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Guest blog contributed by Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm
If there is one positive that has come from Covid it is that people are getting out and enjoying local hiking trails. Once spring is upon us the forest comes alive with vibrant greens and some native wildflowers. Ontario has some beautiful native wildflowers that you can look for while you are enjoying the trail. Here is a guide to some native forest wildflowers that you may find in Elgin County.
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As the tour of downtown food stops continues, we are hopping into one of the most widely debated foods - so much so that I may have to put together a city-wide pizza tour and channel my inner Charles Boyle. I'm not even mad about it.
Pizza is just one of those foods that everyone has a strong feeling about - whether it's who invented it or what the best crust style is or getting passionate about toppings. Just ask a room full of people how they feel about pineapple on their pizza - you'll see what I mean! And while you won't need it to read this review, you might need to stop at home for your pizza bib before diving into the pies at Old School Pizza. Old School Pizza is the youngest child of Paul & Krista Minnich and is truly a family business with their older children helping out around the restaurant. They have been making wood-fired pizzas for years and love the added layer it adds to such a universally-loved food. It shows. My impression before knowing their story was that this was a family-run business. They have built family into their foundation and carry it through operations. While it may seem like this spot popped up out of nowhere in December of 2020, it's evident that a lot of time and thought went into bringing St. Thomas such a unique menu and all the incredible "old-school" details throughout the space. Eat good food. Support local.Sometimes we all need a little help beyond Google. For those looking to get a #TasteOfStThomas and support local small businesses, follow this Facebook group for recommendations, information, and more! You may find yourself surprised!
Restaurant & Foodie Guide: St. Thomas Group Mission: provide positive mentions for all things food related - eateries, caterers, markets, everything food etc. in hopes to derive further growth and success of the establishments. Humans' taste for food, sampling the available produce, goes back to the dawn of time. A combination of survival and curiosity made way for culturally, and geographically unique ways to increase the enjoyment of consuming food and culture shifted from mere survival into ecstasy.
The addition of wine into our diets has had a similarly long and nuanced journey to its current state; advancing from ceremonial uses in Ancient Armenia in 4100BC to miraculous wedding feasts and medical applications to an industry with a projected worldwide value of 429 billion USD by 2023. with Sarah from the Elgin/St. Thomas Small Business Enterprise Centre
On Instagram @SBECinnovation #TasteofStThomas Food is such a central part of our community experience. Thriving cities are ones that have emerging and dynamic food scenes. And while there is still room for more options in St. Thomas - the food culture has been expanding for years. Restaurants are central to the idea of the local experience - one of the best ways to immerse yourself into the culture of a place. Restaurants are the inside scoop on the business, social, intellectual, and artistic life of a thriving society. Business ideas sketched on napkins, first dates, lively debates, and sublime opportunity to discover new flavours immersed in authentic environments. with Sarah from the Elgin/St. Thomas Small Business Enterprise Centre
On Instagram @SBECinnovation #TasteofStThomas I love small business, but I may love food-based enterprises most of all. Food has always been at the centre of everything for me. Whether it was afternoons in the kitchen with my mom, days spent entertaining at home, or menu selection for special events throughout my career: food has been woven into my life as I am sure it has been in yours. And in a time when we can't necessarily sit down together to share a meal, I am excited to have the opportunity to share a meal with you in this way - through words; another thing I love. St Thomas, Ontario is a fairly old city that has stood the test of time. A history built through the revolution brought about by the rise of the locomotive industry. The city has that unique charm of a modern city that is still quite in touch with its roots. A great place to spend a laid back and relaxing vacation away from the hustle and bustle of big city life. But before you book any Airbnb vacation rentals check out these activities to try.
It's summer 2020, and we know a lot of you have been either working from home or have isolated yourself for some time. Either way, we've all been spending much more time around the house! Maybe you've been getting to some projects that sat on the back-burner, or maybe you've noticed some areas that need a little TLC.
We reached out to our friends at GCW Custom Kitchens & Cabinetry to see what their expert suggestions would be for those who are looking to update their kitchens! Check out their top 4 tips below for some smart kitchen design ideas. Hi, Caleb here! You may see me on Saturdays at Railway City Tourism, or at special events. I've seen a few Arts Crawls come and go, and every year look forward to seeing what the artists are up to. This year, I wanted to recommend my top three picks. All art is subjective and definitely a matter of personal taste and preference. I hope you like my selections! Let us know your top 3 artists in the comments if you like.
Highlights
Hiking the Trail - July 30 2019At the Railway City Tourism Office, we often give out a lot of information to visitors about Kettle Creek Conservation Area, and more specifically, the Dalewood Reservoir Hiking Trail, located just outside the city of St. Thomas. Being located so close to the city, Dalewood Conservation Area suggests that hiking the trail is easily incorporated into a day trip, or a weekly exercise routine, so we decided to test that theory out ourselves! My name is Chloe, and I will be your virtual tour guide today, taking you along the 10km Dalewood Reservoir hiking trail from the comfort of your own home!
There are many access points along the Dalewood Reservoir Trail for you to choose from, making the length of your hike variable, but we decided to begin at the very start in order to get the full experience and check out the new bridge that was just finished! This new bridge brings a number of benefits including a sidewalk for safer pedestrian and cyclist access. After admiring the new bridge, we entered the trail and began our journey! There are numerous walking bridges throughout the trail that provide some ease to your hike as you continue along the Dalewood Reservoir. The trail is also very easy to navigate, as there are trail markers and the walking bridges are numbered to keep you going in the right direction. Once we hit the old bridge near Dalewood Road, it was definitely time for a snack break! This is a great rest stop as it provides some shade and great views. At this point, you’re over half way around the Dalewood Reservoir. Nearing the end of the trail, we were refreshed and ready to conquer some kayaking! Canoes and kayaks are available to rent hourly, or for a half or full day at the gatehouse in the campground. Using this watercraft is a great way to experience the reservoir you just admired from afar. We suggest bringing a camera (at your own risk) to capture this memorable experience, lots of water to keep yourself hydrated, and a kayaking partner who will do most of the paddling for you! When kayaking the reservoir, it was very enjoyable and relaxing. Everything was so still and the nature surrounding the reservoir was so peaceful. It is a great way to clear your mind and become one with nature. We saw a lot of wildlife, including various species of birds, beavers, and fish jumping out of the water. Be sure to not only keep your eyes on the water, but also up in the trees because as we continued we spotted a beautiful bald eagle perched high up in a pine tree! We admired its beauty for about 5 minutes until it showed off it’s impressive wingspan and continued across the reservoir. For the bird enthusiasts out there, be sure to bring binoculars to get a better look at some of the cool species that call the Dalewood Reservoir home! Overall, I was impressed with this hike, and I got to experience firsthand everything the Dalewood Reservoir Trail has to offer. After today, I feel extremely accomplished and I will definitely incorporate this hiking trail into a weekly exercise routine, so I can take advantage of the nature that is so close to home!
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