Many students are astonished to realize that there is such thing as the Hart House Farm. Make no mistake, this is not a farm roaming with cattle and crowded by apple trees. The farm is more of an estate. It houses a small two-storey home and overlooks the Bruce Trail.
Some of my favorite moments spent in the past couple of years happened on this farm. Two autumns ago, I took part in the Song and Cider event hosted by the Hart House Farm Committee. That time, a cider press was brought into the backyard, and attendees took turns tossing apples into the pulping machine, cranking the cider press, and collecting the juice under the spout. Over lunch, student musicians played songs on instruments like drums and guitars. I remember the bus ride back, when I sat beside an exchange student from Singapore. She told me about the wonder of code that is clean and concise. Her mom is a computer scientists, and she is pursuing an education to follow the same career path.
This trip, we also got a school bus to drive up to the farm in Caledon. The trip started with a brief orientation of procedures and a land acknowledgement. Then, we trekked out into the woods, taking a brief hike toward a sauna built by Finnish exchange students many decades ago along a wooded path pockmarked with yellowing and reddening leaves. It was drizzling lightly, so I appreciated the email reminder sent earlier to dress appropriately. Should you sign up for a future Hart House Farm trip, I definitely recommend dressing in many layers and to bring gloves.
After the hike, we paused for a lunch break. I packed a ham and cheese croissant. Others packed lunches ranging from bagels to sandwiches. After lunch, I went out to till some land and to plant garlic cloves. Nearby laid a bed of young asparagus stalks and a pen of hens. After growing garlic, I switched activities to tie dye.
There were small cheesecloths to use with the blue tie dye. It was a really fun way to end the day, for it allowed me to sit down and to socialize with others. Afterward, a fire was started to keep warm around until it was time to hop onto the bus headed back to campus. I returned at around 5pm.
The Hart House Farm is an amazing student resource that you should definitely check out! Follow them @harthousefarm on Instagram to keep posted on when and what their next event will be! 🤙
Thank you for sharing this hidden gem, Cheryl! Would love to visit one day!