Christine McLean named new Small Business Coordinator for Hastings County
The Planning and Development Department of Hastings County is pleased to announce its new Small Business Coordinator, Christine McLean.
Inspiring Entrepreneurs
The Story of Fish & Co.
Entrepreneur Hannah Cowell turned the challenging experience of job loss into an opportunity to open a business related to a personal passion. My mental health is something that has always been an uphill battle for me. Anxiety is something that I deal with on a daily basis. My dad would always be able to tell …
Holistic Healing in Hastings County
After a long journey of self-discovery, Mozhdeh Nikmanesh sought a new home in Bancroft, inspired by the natural surroundings and the supportive community.
Madoc’s Homegrown Star
From a small office in Madoc, Theresa Bailey dreamed big. She is a homegrown entrepreneur of Hastings County in the true sense, having been raised in Madoc, now working her magic with her Hastings-based company, Starfish Synergies. Theresa is a well-established name in the community and beyond, for her skills in facilitating team engagement through …
Susan Lewis – Emerald Earring
Susan Lewis recently made the move to Hastings County from the big city and opened her new business, the Emerald Earring on September 16, 2021. In this episode of the I Left The City Show, Susan describes the authenticity of the people, and the friendly welcoming she has received, as just a couple of reasons …
Coffee, comfort food and good conversation at Rustic Roadside Restaurant
At a roadside restaurant in Gilmour, about halfway between Bancroft and Madoc on Highway 62, there’s a sign above the cash that reads, “The secret ingredient is always love.” This statement is certainly true for entrepreneur Maggie Thrasher, co-owner of the newly opened Rustic Roadside Restaurant. The warmth a customer feels when entering her establishment …
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Janice Chrysler – Mindful Journey
Headquartered in Marmora & Lake, Janice Chrysler started Mindful Journey to assist others in awakening spirituality in all aspects of their life. Having grown up in Hastings County she could live anywhere else in the world, but describes why Hastings is a great place to live and run her business as a Spiritual Growth Facilitator. …
From Farmer to Grocer in Coe Hill
Wendy Mortimer officially opened the newly renovated Coe Hill Grocery Store this past week. Mortimer is a local organic farmer who settled in Coe Hill in 2017. The community now has a bigger store with a different focus, more selection and more organic produce.
Talented musical duo Red Dirt Skinners Love Life in Hastings County
Sarah Skinner remembers the moment she knew Canada was meant to be her new home.She and her husband Rob had just finished a 12-date tour in 2015, performing as the Red Dirt Skinners, during an 18-day stint on Canadian soil. Between the warmth of the people, the gorgeous scenery, and what Sarah says were 12 …
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Madoc’s Familial Goldmine
In the quaint community of Madoc lies a boutique bakery that cherishes carefully crafted, old-fashioned baking. Hastings County’s Hidden Goldmine Bakery is a family-owned business that has mastered traditional, preservative-free dessert recipes. Hidden Goldmine Bakery is run by the Freeman family, and they have successfully translated their family’s passion for baking into a rapidly growing …
Christine McLean of Creative Minds Retreat
“What I’m building here feels like a calling. What I’m building is my dream, but it’s also a dream I want to share with people,” she said. “I think everyone is a creator, so it really is open to anyone who wants to think creatively.”
Hastings Trailblazer | Frost House
The joy and spirit of Christmas is alive and well in Tweed at a new holiday vendor market just opened for the season. Frost House, located on Jamieson Street in the village, welcomes customers with a vintage, old-fashioned Christmas vibe, with holiday music playing on a retro record player, antiques from Christmases of the past, and a vast array of local, handmade items.
Hastings Trailblazer | Enright Cattle Co.
A fourth-generation farming business, Enright Cattle Co. sits on a 95-acre parcel of land, where Kara, Darold and their children, Corben and Evelyn, take great pride in operating an environmentally-friendly operation where the well-being of the land and the animals that inhabit it is the priority.
Kasama Marketing
Crafting a successful marketing and consulting business in a rural village has proven itself to be incredibly rewarding. After busy careers in the city, both Andrew and Katrina looked for a place to relocate where they could enjoy work-at-home careers and spend quality time with their children.
Hastings Trailblazer | Potter Settlement Winery
Off the beaten path in Tweed is a quiet vineyard, where rows and rows of sweet, dark grapes glisten in the autumn sun, ready for picking. Potter Settlement Winery, just north of the village, boasts 13 acres and 13 different varieties of grapes, all hand-grown and hand-cultivated by Sandor Johnson and his small team of staff, including his partner Erin Reitav.
The Tree Trunk
Making the move from the city to a rural community has meant a change in scenery, but also a shift in clientele. Lucas says shoppers who pop into the store love that the product isn’t something to be found in a box store.
Stirling Mercantile
The sweet smell of old-fashioned candy lingers in the air at the Stirling General Mercantile. It’s a place you can’t help but feel nostalgic as you browse through dozens of different treats that bring back memories of childhood.
Limerick Lake Lodge and Marina
Limerick Lake is a unique body of water. Although it has 75 miles of shoreline, the entire lake has less than 160 cottages, many of which have been passed down through family generations since the 1920s and 1930s. The lake is quiet, pristine and mostly untouched, with no new builds since 1980. The reason? Limerick Lake is only accessible by boat.
Hastings Trailblazer | Alice’s Pantry
“I love it. Honestly, it was always my dream to own retail,” she said, “And here I get to create the culture and environment of the business.”
Meet Angie Smith, Owner of Oats and Honey Bulk Foods
A few years ago, Angie Smith found inspiration on a trip to New Brunswick. While visiting the rural community of St. Andrews, she stumbled upon an old-fashioned candy store. It reminded her of her childhood in Madoc when the community had a thriving bulk food store.
Hastings Trailblazer | Grail Springs Retreat
Located just south of Bancroft, Grail Springs Retreat is quietly hidden among the trees, known as a place where guests experience holistic wellness getaways in the serenity and calm of nature.
“It was never in my wildest dreams to ever create something like this,” said Grail Springs founder Madeleine Marentette, adding she originally attended college with an eye for design – a passion that is quite obvious in the unique architecture of the buildings at Grail Springs.
Over time, however, Marentette’s interest in wellness and holistic healing grew. She began a journey learning about yoga, meditation and self-awareness. It was from those experiences that her retreat was cultivated.
Meet Sandra Vanattan, co-owner of Chris’ Live Bait
Ask Sandra Vanattan what she loves about living and working in a rural community and she’ll tell you in one word: “Everything.” It’s the personal relationships built with customers, the short commute to work, and the small-town ambiance that you can’t find in a larger city centre. Read more about why Sandra enjoys working and living in the rural community of Marmora & Lake, Ontario.
Hastings Trailblazer | Barn & Country Catering
When they couldn’t bring the people to the barbecue, Barn and Country Catering decided to bring the barbecue to the people instead. The Stirling-based catering company was forced to cancel or reschedule more than 50 events in 2020 due to the pandemic. But, instead of calling the season a loss, the family put their heads …
Hastings Trailblazer | 7/62 Craft Brewers
The new Hastings Trailblazer Series celebrates our pioneers who excel in their industries, and who thrive on thinking outside of the box and being innovative. They have community as a deep-rooted value that lends to their success, and being authentic, yet anything but ordinary, is what they strive to achieve. Hastings is proud to be home to …
Meet Ro and Jo, Entrepreneurial & Creative Couple Crafting Functional Art
Meet RO and JO. Ro and Jo is Rosannah and Joseph Penner. They created their business in 2017 at their home located in Bancroft, ON. This young entrepreneurial and creative couple like to create art that is functional. Their bags are hand painted, screen printed and include genuine leather accents. Visit their website to see some …
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Meet Dionne Baker, a Digital Professional Who Left The City for a Refreshed Pace of Life
What have you been working on lately? For this period of my life it’s more like, “What haven’t you been working on lately!” In addition to being a Shopify Partner and Expert, I build websites and manage marketing campaigns for corporate clients throughout North America. I’m also helping the Business Improvement Association (BIA) in Stirling …
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New craft brewery
There’s a new business in town! A large crowd gathered at the new 7/62 Craft Brewers in Madoc on Saturday, October 19, 2019 to celebrate their grand opening! 7/62 Brewery was founded by Scott Williams and Al Shaw. Together they are making “wildly authentic” and delicious craft beer right here in Hastings! To hear their story first-hand, you …
Building a legacy based off of what you love
Tell me a little about yourself – where are you from originally and what do you do? Our names are Kees Morsink and Margaret Van Helvoort and we’ve been married for over 30 years. Kees is a Gemologist by trade and Margaret used to be a Nurse. Before moving to Stirling we had a couple …
Meet Jessica & Nathan Rogers, Building a Balanced Flow as Owners of Creekside Yoga
Jess and Nate Rogers are yoga studio owners who left the city and created a more balanced life here in Hastings County. Here’s their story … Tell us a little about yourselves – where are you from originally and what do you do? Jess – I was born in Scarborough but spent most of my childhood in …
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