Camping in Burlington/Halton - affordable, fun and close to home!

As summer draws to a close many are thinking of how to squeeze the last bits of fun out of this season.  One great way to enjoy late summer and early fall is camping.  No need to fight traffic to get that "up-north" experience. As a matter of fact, you don’t have to go far to sleep under the stars with excellent locations for both tent and trailer camping within minutes of Burlington.   If you are tent camping you will probably not need water and hydro hook-ups and depending on where you go, you can expect to pay from approximately $50 and up per night for your lot.  

For me, camping is just a way of life.  From the time I was three years old, my parents packed up me and my brother (and later just me) and set off to enjoy Provincial Parks across Ontario.  As a young adult, my friends and I would camp in bigger groups and tended to more commercial parks that offered amenities like a snack shop as we were more often than not inadequately prepared.  My husband started later but was more adventerous doing some outback camping in addition to the standard campground type.  Now with a family of my own I looked forward to bringing my girls camping so they could have the same great memories as I have of campfires, the smell of the morning air and running around meeting new “campground friends”.  At two and five years this may not all be possible the first time out, but no time like the present to start. 

When choosing a camp ground it is always good to do some research and find out what style of camping best suits your needs.  The age and experience of the campers and what amenities and activities you are looking for can help in determining where you want to stay.

We are lucky to have a Provincial Park located right on the border of Burlington/Oakville. Bronte Creek Provincial Park offers both tent, trailer and yurt camping until October 22nd which means you still have plenty of time to plan your trip.  But remember, there are two entrances:  one is for camping, at Bronte Road and Upper Middle (exit 111) off QEW; to get to the day-use area you must use Burloak Drive (exit 109) off the QEW.  

The park offers 144 electric service sites, full comfort stations with showers and laundry, two play equipment areas, family programming and kids' programs.  Choose from open, treed and well shaded sites.  Reservations are highly recommended if arriving or staying through Friday / Saturday during the peak season.  It is incredible that such a place exists so close to home.  Within minutes of packing, you can be sitting beside a campfire enjoying the peaceful sounds of the frogs and birds.  Staying at Bronte Creek campground can feel like a “real” vacation … without the long drive, cranky kids, etc.  It is a great place to try out your camping equipment or introduce family members to camping.  They even offer Learn to Camp programs at the beginning of the season (note for 2013).  Reservations can be made by phone or online.

Conservation Halton also offers camping at two of their six parks. Both parks offer group and individual; tent or tent-trailer camping but do not have hook-ups for RV's.  At Kelso you can camp into late fall and Rattlesnake Point offers year round camping (5 upper sites available for winter camping).  At Kelso telling a scary story beside a roaring campfire and then trying to sleep in a tent with all the sounds of the outdoors is a right of passage for many youngsters.  It is also a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.  Indulge in a swim at a sandy beach, hike along the rugged Bruce Trail, explore the trails while mountain biking and so much more.  Visitors to the park can also rent kayaks, paddleboats and canoes, which means you can try these water sports without having to invest in equipment up front and no hauling!  You can also take in a movie in the park on Friday night the next 2 weekends at sunset as part of Family Outdoor Movie Nights.  This park is great for families and you are assured that no one will be bored.


Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area has some of the most inspiring natural vantage points in Halton Region.  There are five breathtaking lookouts dotting the edge of the cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment.  Excellent hiking trails perfect for experiencing the areas diverse forest complex with its rich diversity of plant and animal habitats.  Soak up this relaxed atmosphere with an overnight stay at one of the 18 campsites at the park (washrooms and showers are available).  For the more adventureous, this park also offers some of the best rock-climbing in Ontario.  At the end of the day relax by a campfire and listen to the sounds of nature as you settle in for the night.

Kelso and Rattlesnake offer pristine campsites located throughout the parks which are available by reservation.  All campsites are non-serviced and some are large enough to accommodate group camping.  To book a reservation visit the website.

So here begins my camping adventure and some ideas if you are planning to camp with kids.  After much searching, I found the camping gear that we had accumulated over the years and wondered how much was salvageable for a family trip, luckily Burlington is home to Mountain Equipment Co-op and I headed there to meet up with Camping Product Specialist – Annika or the Camping Goddess as I like to call her who set me up with some camping gear for our first family trip.  Whether you are a first time camper or a seasoned pro, you will be able to find most items that you need to make your experience great.  I think what I like best about the approach at MEC is that Annika truly was interested in helping me and my family have a great experience, she took the time to ask questions about our previous experience, where we were going, the kids and what they would be doing, etc. and then she made recommendations on what we needed, what is good to have and what is a “luxury” item.  She also made suggestions about others items we might need, even if they were not sold at her store. 

First and foremost on the list was a tent and in the end we went with a Funhouse 4, because it offered enough room to stand up and as anyone will attest to that has hunched over in a tent trying to change, that is a big plus.  This tent is so quick and easy to set up, I was amazed, so much better than the tents of old.  I have to add that one of the best things about this tent was that they include a tent peg mallet – it’s the little things for me. The take-down only took about 10 minutes and I was able to do it myself while I send my husband off with the girls.  It also has a ‘vestibule’ that gives some extra rooms for bags and removing your shoes. If you have a family of four or more, I would suggest moving up to the Funhouse 6 as it gives the adults more space especially if you are using air mattresses under your sleeping bags. 

We had heard people suggest we bring a second tent or a dining tent as a play area for the girls.  It seemed like a great idea.  When we arrived at the camp we left them in their car seats and worked on setting up one of our old two man tents for them to play in, we struggled to remember how it set up and were egged on by the chanting of “let us out” from the van but we did manage to get it set up and piled with toys only to find out that our two-year old had zero interest in being confined.  She screeched for the 10-15 minutes it took to set up the main tent and in hindsight, we should have just left them in the car and set up that tent as they were more than content to play in the bigger space with some dolls and books.

One item that was a real hit was the hammock we brought from home that we strung among the trees.  The girls loved swinging and by the second day had mastered sharing which allowed us to do other things while they amused themselves swaying through the air.  Most of the time we were so busy exploring that they didn’t have the time or interest in toys but if you need downtime or worse yet if it rains, you will want to have something to keep everyone busy and amused.

Once you are past your twenties, an air mattress is a must unless you are outback camping where space and weight needs to be optimized.   We opted to use our old sleeping bags for us and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with the kids – who knew they made child sized sleeping bags.  Back in the day, my parents just put me in an adult one and hoped for the best.  Mind you in those days we didn’t have car seats and I am pretty sure seat beats were optional.  Annika suggested the Lil’ dipper sleeping bag, it comes in two sizes which was perfect for both girls and as an added bonus they have them in purple which ensured they were a hit.  As it is getting later in the camping season, the nights are cooler and while I woke up shivering and searching for my fleece in the middle of the night, the girls were warm and cozy in their bags – I think I will be investing in a new sleeping bag for our next trip.

If you are camping with kids or are looking to make meals quick and easy then you will want to bring a cook stove.  While cooking over a campfire is fun it’s not always quick and practical.  We chose the Primus FireHole 200 Stove with a double burner (perfect for those that need coffee and food at the same time) is a really worthwhile investment.  In the words of my husband “this stove is awesome!” when coupled with a Glacier stainless steel percolator that brews six cups of really good coffee, waking up at 6:30am with the kids wasn’t so bad.  Annika helped me choose a cookware set and plastic mugs (in fun colours) as our old stuff was probably not fit to cook with but she recommends if you are just starting out to bring stuff from your kitchen, you don’t need special gear for cooking but keep in mind if you are cooking over an open fire that it might not look as good when it returns.  We brought along two coolers one vintage and a new and much improved MEC Chilli Cooler.  One cooler held the frequently and quickly used items like milk, juice boxes and produce and the other was for longer term storage and kept our items cold and food-safe as it wasn't opened as frequently.

The girls had a great time exploring the nature trails, hitting the beach and fishing for the first time.  My two-year old didn’t last long at fishing and we hit the trails for a relaxing (read: sleeping) walk but my five-year old had a great time learning how to bait a hook, cast a reel and on the second day out, catching (and releasing) two fish!

The highlight of the trip of course was the campfire; we had hotdogs and all the supplies for s ‘mores at the request of Lily and from the time we arrived she was anxious to start the fun.  We roasted hotdogs over the fire, and the majority of the marshmallows were consumed “raw”, we did cook them over the fire for mom and dad.

As night descends it is always important to have some good lighting equipment.  Gone are the days of propane lanterns, you can now get the same effect from battery operated lamps which are much safer with kids (and clumsy adults).  I was on the hunt for flashlights but Annika turned me on to headlamps which are a great alternative that provide lots of light for nighttime trips and leaves your hands free for carrying or child-wrangling.  They have adult and child-sizes and my girls wore them around happily (at some points even during the day!)

The one item I did forget was a broom, a kids sized broom and dust pan is perfect for sweeping out the bottom of your tent before packing it away and for dusting away the outdoors (twigs, leaves, dirt) from your other gear – no need to bring nature home with you.

The overall cost of our equipment came to approximately $800 not including what we already had at home which may seem like a lot but when you think of the cost of a weekend at a hotel with your kids it’s not much to invest.  Most of the items have a minimum life of five years but with proper care can last up to ten or fifteen years.  It is recommended you pack items such as tents and sleeping bags clean and dry and loosely if possible to extend their life.  Start small investing in a few key items and if you decide that camping is part of your family’s lifestyle then add to your gear yearly.

If you are looking for a great way to spend time outdoors, enjoy a vacation and not spend too much or travel too far then camping in Burlington/Halton is for you.  We had a great time and hope to go again this year if time permits.  If not, next year we will venture out again and add to what we hope will be a lifetime of memories for our family.  

Safe and happy travels to you and your family and don't forget the marshmallows!

ZimSculpt at Royal Botanical Gardens

ZimSculpt – Zimbabwe Stone sculptures created right before your eyes at Royal Botanical Gardens

We were thrilled when the RBG announced earlier this year that ZimSculpt would be returning to the gardens this year.  When this beautiful exhibit was here a few years ago I recall spending an enjoyable late summer evening wandering through the gardens and admiring the magnificent pieces of sculpture.  These works of art seemed to fit in so easily with the beautiful backdrop of the flowers and plants and I dreamed of having one in my own garden.  

ZimSculpt, is a non-political company based in Harare, Zimbabwe, that represents over 100 sculptors from across the country. The Royal Botanical Gardens is fortunate to be the exclusive Canadian host of this Zimbabwean stone art exhibit. Over 300 hand-made sculptures accentuate the blooms of Hendrie Park, creating a unique outdoor gallery where visitors can view sculpture, meet the artists and purchase one of these remarkable works.  Maybe this time I can come away with something new for my home garden! 

This award-winning Zimbabwean stone sculpture exhibit is here from August 25 to Thanksgiving weekend, October 8 and is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Hendrie Park.  Featured artists Patrick Stephani and Passmore Mupindiko will create powerful works of art that depict the stories of the natural world and the culture and traditions of their home land, as well as abstract forms. 

Featured Artists
Every year ZimSculpt selects several promising artists to be featured overseas, providing for their travel and lodging to enable them to attend events in which their sculpture is exhibited and to meet with admirers of their work. This year the RBG will feature two artists.

Passmore Mupindiko was born in Marendero, Guruve and did his primary education in Horse Shoe. During the last month of his final exams, his father passed away and he had to leave school and provide for his family. In 1992 he started carving in wood and six years later Passmore visited Tengenenge Arts Community, to see if the owner would buy his work. The owner suggested that he change his art to work to stone.  Passmore became a full time artist living in Tengenenge Art Community and his main subjects in stone are Leaf-bowls (for attracting birds), slender Guinea fowl, Shells and Leaf heads. His work has been exhibited in several countries including France, Holland, South Africa, Germany and Denmark. 
  

Patrick Sephani was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and finished his secondary schooling, where he was interested in Sheet Metal Work, Drawing and Design. In 1991 he began to sculpt small off-cuts at Tapfuma Gutsa’s home in Tafara. His sculpting became more serious in 1995 working with various other artists.  Patrick has an ability to use the natural and spiritual elements of stone to create works of art that are incredibly expressive of mood and emotion.   Most of Patrick’s works are collected by Private Art and Gallery owners from Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, the U.S.A and the UK.

The Stone
The Great Dyke is a 500 km ridge of 2.5 million year old hills which cuts across the Zimbabwe from north to south, which is rich in minerals of every description. Most of the stones the artists use are quarried from this dyke, by hand. Different areas of The Dyke produce a different variety of stone. Over 200 colours of stone have been geologically catalogued, ranging in various scales of hardness from 1-5.5 with granite being 6. Learn more about the varieties of stone that are used.

Technique
Every sculptor works on their sculpture by hand, no power tools are used at any stage in the process. Artist’s stone tools consist of hammers, points, chisels, rasps and chasing hammers. These tools give quite different effects which you’ll see throughout the exhibit. The finishing of a sculpture takes almost as long as the actual creation. The smooth effect is achieved by using wet and dry sandpapers - sanding the piece for hours in water. This is called ‘washing’. If the artists want a high polish on the stone (which gives the dramatic difference in texture and colour) the stone is heated, which expands the pores of the stone, and a natural floor wax is applied to the designated area. This is left to soak into the stone until cooled and then buffed up to a high gleam, which finishes the work.

Fair Trade
ZimSculpt profits are re-invested in new art works, used to bring artists overseas and to market Zimbabwean talent internationally. The sales from their sculptures pay their rent and school fees. Five percent of sales from ZimSculpt.com’s website are donated to Inter-Country People’s Aid (IPA), a community-based charity in Zimbabwe.

 Don’t miss this opportunity to see these beautiful pieces of art set so thoughtfully within the breathtaking gardens at RBG and meet the talented artists.  It is well worth a visit and you may find yourself bringing home a little piece of Zimbabwe!

tourburlgirl

Burlington Children’s Festival goes WILD!

So, it’s been a tropically hot summer. I almost feel like I’ve moved to the rain forest and I have a feeling it will really feel like that during this year’s Children’s Festival weekend at The Waterfront at Downtown Burlington on August 18^th and 19^th.

We’ve definitely got a wild weekend starting on Saturday, August 18^th at 10am on The Beachway. The event runs until 4pm so it’s going to be a jam packed day of surf, sand and jungle themed fun!

Personally, I can’t make sand look like anything except a pile of sand but if you have a sculptor in you waiting to come out, the competition looks like tons of fun and we always have really great prizes! First prize in each of the 4 categories is a gorgeous hand crafted sandcastle trophy and some of the other prizes include an iPod dock, an iPod nano, great water toys like a body board and floating pool lounger, and Tim Hortons gift cards. Be sure to preregister for the competition if you can. Categories available are child, youth, family and adult. We do add some additional spots during set up but they do fill up quickly and they are first come first serve starting at 9am.

I love watching the professional sand sculptors carve their masterpieces. What they can do with a pile of sand is outstanding! This year, we will have four award winning sculptors to watch: Sandi Castle Stirling of Hamilton, Nick Blandin of Guelph, Sharon Nesbitt of Listowel, and Tanya Kastl of Kitchener. See what they think of the competitors’ sculptors: They are also our judges. And you can vote for your favourite creation too by filling out a ballot for The People’s Choice Award (only ballot one per person please!).

It should be a wildly fun day with reptiles from Safari Science, musical performances by The Beach Party Boys, face painting and balloon animals. I think I’ll try to walk on water with What A Ball and then see if I’m any good at Stand Up Paddle Boarding with SUP LIFE!

The fun continues jungle style on Sunday, August 19th in Spencer Smith Park. If you like jungle animals, this is the place to be! Connect with the creatures from Safari Science and the cats from Jungle Cat World! Or if you’d prefer to keep your distance from live creatures, perhaps Alex the Lion from Madagascar or Jungle Jack’s puppets and balloon animals are more your speed? We’ve booked Mystic Drumz to do a great stage show and drum circles you can join! Be sure to bring your inner California Girl (or Boy) and dance to the Katy Perry Tribute act. I know I’ll be asking for both Katy and Alex the Lion’s autographs during the meet and greets at the Gazebo!

Remember to come in your wildest costume for our Jungle Promenade Parade! Come as your favourite jungle creature, whether that’s an animal, an explorer or a character from your favourite jungle themed movie, like Madagascar or Tarzan! We’ll have prizes for best costumes, group/family costumes, most creative and most enthusiastic parade participant. Or bring your bathing suit and cool off in the Dofasco Water Jet Plaza or the awesome Waterslide Bouncer.

Since it’s summer, stay up late and watch Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa on the big screen outdoors on the West Lawn. Bring your own seating, blankets and snacks or grab something from one of our vendors or inside Discovery Landing at The Bite! The movie starts at 8:30 pm.

After all the fun is done, tell us what you thought by taking our survey available on our web page.

Check out www.burlington.ca/childrensfest, or the event invite on facebook: Day 1 and Day 2 for complete details.

Also, check out this video of last year's children's festival weekend - FUN!

JungleBurlEventGurl

Eating Local in Burlington & Halton

With summer in full swing and the sun shining almost daily, it’s the perfect time to spend some time outdoors and enjoy the deliciousness that is local Ontario foods.  We are incredibly lucky to live in an area that is ripe with farms and markets, from pick your own to farmers’ and on-farm sales, we have it all!

At my home we are lucky to have a garden that produces a modest amount of vegetables and herbs for our own use and as anyone can tell you, fresh produce has a taste that cannot be matched.  My girls love to pick and eat tomatoes and peppers straight from the vine and I love that they are gaining an appreciation for eating “farm to table”.

Burlington and Halton are home to many farmers’ markets and visiting one can be as simple as popping by and picking up what you need or if you have the time and inclination you can make it an experience.  For those with children it’s a great opportunity to talk about farming, where our food comes from and for the really wee ones it’s a great place to explore colours, shapes and sizes – see learning can be fun.

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday until the end of October, Burlington Mall plays host to the Burlington Lions Club farmers’ market.  As a frequent visitor to this market, I can tell you that the vendors are more than happy to spend time chatting with you about their products and most are actual farmers bringing their goods to you.  This market has a wide variety of goods including produce, meats, cheeses and some specialty vendors offering baked goods, ice cream and more which makes it a one-stop market plus they send out a newsletter weekly in-season to let you know what is available and links to recipes in case you need some inspiration.

For those that live, work or play in Downtown Burlington, you will be happy to know that Centro Garden on Brant Street has added a small farmers’ market in their back lot on Fridays (running until the fall).  This market focuses on primarily organic product with Plan B Organics, Featherstone Farmers and Farm to Table Meats as the main suppliers.  Other vendors and special guests pop in so be sure to visit their website to find out what’s happening week to week.   While you’re there give yourself a few extra minutes to chat with the gang from Plan B Organics, they are very passionate about what they grow and can give you great ideas on how to use that produce you just purchased.  I know this for a fact since I purchased some kale (after hearing so much about the benefits of it) but had no idea how to cook it and make it taste delicious – thanks to Rod my sautéed kale was a hit at dinner that night.

If you are looking for an on farm experience, Halton is home to many pick your own farms that give you a chance to harvest your own fruits and vegetables.  Every year I take my girls apple picking, they run down the rows of apple trees looking for the perfect low lying branches to fill their bags.  The temptation of the juicy red fruit is usually overwhelming and a couple of apples are consumed en route. It’s such a fun day out for everyone and the added bonus is we come home with bags of freshly picked fruit to enjoy.  This year the weather has not been kind to our apple farmers but we are hoping their crops make it.  Speaking of apples, be sure to visit Ireland House at Oakridge Farm Museum on September 30 for their annual Applefest Fall Fair. 

For those that prefer to buy direct from the farmer, many also offer on-farm markets and some such as Springridge Farm, Andrews Scenic Acres, Chudleighs, Stone Haven Farms and others have activities and events for kids and families to enjoy.  For a complete list of farms offering farm fresh produce visit the Halton website.

One of the newer things happening here in Burlington is the community garden.  This initiative from Burlington Green gives local residents that don’t have green space the chance to have their own garden.  For a small fee residents purchase one or more of the thirty available plots in the garden and then tend to and harvest their produce.  This garden also helps the local community with two donations already this year to Food for Life and a third expected before year-end.  The garden at Central Park is open to the public to tour as long as the gates are open.  Burlington Green is hosting a speakers series focused on helping you eat local, check out the schedule here.

Looking for a more interactive garden experience?  Head to Royal Botanical Gardens and explore Veggie Village where you can tune into an audio tour using your cell phone.  Learn all about edible plants and what you can do to eat local year-round then take the “Veg Pledge” and be committed to eating locally.  The produce that is harvested from this garden is used in the restaurants at the RBG plus they offer the Edible Weekends series with cooking demonstrations, educational programming and special menu items.  The final weekend for this series is August 25-26 (featuring garlic)!

If you live in Halton Region and have fruit bearing trees that you don’t harvest, consider contacting the Growing & Sharing program which benefits everyone.  The way it works is, throughout the growing season, small groups of volunteer pickers will go to your property and harvest the fruit. The harvest will be shared 3 ways: 1/3 to the property owner, 1/3 to local food bank, and 1/3 to the pickers.  It’s a great way to avoid a yard full of rotten fruit plus you help the community and have fresh fruit to eat.

If all this talk of food is making you hungry and you don’t want to cook, don’t despair, several restaurants in Burlington are committed to the use of local foods and you can regularly find fresh Ontario produce, meats and cheeses on their menus.  Be sure to visit Red Canoe Bistro, Spencer’s at the Waterfront and Water St. Cooker to see what their chefs have cooked up.

No matter how you slice it (or dice it or cook it), eating local is a great way to support our farmers, eat nutritious, sustainable food and reduce your carbon footprint.  It can be fun and easy and no matter whether you do a little or a lot, it all makes a difference.  Come discover the foods and farms of our Region and taste the difference.

Eat Well.