These days, the in-thing with the foodie porn set are “deconstructed” dishes… ones where ingredients that are normally combined together are presented separately. Diners are then invited to re-assemble them in their own unique way. So, to borrow a page from the Food Network’s playbook, I thought I’d approach Dunvegan’s annual Harvest Fall Festival in a similar fashion.
For those of you who want to skip all the details and simply show up, the 18th annual Harvest Fall Festival at the Glengarry Pioneer Museum will take place in Dunvegan on Sunday, September 10th from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Admission is $10, with kids under 12 free, or $25 for families. If you’re a member of the museum, admission is only $5. This year’s festival is co-sponsored by The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group, Caisse Populaire de la Vallée, Alexandria, and many other local businesses.
The museum is located smack in the centre of Dunvegan, where County Road 24 meets Greenfield Road. Parking is available on the road, or nearby in the Presbyterian Church parking lot. Accessible parking is also available. (BTW, “accessible parking” is the latest politically-correct term for handicap parking, and does not mean that all the other parking spots are inaccessible.)
The flail’s demise
One of the highlights of this year’s Harvest Fall Festival will be a display and demonstration of Ferguson threshing mills. A radical improvement on threshing grain by hand with a flail, this milestone in agricultural technology was designed and manufactured just down the road in Maxville. At least three Ferguson mills of various ages will be on display and volunteers will show visitors how these revolutionary machines worked. There will also be a small display of Ferguson family memorabilia. And, around 2 PM, local historian Dane Lanken will give a brief history of the company.
Down Pioneer Lane
I just spoke with kraftmeister, Allan J. MacDonald, the man in charge of recruiting artisans for this year’s Festival. He reports that while the numbers may be down a wee bit, the quality of the participants is exceedingly high. In all, Allan expects over twenty artisans and crafts people will be on hand to demonstrate some of the life skills needed in the days of the pioneer. Lynn Mcnab will share her knowledge of tanning and leatherwork. Dunveganite Kenny MacLeod will explain the in and outs of trapping. The Twistle Guild of Glenngarry and the Martintown Wild & Woolly rug hookers will be on hand to demonstrate the intricacies of spinning, weaving, hand sewing and rug hooking. And Robin Flockton will show the amazing versatility of a foot-powered lathe. Come explore how our ancestors made everything from butter and ice cream to harnesses and saddles. As an added bonus, Carole Pagé and Eric Charbonneau will be joining us again this year to share their Native Canadian heritage.
Gluten-free Inukshuk
A number of years ago, Terry and I drove across Canada and, since that day, the word “inukshuk” has made me shudder. From the shores of Lake Superior to the foothills of the Rockies, one couldn’t drive 20 miles without encountering a crude approximation of this iconic design ruining the otherwise stunning vistas. It almost made me wish that cultural appropriation on the Trans-Canada carried the same fine as littering.
That said, inuksuit (the plural of inukshuk) are being incorporated into the Fall Festival as a nod to the 150th anniversary of Confederation. (A tenuous connection, no doubt… but fun nevertheless.) People are invited to build an inukshuk-like sculpture made entirely of fruit and vegetables and drop it off at the Harvest Sale Tent on September 10th. The judging of these gluten- and rock-free inukshuk will take place at 2 PM, and there will be prizes to be won.
Baa-baa rare sheep
Dunvegan’s Laurie Maus and the Heritage Livestock Club of Eastern Ontario will be staging an exhibition focusing on heritage livestock. The Club is committed to educating the public about the importance of heritage breeds and offering connections for those interested in buying locally raised, organic meat. Laurie and her group will have Tunis ewes and a Silver Grey Dorking rooster on hand, as well as fleeces from several heritage breeds of sheep.
Horse-powered fun
Another huge draw each year is possibly the largest horse-drawn wagon and carriage parade in Eastern Ontario. Led by the Quigley Highlanders Pipe Band the procession will get under way around 1:00 PM. This popular event showcases horses of course, but also the many implements and vehicles that were traditionally drawn by horses. Note: this will not include reenactments of malefactors known to have been drawn and quartered.
The bountiful big top
Once again, the Harvest Sale tent will have tables filled to groaning with delicious home baking, preserves, produce and much more. Assuming, of course, that people are as generous as they have been in the past and donate the products of their gardens and kitchens to help raise much-needed funds for the museum.
I urge you to lend a helping hand by contributing pies and cakes, bread and rolls, vegetables, jams, pickles, plants and flowers. “It’s a chance for members of the community to share the fruits of their old family recipes and heritage gardens in the name of a great cause,” says Barb Newman, the Harvest Sale tent coordinator. Donations can be dropped off at the museum (call ahead to 613-527-5230). Or to arrange for a pickup, call Barbara Newman at 613-525-0362.
PS: Firearms Safety 101
This item has nothing to do with the Fall Festival, but it does take place this coming autumn. Another Canadian Firearms Safety Course is being held on Saturday, September 30th at the DRA Hall in Dunvegan. The daylong Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) course starts at 8:00 AM and costs $150, plus $21 for the course manual. Alternatively, you can download a copy of the manual for free. For more information about the workshop, or to register, please call Dunvegan’s Kenny MacLeod at 613-527-5468.
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