'A celebration of Powassan farming': Great Pumpkin Tour draws large crowds to area farms
With Thanksgiving and Halloween right around the corner, farms, and general stores in the Powassan area were hosting their customers for tours and a chance to purchase locally grown fresh vegetables.
It’s part of ‘The Great Pumpkin Tour’ and is a follow-up to ‘The Great Powassan and Area Farmstead Tour’ hosted in the area earlier this year. The tours aim to give farms a boost during the busy season.
“All the farmers markets are ending so the farm stands have their vegetables for sale,” explained organizer Kathie Hogan, who also serves as the event coordinator at 250 Clark.
“Now they have a chance to see their customers face to face. Farm stands are self serve.”
Over at the Wand Family Farm, the sheep are eating, the turkeys call out and the crowds gather. The farm is one of the stops along the farm tour.
“Some of the activities we see here on the farm are sheep sheering, we have our cattle and our sheep in the barnyard,” explained owner Markus Wand.
There are 15 stops along the tour, which also include a general store and animal feed store. Five of the stops are in town. The idea sprung up last spring when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Farms became isolated from hungry customers which hurt the industry.
“It’s a really huge event for local farmers,” smiled Hogan. “We’ve got farm animals and food and that’s what we specialize in. This is a celebration of Powassan farming.”
Since Powassan relies heavily on farming and agriculture, Hogan says it was a ‘no brainer’ to create a day to support its local farmers.
There are 218 farms in the Nipissing region which have created over 720 jobs. Farming has also created a 12 per cent increase in jobs from 2012-2019.
Over at Foxfire Heritage Farm, owner Matthew Larivee is showing the eager crowd how to blacksmith. His animals are on display, as well as his produce.
“There are a lot smaller, independent farmers that are doing their own thing. It’s given these farmers an opportunity to sell their product to the customer and skip some of the stores that would be closed by COVID-19,” he explained.
According to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, agriculture in Nipissing generates $12.3 million in farm cash receipts (FCR) contributing to $40 million GDP.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
BREAKING Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.