Check the shelves in a grocery store on either side of the country, and you’ll find plenty of foods that taste exactly the same as they do here in Ontario. So many experiences these days are standardized for consistency, it’s a real thrill to find something uniquely tied to a place and a community. That’s … Read more
Mill & Farm Market Ellen Edney, and farm manager Karyn Boyd, giving a comprehensive answer takes a little extra time. “There’s the Mariposa Woolen Mill and the Farm Market, so we have two different kinds of things happening on the same property,” Edney says. “The farm market is more the retail side of things, offering the location for different artisanal products, foods, local produce, that kind of thing, as well as incorporating agritourism into the farm life here.” The retail business and suite of events offered by Mariposa year-round, however, are in addition to the day-to-day operation of the woolen mill. “We produce all-Canadian product made with Canadian wool, so we do everything from washing other people’s fibres for custom work, to finishing yarns, rovings, that kind of thing… Yeah, we have a lot going on.”
Is there a connection between fine jewelry and artisanal chocolate? Angela Roest, award-winning chocolatier and owner of Warkworth’s Centre & Main Chocolate Co., thinks so: “It’s the creation of something that will be cherished by somebody else. Giving pleasure, aesthetic or gastronomic.” The connection is more than a metaphor for Roest, who left a career … Read more
“Every time you think you’ve come up with a new way of doing something,” Christine Roberts says, “then I’ll do a little more research and think, ‘oh, well, that’s not really the case, that’s not new at all—they’ve been doing that for hundreds of years.’” Not that she’s complaining. Roberts’ slow fashion brand, Modelia, is … Read more
What is good design? Swell Made Co. founder and designer Lesley Robb takes a beat before she answers. “I think primarily it’s something that looks effortless and is very simple, which you’ll see in a lot of my work. It looks effortless because it’s actually quite complicated to make it look so.” Case in point, … Read more
“I grow all kinds of stuff—I grow rose, I grow yarrow, mint, lemon balm, camomile, calendula,” Melissa Condotta says. “And then of course I get cedar and pine and stuff from all over the property or around Northumberland… With roses it’s the care that goes into growing them and just seeing how versatile they are and … Read more
“Korean and Japanese potters are very fine, detailed potters—very precise,” Sheila Brenchley says. “Now, the English potters are very geared towards functionality and everyday use… The English have showings and sales and things but they’re geared more to function, I believe.” Brenchley is in the midst of describing a globe-trotting tour she embarked on to … Read more
“There’s a lot of variety in here, that’s for sure,” Steph Buckley says, laughing. She pauses for a breath after trying to describe her store, Rustically Signed, and running through a list of products that includes bath bombs, jewelry, DIY maker kits, baby accessories, candles, pillows, clocks, and, naturally, wooden signs. “Our whole store is … Read more
You can’t visit Watson & Lou’s brick and mortar storefront at the moment, so for now a description will have to do. The space is eclectic, bright, and inviting – you can’t miss the colourful dioramas in the window as you head down Peterborough’s Water Street. Inside you’ll find elegant wabi-sabi style pottery alongside handmade … Read more
Remember when local microbrews were few and far between? Fortunately for Ontario beer lovers, there’s been an explosion of creativity over the last decade or so. Regional brews are now well represented at the LCBO and taprooms across the province, and Kawarthas Northumberland has a number of excellent offerings. It’s never been easier to find … Read more