Gay Lea Foods Co-operative is proud of their history as a co-operative business and of their commitment to preserving dairy heritage.  On August 27th they will celebrate both with the first Co-opAlooza Picnic, open to all, on the beautiful grounds of the Gay Lea Dairy Heritage Museum near Aylmer.

Some of those lovely old-style wooden card catalogues have re-appeared at St. Thomas Public Library, but they are not just a “blast from the past”. They are packed with possibilities – potential vegetables, herbs and flowers to be grown by patrons of the new St. Thomas Seed Library.  Instead of checking out books, they will “borrow” seeds, grow them and, at the end of the season, return some seeds to restock the supply. The program is scheduled to launch on February 29th.

Tourism development is often advocated as an economic  driver, and a possible industry for consideration by aspiring entrepreneurs. As long-time “backyard” tourists in St. Thomas and Elgin County, we have given some thought to the question, “What qualities seem to make a business, not just a ‘stop’ for tourists, but a ‘signature attraction’?” We have come up with our top ten of those characteristics and have included a bit about two local businesses which seem to demonstrate them admirably – Clovermead Adventure Farm north of Aylmer and Little Red Mitten in St. Thomas.

Read the entire article in the Relish Elgin Fall 2015 Edition

Members of the Aylmer & District Horticultural Society presented five gardens in a variety of styles for the 2015 Garden Tour on Sunday July 5th. Visitors to each location had opportunity to stroll and chat with the gardeners under sunny skies.