Picking Flowers at Green Corners Farm

bouquet of sunflowers and snapdragons

This summer has been about staying close to home, and finding new activities to try with my kids has been a challenge. When a friend of mine posted some pictures of her kids picking sunflowers and snap dragons I was intrigued!

Child snipping some snap dragons

That’s when I discovered Green Corners farm, a quaint little place not far from Ottawa in Edwards, Ontario where you can pick your own flowers. They have a beautiful variety of sunflowers in different sizes, and lots of colours of snap dragons. Earlier this spring they also had tulips. 

Book a time to go pick

Before you go, you’ll have to register for a time slot online. There was lots of availability, but I chose the 4:00-6:00pm time slot so it wouldn’t be too hot.

Child in a field of snapdragons

The pick your own flowers  works on a points system and for $15, you get 20 points. One sunflower will cost you 2 points and one snap dragon is 1 point. For $30 we came home with an enormous bouquet of fresh flowers, and wonderful memories! 

When you arrive, you’ll be greeted at the entrance. The owner explains how to choose the best flowers, and where to trim them. She will provide you with scissors and a basket or bucket to collect your flowers in.

Arranging and keeping your flowers fresh

Flowers being used as staging for one of Vicky’s latest weavings

When you’re finished the owner will help you arrange the flowers in a bouquet and even added a few sprigs of basil. She also recommended we add a bit of bleach to the water to make them last longer.

The whole outing took us about an hour. There was plenty of space to distance ourselves from other visitors and lots of flowers to choose from. The kids loved walking through the tall fields of sunflowers and getting to snip their own flowers. One of the best parts was how friendly and knowledgeable the owner was. She said it’s her first year of doing this and she’s going to try different flowers next year!

If you’re looking for something different, easy and outdoors to do with your kids this summer I highly recommend Green Corners Farm!

Vicky is a mom to 3, a teacher  and enjoys weaving @weftjourney

Summer at the Fairmont Le Château Montebello

We visited Fairmont Le Château Montebello in the fall, but this was our first time visiting in the summer! After a looong school year, my youngest kiddo needed a fun getaway and Montebello promised (and delivered) everything.

If you’ve never been, Montebello is a treat for the whole family. The massive cedar Château wowed my kids the first time we arrived, and my daughter was just as excited this time to pull into the stately grounds and catch a glimpse of the main building, a masterpiece constructed 90 years ago from 10,000 red-cedar logs. The 300-acre property spills out towards the Ottawa River, with gorgeous walking trails and, if you can catch it, a great vantage point for the sunset.

We stayed in a newly renovated room with two double beds, which was perfect for the two of us. I think if we decide to go back as a family of four we’ll check out the deluxe rooms with two Queen beds and the pull-out sofa, which would give us some extra space to spread out.

Since we were only staying one night we decided to cram as much as possible into our mini vacation. Included in your resort experience fee are enough activities to fill an entire week. It’s truly a one-stop shop family destination!

After check-in we headed straight to the outdoor pool, because it was a gorgeous, hot day, and we wanted to soak up the sun before dinner. My daughter was delighted that they served ice cream at the bar, and I enjoyed a very tasty Mojito. The outdoor pool atmosphere is reminiscent of beach vacations down south, with plenty of chairs, umbrellas and cabanas for rent, fun music and pool floaties.

We headed back to our room to freshen up before dinner, which was at the outdoor BBQ. The covered terrace was adjacent to a pretty vegetable and butterfly garden, with views of the river. This family-friendly service is perfect for kids, as the food was brought out quickly and we could order more when we wanted - the courses included salads, fish/seafood, meat and dessert. A word of warning: if you are visiting with a young, picky child, you will need to eat almost ALL of the food. I was stuffed!

After dinner we had a nice walk along the river and stopped by the nightly campfire. We then headed over to the new playground. Inspired by the wilderness, the double-sized play area features three slides, a rustic climbing wall, a stone cross-bar, sugar maples to climb and a perched hut. My daughter loved it!

We woke up bright and early the next morning and opted for in-room dining, which was another new experience for my daughter. She had the rich, buttery crepes and I had muesli, yogurt and fresh fruit. We felt very spoiled!

We had made a reservation for the indoor pool for 9am, which is part of COVID procedures. We had the entire pool to share with only a few other families! In contrast to the outdoor party pool, indoors was quiet, with plenty of room to do laps. I was told that if you want to have a quieter experience at the outdoor pool, 10am is the best time to go!

After that we went to grab a bike rental and did an easy 3km ride, followed by a round of mini-putt. Following the noon check-out we stayed on the resort grounds for a couple of hours, and headed back to the outdoor pool for another swim. If we’d had had more time, I would have tried to squeeze in a kayak or canoe paddle along the river!

If this sounds like a lot, it IS, which is why two nights would be perfect. We’re already planning our trip for next year!

Other things you should know

• Montebello is a pet-friendly resort. We loved seeing everyone’s dogs, and the resort has a new canine ambassador named Vic, who joins 7 year-old Bello! Both are Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind and now enjoy a quiet retirement on the resort. We tried to spot him on our tours around the grounds, but maybe we’ll catch him next time :)

• In addition to the BBQ and in-room dining (plus other dining options we didn’t visit), there are picnic baskets available in the summer. All you need to do is call down in the morning before 9am and then enjoy your picnic lunch!

• There is a Summer Fun Package available now until Labour Day. It includes 2 nights accommodation, daily breakfast, daily resort fee and more! If you’re looking for a way to celebrate before the start of school, this is it!

Disclaimer: I was provided a media rate for our room, which included the daily resort fee. All opinions are my own.

Summer at Eco-Odyssee

KITC would like to welcome back guest blogger, Stephen Johnson. Stephen Johnson is an Ottawa writer who loves to write about family travel. During the summer, you will most likely find him and his family at a local fair or festival. During a non-pandemic winter, a beach in Mexico is a likely bet.

---

The theme of summer 2021 has been staycation  - and we are loving it! The next destination on our staycation exploration was Eco-Odyssee.  Eco-Odyssee may be familiar to many Ottawa residents. The unique water maze has been open since 2008 and has been very popular.    

We arrived on-site and checked in with the staff. We had originally been scheduled to explore the water maze by paddle boat. The staff saw the height of our son and recommended we try a canoe.    

Heading down to the dock, I was happy we had gone with the canoe. The paddle boat would have been perfect for eight year old David but not thirteen year old David. We assembled into the canoe and were off on our adventure.  

I haven’t steered a canoe in about twenty years. The last time I did it didn’t turn out so well with myself and the canoe ending upside down! I was pleased to see the water at Eco-Odyssee was very calm.   

For those who have not visited Eco-Odyssee, it is a vast water labyrinth that can be explored by canoe or paddle boat. Upon entering the labyrinth it felt like we had entered another world. The closest I could describe it is to a jungle river. We were treated to a green landscape on every side. It was a chance to enjoy plants and wildlife that could not be so easily explored on land.   

David had spotted his first frog within about two minutes of us canoeing. At first,  Sandy and I probably looked like we had a bit too much to drink as our canoe wove from side to side. Rest assured,  no alcohol was involved. It was just the fact neither one of us had been in a canoe in a long time.  

A person has the option to explore the course by following an adventure with clues to be found. Honestly, we found it a lot of fun just to meander around checking out different paths and looking for wildlife. We got ourselves lost a few times but that was part of the fun.  

David said he must have seen at least twelve frogs during our experience.  I did not see one.   

We arrived back at the dock and wanted to check out more of the Eco-Odyssee site. The park does offer accommodation on-site even though I am sure they are most likely booked for this summer. They also have a new multimedia show in the night-time called Eco Noctura. The show is projected against the rocky face of a cliff with screenings in French and English.  

The screenings were a little too late for us this time but we plan to return in September when dusk comes much faster.  During the winter,  Eco-Odyssee is planning to turn their water maze into a huge outdoor skating area.  

We certainly plan on returning to Eco-Odyssee for another eco-friendly adventure!     

For more information about Eco-Odyssee visit, www.eco-odyssee.ca/en/

Owls Rendez-Vous at the Canadian Museum of Nature

I’ve always loved owls. Our home backs onto a ravine and I’ve been lucky to spot a couple of owls over the years, and recently found a feather which I think comes from the Barred Owl. So when I was invited to see the new owl exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Nature, I jumped at the chance!

We visited on opening morning with other media, and it was a bright and sunny day. The owls were all awake and active, except the Barn Owl (an endangered species in Ontario), who was having a little snooze. She was my daughter’s favourite, as her face was beautiful and serene.

This new permanent exhibit was created in partnership with Little Ray’s Nature Centres, and presents: a Great Horned Owl, Eurasian Eagle-owl, Barn Owl, two Snowy Owls, and one Bald Eagle. The Bald Eagle was rescued after sustaining an injury on the prairies, and having lost one-third of her wing, can no longer fly enough to hunt. We caught her gorgeous sounds on video, and I could have watched her all day!

The enclosures are very large and have a special roof to protect the birds, and all the owls are acclimatized to our changing weather - which means you can visit at any time of the year! There are lots of interesting facts to read about the birds, as well as information about declining habitat, species and conservation.

If you want to go

Don’t forget that presently, capacity is limited at the museum so you MUST book online to get your tickets. Book as far in advance as you can to avoid disappointment. This long weekend tickets were sold out days in advance! Access to the owls is included in your regular museum admission. Masks are mandatory in all areas of the museum, even outside while viewing the owls.

Don’t forget the museum’s free hours on Thursday afternoon!

Campfires at Saunders Farm

KITC would like to welcome back guest blogger, Stephen Johnson. Stephen Johnson is an Ottawa writer who loves to write about family travel. During the summer, you will most likely find him and his family at a local fair or festival. During a non-pandemic winter, a beach in Mexico is a likely bet.

---

One of the things I missed in 2020 was sitting around a campfire with my family. We were too late on the draw to go camping and my condo neighbours most likely would not appreciate a big bonfire in our backyard (and it’s against City bylaws).

This year, I was happy to see that Saunders Farm was offering campfires. The best part of it is that the campfire is already built for you and the package includes six hotdogs and buns, one package of kettle corn, ingredients to make s’mores, roasting sticks and napkins. Sounded perfect to me. 

We arrived on-site and were greeted by Saunders Farm staff. The campfires were well-spaced out and a person could park their vehicle right next to the campfire. When we pulled up our car, the campfire was already roaring. I loved opening up our box containing all the food ingredients. Much more fun than having salad for supper. We found our three roasting sticks and were ready to cook up some hot dogs. 

I was happy to see the hot dogs were jumbo sized and were not the type to easily fall off the stick. David, Sandy and I roasted up our dogs and worried about our diet for another day. 

Before starting on the s’mores, we took some time to relax and just take in the scenery. We were on a large open field with forest surrounding us. There were about twelve other groups enjoying campfires as well. Kids were running around, families were laughing, everyone was just having a great time. The campfires were so well spaced that the noise from one group did not interfere with the enjoyment of another. It also helped that we had clear skies, little wind and very few mosquitoes!

With our hot dogs properly digested it was time to make some s’mores. My wife, Sandy, goes by the adage it is best to burn the marshmallows as they then help to melt the chocolate. At first, I was not sure but did not object and she helped me make the perfect s’more. Our son, David, was more than happy to burn the marshmallows. By the end, we were a well-oiled s’more factory machine. 

The best part was that even after eating hot dogs and making s’mores, we still had more than an hour to enjoy the campfire. I am the type of person that enjoys having a roaring bonfire. In order to add wood, we had to ask a Saunders Farm employee to stoke the fire. I totally understand as I am sure Saunders Farm probably does not want their guests burning down the farm. Staff were always easy to find and went the extra mile taking a photo of us enjoying the fire. 

David started musing what would happen if you put various items in the fire. We tried a cherry tomato which we got from home. I drew the line when David started talking about smartphones!

Soon enough, it was time for us to pack up and make way for the next group of campfire enthusiasts. I would highly recommend this activity for any family or group that wants the experience of having a campfire but perhaps not the trouble of camping. We were well taken care of from the time we entered to the moment we left. Staff were always on hand to assist with the campfire or any other need. 

Bathrooms were close by and groups were well-spaced out making it a very safe activity. 

A few things to note is a group must bring their own chairs. You are allowed to bring non-alcoholic drinks onsite and can bring extra snacks in case you have a sudden licorice craving. Saunders Farm is also very open to accommodate dietary restrictions including gluten-free, celiac, vegetarian, vegan and halal. It is possible to purchase beverages on-site and fun things like sparklers. 

For more information about Saunders Farm and the campfires, visit, www.saundersfarm.com.

Stephen and his family were provided with the experience for free but all views are his own.