Tuesday afternoon, June 9, 2009, turned out to be a lovely day, perfect for a drive to the northern end of Prince Edward County - Big Island and Northport to be exact. My mission…brochure deliveries.

My first stop, Haystrom Farm on Bethel Road is owned by Jim Hayward. Jim grows heirloom and exotic fruits and vegetables including 120 varieties of tomatoes and 20 varieties of melons, which are available at his roadside stand during the growing season. Check it out sometime.

A hop skip and a jump later and I arrived at Big Island where Terry Sprague of NatureStuff Tours and Things met me at the door of his house. He had been working on his computer (bird stuff no doubt). A big thank you to Terry for graciously volunteering his time to keep the Rossmore visitor kiosk stocked with Visitors Guides and Taste Trail and Arts Trail brochures, during the busy tourist season.

Around the corner from Terry Sprague’s, situated on the Bay of Quinte, is the Baycrest Lodge and Marina. Owner Dave Owen has a beautiful spot with dockage, storage and repair service. Rentals of sailboats and fishing boats are also available.

Rather than completing a full loop, I back-tracked on Sprague Road to Fairview Farm, owned by Mark Bartkiw. Situated on a hill overlooking the Big Island marsh, Mark’s farm is a picturesque place for his organically grown, pick-your-own vegetables, fruits and flowers. While there visitors may wish to take a look at Mark’s handmade furniture crafted from century-old lumber.

Back on the mainland and heading east on County Road 15, towards the Skyway Bridge (Highway 49), I paid a visit to Bill Reddick Studio Porcelain. He had just finished roasting some Rwandan coffee beans and offered me a cup of the freshly brewed coffee. During my visit Bill mentioned that his plate entitled “Plate with National Imagery” will be shown at the 2009 Cheongju International Craft Biennale in Cheongju, South Korea. The largest fine craft event of its kind, the Craft Biennale will showcase work from over 40 nations. Canada is the featured guest country for 2009 and we’re very proud to have Bill representing Prince Edward County’s vibrant creative community.

Next I made a brief stop at Clearwater Design to drop of some brochures in their mailbox, before skipping over to Therapy on the Bay on Georges Road, which is owned by Bruce and Marilyn Foster. Bruce is a registered physiotherapist,certified in acupuncture and treats mind, body and spirit in a tranquil setting on the Bay of Quinte.

My last brochure drops of the day, before heading home for supper, were to Bayside Cottages, the Grey Cottage at Green Point and Goodfellow Meats.

I must admit, it was a great way to spend an afternoon at work.