Monday, May 24, 2010

Holland Marsh/ My World

Holland Marsh, May 23, 2010

This is a holiday weekend in Ontario - Victoria Day is today - a weekend when many of us travel to visit relatives in distant places.  My husband and I were away too,  and returning late yesterday I was struck by the flatness of the Holland Marsh, sometimes referred to as Ontario's "vegetable patch" because of it's rich muck soil.

The Holland Marsh is farmland located 50 kilometers north of Toronto, an area that was drained in the late 1920's and first worked by 18 families from the Netherlands.  That sounds like the reason this farmland is called the Holland Marsh...but it's not. The area takes it's name from an early land surveyor named Samuel Holland.

NOT the Holland Marsh

In contrast, much of the area that surrounds the marsh is hilly with farms that grow wheat, field corn, other grains and potatoes.

Yes, the Holland Marsh

Today, the produce grown on the Holland Marsh include carrots, lettuce, cabbage, celery, beets, cauliflower, and some Asian vegetables. And tomatoes, cucumbers and commercial flowers grow inside greenhouses.




Visit My World Tuesday  HERE to see tons of photos from around the world.

29 comments:

Tussy said...

Our farmer starts to work too, it becomes rainy season here. Love to see green on the field in your photo.

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Small City Scenes said...

Love the farm pictures and interesting info about the area.
I love this time of the year when the farmers are out and about--plowing disking and planting. Some stuff is coming up too. MB

Sylvia K said...

Oh, I love the farm photos, too! It's lovely to see so much green! A really terrific and interesting post for the day! Always love learning more about other places in all of our worlds! Have a great week!

Sylvia

annalarssonphotography said...

Beautiful farm shots, EG!
Love to see the green.

Have a great week!

Louis la Vache said...

A nice, and probably welcome, contrast to urban life!

Suburban Girl said...

Wow, it looks like you can see forever! It seems so flat.

RE: I like how there's something out of focus in the foreground of this photo. It seems to reinforce the idea of "Keep Out."

**That's exactly the feeling I was going for and I love that you 'got it." :)

George said...

The contrast between the marsh and the surrounding area is amazing. The soil is obviously very fertile.

Lowell said...

What a beautiful area! I love that first photo with all the straight lines and the tractor! A very enjoyable post, EG! Hope you are having fun!

Dirkjogt said...

Nice pictures, scenes that are seen all over the world at this moment

Rose said...

I would love to see this place for real...

Carver said...

I enjoyed this post so much. Interesting information and great shots of the farmland. I love rural areas where it looks like the fields go on forever.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

EG: What a neat look at all the work the farmers have done to that area.

Carolyn said...

What beautiful captures of Ontario's beautiful farmland, it is ashame that so much of it is getting gobbled up for development. Hope you had a wonderful weekend.
Smiles

Patti said...

Wonderful farm scenes, EG!

Happy Monday evening ~

Tash said...

Flat as a pancake. Aptly named. Love your photos of the expanse, both flat and hilly.

Lorac said...

And the biggest pumpkins I have ever seen! I went up to the Luther Marsh Sunday. If you haven't been it is a must go but drive around the area for susrprises.

Catherine said...

lovely shots - I really like the final photo of the flatness of the fields...

Jo said...

I was struck by the link (farmland photo) on My World Tuesday and had to pop in and see your blog. I love it. I'm adding myself as a follower. My home in South Africa is in a FLAT part of the country - but we live in the Sudan for most of the year these days. Best wishes.

Janie said...

What a beautiful rural scene. Looks like the farm is going to be very productive.

Ebie said...

I love to see the fresh greenery, full of vegetable growth. I also love the smell of freshly mowed grass.

Thanks for the greetings. It is so exciting to meet fellow bloggers and how you can relate their blog "personality" when you meet.

I have read in Lavender Cottage's blog that you and three others have met. Wasn't that exciting?

Anonymous said...

Very flat - just like Holland! Love the greenness of the veggies growing.

Jama said...

Beautiful farmland! We have different kind of flat here- highrise apartment block of flats!

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

I would love to have a little plot or allotment and grow my own chillis and spices.

Unknown said...

this area must be very fertile. wonderful photos and info.

http://graceolsson.com/blog said...

very nice shots. The view of the field is fantastic..like it

graceolsson.com/blog

Regina said...

Love the countryside! Beautiful world and captures.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Beautiful countryside -- and I love getting the snippets of history. Happy (Belated) holiday -- another thing I didn't know about.

dot said...

You sure have some beautiful farm land there.

ksdoolittle said...

Wow! Look at all that farmland. Brings back some fond memories!

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East Gwillimbury is a rural town less than an hour north of Toronto, Canada's largest city. My family calls me CameraGirl because I take my camera with me wherever I go.