Kathy Clulow ASP® SRES®

GATES OPEN

SAVOUR DURHAM TOUR

Durham Region encompass a broad spectrum of agriculture activites, from the small family farm to the large corporate farms you will find them all here. On October 4 & 5, 2008 between 10am and 4pm, bring your family and friends on a self-guided tour of Durham Region's farms. Along the way, sample local foods prepared by a selection of Durham's finest chefs.

To showcase some of the farming activities Durham Farm Fresh and Durham Tourism have teamed up to present a spectacular fall festival that encompass all eight of Durhams local municipalities.

Gates Open allows families to tour some of Durhams finest farms and take in many activities that are part of farm life. Enjoy hands on activities such as feeding dairy cattle or try your hand at spinning at an alpaca farm. Tour Sheep farms, beef farms, pig farms and more. Enjoy a winery tour and sampling or get lost in a 10 acre corn maze or take an old fashioned wagon ride. Learn about organic farming and sample some fine food along the route.

Just in case you can't get everything in, in one day that you would like to see you might want to make a two day tour out of it. There are many wonderful B&Bs to stay at, bistro's, eateries, and restaurants to satisfy your appetite and there is even a dinner theater for your dinning and entertainment delight. Needles to say there are plenty of activities for all ages to enjoy.

If you have the kiddies along, and who wouldn't. you can get their picture on the cover of a personalized copy of Today's Parent, and the best part it's FREE

You can enjoy all this and some FREE food sampling, for just $10 per adult, children under 16 are free, on October 4th and 5th between 10:00am and 4:00pm so mark your calender and come on out for a great day or two in the country.

To visit the web sites of some of the participants and for full details on the events, the farms, the eateries, and the B&Bs visit the Gates Open Web Site.

While you are out touring our wonderful country side you may decide you would like to join us on a more permanent basis and move to the Uxbridge area. I would be more than pleased to assist you in relocating to our fine area.

LIVING OFF THE LAND

Natural Income Opportunities From Rural Lands

With 45% of the township of Uxbridge located within the protected area of the Oak Ridges Moraine one needs to look to natural income opportunities if you are wanting to make some income from your rural property.

Perhaps you would like to start a trout farm, do a little market gardening or beekeeping or start an agro-tourism business. Perhaps you are just beginning to explore the possibilities and need some guidance as to what you can or can not do.

Three Conservation Groups

The Oak Ridges Moraine Association, The Moraine For Life and Toronto and Region Conservation have joined together to present a free landowner workshop where you can learn about the resources available to landowners who are looking to start a nature based business either for fun or for profit.

Date - Wednesday, September 17th, 2008
Location Goodwood Community Centre
Highway 47 and Goodwood Rd
Time 6:30pm - 9:30pm

For additional information or to register contact Julie Hordowick

Call 416.661.6600 ext 5644 by Sept 15th to register as space is limited

THE FOREST

From The Ground Up

A moraine landowner event presented

by THE MORAINE FOR LIFE

This free seminar for Photographers, nature lovers, and Oak Ridges landowners is a worthy event. Sessions will include the importance of the forest floor, nature photography and the oak ridges moraine.

Date - Saturday September 13th, 2008
Location Claremont
Time 9:30am - 3:30pm

Call 905-579-0411 ext 106 by Sept 11th to RSVP

Map of The Moraine from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

THE OAK RIDGES MORAINE

Stretching some 160kms from the Niagara escarpment to Rice Lake. The rolling hills and river valleys that make up the Moraine are the result of the advancing and retreating glaciers some 12,000 years ago. Forty Five percent of the township of Uxbridge is located with in the protected area of the Oak Ridges Moraine, including extensive rural and natural areas, as well as some hamlets and even a portion of the urban area of Uxbridge.

With a wide diversity of kettle lakes and bogs, wetlands, woodlands streams and rivers it is no surprise that the headwaters of 65 river systems are found within its boundaries. Approximately 30% is still forested making it one of the last remaining green belts, the home and refuge for birds and other wildlife, in southern Ontario.

With many aggregate operations in Uxbridge it is important to note that these areas of sand and gravel also play a significant part in providing drinking water to a very large portion of Ontario's population. The sand and gravel (aquifers) filter rain and melting snow, this filtered water is then released through the rivers and streams flowing south into lake Ontario and North into Lake Simcoe, Lake Scugog, and Rice Lake.

The moraine is also the home of a 250km trail system with the overall managment of the trails being handled by the Oak Ridges Trail Association

The Uxbridge_Scott Agricultural Society 144th annual Uxbridge Fall Fair is on till Sunday September 7th

This years theme is we've got a good thing growing and indeed it is. Tonight Friday Sept 15th at 7:00 pm is the ever popular tractor pull. Saturday at 4:00 pm you can watch the lawn tractor races, and at 7:00 pm is the demolition derby. Sunday we go back to our roots with the horse pull at 2:30 pm. New this year is smoke free bleachers on the east side of the ring as well as at the band shell.

Click the link for a full line up of events and activities at the ring and the band shell.

General Admission $8 ------ Children Grade 8 & under FREE ------ Weekend Pass $20.00

Parking $2.00 - Overflow parking at High School (Plank's Lane) and Quaker Village Public School.
Free Shuttle to Fairgrounds every 15 mins from 3:00 - 11:30 p.m. Saturday

The Labour Day weekend traditionally heralds a return to school with over 800,000 of those children throughout Ontario riding a school bus to school.

Here are a few points to remember regarding school bus safety and the highway traffic act regarding school buses.

IT IS THE LAW

All vehicles traveling in both directions must stop when approaching a school bus with its upper red lights flashing. (the only exception is on a divided highway separated by a median if you are approaching the school bus from the opposite direction)

Penalties For Not Stopping

First offence $400 to $2,000 and six demerit points

Each subsequent Offence $1,000 to $4,000, six demerit points
and possible jail time up to six months.

Parents and educators are urged to Be bright - Think Right review school bus safety with their children and charges in the ten basic tips for school bus safety provide by the RCMP and Transport Canada.