Half Magic

The farm

A rare sighting in Goderich- a family owned farm.     The tree farm- the old laneway

I was hoping to take our family wwoofing, farm work vacations, but it was hard to know what farm would be best for a family and not filled with young twenty year olds. So I will continue my research and figure that one out for next year. We did stay at my mother's tree farm, basically 80 acres of forest in their small loft above the garage. It has a composting toilet and we bring in water. We managed two nights before we hightailed it to their cottage. Sleeping and eating together in one room has its challenges but it was so much fun. The kids couldn't get to sleep with us reading. I would tell them to be quiet and go to sleep, there would be silence then a whisper," do you have a 4?", "No, fish. Do you have a 7?" They were playing cards!
The fireflies and the stars were worth every trip to the composting toilet; a sky you would never see in the city. We ate black raspberries and had wonderful hikes. We went to my favourite restaurant, the Port Albert Inn , we explored the jail, the museum and even a cemetary. Goderich is a really lovely town that makes you think, could I live here?
 

The Politics of farming in Goderich:

20 years ago we would have easily found a farm to have a family vacation but more and more of the farms have been bought up by Maple Leaf or other big food industries. The farmhouses are there but a manager lives there. Then there are the closed in pig and chicken barns that you can smell but you never see the livestock which always creeps me out  especially when I dip my toes into the clear, coolness of Lake Huron aware of the water run off from these farms. Despite this the Goderich business association is amazing. Goderich known for its hexagon town center is always hosting events. Every Saturday there is a market, there are antique car shows, kids fest, artist festivals and the huge Celtic Festival. The other amazing aspect of Goderich are its citizens. When the town wanted to open a YMCA they needed to fundraise additional cash and believe me individuals donated $10,000 towards it because they feel this is their town and they invest in it. The salt mine is another interesting feature. Currently they are a mining at depth that is equal to the CN tower. The water breakers to the harbour have sunk down quite a bit and according to locals it is the nature of salt mining. They mine 'streets' but eventually the pillars supporting it will collapse so naturally what is above must cave down.

Summer cottage

Since my husband was  little he has been visiting this old family cottage in Honey Harbour. We take a water taxi over because they have a new boat with an inboard and is much too big for me to drive when I am not sure of the way. But I do drive it and now understand why you need bigger boats on Georgian Bay- the swells are huge and would have washed over our tiny motor boat we had up on Lake Muskoka. The cottage was built in 1906 and much of the original paintings, furnishings and even journals are still there.

The children always create an art gallery for us.

The dining room is my favourite place.

The girls read a journal and created a play based on the events about two cousins, one who would do cannonballs from the boathouse and shoot a rifle and another who was a writer but didn't like the cottage much. The writer dies after childbirth and the cousins takes care of the baby. The girls made themselves cry. It was a beautiful weekend.

My favourite napping spot- every screened in porch needs a swing couch.