How to ‘Experience’ The County
Want to go beyond the tasting room or dining room and dive deep into The County? There are plenty of workshops and experiences to help you get immersed in art, agriculture, food, beverage, nature and history.
A couple highlights:
Agriculture
Littlejohn Farm is run by Zach and Luhana Littlejohn, a couple with deeply green thumbs and a commitment to sustainable living. At their farm just outside of Picton, they offer farm-to-table workshops in charcuterie, sourdough, cheese making and pickling. Zach, a trained chef and sommelier, usually puts his skills to use with a back garden dinner following the class.
Quinta do Conde is a farm-to-table experience offering slow, Mediterranean-style dinners where almost all the ingredients come from less than 100 metres away. Joaquim and Amor have an impressive operation, with a summer camp that connects kids with agriculture, a fully stocked farm stand (where there’s olive oil on tap from their small orchard in Portugal!) and a pop-up sandwich shop in the summer.
Food & Beverage
The Old Third is a winery/cidery that’s offering a behind-the-scenes tour with their winemaker and dinner at their home, at a table that’s essentially in the lake.
Black River B&B is run by two former employees of the Royal Ontario Museum and they do a decadent High Tea that comes with a side of history about glass and ceramics, featuring their own extensive antiques collection.
Art
Spark Box Studio offers print-making and screening workshops, as well as a new lithography workshop. Their studio is an Instagrammer’s dream and their screen-printing workshop based on iconic County buildings let’s you put a piece of The County on a T-shirt, tote or papryus. Tiny Regent Theatres for everyone!
History & Heritage
There’s a new Escape Room at Macaulay Heritage Park and the puzzle hinges on the true story of Reverend William Macaulay neglecting to pay his servants. Guests have 60 minutes to scour the museum for clues to help a servant find a treasure hidden in the historic house. If you’ve ever wanted to step back in time and handle all the artifacts, this is for you!
Nature
Cabin Fever Kayak is a new kayak rental place on the Black River, a burgeoning neighbourhood of The County where you’ll find cheese, art, farm stands and farm-to-table feasts only a paddle away.
PEPtBO, or the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, is offering “South Shore Safari” tours, a chance to get out and spot the flora, fauna and feathered friends of The County with an expert guide. The County is a birder’s paradise, with the South Shore recognized as an Important Birding Area due to its position as a way-station for migratory birds crossing the lake. In spring, we’re awash with warblers and 140 species of birds. In fall, owls and raptors touch down.
