| January 29, 2006 | | | | market sells a whole range of locally grown meats, |
| Exploring Ontario in the Winter - Bed and | | | | such as pork, chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, rabbit, |
| Breakfasting at Nicholyn Farms - A Wonderful | | | | goat, cornish hens and even more exotic locally |
| Weekend Treat | | | | produced varieties such as elk, emu and buffalo. |
| Driving up to the Nicholyn Farms Bed and Breakfast | | | | During the growing season they feature fresh |
| you get welcomed by the hearty and healthy aroma | | | | certified organic produce from local vegetable and |
| of 2,200 organically raised pigs. This bed and | | | | fruit growers, and their popular organic pork products |
| breakfast was our destination for our quick winter | | | | are shipped to people as far away as Ottawa. |
| getaway and as soon as we drove up the driveway | | | | At just an hour's drive from Toronto, Nicholyn Farms |
| we realized we had picked a great place. | | | | was the perfect getaway for us. It is located in a |
| Bed and breakfasts are one of my favourite ways | | | | beautifully restored farmhouse whose original portion |
| of travelling since every B&B is unique and usually | | | | dates back to 1872. The Van Casteren family |
| offers a very personal experience that includes a nice | | | | completely renovated the farmstead in 1996 and |
| interaction with the B&B host and the other guests, | | | | won the top prize for "Most Improved Farmstead in |
| much different from the rather anonymous character | | | | Simcoe County". |
| of the average motel or hotel chain. Wherever I | | | | Lynda mentioned that her B&B has hosted guests |
| travel, I find that every B&B owner has a unique | | | | from all over the world from as far away as the |
| story to tell, and Nicholyn Farms B&B was another | | | | Netherlands, England, the United States, Japan, |
| example. | | | | Australia, Chile and Peru. Many of their European |
| My husband and I must have travelled to more than | | | | guests stay for 5 days or more since their location is |
| 20 B&Bs over the last few years as a home base | | | | halfway between two major Ontario attractions: |
| for an enjoyable weekend getaway. We have | | | | Algonquin Park and Niagara Falls, with Toronto easily |
| stayed in many family-run bed and breakfasts all | | | | accessible for day trips. |
| throughout Ontario and almost always had a really | | | | Our room was the cozy "Forest Room" which was |
| positive experience. | | | | located on the second storey and featured 4 beds, |
| Bed and breakfasting in Canada in somewhat | | | | perfect for us 3 overnight vacationers. The space |
| different from the United States since Canadian | | | | under the roof overlooking the farmland was such a |
| B&Bs are usually smaller, have fewer guest rooms | | | | welcome quiet sanctuary from the hustle and bustle |
| and there is more direct interaction with the owner/ | | | | of the big city. Nicholyn Farms features two other |
| host. Many Canadian bed and breakfasts have | | | | guest bedrooms and all the bedrooms have their own |
| between one and three guest bedrooms with most | | | | private bathrooms. |
| of the owners living in the same house. As a result, | | | | This morning we sat down to a wonderful |
| bed and breakfasting in Canada is a more intimate | | | | homemade breakfast, that started off with a |
| experience, it is truly like staying in someone's house. | | | | beautiful assortment of fresh fruit, including |
| The United States, on the other hand, features more | | | | strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, green and blue |
| "bed and breakfast inns", many of which are quite | | | | grapes, pineapple, and melons. The Van Casteren's |
| upscale and located in renovated mansions with a | | | | buy their fruit at a special fruit market and the |
| much larger number of guest rooms, almost along | | | | flavour of the fruit is indeed much stronger and |
| the lines of country boutique hotels. | | | | sweeter than the fruit found commonly in |
| There are a couple of really helpful websites out | | | | supermarkets. Lynda and her trusted assistant Joyce |
| there for bed and breakfast travel in Ontario and | | | | called all of us guests to come out and have a look |
| Canada: | | | | at a flock of about 20 wild turkeys that were |
| - which provides bed and breakfast listings | | | | pecking away on the field behind the bed and |
| throughout all of Canada, and | | | | breakfast. |
| - the Ontario Farm and Country Accommodations | | | | After our wildlife encounter, we continued with a |
| Association which lists active farm operations that | | | | tasty breakfast of scrambled eggs, organic pork |
| provide accommodation to travellers. | | | | sausages, toast, homemade pancakes, country |
| After I had completed my research on these | | | | preserves and muffins. Portions are not measured |
| websites and contacted a number of B&B hosts | | | | and as a result we had several helpings of each dish. |
| about availability, we selected the Nicholyn Farms Bed | | | | We had a nice relaxing and very filling breakfast |
| and Breakfast, just about an hour and a bit north of | | | | before we set off on our next adventure for today: |
| Toronto, for our late January getaway. | | | | snowtubing at Horseshoe Valley. |
| We checked in at the Nicholyn Farms Country | | | | Staying at a bed and breakfast usually makes for a |
| Market, where Nicholyn Farms sells products made | | | | beautiful getaway since you get to relax in the |
| from their own pigs which are raised organically in a | | | | tranquility of a country home and most B&Bs offer a |
| bio-secure environment, without growth hormones or | | | | delicous, filling home-cooked meal that will keep you |
| antibiotics. At this market, they also sell produce and | | | | nourished for many hours, allowing you to take full |
| meat products from other local farmers north of | | | | advantage of the activities for the day. It's a |
| Toronto. | | | | fabulous way to travel. |
| Lynda, the owner, explained that their country | | | | |