The Farm

I grew up in Toronto, most of the time; weekends and summers (later, just weekends; ultimately, just the occasional weekend, which is how it is now) were spent at my farm, which is about half an hour south of Collingwood (Ontario). We have 200 acres (we used only to have 100), of which approximately half is fields, and the other half is forest, with a bit of swamp. We have a horse (Star) and a Donkey (Xote, pronounced "Hotie") – just (large) pets.

An English teacher of mine from high school pointed out a few years ago that he felt it was this weekly retreat from the big city which gave me such a different take on life from those around me. He might be right – in any case, his comments gave me a belated appreciation for what my time at the farm has provided me. Whereas I used to view our weekly trips to the farm as a forced retreat from my friends (and numerous events, activities and parties going up), I have come to see my (literal) home away from home as being a retreat, a chance to rediscover myself. I have friends up from time to time, but very few of them "get" what it means to me. It's a different place, of course, when there are so many people (especially so many city people) there. They see it through much different eyes, too. I doubt very much that I could "get" what it means to them.

What does it mean to me, then? Well, imagine a place where the television is twenty years old, the VCR is (well, was until recently) only brought out of its box on rare occasions in order to watch a movie. Imagine a place where one rides bicycles up and down the road for fun, all summer. Imagine a place where the family takes a weekly walk together in the woods – and nobody minds (not even the kids!). Imagine a place where none of this – the fields, the trees, the fact that you can hear cars on the highway 2km away, haying season, horses, sheep, cattle – is a novelty, even when you're coming from Toronto.

Everyone needs a quiet space. Mine is 200 acres.

Blah. I'm doing a horrible job of describing how well, how easily, the farm centres me. It reminds me of that which makes me content. It brings me peace. And that's all that I can really say about it.

Back to ME!