One really interesting area being looked as is alternative crops including hemp, wine grapes, ginseng, baby vegetables, lavender, sweet potatoes, and wolfberries. Wolfberries are more commonly known by the name Goji berry.  Goji berries have been used in China and Tibet for nearly 6,000 years.  In laboratory and preliminary human research to date, wolfberries have demonstrated potential benefits against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, some forms of cancer, diabetes, premature aging, memory deficits, vision degeneration and lung disorders. Due to their considerable nutrient value the commercial developments on Long Point are anticipated to become part of a multi-million dollar market by 2011.

The sandy soil of Norfolk County is also perfect for growing ginseng. Over 200 growers are cultivating around 5,000 acres of ginseng.  Ginseng was traditionally used by First Nations people as an important medicine and tonics were created to strengthen the mind and increase fertility.  Canadian ginseng is dominantly imported to China.  The Chinese believe that Canadian ginseng is more “yin” and that the ginseng has a sweeter taste and has more nutritional value.  Chinese ginseng is more “yang” and the two are very complementary within Chinese medicine.  The ginseng berry, which is separate to the root used by herbalists, is currently going through stringent testing in Toronto to see if it is useful for lowering blood glucose levels in diabetics.  Initial research indicates that the berry has significantly lowered these measurements in mice and human testing will begin soon.  Other uses for ginseng have included: treatments for the common cold, memory and libido enhancement and scientific research is ongoing with regard to ginseng’s antioxidant properties which may be useful in cardiovascular protection, lowering blood pressure, pain relief, anti-aging and more.

Norfolk County also has several Lavender farms where acres of the purplish flowers can be seen from June to August.  Lavender is a good tobacco replacement crop and has been used for generations for a variety of purposes from culinary to medicinal besides it use in fragrance.  During WWII lavender was used to disinfect the floors and walls of hospitals and today lavender can be found in everything from baby products to fine cuisine.

Eco-tourism and agro-tourism is generating opportunities by featuring unique experiences such as the Long Point Zip-line and Canopy tour.  Tourists can glide through the Carolinian forest or check out the 45’astronomy tower to see over the Great Lake to the hills of Pennsylvania. Work continues on with ideas ranging from Motorcycle tourism, culinary tourism, eco-tourism with the Long Point Biosphere Foundation and a Winery Group.  Several Norfolk farmers have received the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence.  These include the Florence Estate Winery who owners have been adapting tobacco equipment for use in growing grapes for wines.  At the Y U Ranch the owners have converted tobacco fields for Texas Longhorn Cattle in a direct to consumer operation. Blueberry Hill Estate’s project will turn its existing farmers’ market into a tourist destination, by adding an agri- and eco-safari, an education centre, a winery and distillery, and an outdoor expo.  There are still all the traditional things to do in the County as well.  The renowned Friday the 13th Port Dover motorcycle gatherings, the Tour de Norfolk Bike 2 day event, Delhi Harvest Fest, Norfolk Studio Tours and much more check out the website at www.norfolktourism.ca for more details.

Peterborough Lift Lock

Located in Peterborough Ontario, the Peterborough Lock is #21 on the Trent Severn Waterway System. Although there are lifts that are higher, at 65 feet it is the worlds highest hydraulic lift. The lock works using a counterweigt system and is not dependant on any external power supply.

The Big Nickel

 Sudbury Ontario is home to what The Guinness Book of Records calls the world`s largest coin. The coin sits on the property of Dynamic Earth and is a 30 ft replica of a Canadian 1951 nickel.

Casa Loma

Visitors can go on guided tours of  Casa Loma located in Toronto Ontario. The castle took 300 men three years to build at a cost of aprox. $3.5 million. Upon it`s completion in 1914 the 98 room castle was considered to be the largest private home in North America.

Niagra Falls (Horseshoe Falls)

The Falls were created when glaciers receded at the end of the last ice age and serve as a border between Ontario Canada and the state of New York. Visitors can ride below the falls on the glass bottomed Maid of the Mist.

The Canadian National Exhibition (C.N.E)

Located at Exhibition Place in Toronto Ontario, The C.N.E is the largest fair in Canada. The fair is open from mid August to Labor Day. Attractions include a working farm, midway rides, international food pavilions, as well as the three day International Air Show.

Black Creek Pioneer Village

Located in Toronto Ontario, Black Creek Pioneer Village is the perfect place to step back in time. Take a guided tour through an authentic pioneer town and see how things used to be done.

Blue Mountain Scenic Caves

Located just outside of Collingwood, two hours North of Toronto, Blue Mountain offers visitors so much more than just a breathtaking view. You can spend your day re-discovering natural caves or walking over the suspension bridge that is 25 metres above ground and 300 metres over Georgian Bay. Those who need some extra excitement, they can rid a Zip cord down the side of the mountain. Be sure to wear your hiking shoes.

The Girl suggested we hit up the Niagara region, specifically the tiny village of Niagara-On-The-Lake. This is a part of Southern Ontario known famously for its wineries, antiques, and of course the popular Shaw Festival: a theatrical festival celebrating the works of playwright George Bernard Shaw. At first I was hesitant, hearing largely that the area attracted an older crowd. Regardless, The Girl marched on making preparations for the day in spite of my fears of this generation gap. “It won’t matter after going wine tasting,” I thought to myself.

It was decided that both of us would take Friday off and start on our little journey to the Niagara Region around 11 AM, life moves at a slower pace down there for the better, so why not start the day off with a relaxing little sleep in! Heading down the Q.E.W. we slowly saw the city fade into suburban bliss, developments dotted alongside the highway turned into bungalows with spacious lawns, and finally rows of grape trees neatly lined up one after the other as far as the eye could see.

Our lineup of activities consisted of grabbing a bite to eat, some wine tasting, and then taking in the matinee performance of “Mrs Warren’s Profession”. The area itself is pleasing to the eye; large trees and lush lawns engulf the area as you head down winding roads into the main strip of town on Queen Street. It is here where most of the action takes place. Unique gift shops, restaurants, old historic buildings, horse drawn carriages, hotels, and two of the Shaw theatres neatly file down the large street as people leisurely stroll up and down.

After taking a short drive down the main strip, parking and paying a mere dollar for an hours worth of time (a dollar!), we headed into the “Stagecoach Family Restaurant”, a bustling diner with fast and courteous service. I ordered a BLT and The Girl opted for a very authentic Greek salad in a place that seemed like it wouldn’t serve one. Our meals came and went quickly, the staff gets the throngs of people in and out in a timely fashion (with no push to rush) in order to cater to their consistently full house.

The Niagara region is well known for its numerous vineyards, providing the country and the world with award winning wines. After driving around and scoping out the scene, we settled on Pellar Estates Winery, a sprawling vineyard with a beautiful building which houses the wine tasting and event areas for those special occasions. The place literally transports you to the wine tasting centres of the world like the Nappa Valley, especially when that trip to California isn’t exactly in your budget at the moment.

Our sommelier Mike greets us with a warm welcome, something that we’ve grown accustomed to since arriving in the area – everyone is friendly! Over the next hour he educates us on the different methods of wine tasting, all the while making us feel like he is totally not selling anything. We learn about the proper tasting techniques, how to enjoy your wine, and how the glass makes a difference when tasting. We make sure not to take in too much of the tasting; we still have to go see a play! After some recommendations from Mike, we proceed to the exit – with a couple of bottles for later on at home of course!

Finally we arrive at the last destination of our fun little day trip away from the city, a performance of Bernard Shaw’s “Mrs Warren’s Profession”. One of Shaw’s raciest plays (the house programme tells me that it was banned practically everywhere when it was first produced) it focuses on Mrs. Kitty Warren, a hard working mother providing for her daughter Vivie. Upon learning of how her mother obtained such wealth, scandal breaks loose and mother and daughter battle each other over love, sex, money, and morality.

The play is housed in the large “Festival Theatre”, the Shaw’s flagship theatre that can seat up to 856 people and is used for large-scale productions. With a café and outdoor patio, we decide to enjoy another drink before the show starts and also take in a stroll around the surrounding garden. The production is as racy as it was described to be. I will admit that Shaw’s “Pygmalion” is one of my all time favourite plays, so I have nothing but glowing things to say about this playwright.

With our day at an end, we lazily made our way back to the car and headed back to the grind and noise of the city. On a whole the trip was a great change of pace, and we’re thinking of going back for a weekend to try out some one of the lovely bed and breakfast’s or inns around the area. For a fun, interesting, and relatively inexpensive trip, the Shaw Festival along with the village of Niagara-On-The-Lake is a great place to head to relax the soul and stimulate the mind!

Toronto is a record-breaking place – the CN Tower is the world’s tallest complete structure, Yonge Street is the world’s longest at 1,896km and PATH is the world’s largest underground shopping centre at 371,000 square metres.

This clean and welcoming city of 2.7 million people is also the world’s most culturally diverse, so you can not only sample maple syrup, but a whole range of fantastic restaurants showcasing the world’s menus.

For example, the CN Tower is home to the 360 Restaurant with the world’s highest wine cellar and in the Distillery District you will enjoy eating at The Pure Spirits Oyster House and Grill.

Visit the Royal Ontario Museum and the CN Tower, and enjoy the contrasts between state of the art modern blocks and older architecture dating back to the first British settlers in 1793.

Well-informed tour guides will show you both the modern and traditional in this city of many nationalities before you return to your hotel. Recommended places to stay include the Novotel Toronto, situated in an attractive area once below the surface of Lake Ontario, until it was filled in here to extend the city, and the Sheraton on the Falls.

A couple of hours south of Toronto are must-see Niagara Falls, where you can witness the 53m high falls for yourself by helicopter, or get drenched by the spray in the Maid of the Mist boat.

Not far from Niagara, wine lovers will love Ontario’s wineries, which offer tastings. Taste the country’s famous ice wine, made from crushing frozen grapes.

Or you can travel three hours north to the Algonquin National Park, which is jaw-droppingly beautiful and one of the last true wildernesses of our planet. Outdoor enthusiasts can canoe or kayak on Opeongo Lake, or take an explorers tour and view the amazing wildlife, including moose and birds of prey.

With its good exchange rates and cheaper living costs than many other countries, Canada offers superb value and an experience you will want to relive over and over again.

Check these out for more information

• Ontario: Yours to Discover
  
• Niagara Helicopters
• Maid of the Mist

The Shaw Festival is a world class performing arts company that brings the best plays of George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries to life on three stages. This entertainment spectacle nicely compliments every antique collector’s annual pilgrimage to Virgil and Jordan and the shops along Stone Rd in the old town of Niagara on the Lake.

Shopping for Antiques?

Niagara on the Lake, Virgil and Jordan are terrific places to shop for antique furniture, vintage kitchenware, stain glass windows and lamps. Although military collectibles are surprisingly scarce, there exists an extraordinary amount of sheet music, lace, dolls and of course doll houses, vintage bar supplies and nostalgia pieces from the 1920s and 30s. The area is also rich in antique toys, primitive iron tools, and collectible fruit sealer jars.

Niagara Falls History

Etienne Brûlé was the first European to see Niagara Falls in 1633. The first eyewitness account of the falls in written text was by Father Louis Hennepin in 1683 wherein he described it as, “the most beautiful and altogether the most terrifying waterfall in the universe”.

The first European settlers were primarily British Loyalists fleeing America in 1778. At the end of the American Revolution, these Loyalists were given land grants, and the town of Niagara was laid out on the west bank of the Niagara River. As the first farms were being cut from the wilderness, the first orchards were planted and they included apple trees from Quebec and the Maritimes, and red cherries from the east coast of the United States. The whole settlement prospered under the leadership of John Butler, who had led a regiment of rangers during the revolution.

Handcrafted Wood Furniture

Known for good handcrafted wood furniture, the entire Niagara region is rich with handmade primitives that sometimes incorporate fruitwoods. Inside Europa-Antiques, shoppers will no doubt admire handmade wooden chests, side tables and wardrobes, pine dressers and bookshelf units all being sold for less than $350. The proprietors of this business, located at 1523 Niagara Stone Road, inside a

‘dear old red brick church’, have an interesting attitude toward recycling furniture as part of their contribution to reducing climate change – Josh points to the green Reduce, Reuse, Recycle triangle on his hemp shopping bags. This business is here to sell good furniture cheap, and keep the inventory moving by offering very low prices. And BEST OF ALL, if you buy over four hundred dollars worth of furniture they will deliver it for free as far away as Toronto!

Pottery, Porcelain, and Fine China

Lakeshore Antiques and Treasures is located at 855 Lakeshore Road in the center of Niagara on the Lake. This is a well stocked 7000 square foot building wherein 15 separate merchants offer up their wares. Overall there are good prices here on painted pine furniture and English china. The shop is filled with tables and chairs and early Canadian pottery, porcelain, and English fine china and American kitchenware from the 1940s and 50s. Antique chandeliers hang from the rafters over many merchant holdings.

Bakelite is a Good Buy in Niagara

The area is becoming known for unusual bakelite items like radios and picnic vessels, tableware and all manner of period Art Deco objects. These gorgeous early wood plastic luxury items were imported by retailers to accommodate Niagara Falls tourists in the booming1950’s. Today vintage bakelite is very sheik, and these antiques are cool to collect and relatively inexpensive here because of their availability.

Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian Antiques

Creighton House Antiques is a family business located on the main street of Jordan since 1982, but Joe and Pauline Creighton have been in the area, selling antiques for thirty years. Their large shop is located in the carriage house next to their 1850s Georgian home. They have lots of Canadiana, Victorian, and Edwardian furniture pieces, turn-of-the-century oak wardrobes, and quality mahogany and walnut furniture of the 1920s. The antiques are in “as found condition”, and range from fair to good condition. Joe does the buying and prides himself of the selection – there’s something for everyone here.

Jordan Antiques is found at 3836 Main Street in the village of Jordan and boasts 6000 square feet of shopping; there are a lot of antiques here and it’s not crowded. The prices are good on pine furniture, fine china and figurines. There’s an abundance of Art Deco ashtrays, cranberry coloured carnival glass, vintage Christmas decorations, antique fishing lures, wooden tackle boxes, and handmade quilts. This is the perfect place to outfit a cottage with classic furnishings.

The Shaw Festival plays punctuate the cerebral excitement of this historic destination. Look around this old town and you can see, touch and breathe in the history; the scenery includes thundering black powder cannons in the walls of Fort George, and quaint horse and buggy tours that parade under canopied streets. As most of the buildings in town have historic plaques chronicling their existence, it’s quite enlightening to just saunter around town for an afternoon.