Sadie Snell, a recently-graduated research student from Trent University, believes the Highlands is ripe for an agri-tourism boom, with figureheads from Harvest Haliburton saying the non-profit is working to bring key industry stakeholders together.

Authoring the 42-page report Harvest Haliburton: Unveiling Haliburton’s Bounty Through Agri-Tourism, Snell identified ways County farmers and those with agricultural interests can improve their businesses, while also outlining existing roadblocks hindering the local economy.

The project was inspired by Apple Tree Identification Project (ATIP) Haliburton founder Luba Cargill, who last year suggested U-Links partner with a student researcher to investigate ways to bolster agri-tourism. Snell connected with U-Links last summer, taking on the project in September. She spent the first couple of months cultivating contacts, interviewing 14 people to come up with a list of priorities.

“Prominent findings include a community interest in organized farm tours and other coordinated events, a need for community-building and improved communication and collaboration between agri-tourism industry actors, and a need to address the obstacles faced by the agricultural sector in order to develop a strong foundation for agritourism,” Snell said.

Participants said they’d like to see an agricultural-themed event that runs like Hike Haliburton or The Studio Tour, where multiple locations band together and the public is free to come-and-go.

Need for overarching organization to bring producers together

“Something like that has the potential to connect several small producers and provides people a glimpse into different aspects of Haliburton’s agriculture, geography, and history,” Snell noted, saying the last time something like that was organized locally was by SIRCH Community Services in 2012.

There was an interest in staging more workshops with stakeholders eager to demonstrate skills such as cheese-making and sheep shearing, teaching people about plant biology and how to conduct soil analysis, and broaden the public’s understanding of beekeeping, maple syrup production, and forestry.

In terms of problems to overcome, Snell said most of the people she spoke to felt isolated from others in the sector. Concerns were also raised about a perceived lack of municipal support for agricultural events and issues, and “tedious” provincial regulations.

Stepping up

Through it all, Snell said one thing was clear – there is a need for an overarching organization that can bring all producers together.

Enter Harvest Haliburton. The organization, founded in 2012, has been revived recently following a yearslong pause initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-chair, Barrie Martin, told The Highlander that he could see the group stepping up to the plate.

Martin was one of the 14 people Snell interviewed for her report.

“I’m glad someone decided to look into this because it’s not obvious there’s an agri-tourism potential here. The type of things that can happen is maybe a little bit different than you’d find elsewhere in southern Ontario, which makes us unique,” Martin said, noting the Highlands’ topography being on the Canadian shield, and focus on maple syrup production and wild edibles.

He said Harvest Haliburton is investigating how to develop a local sustainable food system. Collaborating with entities like Abbey Gardens, the Haliburton County Farmers Market, and Haliburton County Farmers Association on programming is key, Martin added.

The non-profit is planning a food-themed forum in October. Martin said about 80 stakeholders attended one in 2019.

“We thought it’d be a good idea to bring organizations and operators together to hear where they’re at, what problems or challenges they’re facing,” Martin said. “It’s not going to be quite an action plan thing, that might be something we do later.”

Martin liked Snell’s report, saying it’s helping to spark conversation among stakeholders.

“If it can get people to explore new ideas, that would be great. There’s lots of energy in the community, it’s just a matter of finding those people and supporting them as much as possible,” he said.

Health unit officials will be keeping a close eye on Rotary Beach in Haliburton village this summer as annual beach water monitoring starts up across the Highlands, Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland County.

Kicking off June 16, the program will see inspectors from the local unit work with Public Health Ontario staff to monitor and test water quality at 54 public beaches – including 19 in Haliburton County. Samples are tested for bacteria such as E. coli, which can cause severe illness.

Bernie Mayer, manager of health protection with the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge district health unit (HKPR), said Rotary Beach was one of the few problem areas found in the County during last year’s testing.

“There was a problem at Rotary Beach – by the end of the season, we actually got some pretty high counts there,” Mayer said, though results weren’t concerning enough to trigger a warning or closure.

All beach locations are tested weekly and, based on results, are assigned one of three risk levels – low-risk (green), which is safe for swimming; moderate-risk (yellow), where swimming is not recommended; or highrisk (red), where it’s closed off to the public. Results are posted online at hkpr.on.ca/BeachCheck.

Mayer said swimming in contaminated water can expose people to harmful bacteria and viruses that can cause gastrointestinal illness, skin rashes, eye or ear infections, and other health issues. Beaches can be contaminated by wildlife, stormwater runoff, or sewage leaks.

“Regular testing allows us to identify potential risks early and keep the public informed so they can enjoy the beach with confidence,” he said.

At least five samples are collected from different points of each beach, with each one tested for the number of bacteria per 100 millilitres of water. This allows the health unit to consider any outliers before announcing an average result for that beach. Results are typically available within 24 hours and posted online immediately.

While E. coli can lead to issues with blue-green algae, a hot-button topic in Haliburton County, Mayer said the health unit does not test potential blooms. He recommended anyone who suspects a bloom may be forming on their lake to contact the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).

There were no beach closures in Haliburton County last year, Mayer noted.

“Generally, the beaches up there are quite good. There are some beaches where, because we have a long-standing history of exceptional water quality, we only sample once per month – most of those are located in Haliburton County,” he said.

Mayer encouraged anyone planning a beach outing to first check the health unit’s digital map to make sure it’s in good condition. A recent HKPR survey revealed 69 per cent of beachgoers did not check water quality results before swimming.

County councillors, at their May 28 meeting, got an update on how the ‘Testing the Waters’ program is going in the Highlands.

Andrew Gordon, director of U-Links, and Jim Prince, co-chair of U-Links and chair of Woodlands & Waterways EcoWatch made a presentation to the meeting.

U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research has been working on various projects in the County since 1999; bringing together Highlands’ organizations with students and faculty from mainly Trent University and Fleming College – much of it environmental.

The two said water quality is one of the primary contributors to our enjoyment of fishing, boating and swimming, property values, and the economy, especially tourism. They noted Watersheds Canada picked Haliburton for its national conference in early May.

The biggest threats, they said, are general lake health, including drinking water and fish populations, septic systems, shoreline vegetation removal, invasive species, microplastics, and the impact from watercraft.

Gordon and Prince also talked about blue-green algae, noting “a significant increase in reported blue-green algae blooms in the last eight to 10 years.”

They entered into a fee for service agreement with the County a couple of seasons ago to provide an overview of the physical and chemical indicators for water quality. They started in 2022-23 with 10 lake associations, and in 2024-25 have grown to 25 lake associations, across 39 lakes, and 61 sites.

The two said while there are four other testing programs in the County (Lake Partner Program, MECP trout lake monitoring, MNRF broad scale monitoring and Kennisis Lake Cottage Owners Association with the LPP), Testing the Waters samples three times a year, including winter ice-on sampling, the only one to do that. They monitor clarity, total phosphorous, ammonia-nitrogen, nitrate+nitrate – Nitrogen, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, sulphate, pH, total alkalinity, conductivity, hardness, dissolved oxygen and temperature.

In producing their reports for lake associations, Gordon and Prince said the focus is on what waterfront property owners can do to sustain good water quality, such as managing septic systems properly, and keeping shorelines natural.

The two said the program works, providing an example of a septic problem on Little Kennisis Lake discovered when doing the testing. Dysart’s septic inspection program, which found one third of systems damaged – then fixed or replaced – has improved phosphorous numbers. The two said it is only though building a sampling database that trends can be identified, and hopefully rectified.

“We’re almost at a point where we can take a snapshot of the County and tell you ‘this lake looks like a hotspot area right here, we’ve got some problems going on, this area over here is clear’ and with that we’ll be able to make some management recommendations as to what you might be able to do to improve the water quality in that particular area.”

Haliburton County council has opted against appealing a recent Algonquin Highlands decision to rezone land near Halls Lake so the owner can establish a hobby farm and build a secondary residence.

The lower-tier council signed off on an application to redesignate Tim and Laura Kegel’s six-acre property on Little Hawk Lake Road from Shoreline Residential Two (SR2) to Rural-Exception (RU) on May 29. The township’s planner, Sean O’Callaghan, had recommended the file be turned down after learning it did not comply with the County’s official plan.

County CAO Gary Dyke told council June 11 that he didn’t believe this was a major concern.

“What I reviewed, it was a technical aspect where both [Algonquin Highlands’ and the County’s] official plans require access to a property directly from a public roadway. That’s what’s missing here,” Dyke said, with the only access coming from the neighbouring Shalom on the Lake property, which is owned by Tim’s sister.

The application has been opposed by the Halls & Hawk Lakes Property Owners Association (HHLPOA) and several of the Kegels’ nearest neighbours. A petition calling for Algonquin Highlands to turn the proposal down was signed by 565 people.

In a letter submitted to County council ahead of last week’s decision, HHLPOA president Shelley Fellows said her association’s concern “is rooted in the significant risk [the amendment poses] to Halls Lake water quality.”

The Kegels want to raise livestock on the property and have been approved for a total nutrient unit (NU) threshold of 1.5, which should allow for up to four pigs and some chickens. NU refers to the amount of nitrogen and phosphate nutrients generated by livestock and poultry. In Ontario, one unit is defined as the nutrient value equivalent to 43 kilograms of nitrogen or 55 kilograms of phosphate.

With the Kegel property located within 120 metres of Halls Lake, Fellows contends it should have remained SR2. By introducing farm animals that close to the water, the lake association is worried about possible contamination.

Liz Danielsen, the County’s deputy warden and Algonquin Highlands’ mayor, said no concerns were raised through the environmental impact study and nutrient management strategy the Kegels had done last year, while officials from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness (OMAFRA) and Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) expressed no issues.

“It almost seems… that [the opposition] wasn’t down to the health of the lakes, it was down to the number of pigs,” Danielsen said. “The property in question is surrounded by other rural parcels in similar proximity to the lake… and they could do exactly what the applicant wants to do without having to apply for it.”

Fellows said many of those properties received RU designation “decades ago, well before the impact of our landbased activities on water quality were understood.”

Coun. Lisa Schell pressed on the issue of access, asking what would happen if the current owners of Shalom decided to sell. Danielsen said there is a legal right-of-way connecting the Kegel property to Little Hawk Lake Road – common practice in situations involving shared driveways or access to landlocked properties.

Dyke said County council had to make a decision at last week’s meeting, with a response required by June 21. He did not recommend appealing the decision.

“It would have to be a very egregious matter before it came to County council to ask them to appeal the decision of a duly elected lower-tier municipality,” Dyke said. “I don’t think it meets that standard in this case.”

With the passing of Bill 23 in 2022, neighbouring property owners no longer have the right to appeal development decisions made by local councils to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Instead, that falls to certain advocacy groups such as conservation authorities.

With no such entity in Haliburton County, Fellows said HHLPOA has confirmed that, as an incorporated community group, it is entitled to appeal. Members discussed the situation at a June 18 meeting, though a decision was not available by press time. The association has until June 23 to file.

“Do we have treats for the dog?” Scotch Line landfill attendant Brett Dean asks his colleagues.

He comes to a table by the shed, picks up a basket of Milk Bones, crosses to a vehicle, and hands one to the driver to give to her dog.

Across the dusty road, the driver of a pickup truck honks his horn and calls out, “have a good day, guys.”

Dean, and fellow attendants on this Monday morning, Greg Norris, Lulu Viaes, and Kelly Bowie are all smiles.

It’s waste and recycling workers week.

Viaes and Bowie are at the shed when The Highlander arrives, representing a growing number of women working at the landfill. It’s not just the workforce that is changing. The staff have gone out of their way to decorate the place. At the moment, it’s a summer theme, replete with a kiddie pool, floaties, toys, lawn chairs, and mannequins in snorkel masks.

“We had some women come in last week and they said to me ‘oh my God, this place is so nice. I used to get anxiety and panic attacks coming to the dump,” Viaes said with a grin.

She started working at the landfill after moving to Minden Hills a year ago. She comes from the investment industry.

“I semi-retired and came here to do something part-time, but I love the social aspect of it. I love meeting new people; I love talking to people; I love helping people. I love the job. It’s such a free job. No management on top of you. You are out here all day long, 10-12 hours a day … it’s just such an awesome place,” Viaes said.

She concedes it gets hot in summer. While they have a shed, there is no hydro, so no electricity for an air conditioner or fans. But they have an awning for shade.

Bowie was a cottager for 34 years, moving permanently to Minden Hills two years ago to retire. Like Viaes, it’s a seasonal gig. Both hope to continue part-time in winter when “it’s kind of lonely up here, so it’s nice to talk to people.”

When it comes to the decorations, Viaes said, “we figured if we have to live in it, we might as well make it pretty because we’re here for long days.”

The public

Asked how they are treated by the public, Viaes said “for the most part, 95 per cent are great.”

Bowie added customers know the routine, don’t give staff a hard time about looking into their garbage, “but, of course, you get the odd one.”

Both said a good day is sunny, not cloudy, rainy and muddy. They see eagles in winter, turkey vultures, bears in spring, and a falcon flies overhead.

Norris has been at the landfill three months. He enjoys the job and thinks working for municipal government is a good career move. He said some of the challenges are making sure people are recycling correctly, and some not receptive to feedback.

For him, a good day is when, “the sun is shining, everyone’s happy, we’re laughing between staff, getting along with my co-workers, having everything run smoothly, everything is going in the correct places, everything is well-managed.”

It was Dean’s first day on the job. He’s semi-retired and was looking for 20 hours a week of work. “This was perfect. I live here and I come to the dump. What better way to serve your community?”

Cosh said they have about 13 team members.

“They are really passionate and take a lot of pride in their work. They’re dedicated to their job and want to do a good job. We put a lot of focus on customer service and when we’re hiring and recruiting team members, that’s what we’re looking at. So, a lot of these guys are incredible…

“They want to make a difference. The recognition they’ve all received from the community is incredible, with the differences, what the site looks like, and how they interact with members of the public. I receive compliments all the time.”

Reflecting on the recent release of the third novel in her Second World War-era ‘Promise’ series, County-based author Marie Gage said her latest book is more than 20 years in the making.

The self-published A Touch of Promise was released May 26. The 331-page novel reacquaints readers with Pearl Griffith, the protagonist from Gage’s second feature, Promise of the Bluebell Woods.

“Pearl is a young British war bride who dares to leave her homeland, family, and everything familiar to start a new life in Canada, with her beloved soldier husband,” Gage said.

In the second book, released in August 2022, Pearl met Rod, a Canadian soldier posted in the UK at the height of the Second World War. The story focuses on their blossoming relationship – by its end, the conflict in Europe had been resolved and Pearl decided to accompany Rod back to his home in London, Ontario.

The third novel finds Pearl in a difficult position – 10 months into her new life, things haven’t panned out the way she thought they would.

“This story is all about the struggle of war brides when they arrived in Canada,” Gage said. “Canadian women were not very happy because they felt these women had stolen Canadian men from them. And men were in short supply following the war. There was a lot of jealously, which made settling particularly difficult.”

Pearl, now 22, must also navigate a strained, increasingly toxic relationship with her mother-in-law. Missing her family and old life back home, she searches for a reprieve, which Gage said arrives at just the right time.

She finds solace in an unlikely sisterhood – a diverse group of women who share their strength, humour, and understanding, building new bonds that deepen Pearl’s sense of purpose while connecting her with much-needed new friends.

“It’s basically a collection of war brides who feel like they have nowhere to turn, so, in the best of ways, they begin leaning on one another for support,” Gage said. The book tackles some serious subjects, including the devastating effects of posttraumatic stress disorder, then known as battle fatigue.

Through it all, despite the struggles, Pearl perseveres. “She really, really, really loves her husband,” Gage said, noting there are several recurring characters from the first two novels.

Wrapping the trilogy, the author is unsure if she’ll delve into her ‘Promise’ series again. She said it feels complete, like things have come full circle.

Her debut novel, A Ring of Promises, is loosely based on the story of Gage’s grandparents’ immigration to Canada, with the second drawing inspiration from her in-laws. Her latest continued in that vein.

“The inspiration for Pearl was my motherin-law… she did have, in real life, a difficult time with her own mother-in-law, who lived with them. But it wasn’t anywhere near the extent of what Pearl goes through in the book,” Gage said.

A launch party has been scheduled June 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. at 15 Webb Circle in the Silver Beach community outside Haliburton village. Gage will read an excerpt and be signing books. A Touch of Promise is available at Master’s Book Store and online through Amazon.