CONTENTS
Spring 2011
GARDENING 17 Sowing success: seed starting SHOPPING 20 Store profile: Orangeville Flowers
Cookie contest winner revealed! Page 30
38
FOOD 23 Beer batter fish & chips recipe 24 Cabbage, beer & pork casserole recipe 30 Top 3 cookie contest finalists + recipes COMMUNITY 10 Orangeville's bountiful bookstores
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PEOPLE 26 Local brew makes good HERITAGE 33 Monument to justice 38 10,000 BC—In Orangeville! MOTORING 41 2011 Infiniti M37x AWD road test
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33 41
OUT + ABOUT 8 Community news and events
COVER
Flower arrangement by Orangeville Flowers PHOTO: SDB IMAGES
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ORANGEVILLE LIVING SPRING 2011
SPRING 2011 ORANGEVILLE LIVING
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PUBLISHER'S PAGE
Contributors
Springtime in Orangeville! THANK YOU for making us so welcome into your homes with our first issue of Orangeville Living. I have to say, the response was amazing; we had endless phone calls and marvellous emails telling us how much you appreciated a locally focussed lifestyle magazine. I am pleased to announce we are now e-publishing Orangeville Living. This means that you can read the magazine online at www.orangevilleliving.ca. More importantly, tell your friends and family who don’t have the luxury of Canada Post delivering a printed copy to them that they can still enjoy a good read! In this issue of Orangeville Living we take a look at the local book stores. Father
ROBERT HULLEY WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER. Robert is a retired businessman with extensive experience in the real estate field. In addition to writing heritage stories, he is a lecturer, tour guide and an avid photographer. He has served on a Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee, various heritage committees and is a member of the Board of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. Read his article Monument to Justice on page 33.
and daughter duo David and Kira Dorward, two of our regular editorial team members and literary stalwarts, looked at what Orangeville has to offer in the way of new and used books. I hadn’t realized there are five book stores in Orangeville, had you? Bob Hulley took a peek around the Orangeville Courthouse, examined the impressive architecture and took some impressive photos. Diana Wronski goes way back in time on the trail of woolly mammoth bones found in Shelburne, while Richard Vaughan talks about starting seeds as the spring season is shortly upon us. Like a glass of beer? Well Ric Kitowski does, so he and partner Jocelyn Klemm, our wine connoisseurs, put aside the CabSav, and visited Hockley Valley Brewery to see what’s brewing! We also offer two recipes using beer on
KIRA DORWARD WRITER. Kira is a third year history student at Trinity College in the University of Toronto. She is the 2010 winner of the Hart House Literary Contest, the 2012 Editor-in-Chief of The Hart House Review, and is currently completing an internship at The National Magazine Awards Foundation in the Magazines Canada office. Read her article Orangeville's bountiful bookstores on page 10.
pages 23 and 24. “Crash” Corrigan, our automotive expert, took the Infiniti M37x AWD for a test drive and really liked it. Talking of really liking something, we have the results of our cookie contest in this issue. After testing dozens of recipe entries we think our winner and runners up ought to find your way into your cookie jar! Enjoy our spring issue, enjoy spring! Don’t forget; get in touch if you have any ideas for us to include in future issues. We look forward to hearing from you!
Katie Burchell Publisher
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ORANGEVILLE LIVING SPRING 2011
DIANA JANOSIK-WRONSKI WRITER. Diana has a long career in public, community and government relations, and internal communications. Employed by corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors in several provinces, her experience includes food, health, banking, transportation, energy, urban planning and the environment. Diana has a Master’s in Environmental Studies and an undergraduate degree in geography. She is West End Coordinator for her professional association and sits on two community Boards of Directors. Read her article 10,000BC—In Orangeville! on page 38.
OUT + ABOUT
Upcoming events March 19-26 Annual Quilt Festival A unique celebration of quilts from yesteryear to today displayed in the Erin village shop windows, with themes ranging from historical all the way to contemporary—a beautiful art form of skill and creativity. For more information call Stephanie Gairdner at 519 833 0872.
PUBLISHER KATIE BURCHELL CREATIVE DIRECTOR SIMON BURN EDITORIAL TEAM KEVIN “CRASH” CORRIGAN RICHARD KITOWSKI JOCELYN KLEMM
Saturday, April 2 (8:30-11:30 am) Garage Sale at King’s College School King’s College School is holding a huge, multi-family indoor garage sale with a vast array of fabulous items. For more information, visit their Facebook link from the website, www.kingscollegeschool.ca call 905 880 7645 or email info@kingscollegeschool.ca.
CONTRIBUTORS DAVID DORWARD KIRA DORWARD ROBERT HULLEY DIANA JANOSIK-WRONSKI RICHARD VAUGHAN
Saturday, April 9 (6:00 pm) Tastes of Africa Dinner at Caledon Woods Golf Club King's College School is hosting a Tastes of Africa Dinner—a fun-filled evening of African food and entertainment, along with an exciting marketplace, to raise funds for their sister school in Cameroon, Africa. For more information, visit their Facebook link from the website, www.kingscollegeschool.ca call 905 880 7645 or email info@kingscollegeschool.ca.
EDITORIAL DESIGN SDB CREATIVE GROUP INC.
April 23-May 15 The Made of Wood Show Lovely wooden items on display in the businesses along Main Street in the Village of Erin. For more information visit www.madeofwoodshow.com Saturday, April 30 (8:30-11:30am) Bake Sale & Plant Sale at King’s College School The elementary class of King’s College School will be selling delicious pies, cakes, cookies, breads, etc. at several locations in Caledon, including the school, in aid of their sister school in Africa. King's College School is also offering beautiful, upscale plants, baskets, urn-fillers, etc. at discount prices just in time for Mother's Day and spring gardening. For more information, visit their Facebook link from website, www.kingscollegeschool.ca call 905 880 7645 or email info@kingscollegeschool.ca. Sunday, May 29 Grand finale “One Book One County” at Orangeville Opera House The title for this year's "One Book One County" program will be revealed at Dufferin County Council on March 10. Everyone is then encouraged to read the book prior to the grand finale, with the author, at the Orangeville Opera House on May 29. For more info stay tuned at www.orangeville.library.on.ca.
Local businesses Congratulations to Outback & Company for 25 years in business! Located at 18338 Hurontario, in the heart of Caledon Village. 519 927 3600 www.outbackandcompany.com New Business ChicàBOOM Consignment Furniture, Fashion & Decor 18371 Hurontario Street, Caledon Village How to consign? Visit our website for all the details. www.chicaboominc.com 519 927 9300. 8
ORANGEVILLE LIVING SPRING 2011
PROOFREADER SALLY MORELL
ADVERTISING DESIGN CAROLINE SWEET, SKY CREATIVE GROUP LTD. ADVERTISING SALES KATIE BURCHELL BARRIE BURCHELL SHEILA BAKER SANDRA MOFFATT frontlinemedia1@sympatico.ca Tel: 905 857 2536 While every effort has been made to ensure that advertisements and articles appear correctly, Frontline Media cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. All material is intended for information purposes only. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editor. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Owned & published by Frontline Media, 15 Hewitt Street, Orangeville L9W 3A2 Tel: 905 857 2536 Email: frontlinemedia1@sympatico.ca Orangeville Living is published 4 times a year
(March, June, September, December) and delivered via Canada Post.
www.OrangevilleLiving.ca ©2010 1735715 Ontario Inc. Orangeville Living is a Trademark PRINTED IN CANADA ON PAPER FROM A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE, USING VEGETABLE-BASED INKS. PLEASE SHARE THIS MAGAZINE WITH A FRIEND, AND THEN RECYCLE.
CONTACT US Readers are invited to contribute comments and views. Stories and ideas are always welcome for consideration. Write to us at: Orangeville Living 15 Hewitt Street, Orangeville L9W 3A2 Or email: frontlinemedia1@sympatico.ca
COMMUNITY
Orangeville’s bountiful bookstores BY KIRA W. DORWARD & DAVID K. DORWARD
THE PRINTED WORD faces new challengers in the digital revolution with e-books, e-readers and i-Pads encroaching on the publishing domain. Now the independent bookstore must not only compete with the big chains, but both are contenders in kind against the beckoning luminosity of the screen. However, in such a digital world with numerous diversions from reading the printed word, Orangeville is a town surprisingly favoured with the presence of no less than five bookstores, each bringing something unique to the literary table. The bookstore, as well as the physical book, still offers 10
ORANGEVILLE LIVING SPRING 2011
ABOVE Sharon Thomas & Veronica Cvet, owners of Reader's Choice OPPOSITE, ABOVE Nancy Frater, owner of Booklore OPPOSITE, BELOW Pam Parsons-Storozuk, manager of Coles
relevancy to modern life, as they have since the invention of the printing press in the mid-fifteenth century. Technological innovation since then ultimately fails to outstrip the tangible assurance of a book in hand, or the turn of a page. More than that, the bookstore provides a forum for literary discussion and engagement. Communication with the customer and community involvement are vital functions of the bookstore, both sorely lacking in the click of a mouse or button on an e-reader.
“
...the bookstore provides a forum for literary discussion and engagement.
New Books: BOOKLORE 121 First St, 519 942 3830 Having just celebrated its twenty-first birthday, Nancy Frater and her late business partner Ellen Clare were on the money with their conception of BookLore, their result from sensing the need for an independent bookstore with a strong emphasis on supporting the community. BookLore is a cultural hub where old and new friends meet, ideas are exchanged, and attentive personal service is given, always with the intent of delivering “more than we can promise,” their working philosophy. Many diverse authors, local and
”
international in stature, have been brought to the bookstore to perform readings and signings. They have included David Suzuki, Louise Penny, Pierre Burton, Rohinton Mistry and Margaret Atwood. While these events raise money for community charities, they also serve to promote local authors and illustrators who are gaining industry advice in addition to publicity. Aside from the literary arts, BookLore is a founding member of the Headwaters Arts Festival, with which it partners to run the annual “Armchairs, Authors and Art Literary Event.” It is also cofounder with the Orangeville Public Library of the “One Book, One County” and “Readings in the Library Tower” programs, and a former partner in “Readings for Resources.” The self-proclaimed “Ticket Master North,” BookLore acts as a distributor for community non-profit groups and events, facilitating programs such as Monday Night at the Movies, an independent film program in Galaxy Cinemas. With small services like this, BookLore has humbly accepted many awards, including the Chamber of Commerce Award for Small Business and the Mayor’s Award for a business supporting the Arts. BookLore is perpetually occupied with its title task. With a carefully cultivated selection of books and a new Facebook page, the store sets out to provide the bread and butter of the literary genre, as well as accommodating the unique requests of individual customers. An ordering service is provided, with books arriving in store up to a week after the initial request. There have been times when Nancy, former SPRING 2011 ORANGEVILLE LIVING
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President of the Canadian Bookseller’s Association, has personally gone to retrieve books for an order, indicative of the dedicated nature of her business, putting the right book into the hands of her customers.
CTR Books
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New and Used Books: READERS’ CHOICE 151 Broadway, 519 940 8740 Located on Broadway since 1997, Readers’ Choice is unique in its role as a hybrid bookstore, selling both new and used books with a penchant for bargains. Remarkable for its diverse and thorough selection, this bookstore sells everything from fiction to religion to puzzles, as well as books a decade or a century out of print. Founder Sharon Thomas and her business partner of eleven years, Veronica Cvet, are both well-read and ready to make informed recommendations to their customers, in addition to researching and retrieving rare and out of print books as part of their ordering service. Genial conversation, not always literary in nature, is never lacking in their store, and neither are the bargains. Customers ordering a new or current book receive a discounted price and are guaranteed delivery within a week, unless backordered. In addition to accepting donations, Readers’ Choice offers customers the option of receiving credit for a used book, if returned in good condition, and they apply half of what was originally paid towards the purchase of another used book. Customers who purchase a new bestseller may return that book and receive 25% of the original cost towards a used book, or simply bring in books to build up store credit. In store, new books are sold up to 70% off the cover price, and there is a handy $3 section. For the bargain hunter, there is “Always a sale!” This makes Readers’ Choice a gem, ideal for avid readers discovering new authors or compiling collections. Customers often walk in searching for one book and leave with five others, whether or not they found their initial quest. In 2011 Readers’ Choice is looking forward to the launch of a new website, as well as a heightened emphasis on jigsaw puzzles, hobby, and craft books, of which there is already a large selection. In addition, after the closing of the Christian Book Store on Broadway, Readers’ Choice has stepped in to fill the void, and offers discounts to school librarians and teachers. For their part, Veronica and Sharon would like to thank all their regular customers who have faithfully supported their business for the past fourteen years. They have supplied their patrons with the requisite literature throughout life’s stages and changes, offering both consistency and humanities through births, deaths, and sickness. Instead of proffering get-well cards, Veronica and Sharon lend books to regular customers who are suffering
Orangeville Living is now digitally published online
We are now distributing Orangeville Living to thousands of people way beyond the Orangeville borders without increasing our print run. We've chosen this route instead of traditional subscriptions—it’s a win-win for us, our advertisers, our readers, and the environment!
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from serious illness, a reminder that at Readers’ Choice personal caring is of more value than the dollar.
New Books: COLES Orangeville Highlands Mall, 519 941 8001 The first thing you notice about Coles in Orangeville Highlands Mall is the professional, cheery and helpful presence of Pam, the store manager, who has been with this store for 10 years. Coles has a long history in Canada as it was started in the 1930s by two orphan brothers, Carl and Jack Cole, who opened their first bookstore near the University of Toronto. With no previous retail experience, the Cole brothers turned their store into what was once Canada's largest bookstore chain. Jack and Carl Cole are also responsible for inventing Coles Notes which many people will remember from their high school days or ‘daze’ as they were for me! Coles Notes began when students at a local high school were having trouble translating a French paper. Jack and Carl hired someone to translate the book and sold over 1,000 copies. Coles Notes sold over 80,000,000 copies worldwide! In 1976, Jack and Carl sold Coles to Southam Inc. In April 1995, Southam resold the company to Pathfinder Capital, which one year earlier had acquired Coles' main rival, SmithBooks. The latter chain consisted of the former Canadian operations of British bookstore chain W H Smith, which had first been sold to Canadian owners in 1989. The merged company, Chapters Inc., opened Canada's first two book superstores under the "Chapters" name brand in November 1995. Indigo purchased Chapters, and in turn Coles, in 2001 and still owns and operates the Coles stores. For rock fans, I found the fascinating anecdote that Canadian rocker Neil Young worked for two weeks, around the year 1964, at a Toronto Coles store before being fired for irregularity, because he could not be depended on to attend work consistently. I think we can all agree that the world is a better place because Neil left Coles and worked as a musician!
Used Books: CTR BOOKS 18 Robb Blvd, Unit 3 (off ‘C’ Line), 519 941 3763 CTR Books does not buy books but gives a credit against future purchases. They prefer paperbacks as new hard cover books are of decreasing quality and increasing price, making them difficult to sell. Dee, who commutes from Grand Valley, started CTR Books in 2001, working from home with 4,000 books, and now has 54,000 books and counting on her computer database! She bought her store property for $60,000 in 1990 14
ORANGEVILLE LIVING SPRING 2011
and, while it is a little out of the way, it is worth the trip. I found two books I was looking for at very good prices! Her stock is mainly paperbacks, with her best selling subjects being Romance, Mysteries, Science Fiction and Westerns, in that order. Dee’s lively personality came through when she told me, “The hardest thing about being a book dealer is people expect you to have read everything they like and be able to recommend books!” As a small business owner, she is also frustrated with the mountain of paperwork all levels of government demand. She says most of her clients are older and have been readers for years while younger people are not reading as much today, a fact echoed by other book store owners.
Used Books: SUMMIT BOOKS Mono Plaza, 633419 Hwy 10 North, 519 942 0498 Summit Books buys, sells, and trades books and does Internet searches for clients for out-of-print books. Leslie Sabo started his book business working out of an Orangeville flea market from 1984 until the tornado in May 1985 wiped out his stock. He opened his current store in 1986 and is celebrating the 25th Anniversary in April 2011. He feels his persistence has paid off for him because surviving 25 years as a small business is no mean feat! Before getting into the book business, Leslie was a house painter while his wife Elsie minded the store, but in 1989 he began running the store full time. The most important change Leslie has seen over the life of the business is the trend to more and more booksellers going on-line. Summit Books has been on-line since 1998 and during that time increased on-line competition has lowered the price of used books appreciably. There are far fewer brick-and-mortar bookstores now, with rent being a huge issue in Toronto— witness the demise of many Queen Street book businesses. Leslie echoes the reality that younger people, especially girls, are not reading because of many modern diversions such as cell phones, texting, and computer games. His clientele consists mainly of people in their twenties, up to seniors. He also feels that the effects of the recession are still being felt in the used book trade, seen in the shrinking base of readers, falling prices for used books, and smaller profit margins, all contributing to the decline. Orangeville is fortunate to have such a large number of new and used book stores, all with distinct personalities filling different niches. We need to patronize them fully so they will be around to service the next generation of readers!
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GARDENING
Sowing success: seed starting BY RICHARD VAUGHAN
GROWING YOUR OWN PLANTS from seed is perhaps the most rewarding experience a gardener can enjoy. Not only is it an extremely economical way to grow annuals and vegetables for your yard, but there’s an undeniable thrill in filling your garden with plants you've nurtured to life. Many people are turned off by the perceived effort required in successful seed propagating. In truth, it’s simply not difficult or particularly time consuming….if you know the tricks of the trade.
Seed selection Your work really begins well before you sow that first seed. Selecting the right seed is just as important for success as is watering or fertilizing. How do you choose from the thousands of seed varieties available? Do your research first. Choose seeds that match your needs and interests, and the conditions of your garden. Consider germination
percentage (how many seeds will sprout), how long the seed will take to sprout, the number of days until harvest, soil and sun requirements, disease resistance, plant size and, vegetables, expected yield. One tip for seed-selecting success is to look first at award winning varieties, designations which should be highlighted on the packets. These seeds SPRING 2011 ORANGEVILLE LIVING
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have performed well in horticultural trials, making them excellent choices. Also, look at new disease and drought resistant varieties of old favourites. While seeds may remain viable as long as they are kept in a cool, dry environment, they do degrade over time. It’s best to only purchase the seeds you expect to use during the coming season.
Setting the stage Creating an environment conducive to growth is vital to successful seed-starting. This begins with selecting the proper growing medium. “Rather than use real soil, you should use a seed-start mix (consisting of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite), which is lighter and drains better,” says Sara Pamenter, of Orangeville Flowers and Greenhouses Ltd. “A seed-start mix helps because seeds like to be moist, but not wet…it’s a thin line, but because seed-start mix drains better than real soil, it’s preferable. In addition to the correct growing medium, seeds need a warm and nurturing environment in which to develop, with an emphasis on warm. “Seeds need warm temperatures to sprout; a consistent 21 to 24 degrees Celsius (69 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) is ideal,” says Bill Spaans who, along with his wife Cindy, owns Botanix Alton Greenhouses and Garden Centre. “It’s important to get the right temperature. A higher temperature runs the risk of damaging seeds, while cooler conditions may prevent the germination process entirely.” The one caveat to this rule is after the seeds have emerged you should reduce the temperatures to between 13 and 15 degrees Celsius (55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight and 18 to 21 degrees Celsius (65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day. “While seeds don’t need light, seedlings do, and lots of it.” Once a seed has germinated and begins to emerge from the soil, it requires lots of light to grow,” relates Mr. Spaans. “A greenhouse is ideal, but home owners often use grow lights.”
Planting and care Before sowing, place the seeds in water overnight to help them germinate faster. Hard-shelled seeds in particular benefit from this step. After six to eight hours, remove the seeds and plant immediately. Sow seeds in pots or flats, barely covering them with the growing medium. Very fine seeds do not have to be covered at all. When’s the ideal time to sow seeds? It depends upon the variety, but it generally ranges from four to five weeks before it’s safe to plant outdoors which, as a rule of thumb in Central Ontario, is the May 24 weekend. For some fast growers however, such as dwarf marigolds, just a few weeks are enough; wax begonias and impatiens, on the other hand, may take up to four months. According to Mr. Spaans, “The biggest problem, I find, is that most people plant their seeds too early. If you plant too early, the seedlings will
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become long and leggy. In most cases, I recommend starting a seed only 4-5 weeks before you intend to transplant it outside.” After sowing, Mrs. Pamenter directs us to gently mist with water and then cover with a clear plastic or glass lid. “Watering correctly throughout the growing process is important,” she says. “The soil should always be slightly moist, but never drenched because too much water will rot the seeds. That’s why people often mist rather than water their seeds.” At the first sign of germination, remove the lid. (Some experts suggest doing away with the lid entirely as it blocks air flow.) Then, when the seedlings have grown three or four true leaves, it’s time to transplant to a larger pot. Soon they’ll be ready to plant in your garden, but they need to be acclimatized to the outdoor environment first, through a process known as hardening off. Simply put your pots and flats of seedlings outside for an increased amount of sun each day, making sure to bring them in at night. After about a week, the seedlings can be planted in their permanent home.
Damping off The enemy of seed-starters everywhere is a fungal disease called damping off. Unfortunately, the moist, humid conditions within covered seed trays are ideal not only for the propagation of seeds, but for fungal diseases as well. Damping off will wipe out everything in a tray. Once you have it, there is no cure. Damping off mostly attacks very young seedlings. Otherwise healthy looking plants will collapse suddenly and die. A white mossy growth may be seen on both the soil and the dead seedling. “Overcrowding and lack of air circulation creates the conditions for damping off,” says Mr. Spaans, who notes that the best way to avoid overcrowding in seed trays is by sowing carefully and pinching out plants as necessary. Some people even recommend the use of a fan, on a low setting of course, to improve air circulation. Sterilization is important. The fungus will linger on pots or seed trays, so make sure to thoroughly clean them between uses. Finally, there are various fungicidal solutions available, such as No Damp that can serve to protect seedlings from fungal disease. Their exact use varies depending upon the product. Read and follow the manufacturers’ directions strictly. Sowing seeds is certainly not as easy as simply buying flats of flowers or vegetables at a garden centre, but there’s nothing more rewarding than nurturing a tray of seedlings from germination to maturity. And, with experience, it becomes easier. So begin with something easy this spring, such as marigolds, cabbage, or any vine crop, and embrace the experience.
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SHOPPING
Bronze water feature $995
Best
Buy 20
Orchids, starting at $19.95
ORANGEVILLE LIVING SPRING 2011
STORE PROFILE
Orangeville Flowers
You wouldn’t think it from the outside, but Orangeville Flowers is really an Aladdin’s cave. An impressive 10,000 square foot space is packed full of stunning displays, including a talkative parrot, a lizard, and two very friendly cats that greet you as you peruse. Reclaimed architectural pieces frame beautiful vignettes of antiques, décor elements, and floral displays. The Woudenbergs’ taste, and flair for merchandising, is quite exquisite. Orangeville Living dropped by for a quick chat with owner Martin Woudenberg to find out a little about the business and take a look around.
How long in business? Orangeville Flowers has been in business for 26 years, the past 13 under the ownership of my wife, Joanne, and me. Joanne’s parents started the store and we were certainly qualified to take the reins, as Joanne had grown up around the business, and I grew up surrounded by flowers - both my mother and sister were floral designers. What makes you unique? We don't just sell plants and flowers, but an extensive range of home and garden décor, from ornaments and statues to garden furniture. Our most unique offering is the antiques we sell. People love old tables and washstands showing layers of age, a nice contrast for displaying floral arrangements, and practical too. What’s hot right now? Antique tables and sideboards—anything that can be decorative and functional. Stoneware pots plus home and garden décor with distressed finishes. Potted spring flowers are always hot this time of year, including tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. What are your best buys? Orchids are extremely easy to take care of and the blooms last for months, offering good value. Prices for orchids start at $19.95. Details
at 78 John Street, Orangeville } Located 519 941 2592 www.orangevilleflowers.com
What’s
HOT
Distressed finished décor & Stoneware
Floral stoneware vase $34.95 SPRING 2011 ORANGEVILLE LIVING
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ORANGEVILLE LIVING SPRING 2011
Beer batter RECIPES
The perfect batter for an authentic British Fish & Chips supper! This is enough batter for a large family or party. Halve the recipe for 3-4 people.
Battered fish
Chips
cod (thick cut 100gm pieces, as many as needed) 1L sunflower oil ½ cup flour salt & black pepper to taste
Chop up a large baking potato for each person and fry until golden in the oil you used for the fish— it's that easy!
Preheat saucepan or fryer with oil on a medium to medium low heat, or approx 350˚F. Season the fish with salt and pepper, if desired. Sprinkle flour on large plate or board and roll fish in it, covering completely. This helps the batter stick to the fish.
Drain chips and place onto paper towels to soak up excess oil.
Drop a small piece of batter (see recipe below) into the oil to test if oil is hot enough. If it sizzles immediately, it is ready. Dip fish into batter and gently drop into hot oil. Cook just one or two pieces at a time. Fry for 5-6 min., until golden. Be careful of the hot oil splashing!
Serving suggestions Plenty of malt vinegar and salt, with a side of mushy peas. Delicious!
When ready, place cooked fish onto paper towels to soak up excess oil, and keep in warm oven until chips are ready.
To make batter 473ml can Hockley dark English ale 2 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt black pepper to taste Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, add baking powder, salt and pepper, and mix well with a fork or whisk. Slowly pour in the beer while continuing to mix until a thick creamy batter consistency is reached.
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Cabbage, beer & pork casserole This is a quick and easy rustic recipe inspired by traditional Bohemian cuisine. Prep time: 15 min Baking time: 2.5 hours Preheat oven to 300˚F Tools: Baking/casserole dish with lid Chef's knife Serves 2-3 people
*We prefer organic or PC's Free From **We used Aurora brand; the can contains only tomatoes, no salt or preservatives, unlike most other brands.
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500 g pork chops* 400 g cabbage (roughly chopped) 398 ml can diced tomatoes** 473 ml can Hockley Black & Tan beer 1 small red onion 1 tbsp paprika ground peppercorns, generous sprinkle to taste 1 heaping tsp sea salt 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 5 cloves garlic, chopped ⅓ cup organic flour Roughly chop pork chops into small chunks. Roughly chop up cabbage. Add both into a large casserole dish, and then pour on the diced tomatoes. Add the chopped onion, garlic, paprika and apple cider vinegar. Pour in the beer and give everything a good stir to mix it all up. Season with pepper and salt. Then stir in the flour. Put lid on dish and place in oven at 300˚F for 2 hours. Remove lid, leave for a further 30 minutes at 350˚F. This will help reduce the liquid into a thicker sauce. If you like a really thick consistency, stir in some more flour.
PEOPLE
What happens when you take two wine lovers— one originally a beer lover from Hamilton and the other a non-beer drinker from Winnipeg—to visit our local craft brewery? Both come away impressed with the award winning Hockley Valley Brewing Company’s passion to make top quality brew, right in our backyard! 26
ORANGEVILLE LIVING SPRING 2011
Brewmaster Andrew Kohnen checks the production line
brew
makes good
BY RIC KITOWSKI & JOCELYN KLEMM • PHOTOS BY SDB IMAGES
THE BREWERY STARTED up at the end of 2002 in Hockley Village. Located in a tiny 1,000 square foot facility next to the General Store, the brewery could produce 6,000 cans per week, enough to stock about 200 LCBO stores. In 2008 it was moved to larger facilities in Orangeville and now has the capacity to more than double production. Brewmaster Andrew Kohnen, having gained firsthand experience working in breweries in the UK, came home for a visit and dropped in on Hockley Valley Brewing Company just after it opened. That visit turned into a position as brewmaster and now, almost 8 years later, he has transformed its lineup of beers. If you remember Hockley Valley Brewing Company only for its first product, Hockley Valley Gold, you will find that Kohnen’s new brews have a lot more character and personality (see sidebar). Beer and wine have many similarities. First of all, they’re both natural products of fermentation. Second, both have been around for thousands of years, beer for even longer than wine. Third, and this may be a surprise for some, they can both exhibit characteristics of terroir - that unique French word that describes a sense of where a wine comes from. Finally, beer and wine can both be matched with food (see sidebar). But how each arrives at its finished product is very different. Wine starts with the juice of grapes, and when yeast is added it acts on the grape sugars to create alcohol. Where and how the grapes are grown, including climate, have a huge bearing on how the wine tastes, and generally the quality of the finished product. The winemaker manages all these elements to create a wine that represents the best of what nature provides. Beer, and specifically craft beer, is made of water, hops, yeast and malted barley. The source of the water, the type and degree of malting of the barley, and the source and
type of hops influence how the beer tastes. However the brewmaster has a lot more control over the finished beer and a lot more latitude on how it will taste, depending on the choice of ingredients and the way that they are used. Water is a key ingredient in making beer. The mineral components in water can create a regional character for beer; notably the slight sniff of sulphur that you get in beers from Burton Upon Trent, called the “Burton snatch”, or the hardness of the water around Dublin that makes it ideal for the production of Stout, such as Guinness. The water used for Hockley’s beers comes from an aquifer that supplies Orangeville and surrounding area, including Guelph, a centre for many Ontario craft beers. Hockley filters the water to remove certain unwanted elements like chlorine. Malted barley is the biggest contributor to a beer’s aromas and flavours. In the top-selling Hockley Dark, there are five different Canadian malts in Kohnen’s secret recipe, giving the beer its characteristic aromas of freshly baked bread, caramel, toffee, chocolate and coffee. Hops add bitterness and tanginess to beer, balancing the sweetness of the malt to create a refreshing taste. Some of the aromas imparted from hops include floral, citrus, grassy, spicy and earthy. Hops also add stability to beer, acting as a natural preservative. Kohnen loves hops, but his use of hops in Hockley’s current range is very balanced. Finally, yeast gets the fermentation process going. Different brewing yeasts are used depending on whether ale is being brewed (top fermenting yeast) or lager (bottom fermenting yeast). Bottom fermenting yeasts tend to result in a drier beer, as they ferment more sugars. Hockley produces only ales. One big difference between wine and beer is the importance of aging. Most wines benefit from time after fermentation is complete, and a few wines benefit greatly from cellaring. Beer, however, is meant to be consumed fresh. Hockley’s Kohnen prides himself on the freshness of their product, so when you pick up a pack of Hockley beer at the LCBO or enjoy a draft pint at a local restaurant, the beer was freshly made only weeks, or possibly even days, before. Hockley is a small-scale brewery and essentially brews to
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demand. Kohnen can make 15 barrels (1,800 litres) in about 9 hours, and only puts the beer into cans when it is needed. Hockley beer is unpasteurized. While wine rarely comes in cans, Kohnen tells us beer is actually better in a can than from a bottle. Beer in bottles can be affect by light; beer in cans is more stable and better preserved. Hockley’s ales taste best at temperatures between 8 and 10°C (fridge temperature is too cold at 4-5°C). In that respect, beer is much like white wine! To enjoy it at its best, Kohnen also recommends opening the beer, taking your first sip, and letting it sit for about 10 minutes while it opens up, also just like wine. Hockley Valley Brewing Company’s beers are available at the LCBO, at the brewery on Centennial Road, and are served at many local area restaurants like Bluebird Café, Black Birch, The Millcroft Inn, Globe Restaurant and Mrs. Mitchell’s. Chef/owner Mark Mogensen of Black Birch features Hockley Dark in his beer batter fish & chips, for extra flavour. There are recipes for Hockley Black & Tan Cheese Fondue and Hockley Dark BBQ Sauce at the brewery Web site www.hockleybeer.ca
Hockley’s Ales Black & Tan (4.7%)
A blend of Hockley Stout and a light ale. Deep espresso colour with good head retention throughout the tasting. Light and creamy, with aromas of oatmeal, hazelnuts, and molasses. Pleasant hop balance on the slightly sweet finish, that ends slightly bitter. Match with spicier appetizers, charcuterie, and grilled meats with a slightly sweet marinade or rub.
Hockley Dark (5.0%)
Their most popular beer; in the style of a Midlands Mild. Medium deep brown colour, semi-opaque, although it did not hold its head as well as the other beers. Light and refreshing with aromas of brown sugar, caramel, and vanilla with subtle fruity notes. Crisp and fresh; a great beer for the patio, with charcuterie and burgers.
Stout (4.2%)
In the traditional of a Dry or Irish Stout. Dark, almost black colour with an espresso crema-colour head. Classic smoke and malt aromas with notes of nuts and dark chocolate. Dry on the finish, light- to mediumbodied, with a clean finish. It would be great with a plate of cured meats and strong cheeses like Beemster, as well as barbequed meats with spicier rubs.
Ric and Jocelyn are the authors of the best-selling Clueless about Wine, available at Booklore in Orangeville. Sign up for their newsletter at www.thewinecoaches.com
RECIPES
Top 3 cookie contest finalists Thank you all for your cookie entries! We had a great time testing them! We chose five finalists based on taste, creativity of ingredients and simplicity of recipes. We then narrowed our choice down to three finalists by asking our editorial team for their top ratings. Here are the cookies with the highest scores.
The winner!
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We love the different layers of flavours & textures!
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The prize Andrea Brown has won a Hamilton Beach® Classic Hand/ Stand Mixer!
The very best chocolate pecan cookies Recipe by Andrea Brown INGREDIENTS ½ cup unsalted butter ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup white sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour ½ tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup sweetened coconut
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375ºF. Cream the butter. Add the sugars and beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add to sugar mixture and stir. Add the chocolate chips, pecans and coconut. Spoon onto baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
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Banana chocolate chip cookies Recipe by Audrey Johnston
INGREDIENTS 1 cup butter 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 med mashed bananas TIP 3 cups all-purpose flour One 12 ounce 2 tsp baking powder package of ½ tsp baking soda chocolate chips 1½ tsp ground cinnamon will yield 2 cups ½ tsp ground nutmeg 2 cups chocolate chips DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350ºF and lightly butter cookie sheets. Cream the butter, add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until well blended. Purée bananas and beat into mixture.
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Reminds us of a subtle piña colada!
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Tropical colada cookies
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Recipe by Sarah Young INGREDIENTS 1 egg 1 cup butter (room temperature) ½ cup rum (I use white Bacardi rum) 3 tbsp pineapple jam (I use Smuckers) 1 cup + ¼ cup icing sugar ½ tsp salt 1½ cups coconut 2 cups all purpose flour DIRECTIONS
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In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add gradually to creamed mixture and beat well. Add chocolate chips and stir them in by hand until they are well distributed through the dough. Spoon onto prepared cookie sheets by heaping teaspoons. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until light golden and springy to the touch. Cool on racks. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
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Tastes like banana bread but in a cookie shape!
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Combine wet ingredients in one bowl and mix well. Put dry ingredients in another bowl and mix. Slowly stir dry ingredients to wet mixture. Mix everything together well then spoon off about 1 tsp of batter and roll into a ball and place onto pizza stone or cookie sheet. Bake at 350ºF for 18-20 minutes. Cool then roll cookies in the extra icing sugar. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
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HERITAGE
Monument to justice STORY + PHOTOS BY ROBERT HULLEY
“A visit to the Dufferin County Courthouse & Jail” The Dufferin County Courthouse is a highly visible, stunning landmark in Orangeville. It was built from the very stones and clay of the area and has stood as a beacon of justice and architectural splendor for the past 130 years. The courthouse is truly a sight to behold situated at the end of the block, well set back from Zina and Louisa Streets by broad lawns, mature trees, shrubs and gardens. SPRING 2011 ORANGEVILLE LIVING
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The building that looks right Construction of the courthouse, jail and registry office was undertaken to satisfy a requirement that these facilities be provided before Dufferin could be named a County, and Orangeville its Seat. Architect Cornelius J. Soule designed this imposing two and three storey courthouse in 1879 and it was constructed in 1880-81. Since then the building has been continually associated with judicial, administrative and government functions. The building’s dichromatic brick patterns, stone cuttings, arched windows and paneled doorways, as well as its elongated corbelled chimneys and fish scale slate roof, exemplify a façade designed to impress. Its prominent central tower, soaring well above the roof line with wrought iron cresting, is a distinguishing feature of eclectic High Victorian design, combining elements of both the Second Empire and Romanesque styles. The symmetrical, balanced building with identical extensions on either side of the tower is reminiscent of Themis, the Greek Goddess of Justice, balancing the scales of truth and fairness on either side, representing the concept of law, order and justice. In 1988 most of the building was extensively restored and tastefully refurbished to its original style and fashion. Among the interior highlights is the main stairway leading to the principal courtroom. It is an elaborate curved oak staircase with large black walnut turned balustrades and 34
ORANGEVILLE LIVING SPRING 2011
ABOVE View of upper level balcony. It has a decorative iron balustrade
with walnut rail as seen from the Judge’s dais. Prisoner’s dock is below in the foreground and Jury Box is on the right.
PREVIOUS PAGE The Dufferin County Courthouse. An imposing two and three storey building designed by Architect Cornelius J. Soule in 1879 and constructed in 1880-81.
decorative stair ends. The principal courtroom has a lofty, open character with a cross-beamed ceiling, upper level gallery with iron balustrades and walnut rail, beautifully turned gallery supports, tongue and groove wainscoting along with carved casement window trim and baseboards, and elaborately paneled doors and surrounds. Behind the dais is a sliding door leading to the Judge’s chambers, designed to match the oval curve of the alcove. There is also a large painted reproduction of the Royal Coat of Arms in the alcove, reportedly painted by one of the jail’s frequent inmates. Until 1931 the Royal Coat of Arms was used for general purposes throughout the British Empire. After that time, it was used in Canada as the Queen’s Coat of Arms, used by the courts to represent the Canadian Crown. Just below the Coat of Arms are three beautifully hand carved Ontario walnut and cherry wood ceremonial chairs dating from the 1880s. The centre chair, used by the Judge, has an elongated back and crown bearing a quartered shield containing the emblems of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia
RIGHT Victorian Era Ink Pot. Among the artifacts recovered from an old well in the jail yard was this Victorian era glazed brown ceramic ink pot. FAR RIGHT Ceremonial Chairs. Three
beautifully hand carved ceremonial chairs adorn the Judge’s dais.
BELOW Site Plan. The Courthouse has
been continually enlarged and adapted to meet the demands and judicial needs of the current population. View from Louisa St. The stone walls of both the former jail and exercise yards as well as the former Governor’s residence were tastefully incorporated into the Courthouse Complex.
and New Brunswick. It is reasoned that they were included to commemorate the signing of the Constitution Act in 1867 and the new responsibilities of the Canadian Judiciary. While the exact origin of the chairs remains somewhat of a mystery, it is believed they were presented to the Court as a gift by an unknown English benefactor. Dan Field, an Ontario antique furniture dealer and appraiser, describes the chairs as being constructed with great skill and knowledge. The pegged joinery and black burl walnut decorations indicate an Ontario origin. He believes the chairs were made by the Tunstall Brothers and that Architect Soule probably had a hand in their design. The Tunstall Brothers operated a furniture factory in Orangeville during this precise period and were mentioned in Wayne Townsend’s book, Orangeville: the Heart of Dufferin County, as being apprentices under Jacques and Hay, who where well known for designing and creating ceremonial furniture for the judiciary and other government offices in Ontario. The two arm chairs located on either side of the Judge’s chair were formerly used by the Court Clerk and the Court Stenographer. It was common practice for craftsmen of the day to do something out of the ordinary as a signature of their work on a building project, as a lasting reminder of their contribution to the structure. As Steve Piercey, the Facilities Manager pointed out, “In this case a workman turned one of the balusters on the low rail separating the judiciary from the audience in the opposite direction to the rest, as a permanent reminder of his contribution to the project.” He wondered how many people who sat directly behind the railing noticed this abnormality over the years.
The turnkey’s domain The Goddess of Justice is often depicted with a doubleedged sword held by her side, representing protection of the innocent and vengeance on the guilty. One edge was to ensure justice as represented by the courts, judge and jury. The other represented retribution, which in Dufferin SPRING 2011 ORANGEVILLE LIVING
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ABOVE View from Louisa St. The stone walls of both the former jail
and exercise yards as well as the former Governor’s residence were tastefully incorporated into the Courthouse Complex.
ABOVE RIGHT Royal Coat of Arms. Said to have been painted by one
of the frequent prison inmates.
LEFT View of Principal Courtroom. It has a lofty, open character with an elevated Judge’s dais. The council table can be seen in the foreground.
County’s case was graphically illustrated by a massive two story stone gaol (jail) and exercise yard attached to the rear of the Courthouse. Many of the inmates of the jail, however, were not convicted criminals because the gaol also served as an asylum and poor house for both men and women. As the Orangeville Sun of January 19, 1885 reported, “The County Fathers visited the gaol yesterday, and were well pleased with the manner in which the gaol was kept, but many of them regretted to find the building turned into a virtual poor house. Many of the inmates are old and infirm, and their only offence is that they are poor and without friends.” “There is an old woman from East Garafraxa, 107 years old and deaf. She kissed the blarney stone in her youth, and her sweet, flattering voice has not deserted her even in her dungeon home.” There have been no hangings in the gaol, although many of the inmates died of natural causes. If no immediate family or friends came forward to undertake a burial, it was common practice for them to be buried by the County in the Pauper’s Grave at the Greenwood Cemetery located just to the west of Orangeville in Amaranth Township.
Dealing with growth The growth of the Courthouse building complex over the years provides a graphic illustration of the history of 36
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administration of justice in Dufferin County. At the time of the Courthouse’s construction, the population of the County stood at approximately 17,000 people. These were gentler times with little serious crime and civil litigation. By the 1970s not only had the population grown, the County became less isolated with the wider use of the automobile and, with the advent of improved highways, the area became far more accessible. With this increased urbanization came greater demands and complexity on the services required for the administration of justice in the region. As a result, a two storey addition was made to the west side of the existing Courthouse in 1973. Growth continued unabated and the Government was petitioned by the local legal fraternity who were concerned that the existing facilities, even with the addition, remained hopelessly overcrowded. The population exceeded 30,000 by the 1980s, with the need for improved justice administration rising proportionally. Court facilities were heavily overused with the only courtroom available being used by the Superior Court, Small Claims Court, County Court, and Council and other judicial bodies such as the Municipal Board, Workman’s Compensation Board and others. In addition, the Legal Library, witness isolation, change rooms, and other facilities were woefully inadequate. The Province agreed to construct additional facilities and, since the jail, exercise yards and Warden’s quarters closed in 1979, a two storey addition was built into the remnants of these historic features at the rear of the Courthouse in 1986. The result was an impressive adaptation of the stone encasement walls into an adjoining modern courthouse facility. Within these historic walls that now contain court rooms and administrative offices, witnesses, defendants, and plaintiffs wait to give evidence involved in court proceedings, seemingly unaware that the space they occupy was formerly a jailhouse, with the customary trappings of a prison compound. During construction of the addition, the old well located in the jail yard was rediscovered. Among the artifacts
recovered from the well was a Victorian era glazed brown ceramic ink pot. The find is quite significant because of the extent of record keeping required at the Courthouse over the years. The ink pot is similar to those produced by the Derby Pottery in England, although the maker’s mark is not legible. The ink pot is now prominently displayed in the office of Mike Giles, Dufferin’s Chief Building Official. A number of other artifacts also found are now in the Dufferin County Museum. With further increases to the population, which stood at 54,436 in the 2006 census, an additional two storey 32,000 sq. ft. extension is currently being built on the west side of the Courthouse. According to a report in the Orangeville Citizen, the new wing will accommodate Provincial courtrooms and their facilities, as well as the Treasury and Warden’s offices. While it will be recognized as the product of current building methods, every effort has been made to design it sympathetic to the existing structures, in accordance with Ministry of Tourism and Culture’s guidelines. New improvements will include an enlarged parking area and will encompass almost the entire city block with the exception of three private residences and the Ontario Provincial Police office on Clara Street. Old buildings are full of stories. Serving as it has for more than a century as a Court of Law, a county poor house, asylum and jail, we would expect a few ghost stories. And there are! According to some, there is an employee who refuses to leave his post long after his demise, and others who have seen apparitions appearing on the spiral staircase leading to the principal courtroom. But staff members have apparently learned to accommodate their ghosts, just as Susan Allen Toth suggested in her book, My Love Affair with England, “Just walk slap through them ...it doesn’t seem to do either party any harm ...and when necessary, raise your hat to [the ghost of] Lady Susan.”
A Contemporary Heritage Building The Dufferin County Courthouse demonstrates superb classic architectural lines and will continue to stand out as one of Orangeville’s most prominent and prestigious buildings. Although it was built in 1880-81, and more recently Designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, it is not just a thing of the past. The Courthouse has been continually enlarged and adapted to meet the demands and judicial needs of the current population. It is now, and has been for the past 130 years, an actively functioning Court of Law and will likely carry on as such for many years to come. As The Honorable John D. Richard, Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Appeal, observed, “Access to justice must be an integral part of our justice system and must be promoted by all right-thinking members of the community.” Robert B. Hulley, a retired Realtor and frequent contributor of interesting heritage stories, now serves on a number of heritage organizations and committees. Photographs are by the author. (Digital Photo Arts) SPRING 2011 ORANGEVILLE LIVING
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Dufferin County Museum and Archives. Left P-0006, Right P-1031
HERITAGE
BY DIANA JANOSIK-WRONSKI
10,000 BC–In Orangeville! THIS TALE may as well be called “The Curious Case of the Mastodon Rib.” A mystery worthy of Sherlock Holmes, especially given the time period involved, our tale starts with a single mastodon rib. In this case it was found propped up inside the wall of a small side barn in Shelburne when the barn was being demolished in recent years. The property had originally belonged to William Jelly, the founder of Shelburne. Our central character was an enterprising individual, also from Shelburne, John Jelly. Actually he seems to have been involved with TWO skeletons! The first was called the “Amaranth Mammoth,” found in 1887 on W. B. Jelly’s farm near Bowling Green in Amaranth, not far from Orangeville. About half a skeleton was retrieved in 1887 and 1889, and John Jelly paid $1,500 for the bones. They were taken to Shelburne and displayed in a store where interested folks could see them for a ten cent charge! The bones were also paraded around Central Ontario. In fact, a newspaper ad from that time period noted for a fall exhibition, “Amaranth Mammoth on Alliston Exhibition Grounds, Thursday and Friday October 10th and 11th.” It goes on to say it was “discovered on the farm of Mr. W. B. Jelly” and has “staggered scientists due to its immense size.” They noted a single tooth weighed 16¾ pounds. While in Owen Sound, John was offered $3,000 for the skeleton, doubling his original investment, and shortly afterwards he sold it there to W. B. Harrison and Mr. Horton. It disappeared into storage in Owen Sound and was 38
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last seen briefly at the Toronto National Exhibition in 1915. The second, the “Highgate Mastodon,” much larger than the “Amaranth Mammoth,” was sold to Jelly by a farmer near St. Thomas. In 1890, John Jelly heard about bones found by William Reycraft. Of course Jelly was interested, because of his previous mammoth bones found on William Jelly’s farm, so he partnered with his nephew, William Hillhouse, a Shelburne hardware merchant, to buy them. Reycraft had been digging a ditch on his farm in Highgate, near St. Thomas, in the summer of 1886. He found some large bones including ribs, vertebrae and few smaller bones and leg parts which he took home. Three years later, more bones turned up while he was ploughing a field. Jelly travelled to Highgate and bought those bones, plus the rights to excavate, from William Reycraft. The bones lay about six feet below the surface in an area about 35 by 21 feet and, after several days’ excavation, the skeleton was nearly 95 per cent complete, 157 pieces in all. A photographer, C. Gambles from nearby Ridgetown, was hired to photograph it. The bones were “sized” with white hot glue, but the only tusk found, “a real beauty,” was actually dropped and broken. Hillhouse fixed it and, in his own words, “attached it solid to a box.” Scientific documentation in 1891 stated that the mastodon was bigger than those in the British Museum or in Boston, and recorded the tusk as nine feet eight inches in length and 26½ inches in circumference where thickest. Why was John Jelly so interested in old bones? Ever the
1893 (Edmonton, AB) A rib measures 50 inches long, and has a circumference of 11 inches.
THEORY 1
Dufferin County Museum and Archives. A206-058
ENDS
1893–1902 (Grand Forks, ND)
1902–Present (Fort Lincoln, ND)
1893–1902 (Barnesville, MN) THEORY 2
1893–1902 (Minneapolis, MN)
Highgate Mastodon Journey
Amaranth Mammoth discovered 1887 (Amaranth, ON)
Possible Highgate Mastodon detour Amaranth Mammoth Journey STARTS
showman and entrepreneur, he did not want to pass up another chance at the “big time”! His show was taken on the road to county fairs (the Victorians were keenly interested in natural history). The entourage included a combo called “The Mastodon Brass Band” picked from the Shelburne band boys, plus two wagons. Hillhouse and Jelly displayed the mammoth bones around Ontario from 1890 to 1892. During this time, one of the teeth from the upper jaw was stolen in Galt.
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Highgate Mastodon discovered 1886 (Highgate, ON)
Amaranth Mammoth last seen 1915 (Toronto, ON) 1890-92 (Galt, ON)
A shoulder blade was as large as the top of a No. 9 stove…
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A mammoth mystery Jelly’s health deteriorated by 1893 (he later died in 1895, aged 53), so he leased the bones (for $50 a month!) to Robert Essery, from an Orangeville merchant family, to continue displaying them. Essery headed for Winnipeg and points west. He also placed ads stating, “The World’s Greatest Wonder—A Monster Unearthed!... The London Free Press says… ‘A shoulder blade was as large as the top of a No. 9 stove…’” Unfortunately Essery contracted typhoid in Edmonton and died. Here the mystery starts, as Hillhouse and Jelly then lost track of the bones. Accounts differ on what happened. One is that two loyal helpers decided to carry on. Another account reports that a niece in North Dakota eventually sent a flyer distributed by “Thompson and Glover” advertising “a travelling exhibit of a mastodon.” The bones somehow ended up abandoned while in storage, either in Minneapolis at the Bibb Broom Corn Co., or with the Grand Northern Railway in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where funds had probably run out. To recover storage and shipping costs, they were sold to Harry Dickenson, a fireman with the Great Northern Railway, and shipped to C. E. Dickenson in Barnesville, Minnesota, for $27.84 via that same railway. AUTUMN 2009 CALEDON LIVING
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They continued to be exhibited by both men, in that state as well as South Dakota. Along the way the bones were seen by a Dr. James Grassick, who bought them for $10. In 1902 Grassick loaned them for display at the University of North Dakota where local papers interviewed the curator. Hillhouse heard about this and wrote a letter claiming ownership through his lawyer, John Douglas of Shelburne. His grounds were denied and Grassick sold the skeleton to the University for $100. Jelly’s executors in Brockville also tried to lay claim and were told by Grassick that he “no longer owned it.” But the story doesn’t end there.
The 20th century mastodon The mastodon lay forgotten until about 1947, when it was rediscovered and shipped to the Historical Society located in Fort Lincoln, North Dakota. It was briefly “rediscovered” once more when it was moved to new storage facilities. There it languished again until about 1990. Like the ancestors of our First Nations, those in North Dakota shared their environment with these creatures. Someone found reference to the “Highgate Mastodon” while preparing an Indigenous Peoples’ exhibit and thought it should be included. It was rebuilt and prepared for permanent display in 1991at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck.
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Ice age—in Orangeville So why were there mastodons and mammoths in Orangeville and surrounding areas? Quite simply, they roamed the cool evergreen forest zones (similar to today’s moose and caribou) up to around 6,000 years ago, when one source points out that the Walls of Jericho had already been built! The glaciers of the ice age advanced and melted several times, the last glacial period ending about 12,500 years ago. Their home was where the glaciers melted back; the mammoths moved north or south with changing climate conditions. Most remains have been found close to Lake Erie, like the “Highgate Mastodon.” Which mastodon or mammoth the rib in William Jelly’s barn had come from, we really do not know at this point. The “Highgate Mastodon” was estimated by restorers in 1990 to be a young adult male some 25 to 30 years old, according to the tusk and teeth. During restoration they also found a small clump of the original entombing soil which had somehow survived all the adventures. It was verified as original by the Royal Ontario Museum. A 1993 handwritten note filed in the Dufferin County Museum states the age of the pollen found in the soil, and therefore the era of the mastodon—about 10,000 years ago! The Dufferin County Museum and Archives currently hold the materials relating to this story, and Diana thanks them for their assistance. Diana Janosik-Wronski is a project management and public relations consultant who lives locally and has a wide variety of interests. She may be reached at wroni@sympatico.ca
Infiniti M37x AWD MOTORING
2011
BY KEVIN “CRASH” CORRIGAN PHOTOS BY LENA DIAZ
INFINITI IS A BRAND which occasionally likes to push boundaries, and one only has to look at its FX crossover vehicles to see this in action. Those models blend utility with more than a healthy dose of performance, at the same time oozing luxury from every pore. They are huge fun to drive, and the same goes for their slightly smaller stable mate, the Infiniti EX. Although I’ve enjoyed the Infiniti crossovers for quite some time, I’ve never been truly thrilled by cars which the company produces. Yes, the Infiniti G-Series has earned a fantastic reputation, and many now compare them to BMW models, but in my opinion they’ve never really had the wow factor that is in some of the other Infiniti products.
Of course, that was then, and this is now, because I’ve just spent a week in the 2011 Infiniti M37x, and the vehicle has actually started to win me over. Admittedly, it may not appear as aggressive from the outside as perhaps the FX/EX models. And, if I’m totally honest, I find the exterior of the M37x a little too similar to the lower priced G-Series. However, slide behind the wheel of the vehicle and you can’t help but feel that you’re in something rather special. For a start, the interior simply oozes quality and refinement, and the features available for this model are pretty amazing. Xenon headlights and front fog lights come standard on the M37, as do 18 inch alloys and power folding heated mirrors. It gets even better on the inside, with
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leather-faced seating, DS & PS 10-way power adjustable heated seats, and a memory system for the doors, mirrors, and the leather wrapped steering wheel. For those who enjoy more creature comforts, there’s a power moon roof, intelligent key system with push button start, Homelink, Bluetooth, XM Sat Radio/CD/USB connect and steering wheel audio controls. All of this is standard equipment on the base M37x model. However, my test vehicle came with the optional Deluxe Touring & Tech package ($5,100) which includes Bose® Studio Surround® 5.1 with 16 speakers, power rear shade, intelligent cruise control, lane departure warning & prevention, eco pedal, Blind Spot Intervention™ System², and a Forest Air™ system. Also added is a rather unique genuine silver-metallic wood accent trim. While metallic and wood may sound a little strange, it certainly looks impressive! I was also fortunate to have the Premium package ($3,800) added to my tester, including a 9.3 GB music hard drive, HD navigation system with an 8 inch colour touch screen, voice recognition, Bluetooth streaming audio, climate controlled front seats and a heated steering wheel. Now these two packages add an additional $9,200 to the base price of the vehicle ($54,900), which means it tops out at $64,100, and then there’s still nearly $2k of freight and PDE before you’re presented with the final bill. Whereas I would normally say at this point, “Save your money and go for the base model,” I’m actually going to venture in the opposite direction and suggest stepping up and treating yourself. My reasoning is simple...while $9k in extras might seem a lot of money, especially in today’s economy, yet compared to what some of the German companies are charging for these types of add-ons, it’s actually quite reasonable. This is a driver’s vehicle in every sense of the word and I can foresee buyers trying to save money at the offset, only to wish they had opted for the extras down the road. After all, if you’re going to purchase a high-end vehicle, and this certainly falls into that category, then why wouldn’t you make the most of it and truly enjoy the experience of luxury? 42
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Of course, more toys mean more weight, and that requires additional power. Fortunately, Infiniti has already figured this out and the M range features two power plant options for 2011, a 5.6L V8 and the 3.7L 24v DOHC V6, the engine which powered my tester. Now I’m going to pretty much forget about the V8 model, as I truly don’t see the need for any more oomph than the 330 HP supplied by the V6. However, what makes the M37x truly world-class is the superb 7-speed automatic transmission which funnels this power out to the 4 wheels. (Yes, the M range is available in either 2WD or the AWD x model.) Shifting is super-quick, at the same time being extremely smooth, and it really does make the most of the power on tap. However it’s not all about high performance, as the M37 comes with selectable drive options, including an Eco mode. I found this little knob quite fascinating, as a quick tweak retires Dr. Jekyll and unleashes Mr. Hyde. A lot of vehicles nowadays have this feature but it actually makes a difference in this car. Fuel economy figures for the M37x are quite acceptable at 12L/100km (city) and 8.3L/100km (highway). In summing up, I believe that Infiniti has finally come up with a car which I would like to own. Fair enough, its exterior styling is perhaps not as in-your-face as some other high-end manufacturers’ products, but is that necessarily a bad thing? I don’t believe it is. True luxury in an automobile is not all about having the fancy emblem to view through your windshield. It’s more about the feeling you get while driving the vehicle, and in this sense the M37x ticks all the right boxes. The interior meets and, in many ways, surges ahead of several others in its price range. The available options put a few competitors to shame, and then there’s the superb power plant. Yes, it might have taken a while for the company to convince me, but I’ve finally come round to their way of thinking. I really like the Infiniti M37x. Pros: Not as in-your-face prestigious as some, but a very nice car Cons: In some ways, perhaps a little too much like the G-Series
Rating
80%
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Millcroft Inn 55 John Street
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Liberty Tax 5 First Street Orangeville Flowers 78 John Street
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Erin Gallery 27 Main Street
Pear Home shop 185 Broadway
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Hockley Valley Resort 793522 Mono 3rd Line (Off Hockley Road)
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Liberty Tax 116 Main Street West Hockley General Store RR 5 994227 Mono Adjala Townline
MONO CLIFFS Mono Cliffs Inn 367006 Mono Centre Road
ROSEMONT The Globe Restaurant Hwy 89 (between Airport Road & Hwy 50)
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ORANGEVILLE LIVING SPRING 2011