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Culture

Here’s a few reasons why one of the prettiest villages in Ontario is Elora.

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In Elora, life unravels a bit slower

It’s worth saying again: One of the prettiest villages in Ontario is Elora. It’s so nice very time I visit this village of 5, 500 I want to move here. A lot of people have done just that. Elora is a place that grows on you from the minute you arrive. Over dinner at a local favourite eatery, The Shepherd’s PubI struck up a conversation with Nadine McEwen and Stan Winegard who told me they moved here about two and a half years ago from Timmons. Stan said, “It’s a real pretty place and a very welcoming community with an active artistic community. Since Nadine is a sculptor, it fits perfectly into our life style”. Even the owners of this authentic British pub had moved to Elora from Guelph just a few months ago. Throughout the weekend I bumped into others who made the move. Well now, let me think more about this moving thing.

Known for its unique limestone architecture, Elora was founded in 1832 by Captain William Gilkison, a British officer recently returned from India.

Shopping
Elora is an artists’ community specializing in handcrafted and one-of-kind items. The two main streets to stroll are Mills and Metcalfe.
One stand out worth finding on Mill Street, near The Shepherd’s Pub, is The Village Olive Grove (it was the free olive oil tastings sign outside the store that first caught my eye). I met one of the owners, David Medeiros (He’s from Toronto). Medeiros believes their shop is the only one in Canada selling exceptional olive oils and vinegars from around the world.  A few other shops that caught my eye were; Sante’s it’s a natural grocery store with organic and fair-trade foods and gifts. A Weed Bit Natural features hemp products and organic clothing. Jammed Lovely is filled with unique one of a kind gift items. Sweet Trash has clothing and accessories from the 1920’s and onwards. At Grand Gourmet KitchenwareI had to have some of the items explained to me as to what they were. You can tell how much time I spend in the kitchen.

The Village Olive Grove occassionally has free olive oil tastings.

Culinary Walking Tour
If you arrive on a Saturday sign up at the Village Olive Grove for the $10.00 walking tour between 1 and 3 pm. During the tour, you’ll sample specially created dishes from eight restaurants while learning about the history and architecture of the area.

One of the prettiest villages in Ontario-

Holiday Happenings
-Santa Claus Parade, Saturday, November 26 and Parade of Lights begin at 6pm.There’s another parade in nearby Fergus on December 3rd at 1:30 pm.
-Starlight Shopping November 24-25 until 9pm.
-Elora Centre for the Arts Show and Sale, December 8-22.
-The annual Elora Festivals Singers’ Christmas Concert series in December is an annual rite of winter.

The Elora Gorge
Here’s the gorge part. Elora is located on the Grand River where the Elora Gorge begins. The gorge has a waterfall that forms behind the Elora Innand continues for 4 kilometres. The Elora Inn is currently closed for renovations. In the middle of the falls is the, “Tooth of Time”. This is a huge rock that has become the symbol of the village of Elora.

The Elora gorge on the Grand River has a waterfall that forms behind the Elora Inn and continues for 4kms.

Where to Stay
I picked the Tynavon Bed and Breakfast (Tynavon means House by-the-River in Scots Gaelic) to be home for the weekend. This quaint circa 1856 home at 84 Mill Street is a short walk from downtown. It has a gracious verandah overlooking the Grand River. Expect to pay around $125.00 a night for one of the best sleeps you’ll ever have and a scrumptious breakfast. (Silo Direct Link to Tynavon Bed and Breakfastor 1-866-334-3305).

Welcoming gate post- the Tynavon B and B

Here’s the goat part.
When you force yourself to leave Elora take a 10 minute trip on Highway 6 north to Arthur, Ontario. That’s where you’ll find River’s Edge Goat Dairy.(Silo Direct Link to Goat Milk Products Website or 1-800-209-7330) at 8102 Wellington Road 109, Arthur. If you have children with you they’ll love it. Chances are you’ll find owners Katie Kormet or Will Makxam tending to their herd of 120 mature does. The farm produces, with hard work, milk as well as cheese, yogurt and even soap.

Will told me- “We are a small goat dairy, and we process all of our own milk but we also raise the male goats for meat. In general, we tell our frequent customers, if our chain is down, come on in we are open. However, if our chain is up, we are unavailable  but not necessarily closed or away. Not only are we artisan cheese makers, we are farmstead cheese makers. Not many farmers who do it all. We feed and milk  our animals and make cheese on the farm. We are a provincially licensed dairy plant, like all other commercial dairy plants in the province. Our advantage: we use the freshest milk and process it into milk yogurt or cheese sooner than  our competitors.

Visitors are welcome to visit the farm (no charge) and you might see the goats being milked. River’s Edge Goat Dairy hours of operation vary. Katie said, “Call us ahead of time to see if we’ll be home”.

Delicious goat dairy products

For More information
Elora and Fergus Tourism Silo Direct Link to Elora and Furgus Tourism Website or 519-846-9841.GPS users can punch in 9 Mill street East, Elora.

Travel and tourism writer, Silo contributor George Bailey

Written and photographed By George Bailey Niagara Falls,Ontario  e-mail: [email protected].

Reviews

Season For Fine Ontario VQA Fielding Wines

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What’s that Big red capital ‘C’ circling? Santa’s glass of holiday wine punch!

With dinner or dessert, as a gift or enjoyed over conversation, the versatility of wine is rarely more apparent than over the holiday season. With a little bit of foresight and planning, you can make this Christmas and New Year’s extra special with a drink that not only brings people together, but also enhances the flavours of your Christmas feast.

“Wine makes the perfect gift, whether it is for a co-worker or your spouse, and it really is the finishing touch to a great party, ” says Heidi Fielding, the Hospitality Manager at Beamsville’s http://www.fieldingwines.com Fielding Estate Winery. “Knowing which wines best complement which foods and flavours adds a layer of sophistication to your party, and knowing the perfect wine to serve at every step of the party adds an element of organization and flow.”

Thinking roast duck or ham for Christmas dinner? The Fielding ‘traminer is a fantastic match. CP

Here are some of the many ways Heidi suggests you can incorporate wine into your holidays:

Gifts for coworkers. Buying gifts for coworkers is always a difficult task, but a bottle of wine is a gift that works for just about anybody. There is a full slate of Ontario VQA wines available for less than $20, many of which have a universal appeal and stand well on their own or matched with food. Consider a medium-bodied and versatile wine that goes well with everything from appetizers to red meats.

Gifts for loved ones. Just as wines make a good gift for friends or coworkers, higher end wines are ideal for those who are special to you. A
fine wine is a shared experience and fodder for fond memories.

The House Party. Serving wine to your Christmas party guests is a classy and simple gesture that makes a good party great. It’s not a given that all of your guests will be serious wine drinkers, so serving a light white wine is a great idea that will generally please most.

Cocktail Hour/Appetizers. Wine isn’t just for the main course. Picking the right wine to go with your appetizers, or a good wine that can stand on its own, is a definite crowd pleaser.

Christmas Dinner. Not sure which wine to serve with turkey? Definitely a Chardonnay or http://www.fieldingwines.com/store/prod/50 Pinot Noir are perfect with turkey and all the traditional Christmas dishes. These wines are rich enough without overpowering the flavours and spices. A dry Rose is also a great choice and looks very festive at the dinner table.

Hostess Gift. When someone goes through the time and effort of planning a Christmas party, it is a good idea to extend your gratitude with a small gift of appreciation. Take the time to visit an Ontario winery to find a truly special bottle of wine that may not be found in the LCBO.

About Fielding Estate Winery
Fielding Estate Winery is a unique, award-winning winery with an inviting atmosphere located on Niagara’s Beamsville Bench. Fielding’s Muskoka-inspired wine lodge nestled at the foot of the Niagara Escarpment offers stunning views across the winery’s vineyard to Lake Ontario and Toronto’s skyline. This vista is the dominating feature as you sample of some of Ontario’s finest VQA wines, made from grape varieties that perform best in Niagara’s unique microclimate vineyards — Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay for whites, and Pinot Noir and Merlot for reds. With three gold medals, Fielding was the most decorated winery at the 24th annual Cuvée Awards in March 2012 and General Manager Curtis Fielding was named 2012 Grape King recognizing viticulture excellence. CP

Earth

Cultural Artifacts Complicate Plans For Any Construction

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Flaking and percussion bulbs point towards human manufacture

This stone shows signs of ancient human manufacture. Percussive bulbs result from being hammered and chipped, and facial flaking along the sides are strong indicators. It was retrieved in April 2010 from the then drained shoreline of Silver Lake millpond in Port Dover, Ontario. In the vicinity of the stone were animal bones and glacial till.

According to Ontario’s Heritage Act– municipalities must

  • Provide clear standards and guidelines for the preservation of provincial heritage properties.
  • Enhance protection of heritage conservation districts, marine heritage sites and archaeological resources.

Even when cultural artifacts are not immediately discovered, a cultural assessment must take place to establish any archaeological remains. The Cayuga Bridge construction project was delayed due to this requirement.

Art

Early Canadian Artist Decorated Ceramics From Nuttal Codex

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Example of Eva’s work influenced by Aztec design.

Eva Brook was born in 1867, the year of confederation and, interesting as well, the incorporation of Moosehead Beer. Auspicious beginnings. Her Simcoe family owned The Brook Woollen Mill, and like many privileged children of her time she attended private school. She was fortunate to study art under Frederick Bell Smith, the renowned Canadian-Victorian painter, at Alma College in St. Thomas. Brook would later return to Alma as a teacher, and in fact headed the art department there.

In the 1890’s Eva emigrated to Mexico, where it seems she operated a bookstore, and where she may also have re-connected with her soon-to-be husband A.W. (Will) Donly, who she had known from school. After their marriage in Norfolk, the couple returned to Mexico where Will had taken the post of Canadian Trade Commissioner.

Eva’s skill as an artist continued to develop against the backdrops of her upper-class life in a diplomatic household, as well as the unrest following the 1910 Mexican revolution (though her paintings, as shown, do not reference the violence of that time). She made friends with the archaeologist Zelia Nuttal, who had developed a system for decoding the symbols of pre-Colombian art, and the current exhibition contains ceramics Brook-Donly decorated based on the Nuttal codex, as well pieces from her collection of Aztec pottery and artifacts.

After the Donly’s return to Canada Eva embraced the emerging, modern painting style of Tom Thomson and The Group of Seven, and her work began receiving more attention. In The Review of the Royal Canadian Exhibition, an article which appeared in Canadian Forum, December 1920, she is mentioned alongside Arthur Lismur, Franklin Carmichael and A.Y. Jackson. There are some hilly landscapes in some of her work that appear to directly quote Jackson’s treatment of the same.

It may be hard to fathom now but in 1920 The Group of Seven represented a revolution in Canadian painting, rankling the sensibilities of many  established and more naturalistic artists. That Eva was attracted to their work, and understood it, suggests a progressive spirit–that is if picking up and moving to Mexico in the 1890’s was not enough for you. Any doubt will surely be erased by her decision to study with the American artist and designer Ralph Johonnot. His use of colour was vivid and idiosyncratic and his images, as one writer of the time put it, were like “illustrations for a fairy tale.” Brook Donly’s experiments with this style veritably leap out from among her other paintings as if they were sitting under a black light.

The impact of Mexico continued to feature in her art through the 20’s as well. If she picked up an interest in pattern design from Johonnot, she combined it to great effect with Aztec and Maya motifs to create striking, two-colour images for ceramics.

Eva Brook Donly was an early figure of the Simcoe establishment and one of the first members of the Norfolk Historical Society. For the Silo, Chris Dowber.