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Experience the North of Wellington County
8th Annual Taste Real Spring Rural Romp
Saturday May 25, 2019 | 10:00am - 4:00pm
A self-guided tour of farms, nurseries and local food businesses.
Farms, markets, gardens, restaurants and places to stay, in Mapleton, Minto and Wellington North open their doors. Spend the day in the countryside meeting your local farmers and enjoying the first tastes of spring! Take part in educational activities, guided tours, planting workshops and more!
Enjoy a 'must taste' at many of the participating locations prepared by local chefs, or try your hand at the treasure hunt! There's something for the whole family to enjoy.
Share your experience with us! #RuralRomp
2019 information will become available closer to the date. Please check back for updated locations! See below for last years event.
Learn what the Guelph-Wellington Rural Romps are all about in our video below.
Spring Romp Destinations and Map
Printed maps are available for pick up at each participating location a week prior to the event, or you may download a copy below.
Participating Locations:
| ALPACA TIME |
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5509 Hwy 9, HARRISTON GPS 43.950937, -80.945016 T 519.327.4566 | www.alpacatime.ca Alpaca Time processes North American alpaca fibre to make consistent high quality products. Check out the machinery and visit the alpacas. The store offers socks, scarves, insoles and yarn made on site, as well as quality imported alpaca items, and a selection of local foods. |
| ARTHUR GREENHOUSES, NURSERY AND MARKET GARDEN |
|
7470 Second Line, ARTHUR GPS 43.829720, -80.492952 T 519.848.6816 | www.arthurgreenhouses.ca Visit our farm and plant nursery for a huge selection of herbs, fruit trees, shrubs and vegetable transplants. Choose from a wide variety of seeds and browse our greenhouse for bedding plants, perennials, hanging baskets, planters and more. Join us today at 11:00 am for a free 'Mindful Movement on the Farm' drop in yoga class with Balanced Breath Studio. Unique finds: Find your favourite shade of Ontario’s official flower: We carry white, red and yellow trilliums. Must Taste Item: Kiki Maple Sweet Water |
| BIG JOHN'S COUNTRY MARKET |
|
GPS 43.935561, -80.689447 T 519.323.6996 | www.bigjohnscountrymarket.ca Visit our farm and see first-hand how our vegetables are grown. Join us at the Country Store for free samples and browse our selection of naturally raised meats, home baking, preserves, fresh spring produce and more. |
| FLOWERS TO FRAGRANCE |
|
6275 Hwy 89, HARRISTON GPS 43.963302, -80.863994 T 519.261.0121 | www.flowerstofragrance.com Visit Minto's own lavender farm and producer of essential oils. Walk through the fields and browse our farm store where you can find 100% natural skincare products, items for your home and personal well-being along with Mapleton's organic lavender ice cream and Wellington Made's syrups with cheese pairings. Must Taste Item: 'Wellington Made' syrups |
| HARRISTON PACKING CO. |
|
142 Arthur St., HARRISTON GPS 43.910696, -80.875758 T 519.338.3330 | www.harristonpacking.ca 142 Arthur St., HARRISTON Come by our family butcher shop, deli and smokehouse to celebrate 50+ years in business with us! Join us for a BBQ and try our new house made all Beef Franks and taste samples of our pepperettes and beef jerky varieties. Learn about the meat smoking process, and browse our well stocked butcher shop and deli for our 'own' meat specialties, smoked products and our large selection of local foods, preserves and condiments. Must Taste Item: House Made Beef Jerky Scavenger Hunt Question: How many flavours of pepperettes do we sell? |
| MAPLETON'S ORGANIC DAIRY |
|
8548 Wellington Rd 7, MOOREFIELD GPS 43.824402, -80.737839 T 519.638.1115 | www.mapletonsorganic.ca Meet the animals in our demonstration barn, see how our cows are milked with our voluntary milking system, or find your way through a cedar maze. Have a light lunch in our cafe followed by ice cream made right on site. Try one of Wellington's famous 'Must Tastes': our Dandelion Ice Cream! Must Taste Item: Dandelion ice cream |
| MEAT THE BUTCHER |
|
157 Main St. S., MOUNT FOREST GPS 43.981092,-80.734893 T 519.323.3482 Visit our small town butcher shop where we use time-honoured techniques to prepare fresh meat specialties. Browse our selection of local foods, including prepared meals, honey, preserves and more. Stop by on Romp Day for samples at our meat counter and visit with our friends from the Raw Carrot Soup Enterprise for more samples of their delicious soups from 11:00am-2:00pm! Must Taste Item: Selection of house made entrees Scavenger Hunt Question: How many different varieties of prepared entrees do we offer? |
| MEIKLEJOHN HOUSE B AND B |
|
116 Arthur St E HARRISTON GPS 43.916679,-80.868133 T 519.338.2671 | www.meiklejohnhouse.ca Come and celebrate Meiklejohn House B and B’s 10th anniversary with us! Explore our beautiful Victorian home and discover its many unique features, such as a recessing wall and a greenhouse conservatory lounge. Relax on our patio and enjoy a cup of tea and cake. Must Taste Item: Scones and butter tarts Scavenger Hunt Question: Find the plaque with the year the house was established. |
| POOTCORNERS ALPACA |
|
9455 Road 146, PALMERSTON GPS 43.8027461,-80.8177884 519.343.3745 | www.pootcorners.com Come visit the alpacas at Pootcorners. Watch them get their annual haircut as we shear their wonderful fleece. Help out, if you wish. Shop our farm store for a variety of alpaca products. Take your "selfie" with an alpaca! It's all alpaca at Pootcorners. Must Taste Item: Alpaca pepperettes Scavenger Hunt Question: What colour of fleece were we sorting or skirting today? |
| REROOT ORGANIC FARM |
|
5642 Eleventh Line, HARRISTON GPS 43.919975,-80.917114 T 519.820.1891 | www.reroot.ca Welcome to our busy, diversified, organic farm! Visit our critters in the barn and pastures, take a wagon ride around our certified organic gardens and check out our produce and meats at our farm store. We have a good selection of vegetable seedlings for your home garden. Sausage on a bun, by donation, from 12noon - 1:00pm! |
| THE KABBESPATCH |
|
7904 Wellington Rd 8, DRAYTON GPS 43.748435,-80.655814 T 519.638.3349 | www.kabbespatch.com Come and visit the Kabbespatch and learn about life on a family farm. See first-hand how our rabbits are raised and learn how nutritious and versatile rabbit meat is. Say hello to our baby chicks, ducklings and pigs and collect farm fresh eggs. Try some rabbit meat and browse our farm store for fresh eggs and chicken, rabbit, and pork. Must Taste Item: Rabbit meat |
| WILDTHINGS PLANT FARM |
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9688 Baseline Road, CLIFFORD GPS 43.974471,-80.829100 T 519.338.3228 | www.wild-things.ca Take a walk on the wild side: self-guided woodland walks through 36 acres of hardwood forest. Birds, wildflowers, display gardens everywhere. The plant tables are stuffed: choose from hundreds of varieties of perennials, grasses, ferns, trees and shrubs. Our specialty – heirloom tomato plants! Scavenger Hunt Question: There is a mass planting of a sky-blue flower in bloom. It's a native plant. Can you name it? |
Take a "Felfie" Challenge
Capture all that Wellington County has to offer with a felfie (farm selfie) and share your photos on Twitter or Facebook using #RuralRomp. Download our "How to Felfie" Guide
A winner will be chosen amongst all entries to win a local food gift!
Why not enter your 'felfie' in the photo contest as well for a chance to win another prize? Read on for more information.
Photo Contest
Enter the Rural Romp Photo Contest for your chance to win 1 of 3 local food prizes. Judges will decide on winners in the following three categories: Farmscapes, Family Fun on the Romp, and Food (farm fresh or prepared).
Enter the Photo Contest View past winners
Local Food Treasure Hunt
Dig deeper into local food! Answer a trivia question at each participating location by filling out a ballot on romp day, and you could win a Local Food Treasure!
Romp Trip Tips
- Bring a cooler. Keep the food you purchase along the romp fresh and safe.
- Bring cash. Many locations don't accept debit or credit.
- Leave your pets at home. Many farms do not allow pets on their property.
- Wear proper clothing. There are places where you will have the chance to get dirty so dress appropriately.
- Bring an umbrella! The event occurs rain or shine so bring plenty of layers and a raincoat.
- Bring your camera. And don't forget to enter our photo contest!
- Pick up a map. Download and bring the Rural Romp map or pick one up at any of the Rural Romp destinations. Directional signage is located along the Romp to help you find your way.
Don't forget!
Mark your calendar for the Fall Rural Romp, which happens every year on the last Saturday of September. The 2019 Romp will take place on Saturday, September 28.
Thank you to our Partners and Sponsors!
