Tag: Harvest Host Page 1 of 2

There is 64…..

On 29th March 2023

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
Carl Sagan

We only have 10 days left, as our goal is to be in Canada for Easter. From Nashville to Ottawa is 1600 km or 1000 miles; approximately 20 hours of driving left.

Believe it or not after 88 days on the road we still have some adventure left in us. There are a few more places I want to see before we go home. Now, one thing we have wanted to do is stop at a Buc-ees.

What is a Buc-ees you ask? Well, it is a gas station and country store on steroids. Buc-ees is an EXPEIRENCE! We lucked out today as there was one off the I40 at Crossville, TN. Not sure if its the biggest one, but one thing for sure it was BIG! It had Texas BBQ, smoked meat and brisket take-out; all in the centre of the store. A gift store, a bakery, a beef jerky section with at least 10 different kinds of beef jerky. Fudge and convection store, convenience store, sporting goods, clothing and fuel.

Did I mention that there were 64 pumps. Yes, I said 64. 4 individual rows of 16 pumps, and most of them were full. We spent over an hour shopping and trying different samples of food. It was so much fun.

I am not sure if it is sad that we enjoyed this stop at a gas station so much or inspiring that we still manage to find adventure in all that we do.

We stopped for a night on the outskirts of Knoxville TN. At a craft brewery “The Crafty Bastard” another Harvest Host. This one had to be my favorite as there were 4 other RV’s there to spend the night also. We all sat together; enjoyed a beer, had supper, and exchanged stories of our travels. Imagine sitting at a table with people from Alaska, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. None of us had met before, the only thing in common was travelling however, the conversations flowed effortlessly.

Duck Fries and Deep Fried…

On 17th March 2023

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.
Izaak Walton

We officially leave Texas today and cross the state line into Arkansas. There is a little town right on the border called Texarkana. I mean literally on the border. The state line goes right down the middle of town. The iconic courthouse and post office building straddles the state line. Half of the building is in Texas and the other half in Arkansas. As is Stateline Avenue which runs through town and has half of the businesses in one state and the other half in the other state.

I know this did not seem like much but it sure made for some fun videos and pictures. We did manage to find a brewery on the Texas side, Pecan Point Brewery. Here we enjoyed our last Texas craft beer and a plate of duck fries. (Potatoes fried in duck fat – interesting flavour!)

Our first stop in Arkansas (okay the second) is the Coulter Farmstead in Washington, Arkansas. While driving through the town we found a Jonquil Festival held in Historic Washington State Park. What is a Jonquil you ask; well, it is a small yellow flower from the daffodil family. Looks exactly like a daffodil only a lot smaller. The small county fair was a lot of fun with food trucks, various venders, and live music. The other bonus is that we had a chance to explore the historic park that offers insight into nineteenth century living and the Civil War.

Unfortunately for us the 1832 Williams Tavern had closed for the day. Not all is lost, as there were carnival vendors & food trucks. Did you know they deep fry almost everything in the south? I mean everything. After some convincing from the locals, we tried deep-fried Oreos. Have to say they were like a stuffed donut; they were actually not bad.

The Coulter Farmstead (1861) and Wolff Mercantile (1871), is located on the edge of the state park. The site offered beautiful renovated historic cabins as bed and breakfast type lodging. For us in the RV it offered electric hook up and access to the grounds. It was a treat to meet and feed the goats and Theodore their miniature highland type cow.

The shopping at the Wolff Mercantile was a unique experience. To top it off, the owners, Justice and Katie, were an absolutely lovely couple. I think they are the friendliest people we have meet so far this trip. This peaceful and beautiful spot was the perfect place to spend the night. I would have to say that this hidden gem is definitely a place I could come back too.

On a Whim

On 3rd March 2023

So much of who we are is where we have been.
William Langewiesche

One thing I love about New Mexico is that all the small businesses help to support each other. So, on the advice & recommendation from Tularosa Winery (last nights Harvest Host) We decided to check out McGinn’s Pistachioland, in Alamogordo N.M., home of the world’s largest Pistachio. It is over 30 feet tall, used over 5 yards of concrete in the making and it took 35 gallons of paint to paint it 😊. It as definitely a tourist thing to do.

Here we learned about the pistachio farming business which we found has a few similarities to pecan farming. However, a couple of interesting facts. Pistachios are not native to America as they come from Central Asia and Iran. The trees planted here are grafted with I believe a mesquite tree. This enables them to survive the climates here. There are actually male and female trees. (So, you need both to grow pistachios). Lastly the red dye used on imported nuts was used to cover the blemishes on them. So, pistachios coming from USA will not have the dye. We sampled pistachios roasted, toasted, candied, seasoned, sugar coated and cocoa coated. We tried them in a brittle and a bark. (For the record no comparison to my Almond bark) They even made a wine that used pistachio; not a combo that I would try again, but heck don’t listen to me I am not a wine connoisseur. 😊

Further up he road, on a whim we stopped at a historical marker along the route. It happened to be about Billy the Kid. We figured since we have been tracking some of his moves through N.M. why not head off our path to the historical town called Lincoln, NM to check out what he did here.

In 1869, just four years after the civil war, the town and the county changed its name for the late president Abraham Lincoln. Some of its historical relevance surrounds the participation of William H Bonnie (Billy the Kid) in the old west conflict in this area. They have tried to keep the town as a historical monument and a living museum with some of the buildings being the original structures that were around during this period.

Apparently, Billy was captured here and held in the Lincoln County Courthouse awaiting his execution. However, on April 28, 1881, Billy made his famous escape, shooting Deputy J.W. Bell on the interior staircase and Deputy Bob Olinger from the northeast window of the second floor. Now you explain to me how a prisoner got a gun! While taking the walking tour through the town, in true Jo and Steve fashion we found a brewery in one of the historical buildings. The Bonita Valley Brewing Company, with dualling pistols in the logo. The owner is a historian and we learned more about this area and Billy the Kid. It pays sometimes to simply take that turn in the road!

The Turn Around Point

On 24th February 2023

Always concentrate on how far you have come, rather than how far you have left to go. The difference in how easy it seems will amaze you.
Heidi Johnsen

We have officially hit our turn around point and it is time to head east 😢.

So, we are heading to Quartzsite, Arizona; this has always been on Steve’s bucket list. This area is extremely well known in the RV world for their RV rallies but we were there a month after the big event. We did drive through it, and decided not to stay. It was sad for me that this was such a disappointment for Steve.

After a brief stay in Bouse, Arizona, (45 minutes from Quartzite) we took a side trip to Lake Havasu City. This little day trip was another suggestion by our new California friends. The lure of the city is London Bridge. Yes, I said the London Bridge. This original London Bridge was completed in London England in 1831. It was then sold by the City of London in April 1968. For a price tag of $2.46 million at that time. It was purchased by Robert P McCulloch, who founded Lake Havasu, and wanted the bridge to attract tourists to the area. To see this area today he definitely managed to attract tourists here!

It was definitely a lot of fun being a “Tourist” and walk the London bridge. So, in good British style we stopped at a local pub for a beer. The Barley Bros. Restaurant and Brewery. Nice beers and we really enjoyed their tostado nachos!

After leaving Lake Havasu City we drove through another absolutely gorgeous range of mountains. The one thing that still amazes me today is the amount of mountains down here. I do not know why I ever thought Arizona was flat!

Our final stop for the night was in Morristown, on the west side of Phoenix at another Harvest Host; Dillion’s Western Trails Ranch & BBQ. Here we were fully immersed in the Cowboy culture; hat’s boots and spurs. We also got to see a rodeo roping completion. For the record I am not a fan of the stress put on the small bulls but to be immersed in the middle of this culture was mind boggling. The good food (Kanas Style BBQ) and live music was another bonus. I tried their “Big Mac” – who knew that macaroni and cheese on top of a char broiled burger would be so good.

Act of Kindness

On 20th February 2023

We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things because we are curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.
Walt Disney

California is the place you ought to be, ♪♪ so we loaded up the truck and headed to Brawley ♪♪ (not Beverly). Yes, we did head to California.

Our first night was in Brawley, California nestled in the Imperial Valley. Here we stayed at a the “Desert Olive” olive farm. Cowboy Clyde was the host for this Harvest Host stay. Here we learned about olive farming, the trees, olives, and olive oil. We also learned about the water rights and irrigation practices in this area; as this is a huge agricultural area.

We tasted the difference between EVO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil), and others. We also, learned about how the grading system works. One of the most enlightening things was the supposed outside influence in the European olive oil industry.

I especially found it interesting the information about harvesting; how important the timing is, and how mechanical and automatic the olive farming business is.

Our next stop was the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This park is the largest state park in California (1000 square miles). When you first view the park there is this incredible view of the vast desert floor surrounded by the jagged mountain peaks. Now, because of the rain that they have had in the area the Wild Flowers are in bloom (apparently a little early this year) The pop of color in the barren desert was beautiful. It is totally amazing how these beautiful flowers can bloom in the otherwise bare desert. This park is also in close proximity to the big cities of California, so it is the most populated/busy park that we have ever seen.

We wanted to take the Borrego Palm Canyon Hike. It is a 3-mile hike, unfortunately for us Winnie could not fit into the parking lot so we had to hike another mile each way. The trail meanders through the valley to a shady palm grove. We could not get really close the palm trees themselves as they are recovering from a fire that went through the area in January 2020. It was remarkable at how well they are recovering. Also there was actually water running in the creek (1^st time in over three years).

Along the way we met this lovely couple from Washington State (Jim & Wendy). They were celebrating their 45^th wedding Anniversary. They celebrated a few of their anniversaries in the Canadian Rockies; and their 40^th, in Nova Scotia.

Well, by the end of the actual hike I was knackered. I would have paid someone to drive me back that last mile to Winnie’s parking spot. As we were having a snack at the trailhead; there were Jim and Wendy. Yep, you guessed it they drove us back the last mile and I didn’t have to pay them. I will always remember that act of kindness.

It’s a Date

On 18th February 2023

I like to challenge myself and I like to try new things.
Jessica Lucas

For anyone of you who know me, you know I love to bake and create flavour combinations with CHOCOLATE. So, one day I found a recipe that combined chocolate, spices and dates. I found an Anna Olson’s cooking video that made a chocolate spiced date cake, that used Medjool dates from Yuma. After watching the video and making the cake I so wanted to go to a date farm in Yuma.

Originally, we did not think we would travel this far west. However, in the continuous search for warm weather we eventually made it here.

Our time in Yuma was pleasant and warm. In looking for a Saturday farmers market we came across this massive outdoor market. It was as big as shopping mall, but under tents! There must have been over 100 vendors, food, electronics, appliances and even had a quilting shop. It was interesting to see what some people try to sell.

Now to the best part…Martha’s Gardens Date Farm. Unfortunately, there were no tours on Saturday, however the knowledgeable staff and a movie taught us all about date farming. We even had a chance to see and feel a seed pod that they opened for us. It was amazing the amount of water each plant needed and that it takes almost eight years before they produce enough dates to harvest.

Everything here at Martha’s was done by hand. (Planting, pruning, harvesting, sorting, and packaging.) They even collect the pollen from one plant and pollenate the other by hand with a drip bottle. They were not leaving anything to chance. Now, apparently it is the home of the world’s best date shake…. Yep, I agree! However, I have only ever had this one.

So, for those that know Steve, he’s always on the lookout for deals. They had 5 kg (11 lb) boxes of dates for $35. That was a deal he just couldn’t pass up! Needless to say we now have a freezer full of dates as we are slowly eating our way through them…

We next checked out the downtown Yuma; here we learned a little bit about their history and local prisons. We did not go to the historic Prison State Park, but did check out the Prison Hill Brewery. (Advice from our California friends). Steve had the highly recommended “What’s Your Poblano Man Burger (very spicy!).

Our last night here was at Garden Oasis RV Park. Not the type of park we usually look for as it was mostly seasonal residents. However, it had a place for us and a POOL! It was truly a little oasis.

Oh, What A Party

On 12th February 2023

Look deeply into nature and then you will understand everything better.
Albert Einstein

Wilcox, Arizona. We stayed at the Cattlerest Saloon RV Park. It was a Harvest Host but we upgraded to services to have power for the big game. Even better, as we found out they were having a Super-Bowl party! And who could say no to that? It was such a great time! We met some of the locals, and fellow RVer’s, and best of all some real die-hard football fans! Even though my team lost, it was great to watch the game in this atmosphere.

Now the weather forecast is calling for snow, ice and nasty temperatures for the next few days. We decided to hopefully stay ahead of it and head into the Chiricahua (Cheer-I-Cow-ah) National Monument. Not chick a wa wa wa (I say it that way to drive Steve crazy).

The drive into the park was something out of this world. The scenery was so unique. It was a wonderland of rocks. Now, on the advice of our new friends from the Superbowl Party we decided to take the Echo Canyon Loop hike. One should note that the park ranger warned us that we were going to get snowed on. We decided to chance it anyway.

This 3.5-mile hike took us through some spectacular rock formations; these pinnacles of rocks towered above us. Their distinctive height and shape made the walk so awe inspiring. We lucked out and did have some periods of beautiful blue sky before the snow started.

We then took the scenic drive, which took us to an elevation of 6870 feet. However, in the snow the view was limited. We decided at that moment it was time to cancel our reservation for the next three nights and head west. 😊. Stay tuned as we try to stay ahead of cold weather…

WOW!

On 29th January 2023

In Places We've Been, Texas 2023

The walls are bare, look out the window and you have a finer sight than any painter has ever placed on a piece of canvas.
Iian Pears

After 4286 miles (6857 KM) we finally made it to BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK!

Apparently Big Bend is named for the big bend in the Rio Grande River. We entered the park at Persimmon Gap (the north entrance). Our first stop was the Fossil Discovery Exhibit. This was extremely interesting to Steve as he always wanted to be an archeologist. They have made some great discoveries here!

The drive into the park was amazing. We were thinking wow how does it get better than this? Then we turned into Chisos Basin Park Road, and the views were SPECTACULAR! UNBELIEVABLE! WOW! Once again, good thing for digital!

Since we wanted to take advantage of the nice weather, we decided to do the Window Trail (5 miles). We actually started at an elevation of 5401 ft., Hiked down to 4600 ft. I know that an 801 foot elevation change doesn’t seem like much. However, when you are 60 and out of shape it was a work out.

Some of the trail was through the desert and dried up creek beds. It was the bottom of the valley. The majestic mountains towering over us were massive. It surely makes you put things into perspective. The pictures cannot do this justice. It is a memory we will have forever. The window is actually a break in the rock of the mountain where water used to “pour off” (still does after a rain). The opening has a dramatic view of the vast desert expanse below.

A Diamond in the Rough

On 28th January 2023

In Places We've Been, Texas 2023

Spontaneity is what travel is all about.
Zach Anner

These couple of days are travel days. From Fredericksburg to Stillwell, Texas is approximately 400 miles. Straight west on the I – 10. Did you know there interstates here in Texas are 80 miles/hour (130km/hour)? And people are getting stopped for speeding!

We detoured for a quick stop at South Llano River State Park. There we had lunch and dipped our toes in the river.

Drove through Bakersfield, TX and were amazed by the number of windmills – apparently Texas has the largest installed capacity of wind energy in the US at 37,422 megawatts. Who Knew?

We stayed overnight in Fort Stockton at a Harvest Host brewery, The Old ’76. However, it was closed but he still let us stay there anyway.

On a whim we decided to stop in the little town of Marathon. Population 365. It had a hotel, a coffee shop, a high-end artisans’ stores, a small garage, a convenience store and a Texas BBQ and Brewery. The Brick Vault (est 1886). According to the locals it is the best BBQ in Texas. This time we would have to agree! As the waitress said “we are the diamond in the rough!

NEWS FLASH! – Jo Drove the camper – for 29 miles. The road was straight, flat and no one else was on it 😊 This was the longest 29 miles Steve has experienced on this trip. Not that he had concerns about Jo’s driving but he didn’t know how to keep from being bored!

Finally, Stillwell RV Park. Which is a glorified way of saying gravel pit camping. However, electricity water and laundry facilities were a must before we spend a week in Big Bend National Park.

BURR!

On 26th January 2023

In Places We've Been, Texas 2023

Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion.
Mary Engelbreit

Now; Trivia before we start the day. It is actually warmer in Nova Scotia than it is here in Texas! Today we Started at the “Enchanted Rock State Natural Area”. It was so unique; the landscape was so diverse in this area. We hiked to the summit (1823ft) that had a 360-degree view of the park and Texas Hill Country. We climbed over the summit of Little Rock as well. (A story for another day). At Moss Lake, we stopped to take in the natural beauty and views of both summits.

Here we met a lovely couple from Texas, who had a new lease on life. Apparently, he had a near death experience a couple of weeks ago. He was truly enjoying being alive today! He was so proud that he hiked to the summit. You could see what a special occasion this was for him.

Next, to replenish our fluids and sodium after our 4-hour hike, we tried another German brewery. “Altstadt”. Again, for Beer (Fluid) and Pretzel (Sodium). I know! 😊

Guess what I found???……. A chocolate company!! Chocolates El Rey. (Venezuelan Chocolate). Took the self guided tour and tried 12 different flavours of chocolate. Exchanged some flavour profiles ideas with the chocolatier, Johnathon. He offered me a job and said the interview would be very short. Four words. “When can you start?”.

Next… Oro Bianco, Italian Creamery. Their niche was Buffalo! Of course, buffalo meat done every which way. They even had a chocolate that they made with buffalo milk. However, the highlight was their unique gelato made with buffalo milk. The flavours were delightful. Who Knew?

To top off this amazing day, our stop for tonight was the “Messina Hof Winery”. We would highly recommend them to anyone traveling through. The staff was wonderful, pleasant, and knowledgeable. Oh yes, the wine was extremely good too.

Hill Country

On 25th January 2023

In Places We've Been, Texas 2023

Jobs fill your pocket; Adventures fill your soul.
Jaime Lyn Beatty

Okay, Texas Hill Country is code for Wine Country. Who knew that Texas made wine? Apparently there are over 225 Wineries in this area. Another interesting fact is that this area has a huge German heritage & influence.

Now our first goal in Fredericksburg was, yep you guessed it, Beer! German beer and a pretzel to be exact. Remember the German influence? We checked out the oldest brew pub in Texas! Whatever tagline you need 😊. The Fredericksburg Brewing Company. We tried their Not So Dumb Blonde, the Honey Cream Ale and the Harper IPA.

We walked around the historic downtown area and tried some wine filled chocolate. Really! Who would put wine in Chocolate?!

Then off to Luckenbach, Texas. Population 3! Remember the Willie Nelson Song “Basics of Love”? This little side trip was a lot of fun for sure.

Our stay for tonight was another Harvest Host; Long Horn Cellars.

Heading West

On 22nd January 2023

In Places We've Been, Texas 2023

There are opportunities everyday to be kind.
Unknown

What a better way to start heading west, and see the interior of Texas, than to spend the night on a Texas Ranch. Our stay for tonight was with Gus & Gail at their Regenerative Ranch. This was another Harvest Host spot.

Here we spent time learning about regenerative ranching, a tour of the ranch and we got to meet some of the animals. I loved Cinnamon! (long horn cow), and June Bug the dog! (She wanted to come with us). I thought Curly (a curly haired horse) was a unique and beautiful! We fed the donkeys and horses graham crackers. (There goes the smores).

All of their horses and donkeys were rescue animals. It is so hard to believe that someone could abuse these magnificent animals. Thank goodness for people like Gus and Gail for rescuing them.

The big, dark Texas sky at night was beautiful and the area was quiet and peaceful. Best Sleep Ever! This experience was one of highlights of our trip so far. It has restored our faith in the goodness and kindness of people. If we come back this way, we would definitely love to stay again.

Interestingly enough Gail was wearing a Nova Scotia tartan scarf. Apparently, they visited Nova Scotia in their motorhome a few years ago and love the Maritimes and the Maritimers! Gail said we were the friendliest people they have ever met. We told them if they ever come back our way, they have to look us up!

OMG – The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

On 6th January 2023

In Campgrounds, Places We've Been, Texas 2023

The mountains are calling and I must go.
John Muir

We had planned on stopping in Gatlinburg to try out the recommended brewery. However, it was busy!!! Worse than Pigeon Forge and Jo couldn’t get out of there fast enough. So, off exploring the park we go.

Now you know how people always reference dogs being distracted by a squirrel. The drive was like that; every time you turned around you were captivated by another spectacular view, your head was on a swivel. There were a lot of OMG look at that…and That…OMG isn’t that beautiful. Even in the middle of winter there was a beauty to be found. The Kodak moments were abundant to say the least. Thank goodness for digital.

We walked the Kephart Prong Trail and found calmness in the sounds of the cascading river rapids flowing by. We dared to traverse over a very narrow foot bridge, okay a log to cross the river (over came the fear and did it anyway). Stopped at Newfound Gap elevation 5046 feet and grabbed the picture of the state lines sign. We climbed 165 stairs to view the Mingo Falls, highest in the park. We hiked the Three Falls Loop (3.5km) in Deep Creek. The falls were all full because of the recent rain they just had. Juney Whank Falls, Indian Creek Falls, and Tom Branch Falls.

The park exceeded all of Jo’s expectations. I believe Steve enjoyed driving the narrow windy roads…..maybe not, but he did enjoy the park.

This was a 2 day adventure with a quick overnight in Ela, North Carolina. After a quick stop in Bryson City North Carolina (very cute town) we headed back into Tennessee. The next stop was the Tansai Brewery in Chattanooga as a Harvest Host for the night.

Puddicombe Estate Farms

On 18th September 2019

In Places We've Been

Well, today was spent inside Sicard RV for Winnie’s warranty maintenance. It was a dream day, as they were getting ready for their big fall event and we spent a lot of time wandering through all the different models and makes on the lot. The big Class A’s, Class C’s like Winnie as well as the smaller Class B’s. We even helped some future buyers tour around some models, as they did not want a sales person to help them. After all that, we still decided Winnie was still the best for us!

Tonight, we took advantage of another Harvest host at Puddicombe Farms. This farm has been in operation and in the Puddicombe family since 1797. We camped beside a train caboose and under a magnificent weeping willow at the end of the pear orchard.

To generate some different clientele, they have transformed an old train into a small inn, so people could enjoy a unique farm experience. We arrived right when the market store closed, so we would have to check it out in the morning.

In the morning I also had a chance to talk to the owner before the market opened. I loved hearing his stories and on his advice we went apple and pear picking, filled our bags with various brands of apples, Cortland, Macintosh, Empire, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp and of course some beautiful pears!! We capped it off with a stop at the market to check out all their different ciders and of course, some baked goods! At least this stop we had bought some healthy food. We would highly recommend this farm/market/cidery/winery and I have a feeling we will be back.

Legends Estates Winery

On 17th September 2019

In Places We've Been

Well, we continue along Lake Ontario through to Buffalo and crossed the Bridge to Canada in the Niagara Region. Yep, we now have cell coverage again! Even though Jo says she doesn’t need the cell phone while traveling in the US, she secretly was relieved to be back in Canada to have access to her phone.

Our stop today had us using another Harvest Host, the Legends Estates Winery located right on the shores of Lake Ontario in Beamsville, Ontario.

Now, when we stay at the wineries it usually cost a few extra dollars as we always buy some wine. Of course, this stop was no exception. Wine tasting was 3 samples for 5 dollars. A good deal, as I was not trying any but they always try and find one for me anyway…. We tried a Diva-2010 Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon, a 2012 Merlot, a 2001 Cherry Riesling, the Meldville-2017-Syrah, then a 2018 Riesling, a 2012-Cabernet Sauvignon, and a 2001 Apple Chardonnay and a couple more that I didn’t take note of. Over 8 samples of wine and after all of that she did not charge us! But we did buy a few bottles of wine to go with the pasta we had planned for supper that night.

Somewhere out there, there is a wine that I will like!

Lake Ontario

On 16th September 2019

In Places We've Been

It is one of the five great lakes of North America. The north half of the lake is bordered by Ontario, Canada and the southern part of the lake is in New York, USA with the border somewhere in the middle of the lake.

Our drive today had us heading west, along the bottom of Lake Ontario with our final destination to stay at a Harvest Host; the Ontario Orchards Farm and Market. The market itself was packed with amazing local fruit and vegetables and amazing home baked apple products. The apple pie won out over some other amazing home baked goodies. Now, the actual farm was a few miles up the road and we actually got to camp in the middle of the apple orchard, a pumpkin patch , the corn field and a Christmas tree farm. It definitely made you think of the holiday season with all the produce and the perfectly shaped Christmas trees.

The only thing that seemed a little odd was being at the Ontario Orchards, in New York, USA, but not being in the province of Ontario. After living 30 years in province of Ontario, one becomes narrow minded to the fact that not all things with the name Ontario come from Canada. I mean really; Lake Ontario is huge and is one of the five great lakes in North America after all. The fact alone that we did not have cell coverage because we were in the states should have been the first clue. For anyone travelling in the area, I would highly recommend the Ontario Orchards Farm Market in Oswego, NY as a place to shop and stop.

Hennigar’s Farm Market

On 25th August 2019

In Places We've Been

When the kids were growing up, I used to say they were growing like sunflowers.

When everyone else would comment on how fast the kids were growing up, that they were growing like weeds, I would always say no, they are growing like sunflowers. They grow just as fast but grow stronger and taller, and make people smile when they look at them. Can you tell I like sunflowers?

Today’s travels has us back down in Wolfville checking in on Rebekah before we head back to Ottawa. (Winnie has another RV appointment in Niagara.) Our stay tonight had us at a Harvest Host stop at the Hennigar’s Farm Market. Now this place is amazing. We were up in the apple orchard, with views over the bay. Beside the orchards there was a huge acre of sunflowers, which were in full bloom. Well I was in heaven and I think I took over 50 pictures.

Before the sun set, we decided to jump on our bikes and find the Harvest Moon Trail and biked into Grand Pré National Historic Site. After a little of exploring around the park we decided to ride the dykes. The Grand Pré Dyke – 3013 acres below Sea Level, behind 28455 feet of dyke. This is such a cool phenomenon. As we grabbed a picture of the sun starting to come down over the high tide filled basin, we headed back to Hennigar’s to pick up some fabulous fresh fruit and veggies and a jug of there amazing fresh apple cider. We highly recommend stopping at Hennigar’s if you are ever in Wolfville.

The Smell of Spring!

On 2nd June 2019

Travel is like an endless university. You never stop learning.
Harvey Lloyd

Every morning is a new experience. What might we learn today? Today we head south on the St. Lawrence Seaway waterfront trail. Heading towards Prescott to meet up with the family – Jo needs her kid fix! As we were driving there, we spot a craft brewery! “Steve, turn around!” Lo and behold in the act of turning Winnie around we found a historic site we never even knew existed; The Battle of the Windmill. Apparently in 1838 there was a windmill (now a light house) and in a small rebellion the rebels took control of this windmill. But only a few days later the British came in and retook control – about 60 of the rebels were exiled to Australia. So, this explains the name of the Windmill Brewery which is just around the corner. Their flagship beer is the 1838 Pilsner – which was crisp and clean, very refreshing. We also tried the Barracks Black Lager, the Old Thyme Lemonade Shandy and the Scotch Style Maple Ale. Fun little spot to check out!!

O’ Heaphy’s Irish Pub – Now we asked two different locals where to eat in Prescott and they both said O’Heaphy’s – so how could one go wrong? Awesome time spent with family but don’t necessarily have to go back there. It was so good to spend time with the kids! 😊 Unfortunately for us, we left Max with the kids. They missed him and he just wasn’t traveling as well as he used to. Perhaps still getting used to Winnie.

On the road again and we continued to avoid the 401 by staying on the St Lawrence Parkway. On the way we found some really cheap diesel in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory along ON-49 .

Tonight, we stayed at Lacey Estates Winery and Vineyard, another Harvest Hosts stop. Kimble and Liz Lacey were our hosts and very gracious as we tried a few of their different wines; a couple of Whites, Reds and even Rosé. They were great storytellers and very interesting people. This was one of the more peaceful and beautiful spots we have been at and the views were amazing with the fragrances of the spring lilacs so sweet in the air. The best part of all was that the campsite cost us $51 and we got two free bottles of wine! – How does it get better than this?!

Beer & chips : perfect pairings for summer!

On 24th May 2019

In Places We've Been

New Brunswick; home to the French Fry capital of the world, the longest covered bridge, Hopewell rocks, the World’s biggest Axe and The Covered Bridge Potato chip company and now the Big Axe Craft Brewing Company.

Recently I read on the Food Network, that Beer and Potato Chips were the secrets to a long life. (oh yeah regular exercise too…) Matilda Curcia – who lived to 100 stated “I do my exercises everyday and have my beer, and three potatoes chip every night (sometimes a few more).

Ok, this leads us to our first stop in New Brunswick today. My favorite stop on every trip through New Brunswick is the Covered Bridge Chip Factory located outside of Hartland, NB. This family owned and operated business makes an Old Fashion Kettle Style Chip with a traditional recipe that dates back to 1920’s.

If you have time take the $5 Self Guided tour it is really nice to see and also very informative. At the end of the tour you will get a small bag of freshly made chips right off the line – then you go to the topping tasting area that has a gazillion different toppings for you to sprinkle on your chips. The kids always loved this stop. Now, if you don’t have time for the tour, their store is stocked with over 20 different flavors to choose from; grab a bag or two for the road.

The next Stop is Nackawic, home of the world’s biggest axe. 15 meters tall and weighs 55 tones and 7 meters wide but the real attraction for us was the Big Axe Brewery “Beer & Saloon…. Yee-Haw”! This brewery is a Harvest Hosts member so it was our place of rest for the night as well as a nice watering hole.

The thing I love abut Harvest Host is that we can go to the establishment enjoy what they are promoting, and if it happens to be alcohol, we both can enjoy it because we don’t have to drive any further that day. They had some unique names and styles of beer and of course we both got a flight! Hops & Sickle, Lucky Draw, Sea Berry Sour, Roll in the Hay, Lizzy Bordon Red, and Shakespeare Stout. My favorite was the Lucky Draw – and got an awesome deal on the bottles I bought – because the fill wasn’t perfect! (Didn’t matter to me, as I never finish a full bottle anyway!) Steve, enjoyed the Shakespeare Stout. I don’t know how he didn’t buy any! Cheapest Harvest host stay ever; only $29.83. They even let you bring in our own food and on weekends evenings they have special events and/or entertainment. Simply a great place to stop!

So, remember the perfect pairing for Summer is Beer and Chips – And New Brunswick is the perfect spot to have both and support local.

Now, the one thing about this Harvest Host establishment is that it is located on the St. John River and the morning views of the calm and majestic looking river were spectacular. Just an awesome and motivating way to start another fabulous day. Definitely one of my favorites so far.

Far more than blueberries!

On 18th February 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

Another Harvest Hosts stop at the Far Reach Ranch was in Blueberry Country! Only problem, blueberries not yet in season. However we did try all of their varieties of blueberry jams and their local honey. We settled on the Mixed Berry jam (Steve’s fave was the Blueberry Habernaro but they were sold out) and their Orange Blossom honey.

As you can see from the photos, we received the grand tour of the owners antique car collection. Even a non-car buff can appreciate such an impressive array of classic automobiles! A 1914 Cadillac, a 1948 Woody, a 1957 Chevy, a 1965 Shelby Cobra, Porshes, Jaguars, and more! We left this central Florida farming area and headed to the coast for our next stop at Clearwater RV Resort. Our rental Mustang convertible we picked up later that day, isn’t a classic yet but who knows down the road.

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