Fun on the farm

Perhaps this post would be more aptly named, “Sweat on the farm.”

This past weekend hubby and I rented a farmhouse in Douglas, Ontario. We are always in search of little mini vacations close to home – something that Drew can appreciate at his age. Seeing as he seemed obsessed with all things “farm”, we thought it would be a logical choice to spend some time enjoying the real deal.

The house was an absolute gem – a farmhouse built in the early 1930s. While the kitchen was outfitted with a newer stove/ fridge and the bathroom was redone, the rest was decidedly rustic. I am a bit romantic when it comes to older homes; I adore all their little nooks, crannies and oddities. I like to imagine the lives that were lived among the walls throughout the house’s history. One thing is for certain, we were likely sweating just as much as the original owners did.

Unfortunately, our two days were unbearably humid. Usually I tolerate the heat well, but even I will concede that it was almost debilitating. Hubby and Drew felt the effects even more and, as a result, our little “city boy” spent most of his time on the farm feeling sticky and miserable. We earned a much-greater appreciation for how lucky we are to have air conditioning at home. We were hoping for a good steady country breeze off the fields, but were out of luck.

Horrible heat aside, which really has no bearing on the property itself, we enjoyed the vast spread of land on our doorstep. We had our own henhouse to tend, as well as some barn kittens that followed us everywhere. We also had a stable with two of the hugest horses I have ever seen, as well as 38 cattle in the adjacent field. Our task was to feed the cats and hens. It is a messy job but I honestly enjoyed herding the 16 feathered beasts and collecting fresh eggs for breakfast every morning. Drew got a real kick out of the hens – no fear in this child!

Sadly, due to the heat and dry weather, we were unable to make use of the fire pit on the property. Instead hubby and I opted to sit under a big tree and watch the sunset each evening after Drew went to sleep – a cool glass of wine in our hands. All in all, not a bad end to the day.

Would I go back? Probably not as I’ve done it once and there are many other things to visit and do elsewhere in the Ottawa Valley. However, I do think it’s a nice family escape, especially for those with toddlers. My one recommendation, go in the Fall when the weather turns cooler.