our kitchen while listening to the garlic grow. We still argue over silly stuff, but every night when he makes me laugh we know life goes on. Remember, “adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one”. Lorraine Irwin is a mother, a wife, a theatre buff and the owner of Pure Music Garlic Products. She makes all of her gourmet garlic products using Organic Garlic grown on their farm (Boars Rock Farm). Check out her ad on Page 7. PURE MUSIC GARLIC PRODUCTS puremusicgarlic@gmail.com puremusicgarlic.com @puremusicgarlic (519) 942-5410 BOARS ROCK FARM 136407 Grey Road 12, Grey Highlands boarsrockfarm.ca @boarsrockfarm
To reduce our stress we usually start our day with a coffee and hot tub. We say no to projects that will overwhelm our schedule 24
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FARM LIFE MOM LIFE I am one of those people who does not *necessarily* think that Mother’s Day is the best idea. Not that I am entirely against the idea, I just see it as a day for much potential blessing and also much potential hurt. Those who have no children. Those who have lost children. Those whose children died in infancy and no one remembers them anymore. These people can all feel pain on a day like that, not to mention the high expectations that can be put on husbands and children. I understand the desire to bless people who we love and who we feel deserve blessing. The Bible talks highly about motherhood and the tremendous ‘job’ it is. From that angle, I think it’s a great idea. Where it falls short is when all kinds of expectations are created and then not met. As a mom, I spend my days serving my children and others. It’s just simply part of life. Then Mother’s Day comes and it’s easy to feel like I deserve a break, like it’s someone else’s turn and surely the children could get along peaceably for one day! Fights become intolerable, little acts of service unthinkable and any special requests positively mutinous. So when my daughter asked me for help with a task on Mother’s Day, the least of these tasks that she was perfectly capable of doing on her own – wiping herself after using the bathroom – truth be told, I squashed a sigh. I considered making her do it on her own. But I showed up in the bathroom and the first words she said to me melted and broke my heart all at the same time. Motherhood is this strange dichotomy of having your heart broken and whole all at the same time, constantly.
LOUELLA MARTIN
Farmer Azure Highlands Family Homestead www.azurehighlandshomestead.com
Hand in hand, we entered the kitchen – the big wide world – and I thought to myself, “You know, isn’t that what we all want? We just want to be seen.” Especially now, in these times of restricted gatherings and so much loneliness, can we take the time to stop and really ‘see’ each other, however that may be? LOUELLA MARTIN Azure Highlands Family Homestead Markdale, ON azurehighlandshomestead@gmail.com Louella lives on a small regenerative farm with her husband and two children. Besides writing, she loves farming and raising high quality meat products from well raised animals. She can be found at their farm, probably outside somewhere. Find more information by going to their website, www.azurehighlandshomestead.com
“I just wanted to see you, Mommy! I like seeing you all the time.” I helped her out. I couldn’t not help her out after that! Supporting Local Farms & Businesses In Grey Highlands
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GREY HIGHLANDS CHAMBER MENTAL HEALTH It’s well enough time that we treat mental health with as much respect as physical health and neither ignore it nor hide from it. The COVID pandemic has undeniably led to an increase in anxiety and other mental health issues across the board – both in people experiencing them for the first time and in people who deal with these issues every day. Regardless of what sort of strain you’re under, supporting your mental health is as key as taking a vitamin for your physical health. Over time, you heal. Over time, you feel better. That’s just one of the reasons I’m happy to hear when a company offers a fulsome health care package to its employees that includes access to mental health professionals and support services. These packages are far more common in larger companies who, thanks to their size, can run such a plan cost effectively. Smaller companies lack that ability, so what are they to do if they’d like to offer the same to their employees?
Chambers Plan has been protecting Canadian firms (including self-employed people) for over 40 years. As the name suggests, it’s open to our Chamber’s Members. More than 30,000 small to mid-size businesses choose the Chambers Plan to protect their employees with comprehensive group benefits including access to naturopaths, massage therapists, counsellors, and psychotherapists making it Canada’s #1 employee benefits plan for small business. Reach out to for more details by contacting greyhighlandschamber@gmail.com
GREY HIGHLANDS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 13 Toronto St S, Markdale www.greyhighlandschamber.com 519-986-4612
Enter the Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan, aka the Chambers Plan. The
PRIDE IN GREY HIGHLANDS In preparation for this edition, I was asked by a friend who also owns a business in Grey Highlands, if I was going to include something about PRIDE.
seemed far less visible here than it was in the city.
To be honest, I hadn’t thought much about it. I was too focussed on publishing magazines and producing podcasts. I’m glad she brought it to my attention, though. It forced me to ask the question:
Did we go back in time moving up here? In some ways, yes. And we love that about Grey County. But as it relates to PRIDE, I’d argue that once you scratch the surface a bit, one will realize that PRIDE is alive and well in its own right here in Grey Highlands. And thank God for that.
What does PRIDE mean to me?
What does PRIDE mean to you?
Living in Toronto my entire life, PRIDE was a big deal in the sense that it was a big party - a celebration of self. It was also no big deal in the sense that it was an expression of happiness - something anyone and everyone could participate in if they wanted. PRIDE was everywhere, and so it should be. After moving to Grey County in 2019, PRIDE was less noticeable. Did it exist in the country? I discovered glimpses of it ever so subtly placed in the windows of local shops in the form of rainbow flags and signs. But PRIDE
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THE ARTS FLESHERTON CALLING Harold Klunder is never in a hurry to finish a painting. One of the more than half a dozen on the go in his studio is over eight years old. What goes along with that, of course, is the fact that he is always uncertain what the finished product will look like until it is complete. In that sense, he’ll know it when he sees it. It doesn’t concern him that he might take the work in the wrong direction. When that happens, he simply covers some or even all of it and continues. For him, a painting is made up of layers, and another one can only add to the overall effect. He is quick to point out that just as a writer re-writes, a painter re-paints. Born in the Netherlands in 1943, the ninth of ten children, Harold moved to Canada in 1952. He grew up on the family farm in Binbrook, doing his share of chores in the busy household. On the property, there was an old, unused garage and it was there that he discovered what would be his lifelong passion. After scrounging for materials that could serve as a substitute for paint from the property and its surroundings, he began to experiment with applying them to walls, newspaper, and discarded cuts of wood, occasionally getting to add some leftover paint. Although borne out of necessity, paint was expensive. This served to sharpen his creative skills and taught him the importance of an unconventional approach. He recalls being deeply disturbed by the article in Time magazine which reported the death of Jackson Pollock in 1956, the American Abstract Expressionist he admired so much. After dropping out of high school in the middle of Grade 9, he became more intent on developing his work. A gallery in Hamilton sold a painting of his straight out of the front window. Although he was subsequently turned down at the Ontario College of Art for not having finished Grade 12, he was accepted at Central Technical on the strength of his work. There he studied under two great teachers, Virginia Luz and Doris McCarthy, who among other things, taught him that great works of Canadian art need not emulate those of the Group of Seven. He was encouraged to follow his own instincts, which tended toward those of the Dutch Masters; Van Gogh chief among them. Those instincts 28
KEVIN ARTHUR LAND
Owner, Speaking Volumes Books and Audio 12 Toronto Road, Flesherton kevinarthurland@gmail.com www.kevinarthurland.ca
led him to become an artist of international recognition, with his work being exhibited in New York City, Berlin, Shanghai, Hokkaido, Japan, the National Gallery, and all across Canada. One critic likened his art to that of William Faulkner. Wherever he was, he always worked. He spent many years teaching art, with stints in places like Cornerbrook and Lethbridge. Many of his students became well-known painters, and he believes he could recognize their later work from what they were doing when he taught them. As he said to them, “We paint for pleasure. Everything else is extra”. When he was living in Toronto in 1982, the search for a printer he wanted to use, Otis Tanasauskas, led him to Flesherton. There he saw the Park House, and along with partner Catherine Carmichael, bought it. It has served as home and studio ever since, along with the home and studio they own in Montreal. When asked why so many of his creations are self-portraits or contain aspects of self-portrait, he responds, “Essentially everything an artist does is a self-portrait. It’s a complicated process to remove yourself from the work.” For him, colour has always been the most important element of a painting.
HELLO COUNTRY MAGAZINE
“You can always create shadows,” he says. “If the white surface is covered, then it is finished” is a common view. From Harold’s perspective, “Most artists are obsessed with finishing. I would rather keep going.” As he considers his extensive work, he observes, “In a way, it’s like pages in a book, and you’re the book. You might have forgotten them.” As a bookstore owner, I’m tempted to agree with the analogy. Kevin Arthur Land is a playwright, screenwriter, arts educator, and the owner of Speaking Volumes Books and Audio in Flesherton. www.kevinarthurland.ca
Sleep or Chaos (Self-Portrait) 2006 Harold Klunder This masterpiece took 8 years to create.
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