Country Roads 09-01

SPRING 2009

Taming wildwater a Spring ritual Bancroft skies “out of this world” World-class artist plays with fire COVERING THE ARTS, OUTDOORS, HISTORY, PEOPLE AND PLACES

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Country Roads

discovering hastings county

Country Roads

discovering hastings county

Contents VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1, SPRING 2009

CR Country CO-PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Nancy Hopkins

CO-PUBLISHER & EDITOR

John Hopkins ART DIRECTOR

Roads Jozef VanVeenen SALES DEPARTMENT

Markhastings Brunton county discovering Jennifer Richardson

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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brandon West • www.westphotography.ca Bill Bickle • www.bilbickle.com HOW TO CONTACT US Telephone: 613 395-0499 Facsimile: 613 395-0903 E-mail: info@countryroadshastings.ca Website: www.countryroadshastings.ca For written enquiries you can reach us at: PenWord Communications Inc. P.O. Box 423, Stirling, ON K0K 3E0 COUNTRY ROADS, Discovering Hasting County is published four times a year by PenWord Communications Inc. Copies are distributed to select locations throughout Hastings County including the ­communities of Bancroft, Belleville, Madoc, Marmora, Stirling and Tweed.

Copies are also delivered to select homes within southern Ontario.

Subscription rates: 1 year: $10.50 2 years: $18.90 3 years: $27.30 All prices include G.S.T.

F E AT U R E S

6 - Rolling Down The River Whitewater festival makes a splash

10 - Stargazing Astronomy buff opens the heavens to community

14 - A Work In Progress The life and art of Harlan House D E PA R T M E N T S

18 - Cross Roads

The contents of this publication are ­ rotected by copyright. Reproduction of p this publication in whole or in part without prior written permission of PenWord Communications Inc. is prohibited.

Hemp Plant Gets Funding Boost • Hockey Heroes Get Their Due Country Roads Photographer Receives Honour Stirling Farm Makes Power Play Work Underway To Preserve Purdy Landmark • Valerie Niles

The advertising deadline for the Summer 2009 issue is May 1, 2009

Things to see and do in Hastings County

20 - Country Calendar 22 - Back Roads

Cover photo: Paddler Rob ­Monti ­manoeuvres the Old Mill Dam, ­Queensborough during MACKfest 2008.

Photo: Ray Canton

Farmers and shoppers crowd the Market Square of Belleville in 1911

Spring 2009 • Country Roads

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discovering hastings county

Land, River & Sky

FALL IN LOVE WITH

Spring, Spring, Spring! Is there a lovelier sounding word than “Spring” after a long winter? When the earth starts to come out of its deep sleep, the rivers begin flowing again, days get longer, and we can imagine comfortably stepping out to witness the breathtaking evening skies.

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ithout inclement weather to worry about the desire to get out and explore has no boundaries. Head out on the weekend of April 18 and catch whitewater paddlers running the local rivers during the Marmora Area Canoe & Kayak Festival (MACKfest). You’re almost guaranteed an adrenaline rush just watching these men and women manoeuvre the Crowe, Black, Skootamatta and other Hastings County rivers. In its second year the event hopes to attract a couple of hundred visitors. These people know that our rivers are an incredible natural resource.

Look up and you will see another incredible local resource. The Bancroft area is one of the best spots in all of North America to pursue astronomy. Dr. Brian McGaffney knew this when he moved here three years ago and set up Nutwood Observatory on his property. If you want to learn about the night skies he would be delighted to share his passion and state of the art equipment with you.

And speaking of passion, potter Harlan House has made the hamlet of Lonsdale east of Belleville home for over 35 years, all the while playing with fire.

And his zeal for both his craft and his home has not diminished in the least.

While the talents of this Canadian artist are known worldwide he’s still more than happy to open the doors to his studio – if he’s around – to share his exquisite works. Visitors can see up close and personal what a lifetime’s dedication to the art of pottery looks like.

And we’ve got stories on hockey, hemp, poetry, photography - and more. All components of our CROSS ROADS column where we get to relay information on outstanding and important developments that are a part of Hastings County.

We take a lot of pleasure in providing what we feel are interesting stories so naturally it’s been great to hear that readers are enjoyDon’t Miss The ing the magazine. We know a copy even made its way to Australia and closer to home one picked up in Marmora went to Oshawa where it was last seen making the rounds.

Another was used as part of a scrap booking memento of Stirling’s recent 150th anniversary celebrations. A long-time area merchant apparently has had customers enquiring if a new issue is out yet. So we would like to take this opportunity to thank our readers. You’re the best. Now ‘spring’ forth, get out there Distribution Date: Early June and explore. Why? Because Advertising Space Reservation Closing Date: May 1st you can!

sum m er i

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Country Roads • Spring 2009

COMFORT COUNTRY Welcome to ComfortCountry!

We are situated exactly halfway between Toronto and Ottawa.

Our region provides recreation enthusiasts and their families a paradise of year-round adventure.

The country village ­communities located in ­ComfortCountry have that easy feeling of days gone by. It’s hard to put your finger on ­exactly what gives you that special feeling that you get when you really feel like you’re at home. It has something to do with small town country charm, people that say hello on the street, quaint shops, smiling faces and the unrushed pace of lifestyles focused around traditional rural values.

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• Antiques • Artist Studios & Tours • Shops • Sumptuous Dining • Heritage Sites • Live Entertainment • Lakes and Rivers to Explore • Hiking • Accomodations TO OTTAWA

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In ComfortCountry you have antique and knick knack shops 14 instead of crowded box stores and there are bed & ­breakfasts ­accommodations and country inns instead of high rise hotels. If STIRLING you really need a getaway from the big city life you need a ­ComfortCountry ­vacation. Slip back into time where a sense of ­community has a ­literal ­meaning. Come and stay with us in ­ComfortCountry - your ­accommodation awaits you.

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Poppies photograph: Stan Banfield, Madoc

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Spring 2009 • Country Roads

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discovering hastings county Paddling whitewater is an adventure for MACKfest organizer Rob Kirby.

Rolling Down The River

Whitewater festival makes a splash

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By Nancy Hopkins

hey wait for it all winter. That time when spring run-off creates the high and fast flowing water (whitewater) they love to paddle.

In 2007 friends Cale Reeder and Rob Kirby found that perfect spring day and spent hours paddling the rivers in Hastings County. The county boasts seven classic spring whitewater river destinations, many in the vicinity of Marmora and Highway 7. So if the area offers such prime whitewater canoeing and kayaking why weren’t there other paddlers around? It was then Reeder knew he needed to get the word out about the awesome whitewater paddling the Black, Crowe, Moira, Skootamatta, and Salmon Rivers and Beaver Creek had to offer.

So with Kirby’s assistance the friends decided to “throw something together” and MACKfest (Marmora Area Canoe & Kayak Festival) was born. In its first year, 2008, the festival was a huge success and drew 175 attendees from Detroit, New York State, Quebec, Guelph, London and Ottawa. The word was out!

According to Reeder, a resident of Norwood, the paddling community is small and information must be passed from person to person.

“There’s no way to drive up into the middle of nowhere (to find the whitewater runs) and there’s a bit of a risk involved,” explains Reeder. Directions, maps and proper information are needed to safely manoeuvre whitewater runs.

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Country Roads • Spring 2009

Kayakers find a play spot to surf waves by the bridge on the Crowe River, Marmora. Photo: Stephanie Reeder

The 2nd Annual MACKfest, in partnership with Whitewater Ontario, will take place April 18-19.

The festival provides intermediate and advanced whitewater canoeists and kayakers the opportunity to become familiar with area rivers that are a new challenge for many, and the chance to join experienced paddlers in a group atmosphere.

The Marmora Town Hall at 12 Bursthall Street in Marmora will serve as the festival headquarters and on Saturday, April 18 the paddlers will meet at the Marmora Legion Park / “Old Train

Station” (beside the baseball diamond) between 9:30 and 10:00am before setting off to the rivers of their choice.

The Black River provides two whitewater runs.

The Upper Black is 12km long and takes between four to five hours to complete. Before setting the boat in the water paddlers must familiarize themselves with the layout of the run and instructions rich with whitewater paddling terminology are listed on the MACKfest website. Descriptions of the Upper Black include references to “Class III

Randell Dehaas navigates the Electric Chair on the Moira River. Photo: Rob Kirby

ROLLING DOWN THE RIVER

Sean Feldmann was the lucky MACKfest 2008 winner of a boat donated by Boatwerks of Minden. Boatwerks has provided another boat for the 2009 event.

Photo courtesy: Cale Reeder

“when you scout the rapid you start getting ‘that’ feeling in your stomach. Then there’s the anticipation. When you put your boat in the water and start it’s like going up the long approach on a ­rollercoaster, waiting for the drop.”

Known as the Electric Chair this play spot is popular with kayakers. Photo: Rob Kirby

Canyon runs and two Class IV drops.” Portions of the run have such imaginative names as ‘Bare Bottom Beach’ and ‘Particle Accelerator,’ the latter an approximately 50-foot rock slide. Additionally paddlers are advised to “line the dam up about 50 feet left of the Mill Building” and “don’t start paddling hard too soon, as you will run out of steam before the dam.” The run ends with a small drop over the Old Mill Dam in Queensborough, northeast of Madoc. Instructions go beyond navigating the ‘wildwaters’ and everyone is encour-

aged to “bring a couple of dollars along for the local ladies who provide coffee/hot chocolate and homemade baked goods at the take-out.”

Queensborough, a small picturesque hamlet settled in the 1820’s is a busy place on MACKfest weekend. It’s the end of the Upper Black run and the ‘put in’ for the Lower Black. The ladies of Queensborough make it even more special with their ‘Treats on the Black River.’

According to resident Elaine Kapusta, Queensborough is “a great place for the public to come

and in the mid-afternoon watch the kayakers come down the river, see several shoot the dam and manoeuvre high fast flowing water, and enjoy a treat in a scenic location,” all while supporting a good cause. Funds raised from the MACKfest weekend ‘Treats’ event benefit local community programs.

The hospitality of the Queensborough community isn’t limited to the MACKfest weekend.

“One very cold Easter four kayakers arrived back in Queensborough with icicles frozen on their caps Spring 2009 • Country Roads

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ROLLING DOWN THE RIVER

MACKfest founder and organizer Cale Reeder finds time to hit the whitewaters of the Ottawa River.

Photo courtesy: Cale Reeder

Talk The Talk If you’re going to MACKfest for the first time here’s some lingo to help you fit in!

BRACING – A stroke used to provide support and prevent the kayak from capsizing.

BROACHING – A point when the kayak is oriented broadside to waves, currents, or an obstacle. The result of an uncontrolled broach is often a capsize.

CHUTE – A section of river that flows between two large obstructions, compressing the water and causing a swift current.

EDDY – A current usually behind a large rock or other obstruction in a stream or river--which is at variance with the main current. Eddies can be used as rest stops or to manoeuvre upstream or downstream in a technique known as “eddy hopping.”

ENDER – A playboating manoeuvre where the kayaker allows the bow of his boat to be sucked into a hole, standing the kayak up on end, until the buoyancy of the boat sends it shooting back up in the air.

PEELING OUT – Technique of leaving an eddy whereby the paddler points his kayak upstream, plants a high brace, and lets the main current swing him around and into the flow of the river.

PILLOW ROCK – A deceptive river feature where water flows gently over an underwater obstruction.

PLAYBOATING – The act of performing stunts and other manoeuvres in whitewater kayaks. Normally for advanced paddlers only.

SMOKER – A stretch of aggressive or violent whitewater.

WET EXIT – Bailing out of a capsized kayak when rolling is not an option.

WHITEWATER – Also known as rapids and wildwater. A stretch of turbulent, fast moving water that flows through rocks, over falls, and around other obstructions.

Terms courtesy www.kayakingjournal.com

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Country Roads • Spring 2009

Enjoying the Black River at Queensborough. Photo courtesy: Elaine Kapusta

and whiskers,” recalls Kapusta. “They were very pleased to have pie and coffee in our kitchen.”

What does running a raging whitewater river feel like? According to Kirby, a resident of Trenton, “when you scout the rapid you start getting ‘that’ feeling in your stomach. Then there’s the anticipation. When you put your boat in the water and start it’s like going up the long approach on a rollercoaster, waiting for the drop.”

And you never fully know what the outing will bring. Kirby’s been running the Hastings County rivers for years but last spring’s exceptionally high waters provided him with a new challenge.

“A couple of rapids were really big stuff,” he says.

Kapusta has also experienced first-hand the risks involved with the sport.

“Several years ago in the early fall after a heavy rain several kayakers were late starting their run,” she says. “At nightfall, a knock on the door disclosed two kayakers in full gear who asked for a flashlight. One of their team had had an accident that dislocated his shoulder. They had walked several miles in the dark to get help. They needed the flashlight to walk their friend out of the bush and a car to pick him up and take him to the hospital. Also later they needed to go back and retrieve their kayaks.”

Kayaking is famous for the ‘Eskimo roll’ but it’s more than an impressive stunt. It’s a technique used when a paddler is in danger of being separated from their boat, often the result of rapids.

It takes a great deal of practice and the technique

ROLLING DOWN THE RIVER

The quiet hamlet of Queensborough is a busy and colourful place during the MACKfest weekend.

Photo courtesy: Elaine Kapusta

relies on timing, knowing when to roll more than physical strength. But it’s a procedure that really has its benefits. It’s either roll successfully or spend time in the frigid spring water gathering up paddler, boat and gear.

Whitewater paddling isn’t always about getting from point A to point B. Many paddlers will spend a long time in a ‘play spot,’ an area where there are two or three large and continuous waves to ‘playboat’ in. The Crowe River in Marmora is a

popular play spot and spectators can watch from the Crowe Bridge above, easily accessed from the Crowe Valley Conservation area off Highway 7 west of Highway 14. Another spot with good viewing opportunities is the Bridge Drop at Beaver Creek. Both can be located with maps supplied at the festival.

On Saturday evening participants will get a chance to mingle on dry land with food, live music and prizes at the Marmora Town Hall. Al-

though the festival is geared towards whitewater kayakers and canoeists the public is welcome to take part.

Reeder is so passionate about the sport that it extends beyond hobby. Along with his wife Stephanie he runs Kawartha Adult Youth Adventure Kayaking, a mobile kayaking school that teaches whitewater kayaking. The festival was a natural extension of his teaching, bringing enthusiasts together. Reeder is proud to be a ‘river ambassador’ for the area. He thinks Marmora and area is “sitting on a goldmine.” He compares it to “having a little town by a ski resort and not opening it up. Every river in the area is free which makes the sport an amazing sport – you don’t need a permit like you do in the United States.”

Those interested in getting into the sport of whitewater kayaking can participate in another area festival. PALMER FEST, near Palmer Rapids north of Bancroft occurs on the Victoria Day weekend and offers clinics for beginners.

Whitewater enthusiasts count the days to when they can converge on the rivers. They watch the weather reports hoping that large rains and warm spells won’t melt the rivers too early.

In addition to the high they get from their own paddling experiences Reeder and Kirby and other MACKfest volunteers also got the thrill of seeing nearly 70 boaters pile into the Queensborough community last year. Before MACKfest there might be 10-20 people on the river all day.

“It’s fun to see everybody converge on a river,” says Kirby.

One could say MACKfest is on a ‘roll.’

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For more information on MACKfest and whitewater paddling: www.MACKfest.ca www.whitewaterontario.ca Palmer Fest; www.rapidmedia.com

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Spring 2009 • Country Roads

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discovering hastings county

Stargazing Astronomy buff opens the heavens to community

By John Hopkins Photos courtesy Nutwood Observatory

Dr. Brian McGaffney built his first telescope when he was in Grade 7 and never lost his fascination with the night sky.

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hen Toronto school teacher Judy Conquer first heard about Nutwood Observatory she found it a little hard to believe. But then not many of us would expect to find a first class stargazing venue located about 30 minutes from our cottage.

Conquer was also intrigued, however. So she went on the website and then placed a call to Nutwood’s owner, Dr. Brian McGaffney. He invited Conquer to visit the facility with her husband and three children, aged 8-13.

“We spent two hours up there one night in late July,” Conquer says. “It was awe inspiring. The equipment is so high tech and the images we saw were just unbelievable. It was phenomenal. The kids were totally mesmerized. They could have kept going and going all night.”

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Country Roads • Spring 2009

With his equipment McGaffney is capable of producing imagery that wouldn’t have been remotely ­possible 30 years ago.

Indeed, there seems to be nothing McGaffney enjoys more than introducing people to the wonders of the night sky. The Toronto-born stargazer built his first telescope when he was in Grade 7 and worked part time at the famed Dunlop Observatory north of Toronto as a kid.

“I was always interested in the sky,” he explains.

“When you build a telescope and you’re looking through it at that age, you’re hooked. You grow up and do other things with your life, but you’ll always have that passion.”

Indeed, although his career path took him in a different direction, astronomy has always been a hobby for the 62-year-old McGaffney. He has a PHD in physics and for 30 years owned an electronics business in North Bay, where he continued to indulge his passion for the sky.

But he sold the business and three years ago found some property just south of Bancroft off Lower Turiff Road. It seemed the ideal place to build on his fascination with the stars and planets.

McGaffney considers the Bancroft area one of the premier spots in all of North America to pursue astronomy, putting it on a par with noted viewing areas in Arizona and New Mexico.

“We have really good skies here,” he points out. “For one thing we’re high up, maybe 1,5001,800 feet. We have no interference from the jet stream and we’re far enough away from any cities that could affect the visibility of the sky.

“The problem is the winters can be hard on equipment, and here we have a high moisture content in the air.”

Stargazing person visitors get a tour of the night sky, the workings of the observatory and usage of the telescope.

It’s equipped with a wide field telescope that is also computer controlled, and a sun scope that can be used for solar viewing and solar photography.

Interestingly, the smaller pod was built by a company called SkyShed Observatories, established by Wayne Parker, the onetime bass player for the Canadian rock band Glass Tiger and himself an astronomy enthusiast. Parker launched the company in 2003 and his designs have gained international popularity.

In an interesting piece of coincidence, McGaffney played in a rock band to help him get through university, and the nephew of his band’s bass player went on to become the drummer for…Glass Tiger.

The smaller of the two viewing pods is ideal for summer stargazing and can accommodate four ­observers at a time.

In some respects, the advances that have been made in astronomy in the past 15 years have created more questions than answers as we constantly discover new things about our universe.

McGaffney’s set-up consists of a pair of telescopes located in two domes, just beyond his front door. The larger dome is a year-round observatory and measures 16 feet in diameter. All the equipment in the dome is fully automated and can be remotely operated from a control room in the house or via the internet, meaning even in the brutal chill of early January McGaffney can view the sky or take pictures in the comfort of his own home. Heaters in the dome keep all the equipment at working temperature.

The larger dome consists of two telescopes, four main cameras and a pair of auxiliary cameras.

The smaller dome, eight-feet in diameter and made of fiberglass is the one available for public use. It can accommodate four observers at a time and is generally used only during the warmer

months of spring, summer and fall. McGaffney opens the observatory to the public every Saturday night starting at dusk, from the middle of March until the end of October. For $12 per

Nutwood draws a wide range of visitors, but especially astronomers and school teachers.

The observatory has strong connections with astronomy clubs in North Bay, Peterborough

Spring 2009 • Country Roads

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Stargazing Nutwood Observatory is located just south of Bancroft. The area is considered prime viewing territory for stargazers.

Visitors to Nutwood Observatory are treated to some spectacular displays from the night sky.

and Kingston, and is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC).

Conquer was so impressed after her initial visit to Nutwood she asked McGaffney to speak to her class at Pringdale Gardens Junior Public School in Scarborough last November.

“The kids were very engaged,” Conquer says.

“His visuals were awe inspiring. He obviously has tons of education but he had no trouble speaking at a level the kids could understand.”

And stargazers aren’t limited to using the equipment on site at Nutwood. McGaffney’s land includes 1,000 acres of open space that is ideal for “star parties,” where enthusiasts can camp out and set up their own portable telescopes and enjoy the treasures the Bancroft sky often serves up. Call it “Woodstock” for the astronomy set.

“There are astronomy clubs looking for a nice, quiet, dark park to set up their equipment,” McGaffney explains. “These star parties are big in California and Florida, and there’s one in Algonquin Park. They could draw 200-300 people. The RASC is quite excited about our land and the star parties.”

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Country Roads • Spring 2009

The secluded venue is also ideal for sightings of a more terrestrial nature, and deer and elk are regular visitors to McGaffney’s property, sometimes poking around the pods searching for food.

McGaffney also ultimately hopes to use some of his land to put up a bigger telescope and attract universities to study in the Bancroft area. The University of Toronto has traditionally made use of the Dunlop Observatory but the university sold that property to a land developer last summer and the future of the facility is uncertain.

McGaffney shakes his head when he considers the advances that have been made in the equipment since he first became interested in astronomy. Indeed, the magnificent photography he is able to produce via remote control cameras and a simple home computer in his own living room wouldn’t have been even feasible at the most modern facility in the 1960s.

“Over the last 15 years the advances in astronomy have been really remarkable,” he admits. “The sensitivity of some of these cameras, and we didn’t have robotic scopes, or GPS positioning. But also the discoveries being made. We now have thou-

sands of questions for things we’ve found, that 10 years ago we didn’t even know existed. It’s been a great ride over the past 15 years.”

Despite all of the state of the art equipment at his fingertips, however, the simplicity of gazing through a telescope at the night sky still holds tremendous appeal for McGaffney.

“Nothing beats going out and looking through the big scope with your own eyeball,” he says.

“When you do that you tend to see something unexpected fly by.

“One night, about a year ago, it was 2:00 in the morning and I was in the pod, and a huge blue ball flew across the sky. It looked like it flew right over the lake. It was some kind of meteorite, and it was so large my mouth just dropped to see this amazing ball of light. It was so big it lit up the entire sky. You get to see some great stuff.”

Spending a lot of time looking up in space can also give a person an interesting perspective on our place in the universe.

“There is an understanding you have,” McGaffney explains. “Certain things don’t seem so important.

You learn how lucky we all are to live where we live.

Stargazing

McGaffney’s property includes two telescopes that serve very distinct functions as part of the observatory.

McGaffney has a telescope and camera that he can operate by remote control from the comfort of his own home.

From what I’ve seen in astronomy there aren’t a lot of other objects that have these conditions that allow our civilization to exist.

“For example, take the position of the sun in the galaxy. It is in an area where it is not hostile, it is in one per cent of our life zone area. If it was located a thousand miles this way, or a thousand miles that way, life here would not be possible. We have a very, very large moon that keeps everything constant. It makes sure the rotation of the earth never wobbles.

evening and the area was bathed in darkness. It was a clear night and as we walked to our car McGaffney pointed out the constellation Orion and Venus, the evening star, shining brightly in the winter sky. It was hard not to feel a little humble, a little awed by it all.

“We have a very specific set of conditions that allows life to thrive here, and we’re just learning about them, how and why we exist.”

It was late afternoon when we had arrived at Nutwood and the sun was just setting. By the time our tour and interview were finished it was early

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For more information on Nutwood Observatory, including special events and booking visits, go to www.nutwood-observatory.com.

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Spring 2009 • Country Roads

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discovering hastings county

A Work In Progress

The life and art of Harlan House

By Nancy Hopkins Photography by Brandon West Harlan House moved to the Lonsdale community in 1973 after attending the Alberta College of Art and operating a ceramic studio in Calgary.

In the late 1960’s Harlan House was part way through a Diploma of Fine Art specializing in painting at the Alberta College of Art when a friend sat him down at the potter’s wheel. He thought it was “a blast” and was hooked instantly.

“I finished art school and I saw no reason at all to do anything other than what I had my heart set on which was be an artist,” states the long-time Lonsdale (Marysville) resident.

Over the 40 years since then House’s pottery has gained considerable international recognition. In 1989 he was the recipient of the Saidye Bronfman Award of Excellence in the Crafts, and in 1997 the Jean A. Chalmers National Crafts Award. In 1995 he was bestowed the prestigious honour of being elected into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. His classic porcelain pieces have been part of worldwide exhibitions and one man shows. Closer to home House has exhibited at the Belleville Art Gallery and the Quinte Arts Council’s Expressions 2000.

His commissioned works reside in collections at the Royal Ontario Museum, Montreal Muse-

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um of Fine Art, Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art and the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute in Jiangxi, China. House is one of 40 internationally celebrated masters of porcelain profiled in the recent book Master Ceramists: Porcelain: 500 Figures, Vessels & Sculptures by 40 Leading Artists. And the list goes on.

House’s interest in the arts began young.

“I was involved with craftsmanship from the time I was a kid,” he says. “They (my parents) didn’t have to encourage me. I did that on my own. My mother painted a bit and my father was a good craftsman.

“At 12 years of age I went into business. One of my neighbours in Lethbridge showed me how to tool leather to make ladies’ purses. I had good dexterity and I could do it very well.

I could make a purse a week and sold them for

World renowned ceramic artist Harlan House sports his trademark mismatched shoes, a comment on the two basic cornerstones of North American junk food – ketchup and mustard.

$35. I was in business all the way through two art schools making these purses.”

Following art school the majority of his classmates went into teaching, but not House.

“The jobs were there but I honestly did not feel good enough doing that,” he says. He viewed being an artist and being a teacher as two different jobs and in his words he “didn’t

A WORK IN PROGRESS

Created about a decade ago this stoneware vase was wood fired and glazed with road salt.

House used a broken dental tool to ‘sgraffito’ the rose drawing onto the glaze of this porcelain vase.

Sgraffito is the art of creating a design on a pottery surface by scratching or scoring.

Tea pots and their blend of form and function are favourites of potter Harlan House. The tea pot with shadow was part of a series of pieces incorporating shadows, symbolic of home. Where there is light there is shadow.

House celebrates his love of flowers, in this case tulips, in this celadon glazed piece. Celadon is a very traditional glaze made of glass applied to the surface of the porcelain. The tulips have been created through a combination of ‘excising,’ cutting away, and ‘sprigging,’ a decorative technique that adds a raised decoration.

These watering cans have a light celadon glaze and are adorned with ancient cobalt blue Chinese vase transfers. House purchased the cobalt designs when visiting China.

The Meiping vase is an important Chinese form used predominantly at New Years to hold plum blossoms.

This one piece Meiping shaped vase, complete with its shadow functions as a vase that lies down.

want to change jobs.” He wanted to be a functioning, working artist.

So after graduation, along with a teacher and fellow classmate, he formed The Clay Association. Today, the very heavy sounding name makes him laugh.

“We found a place in downtown Calgary, a really awful little garage probably about the same size as this studio (referring to his current space) and actually it was a fairly good size garage. We each managed to borrow $500 and we put together a ceramics studio. We built a kiln and formed this little studio operation and were really quite successful. We were able to do some interesting work, do some research, learn things and made a living, such as it was.

“We didn’t do it for the money, I can tell you.

But we were making enough to fend off the dogs

and learning something at the same time. The timing was absolutely perfect, just dumb luck as much as anything. We were the only potters in town so that was great.”

In 1973 House, his wife Maureen (his highschool sweetheart) and their two small children, accompanied by a big u-haul made the move to their current home, an old hotel dating back to pre 1840’s in Lonsdale. Its coach house, once home to horses, has been his ceramic studio since then.

A defining moment early in House’s career occurred when he visited an antique shop and came across a piece of 17th century Chinese porcelain.

“I looked at it and I thought - that is really, really difficult [to make],” he recalls. “But I understood enough that I knew I couldn’t do it

and I thought, ‘Hmm, maybe I should do this,’ and it was a really, really interesting challenge.”

Pottery is one of the oldest and most common art forms, dating back more than 11,000 years to China and the Middle East. Because of its durability fired clay pottery is a superb record of human development. Early humans discovered that clay mixed with water was pliable and retained its shape when dried. Creations were used for eating, drinking, religious practice and household decoration across all social classes and brought art into function in people’s lives.

Over time pottery evolved to include earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. The Chinese were the sole producers of porcelain, a tough, strong and translucent ceramic, until the 17th century. China is richly endowed with the raw materials needed for making ceramics and the

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A WORK IN PROGRESS

Much of House’s pottery resides out of reach behind glass in museums or private collections. With its rugged and tactile surface this piece asks to be touched. House invented the Marine Wudi glaze, in honour of the only female empress of China and his wife Maureen.

The black glaze replicates the “dirty looking boats in canals” that House saw when visiting the city of Jingdezhen, China.

House began work on a series of boats about 10 years ago. In this piece contemporary fast food meets traditional vessel.

House indulges his sense of fun with this creation.

The carving on the vase replicates the vase itself. It’s like getting two vases for the price of one!

With this vase House explores the subject of containers and water. If vases contain water why then is there a swimmer on the outside of this one?

Oil painting “Lemon Chicken” is part of The Takeout series, an ongoing look at today’s industrial fast foods.

city of Jingdezhen (also Jingde Zhen) has been a central place of production.

“The whole functional side of things is usually done fairly poorly,” House points out. “A teapot drips, they don’t have to. The guy who makes the stainless steel pot that you get in a restaurant should be made to drink tea lying down in a hospital bed. Functional ware

does not have to be dysfunctional so I made this challenge for myself. I saw this piece and I thought to myself, ‘If I can make a piece that good then anything else after that will follow,’ so I made it my business to start making good functional ware.”

In the 1990’s House visited Jingdezhen and over the years he has continued his quest to

challenge himself with the “really, really, difficult” ceramic always in mind. He has created thousands of pieces of pottery over the years – sometimes as many as 200-300 each year – and has held numerous one man shows across Canada.

His interest in flowers and food has often made its way into his works including tea pots,

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A WORK IN PROGRESS It is those experiences, gathered over the past 40 years, that have played a role in turning House into the artist he is now and which continue to influence his career. The ongoing quest to perfect his craft and learn more about its possibilities are what fuel his passion.

“When I walk into a museum and I walk into absolutely wonderful stuff, I get shivers up my back,” he says. “It doesn’t matter what culture it is because every country, in every era there is going to be somebody who is really, really good. It’s spellbinding to see that stuff and to realize that the possibility still exists that you can do that too.

“It is another form of encouragement when you see beautiful, gorgeous, wonderful pro-

gressive work. It gives you a fabulous reason to keep making things. Don’t worry about how much money is in the bank or how big your ego is, you can still contribute and maybe it will still be held in high esteem a thousand years from now.

“This is an economy where people buy a $10 t-shirt and they wear it three times and they don’t launder it, they throw it out. I’m not in that business.”

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For further information on Harlan House visit www.harlanhouse.com

WHATEVER YOU’RE LOOKING FOR, YOU’LL FIND IT IN DOWNTOWN BELLEVILLE.

www.rediscoverdowntown.ca

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platters, watering cans and “homes for flowers,” as he calls them. He has produced series of vases for specific flowers, such as one for tulips and another for peonies.

A great deal of time goes into House’s work and the process of creating pottery involves many intricate steps.

“It is a long process which frustrates the hell out of all kinds of people in the beginning,” he admits. “I age my clay for a year. I will make clay now for a year from now. It is a very slow process and it always has been.

“A studio of this size in China would have about 60 people working in it. It is a job easily screwed up because there are so many little jobs that all count. You are the person who made the clay, the person who kneaded or wedged the clay, the person who threw the pot, the person who fired the kiln, the person who unloaded the kiln and it goes on.

“That is why I went to China, to see these people in action, to see what a team of people can do. It is one of the reasons why Chinese pots aren’t signed. How do you choose? The Chinese were the initiators, the inventors of specialty work in this business. It has taken me 40 years to learn all these little bits and I’m still learning, I still have lots to go. There are some things that I probably will never be satisfied with; you just never get to it enough.”

House is currently focusing on a two-year project funded by the Canada Council. It represents his disdain for the fast food industry and large corporate entities. The centrepiece is a nearly 5 foot by 10 foot oil painting depicting The Last Supper in the Walmart parking lot in Napanee complete with seven barrels of Kentucky Fried Chicken, the infamous side salads, fries and coke. The project will also incorporate a selection of ceramic boats and other pottery pieces and be part of two major exhibitions.

“Corporate food has succeeded in changing our values, taste, and our size,” says House.

House is concerned about a cultural erosion in Canada, saying a great deal of focus is placed on material wealth and many of the country’s artistic achievements gain scant recognition.

“Canada is not a country that is in love with its artists,” he says. “Culturally Canada just doesn’t celebrate. Quebec does a great job of celebrating its people but the rest of the country doesn’t seem to care and I’m afraid I don’t understand that. If I knew I would try to do something about it.

“It seems to be a kind of an afterthought and part of why I think it doesn’t care is it has adopted this sort of republican approach to life where time is money. Well, when was the last time you could deposit time in a bank? Those are really common sayings that people use all the time; they are incorrect, they are valueless, but I think people actually forget.

“Culture is what you do when you come home from work. It is a very important thing to sit down with a book or a good bottle of wine that has been produced by someone who cares. It is very important to sit down and cook for your partner. Money seems to drive just about everything and in fact in the end money doesn’t count.

Experiences count but money doesn’t count.”

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A VIBRANT WATERFRONT COMMUNITY OF SHOPS, DINING, ENTERTAINMENT & RECREATION Spring 2009 • Country Roads

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• cross roads • HEMP PLANT GETS FUNDING BOOST

HOCKEY HEROES GET THEIR DUE

especially a chilly behind.

“The arena was very cold,” he recalled, “and the seats were these wooden benches.

I can still feel that chill on my bum.”

That, and other memories will likely come flooding back for Belleville hockey fans as the city celMcFarlands captain Floyd ebrates the 50th Crawford accepts the World anniversary of the Championship trophy.

McFarlands’ World Championship victory on April 3-5. The weekend will include a restaging of the team’s victory parade through the streets of the city as well as a special screening of Lockyer’s video tribute to the team at the Empire Theatre on the Saturday evening, April 4.

The McFarlands won the World Title in Prague, Czeckoslovakia in April, 1959, having earned the honour to represent the country with their victory in the 1958 Allan Cup. At the time all the players in the tournament had to be amateurs. Captain

Courtesy the Chris Lockyer Collection

The Belleville team celebrates a goal against the US during its run to the 1959 World Championship in Prague.

Picton-based documentary producer Peter Lockyer can still vividly remember much from attending Belleville McFarlands hockey games at the old Memorial Arena – the excitement, the intensity, and

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Courtesy the Chris Lockyer Collection

logically sound – the list of benefits goes on and on. Hemp is the darling of the environmental movement.”

According to Baker, who is licensed by Health Canada to work with hemp, both BMW and Mercedes have started using industrial hemp in their cars. The product can be used to make bioplastics and felts behind door panels for insulation.

Baker has spent the past year working toward changing his research company into a commercial business, and the $2 million investment represents a significant boost to his aspirations. He says the money covers almost half of the private sector contribution he will need (various levels of government funding will help round out his cash base) but the fact that it comes from “strategic investors” reinforces the legitimacy of his project.

“They need the product to make their own business plans succeed,” he points out. “This is a huge signal. We now know there’s a market out there.”

Baker says a number of factors make the Stirling area ideal for the growth of industrial hemp.

“The climate and soil are almost ideal,” he explains. “The temperature matches what hemp demands, and it does better with a lighter, sandier soil. Heavier, clay based soils are not so suited to it. A lot of people don’t realize but there used to be a big tobacco belt from around Trenton to Oshawa.

Courtesy Stonehedge Bio-Resources Inc.

Stonehedge BioResources hopes to have the plant running by next April. It will produce Hemcrete, a limestone building material similar to concrete, along with renewable hemp fibre, woodlike chips, pellets, matting and seed products.

John Baker sees numerous Stonehedge environmental advantages was founded by to using industrial hemp in a John Baker, a biolwide range of applications. ogist and research scientist who has been performing research on industrial hemp for 10 years. Hemp is the popular name for the cannabis plant and the flowers, buds and leaves of some strains are used to produce drugs like marijuana and hashish.

Industrial hemp, however, is becoming popular as an environmentally friendly alternative to a number of building materials.

“It is a renewable and sustainable green product,” Baker says. “It grows four times faster than trees, we can build buildings out of it, it is eco-

Courtesy Stonehedge Bio-Resources Inc.

A Stirling-based company has received a $2 million investment towards its efforts to open a bio-processing plant for industrial hemp.

A major use for industrial hemp is in Hemcrete, a limestone building material similar to concrete.

“Maybe the biggest factor is the potential market. We are close to Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, and across the lake from the US northeast. Boston and New York are just a day’s drive away.”

Baker has been working on plant breeding for a company in Manitoba with ambitions similar to Stonehedge, but he says there are many commercial opportunities for Canadian companies, primarily because federal law prevents the growth of hemp in the United States.

“It’s a whole new industry, so there’s a bit of ‘chicken and egg’ to it,” he admits. “But we’re already importing hemp fibre from Europe. I think by 2011 we could have several thousand acres growing in this region and it will have a very positive agricultural impact. This is a real community driven initiative.”

of the team was Floyd Crawford, whose son Marc went on to coach in the National Hockey League.

“What’s interesting to me is this was a group of guys who were aging vets, at the end of their careers,” Lockyer said. “This was their last chance for destiny, and I don’t think anyone totally understands that. They really overachieved.”

Lockyer has been working on the project with James Hurst, president of the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame, who he met last year. Additionally, Aaron Bell is writing a book on the team that will also be introduced at the April 4 event.

Lockyer’s movie about the McFarlands will run about 25-30 minutes, he said, although it will be released as a DVD with other features, including stories on the McFarland family, the Memorial Arena and the team booster club.

The upcoming 50th anniversary of the World Championship success has already garnered national recognition for the McFarlands, and the team was due to be featured on CBC’s Hockey Day in Canada on Feb. 21. It is a spot in the limelight that is long overdue, according to Lockyer.

“I’ve always felt very strongly about this team,” he said. “I’m convinced it’s a wonderful story to tell.”

More information on the 50th anniversary celebrations is available at www.bellevillemcfarlands.ca.

discovering hastings county

COUNTRY ROADS PHOTOGRAPHER RECEIVES HONOUR

Photo courtesy: Bill Bickle

Donnandale Farms has 300 dairy cattle that produce about 4,000 gallons of liquid manure a day.

Installing the digester and getting it running will cost about $1 million, Donnan said, but the farm will be eligible to receive up to $400,000 of its investment from the Ontario Biogas Systems Financial Assistance Program. He hopes the project will pay for itself in four or five years.

Such systems are already in use in the United States and Europe, Donnan said. In Ontario, the technology is currently being implemented in a farm in Renfrew, two smaller dairy farms in St. Eugene, a farm in London and a greenhouse in St. Catharines.

The Donnandale Farms digester will be based on the European system, which allows other waste, such as food leftovers, to be mixed in with the manure.

Roslin-based photographer Bill Bickle, whose photo of wild elk near Bancroft graced the cover of the Winter 2008/09 edition of Country Roads, was named one of 30 winners of the 2008 Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year contest run

by Canadian Geographic.

Bickle’s photo Great Blue Heron and Mallard was the winner in the Birds category. The 30 winners were selected from 5,381 entries.

The 30 winning photographs will make up a traveling exhibition produced by the Canadian Museum of Nature in partnership with the Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada and Canadian Geographic.

The exhibition will open at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa on June 12 and will close on Labour Day, Sept. 7. The exhibition will then leave for the Maritimes, where it will tour until the summer of 2010.

For more information and updates on the exhibition’s touring schedule, go to www.nature.ca.

STIRLING FARM MAKES POWER PLAY A Stirling farm that dates back to the early 20th century is making a bold move toward the future.

Donnandale Farms, a fifth-generation operation that was started in 1917, is in the process of installing a biogas anaerobic digester that will allow it to become energy self-sufficient and supply enough energy to power 400 homes.

According to Mark Donnan the digester should be in operation by the end of April.

“It’s still a new technology, so it’s a learning process,” Donnan said.

The anaerobic digester uses manure, in a process similar to composting, to produce biogas, a combination of methane and carbon dioxide that can be used like natural gas or propane. As an added benefit, the leftover material, digestate, can be used as a fertilizer since it still contains all the nutrients originally in the manure.

“It reduces the odour and removes most of the pathogens,” Donnan said. “The leftover fertilizer is of a better quality overall.”

Graphic courtesy Purdy A-frame Trust

WORK UNDERWAY TO PRESERVE PURDY LANDMARK

Baird, a Vancouver resident, is married to another noted Canadian poet, George Bowering, and the couple became close friends of Purdy and his wife Eurithe. Baird and Eurithe Purdy have maintained contact since Al Purdy’s death and Baird says the plan to preserve the house in Ameliasburg was hatched last summer after an article on the residence appeared in The Globe & Mail.

“We are in a unique situation because this project has Eurithe’s blessing and we have the luxury to put it together carefully,” Baird says. “We need to purchase the property, fix it up and establish an endowment. The house needs upgrades and hopefully that work can start over the summer.

I’d love to have the first writer in there by April 1, 2010.

“This is a tough time for fundraising, but it’s coming along. I think it’s really important that the writing community has the opportunity to participate.”

As part of the effort to draw attention to the Purdy A-frame Trust and raise funds for the project, the League of Canadian Poets has officially declared April 21 National Al Purdy Day, and events are expected to take place across the country.

“Al explored this country and he had an impact right across the country,” Baird says. “He was one of the first writers to aggressively participate in public readings and he galvanized communities.”

For more information on the Purdy A-frame Trust or to make a contribution Baird can be reached at: 4403 West 11th Ave., Vancouver, BC V6R 2M2 (604) 224-4898 jeanbaird@shaw.ca

VALERIE NILES

Noted BC political cartoonist Bob Krieger penned the above drawing for the Purdy A-frame Trust.

Efforts are gathering steam to preserve the famous A-frame house in Ameliasburg that was the home of legendary poet Al Purdy and establish a poetin-residence program there.

Purdy, who was born in Wooler and attended Belleville’s Albert College, died in April, 2000 at the age of 81. He has been acknowledged as Canada’s first national poet and a major literary figure. He had 25 volumes of poetry published and in 1965 won a Governor General’s Award for The Cariboo Horses.

He built the A-frame in Ameliasburg in the 1950s and soon after his career as a writer took off. It also became a meeting place for many of Canada’s most recognized writers.

“When Al built the house he thought of himself as a failure as both a man and a poet,” explains Jean Baird, who is the founder of the Purdy A-frame Trust. “It became intrinsic to his work.

Within a few years [of building it] he won the Governor General’s Award. He also played a role in mentoring other writers, so it seems almost fitting to set up a poet-in-residence program.

“It would gall me to no end to see it torn down.

We have an opportunity to save this one and we would be foolish as a country not to do so.”

Valerie Niles, who was featured in the Fall 2008 issue of Country Roads, died last Dec. 22 due to Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She was 36 years old.

Niles and her husband Jean-Marc Salvagno opened L’Auberge de France bistro in downtown Belleville in early 2008. The two had met in Provence, where Niles, a native of Trenton, worked at a restaurant owned by Salvagno.

Niles was diagnosed with leukemia in January, 2008, shortly before she and Salvagno were due to open L’Auberge de France. Despite the complications of her illness, the restaurant was opened and was the A La Carte feature for the Fall 2008 issue of Country Roads.

Niles was awaiting stem cell transplant treatment at Ottawa General Hospital when she developed complications that led to her death. Several weeks earlier, on Sept. 7 she and Salvagno were married.

To Valerie’s mother Marianne, her father Doug, brother Judd and husband Jean-Marc, Country Roads extends its heartfelt condolences.

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• country calendar •

Things to see and do in Hastings County To submit your event listing email info@countryroadshastings.ca or call us at 613 395-0499.

ART GALLERIES/EXHIBITIONS Art Gallery of Bancroft, 10 Flint Avenue, Bancroft, 613332-1542 www.bancroftontario.com April 1 – 26 - Student Art Exhibition. Sponsored by Don Koppin Construction.

April 29 - May 2 - “Invitation 2009” Annual Juried Exhibition. Sponsored by Bancroft Motors.

Artists in Motion, Marmora Town Hall, 12 Bursthall St., Marmora March 20 – 22 - First Annual Juried Art Show “REACHING OUT” presented by Artists in Motion. Open to all Artists. Judging by Joan Murray, Royal Canadian Academy/Order of Ontario. Contact: Franziska Windover: 613-472-5517 pencilart@sympatico.ca Gallery One-Twenty-One, 48 Bridge Street East, Belleville, 613-962-4609 February 17 – March 28 – Pizazz: Verve, energy, liveliness and sparkle. Gallery members get together to incorporate this theme through their art. Reception March 22 from 2 – 4 pm.

John M. Parrott Gallery, Belleville Public Library, 254 Pinnacle Street, Belleville, 613-968-6731 www.bellevillelibrary.com March - Creative Watercolours - Instructor Ron Pickering and his Loyalist College Students March - Continuum - An exhibition in glass, drawings, words by Vanessa Pandos April - Art in the Schools; Work by Hastings and Prince Edward County District School Board Students May - Expressions 2009; Quinte Arts Council’s Annual Juried Show Tweed and Area Heritage Centre Gallery, 40 Victoria St. N. Tweed. Mon to Sat. 9 - 12 & 1 to 5 pm. 613478-3989 March and April - Andrew Innis - Heaysman photos Ann Floegel acrylics May - Tweed’s School Children art and constructs

THEATRE/LIVE ENTERTAINMENT Artists in Motion at MARMORA TOWN HALL, 12 Bursthall St, Marmora May 2 – (8 pm) & May 3 (1pm) – Artists in Motion present “Burying the Hangman” - A moving account of Canada’s most prolific executioner. Written & performed by Richard Turtle. Passionate, witty and thoughtprovoking… You will be entertained! Tickets $10 (Family rate $25 no limit!)

May 3 – (2-5pm) - STUDENT THEATRE WORKSHOP FOR (10-18 years) 1 hr. performance of “Burying the Hangman” - A moving account of Canada’s most prolific executioner. Written & performed by Richard Turtle followed by 2 hr. theatre workshop. $20 includes student entry + 1 free ticket (Pre-registration required: 613-3951410) Information: Marmora Tourist Centre 613-4721515 & 613-472-6585 Bancroft Village Playhouse, 613-332-5918, www.bancroftvillageplayhouse.ca May 9 - Jennifer White, Celtic Harpist & Story Teller.

Tickets available @ Posies, Harvest Moon & Guitar Nuts.

May 30 & 31 - Makers of Music Dreamers of Dreams

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Annual Spring Concert presented by the North Hastings Community Choir.

The Empire Theatre, 321 Front Street, Belleville, 613969-0099, www.theempiretheatre.com April 3 - Chantal Kreviazuk April 4 - A Tribute to the Belleville McFarland’s April 6 - Classic Albums Live perform Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” April 18 (11am) - Dorothy the Dinosaur Show - Live on Stage April 18 (8pm) - The Road Hammers April 21 - Quinte Arts Council and Jeunesses Musicales of Canada present The Barber of Seville by Rossini April 25 - Angels Among Us May 1 - Bill Anderson - A Night With A Legend May 2 - The Trentone’s present Musical Memories May 29 - Emerson Drive “Believe” Tour Belleville Theatre Guild, 256 Pinnacle Street, Belleville, 613-967-1442 www.bellevilletheatreguild.ca April 1- 18 - SINNERS by Norm Foster - This black comedy involves a furniture store owner who is having an affair with the local minister’s wife. An intricate web of deceit involving an untimely death is hilariously exposed as the police, a member of the parish, and the women’s auxiliary all get involved.

May 27 - June 13 - A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, Based on the Ingmar Bergman film, “Smiles of a Summer Night,” middle-aged Frederik Egerman has a teenage wife, Anne, with whom he has never been intimate. He happens upon a former lover, Desiree, and soon rekindles their affair. They are discovered by Desiree’s current lover who tells his wife. Desiree invites Frederik to her mother’s country estate. All the players, arrive and the stage is set for a sexually-charged weekend of thinlyveiled accusations and unexpected revelations.

The Stirling Festival Theatre, West Front St., Stirling, 613-395-2100 or 1-877-312-1162 or www.stirlingfestivaltheatre.com March 16 – 19 - The Little Mermaid. A new adaptation

by Caroline Smith, story by Hans Christian Anderson.

What’s a girl to do when she falls in love with a boy who lives in a different world? (Recommended for ages 5 and up).

March 25 - Martin Preston as LIBERACE Wednesday.

Playing live on his chandelier-topped sequined piano and wearing re-creations of the showman’s fantastic costumes, Martin Preston will have you “laughing all the way to the bank!”

March 28 - The Official Blues Brothers Revival. Jake and Elwood are back! Wayne Catania and Keiron Lafferty rock the house with hits from Soul Man to Shout, backed by a killer 10-piece band!

April 1 & 2 – SOUVENIR A Musical Travesty! by Stephen Temperley on Wed., starring Diane Fabian and Robert Latimer in the true (and hilarious!) story of Florence Foster Jenkins, who became an international musical celebrity despite her complete lack of rhythm, pitch, tone, and overall singing ability!

April 16 -18 - Sweet Dreams: a tribute to Patsy Cline starring Leisa Way and the Wayward Wind. Join us for this musical journey through the life of one of the greatest entertainers of all time, which includes over 20 of Patsy’s most popular hit songs, from Crazy to Walkin’ After Midnight.

April 29 – Puttin’ On The Ritz with The Grand Salon Orchestra. Internationally renowned maestro Kerry Stratton leads his “Palm Court” orchestra through a fun program, featuring 1920’s and 30’s classics from Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin...it’s the perfect way to welcome the Spring!

EVENTS March 26 - Country Jammin Time - Faraday Community Centre. Bring your instrument & your dancing shoes.

March 27 - Last Rock Spiel - Bancroft Curling Club, Bancroft March 27- (7:30–10pm) Stirling Youth Dance, Lion’s Hall, Stirling March 28 - Bancroft Skating Club Carnival, North Hastings Community Centre, 2pm and 7pm showings.

March 28 - Spring Splash Sir Sam’s (weather permitting). “End of the Season” event where skiers attempt

discovering hastings county

• country calendar • to ski, board or slide over water. Prizes for best costume. www.sirsams.com March 29 - Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake. Largest fundraising event of the year, all money raised stays within the local community to assist children in the area. Quinte Bowl - Roy Blvd. Hwy 62 North, Belleville 2:30–8 pm. To register: www.sharingthemagic.org April 4 - Gooderham Bake & Craft Sale, Gooderham United Church, Gooderham April 9 - Drumming Circle Night - Faraday Community Centre. Bring your drum & join in.

April 11 - Wilberforce Bake & Craft Sale, Lloyd Watson Centre, Wilberforce April 11 - Wilberforce Maple Syrup Festival, Lloyd Watson Centre, Wilberforce April 11 - Easter Egg Hunt, Millenium Park, Bancroft April 17 – 19 - Quinte West Home & Leisure Show presented by the Quinte West Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club, Community Gardens, Trenton.

Fri. 5-8pm, Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. 11am-3pm, 800-9303255 or 613-392-7635, www.quintewesthomeshow.com April 18 - Spring Funfest in Support of the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation presented by the Knights of Columbus. Dinner, Silent & Live Auction, Draws &Door Prizes. Doors Open at 5:30pm. Knight of Columbus Hall, 57 Stella Crescent, Trenton. Tickets $25 per person 613-392-2310.

April 18 - Rocky Hills Horse Club - Spring Clinic, Grandview Ranch,1422 Upper Paudash Road, www. rockyhillshorseclub.com

May 2 - The 4th Annual Maynooth Celtic Festival, Maynooth Community Centre. A day of music, arts and crafts displays. www.maynooth.on.ca

May 30 - Barks By The Bay Canine Festival showcasing dog related products and services. 10am-4pm, 613-394-5374 www.barksbythebay.ca

May 2 & 3 - Antique Car Show & Flea Market, Stirling Fairgrounds, Stirling. Admission- $5/ Children 12- under- FREE!

May 30 & 31 and June 6 & 7 - Oak Hills Studio Tours - Tour several studios within the scenic Oaks Hills of Quinte West, Sat. & Sun.10am-5pm, 613-395-5959

May 2 & 3 - Walleye World Live Release Fishing Weekend, Kiwanis 29th Annual Walleye World Live Release Fishing Derby on the Bay of Quinte. Over $190,000 in potential gifts & prizes. Headquarters located in Centennial Park, Trenton. 800-930-3255, 613392-7635, www.kiwaniswalleyeworld.com.

Daily 1 ½ hour tours - Tweed and Area Heritage Centre Gallery, 40 Victoria St. N. Tweed. Group tours arranged 2 weeks in advance. Mon to Sat.; 9am-12 & 1-5pm, Admission $3.00/person, 613-478-3989

May 7 - Ladies Day Out! - Celebrating Mothers in downtown Stirling! Featuring special demonstrations and promotions including salon services, massages, belly dancing, retail specials, sample foods and more!

May 7 – 9 - Trenton Art Club Show & Sale; A collection of works on display at Quinte West City Hall, 7 Creswell Crescent, Trenton. 613-392 2841.

May 12 - Bancroft Cruisers, Canadian Tire Parking Lot, Bancroft May 14 - Drunmming Circle Night, Faraday Community Centre. Bring your drum and join in.

May 15 & 16- Wilberforce Yard Sale, Wilberforce United Church, Wilberforce. Begins Friday evening.

May 15 – 17 - Frankford Riverfest Victoria Day Weekend! Come out for the carnival rides and fireworks! Fri. 5-10 pm, Sat 9 am-10 pm, Sun 12-4pm, 613-398-6200 May 16 - Pike Derby, Elephant Lake Lodge. www. elephantlake.com

April 18 - Ducks Unlimited Banquet & Auction, River’s Edge Golf Course, Bancroft, Tickets $35.00/person.

May 16 - Gooderham Yard Sale, Gooderham United Church, Gooderham

April 23 - Country Jammin Time, Faraday Community Centre. Bring your instrument and your dancing shoes.

May 23 - Trenton Horticulture Society & Garden Club Perennial Sale at the Quinte West Farmer’s Market.

Front Street Parking Lot, Downtown Trenton, 7am2pm, 613-392-3952

April 24 - Stirling Trash Bash - Members of the community are invited to meet at 9am at the covered bridge for the annual Stirling Trash Bash. All groups will meet back at noon for a BBQ! Elisha Maguire 613-395-3341 April 25 - 6th Annual Dungannon Mud Bog, Dungannon Recreation Centre www.dungannonmudbog.ca

SEASONAL May – October - Quinte West Farmer’s Market - seasonal vegetables, baking, perennials & crafts.

Front Street Parking Lot, Downtown Trenton. 613392-3172 May 15 - October 14 - Opening of the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site of Canada and Murray Canal 888-773-8888, www.pc.gc.ca May 18 – Labour Day - Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage. The 2009 season begins on May 18 and runs through to and including Labour Day, September 2. Open daily from 10am-4 pm seven days a week. www.agmuseum.ca May 18 - September 28 - Classic Car Cruise Nights, showcasing local car enthusiasts. Sunday evenings 6 pm. Live entertainment and barbeque. Front Street Parking Lot, Downtown Trenton 613-392-4318, www. quinteaccess.org

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May 26 - Bancroft Cruisers, Canadian Tire Parking Lot, Bancroft May 28 - Country Jammin Time, Faraday Community Centre. Bring your instrument and your dancing shoes.

The

Old Tin Shed

Open for lunch and dinner!

An intriguing mix of ‘now’ and ‘then’

...more than a gift shop We will make the trip worth your while... we dare you to come be inspired!

Open 7 days year round Just 6 km north of Bancroft on Hwy 62

Award winning RETAILER OF DISTINCTION 2008

www.theoldtinshed.com

For weddings & all special occasions Carriage, Sleigh, Wagon & Trolley rides

Dave & Kim Reid 613 477-1003 • Stirling, ON

Spring 2009 • Country Roads

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discovering hastings county

Photo Credit: William James Topley / Library and Archives Canada / PA-009976

BACK R OADS

Country Road d i s c o v er i n g h a s t i n g s c o un t y

Farmers and shoppers crowd the Market Square of Belleville in 1911 Country

Roads

This 1911 photograph shows the large numbers of farmers and shoppers that routinely crowded Belleville’s Market Square on Saturday mornings. According to a 1914 report, the President of the Belleville Boarddiscovering of Trade described thecounty hastings market as “well known” and “one of the best in the province,” with farmers travelling over 30 miles to sell their wares.

Established in 1816, it is still in operation. Today vendors sell everything from fruits and vegetables, baked goods, meats and cheeses, to coffee, flowers and even jewellery.

Country Roads

The market is open year round from 7am to 6pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in Market Square behind Belleville’s City Hall, 169 Front Street. According to the new book, BELLEVILLE, A Popular History,discovering

by Gerry Boyce, what iscounty hastings not generally realized is that it was not built as a city hall, since Belleville was only a town when it was constructed. In addition, its original primary function was not even as a town hall, but rather as a market building.

CR Country Roads

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Country Roads • Spring 2009

discovering hastings county

discovering hastings county

”I can’t stop smiling”

Rachel, 31 Cosmetic Veneers

” We love to make you smile. A great smile can make you feel more confident, drastically improve how you feel about yourself, and significantly improve your quality of life. At the Family Dental Centre, we’re passionate about creating beautiful and healthy smiles that last a life time. ” Cobourg 1060 Burnham Street 905-372-7400

Dr. Steve Mascarin DDS

Frankford 44 Trent Street South 613-398-8888

Belleville 66 Dundas Street East 613-961-7050

www.familydentalcentre.com

Complete Family Dentistry • Cosmetic Makeovers • Dental Implants • Laughing Gas • On-site Denture Technician • Free Smile Analysis™ Digital X-ray, 90% Less Radiation • Oral Conscious Sedation • Zoom² Laser Whitening • 5 Year Limited Warranty • Financing Available

Spring 2009 • Country Roads

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