THE HOLLAND MARSH ONTARIO

A stretch of wetland and farms north of Toronto named after Captain Samuel (Johannes) Holland- a Dutch born Surveyor- made a fun day trip looking for photos and ideas for Adolph's blog- granpa loves to cook.

Highway 400 divides it so on any drive north, the fields are visible, making the route scenic. Taking the sideroads off Highway 9 allowed some time to take in the area.

It used to be all family farms( some remain)  but now there are grocery chains that buy the crops. Apparently, carrots and onions are huge crops along with other smaller ones.

Onions crated and ready for market.

There is something picturesque about seeing food grown in its natural environment.

The Holland River which runs through the Marsh is a watershed that lies within the Oak Ridges Moraine. Nearby is the Lake Simcoe watershed area. There is also a canal that runs through the Marsh. Managing the area environmentally and refertilizing it keeps it viable presently and for future generations.

Bradford is the small town near the Marsh.

There are always some photo opportunities. Maybe next time I will take my tripod and try to capture some artistic pictures. On any of my drives while accompanied by my husband, I jump in and out of the car, snap a picture then we race to the next stop. Perhaps a Spring jaunt alone, so I can leisurely take the time needed to relax and reflect on the area. An added note- I have lived near this area for most of my life. Taking the time to explore it was interesting. I did some Internet research to use in this post. There is local history all around us. So if you have areas near you- explore them, take pictures, research the history and is quite amazing what tidbits you will find there.

SIMCOE DAY OR A CIVIC HOLIDAY IN ONTARIO

The first Monday in August is a civic holiday in Ontario. Other provinces like Prince Edward Island and British Columbia have a day off but call it by a different name. In Ontario it is called Simcoe Day after the First Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada- 1791-796- John Graves Simcoe or often referred in history as Lord Simcoe. He created Yonge Street, established courts, trial by jury, English common law, freehold land ownership and abolished slavery. His wife- Lady Simcoe- Elizabeth Posthuma Gwillan- wrote a diary which is a very significant book chronically the early years-1800s- in Ontario. Apparently she was quite an artist so her drawings depict visually early impressions in the province. There is a statue of Lord Simcoe at Queen's Park in Toronto outside the provincial legisiative buildings. Lady Simcoe has a statue in a little parkett in front of the Bradford Post Office. Bradford is straight up Yonge Street about an hour from downtown Toronto. No matter what they call the Civic holiday in other provinces or here, I am just glad to enjoy another summer long weekend which gives time for another day trip or two or just to relax, reading a book! Are you enjoying the long weekend? Thank you Lord Simcoe!