St Jacobs - Mennonite Country

St Jacobs is 140km NW of Markham. It is popular with tourists due to its Mennonite Heritage and the huge Farmers Market which is the largest year round market in Canada. There are approximately 4,000 Old Order Mennonites in St Jacobs. Old Order Mennonites shun all technology and live traditional lives. Modern Mennonites use modern machinery and electronics and Progressive Mennonites integrate into mainstream life. The children finish school at age 14, work on the family farm for two years before going out to learn a trade that will benefit the family, some will then return to the family farm others seek employment elsewhere. We had a tour of a Mennonite Family farm. It is really interesting and seems to be a great way of life. The farms are beautiful and fully self-sufficient. 

Wonky Dresser $4500  Wooden Clock $900 -handmade from Canadian wood

The Mennonite Family Farm we visited

                                                                                                      Our horse and buggy tour (Dexter and Daisy)

Some of the buggy's on the farm

Maple Forest - 40 litres of sap equals 1 litre of syrup

This Maple tree is 300 years old

Family home and workshop

To be lovingly restored by the farmer to use on his farm

Corn feed for the dairy cows

Bird nesting and feeding houses

Farmyard animals

Quilts made and sold by the Ladies of the house

As Newton’s name is unique it is a challenge to find it written anywhere, but being a super sleuth I found a little town called Newton just outside of St Jacobs. We stopped on the side of the road for a photo shoot.

Newton - a little town with a big heart

We passed these moving hay bales but were not quick enough to get a rear photo. The mode of transport was a forklift with one guy driving and approximately 5 children hanging on for dear life.

Young ladies out for a Saturday drive. How cool would it be to drive horse and buggy to town for your weekly shop.