A little Mexican to spice up the Castle

February 24, 2023

By Lisa Gervais

What started as Tacos and Tunes on a Friday night has morphed into Poquito Loco making Castle Antiques its permanent home.

After the Mexican restaurant closed in the Silver Maple Motel, co-owner Claudette Pitre said Castle Antiques’ Anna Lowes and Amanda Manary approached her and asked if she and Mark Christiano would be interested in doing Friday nights. Christiano, who is with the Ya Ya Baby’s, was onboard and Taco and Tunes began Nov. 11.

“Friday nights were so much fun, people dancing and eating Mexican food, and it just kind of snowballed from there,” Pitre said.

Lowes agreed. Looking at Pitre on one of the couches in Castle Antiques, she said, “the nights were so good and you were looking for a permanent place. Friday nights weren’t enough. And we certainly didn’t want to lose them, so we figured something out that was going to work for everyone in the community,” she said.

Pitre calls it a “combination” and Lowes a “perfect collaboration.”

How it will work is the bakers will still come in early to make the treats Castle has become famous for, including its vegan and gluten-free line of products. They plan to add some savoury baking. They’ll still do soups and salads and their signature drinks. They will continue to make cookies during the day but the plan is to get out of the kitchen by 11 a.m. so Pitre and her team can get in to do their food prep for the lunch crowd.

Lowes said “Claudette is gracious enough to accommodate our other clientele as well and offer some vegan and gluten free options so everyone’s happy.”

Pitre said they have a gluten free wrap on the Mexican menu, for example.

The business was closed for five days of renovations, mostly in the kitchen.

Lowes said they essentially had to make two work areas with shared fridge, freezer and lots of ovens.

“I think it’s going to be good,” Pitre said. “Like, it feels good, the flow of it…for me anyway.” She begins working full time March 3. “It’s amazing for me. It kind of feels perfect. We have a spot in a prime location. We have each other’s customers.”

Lowes agrees, “our customers have been loyal throughout, and that’s why we’re accommodating them, but Claudette is going to really see that shift. She is going to be really busy. And she has a really loyal following as well. We’re hoping it’s the beginning of something fun at Castle.”

Tacos and Tunes goes Friday, Feb. 24 and it’s business as usual from Saturday, Feb. 25.

Dropping the ball again

Mike Baker

February 23, 2023

A lot sure can change in 14 years.

If we were to rewind the clock to February 2009, we’d find Barack Obama settling into his new digs in the Oval Office; Beyonce topping the charts with her hit song Single Ladies; and Liam Neeson enjoying something of a career renaissance following the surprising success of his indie film, Taken.

Apple’s iPhone had yet to really take off, lagging behind the Blackberry in both proficiency and popularity. We were six years away from McDonald’s announcing all-day breakfast. Blockbuster was still a thing. Sidney Crosby had yet to score that goal.

It’s enough to make me sit down and take stock of our current situation and wonder where we’ll be in February 2037… For one lucky family added to the Kawartha Lakes Haliburton (KLH) Housing Corporation waitlist for community housing this winter, they’ll finally be getting the keys to their brand-new place.

Yep – the lineup for subsidized housing in Haliburton County is 2,198 households deep. New additions are told it will likely take between 10 and 14 years before they’re given a home.

In short, we have a bit of a problem.

The blame doesn’t land at the feet of KLH. It can’t even be attributed to Premier Doug Ford’s woeful lack of long-term planning, or Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s frivolous spending. No, this is an issue stretching back decades – to 1984 and the federal Conservative government led by Brian Mulroney. During his 10 years in office, Mulroney slashed national affordable housing spending to the tune of $2 billion. His successor, Kim Campbell, went one better in 1993, cancelling any new funding streams for affordable housing altogether.

If ever there was a decision to look back on and criticize, this is it. Talk about dropping the ball.

According to a recent Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) report, we need to build almost six million affordable units nationwide by 2030 to replenish the country’s housing stock and restore affordability for those on moderate to low incomes.

Is it possible? Sure. Is it likely? Probably not. I’d like to be more optimistic – really, I would. But our governments’ track record is shoddy at best. For all his chest thumping over the past six months, lauding himself as the saviour to all our housing headaches, Ford’s plan to build 1.5 million new homes in Ontario over the next 10 years still falls short of what’s needed. Mostly because there’s nothing in his plan that addresses the demand for more affordable housing.

In Haliburton County, KLH has pegged that need at somewhere north of 750 units. As much as Kirstin Maxwell and her team would like to follow through on the organization’s 10-year strategic plan to bring those units online, their hands are tied.

Record inflation and eight consecutive interest rate hikes will do that to you.

It wasn’t nice listening to local leaders like Maxwell, and Minden Hills mayor Bob Carter practically beg the provincial and federal governments to act. We already know where Ford stands, but for MPP Laurie Scott to say, basically, that KLH receives enough money from the province and should prioritize which projects are most important to them, is discouraging.

Watching the feds shell out $19 billion to purchase a new fleet of F-whatever fighter jets, while its people, real people, struggle to find or maintain a roof over their head is, frankly, sickening.

They might not have caused this problem, but it’s on them to fix it. That’s what real leadership is all about. Enough of the lip service, the unnecessary vanity projects. It’s time our money is invested where it’s needed.

From oil to renewable energies

Dr Nell Thomas

February 23, 2023

SOLUTIONS
Switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy could save the world as much as $12 trillion by 2050 (Joule, Sept. 2022). The Institute for New Economic Thinking advises full speed ahead with green energy transition, citing the falling cost of solar and wind, and increasing costs of fossil fuels.

Wind and solar farms with battery backup are cheaper to build than natural gas power plants in Ontario and Alberta. The price of these renewables is expected to fall 40 per cent by 2035 (Clean Energy Canada).

In 2021, 88 per cent of the world’s new power capacity was wind and solar, while hydropower has the largest global total renewable generation capacity (IRENA).

The Netherlands’ national football stadium is 100 per cent solar powered. It is Europe’s largest commercial energy storage system using EV batteries (148 repurposed car batteries).

Reborn Electric Motor transforms 200 diesel buses in Chile to electric each year, estimating 70,000 fewer tons of carbon reach the atmosphere.

A riverside photovoltaic power plant in China combines solar with tidal – moon gravity generating tides after sunset. Using drones and AI systems for maintenance, this plant generates over 100 million kWh annually. China’s National Energy Administration reports its total renewable energy capacity exceeds 1,200GW. China banned coal-based mining in Inner Mongolia.

South Korea’s bike lanes are covered with solar panels, protecting cyclists from sun while producing clean energy.

In 2006, 100 per cent of Southern Australia’s energy was from fossil fuels. Government initiatives led it to become one of the world’s greenest energy grids, fast-tracking wind farms and putting solar panels on 40 per cent of homes. Closing their largest coal-fired power station, they funded a solar-powered greenhouse employing 220 people, and built the world’s largest grid-scale battery storage. By 2020, South Australia obtained 60 per cent of its energy from renewables.

A school in Switzerland, made from sustainable materials and running entirely on solar, produces enough energy to power itself and 50 surrounding homes.

The Scottish island, Yell, uses tidal power to charge electric vehicles. The underwater turbines (Shetland Tidal Array) have been powering Shetland homes for five years. Scotland has banned the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.

The plan to cover U.S. supermarket roofs with solar panels could power eight million homes, saving 51 million tonnes of C02 annually.
The world’s first 100 per cent wind-powered trains in the Netherlands provide over 600,000 passengers carbon free travel (5,500 trips) daily.

Dutch renewable architecture specialist Ibis Power developed a rooftop system combining solar and wind turbines for medium-sized and high-rise buildings (PowerNEST), producing six to 10 times more energy than solar alone.

Solar panels in Kenya placed above crops create low-cost electricity and shield crops from heat stress and water loss, boosting yields and collecting rainwater. Agrivoltaic farms generate low-cost renewable electricity while sacrificing no arable land.

The Canadian Climate Institute said three of the five government climate policies required to meet Canada’s 2030 emissions targets could be finalized in 2023. Their independent analysis of Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan finds the plan credible, establishing Canada’s path toward 2026 (and 2030 and 2050) emission-reduction targets. The cap on oil and gas emissions is anticipated to make a 33-megatonne reduction by 2030 (18 per cent of the reduction needed to meet target).

By 2026, 20 per cent of passenger vehicles sold in Canada must be electric (60 per cent by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050).

In Ecuador there is a move to establish a global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty that, “for the world’s collective good,” would provide financial support to countries and relieve them from imposed fossil fuel extraction. This treaty recognizes the international responsibility for controlling fossil fuel harms.

Kolomeijka to support arts in Ukraine

Mike Baker

February 23, 2023

Dance Happens Here Haliburton (DH3) is reintroducing the public to traditional Ukrainian dance, culture, and food Feb. 25, bringing the popular Kolomeijka celebration back to the Highlands after a six-year hiatus.

Taking place at the Haliburton Legion, the event will double as a fundraiser this year with all proceeds to support the arts in wartorn Ukraine. Organizer, Jim Blake, said it would be an evening of fun and reflection for those in attendance.

“We had over 100 people out for our first event in 2017, and it was incredible – the dance floor was full, everyone had smiles on their faces, and there was a real appreciation for Ukrainian culture,” Blake said. “We did a poll of the people that came out last time, and about a third of them had Ukrainian ancestry, so there’s a strong presence in the Highlands.”

The Russian invasion of the eastern European nation has hit many in the community hard, which was a big reason for bringing the celebration back, according to Blake.

“It’s pretty shocking what’s been happening over there – people in the Ukraine are dealing with some very serious issues right now, and they require assistance from people in so many different ways,” he said. “We’re viewing this event as an opportunity to get together again and have a big celebration post-pandemic, while also raising some money to send to folks who really need it.”

Jenn and Paul Doroniuk of the Winnipegbased Verba Ukrainian Dance Company are returning for the event. Explaining the origins of Kolomeijka, Blake said it started out as a traditional music genre in the Ukraine but was adopted as a social event by Ukrainian immigrants in western Canada in the 1950s and 1960s.

“It is a dance… it begins with participants forming a circle and then moving, usually counter clockwise, then clockwise, or by forming a spiral. As the dance progresses, individual or small groups of dancers go into the middle of the circle and perform their favourite dance ‘tricks’ involving lifts, spins and high kicks,” he said. “It’s considered to be the highlight of Ukrainian weddings and dances.”

Vincent Rees is helping on the fundraising side through his non-profit Cobblestone Freeway Foundation (CFF). Initially launched in 2020 to assist people who were out of work due to COVID-19, CFF pivoted last year to assist people affected by the Russian invasion.

Blake hasn’t set a fundraising target but noted 100 per cent of the proceeds from ticket sales would be diverted overseas, with CFF having identified a Ukrainian dance troupe requiring support.

“Because of the war, many of these arts and dance organizations haven’t been able to do much. Their government funding has diminished quite a bit, but they still want to continue performing. Even though they’re going to war, people still need to celebrate,” Blake said.

Doors open at the Legion at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for students, with youth under 18 free. For more information, visit dancehappenshere.com.

‘One-of-a-kind experience’ for local Husky

Mike Baker

February 23, 2023

Haliburton’s Graeme Armstrong had his hockey dreams come true earlier this month, taking to the ice with his hometown Huskies to make his OJHL debut.

The 16-year-old played a key role in the team’s 10-4 victory over the visiting Caledon Admirals at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena Feb. 4. He saw big minutes, particularly in the first and third periods, lining up on the right side of the Huskies’ defence, and even helped himself to his first point – a secondary assist on the team’s fourth goal, scored by Ty Collins.

Speaking to The Highlander, Armstrong recounts his experience from game day and the 48 hours leading up to it.

“I was down in Peterborough when I got the call from coach Ryan [Ramsay]. He had a few guys out nursing injuries and wanted to give them a bit of a break… I attended a players’ camp with the Huskies in the summer and am registered as an affiliate player. Still, it was a massive surprise,” Armstrong said.

The youngster has spent this season playing AAA with the Central Ontario Wolves’ U16 outfit, putting up 16 points in 36 games.

He got to the rink early, around three hours before puck drop, where he was greeted by Ramsay and assistant Jordan Bailey. The pair explained how and where they saw Armstrong fitting into the lineup, prepping him on the Huskies’ systems. The rest of the team took the blueliner under their wing, including him in their usual pre-game routines.

He was first out onto the ice for warm-ups, where he completed a ‘rookie lap’ in front of his cheering family and friends. That helped to settle the nerves, though Armstrong said he felt his heart skip a beat when Ramsay gave him the nod to jump the boards for his first shift early in the opening period.

“He just said ‘welcome to junior hockey’, told me to play my game, try not to be nervous and to do everything hard. He said I was there on merit and to go out onto the ice and show everyone what I can do,” Armstrong said. “It was a bit overwhelming, but I took a hit against the boards almost right away, and that helped me to dial in.”

He was on the ice for four Huskies goals in the first frame. Back in the locker room between periods, he was handed a puck noting the date and opponent, in honour of his first OJHL point.

With the result secure in the third, Ramsay started rolling Armstrong out every other shift, leaving him on the ice for the final two minutes of play.

“It almost felt like a one-of-a-kind experience. Not many kids my age can say they’ve been able to play Jr. A hockey, especially for their hometown team,” he said.

“I remember being in the stands last season and thinking ‘wouldn’t it be cool to make it out onto the ice, even just for one game’. Now I’ve had that first taste, I want more.”

Armstrong will finish out this season with the Wolves, though said he hopes to play junior hockey next year.

Huskies fry the fish in Family Day action

Mike Baker

February 23, 2023

With just three games remaining in the OJHL regular season, the Haliburton County Huskies are in a straight shot with the Wellington Dukes for second place in the South/East conference – and the post-season home advantage that comes with it.

S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena was packed to the brim on Family Day (Feb. 20) as the blue and white welcomed the Lindsay Muskies to town for the final chapter of this season’s Battle of Hwy. 35. The home team cruised to a 5-1 win, their fourth of the season over Lindsay, giving them 74 points after 51 games – one better than the Dukes, who have played a game less.

There was a celebratory mood inside the rink in the lead-up, with the Huskies holding a pre-game ceremony to honour its eight graduating players. Mid-season acquisitions Josh Currie, Boyd Stahlbaum and Zack Terry joined goaltender Aidan Spooner, top-scorer Ty Collins, assistant captains Sam Solarino and Isaac Sooklal, and captain Christian Stevens in receiving a standing ovation at centre ice, each flanked by members of their family.

Things turned serious as soon as the puck dropped Monday afternoon. Forward Lucas Stevenson lasted just 15 seconds before being handed a game misconduct for throwing a hit to the head of Muskies’ defenceman Gavin Keller.

The home side’s PK unit was resolute, killing the five-minute major and a Currie slashing minor.

Midway through the period, the Huskies found an opening – though the goal was shrouded in controversy. Currie latched onto a loose puck in front of the net at 9:41, diverting it goalward. Muskies blueliner Alexis Gonzalez-Lambert attempted a block on the goal line, but, after a lengthy stoppage, the officials gave the goal.

Carson Christy scored a penalty shot for the visiting side at 13:26, sending the teams in tied after the first buzzer.

Zack Terry rung the iron with a low shot from the slot early in the second, before Stahlbaum, who started the season with the Muskies, came back to haunt his old team. He lifted a rebound high into the Lindsay goal at 11:54 after netminder, Yacine Chemrouk, had denied Sooklal and Leo Serlin. Collins then made it a 3-1 game at 14:29, finishing off another rebound – this time on the powerplay.

The game fell a little flat in the third, though the Huskies added a pair of goals late in the frame. Stevens took advantage of a five-on-three opportunity to score his 20th goal of the season at 15:23, with Alex Cunningham tipping a Lucas Marshall shot in at 18:22.

The win was the “perfect response” to a disappointing 6-3 road loss to the Georgetown Raiders Feb. 18, Stevens told The Highlander.

“We faced a bit of adversity there early on, but our PK has been unreal all season… we stuck in there, then took full advantage when our chances came,” Stevens said.

He felt it was a good omen that the Huskies had five different names on the scoresheet. “That’s what makes a championship team – scoring from all over the ice. We have confidence no matter who’s out there.”

With playoffs looming, the Huskies look set for a seven-game series with the St. Michael’s Buzzers or Toronto Patriots. They’ve played each team four times this season, going 4-0 against St. Michael’s and splitting their series with the Patriots 2-2.

“This is the best time of the year for a hockey player. I always get excited for playoffs,” Stevens said. “We’ve got to take care of business now in these last few games, try and secure that second spot that we’ve had all year. That would give us home ice advantage, which is huge for us because we love playing in Minden in front of all our fans.”

First though, the blue and white will host the Toronto Jr. Canadiens Feb. 25, before traveling to Milton for a tilt with the Menace Feb. 26. They close out the regular season in Minden March 4 against the North York Rangers. Playoffs begin March 8.

Storm dominate Generals 12-0

Lisa Gervais

February 23, 2023

On Friday, Feb. 17, The Highland Storm Tom Prentice and Sons U18 Rep team faced off against the Oshawa Generals at the S.G Nesbitt Memorial Arena.

The first period started with Aiden Perrott scoring a goal within the first 10 seconds. Twenty seconds after that, Alex Henry scored a goal. Next, Perrott scored his second goal. Then, on a powerplay, Kyan Hall scored a goal, making it 4-0. Within seconds, Henry scored his second goal. The game was 5-0 going into the second.

The second period started with a beautiful one-timer by Gage Hutchinson. Then, Kaine Brannigan scored his first goal of the game. Next, Brody Prentice scored his first goal of the game. Then, Perrott scored his hat-trick goal. Nathan Guild scored his first goal. It was 10-0 going into the third.

The third period started with Avery Degeer scoring his first goal of the game followed by another goal by Brannigan. The final score was 12-0.

High school Nordic team off to provincials

Lisa Gervais

February 23, 2023

Sisters, Olivia and Violet Humphries, were only two when parents, Joleen Thomas and Stuart Humphries, put them on cross country skis for the first time.

Now, Olivia, in Gr. 11, and Violet, in Gr. 9, are members of the Haliburton Highlands Secondary School (HHSS) Nordic team that is off to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Feb. 22-24 at Lakefield College School.

Olivia came in second in her category at COSSA high school, finishing a mere .8 of a second behind the winner, a club skier. She completed the seven-kilometre course in slightly over 24 minutes. Violet was also a silver medalist in her category, also losing out to a club skier. She completed a fivekilometre circuit in just over 17 minutes.

Neither knows what to expect this coming week as they have not raced at the provincial level before. Olivia thinks the schools from further north are probably a lot more into it due to weather and trail conditions.

Neither is intimidated, though. Violet has run cross-country at OFSAA. “I don’t really mind because I’m used to races from crosscounty running. To me, it’s just another race.”

Haliburton captured the COSSA junior girls team title. Violet, along with teammates Erika Hoare (fourth), Ella Gervais (fifth) and Olivia Gruppe (sixth) earned gold medals in this category supported by Grace Allder (eighth), who is the official alternate for the team. Hannah Sharp (ninth), and Teagan Hamilton (11th) also qualified for OFSAA in the junior girls division with their strongest ski of the season. Erika was 11th in the overall junior results.

Along with Olivia’s second in senior girls, Haiden Bird was sixth in junior boys.

Gervais said looking at the overall results from COSSA, among all 42 junior level skiers across the three associations and both genders, Violet had the fourth fastest time, “which is pretty impressive.

“And all eight of our junior skiers finished in the top three-quarters of the finishers. It should also be noted that the junior girls sprint relay team of Violet, Erika, Ella and Olivia had the top finishing time at the meet from all the junior teams, including the boys. This was a 4x900m course,” Gervais said.

The coach said last season was cancelled due to the pandemic, and Sharp, Hamilton and Bird all learned to cross country ski just this year.

“They had been competing previously in the 3km Novice division as new skiers, but all chose to make the leap to the competitive 5km race and vie for an OFSAA qualifying spot, which is no easy feat to complete this distance. All nine skiers have qualified for OFSAA.”

Coach Gervais is feeling “great” about their chances.

“I think our junior girls’ team is looking really strong along with our top individual skiers.”

Mike Rieger is co-coach and Joleen Thomas and Kevin Hoare have also helped coach and support the athletes throughout the season.

Gervais said it’s been years since they’ve had such a large Nordic team and sent so many athletes to OFSAA.

“These athletes have all worked really hard and each has improved so much individually.”

She added even better news is they will all be returning next year, and will be joined by some strong elementary school skiers.

Games ‘experience of a lifetime’ for Haliburton curler

Mike Baker

February 23, 2023

Haliburton’s Owen Nicholls is looking to make a name for himself on the national stage later this month, when he travels to Summerside, P.E.I. to participate in the 2023 Canada Winter Games.

Nicholls, a Grade 12 student at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School (HHSS), will play in the U18 curling championships, where he will represent the London-based Team Stratton. It will be his 12th major event of a highly-successful first season with the team, which has claimed wins at multiple prestigious events, including the Canada Winter Games trials in December, and the Ontario provincial championships in January.

The event will feature 12 of the best up-and-coming teams from across the country, including representatives from all 10 provinces, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. Nicholls leaves Feb. 26 and will be down east for 10 days.

“To say it’s the stuff of dreams would be an understatement. Having the chance to play at a Canada Games and see how good you have to be to actually compete at that level, it’s going to be one of the best experiences of my life,” Nicholls told The Highlander.

Playing the lead position, Nicholls has developed a tight bond with his new teammates this season. Having played with fellow Haliburtonian Jacon Dobson at the U21 level last year, Nicholls accepted an offer to join Team Stratton in the summer, after serving as a spare for the squad at least season’s provincial championships.

“I gladly took the offer – they were the reigning provincial champions and a national bronze medalist, so I saw it as an opportunity to take my game to new heights,” he noted.

Nicholls has come a long way from his humble beginnings as a novice, starting out at the youth program at the Haliburton Curling Club. It’s been nine years since he threw his first rock, and while he’s played at some of the best venues across the province, he said his favourite rink will always be right here in the Highlands. He still gets out to the Mountain Street facility at least once a week for regular league play.

He gave a shoutout to Hugh Nichol and Terry Lawrence, who ran the youth program, for inspiring him at a young age and pushing him to learn and grow over the years. He said he plans to take their many lessons and put them into practice on the ice in Summerside next week.

After working out some early season kinks, Team Stratton is heading into the games as one of the favourites. Nicholls feels the team is coming into peak form at just the right time.

“This has been our goal right from day one. Now that we’re here we have to make the most of this opportunity,” Nicholls said.

“At the beginning of the season, we were just scratching out wins whereas now we’re really earning them… it’s going to be nice to test myself and see how we fare as a team. I’m confident we can go there and compete against anyone.”

Team Stratton is guaranteed to play five games, starting with an afternoon tilt against Team Northwest Territories Feb. 28. To track results, visit 2023canadagames.ca.

Growing business to bring flowers into people’s lives

Lisa Gervais

February 23, 2023

The business name is unconventional – Snaffle+Mane plant + floral design – and the proprietor admits to being a bit “quirky” as the latest offering at 83 Maple Ave., Haliburton springs into life.

Gillian Taylor is likely a familiar face to many. She ran the Cookhouse at the Haliburton Forest for a spell. She was at Boshkung Brewing and Castle Antiques for a short time. She’s done carpentry and a lot of marketing for other businesses. She’s a horse afficionado.

While potting succulents at her shop overlooking the corner of Maple Avenue and York Street, Taylor said her own postcard marketing illustrates the fact, “I’m a pretty quirky human, so I was like, ‘I’m just going to do whatever I think. I want it to be ridiculous’.” The advertising postcard depicts a horse and rabbit along with some plants.

Taylor has had the business for almost seven years, operating out of markets in Toronto. She now lives on Stormy Lake with her mother.

When Heidi Hudspith was moving her Mixtape Vintage business, she asked Taylor if she would be interested in taking over the space. She recalled saying, “don’t be crazy.”

However, “I mulled it over for a weekend and then I made the decision that it was time to take my business to the next level.” She took over the storefront Feb. 2, renovated “solidly” and opened Feb. 11.

Asked about her trade, she said she started out concentrating on succulents. She grows them. She was doing arrangements in upcycled, repurposed antiques.

“I’ve always loved plants. In my condo in Toronto, I had huge windows and exposed ceilings. I just literally jammed plants into every single nook and cranny. Then, I started becoming more interested in different varieties and different species. It just kind of took off from there.

“I’ve just always loved flowers,” she added. “I started doing events and little pop-ups. It really brought me a lot of joy.”

However, the logistics of not having a physical location, and a proper storage fridge, were challenging, especially if doing weddings or other events. She said her home became “coo coo.”

Asked to elaborate on her love of plants, Taylor retorted with a laugh, “well, plants don’t talk back.

“I’ll pick up a plant, I’ll be ‘oh, hi!’ Watching things grow, I don’t have children, so I don’t really have that element of watching something be cultivated by hand. My horse obviously is sort of that for me.”

She said she’s also always been customer service oriented. Her core business values include consistent hours, a friendly face that says hello when someone comes through the door, accommodating as much as she possibly can, taking the time to have chats with people and get to know them, not just view them as a dollar sign.

She hopes to do a lot of weddings and celebrations. She plans to do subscription programs for regular customers, with possible pick-up points so people don’t have to travel to Haliburton. She wants to keep her prices as reasonable as possible “to allow people to bring flowers into their lives on a regular basis.” She sources her stock herself in-person when she can.

“Anything I do, I put 100 per cent towards. Having done that for so many other people, it was time to work those 12 hours a day and see that work directly pay off … I just want to be open and busy.”

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