Spring 2009
Wild Rose Farm is an organic farm where bees and chickens live, but it’s also a great destination for visitors, travelers, country lovers, Wwoofers and especially artists. Surrounded by beautiful rolling terrain and forest, this nostalgic pioneer log house built in 1839 provides cozy rooms for our artist retreat guests, bed and breakfast or family vacations. For artists there are numerous working spaces including a large studio space appropriate for dancers, musicians and visual artists. Numerous creatives have found our artist retreat to be the ideal place to explore their creativity, get rejuvenated and inspired.
This early spring we are blessed with three terrific Wwoofers , two from Germany , one Aussie. We have begun spring planting yesterday, just in time, as the skies opened up in a memorable downpour providing natural watering.
Nature’s harvest has also begun, as we enjoy wild edibles. This week, nettles, wild Jerusalem artichokes, wild leeks and other various wild spring greens have graced our table and nourished our bellies.
All the while our most recent art initiative was to launch, ‘Follow the Floor’. In support of the Ontario dance community, we have made available a professional Rosco dance floor ( formerly in our studio space) at a reasonable fee for independent dance artists, or other performers. Last month it was put to good use Oakwood Collegiate for a school dance presentation. Today, it is making its first appearance at Dundas Square in Toronto as part of Dance Umbrella Ontario (DUO ) International Dance Day Celebration (Official IDD April 29th, see more about this on Dance Ontario’s website, www.danceontario.ca).In the days ahead, more planting, opening up the beehives and anticipating the burst of green. As the cacophony of spring peepers sing day and night we will be welcoming our first studio artists of the season, urban musicians looking for country inspiration and creative space. It is here!
Wild Rose Farm really is a great place with a great feeling. I’m an actor from Melbourne seeking a temporary change of life working on the Wild Rose Farm. Seeing pictures only on the website, I really had to see the place to appreciate its genuine country beauty. My first day on the farm says it all! First, we began with farm fresh eggs, oatmeal, fruit and juice before heading out to the garden to plant some organic produce such as onions and garlic. After a few hours, we headed down to the river for a swim before going on one of Catherine’s tours across the countryside and into Creemore (a nearby town) to check out some of the fine local beer at the Creemore Brewery and do some shopping. Afterward, we settled in for some of Catherine’s ‘infamous burgers’ which were delicious and watched hockey night! Was a great day at a great place which I would highly recommend to anyone!
“When I am at the Wild Rose Farm, I don’t paint, I just rest in nature. I love the whole atmosphere, and the way the place fits in with nature, it is not forced in any way. I love the setting, especially, … it has a meditative sense to it, and again it is natural, nothing seems forced. The rhythm is so opposite to the city, it has a grounding effect on me.”
Erika
Painter