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Farming takes a new twist at Nature's Bounty apple orchard by Stephen Leahy Farm and Rural Life Not many farmers think of being in the entertainment business; but Marvin and Cathy Stevenson of Nature's Bounty on Scugog's Second Line do. "We like to think of our farm as a recreation park where people come and play," says Cathy. The Stevensons have a 45-acre apple orchard and run a flock of sheep, grow pumpkins and raspberries on another 55. They started from scratch in 1979, and planted their first trees in 1980. Primarily a commercial apple orchard with over a dozen varieties, they decided to go "public" four years ago and now offer "pick your own" apples and pumpkins, and host school groups. : "We've grown every year and we really enjoy having people on the farm," says Cathy. Probably the thing the thousands of Durham school children who have visited the Stevenson farm have most enjoyed is the intricate hay maze Marvin Stevenson con-~ structs every year. Nature's Bounty also offers many school children a once-in-a-lifetime visit to a working farm where they can learn that food comes from the earth, not the supermarket. Cathy credits their three employees, who handle two school groups nearly every day, with providing the child- ren with a first-rate and much needed introduction to agriculture. While this isn't where the Stevensons make their profit, the school board's $3 per child payment cov- ers the costs. "More importantly," she says, "children see where food comes from." In a similar fashion the sheep offer visitors a look at a real livestock operation. The Stevensons sell about 100 lambs each year. Twenty per cent of the apples are sold through the pick your own operation. While other growers would be ner- vous having a pack of inexperienced urbanites in their Turnto Page 3 Inside This Issue Duck's Unlimited looking for farms with wetlands i See page 4 J. PETER HVIDSTEN / PORT PERRY STAR Exciting Times Down On The Farm Marvin and Cathy Stevenson, owners and school children visit their farm every year to operators of Nature's Bounty, are breathing new pick apples and learn about farming. With the excitement into the farming of apples. The addition of a hay maze, which the kids have a Stevenson's went public at their Scugog farm great time trying to find their way through, the about four years ago and now hundreds of Stevenson's like to think of the farm as a families and thousands of Durham Region recreation park. (See story) dest ee Cheb et dm Si hk ea wt a Kd A p--_ SOYBEANS & CORN _ ° EZ \ PR PJ kK Grain Receiving Custom Services * Commodities, Specialty Products Drying, Storage SPECIALTY Wholesale Distributors ' EXTENDED HOURS Marketing CUSTOM Banner (705) 676.1200 Lindsay Elevators Hwy. 35 - 1 km South of Hwy 7, 1-800-665-6075 "Working With The Farming Community" Box 86, Lindsay FAST DUMPING FEEDS ST pot Foods 2S