September 2017 : simplebooklet.com

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Features 18 Bracebridge Celebrates Town s Talent By Matt Driscoll To mark its 10th anniversary the Rene M Caisse Memorial Theatre will play host to a festival of art dance drama and song dubbed The Best of Bracebridge A Celebration of the Arts 22 September 2017 telling the Muskoka story 46 48 Catching a Glimpse of Elusive Big Cats By Doug Smith Considering our cold snowy winters some think it is surprising a large wild cat seen in Muskoka would be a bobcat and not a lynx However there are several reasons this is indeed the case 30 The Recipe for Happiness By Judy Vanclieaf Lynn Murden has found the recipe for happiness with her aptly named business Yummies 46 in a Jar She produces 100 different varieties of mouthwatering unique high quality preservative free jams jellies vinaigrettes and condiments 30 36 Evolution of the Bracebridge Fall Fair By Meghan Smith For 150 years the Bracebridge Fall Fair Horse Show has been a tradition that fulfills old traditions and sparks new interests Tireless volunteers have worked all year as they do every year to ensure the success of the best big small town fair in Ontario 46 Lines and Lures in Lake Country 22 2 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 By Carmen Kuntz Fishing is a timeless activity strongly associated with early mornings and lazy afternoons at the lake But preparing for a day on the water is more involved Fishing guides make the experience easy

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Departments 11 Muskoka Calendar Despite the changing season there is still much to do outdoors and indoors in Muskoka From fun running in the mud to a competitive rowing event and from arts tours to theatrical reminiscences of Pierre Trudeau your calendar can be full and entertaining 60 What s Happened Addressing concerns about the short term rental of cottages in Muskoka Lakes Townships returning the Marsh s Falls area in Lake of Bays to its natural state health planning and determining the level of municipal service are updated 64 Features 64 50 If you think desserts taste better contributor Karen Wehrstein agrees She ll share her finds in this issue s Cottage Country Cuisine By J Patrick Boyer Ontario s fish and game laws seemed irrelevant when early Muskokans harvested whatever they could the easiest way they could to feed their families and survive Meting out justice the long arm of the law prevailed in its own interesting way Cottage Country Cuisine SEPTEMBER 2017 The Recipe for Happiness Long Arm of the Law Protected Pioneer Wildlife Catching a Glimpse of Elusive Big Cats Lines and lures in lake country Evolution of the Bracebridge Fall Fair Horse Show Our Cover Photograph Courtesy of Explorers Edge Generations of Bracebridge area residents celebrate their rural roots at the fair 56 Protecting Pioneer Muskoka s Wildlife 56 Sweet Success at Lucky Duck By Dianne Park Thach What began as an experiment in the kitchen of a Muskoka resort turned into a business that has a dedicated following Fudge aficionados now consume about 6 000 lbs of this sweet treat every year 50 Opinion 9 Muskoka Insights By Don Smith 72 Muskoka Moments By Kathy Ashby September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 5

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telling the Muskoka story Unique Muskoka is published six times per year by Unique Publishing Inc Donald Smith Publisher and Editor Donna Ansley Gord Kidder Kim Rinaldo Sales Heather Glumac Designer Susan Smith Administration Kathy Ashby J Patrick Boyer Matt Driscoll Max Durnford Dawn Huddlestone Eleanor Kee Wellman Carmen Kuntz Dianne Park Thach Brian Simpson Doug Smith Meghan Smith Tomasz Szumski Scott Turnbull Contributors Judy Vanclieaf Karen Wehrstein Andy Zeltkalns Annual Subscription Rates including HST where applicable In Ontario 30 00 All Other Provinces 36 00 U S 45 00 All Other Countries 59 00 HST 773172721 Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement Number 43268016 Copyright 2017 Unique Publishing Inc No content published in Unique Muskoka can be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher Box 616 Bracebridge ON P1L 1T9 www uniquemuskoka com info uniquemuskoka com 705 637 0204 6 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017

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Muskoka Insights Photograph Susan Smith With Canada in the midst of celebrating its 150th anniversary there has been a substantial focus on the national stage and countrywide activities That of course is how it should be Nationalistic hyperbole aside we are fortunate to be citizens of Canada However often lost in our show of patriotism are the contributions of individuals and communities to the whole We need to recognize our country is only as strong as the individuals and communities that have been a part of its evolution and advancement From the first days of nationhood Muskokans have been a part of the country s growth and the development of its identity Early entrepreneurs manufactured products that were shipped around the world When the call was made to join the cause of the Allies in the First World War Muskokans rallied with the creation of their own battalion The Muskoka brand is recognized far and wide as a welcoming tourist destination One fine example of this continued contribution to the national fabric is the 150 year tradition of the Bracebridge Agricultural Society to host the Bracebridge Fall Fair Horse Show In many ways the evolution of this annual gathering of the community mirrors the changes that have occurred in the country As one observer noted it s the best big small town fair in Ontario Inside this issue of Unique Muskoka we celebrate the individuals and families who have been a part of the fair often for generations Many times as we prepare our assignment list for each issue it is individual efforts that catch our attention While it s been almost a generation since the Quebec referendum of 1995 the memories of local artist Kathy Ashby seem as fresh as though this defining moment in our country had just happened It s a fine example of an individual contributing to the national story Ashby shares her recollections in our closing column Muskoka Moments In every issue of Unique Muskoka we re pleased to visit the kitchens of Muskoka s chefs and share their stories in our feature Cottage Country Cuisine This issue however is particularly sweet Not only is Cottage Country Cuisine focused on the desserts created by some of the district s finer bakers we are pleased to tell the stories of Lynn Murden and Chris Burgess Murden is Baysville s resident creator of fine jams jellies and tasty condiments while Burgess has continued the tradition of supplying Muskokans with sweet treats that was started by her predecessors from Bala s Nation family Interestingly both Murden and Burgess put a major emphasis on giving back to their respective communities While they provide a Muskoka flavour for us to enjoy they recognize the important interconnection of their businesses with the people who are a part of the Muskoka community As was the case in many parts of Canada Muskoka s early settlers did not have an easy life Expectations of a new life in Muskoka were often met with the barren granite that prevented them from farming They found ways to survive that may well be frowned upon today Their stories have been captured by local historian and author Patrick Boyer who in this issue calls on family records to tell of the justice dispensed to those who ignored the laws of the day So grab a coffee a Muskoka made sweet and enjoy this issue of Unique Muskoka Happy reading O pen For live chat push door Real local people Real local service With State Farm every policy comes with your own personal agent I pride myself on being part of the local community so I can truly understand and best serve the needs of my customers Get to a better State Get State Farm CALL ME TODAY Les Bell Ins Agcy Inc Les Bell Agent Bracebridge ON P1L2C1 Bus 705 646 9995 Toll Free 877 877 3929 www lesbell ca State Farm branded policies are underwritten by Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company or Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company State Farm and related trademarks and logos are registered trademarks owned by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company used under licence by Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company and certain of its affiliates 1410005CN 1 Your Home and Cottage Mattress Centre THE LARGEST SELECTION OF IN STOCK MATTRESSES IN MUSKOKA Premier Supreme by Marshall Mattress 6 MonicaMARSHALL Lane MATTRESS CO Bracebridge M 1 800 682 6861 705 646 2557 Or i gi na l P ock et S pr i ng TO LEARN MORE www mattressesofmuskoka com September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 9

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Happening on Sept 2 Muskoka Brew Tours features all three craft breweries of Muskoka as well as a popular local gastropub on an all day ride and taste experience Tour participants will meet at Sawdust City Brewing Company in Gravenhurst at 11 a m for tastings and a tour of Sawdust City s facilities Next ride the tour bus to the Griffin Gastropub in Bracebridge for lunch and samples of their suds The third destination is Lake of Bays Brewery in Baysville where participants will see how they make their beers and then get to try some Finally it s back to Bracebridge to Muskoka Brewery where again there ll be a tour and brew tasting at the original Muskoka craft brewery It Rowing sculls will be taking to Gull Lake on Sept 9 when Gravenhurst hosts the Muskoka Fall Classic promises to be a great day for beer rowing event Last year the event attracted 315 competitors aficionados brew tours myshopify com Many Canadians don t realize that some of the greatest hits in musical history were written by Canadians The legendary Jack Hutton on piano along with his friends Brian Bauer clarinet and sax Bob Livingston trombone Will Wilson guitar and banjo and band leader Ric Giorgi string bass will honour those great Canuck songwriters in a show that is bound to be educational and toe tappingly enjoyable You might not have known for instance that Frank Sinatra s iconic tune I Did It My Way was penned by Canadian Paul Anka or that Sinatra s first recorded hit I ll Never Smile Again came from the creative mind of Toronto songwriter Ruth Lowe On Sept 2 at the Gravenhurst Opera House the group will perform tunes introduced by Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians and many more hits of Canadian conception On Sept 9 the fifth annual Muskoka Fall Classic rowing event will take place on Gull Lake near Gravenhurst bringing rowers from across Ontario to compete in events ranging from single scull to eight with coxswain Men and women in all age ranges will row the lake from end to end on a straight three kilometre course It has grown each year says Mike Smith past president of the Severn River Rowing Club which is organizing the event Last year we had 315 participants and the park was packed Many rowers use it as the season s opening race and a launching pad for the Head of the Trent in Peterborough the largest rowing race in Canada and the Head of the Charles the premier race in North America For spectators that means it s sure to be an inspiring spectacle In 1985 fledgling actor playwright Brooke Johnson then a student at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal struck up a friendship with Pierre Elliott Trudeau Canada s unforgettable prime minister of the late 1960s and 70s and father of our current prime minister Johnson crafted a one woman performance out of her memories journal entries and correspondence offering personal insights into Trudeau s life times and politics It also touches on the greater stories of friendship loss and knowing who we are Since its premiere in 2007 Trudeau Stories has educated moved and amused audiences from Newfoundland to the Yukon On Sept 9 this not to be missed show hits the Algonquin Theatre in Huntsville gravenhurst ca srrc2016 wixsite com srrc muskoka fall classic algonquintheatre ca September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 11 Photograph Courtesy of Severn River Rowing Club Muskoka Calendar

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marksride ca 12 29 Photograph Max Durnford courtesy Gravenhurst Opera House Named in honour of the late Muskoka lawyer Mark Reid who was also an avid amateur athlete and sports fan the third annual Mark s Ride will take place on Sept 10 Based at the Oxtongue Lake Community Centre near Dwight the event offers four race distances 26 kilometres 50 kilometres 60 kilometres and 108 kilometres through the spectacular scenery much of it lakeside near and within Algonquin Provincial Park Water stations will be placed throughout the route and lunch and refreshments after the ride are provided Each cyclist is invited to donate a suggested amount of 50 towards the ride s cause providing Mark Reid Scholarships to deserving Muskoka students who plan to attend Brian Paul is one half of the two person cast in Sexy law school and pursue legal careers Laundry running at the Gravenhurst Opera House Sept Sexy Laundry a rough raw sincere ultimately tender and achingly funny play by Canadian playwright Michele Rimi will run at the Gravenhurst Opera House from Sept 12 29 with evening and matin e performances The subjects of the play are Henry and Alice Their kids have left the nest and they have finally have time for each other So when Alice books a luxury hotel room for an evening of Us Time what could possibly go wrong teases the Opera House website Well that s what the rest of Sexy Laundry is all about Sexy Laundry stars Debbie Collins and Brian Paul as the happy couple and is directed by Sheila McCarthy gravenhurst ca excelrailings ca 705 646 2508 12 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017

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Photograph Courtesy of Explorer s Edge stops this year to mark the occasion As well as the usual midway rides agricultural competitions and live entertainment there Muskoka River X is back for will be animal demonstrations another opportunity for truly and events featuring everything dedicated canoeists to test their from heavy horses to birds of strength skill and endurance prey There ll also be against time distance and highland and square dancing nature The shortest distance is soccer and hockey shoots the 80 kilometre Sprint on Sept fire department challenges 16 travelling the Muskoka River an antique tractor pull giant from Huntsville to Bracebridge vegetable weigh ins pancake The 48 hour 230 kilometre breakfasts a harvest dinner Coureur des Bois distance has and much more Bracebridge has been hosting a fall fair for 150 years and the midway has been cancelled for this year so The whole fair runs Sept been a popular attraction for many of those years hardcore paddlers will just have to 15 17 at the Bracebridge settle for the Classic Known as the longest Fairgrounds The opening parade takes place and toughest single day expedition paddling at 12 30 p m on Saturday Sept 16 and will race in the world this race involves two also feature the Royal Canadian Legion Pipe river systems three lakes and 20 portages for Band and a First Nations ceremony a total of 130 kilometres in under 24 hours Performers run the gamut from the fiddle The Bracebridge Fall Fair and Horse with no support teams or re supplies It runs and stepdancing Dawydchuk Family to the Show is celebrating its 150th anniversary this Northern Lights Steel Band from Sept 16 17 muskokariverx com bracebridgefair com year and organizers are pulling out all the 100 Canadian Artists Large Original Paintings Whimsical Sculptures Hand made wood bowls pottery jewelry 111 Medora St Hwy 118 West Port Carling Muskoka 705 765 7474 www redcanoegallery com Open seven days a week parking at rear Carola Grimm Muskoka s Best Acrylic 75 x24 B Nowak Gentle Approach Oil 72 x40 Paul Garbett Black Bear Encaustic 75 x45 Painting by Paul Garbett 72 x 48 September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 13

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Photograph Courtesy of Algonquin Theatre Appearing Sept 16 at the Algonquin Theatre in Huntsville are local singer songwriters Jean Barbosa and Douglas McLean Joining them will be special guests New Orleans brass rock band Turbo Street Funk singer songwriter Jeff Stamp in a rare solo performance plus songwriters Patty Crozier and Christina Hutt both performing from their new CD releases Barbosa and McLean will perform songs from their newly released collaborative CD Let It Shine as well as other tunes they ve recorded collaboratively or separately over the past four years They promise their fans some surprises algonquintheatre ca Huntsville will celebrate its agricultural heritage from Sept 22 24 with the return of the Huntsville Fall Fair In addition to the always popular midway there will be live country music and competitions in every imaginable category including giant pumpkins and other vegetables maple syrup and other local products baking arts crafts photography and more Be prepared to be thrilled when the Radical Reels Tour makes its stop at the Algonquin Theatre Sept 27 Animals will also take centre stage at the fair in a number of events Poultry farmers will display their most beautiful birds and there will be a Western horse competition with cowboys and girls displaying their riding prowess in varied events There will also be a petting zoo huntsvillefallfair com artists and craftspeople open up their workspaces to visitors showing how they work and offering finished items for sale The Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour will take place on the weekends of Sept 23 24 and Sept 30 Oct 1 It is a juried tour and showcases a wide variety of artists and mediums throughout Muskoka Photograph Courtesy of Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour muskokaautumnstudiotour com The Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour is the original studio tour the one that started the whole studio tour phenomenon If you aren t familiar with the studio tour concept on For 39 years the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour has featured the work of a designated weekend two weekends in this Muskoka artisans and craftspeople who welcome the public to their studios case since it s so popular 14 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 Since 2004 the Radical Reels Tour has been presenting the best action sports films entered into the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival competition each year This wildly popular big screen adrenaline ride takes place at the Algonquin Theatre in Huntsville on Sept 27 a theatre not equipped with seatbelts or five point harness so you might just have to hang on tight for this one algonquintheatre ca

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In celebration of Canada 150 the Gravenhurst Opera House s Summer Season Wrap Up Concert on Sept 30 is a celebration of the heyday of Canadian rock n roll Performed by a band led by four time Juno nominee Tom Barlow and two time Juno and eight time Maple Blues Award nominee Johnny Max along with up andcoming artists such as Gracie and Chris Scerri The Great Canadian Songbook features Canadian hits of the 1970s and 80s Enjoy tunes by greats such as The Guess Who Bachman Turner Overdrive Burton Cummings April Wine Trooper Michel Pagliaro Alanis Morissette Bryan Adams Alannah Myles The Band Neil Young The Kings Crowbar and more gravenhurst ca muskokamudrun org Two shows happen concurrently in Bala on Sept 30 and Oct 1 the Bala Craft Gift Fair at the Bala Community Centre and the Bala Antique and Nostalgia Show Sale at the Bala Sports Arena right across the road At the Craft Gift Fair you ll find a variety of items created by local artisans such as one of a kind clothing preserves dolls furniture kitchen items jewelry and more The Antique and Nostalgia Show features 40 exhibitors offering formal and country antique furniture antique decorative accents antique jewelry plus vintage nostalgia and Victorian treasures If you are looking for a gift for that special person or yourself just because you re sure to find it here balacraftandgiftfair com or discovermuskoka ca Photograph Andy Zeltkalns If you want to challenge yourself on some amazing trails in the beautiful scenery of Muskoka and have a truly unique experience register for the 6th annual Muskoka Mud Run Open Race on Saturday Sept 30th at Morrison Meadows near Bracebridge The goal of the organization is to raise funds for charity while promoting an active lifestyle Over the last several years the group has been working at Morrison Meadows to help Community Living South Muskoka develop the trails and facilities at that location The organizers of the Muskoka Mud Run promise a truly unique Muskoka experience when the event is held Sept 30 at Morrison Meadows in Bracebridge September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 17

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Best of Bracebridge celebrates town s talent By Matt Driscoll F or the past 10 years the Rene M Caisse Memorial Theatre has been the cultural hub of Bracebridge and now it s set to become the venue for decades of artistic achievement Sept 29 and 30 the theatre will play host to a unique festival of art dance drama and song dubbed The Best of Bracebridge A Celebration of the Arts Bracebridge is filled with artistic talent and we want to celebrate that along with the 18 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 Sing sing with your heart Play play to the part Moving to the music til it stirs your soul Feel Your Heart by Dan Brooks tenth anniversary of this wonderful theatre says Cheryl Tough of the Bracebridge Arts Council For 30 years the arts council s mandate has been the promotion of the arts in Bracebridge and for the past 10 they ve also incorporated the management and operation of the theatre alongside their partners at the Town of Bracebridge and the Trillium Lakelands District School Board We felt the Best of Bracebridge presented an excellent way of honouring all those creative people who have contributed so much to this community over the years says Paul Arril who has been a member of the Bracebridge Arts Council since the early 1990s This festival is also a way of highlighting the theatre and its unique role in Bracebridge especially with a focus on the young people The show is billed as a festival of sound light and laughter featuring a selection of

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ns Andy Zeltkal Photograph went before and those who are just beginning their contributions to the arts The actual performers range from the old pros of theatre and song to BMLSS Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School alumni and elementary school choirs and current BMLSS students says Arril One of the unique aspects of the show is that it s bound together by visual representations of Bracebridge today and in the past on the screen at the back of the stage The historical consultants for the show were invaluable in bringing these memories to life The show also features a theme song Feel Your Heart by music director Dan Brooks An original piece Arril says Feel Your Heart celebrates all of the arts with beauty grace and an infectious melody Many of the scenes in this festival show look back on some of the classic moments of theatre beginning with a retrospective of the 40 years of Rotary musicals There are also scenes written specifically for the Best of Bracebridge such as the town council scene featuring Mayor Graydon Smith which depicts how the building of the Rene Caisse actually came about says Arril The past is also honoured through scenes such as Over the Years with the Bracebridge Legion Pipe Band and there will also be performances by the Muskoka Men of Song While the show draws extensively from the cultural history of the area contemporary artistic achievements will also be on display including a salute to the gold medal winning Monck Jazz Band an operatic aria by BMLSS alumni Daevyd Pepper and a scene from Muskoka StageWorks current production of The Three Musketeers The show also looks forward to the future by bringing to Aussa Penniall a regular of Bracebridge theatre warms up for the 10th anniversary celebration of the Rene M Caisse Memorial Theatre art photography dance drama music and song The show spans the classic songs of the Rotary musicals to pipes and drums ballet modern and highland dance choirs and bands and accomplished local artists of all ages We wanted to raise awareness for the Rene Caisse in every way says Tough That includes 10 years of wonderful energy and performances The performance begins when a visitor to the theatre Mrs Anderson Ellen Yeo asks theatre custodian Mr Wilson Jim Dwyer to give her and her three children a tour of the theatre As Arril describes Mr Wilson takes the family on a magical tour of the theatre which includes both past and current performances and showcases the talent of those who the stage the choirs of Bracebridge Public School Monck Public School and Monsignor Michael O Leary Catholic School and the dancers of the Bracebridge School of Ballet Trillium Celtic Arts and Muskoka Dance Connection There will be a special performance of Our World by Emily Bowman who won a recent BMLSS original song contest The winners of the visual artwork and photo categories will also have their work featured in the festival and will be honoured during a reception after the Saturday matinee This reception provides an opportunity for the audience to meet all the performers and to enjoy the celebration of the arts says Arril According to Tough the idea for a Best of Bracebridge festival first began percolating last fall Paul Arril and I set up festival meetings last October November to ask advice from around 20 people from Bracebridge who we knew loved the arts or were members of arts groups in town says Tough The ideas were condensed during a meeting in November and it was decided to have a show at the Rene M Caisse Memorial Theatre that embraced and celebrated the arts says Tough September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 19

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Photograph Andy Zeltkalns We contacted as many groups of the different disciplines and ages as possible and gradually created a wonderful two acts she says We carefully chose the last week of September to coincide with the dates 10 years ago when we opened the theatre with a week long festival of locals and professionals The shows are set to take place Friday Sept 29 at 7 30 p m and Saturday Sept 30 at 2 p m with a special recognition reception after the Saturday show at the Sportsplex The Rene M Caisse Memorial Theatre has quickly become a vital component of the community says Tough and the Bracebridge Arts Council hopes this show will help shine a spotlight on that fact The Rene Caisse is a community theatre but it also serves as a vital educational space a theatre arts classroom and facility that encourages the pursuit of excellence in performance craftsmanship and design says Tough It provides a focus and facility for our cultural community and it stimulates and enhances enjoyment of the arts for all ages We wanted to bring folks together to share the wonderful talent that our town has Dan Brooks Jinty Stewart Cheryl Tough Jim Dwyer and Paul Arril are among those responsible for a celebration of Bracebridge s performing community that will mark the 10th anniversary of the Rene M Caisse Memorial Theatre Elevate Yourself 705 645 4567 InclinedElevation com InclinedElevation 20 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017

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Article by Doug Smith Photography by Elearnor Kee Wellman W hen a posting came onto the Muskoka Bird Board last October of a bobcat sighting on a security camera near Trout Creek just north of Huntsville many were surprised that it was not a lynx thinking a bobcat would not be seen this far north The ensuing discussion confirmed it was a bobcat not a lynx Alex Mills an experienced naturalist who has spent many years exploring Muskoka shared his expertise about the sighting I used to think that about the bobcat but they are actually the cat that is regularly but rarely seen in cottage country he says One was photographed in the east side of Algonquin recently and I don t think Algonquin has any lynx records and another was photographed near Magnetawan recently and I know of a second sighting there too since then And there is a population of bobcats in the Sudbury Sault Ste Marie corridor These would seem to be more suitable places for lynx especially since they are areas of deep snow It does seem surprising that a large wild cat seen in Muskoka would more likely be a bobcat and not a lynx considering our cold snowy winters but there are several reasons that this is indeed the case One reason is habitat Though Muskoka is in the Canadian Shield it is not in the boreal forest which is the habitat lynx prefer Lynx are animals of the boreal forest and so are abundant north of here says Jan McDonnell a former Ministry of Natural Resources wildlife biologist from Muskoka who worked in this area Occasionally they are found in the northern part of our area but I wouldn t say they are regular visitors Lynx are predators of snowshoe hares and have huge feet which lets them walk on deep snow The lynx s specialized diet corresponds with where they live The Large paws assist lynx in navigating northern Ontario s snowy forests Despite this adaptation lynx are less likely to be seen in Muskoka than bobcats 22 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017

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Bobcats are found in many different habitats including deserts and bayous in the southern part of their range in the United States Both cats are similar in size with the lynx being slightly larger at just over a metre long and 60 to 65 centimetres high versus the bobcat which is up to one metre long and about 50 centimetres high The lynx weighs in at eight to 17 kilograms while the bobcat may be up to 13 kilograms Both have long legs with their back legs noticeably longer Both also sport the characteristic five to 10 centimetre long bobbed tail though lynx have a black tip on their tails as well as black tips on their more prominent ear tufts and a more pronounced facial ruff Bobcats may show black and white stripes on their tails Bobcats also have shorter ear tufts a more spotted fur overall and are much redder in appearance The lynx has a light gray winter coat though it can be browner in the summer The lynx also has noticeably larger feet an adaptation for getting about on top of the snow The bobcat is not as adapted to deep snow and cold as the lynx Despite their similarities in appearance the two cats seem to have a north south separation of their ranges although this is changing On the Hinterland Who s Who website the Canadian Wildlife Service refers to the famous lynx snowshoe hare study and confirms The range of the lynx is essentially that part of North America covered by boreal or northernmost forest and occupied also by the snowshoe hare The Canadian Wildlife Service adds this interesting note The northern range expansion of the bobcat in the past century may also have contributed to the overall decline in lynx numbers When both species compete for the same space and food resources the lynx most often yields to the more aggressive and adaptable bobcat This helps explain another reason we are seeing more bobcats than lynx in Muskoka Bart Brown fish and wildlife technical Despite their physical resemblance the bobcat top and the lynx below are different in size and have a different range 24 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017

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Lynx have a black tip on their tails as well as black tips on their more prominent ear tufts specialist for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forest office in Parry Sound shared his insights based on reports he receives We haven t received any lynx sightings in Muskoka however bobcats do exist there he says We do receive the odd call from individuals wanting to report having observed one However it appears that longstanding locals are aware of them and recognize they are part of the landscape There is no requirement to report bobcat sightings to us Trapping records are still one of the only ways to get an idea of numbers of either cat According to Scott Sears vice president of the Ontario Trapper s Association bobcat is the species most likely to show up here He mentions a trapper in the Dunchurch area just north of Muskoka who regularly traps bobcat I m not aware of any bobcat that have been trapped under a trappers license in the Muskoka area of Parry Sound District says Sears Bobcats exist in the district as a whole but very few are trapped The few that are trapped are incidentals that are caught in traps set for other species Trapping is regulated throughout the range for both species Current records indicate the population of bobcat is stable throughout its range Lynx are considered stable in the northern part of their range but are under increasing threats along the southern part of their range which may include the Muskoka area when they stray this far south In such cases lynx are protected by legislation Human development including the affects of climate change seems to be one of the biggest threats to the specialized lynx Climate change may also be responsible for the northern expansion of the bobcat into their ranges Where this is occurring there are reports of hybridization of the two species Lynx are so fixated on snowshoe hares for September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 27

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prey that they may be tolerating that is very far south for the human development to a certain species Most of our observations extent There are recent reports of are bobcat in the Orillia area I lynx being found living near have other observations and populated areas when there is photos of bobcat around Orillia habitat that supports snowshoe over recent years usually during hares the night before garbage pickup in Bobcats have also been found those areas living near urban centres and Searching through garbage is food is again the reason something to be expected from I have observations of bobcat more urbanized raccoons and as far north as Victoria Falls Road coyotes rather than bobcats It s near Washago several years ago hard to know if such incidents but there have been recent ones as occur regularly Both of these well says naturalist Bob Bowles Bobcats may show black and white stripes on their tails have shorter ear wildcats are elusive at the best of I received a report of a wild cat tufts and are more spotted fur overall times and notoriously hard to on Cowbell Lane in Severn find in the wild Many sightings Bridge just on the edge of Muskoka this past deer feeding station on this road just four are just as described above a glimpse of a winter one night from a young lady who was doors up the street by a friend of mine and large bob tailed cat in the headlights of a car dropping someone off from a late night there were several deer tracks when I checked at night meeting and saw the cat out the area the morning after the cat This is possibly another reason both cats This woman was very excited about observation are not often reported in the region they observing the cat if only briefly in her car Bowles continues I talked to her and are just so secretive that most of the time headlights when turning into the driveway went up the next day and found the tracks people are unaware of their presence The cat was probably looking for food in the These were bobcat tracks and not big enough Even if the chances are slim at best let s garbage containers that had been set up for to be lynx However lynx have been reported hope there is always the possibility of seeing pick up the next morning There is an active by trappers in Matchedash Township but a bobcat or a lynx in Muskoka REPEAT 28 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017

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B Article by Judy Vanclieaf Photography by Tomasz Szumski aysville resident Lynn Murden feels truly blessed she is living in one of the most beautiful places in the world and can make a living at doing what she loves creating making and selling yummies in a jar Success has never tasted so good This past summer Murden celebrated the 25th anniversary of creating her first specialities Her aptly named business Yummies in a Jar now produces 100 different varieties of mouth watering unique high quality preservative free homemade jams jellies vinaigrettes and tasty condiments Every recipe has been created by Murden in her own kitchen making sure the flavours are all unique to her brand Just as it was when Murden first started out each jar is still made by hand in small batches in her home based commercial kitchen located just three kilometres west of Baysville on Highway 117 Murden s dream of working for herself and having the freedom to create her own future came to life when she moved to Baysville in May of 1992 That July she took 12 jars of homemade strawberry rhubarb jam to sell at the Baysville Walkabout She was so pleased with her success she decided to do the same for the Baysville Arts Crafts show three weeks later However the second time she made 130 jars of 12 different kinds of jams Being the optimistic person she is Murden set up her table and umbrella that would protect her from the sun Unfortunately it poured all weekend Some people Left Lynn Murden is celebrating the 25th anniversary of creating her first specialities aptly branded Yummies in a Jar Above There are two Baysville locations for Yummies in a Jar including a more recently opened downtown store September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 31

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REPEAT stoneway marble granite inc Les and Renata Partyka 1295 Muskoka Rd 118 West Bracebridge 705 645 3380 stoneway inc gmail com Call Mike Morrow 705 765 3195 www morrow electric com Serving Muskoka Lakes since 1952 rewiring alterations heating NEVER be left in the DARK or COLD get a quality home standby generator by GENERAC 32 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 would take this as a sign but not Murden I sat there with plastic sheets hanging off the umbrella while it poured all around me and I was still grinning from ear to ear I was hooked she recalls It was then that I knew that this is what I wanted to do with my life That first year Murden made 6 000 jars of jam and to her delight every one of them sold Once they came up with the name her husband John Murden an accomplished artist designed the logo and labels for the jars The couple would sit down at the kitchen table each with a pair of scissors a jar of glue and a paint brush and cut out and glue on each label Coming up with a name was a team effort She knew she wanted the words in a jar in the name but he thought yummies was the winner At first I didn t like it It wasn t sophisticated enough she says But now I m so glad we went with it Calling it Yummies in a Jar is one of the best things we ever did Countless numbers of people come into the studio just because they saw the billboard on Highway 11 and drove all the way into Baysville to find out exactly what a Yummies in a Jar was Those first seven years in their 600 squarefoot 1935 home Murden would spend hours in her tiny kitchen cooking jams and jellies all on her own There would be boxes stacked everywhere and jars upon jars of jams taking up space in her kitchen After eight years the jam business got too big for the Murdens tiny home It was time to expand We did a major addition to our house built a separate commercial kitchen downstairs so everything would be on one level and that is where I still cook today she says Making jams and jellies isn t a mainstream career choice and Murden says her mother had a hard time accepting that her daughter was making jams for a living It took my mom 10 years to accept that this is what I wanted to do She kept sending me pamphlets and literature to become a lawyer Murden says But now she is proud and sings my praise to all her friends In the early years they had a very small building heated with wood that served as their gallery John had his paintings displayed throughout and Lynn claimed a four foot section of shelving for her jams It didn t take

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Lynn and husband John Murden often collaborate on the development and marketing of new product long to outgrow that space In 2007 a spacious 1 000 sq ft yearround gallery was built beside the house Today the building is surrounded by beautiful lush gardens that welcome visitors to a co operative gallery that proudly displays the Yummies in a Jar collection with the work of other local artisans and the collection of John s fine art and photography In 2014 they opened a second seasonal shop in the heart of downtown Baysville As the business continued to grow Murden and her delicious jams could be found at three local farmers markets at 30 craft shows across Ontario as well as in specialty stores as far south as Waterloo and as far north as Sudbury To produce enough product for that busy schedule Murden was cooking two or three days each week Yummies presently employs six part time people three year round in the kitchen and three seasonal workers that help out at their shop in Baysville and the Bracebridge and Gravenhurst farmers markets What makes Murden s product stand out above the rest is her creativity She often likes to incorporate ingredients from other local business in her product For example her latest creations use beer from the brewery across the street from their downtown Baysville store Murden experimented with ingredients using the brew and came up with 10 different ideas Darren Smith owner of the Lake of Bays Brewery along with a few of his staff took part in a sampling for input on what would be the new Yummies in a Jar products They narrowed it down to four creations Beer Maple BBQ Sauce two different Beer Mustards and Beer Sauerkraut Jelly That one was definitely one of my weirdest creations Murden says with a laugh September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 33

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Elaine Cormier samples one of the flavourful preserves offered by Lynn Murden of Yummies in a Jar Always looking for a way to develop new business Murden offers personalized wedding anniversary or any occasion favours making truly tasteful gifts Corporate gifts are an option as well Windermere House proudly uses Yummies Jams on their buffet table But these specific jars take personalizing to a new level One of John s prints of Windermere House is used as the label on the jars of jam These same labeled jars are also used by Windermere House as corporate gift for their clients For the past 10 years at the end of November the Murdens have hosted a Christmas open house and fundraiser for the Ontario SPCA Guests come and browse the gallery and mingle for an afternoon of live music refreshments and culinary treats prepared by local Muskoka chefs all of whom are on location Admission to the event is by donation and along with a silent auction all funds go to the Ontario SPCA Muskoka Animal Centre To date they have raised about 25 000 in support of animals in need in the community 34 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 The Murdens share a deep compassion for homeless animals specifically cats They have always had cats and each one has been adopted from the Ontario SPCA We feel that it s the mature cats that need homes as they are harder to adopt out John says Plus they already have their personalities developed so they are the ones we bring into our family When you arrive at the galley don t be surprised to find Chester or Ziggy the gallery s feline greeters heading you off outside for a quick belly rub Murden grins from ear to ear as she sits in their dining room cuddling with Chester Thirty years ago I never thought I d be in beautiful Muskoka making a living making jams and vinaigrettes And somehow after 25 years I still love what I am doing You never know where life will take you Murden had a vision knew what she wanted but wasn t sure how to get there With the loving support of her husband John she put her heart and soul into those first jars of jam and has never looked back

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T he Bracebridge Agricultural Society works tirelessly every year to host the annual Bracebridge Fall Fair Horse Show to fulfill old traditions and spark new interests It s a tradition that has continued since the first fair was held 150 years ago in 1867 Many local residents have fond memories of the annual fair an experience often shared amongst many generations within a family Each year the fair provides a venue for them to showcase their annual crops of fruits and vegetables their culinary skills or their handiwork or even their livestock to family friends neighbours and other fair goers I love the old time dance on Saturday night says Heather Hurren board director and chair of the junior fair committee I don t dance but I love to hear the music It s one tradition that my parents used to attend their fair dance on Friday night Once the showing was all over there was a big directors dance and that was well attended I think that s a tradition It was always a great party that has carried on and I think it s very Photograph Courtesy of Explorers Edge September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 37

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Photographs Courtesy of Explorers Edge Whether it s enjoying a candy apple Above or scrambling to the top of a ride Opposite Page the midway has been a popular attraction of the Bracebridge Fall Fair for generations Below Dressing for the fair is all part of the fun of the day important Since the first fair was held the society has toiled through multiple name changes several relocations of the fairgrounds changes to the board of directors and regular modifications to the classes offered for exhibitors The changes depend on interest and old ways a lot of old ways change says Hurren Like with the quilts we still have a lot of entries but now there s the sewn ones that are separate from the hand stitched ones While there are well over 30 divisions of various disciplines at the fall fair these divisions have also changed continually since the fair s inception In September 1870 for example fair awards were presented to classes for sheep swine poultry cattle horses produce and the ladies department By comparison today s classes range from livestock through to flowers vegetables handicrafts and photography In recent years the English and Western horse shows have been engaging well attended fair attractions in addition to the heavy horse show horse pull poultry and cattle show and 38 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 the variety of exhibits in the exhibit hall Arla Rebman director and honorary member of the Bracebridge Agricultural Society says the Bracebridge event is recognized far and wide One of the judges we had for our heavy horse show she judges all over including at the Royal Winter Fair Horse Show in Toronto recalls Rebman She said to me Arla you ve got the best big smalltown fair in Ontario which is high praise One of the newest attractions at the fair is the giant vegetable weigh off competition held in the exhibit hall Jennifer and Nathan Veitch organize the competition which sees growers from all over Ontario enter their massive vegetables We had a record squash at our 2015 fair and the producers come from all over southern Ontario and even from Quebec says Rebman Jennifer and Nathan have done that on their own and ask for very little help from us That s the type of thing that I find exciting adding something new like that The range of classes and exhibitions of agriculture horticulture horsemanship and craftsmanship help to showcase the importance of the fair both throughout history and today Stewarding future generations is the focus of the junior and youth divisions The junior fair includes groupings of children from

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Photograph Courtesy of Bracebridge Agricultural Society Early in the history of the fair school children of the town and surrounding area schools paraded to the grounds Children were granted a half day holiday to participate in the parade and a great rivalry developed among the schools junior kindergarten all the way to Grade 8 Dependent on age children remain in the same category for two years The youth fair allows those between the ages of three to 18 to compete A bursary from the agricultural society is also available for those who have been accepted into a recognized college or university in full time studies relating to agriculture or homecraft studies The junior fair is encouragement to bring new young exhibitors in in hopes that those kids will continue to exhibit past childhood explains Hurren I always remember there being a junior fair We receive close to 1 000 entries every year When I first started it was around 500 to 600 entries and it s grown from there Teachers and home schooling parents take the program sent out by the junior fair committee and incorporate the activities for the fair into their curriculum Artwork writing skills and small crafts as well as growing vegetables and gardens are all acceptable junior fair exhibits Many local 40 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 teachers like to take the fair book and encourage their students to compete Penmanship used to be a huge category explains Hurren We used to have over 500 entries and we re lucky if we get 40 now because cursive writing has been taken out of the schools The Bracebridge Agricultural Society and the Bracebridge Fall Fair Horse Show as with many traditions and long standing events have changed and evolved over the years I think the biggest thing that we have to be careful of as a committee is when someone comes with new exciting ideas not say I don t think that would work because we ve always done it this way says Rebman I would definitely say when you look at some of the old committees way back they re different says Rebman As a kid when I look back though some of the buildings the exhibits are different The light horse show was always there but it was English hardly any Western The heavy horse show wasn t split into breeds like Percheron or Clydesdales It was just the heavy horse show all shown together The Town of Bracebridge hosted its first fall fair in 1867 the same year as confederation Many of the first farmers who participated were familiar with county fairs as these were a common event for those who were originally from Scotland England and Ireland According to the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce s Heritage Tour Guide published in 1996 Fair days were an important social activity for pioneer communities People would come for miles around as a necessary break from their loneliness and bonebreaking work The hard work of the local settlers in clearing and working the land that some had considered unsuitable paved the way for the fair At one time Muskoka had an international reputation for its production of potatoes and local residents even attended other larger fall fairs with their crops For the first years the fall fair was held centrally in Bracebridge between the former

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Photograph Courtesy of Bracebridge Agricultural Society At Jubilee Park current site of Georgian College and the former Nipissing University campus the fair flourished The main exhibit building included a covered grandstand for spectators and was known as the Crystal Palace of Muskoka and Parry Sound was formed Though several name changes have occurred the Bracebridge Agricultural Society continues to deliver the Bracebridge Fall Fair Horse Show to the residents of Muskoka On the property that is now Simply Cottage just off Entrance Drive was four Photograph Courtesy of Bracebridge Agricultural Society Queen s Hotel and the railway tracks now the area of Manitoba Street and Taylor Road The open area now part of these main streets and the local timber mill was used for local community gatherings in the mid 1800s At one time there were over 100 dairy farmers alone in Muskoka plus all the small farmers who did mixed farming As the number of farmers decreased so too did the number of agriculture based exhibits entered at the fair I m pretty sure the agriculture in the area has changed since the start comments Hurren The cattle show was huge whereas now we don t have the dairies and the beef cattle here like there was The poultry show has always been very good But if you lose a few breeders or farmers the show goes down a bit When somebody new comes along the entries go back up In the beginning the event was called the annual show of the Muskoka Union of Townships Agricultural Society The union of Townships was Macaulay Stephenson Draper Ryde and Oakley In 1874 the Agricultural Society of the Electoral Division Performances by a number of local groups including members of area dance studios have become an attraction of the main stage at the Bracebridge Fall Fair acres of land the Agricultural Society began using in 1877 The same site was once the linen mill of the town which later became the Muskoka Foundry and was then occupied by the Bracebridge Steel Fabricating Company According to the book Bracebridge in 1884 written by G H O Thomas and published in July 1934 The show grounds on the site of the Muskoka Foundry had been cut out of the bush and was the village athletic field There was a wooden building on it belonging to the agricultural society This building was battered to pieces that winter 1884 in blasting out the rock cut for the train The Grand Trunk Railway came to town in 1885 necessitating another move of the fairgrounds The blasting of rock and building of tracks water towers coal bins marshaling yards and a train station meant a new location was required for the agricultural society Alfred Hunt a local landowner known as a poultry man and owner of the first bank in Bracebridge offered the agricultural society the land between Wellington and Victoria Street which became the new fairgrounds in 1888 G H O Thomas shared his knowledge of the relocation to Jubilee Park in his book Mr Alfred Hunt cleared the stumps off the Hollow now the area around Victoria Street Dill St Wellington St and Quebec St sold building lots round the margin and levelled the eleven acres in the centre for September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 41

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Photographs Courtesy of Explorers Edge Above While the categories have evolved throughout the years horses have always been an important part of the Bracebridge Fall Fair Horse Show Right By 1994 the Bracebridge Fall Fair Horse Show had completed its move to the J D Lang Activity Park with the official opening taking place in 1995 show grounds and athletic field Shortly afterwards the village Bracebridge and the agricultural society acquired the property The field was opened as a public park on June 21 1887 and christened Jubilee Park the opening taking place on the 50th anniversary of the accession of Queen Victoria Two years after the Bracebridge Agricultural Society purchased the property from Hunt the Town of Bracebridge assumed ownership of the park An agreement was developed for the society to have free use of the space with the town s permission At Jubilee Park the fair flourished The main exhibit building included a covered grandstand for spectators and was known as the Crystal Palace In later years the grandstand portion of the structure had to be closed in to make space for more exhibits The Muskoka Leather Company contributed to the expansion of the main exhibit building in 1899 The grounds at Jubilee Park included a racetrack around the outer edge and horse racing was a popular attraction However at the time it had to be referred to as speeding in the ring because provincial law prohibited any government grant to a fall fair holding horse races The track was also used by townspeople to practice their automobile driving skills before applying for a license Log sawing contests also drew large crowds at previous fairs In 1946 the Hughes Sisters of Port Sydney made the cut in 52 42 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 seconds and W P Pearcey and W Crawford made their cut in 29 seconds The Bracebridge Fall Fair broke the record for greatest attendance in its history in 1946 as well In 1967 a building to house livestock and poultry was constructed on the opposite side of the park The previous separate poultry building and pens that lined the north side of the grounds had burned and they were replaced by the new larger building Early in the history of the fair school children of the town and surrounding area schools paraded to the grounds Children were granted a half day holiday to participate in the parade and a great rivalry developed among the schools In 1908 records show that over 700 school children marched in the parade My memories were of marching in the parade with Monck Public School singing on the stage with my class and then running to my father s truck to change into my riding breeches and boots to show my horse in the horse show recalls Rebman In a 1956 newspaper it was said the Bracebridge Fall Fair had the largest school children parade in the province Unfortunately the school parades were discontinued which impacted attendance of the fair However over the years changes were also made to dates and format and the fair soon became too large for Jubilee Park We stopped having the parade because the logistics of a teacher and a volunteer looking after 30 kids at the fairground is a

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lot says Rebman We thought when the parade ended it was going to be the end of the fair But we had a comeback and we ve replaced it with something else It s part of the evolution Bracebridge s Centennial year in 1975 was marked with the building of the Centennial Centre at Jubilee Park The centre was used for several years of the fair and made room for an increased number of pioneer and craft displays as well as entertainment The 1975 fair included the great attraction of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police musical ride The Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School Band provided the music for the ride under the direction of an officer of the RCMP While James D Lang was mayor he worked with town council to purchase a plot of land off Fraserburg Road to relocate the fair once more Increased use and development near Jubilee Park in addition to the growth of the fair required a change The property on Fraserburg Road was divided into four parcels and shared between the Bracebridge Agricultural Society Muskoka Pioneer Society Bracebridge Fire Department and the Town of Bracebridge I think having the marriage you might say between Pioneer Power and the Fire Department and having them share the grounds with us makes a wonderful partnership says Rebman Volunteers undertook the construction of a livestock barn in 1992 at the J D Lang location in preparation of moving the fair From 1993 to 1995 their first female president Irene Thomson led the Bracebridge Agricultural Society Irene had served for several years as the secretary and continued to serve for several years after her term as president completed In 1993 the fair was split between Jubilee Park and the new fairgrounds at J D Lang Activity Park Shuttles went back and forth September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 43

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44 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 Photographs Courtesy of Explorers Edge children through a challenge throughout the event course as a junior fire fighter The In 1994 the complete fair was Challenge Cup sees teams of held at the new fairgrounds and firefighters exhibit their skills with exhibit hall but the official hose carries tower climbs and an opening took place in September obstacle course with prizes awarded 1995 Indoor exhibits were for first through to fourth place showcased in three buildings the Antique and garden tractor main exhibit hall the livestock pulls and heavy horse pulls take centre and the TransCanada place at the Pioneer Power track Pipeline Building A quarter mile and draw large crowds The horse of fenced horse ring and about 40 pull had been discontinued but acres of open ground was reinstated a few years ago as accommodates the midway part of the fair day attractions concessions attractions and event The Pioneer Power Show as far parking In 2001 the Walter D as I m concerned really adds to the Taylor Cattle Barn was erected fair offers Rebman They have When you go to a lot of the buildings all set up like a fairgrounds they re all paved all museum and the tractor pulls concrete says Hurren Our happen just outside of their fairgrounds are absolutely like a buildings They do a better job of park they are truly like a park that than anywhere else in town as We re very fortunate Above One of the newest attractions at the fair is the giant vegetable far as the history The main exhibit hall and weigh off competition held in the exhibit hall Below The bright lights of Typical of large events and grounds are also used for the midway are an evening attraction of the fall fair charitable organizations the fall weddings parties antique shows train shows gun shows the annual Easter egg Bracebridge Fire Department adds to the fair would not be possible without the hard work and assistance of a multitude of hunt the annual summer Pioneer Power show partnerships that develop for the fair volunteers The fire department hosts a Junior Fire and in the fall for the Bracebridge Fall Fair You have to add up all the people on Sharing the property with both the Fighter Challenge as well as a Fire Department Muskoka Pioneer Power Association and Challenge Cup Volunteer fire fighters guide committees and then add at least two more

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people on each committee because some people don t want to be recognized says Rebman In 2016 over 220 volunteers helped over the course of fair weekend whether writing tags parking cars or assisting with event schedules In addition factoring in the hours of meetings and committee work volunteers work thousands of hours preparing for the fair The Bracebridge Agricultural Society is a registered charity and relies on the support of its volunteers membership and donors to continue to operate the fair each year While admission prices and ticket prices do support the budget for the event fundraising is a key for the future of the fair The society maintains a gold brick fundraising campaign for donors to purchase a brick which remains mounted in the main exhibit hall in perpetuity In 2000 high school student Kurt Cairns painted a mural to cover a large portion of the upper wall in the exhibit hall The mural depicts all the aspects of the fair including livestock the horse shows and produce and overlooks the multitude of gold bricks purchased by fair supporters When you look around at the grounds and see all of the things going on you think it really is a fantastic big fair says Rebman The tradition of the Bracebridge Fall Fair continues to grow and change as local organizations and residents work together to preserve history and adapt to new trends I love the parade and the opening ceremonies where the Legion band pipes everybody in It makes you very proud every time beams Hurren After months of planning meetings and anticipation fair goers and board directors alike get to experience their tradition for one weekend in September I love the midway says Rebman I don t go on it anymore but I just love watching the kids at the midway I think that they re so excited and they re in the lineup I like that Whether you re an avid attendee of the fair or have yet to experience a Bracebridge Fall Fair Rebman insists she was always told the day of the fair is the day to be there There is something for everyone to enjoy at the Bracebridge Fall Fair Go See and be seen urges Rebman You don t have to tramp around There are seats inside there s entertainment Just see it I love going even still every year SALES SERVICE DESIGN I N S TA L L AT I O N Featuring a full selection of quality bathroom and kitchen fixtures KNOWLES PLUMBING Muskoka s Bath Plumbing Centre 279 Manitoba Street Bracebridge Tel 705 645 2671 visit us at knowlesplumbing com muskokabath September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 45

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T he act of fishing is simple Lure line and fishing rod It s a timeless activity strongly associated with early mornings and lazy afternoons at the lake But preparing for a day on the water is more involved Organizing boat launches and marina fees gathering tackle and PFDs While you only get so many weekends of good weather each summer the fall also presents a great opportunity to go after a big one Muskoka is home to some of the best freshwater fishing in Canada Anglers hook bass trout pike walleye whitefish and perch The Muskoka lakes provide an almost endless number of bays shoals shallows and coves so knowing where to find the fish can be tricky Whether you are a seasoned angler looking for some new tricks and tips someone needing a boost to get into the sport or you re just looking for a fun activity to share with your children fishing guides make the experience easy A guide provides the boat knowledge and gear Diving into fishing in Muskoka with the help of a professional angler eliminates the hassle and maximizes the experience Michael Bertelsen is a full time fishing guide and owner of Captain Action Charters based out of Huntsville He believes the help of a guide can make for your best fishing days yet Why get a guide It s just fast tracking you says Bertelsen Almost everyone I ve taken fishing has said that s the best fishing they ve ever done that they have caught the most fish they ever have They can t believe how many fish they catch To be a good guide you need local knowledge Bertelsen takes the guesswork out of fishing in Muskoka As a full time guide I m on the water every day he says I m on the fish all the time Water temperature changes bait fish move big fish move Guiding year round Bertelsen spends winters working on the water in the Florida Keys his second home I ve been in this business for 40 years says Bertelsen I grew up on the Hunstville lakes guiding since the 70s He started as a fishing guide in his teens and today his sons guide with him and on their own charters both in Muskoka and Florida Captain Action Charters covers Muskoka s big lakes Rosseau Muskoka and Joseph and most of his clients are cottagers or resorts guests A halfday charter gets you four hours on the water for 360 You choose the lake and pickup locations Just show up says Bertelsen I catch fish all 46 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 Lines and Lures in Lake Country Article by Carmen Kuntz Photography by Andy Zeltkalns Michael Bertelsen of Captain Action Charters and his client Jake Sherk enjoy the moment while fishing for largemouth bass

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day long time of day doesn t a great time so that is what we matter give them Bertelsen brings a boat There is a fishing saying suited for the lake and that 90 per cent of the fish are clientele For larger lakes like found in 10 per cent of the Rosseau I ve got a big 20lake foot bass style boat equipped Garrett Green feels this with electronics fishing quote is particularly Smaller boats are used for relevant to big lakes like smaller lakes and charters are Muskoka Rosseau and Joseph designed to suit each customer s Learning where to find fishing style and goals and catch fish can be time Bertelsen s motivation is consuming says Green partsimple I love watching owner of Muskoka Guided people catch fish Fishing Knowing where the fish are located is a big part of the job for fishing guides Terry From helping good anglers Green casts for smallmouth bass on Lake Joseph Together with friend and get better to teaching how to fishing partner Dave Rochette cast education is deeply ingrained in a day guide it s my job to teach conservation they have 40 years of combined experience with Captain Action but you won t know it What Captain Action clients do take on Muskoka lakes They transformed their I teach a lot of basics Want to know how home are the skills that make them better passion for fishing into a seasonal guiding to catch bass pike or walleye asks Bertelsen anglers People just want to go out and outfit I m pretty much only catch and release As a catch fish they just want to go out and have From mid October until mid May most Before releasing a largemouth bass back into the water Michael Bertelsen of Captain Action Charters and Jake Sherk display their catch 48 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017

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people don t have the desire to be on the water freezing their buns off Green says Most of our clientele are rookie anglers so they prefer fair weather fishing Muskoka Guided Fishing gets out on the water as early as April if there is interest but regularly their guiding season runs from the opening of pike and walleye season in mid May through mid October Their busiest months are from the end of June until August during bass season Green is a third generation angler with family roots in Newfoundland It was only natural for me to follow in their footsteps says Green who started fishing with his father and grandfather at the age of four Success led to passion and fishing followed the family to their cottage on Balsam Lake in the Kawarthas I have been guiding since I purchased my first new fishing boat at the age of 20 he says When I moved to Muskoka in 1995 it only made sense to use my fishing experience to firstly learn the lakes in the Muskoka region and then continue with my guiding Green and Rochette pick up clients at the closest launch site to their cottage or even right from their dock The first thing I always do is a crash course on how to use the rods and reels Then we will go out to a known successful spot and begin fishing Once they get the hang of it I will introduce different lures and techniques Usually by the end of a four hour guide the clients have mastered casting and many techniques A four hour tour is 350 and includes all gas equipment and tackle for up to three people Cold drinks are provided to keep clients hydrated which is particularly necessary on a full day seven hour charter which costs 500 Although we encourage catch and release we will keep a couple of fish and clean them for our clients if they would like Green says An average outing on our boats usually with lakeside fire pits private decks with panoramas of the lake and cooking amenities including a barbecue Muskoka Shores hosts many privately organized fishing derbies throughout the summer where guests create their own smallscale derbies filling the resort with a fun fishing centered vibe From the opening of the season in May to ice fishing in winter special packages include rental of ice huts and an annual on ice barbecue Reel in lake trout walleye northern pike largemouth and smallmouth bass catfish perch and sunfish at Muskoka Shores where they promote live release and encourage photography not just frying pans For a more remote fishing experience fly into one of Muskoka Outpost s cabins where access to secluded lakes allows anglers to enjoy the comforts of a rustic old school fishing camp setting Muskoka Outpost is just a couple hours from Toronto and only a 20 minute flight from Orillia Located in the Severn River Conservation Reserve Muskoka Outpost offers two separate camps on their own private lakes Camp Woodland and Camp Boleau are flyin only completely inaccessible by road Owners Dan Smith and Robert Nelles who live and cottage only a few kilometres from the camps fly clients in by floatplane It s not uncommon for myself or Dan to fly in additional supplies to guests as we are only 10 minutes away says Nelles These off grid fishing retreats have screened in porches and LED lights illuminate the cabins powered by solar panels Large docks fire pits access to canoes and four fishing boats are provided Unlike fly in fishing camps further north the weather is warmer there are fewer bugs and cell service is available Are you new to fishing or an avid angler Looking for a funfilled family resort or a remote slice of fishing nirvana Muskoka fishing lodges will fill your outing with aquatic adventures Fishing guides and guesthouses will enhance your fish stories creating lasting memories and new Fishing is a family tradition for Garrett Green of Muskoka traditions Guided Fishing Tours includes about a dozen fish being hooked and possibly one or two trophy sized fish in the mix Green adds I believe what separates us from other guide services is our desire to teach people how to fish show them how to use different lures to perform different fishing techniques These tips are something that they can take home with them and use themselves on their next fishing outing A day on the water passes by in a flash To maximize your days spend a weekend or week by the water s edge at one of the many fishing focused lodges in Muskoka When crowds on the larger lakes become too much escape to the smaller lakes of Muskoka Tucked in a sandy bay on Three Mile Lake Muskoka Shores Cottages offers 250 metres of shoreline with complimentary canoes and kayaks as well as ample dock space for fishing Just 2 5 hours from Toronto and 10 minutes from downtown Port Carling this fourseason resort offers a variety of cabins September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 49

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Frank Micklethwaite Courtesy of NAC PA 158800 By J Patrick Boyer always carry a gun when I go through the bush shrugged William Patterson in Muskoka Magistrate s Court on Aug 28 1897 answering to charges that he d unlawfully killed deer out of season that month Then a co accused Richard Bailey testified I would shoot anything that came in my way deer or anything else I took my gun and if I had seen a deer I would have shot it Whatever the rules they were routinely broken There is no law here wrote Thomas Osborne in his memoir about 1870s bush life in Muskoka As a 17 year old homesteader he served a venison supper of beef to a free loading game warden put him up for the night at his Franklin Township cabin then served him illegally caught fish for breakfast For his forced hospitality Tom was cheaply repaid with a mild warning about next time by the departing and well satisfied law officer Early Muskokans harvested whatever they could the easiest way they could to feed their families and survive Boiled loon was a last ditch choice squirrel pie an acquired taste Bear could pass for beef Bear grease itself gave bread and piecrust a 50 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 Photograph Frank Micklethwaite Courtesy of NAC PA67301 protected Pioneer Muskoka s Wildlife coveted sweet flavour Fishing with nets shooting deer while they swam hunting game out of season and taking fowl without heed to the bag limit though all illegal were common Folks walking in the bush rowing a boat or driving a wagon carried a loaded rifle No creature that could fly walk or swim was safe Ontario s fish and game laws seemed irrelevant Artists engravings of Muskoka s pioneer times depict men shooting frantically swimming deer from their canoes and doing so without any qualms or concern Even though forests were deep with animals and the lakes and rivers teemed

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Photograph Frank Micklethwaite Courtesy of NAC PA 156208 with fish conservation was the point of laws controlling wildlife harvests By this date buffalo on the Prairies and many species of whales off Canada s Atlantic coast had been hunted and killed to extinction But just how exactly did Patterson Bailey and several others find themselves in court standing charges of breaking Ontario game laws It was high summer not deer season but their kill took place in a remote section of Stephenson Township It had been along a small bush track not even a concession road or side line where their neighbour Robert Brown had spotted the men out on Skeleton Lake with a freshly Top Left Renowned photographer Frank Micklethwaite described this serene fishing scene on the wharf at Port Sandfield as portraying Disciples of The Gentle Sport Top Right The fall season was a prime period for Muskoka vacationers who enjoyed hunting in this case at Montieth House in 1903 This party of ten has taken eleven deer Above These men canoeing down the Moon River from Lake Muskoka to Georgian Bay enjoyed freshly caught filleted and pan fried fish September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 51

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TORQUED UP TOUGHNESS STOP IN FOR THE MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M S ITS STRONGER ADVANCED TREAD COMPOUNDS HOLD UP TO TOUGHER CONDITIONS LONGER MICHELIN TM TM TM DEFENDER LTX M S TM TM TM Based on third party Treadwear tests using the MICHELIN Defender LTX M S tire versus MICHELIN LTX M S 2 tire using size LT265 70R17 121 118R tires Actual on road results may vary 2016 Michelin North America Canada Inc All rights reserved TM TM TM TM TM 1029 Taylor Ct Bracebridge ON P1L 0A1 705 645 8000 www rockyislandtire com Momma Bear s Ice Cream Sweets Downtown Bracebridge across from the post office BRACEBRIDGE GENERATION LTD Water Power Generating a Cleaner Environment Interested in more information or a free tour www bracebridgegeneration com 52 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 killed deer in their boat Their case was not unique In the 1890s James Boyer who d been trying hundreds of cases since his appointment as Magistrate for Muskoka District in 1878 together with other Justices of the Peace around the District heard plenty of charges for breaches of game laws muskrat trapped in excess of legal limits ducks shot out of season deer killed in disregard to laws crafted to protect them Just how many police constables and game wardens were on the prowl You d think hundreds if not a thousand given the District s plethora of out of the way lakes and forests But there were hardly any at all If no police officer is around to arrest someone breaking the law a private individual can The expression the long reach of the arm of the law takes full account of this possibility of a citizen s arrest It was a big part of this 1890 s scene and still operates today In 2013 parliament enacted the Citizen s Arrest and Self Defence Act to update and strengthen rules for people arresting somebody committing a crime on their property or in relation to their personal possessions when it s not feasible for a police officer to do so Yet it wasn t just this right of citizen s arrest alone protecting Muskoka wildlife A huge boost to game law enforcement came from moieties This unusual term is an English make over of the French word moiti It means half as in half the fine which operated like a finder s fee Application of this ancient rule transplanted from England to colonial Canada resulted in a judge or justice of the peace paying out half the fine collected from a convicted offender to the individual who prosecuted him These private prosecutors known to the law as common informers often initiated proceedings for breaches of the law just to get their moiety In Canadian practice these vigilante citizens often received more than half when magistrates wanted to hike the cash incentive and generate more prosecutions In this 1897 summer deer hunting case against Patterson and Bailey Robert Brown left court with 14 in his pocket That could buy a month s groceries In Bracebridge stores that year 1 bought 32 pounds of sugar or 25 pounds of dried apples or four pounds of quality tea A can of good corn cost a nickel

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1 3 PAGE S Rocky Island Tire Boyer Frank Micklethwaite Courtesy of NAC PA 189011 1 6 PAGE H Bracebridge Generation Long Arm of the Law 1 6 PAGE H Momma Bear s This early Muskoka image by Frank Micklethwaite who lugged heavy camera equipment to rugged locales records a fishing party camped near Bala in 1887 Apart from foodstuffs women s hats made from beaver and felt sold for 25 cents and up while a one year subscription to the Muskoka Herald cost 1 and covered 52 issues less than two cents per copy Or for his easy 14 Brown could have purchased a Winchester rifle in G R Simmon s store for his own hunting and still had money left over for ammunition The magic of moieties was instant multiplication of law enforcement personnel Far more effective than the government naming a few extra game wardens this rule rewarded snitches whose alert eyes and ears could be anywhere at any time How else would reclusive Fritz Ross with his staggering hoard of 192 muskrats trapped out of season have been detected and prosecuted except for the sly vigilance of Charles E Mawdsley who pocketed half of Ross s 5 fine for his effort If 5 seems a light fine for 192 muskrats contrasted to 28 paid by Patterson and Bailey for one deer it was because Magistrate Boyer had evidently felt compassion for frail trapper Fritz Ross who was in his 70s Knowing a bargain when he saw it Ross claimed inability to pay He served as alternative punishment a week in jail instead From the records it was one of the lightest sentences Boyer ever handed down However a week later a much younger man was in Magistrate s Court Muskoka Magistrate James Boyer recorded all his cases including evidence of the accuser and defendant on the identical charge of illegally decided the outcome collected the fines and paid half to prosecutor harvesting muskrat Stuck with his own September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 53

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Guaranteed for life Not to Wear Out Insured Against Loss Floats Repels Rain Crushable Packable Excellent UV Protection CE L E B R ATE CAN ADA 1 5 0 W I TH TI L L E Y L I M I T E D S TOC K AVA I L A B L E Momma Bear s Ice Cream Sweets Momma Bear s Downtown Bracebridge across from the post office 705 646 9079 54 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 fresh precedent chagrined Boyer had no option but to mete out the same penalty As the cell door swung open to let Fritz Ross out in walked John McMillan also to serve just one week in lieu of paying his 5 fine for a significant infraction Earning a share of the fine could even trump one s family ties A District notoriously low on hard currency not only spawned a widespread barter economy but welcomed this prospect of getting cash through moieties A hard up individual or someone wanting to settle a grievance against a relative or neighbour discovering he could earn money through moieties bestirred himself to lay private prosecutions for public offences This system sometimes even made a man more ardent in hunting his neighbours and relatives than tracking down game However the system had control features If an overzealous prosecutor did not get a conviction he paid the court costs There were times Boyer dismissed charges for lack of convincing evidence Other times he reduced the moiety by deducting money when an informer hoped to multiply his courtroom earnings by naming eight neighbours in a single hunting case Muskoka s Magistrate noted in his bench book in one such example paid informant half the fine less 6 costs for 2 charges dismissed Early on the Sunday morning of July 25 1897 Charles Grimes watched a flock of ducks settle on the bay between his home and his neighbour Henry Ensom s place in Wood Township Then he saw Henry shoot a duck from shore and take pursuit shooting several others from his boat On Aug 7 1897 Grimes came before Magistrate James Boyer to prosecute his neighbour The defendant testified that he d simply sat upon a log at the shore seen a chipmunk got his gun and shot it rowed out in his boat to fetch it and fed it to his dog Upon conviction for unlawfully killing game to wit ducks Ensom was fined 5 plus 21 cents in costs If not paid forthwith he faced imprisonment for two calendar months in the common gaol at Bracebridge Magistrate Boyer entered in his bench book paid complainant Grimes 2 50 half penalty Besides demonstrating the moieties system s bite this ducks case shows the value of a dollar in the 1890s 5 21 was equivalent

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to eight weeks in jail The moieties system even allowed game wardens to collect a portion of the fine effectively remunerating law enforcement officers on a commission basis This unquestionably improved their hearing when it came to guns being fired in the woods Given the many cases game warden Elias H Traves profitably prosecuted the man must have been constantly hunting for money in the forests astute in bagging his own catch of unwary human prey the one animal on which there was no statutory quota or closed season Hunting became a game of hide and seek not just between hunters and their prey but between humans as well In one illegal hunting case in 1896 Magistrate Boyer heard charges against defendant A C Fletcher This was the very same man who as a justice of the peace himself had sat with Boyer in judgment over another illegal hunter two years earlier The offhand relationship with game laws seemed so natural in Muskoka s frontier society that by the late 1800s it had become a well practised double standard Besides citizen arrests and moieties a third remarkable component in this portrait of 1890s hunting in Muskoka was that Ontario s many non stipendiary magistrates got their fees out of the fines collected in their courts The more convictions they handed down and the higher the fines they imposed the larger their potential remuneration could be It was a system to tempt even angels The right of a citizen prosecutor to a share of the fine no longer exists Repealing the moieties system professionalized law enforcement But with the cash incentive to apprehend violators gone the number of motivated vigilantes with sharp eyes across the scattered landscape has been reduced Today s anglers and hunters and those hired to regulate their activities and protect wildlife operate within a larger legal and advanced technology framework The stakes have grown higher in this much altered juridical and conservation context Yet central features of the relationship between people and wild animals displayed in 1890s Muskoka the need for food the thrill of making a kill or a catch even the desire for a trophy remain just as real today Editor s Note The writer is the great grandson of Magistrate James Boyer COME VISIT OUR FRIENDLY KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF ABOUT KUBOTA EQUIPMENT 21 Robert Dollar Dr Bracebridge ON P1L 1P9 705 645 6575 September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 55

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Sweet Success at Lucky Duck Article by Dianne Park Thach Photography by Andy Zeltkalns hen a fudge booth piqued the interest of the Nation family 28 years ago they never thought their version of the sweet treat would strike up a large customer following in Muskoka Bev and Ed Nation owned Roselawn Lodge located on Bala s Moon River The family made a trip to Toronto to attend a food tradeshow when someone there is still a debate within the family on who exactly 56 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 found it first spotted a fudge booth The kitchen at their inn was busy dishing out three meals a day to their guests but things settled down in the evening so their daughter Heather thought she d try making fudge at night They had a tall cylinder shaped metal kettle shipped to them from Germany and Bev soon joined in with the fudge making Heather was the one who taught me how to swirl the fudge Bev says with a smile And what began as an experiment in the kitchen turned out to be the start of a new business While drawing out plans for a fudge retail store the designer often referred to the project as the lucky duck and the name just stuck The Lucky Duck Fudge logo of the cute plump duck was drawn up by a marketing and advertising friend of the Nations while talking to him about the store

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Bottom left A wide selection of flavours of Lucky Duck fudge entices young purchasers at The Muskokery in Port Carling Bottom right Lucky Duck founder Bev Nation continues to assist current owner Chris Burgess when production demands increase in the summer Bev credits the success of their business to their employees If I didn t have the people who worked for me I would not have had anything she says It was a wonderful experience I never once said Oh I have to go in to work After years of success the time came for the Nations to pass on their secret recipes to someone new and Beth Ann Burgess took over the fudgery Due to other commitments Beth Ann was no longer able to run the business and her mom Chris a retired teacher stepped in The winters are long here and I m a very social person so it seemed like a good fit says Chris I thought I d try it on my own for a year or two and see what happened Running a store seven days a week became more than she d bargained for so she sold the building and started selling the fudge wholesale to local retailers Lucky Duck can now be found at 14 different businesses in Bala Gravenhurst Port Carling Bracebridge Baysville Burk s Falls and Rosseau It s been 12 years since Bev first taught Chris everything she knew about fudge and Chris still can t believe how Bev worked with only one kettle The basis for a lot of the fudge is either vanilla or chocolate and a lot of the flavours September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 57

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Above Bev Nation pours freshly made fudge before it is formed into slabs Below Angie O Hara of The Muskokery offers a wide selection of Lucky Duck Fudge flavours to customers at her Port Carling store call for the vanilla and chocolate together explains Chris pointing out the two kettles she uses in the Glen Orchard Community Centre kitchen So Bev would ve had to pour her vanilla clean the kettle then start all over with chocolate Lucky Duck Fudge is made fresh to order every week and is smooth and creamy They had about 25 different flavours when Chris first took over the business and now make 40 with some flavours specially made during holidays Many of the flavours were inspired by the requests of her customers The Heavenly Goo flavour is popular and features vanilla fudge creamy caramel and chocolate fudge swirled together with more caramel drizzled on top She recently created a new flavour using blueberry Our neighbours and friends are quite happy to try out the fudge when I m playing around with stuff she laughs She makes about 6 000 lbs of fudge a year and one of her customers in Port Carling alone sells 2 000 lbs between the May long weekend and Thanks 58 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 giving That s a lot of fudge that comes out of this little kitchen she says smiling When she gets swamped with orders Bev gives Chris a hand We goof around and I give her a 10 minute lunch she laughs But we do have a good time and that s what makes it fun and not a job Chris s connection with Muskoka began when she married Brad Burgess whose greatgrandfather founded the town of Bala Brad grew up in London Ont but he always knew he wanted to come back home to Bala so the couple moved after retiring from their careers As an entrepreneur Chris has learned to do it all managing orders production delivery and cleaning up after the mess Over the years Chris has become friends with the store owners who buy her fudge A lot of them close during the winter so when spring comes we catch up and it s like How are the grandkids What were you up to over the winter says Chris When the time eventually comes for Chris to pass along her secret recipes to a new owner she hopes they will continue the charitable donations that she and Brad value Pounds of Lucky Duck Fudge are donated each year to causes like a golf tournament for multiple sclerosis a SickKids hospital fundraiser churches curling clubs and the Legion s senior centre At Christmas she prepared 300 pieces of fudge for the Santa Claus parade in Bala Brad and I believe that what you give out comes back in another way We re not expecting anything back but good things can come our way says Chris Fudge has been good to us

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The lower Oxtongue River and Marsh s Falls in Lake of Bays are unique both ecologically and culturally The river is a former glacial outwash and was a traditional canoe route for Indigenous peoples with a portage that skirted the falls In the late 1800s the falls were the site of a sawmill built by Captain George Marsh The District of Muskoka has recognized the lower Oxtongue River as a heritage area and the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation has to date acquired more than 50 per cent of the lower Oxtongue for conservation protection in perpetuity In 2014 the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation acquired a 200 acre property on the north side of Marsh s Falls and has been slowly clearing the area of its former structures and debris including an old barn and hunting blinds This summer youth rangers from Arrowhead Provincial Park demolished an old garage to make way for an extended meadow for songbirds and butterflies The former owner had removed trees to make a landscaped site at the Stewardship Youth Rangers Michael Bryden Brady Irving David falls says Brian Simpson Russell Carley Marshall and Helena Secord from Arrowhead Provincial chair of the Lake of Bays Park help to naturalize property at Marsh s Falls in Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation s Township property management committee at Marsh s Falls We want to wonderful meadowland for songbirds return it to its natural vegetation but The Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation is recognize that the open area could be a looking for help from someone with a brush WE DIG MUSKOKA Complete Site Services Boulder Retaining Walls Patios Flagstone Pathways Stairs Professional Barging Service Excavation Road Maintenance Demolition Septic Systems 60 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 Contact us for a quote info riegercontracting com 705 765 DIGG 3444 Photograph Brian Simpson Whats Happened

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hog to remove saplings and allow wild grasses to grow The only structure remaining on the site is the former owner s home which the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation will retain for use in outreach programs The property is not open to the public for general use but the foundation runs guided educational programs at the site throughout the summer and fall lakeofbaysheritage ca Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare which oversees Muskoka s two hospitals in Huntsville and Bracebridge has received up to 1 million in funding from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to determine next steps for healthcare in the region The funding is for a Stage 1 Proposal the first of five in the ministry s capital planning process for redeveloping hospitals The Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare Board of Directors previously recommended a single site hospital model for Muskoka but the proposal process requires that they re evaluate use of one or both of the existing sites Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare CEO Natalie Bubela noted much has changed in the five years since planning began including the Ministry s new Patients First Act the formation of the Muskoka and Area Health System Transformation Council new census data and innovation in technology In conjunction with the North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network and the Muskoka and Area Health System Transformation Council Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare will be forming a Capital Plan Development Task Force for preparation of the Stage 1 Proposal Concurrently the Muskoka and Area Health System Transformation is working to design a possible future model for acute care services in the region Both processes are expected to be complete by the end of March 2018 When the Stage 1 Proposal is complete it will be reviewed by the North Simcoe Muskoka FOR BEAUTIFUL BLINDS SHUTTERS SHADES MODERN HOME CARPET ONE 350 Ecclestone Drive Bracebridge 705 645 2443 carpetonebracebridge ca TAYLOR CARPET ONE 30 Cairns Crescent Huntsville 705 789 9259 taylorcarpetonehuntsville com September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 61

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Local Health Integration Network and then presented to the ministry The Township of Muskoka Lakes is once again looking at the issue of short term cottage rentals Seasonal residents in the area have a long tradition of renting cottages providing supplemental income to help maintain their properties and offering a sometimes more affordable alternative for travellers Detractors of the practice point to its unfair advantage over small cottage resorts and occasional nuisance complaints Earlier this year Jim Dyment a consultant for MHBC Planning offered his views to the township s committee of the whole He noted there are currently no policies restricting private cottage rentals in Muskoka and regulations and enforcement would need to be in place to do so A report by township staff doesn t recommend prohibiting short term rentals and instead suggested a registry or licensing regime so that specific concerns and complaints could be efficiently addressed The township would have the ability to revoke licenses if there are multiple infractions Township staff was directed by the committee of the whole to produce a draft licensing bylaw for review and discussion says David Pink director of planning for the Township of Muskoka Lakes It will be presented at a future meeting The Township of Muskoka Lakes says it is facing significant infrastructure challenges over the coming years and is looking to residents for input on how to best finance improvements The township says options are tax increases increased user fees or service level reductions and it has released a survey that addresses the latter of those as 2018 budget deliberations get underway Eighteen per cent of property tax dollars within the township are used for services and programs with the remainder going to the District of Muskoka and local school boards It says that service level reductions could include closing roads to save on cost of bridge replacements reverting from paved roads to gravel on some low usage roads closing fire halls and or community centres designating certain roads as seasonal with no winter maintenance or plowing abandonment or closure of public wharfs and ramps rather than replacement and reduced maintenance of parks and cemeteries The Service Level Review Survey asks residents to rate services on whether they should be enhanced maintained reduced or discontinued Responses will help the Muskoka Lakes Council determine the best path forward Paper copies of the survey are available at the township office or an online survey is available at muskokalakes ca until September 29 2017 PartnershiP OPPOrtunities Imagine the Possibilities for You Your Business Your Employees Your Community Driving Energy For Quality Hospice Palliative Care In South West Muskoka Innovators Partners People Driven There are so many ways you can contribute to the future of Hospice Muskoka Help us to sustain and grow our current programs Help us to build Andy s House a comprehensive Hospice Palliative Care Community Hub Become a member of our family it really could be one of the most rewarding decisions you ever make Become a Benefactor an Event Partner or Member Volunteer Make your personal or company investment work for you A member of our team will be happy to review our Partnership Opportunities Guide with you and tailor a package that truly reflect Your values Your goals and Your desired outcomes Our annual Partnership Opportunities Campaign begins in September 2017 Let s talk Hospice Muskoka P O Box 156 15 Depot Dr Bracebridge ON P1L 1T6 705 646 1697 www hospicemuskoka com info hospicemuskoka com 62 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017

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While favourites such as key lime pie Top and pecan tarts Above Left may attract customers to Don s Bakery in Bala Julianne Brown Stephanie Brown and Claire Strong Above Right ensure the customer experience at the bakery is excellent once in 1979 and is celebrating its 70th anniversary by offering daily 7 specials 70 cent coffee on Saturdays free cake on Sundays and other treats Bryan Foster who is in his eighth season of co owning Don s Bakery with his wife Jana spent his childhood summers at a family cottage near Mortimer s Point on Lake Muskoka and was a customer from day one I remember walking through and the smells and looking forward to a cinnamon bun with my granddad he says Now his own two children five year old Riley and two year old Jacklyn perform a vital service They re my quality control he notes So what makes Don s Don s There aren t many scratch bakeries around Foster says It s the history and comfort foods that people have grown to look forward to You come in and time slows down Don s has always had friendly service and quality we re very conscious of that When the Fosters who both had backgrounds more in business than baking heard the storied bakery was up for sale and made the leap they knew they had big boots to fill Fortunately the staff which has now grown to 40 people included two master bakers And by working 16 to 18 hour days in every aspect of the operation the first year the couple learned the ropes Recipes by the original Don are still used After the Fosters took over an old local baker approached Bryan and handed him an old recipe book from the bakery which is now a cherished possession But the owners have added some new offerings such as Don s scones cinnamon and Chelsea buns tarts and brownies The September 2017 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 65

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Below Chef Michael Wright of The Baldwins in Windermere with a resort favourite pavlova Left Prosecco raspberry semifreddo is a new desert offered at The Baldwins most popular pie is now key lime and other recent additions include Bala bites oldfashioned glazed donuts banana chocolatechip loaf chocolate babka egg focaccia and sourdough breads pumpkin spice loaf pumpkin squares apple canoes blueberry buns macaroons red velvet cupcakes and more When the bakers want to try new things the Fosters are open to it While the Fosters guard Don s recipes closely we did manage to learn one secret of their success quality ingredients For instance the chocolate chips and chunks used are made of Belgian chocolate and real butter rather than a pale imitation is used in the baking We owe it all to the customers and people who support us Bryan says Without them we re nothing In turn we try to work hard every day He loves to do so in an environment where people are happy and excited to be doing what they do It s the most beautiful place in the entire world he enthuses I love Muskoka Incidentally if you can t wait to taste Don s before you get to Muskoka you ll be happy to know that the Fosters have plans to open a location in Barrie in mid September 66 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 original baking inspirations Expanding from home he got his training by selectively choosing kitchens to work in finding out from suppliers which restaurants were best literally from coast to coast His culinary career journey has taken him from Halifax to Vancouver including four years at private lodges and kids camps in northern Ontario Every year you have to reinvent yourself he says You can t sit and live off what you do If you re not changing you re forgotten Wright applies this philosophy at The Baldwins by making sure his dishes are never derivative and using fresh ingredients rather than frozen Dessert offerings include The Baldwins is a small resort tucked away in the village of Windermere with an old style atmosphere that is elegant in an unassuming comfortable way The restaurant serves dishes such as Milford Bay trout in a maple syrup sauce with cilantro rice and melt in your mouth cooked peppers For ingredients chef Michael Wright says We try to keep within 30 kilometres if we can find things Our eggs we get just outside Gravenhurst We offer craft beers from the three Muskoka craft breweries If I can find a jam or a spread locally and use it in a dish I ll get it Chef Wright credits his mother and grandThe zesting of a lemon is required to create the lemon curd that will be used in mother as his a dessert made by Julie Lalonde of Crossroads in Rosseau

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THE MUSKO K ERY GIFTWARE HOUSEWARES CONFECTIONS GAMES CLOTHING COTTAGE GOODS Located At The Muskoka Emporium Building 99 Maple St Port Carling 705 765 7731 THEMUSKOKERY COM The Baldwins A RUSTIC RELAXING RESORT UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP CALL US FOR EX CELLENT ROOM RATES OR TO MAK E A RESERVAT ION IN T H E SINGERS RESTAURANT 1024 Golf Avenue Road Windermere 705 769 3371 baldwinsresort com 68 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 fresh in season fruit topped with reductions brownies with chocolate ganache pavlova and even a dessert spring roll loaded with white chocolate and fresh fruit When one of the resort s three co owners Jessica Singer asked Wright to come up with an Alfredo type dessert Wright knew he wanted to make something with raspberries He also had the idea of incorporating Prosecco a dry Italian bubbly that has recently surpassed Champagne in popularity Voila Prosecco Raspberry Semifreddo It s time consuming but worth it he says If you want to feature a dessert at the end of the meal and you re looking at using raspberries in season this is the one You can make it in advance and refrigerate then serve The result is very light you can have a big dinner beforehand and still not feel weighed down after dessert and summery fresh with the raspberry flavour The texture is a bit like tasting air At the same time there is decadence in the drizzle almonds and berries Dining at The Baldwins is by reservation only so call to avoid disappointment Crossroads is a gourmet restaurant in the centre of the village of Rosseau with granite flagstone floors a patio with a view of the lake and lush gardens all around Tucked away upstairs is a special baking kitchen where Julie Lalonde who co owns Crossroads with her chef husband Richard does her magic Julie is a cook through and through having entered the industry at the age of 17 She studied culinary arts at Georgian College in Barrie focusing on becoming a pastry chef in between mothering three children Kitchens have been her workplaces her entire adult life I just love to cook she says She and Richard bought Crossroads about nine years ago transforming it from a coffee shop into a restaurant with a varied gourmet menu currently focused on Canadian offerings such as PEI mussels Quebec duck magret and Manitoulin Island smoked trout The gorgeous gardens are also Julie s handiwork We have a lot of passion she says You have to care We re like a big family and love our culinary team As a staffer exits the kitchen she and Julie exchange a high five Her best known dessert she says is carrot cake but the recipe she shared with Unique Muskoka is Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake

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Prosecco Raspberry Semifreddo Courtesy of Michael Wright The Baldwins Ingredients Directions 2 cups Prosecco 2 cups frozen raspberries 4 tbsp raspberry jam 1 can coconut milk chilled overnight in the fridge 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 cups 35 cream cup toasted slivered almonds Fresh raspberries or fresh mint for garnish To make the Prosecco raspberry reduction In a saucepan reduce Prosecco to one cup Add frozen raspberries and raspberry jam Simmer stirring frequently until the mixture has the consistency of heavy cream Remove from heat and strain in sieve to remove seeds Set aside To make the Semifreddo In a heavy bottom saucepan place the sweetened condensed milk Skim three tablespoons of coconut water from the top of the coconut milk can and discard Add the remainder of the coconut milk to saucepan and bring to a boil stirring constantly using a spatula Once boiling reduce heat to low and stir frequently for 10 minutes For the white chocolate drizzle cup white chocolate chips 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream Recipes Remove from heat place in ice bath and continue stirring frequently until chilled Fold in 1 2 cup of the Prosecco raspberry reduction Whip 35 cream until stiff and fold into mixture Pour mixture into a five inch by nine inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper Top with almonds Chill in freezer for six hours or more To make the white chocolate drizzle Combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat Stir chocolate into cream as it melts To serve Turn pan upside down remove semifreddo and peel away the parchment paper Slice into half inch pieces Drizzle white chocolate drizzle over each slice and garnish with raspberries mint and almond slivers Add a dollop of whipped cream Serve very cold Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake Courtesy of Julie Lalonde Crossroads Lemon curd ingredients 24 egg yolks 2 cups lemon juice zest of 4 lemons 4 cups sugar 1 cup butter cut into inch cubes Mascarpone ingredients 1 litre whipping cream 1 450 gram container of Tre Stelle brand mascarpone cup sugar Vanilla extract to taste Directions To make lemon curd Combine all ingredients except butter in a large pan and cook a little above medium heat stirring constantly Stir with whisk until sugar is dissolved then switch to wooden spoon or spatula so mixture doesn t get foamy Cook until thickened enough to hold a line on the back of a spoon 35 minutes or longer Add butter a few cubes at a time whisking until melted in Once the curd is thick and glossy take off heat and place in container with plastic on top To make mascarpone layer Whip the whipping cream with a hand mixer gradually adding sugar then add mascarpone and vanilla until it s all mixed together To serve lay a thick layer of lemon curd on top of a thinner layer of crushed graham crumbs use hands rolling pin or food processor for desired consistency top with mascarpone layer then add blueberries raspberries and or strawberries plus garnishes such as mint leaves or lavender flowers Can be done in a large dish or small ones for individual servings Does not freeze well but lemon curd will last two weeks refrigerated mascarpone layer one week

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which has a lemon curd core labour intensive You have made entirely of ingredients to stand by the stove and stir that pull their weight it constantly Walk away for taste wise two minutes and it s You could make lemon scrambled eggs If it seems as curd with cornstarch and be if it s never going to thicken done in five seconds she she encouragingly advises says But this is the real deal Don t give up It takes a There s a big flavour difference long time Sure enough the curd But the result is so worth it explodes with sweet lemon It s fresh and nice in the flavour but at the same time summer and it s simple It s is rich creamy and ever soone of those desserts that slightly salty It s topped with we have ready that people a combination of whipped can have very fast Julie cream and mascarpone an notes It s a great recipe for Baker Emily Lewis assists Julie Lalonde co owner of Crossroads in Rosseau with Italian cream cheese made when you re having a whole with certain acidic ingredients the preparation of lemon mascarpone cheesecake bunch of people coming to and recognized as a traditional food in Italy I got so much trouble from all our the cottage You can put it in a bowl or do giving this layer an extra depth and richness customers that I had to put it back on this individual portions of flavour that mere whipped cream even summer she says I think it s on the menu In fact at Crossroads it is served in a with vanilla can t attain for good mason jar which guests can take home if About the conception of the recipe Julie In summer Julie estimates she serves up they can t finish this very rich dessert says I love lemon in desserts Last year she 30 portions per day On weekends it s more But home whether seasonal or took it off Crossroads dessert menu to like 80 permanent is fortunately in Muskoka So rotate in other desserts The creation of the curd she warns is it s certain to taste better Rotary Centre for Youth 131 Wellington St Bracebridge 705 644 2712 www clubrunner ca bracebridge Buying or Selling Muskoka Think Rosskoka Sales Representatives For the informed professional real estate service you expect Hallmark Realty Ltd Brokerage In Muskoka Ross McLean Peter Steele Broker Broker Laura Stevens Sales Representative 70 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017 Lucy McLean Sales Representative 705 706 1177 www rossko k a co m

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Muskoka Moments The stuff that counts By Kathy Ashby Photograph Tomasz Szumski Montr al by 7 30 Friday Every year as we morning with muffins approach the anniversary coffee and juice on our laps of the Montreal Rally just The radio announced the before the Quebec progress of the historic Referendum of Oct 30 caravan as we drove out 1995 I remember the Highway 40 People event as an important day honked and cheered in our country s history I Christopher s face remained believe Canada is a glued to the window tolerant society That s Then I saw the banners why when it came time to We read the words hanging cheer for my country I from overpasses facing went to Qu bec traffic Welcome I listened to a speech on Bienvenue They were just the radio the only time I white bed sheets with heard that kind of painted letters but passion Something was powerful words Look finally happening during There s another one We the build up to the vote When it came time for Muskokans to cheer for their country Kathy Ashby joined other drove faster The voice of MP Brian local residents who rallied in Quebec The crowd in Montreal Tobin characterized a grew rapidly to well over 100 000 within you re in French Immersion man beseeching the whole country the next few hours We stood shoulder to I guess he replied with a shrug of his I listened infatuated while driving Maybe shoulder with fellow Canadians shouting others across the country were feeling the same shoulders Then he scooted out CAN A DA CAN A DA CAN AIt hit me He didn t know where it was thing as I was in Muskoka We needed to do DA in great loud syllables that boomed off exactly Later he would remember the long something but what My son Christopher the tall walls of the office buildings who was 12 at the time chattered in the front drive and people standing next to him at We took turns holding up our son to see Place du Canada and the huge flag that seat next to me We were late for his the speakers on stage Afterwards people floated over top wrapping us all in a nylon swimming lessons I parked the car and danced and hugged in the streets Shopkeepers cocoon turned up the volume saying Wait came out to shake our hands saying Thanks I would like to go to this rally I said to Shhhh listen in a voice that he for coming my husband Brian later that evening while understood meant This counts I held my emotion until when back on out in his glass art studio My son s eyes focussed on my face the road I saw the banners again They were You re not serious he said with a big anticipating my next move Something about new ones painted fresh for our benefit wrinkle in his forehead What if there s the way a mother says Shhh listen to a Look son look I said Merci the signs violence child when it s really important they know said It s the stuff that counts Oh I said and left they should trust it Thursday I listened to the news and The Tobin message explained the plan Finally I said there s going to be a rally in learned that people from as far away as B C Kathy Ashby is a Bracebridge based artist and Montreal this Friday Are you talking about were going I went out to my husband s writer The author of Carol A Woman s Way studio and said We re going It s the only this in school the Quebec Referendum her story My Big Country has recently been way all three of us Yeah sort of he said grabbing his tote published in Chicken Soup for the Soul The At 8 p m we settled into Ottawa for the bag Spirit of Canada Maybe we should visit Quebec now that night a quick sleep We headed towards 72 UNIQUE MUSKOKA September 2017

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