HOME - EXPLORING PETERBOROUGH

by Danielle French South Pond Home www.southpondfarms.ca

I sold our farm and event based business in Pontypool last year and moved into Peterborough. It was an adjustment, the first being that our two Aussie Shepherds, Oz and Harriet, were farm dogs and not adapted to regular leash walking. They were used to being able to bark and chase squirrels and geese at their own free will. That was big change for these high energy dogs. We now live across from Little Lake with an abundance of squirrels and geese, ducks, the occasional fox and rabbits to antagonize them!

Dog walking has become nearly a full time job for me. Every four hours, at least 4 - 5 times a day, an average of 14 kilometers or over 20,000 steps. But I love it (most days). I’ve walked through all kinds of neighborhoods and been able to explore the city in ways I would have never had if I didn’t have the dogs. There is always a silver lining.

The smell of baking was one of the first things I noticed when we moved here. I thought my neighborhood was filled with people baking. The smell of maple syrup andoatmeal was intoxicating as I started early morning walks with the puppers. I was later told that Quaker Oats makes different oat products and depending on which way the wind blows, we could be right in their kitchen. That was embarrassing.

I read a biography of Indra Nooyi, Living My Life in Full, the fascinating CEO of PepsiCo for 12 years and responsible for PepsiCo’s purchase of Quaker Oats in 2000 and wondered how the Peterborough factory fit into the equation. PepsiCo wanted an “in” to the breakfast world of granola bars and oatmeal cereal to balance out their snack and soft drink products. While Quaker’s headquarters are in Chicago, the Peterborough plant is vital here in Canada and an important part of the Peterborough community.

The Nagel Brothers in the US patented a process of making rolled oats without having to

steam them separating the groat from the hull and sold this formula to Quaker Oats at the turn of the century. Built in the late 1890’s and called the American Cereal Company, the company changed its name to Quaker Oats once purchasing the rolled oats invention. The Peterborough

Quaker plant was centrally located on the river and rail transportation and was responsible for making rolled oats and producing the breakfast cereal as we know it today. The brand was trusted by the consumer with the elderly “Quaker” gentleman on the outside of the famous round cereal box and a recipe for oat bread on the back.

“The smell of baking was one of the first things I noticed when we moved here.”

I love finding out these fun facts about Peterborough and discovering them walking the puppers. I find that the building looks almost like a castle off in the distance - it is a distinctive part of the town’s landscape. The areas surrounding the plant are beautiful and almost hidden, the trail to the Quaker tennis courts, London Bridge which gave foot transportation for Quaker workers, even part of the Rotary Trail has a lovely lookout on the Quaker Plant.

This year marks Quaker’s 120 years in Canada and to celebrate, one of many items that will be available is an oatmeal air freshener. Now everyone can feel that they live near the plant and have the comforting smells of cooking oats in their own homes. I won’t have to purchase one of those, I just need to open the windows and let the oatmeal permeate!

Danielle French is the founder of South Pond Farms. She hosted the tv series Taste of the Country on Netflix. She has a new adventure called Design your Escape offering help for those starting event based business.

I acknowledge I am living as an uninvited guest on the traditional Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg Territory. We are located on the land associated with the Williams Treaty of 1923 and Rice Lake Treaty #20 of 1818.