Are you ready for summer in the Kawarthas? Spend summer nights dancing on the boardwalk, peaceful mornings tending to and admiring garden blooms, retiring to your custom built dream home on the lake (for the same price as a house in the city). These three businesses provide inspiration to live the summer of your dreams.
All three of the businesses profiled below — Elmhirst’s Resort, The Greenhouse on the River, and Apsley Home Hardware Building Centre — are proud members of the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism.
The chamber represents members in Curve Lake First Nation and the municipalities of Douro-Dummer, North Kawartha, Selwyn, and Trent Lakes. Visit kawarthachamber.ca for more information.
You don’t have to be staying at Elmhirst’s Resort to enjoy farm-to-table meals and live music on the boardwalk
Greg Elmhirst (right) tries out the fish fry shore lunch available with new guided fishing experiences. (Photo: Justen Soule)
The Al Black Trio playing to the crowd on the boardwalk for Tuned Up Tuesdays, a free weekly concert series. (Photo: Justen Soule)
Collecting fresh greens from Elmhirst's own garden. Elmhirst's Resort is known for fresh farm to table cuisine. (Photo: Justen Soule)
A couple enjoys Elmhirst's Resort's dining room overlooking Rice Lake. The menu emphasizes local and farm to table. (Photo: Justen Soule)
Elmhirst’s Resort, a fourth generation family-owned and operated resort on the north shore of Rice Lake (1045 Settlers Line, Keene, 705-295-4591 or 1-800-461-1940), offers plenty of options for a quick, stress busting getaway close to home. With 30 cottages, 85 bedrooms, a full-service spa, a working farm, and a boardwalk music venue, Elmhirst’s Resort is a great Kawarthas destination easily accessible from the GTA.
Brunches, farm to table cuisine, and a legendary wine cellar
From farm to table cuisine to a wine cellar stocked with exclusively Canadian vintages, Elmhirst’s Resort is a culinary destination known for local food. General Manager Greg Elmhirst explains that “it tends to be better and fresher food, it has a lower carbon footprint, and it sustains people and businesses in our own community.”
Since the summer of 1981, they have served their popular Sunday brunch, which has become a local institution. Greg notes that “it has evolved a lot over time.”
The brunch menu reads like a local foodie’s fantasy. They offer a comprehensive buffet, with fresh salads, farm raised beef, a carving station that rotates weekly, and a variety of hot foods and specials. There’s homemade soup, made to order omelettes and crepes, a fish and seafood table, freshly baked bread, homemade desserts and fresh donuts.
Greg says that the donuts have created a stir on social media.
“The donuts tend to be one of the food items that end up on Instagram the most often from guests that visit our brunch.”
Elmhirst’s also offers a Monday lunch, originally envisioned for seniors, known as Lakeside Lunches.
“We wanted to provide affordable lunches and pleasant restaurant experiences for seniors,” says Greg, but he quickly found that it had a broader audience than he had anticipated. “It was a hit right away, and people who weren’t seniors began to call and say I know it’s a seniors’ lunch, but can I come too?”
The lunches are offered every Monday from the first weekend after Easter and continuing until Thanksgiving Monday. They start at 12 p.m.
Tuesday evening music on the boardwalk overlooking Rice Lake
Elmhirst’s Resort is also a great place to catch live music. Every Tuesday night musicians perform on their scenic boardwalk for Tuned Up Tuesdays. The free musical evenings begin on June 6th this year and last throughout the summer.
Elmhirst’s has become known as a place to see a high calibre of musicians. The first act ever to perform was Peterborough’s own Mayhemingways, who recently performed at Massey Hall as part of their cross-Canada tour with Joel and Bill Plaskett.
Greg notes that Tuesday nights have become popular with the local community.
“The boardwalk is a place where resort guests and community members can mingle.”
You can order food and beverages to enjoy while watching the entertainment.
Relaxing and exciting weekend retreats
For those looking to get away for a little longer, Elmhirst’s Resort offers kiteboarding weekends, yoga retreats, and weekends planned specifically for women’s getaways.
Recently they offered a Wine Women and Canvas weekend. Guests were treated to wine sampling with a local wine consultant and a painting lesson with artist Paul Teleki and the Land Canadian Adventures.
For more weekend adventures, you can visit Elmhirst’s packages page on their website.
You can find out more about Elmhirst’s Resort on their website at www.elmhirst.ca. They are also active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.
The Greenhouse on the River grows plants the green way
The Greenhouse on the River offers a vibrant selection of annuals, perennials and planters. (Photo: The Greenhouse on the River)
The greenhouse offers a variety of beautiful and unusual succulents alone and in pleasing planters. (Photo: The Greenhouse on the River)
Hanging baskets are a specialty with options in a variety of colours for sun and shade. (Photo: The Greenhouse on the River)
Elyn and Peter Green have owned and operated The Greenhouse on the River since 1989. (Photo: The Greenhouse on the River
Tucked in steps away from the Otonabee River, The Greenhouse on the River sells a variety of annuals, perennials, succulents, tropicals, shrubs and trees nurtured on site. Owners Peter Green and Elyn Saar-Green have created a greenhouse space that fosters healthy and beautiful plants, baskets and containers with an emphasis on sustainability.
The variety of plants offered at The Greenhouse on the River is inspiring. Bright Gerber Daisies thrive atop a backdrop of lush tropicals. Hardy perennials brave the spring weather while inside the greenhouse unusual succulents like lithops, which look like living stones, thrive.
A Lakehead graduate with a BscH in Forestry, Peter’s background in biological science helps him to optimally manage the greenhouse. Elyn says that Peter keeps a close eye on the health of the plants, leading to a variety of different fertilizer applications throughout the season.
A planter for every space
The Greenhouse on the River has a vibrant and well thought out selection of planters. Peter says that the diverse selection of planters allows him to find something to suit almost every porch or patio.
“If you have a unique situation, we’re going to have an answer for you in terms of appearance, colour, and your sun or shade requirements. The variety allows people to find something that appeals to them.”
Eco friendly practices and safe pest management
Peter and Elyn have adopted many eco-friendly practices to keep their greenhouse running efficiently and sustainably. They collect rainwater for irrigation, which Peter says is also a better quality of water for the plants. They have energy curtains, a retractable layer of insulation that keeps the heat in the greenhouse, allowing them to use less energy to heat. They use cardboard trays instead of plastic, and they take back and reuse pots and containers from previous years.
They also use beneficial insects to control pests instead of insecticides. Peter says that the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) outweigh its higher cost.
“It costs us a lot more than running around spraying insecticides, but it’s better for us, it’s better for the environment, it’s better for me who applies it, and it’s better for our staff and our customers.”
The Greenhouse on the River is proudly neonicotinoid free.
The art of the plant
The Greenhouse on the River also supports the local arts community. They were an exhibit location for the SPARK Photo Festival, and they currently display sculpture by Chaka Chikodzi.
The Greenhouse on the River is a grower garden centre created out of a passion for plant quality, refreshing choice, and innovative design. Elyn says that when it comes right down to it, Peter and she have created their business based on one basic principle.
“Our love of plants drives who we are and what we do. Always.”
You can learn more about The Greenhouse on the River (4115 County Road 32, Douro-Dummer, 705-652-8154) on their website at www.greenhouseontheriver.com. They are also on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
They are open this year until December 6th. Business hours change throughout the season, so check here for hours.
Anyone can design their own home with Apsley Home Hardware Building Centre
Beaver Homes and Cottages offers design options like The Cariboo, with plenty of outdoor deck space for those who would rather be on the patio. (Image: Beaver Homes and Cottages)
Beaver Homes and Cottages floor plans are fully customizable. Anything can be altered to suit the client's preferences, including materials used. (Image: Beaver Homes and Cottages)
Now is a great time to build. With plenty of beautiful and affordable lots on the market, you can build your dream home on budget. (Photo: Apsley Home Hardware Building Centre)
Building Consultant Adam Dragisic will support your build from beginning to end, ensuring it stays on budget and according to plan. (Photo: Apsley Home Hardware Building Centre)
Have you ever dreamed of designing your own home or cottage?
Apsley Home Hardware Building Centre (18 Tucker St., Apsley, 705-656-4295 or 1-877-455-0707) offers everything you need to create the home that you’ve been imagining, even if you’ve never even built a shed before. With their Beaver Homes and Cottages Program, you can build the home of your dreams.
Beaver Homes and Cottages offers limitless design options
The Beaver Homes and Cottages program allows you to choose from hundreds of home and cottage designs. Communications Manager Amber Dunford explains.
“You can essentially pick a model based on what you want to do, whether you want to build a home or cottage or maybe a garage with an apartment over top. Your local store will put together an entire package of materials for you.”
The store won’t just sell you the materials, they will be there to make sure the build proceeds as planned. Amber says that they are involved in the process from start to finish.
“You’re in control of your build, but you have a consultant working with you the whole time making sure that everything goes smoothly, making sure that you stay on budget, and making sure that everything is done exactly how you want it.”
Building your home from scratch
When designing your home or cottage you don’t have to stick with what’s available on the Beaver Homes and Cottages website. Amber says that all designs are fully customizable.
“Literally any change that you can dream of can be made.”
That includes building a home from scratch.
“Let’s say you have a vision of a home and you haven’t been able to find anything like it, but you know what you want. Our design consultant will sit down with you and draw up a sketch. If you like what you see, you can go forward to the blueprint stage.”
All materials are also fully customizable. That means you can upgrade to premium insulation, add a steel roof or even install solar panels. It’s your home to design as you see fit.
A space that is all yours
Amber says that designing your own home allows you to create a space that’s entirely yours.
“I think nowadays a lot of people want to have their own personality in their home.”
It’s also an economical option, especially in cottage country.
“There’s so much vacant land available, people are building because they have the freedom to build. In a rural area such as ours, for the price of a home in the city you can buy a piece of land and build your own brand new custom home.”
You can visit the Beaver Homes and Cottages website to see the many houses available. Amber says that once you start looking, it can be addictive.
“I’ve now designed so many of my own houses at home just for fun.”
Apsley Home Hardware Building Centre is a family-owned and operated business and is proud to be among one of over a thousand independent Home locations across Canada.
“Home Hardware is not a franchise as a lot of people believe,” says Amber. “Our independent ownership allows us to have some freedom and create a special niche to better serve the needs of our customers.”
In addition to the Beaver Homes and Cottages Program, Apsley Home Hardware Building Centre features hardware, home expressions, housewares, a seasonal garden centre, and an outdoor power equipment shop with rentals. They are are Certified STIHL, Husqvarna, and Honda dealers, and they offer a wide selection of lumber including premium western red cedar, pine, spruce, and Micro Pro Sienna pressure-treated lumber.
You can visit Apsley Home Hardware Building Centre on their website at apsleyhhbc.ca or on Facebook. You can also visit their Beaver Homes and Cottages Facebook page to get inspired to build your dream home.
You can also contact Beaver Homes and Cottages Building Consultant Adam Dragisic directly at 289-925-2226 or by email at adam@apsleyhhbc.ca.
