September 4, 2026
183
As summer seems to be wrapping up with the Labour Day weekend, it's fitting that the local fairs are all shaping up too. The local ambassadors were in Toronto almost two weeks ago, competing for the title of CNE ambassador of the fairs and congratulations to Olivia Avery of the Lindsay Exhibition who will wear the CNE crown for this year! Thanks to Lexi Johnson of the Listowel Agricultural Society for representing the area and the agricultural societies across Ontario for the 2025-26 year.
Thank you to the Lucknow Kinsmen and the Music in the Fields Committee and all the volunteers for the tremendous work and show last weekend in Lucknow! It's a weekend to remember for a lot of people and the funds generated help many of the needs in the communities!
There have been lots of birthday greetings to go out in the neighbourhood. Congratulations to Erlma Jean Haldenby who just celebrated her 90th birthday, with her sister, Sandra Munroe, of Winnipeg home to attend the party! Also birthday greetings to Chris Gravel, Janice Needham, Ellen Waye, Brian Dewar, Melissa Watson, Ken Harris, Emma MacDonald, Arnie Clifford, Arlo Farrell, Blake and Winston Bridge, Caitlin Harris and Ernest Kragt, from all your Purple Grove friends and family!
We extend our sympathies to the family of Lois Hackett of Ripley who passed away recently. Many of us remember Lois and her work, especially with the Kincardine Hospital Auxiliary. Her positive attitude and cheery voice will be missed. Several other folks are in hospital and recovering from treatments and we remember them at this time too.
Also congratulations to Carly and Ethan Houghten on the birth of their baby boy, Theodore James Houghten, Aug. 19, a grandson for Sheena and Bob Houghten and great-grandson for Doug MacDonald!
More than 50 4-H members brought their dairy and beef calves to the Markdale Fair last Saturday. For many of these young people, it was their first show of the season. Everyone was happy and had a very good day with perfect weather! There was also a light horse show and the upstairs of the arena was filled with exhibits in the Homecraft Division. Thank you to the board for all your work, and congratulations to all the exhibitors, sponsors and vendors who support the fair.
Also on Saturday, the Bruce County Plowing Match was held at the Mackie Farm near Ferndale and Lion's Head, with plowmen from across the county competing in the classes. Congratulations to Erika Bryson who will represent Bruce County for 2026-27.
Irene and Joe West of Stratford hosted a de Boer family reunion last Sunday when cousins Fern MacLean of Houston and Ernie Kragt of Prince George, British Columbia, were here to visit. They also are attending the York University football games as Jason Kragt is one of the players and is at the university in the geography program. While here, Fern and Ernie are connecting with as many cousins as possible and touring the area where they lived near Langside before moving to British Columbia with their parents, Henk and Pietie Kragt, in 1968. They spent two days with Fran and Jim Farrell this week, sharing lots of memories and life stories.
The Grey Bruce Holstein Show was in Walkerton, Sept. 1, and many of the local breeders, herds and 4-H clubs were well-represented. More than 100 head of Holsteins were presented to judge Richard Osborne, starting at 10 a.m. with the 4-H showmanship classes. The Future Showperson class, sponsored by the Leanne Russwurm-Brusso Memorial, for participants under the age of nine, had more than 30 young exhibitors with any breed dairy calf on the lead. Congratulations to all the exhibitors and the show committee for another fine day bringing agriculture education and experiences to our area!
This weekend, the Kincardine Agricultural Society and volunteers are "Tipping their Hats to 175 years!" Another fair on this weekend is the Durham "Pumpkins, Plaids and Scarecrows." Be sure to check it out for the fun and meeting all the folks who make these events special!
PURPLE GROVE WOMEN'S INSTITUTE
Wednesday evening, the Purple Grove Women's Institute held its meeting at the community centre with Bonnie Boyle as hostess. Chairperson and convener Bren de Leeuw welcomed members and guests and our speaker, Jennifer Sinclair, chiropodist and podiatrist, who owns and operates the Kincardine Foot Care and Orthotics Clinic.
She explained to us the importance of looking after our feet and the benefits of orthotics to minimize the aging effects on our entire body. As there are 26 bones within the foot structure, it is important to support them with proper shoes in relation to the work we are doing. There are very few schools of podiatrist/chiropody in Canada and only 30 graduates each year. Jennifer's expertise and friendly manner were appreciated as she answered our many questions on foot health.
Christine Bridge and Robyn Bridge were on lunch committee and after a brief social time, we resumed our business portion of the meeting, adopting past minutes, reviewing finances and coming events. We are invited to the Kinloss-Kairshea W.I. for its Sept. 10 meeting in Lucknow. A thank you note was shared from Owen Miltenburg who was the recipient of the Janet Browne Music Award at Ripley-Huron Community School Grade 8 graduation.
We discussed the coming events in September, especially attending, and participating at, the IPM 2026 in Walkerton, Sept. 22, and hosting Coffee and Muffins/Cookies in the social room on Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Ripley-Huron Fall Fair. Donations of muffins and cookies are grateful accepted - no nuts please! We will "Meet Ewe at the Fair" that weekend!
Other W.I. events coming up are the Grey-Bruce Area Convention, Oct. 1, in Chepstow with the theme, "Investments and Scams," and the Bruce County W.I. Rally, also in Chepstow, with Angela Devitt of Stone Bridge Flour as the speaker and celebrating the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Several of our members will be attending these events.
Everyone is invited to attend the IPM Church Service, Sunday, Sept. 20, at 2:30 p.m., at the tented city. The offering will go to Bruce County Hospices. We also made a motion to support the Kincardine Hospital expansion and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) project.
We expressed our appreciation to hostess Bonnie, and lunch committee Christine and Robyn, and news reporters Fran and Mary Anne.
We reviewed our Oct. 7 meeting agenda, with Olivia Haufe, manager of the Bruce Botanical Food Gardens, at the community centre.
Related Stories
No related stories.