Maple Marches into the Valley! - theHumm March 2020
Maple Marches into the Valley! - theHumm March 2020
By Sarah Kerr
March! I can’t believe it! We’ve made it through the darkness and are heading to the light — with longer days and spring just around the corner. I find March is a favourite month of mine, not just because it’s my birthday month, but it’s also Nowruz (Persian New Year on spring equinox) marking a new year, a fresh start, spring!
I love planning March with kids because its full of maple goodness; there’s still snow but lots of sunshine to get the sap running. The beginning of the agricultural season. I’m sure you have your own spring traditions, but for those new or old to the Valley, it’s nice to remember all of the fun family activities to try in our own backyard.
Here’s a quick DIY “Maple March Break” planner for you and your littles:
Plan your sugar bush visit! Our tradition is to visit Shirley Fulton-Deugo at Fulton’s Pancake House in Pakenham on the first weekend. Our girls love to dance a jig to the live fiddle music, pet the horses on the sleigh ride and see how sap is boiled down into syrup on the outdoor fire (on special event days). Check out fultons.ca or call ahead to confirm what’s on at the farm. They also have 400 acres to explore on foot or on snowshoes, with a children’s scavenger hunt through the woods. We certainly never leave without a maple taffy on snow!
Hit up your local book shop or library for maple books! Curious George Makes Maple Syrup and Maple Moon are a couple of our favourites — it’s a great way for kids to snuggle in and learn about the process from tree to table. Many local libraries have drop-in storytimes on Fridays at 10:30.
Mount Pakenham has fun themed days all week, so it’s a fun time to try out skiing or snowboarding. Did you know that lift tickets for kids 5 and under are only $8? Tuesday the 17th is St. Patrick’s Day so there are activities planned and everyone wears green! On Sunday the 15th there’s a special live music “après ski” from 2:30–5:30 in the chalet, and their tubing hill is open all weekend!
The Magical Imagination of Mária Moldován - theHumm March 2020
By Sally Hansen
Art… and Soul
The mere mention of Transylvania anywhere in the Anglosphere immediately conjures up the occult adventures of Dracula. Having never met anyone from Transylvania before, your intrepid arts reporter was both mesmerized and intimidated by my utter lack of knowledge of the background of this month’s featured artist from Arnprior.
Mária Moldován’s astonishing art is as unfamiliar as her background — and just as fascinating. This accomplished and multi-talented artist weaves he......
Maple Marches into the Valley! - theHumm March 2020
By Sarah Kerr
March! I can’t believe it! We’ve made it through the darkness and are heading to the light — with longer days and spring just around the corner. I find March is a favourite month of mine, not just because it’s my birthday month, but it’s also Nowruz (Persian New Year on spring equinox) marking a new year, a fresh start, spring!
I love planning March with kids because its full of maple goodness; there’s still snow but lots of sunshine to get the sap running. The beginning of the agricultural seaso......
The Ten Collective Third Annual Exhibit of Paintings - theHumm March 2020
In April 2018, ten Mississippi Mills artists held their first show, expecting 500 people to visit. By the end of the two-day exhibit, more than 1,200 had attended the show and visited the town. In 2019 attendance increased to 1,600. Visitors came from Mississippi Mills, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto. The artists were overwhelmed and sold many of their paintings. It was also very busy weekend for the local restaurants and stores.
“The overwhelming success of the last two shows and......
Youth Homelessness in Lanark County - theHumm March 2020
By Submitted Maureen Running and Nancy Chevrier, Social Justice Committee, CFUW Perth and District
In 2020, youth homelessness continues to be a difficult and complex problem across Canada. In Lanark County youth homelessness is often invisible but is nevertheless very real. Man......
Onion Paper and Ashes - theHumm March 2020
By Angie Arendt
We were standing next to our lockers waiting for the bell to ring before heading into Typing I for an hour of the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog, hoping that today would be the day......
Kanata Choral Society An Afternoon of Music & Fun - theHumm March 2020
Once a year, members of the Kanata Choral Society present an event that is filled with light music to entertain not only an adult audience but also the younger generation. The title of this year’......
More Music at MERA - theHumm March 2020
By Trina Conboy
With two appearances at MERA last year, you would think that we would give James Keelaghan a rest for a while. That’s what we thought too, until we got a last-minute chance to host him and Jez Lo......
MVTM: New Fibre and Textile Art Award! - theHumm March 2020
The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (MVTM) is proud to launch the first KDS Fibre and Textile Art Award to recognize excellence in fibre and textile art. It’s been created as a showcase of......
A Rough Start: Tales of Lower Town - theHumm March 2020
On Sunday, March 22, the Kanata North Concert Series presents an afternoon of stories and song, venturing back to a time when a shiner meant more than a black eye and Ottawa was the toughest......
Deep Roots Food Hub - theHumm March 2020
By David Hinks
Carp-area physician Dr. Barry Bruce is a tireless advocate for local food production and healthy living. At the recent Seedy Saturday event in Almonte he engaged passersby at the very professiona......
MMLT “Tick Talk” and AGM - theHumm March 2020
On Wednesday, March 25, the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) invites everyone to attend “Keeping pace with the risk and spread of tick-borne diseases in Ontario and Quebec” — a presen......
Stand-Up and Take Notice! - theHumm March 2020
By Article submitted Vicki Graham, standup comic wannabe. Vicki lives in Merrickville and is active in her local theatre group. A retired Bank Manager and breast cancer survivor (two things you don’t ass
I always enjoy going through the Humm monthly. While looking for a winter adventure, I came across an article promoting stand-up comedy. I jumped at the chance, and for the last four weeks, seven......
Maple Tale: A Brief History of Fortune Farms - theHumm March 2020
By Ray Fortune
Once again the maple syrup season is here. After a wet dreary January it’s great to look forward to Spring and the taste of fresh maple syrup.
This will be the 47th year of making maple syru......
Meet Federal Green Party Candidate in Carleton Place - theHumm March 2020
By Barb Purdy
To take on the climate emergency, we need to inspire voters and volunteers to join us, the Green Party first responders. What are the best ways for us to work hard and work smart together?
Pl......
Dance for Your Health! - theHumm March 2020
On Saturday, April 25 Eddy and the Stingrays return to the Almonte Civitan Club for the annual Spring Dance in support of Almonte General Hospital – Fairview Manor Foundation. Swing to the c......
Gold Discoveredin Lanark County! - theHumm March 2020
By Jill Carty
When you live a peaceful and tranquil life amongst the natural beauty and maple trees that capture the essence of the Lanark County countryside, the seasons serenade you with the renewal, growth,......
Welcome Springwith some Upbeat Jazz! - theHumm March 2020
The Station Theatre is proud to welcome the Sam Kirmayer Sextet for the first concert of their 2020 music series. Based in Montreal, Sam is a guitarist and composer who has recorded two albums: O......
ADHS Presents Noises Off - theHumm March 2020
By Elizabeth Golding is a grade 12 student at ADHS
Come see Almonte and District High School’s latest play, and don’t forget the sardines! This year ADHS will be performing Noises Off, which was written by Michael Frayn in 1982. It was during a t......
Finding (You)the Perfect Book - theHumm March 2020
By Christine Row
Libraries and bookstores offer a special service that online retailers cannot mimic: connecting people to the perfect book. In the book world, this connection is called “readers’ advisory service......
Garden Workshops - theHumm March 2020
The Almonte Library is offering several Saturday morning workshops to help you green up your garden this spring. The first one takes place on March 14 from 10am to noon, when local grower Sa......
Birding — Not Just for Birders! - theHumm March 2020
Birding (or birdwatching) is one of the fastest growing hobbies in North America, with one in five adults participating. It is both a science and a hobby that gives participants an excuse to trav......
Learning in Almonte Inspires Author - theHumm March 2020
By Glenda Jones & Pat McLaughlin
Sometimes all it takes is encouragement and validation to get creative juices flowing. For Pat McLaughlin, newly published poet, taking a Learning in Almonte course on creative writing with Phil ......
Einstein’s Restaurants (or, the Valley eats at Valley Eats!) - theHumm March 2020
By Sebastian Weetabix
The word restaurant derives from soups sold “to go” in marketplaces. As we know them, restaurants date to the time of the French revolution. Today the term restaurant covers a very wide range of ......
Don’t Say That! - theHumm March 2020
By Glenda Jones
Old Nellie has been in the barn all winter and she’s getting spring fever, so it’s time to saddle up the old girl and get on my high horse for a trot around the countryside. Riding can be a pain ......
Marg Graff & SchoolBOX North - theHumm March 2020
By Sarah Kerr
Almonte’s hometown charity, SchoolBOX, is celebrating the ETFO social justice award-winning teacher Marg Graff for her service and dedication in helping us create Indigenous Learning Centres......
Movies, Music, and Irish Roots - theHumm March 2020
By John Pigeau
It’s March, so by the time you’re reading this it’s either spring or spring is just around the corner. That, I submit to you, is as great a cause for celebration as St. Patrick’s Day. This month,......
Art News Around the Valley - theHumm March 2020
By Miss Cellaneous
Fibre Fling Show & Sale
Out-of-the-Box Fibre Artists will be celebrating their annual Fibre Fling Show and Sale on April 3 and 4. This event will showcase ove......
Seedy Sunday in Perth - theHumm March 2020
Believe it or not, spring is just around the corner — and the Perth Farmers’ Market would like to help you get ready. Maple sap will be flowing, the snow will melt, and it will soon be time to st......
TheHumm’s Daily Dose for March 28, 2020 Support Almonte Merchants, Get Out and Run, and Stay Healthy with Modern Thymes - theHumm March 2020
Destination Almonte has created a wonderful online resource for folks wanting to support their local merchants. At destinationalmonte.com......
TheHumm’s Daily Dose for March 27, 2020 Art Kits for continued creativity, and original art in exchange for ordering books! - theHumm March 2020
JB Arts in Almonte and Art & Class in Perth are both offering a creative way to stay creative: custom art kits that can be delivered or picked up! In Almonte, you can email jeff@jbarts.ca and......
TheHumm’s Daily Dose for March 26, 2020 Good food for dinner, the history of Fortune Farms, and Mississippi Mudds-wear. - theHumm March 2020
If you find yourself running out of flour (or inspiration), why not order dinner tonight from The Good Food Co? Petra writes: “We are trying to keep food waste and traffic into the storefront to ......
TheHumm’s Daily Dose for March 25, 2020 Bubbles & Bites, YouTube Yoga, and band banter with Blackie & the Rodeo Kings. - theHumm March 2020
Good news! Artizen Kombucha is teaming up with friends to deliver an assortment of delicious goodies made right in Perth. They write: “Our small rural town boasts incredible culinary creativity a......
TheHumm’s Daily Dose for March 23, 2020 Online yoga, delivering groceries to seniors, and a virtual April Humm! - theHumm March 2020
Starting today (Monday, March 23), Carp’s Yoga & Tea Studio will be offering their daily schedule of yoga classes LIVE online since the studio is temporarily closed due to Covid-19. Find out ......
In Memoriam - theHumm March 2020
By Kris Riendeau
Shaun McLaughlin Former Mayor of Mississippi Mills
In his “County Curmudgeon” column that ran in the December 2002 issue of theHumm, Shaun McLaughlin wrote: “‘Fight the good fight’ is a phra......
Oct 19 - Nov 30 The Second Wife's Story -- Matheson Housewarming Party
Nov 5 - 8 Sex Please, We're Sixty
Nov 7 Paint Party: Adult Paint Nite
Nov 9 Perth WriterFest plus workshop on Short-Story Writing
Nov 9 - 10 MAG Art is Magic Show
Nov 9 - 10 Sex Please, We're Sixty
Nov 9 Snowflake Bazaar & Cookie Table
Nov 13 Christmas Urn Workshop
Nov 15 "The Sky's the Limit" MMLT Gala
Nov 16 - 17 Itty Bitty Art & Artisan Show
- Shane Belanger — Having a Whale of a Time
- Cabaret Extravaganza! Celebrating 5o Years of The Hub | Rebound
- The Beatles Come to St. Andrew’s United
- The Wizard is… Odd!? A Hilarious and Odd-ly Relatable Original Musical
- The Sky’s the Limit at MMLT’s Fundraising Gala
- Come to the Merrickville Makers Market!
- 10th Anniversary Show at Sivarulrasa Gallery!
- Library After Dark A Night of Music with Jeremy Lyall
- Showing the Local Love for the Holidays!
- I’m Not Imelda Marcos