All Photos Credit: Nigel Klemencic-Puglisevich
Bowmanville, ON --- Doors Open Clarington is excited to offer a glimpse into places not normally open to the public as part of its 10th annual Doors Open event. On June 8th, the doors will open to 14 exciting new sites featuring the diverse Agricultural Heritage and Agribusinesses just east of Bowmanville. Doors Open annually offers glimpses into some of the treasures of Clarington through free tours, activities and opportunities suitable for the whole family. This year will be a special one giving our guests a chance to understand and see firsthand the importance of agriculture in our lives and to our economy, local and nationally, while exploring both the latest technology and local historic buildings and businesses.
While guests travel from farm to farm operation along the tour route, they can also stop and enjoy four beautiful historic homes. Three have been enjoyed by and played an instrumental role in the lives of many generations; the longest being seven! One was the home of former Mayor Garnet B. Rickard and the fourth is a stunning example showcasing historic stone and beam work.
Algoma Orchards offers two unique tours for the day running as all tours from 10 am to 4 pm. Guests will be able to tour the plant where packing and storage facilities operate along with an apple juice facility. It’s an amazing example of how a generations old business can grow from local to national success while using environmentally sensitive and other latest technologies. While there you can purchase lunch or product from a number of local vendors as well. The other tour location there will take guests out into the orchards to learn about varieties, growing practices, life span & productivity. Guests will be surprised at all that it takes to grow that perfect apple!
Benrise Farms will offer guests a wonderful chance to see a well-run modern dairy facility. It’s a great example of a 3rd generation operation. Guests can learn what a double 8 parlour is and how it works while taking a tour with people who know the industry thoroughly. While there visitors can enjoy lunch for purchase put on by the Durham East 4-H members and learn about the organization and all that it offers youth. Durham Dairy Producers will also be on hand to educate & answer questions.
Did someone say greenhouses? If you have driven down Regional Road 42 lately you can’t miss the 4 acres under cover of the Rekker Greenhouses. Guests will want to stop in to see the latest technology in operating a facility for the wholesale production of garden and flowering plants. Right next door guests will discover the farm fresh produce at Link Greenhouses and learn how hydroponic tomatoes and cucumbers are grown. At this site visitors will learn about asparagus growing too and have a chance to purchase a lunch of freshly made pizza, even one made with asparagus! Several local farm gate market vendors will also be on hand to demonstrate even more fully the diversity available just beyond the borders of the tour route. And the final greenhouse operation that guests can tour are rose growers. Another very unique and beautiful stop so guests will be glad to take the time to walk the aisles at Mostert Greenhouses.
Just around the corner from Rekkers, guests can also learn about commercial sod production at Visser Sod Farms. See the irrigation systems, learn what it takes to grow grass, harvest it & prepare it for commercial & residential sale. Working over 700 acres, guests will be amazed to see what it takes & how complicated the operation is!
Are you into organics? A stop at One Life Organic farm then will be in order. Guests can learn how organic growing is different and how it is done, and while there taste some food samples made available with the help of Community Food Advisors under the direction of Durham Health. Demos will take place throughout the day & samples will be available along with recipes for guests to take home & try on their own.
The final sites on the tour take you from the historic handling of seeds and grains to the latest technology in crop farming, seed management, handling and distribution. Be sure to stop by both Ceresmore Farms and Selby Farms to see firsthand how farming has changed and grown using technology in all eras that made and is making a huge impact on how we feed the world. See how the equipment used has changed as well and speak with the operators who can tell you the facts both then and now!
And after all that if a quiet corner is what you crave, stop by Providence Cemetery to gain a fuller appreciation for the families and generations past in shaping this unique corner of the municipality.
All in all a very exciting tour for our 10th year, so we invite guests to join us Saturday, June 8th for these unique chances to see things generally unavailable to the public. Come learn, see and experience all that is Doors Open Clarington 2019! Guests will leave with an appreciation of the diversity here and respect for the significant role played out in our agricultural community both now and historically. For more information on Doors Open Clarington and details on each site that will be open for the day, visit
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