Maplewood Farm: North Vancouver's Semi-hidden Treasure

One of our go-to activities with the kidlets is a trip to Maplewood Farm. What astounds me is that more people don't know about this gem. This awesome, wallet-friendly little piece of kid heaven.

The little miss feeding the bunnies

Maplewood Farm is right on the banks of the Seymour River in North Vancouver, situated between Dollarton Highway and Mount Seymour Parkway. But once inside, you would never know it's near these two major thoroughfares. This idyllic 5 acre setting is the last remaining farm on the North Shore and word around the feeding trough is that it could be facing some hard times ahead. I truly hope it's just speculation and rumor, as it would be an absolute tragedy to lose this piece of so many childhood memories...including mine.

I remember when I was little my parents took me there for a visit and a turkey became obsessed with my mom. Literally, in love. It followed her everywhere we went and any time we would stop, he would throw himself at her feet and bare his belly for some sweet lovin.' I am relieved to say that the enamoured bird is no longer there, and he has been replaced by a much less affectionate turkey.

The farm has been phenomenal for the little man. He's always had a deep-seated love of anything to do with farms, probably from repeated viewings of the "Baby MacDonald" Baby Einstein DVD at a very young age. But get him anywhere NEAR a real live farm animal, he freezes up and wants to go home...yesterday.

The price of a family admission at the farm is so reasonable that we figured it was worth the investment, even if each visit only lasted 5 minutes...and some of them did. Our "gateway drug" was the 1:15pm milking demonstration. We would time our arrival for immediately before the milking, and he would march straight for the barn, set himself up on one of the risers, and watch with great intensity. We would usually leave shortly after the demo concluded, but he would re-enact the whole thing over and over when we got home.

Farmer Courtenay and Farmer Pam

Every night we tell stories at bedtime, and they almost always have to feature Maplewood Farm and usually have a cameo by Farmer Courtenay.
He now loves the farm and actually approached animals on occasion. He still loves the milking, but his newfound fabourite pasttime is the "pretend milking," which is a painted wooden cow that kids can "milk." Big rubber "udders," milking stool and all.

Real milking

Pretend milking

Today was the 32nd annual Sheep Shearing Festival, and I highly recommend it (for next year, obviously). They always have a milking demo (every day in the barn at 1:15pm - just ask our little man), but today's festivities had milking, pony rides, sheep dogs herding sheep, and of course, the sheep shearing itself. It was fantastic. Busy, but the staff managed the increased volume well.

The woman that did the actual shearing was impressive, and all the kids watched in fascination as the wool seemingly peeled away in a fluffy sheet.

Nowhere else, at least nowhere within a couple hours' drive of North Vancouver, can kids get an experience like this. Seeing a working farm, watching or petting the animals, listening to the farmers explain how things work, seeing the brand new baby ducks/cows/lambs/donkeys...it's truly priceless. But this treasure can be yours for the low low price of just $7.25 each ($4.25 for kids and seniors). If you want be as cool as us, a family membership is only $121 for the first year ($102.85 for renewal). 

The History of Maplewood Farm (taken in part from www.maplewoodfarm.bc.ca)

Akiyo Kogo first discovered this little spot in the early 1900's. During the twenties, the farm developed into a thriving dairy, delivering fresh milk and cream to customers from Deep Cove to Lonsdale for almost three decades.

Tom & Prince, the Belgian Draft Horses

By 1970, agriculture had all but disappeared from North Vancouver but luckily the farm land came under the protection of the District Parks Department, being preserved for future generations to enjoy a truly rural experience in the ever expanding urban area.

Officially opened to the public in 1975, and now home to over 200 domestic animals and birds, Maplewood Farm strives to provide a unique experience, incorporating enjoyment, education and a recollection of the rural heritage of this pastoral 5 acre setting.
If you live anywhere in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver, I highly recommend a trip to Maplewood Farm. They're open 10am-4pm daily, almost. November to March they're closed Mondays, and they're also closed Christmas Day. Farmers get to celebrate a holiday once in a while, right?

For more information you can check out www.maplewoodfarm.bc.ca.



The Day I Talked to the Premier of BC About Breasts

Premier Christy Clark with Vancouver mom bloggers

Yes. I asked the Premier of British Columbia about breasts. Well, breast cancer actually. To be even more specific - breast cancer screening.

I was recently invited to participate in a mom blogger round table discussion with the Honourable Christy Clark, Premier of BC. I felt extremely lucky to be included, and thank Christine at VancouverMom.ca for passing my name along.

I understand that this is the first time a Premier of BC has ever reached out to bloggers in this way, and I would be surprised if ANY Premier from across Canada had done this before. Given the current government's pillar of Families First, it was a good move. A risky one, because we bloggers can be fairly vocal (!), but a good move nonetheless.

The session was hosted by Director of Outreach Pamela Martin, and both she and Premier Clark took notes throughout. The first topic raised was the idea of a business-starter loan or grants program for parent entrepreneurs. That was quickly followed by a discussion on childcare, with cost of care being one of the main reasons parents opt to become entrepreneurs in the first place.

The cost of bridge tolls was also brought up, and I thought Premier Clark handled the topic extremely well, speaking eloquently with passion and conviction. She gave her opinion that the daily time saved by the new bridges and routes was worth the average $3.00 cost. An hour more per day at home with your family - what price would you put on that?

I knew all the standard parenting topics were covered by my counterparts, so I chose to ask a question that was important to me as a woman bearing down on the age of 40. A bit of background - last November a set of guidelines, or recommendations, were published by the Canadian Task Force on Preventative Health on the topic of breast cancer detection. These included NOT recommending mammograms for women between 40 and 49, NOT performing self-checks, and NOT having a health care provider do an annual clinical breast exam. I'm really not sure what option they're leaving for women 40-49 to potentially detect a lump, unless they just expect them to wait until it's visible?

Currently, in BC, women 40-79 can have a free regular mammogram without a doctor's referral. We are considered the gold standard in Canada, and have the highest five-year survival rate (91.8%) of any province across the country. Mortality rates are decreasing, and this is attributed to, among other things, established screening programs. Provincial governments are taking the Task Force's guidelines under consideration, and BC has yet to reach a decision as to whether or not they will implement the new recommendations.

I figured this was the time to ask Premier Clark - would the government ever actually consider taking AWAY the eligibility of women 40 to 49 to access screening mammography? Would they ever even entertain the notion of introducing regulations that could reduce our "gold standard" rating and potentially put women's lives at risk?

The answer was absolutely beautiful: "Not on my watch!" replied Premier Christy Clark. "Not on my watch!"

Now, I know we were just a group of people in a room having a discussion and there was nothing official about it, but the idealist in me likes to think that maybe, just maybe, Premier Clark will remember that comment. And maybe, just maybe, she'll be in a position to make good on the statement.

It will be interesting to see how they continue to stay in touch with us, and whether or not any developments arise as a result of our discussion. Time will tell. Whatever happens, I am grateful that I was included.

Review: Swiss Natural Calcium Soft Chews

Three words. Chocolate Fudge Brownie.

Given my weight loss journey and my ongoing challenge resisting all things chocolate, let's just say my interest was peaked when I was asked to review Swiss Natural's Calcium Soft Chews in Chocolate Fudge Brownie.

But I was nervous. This lovely resealable bag of delectable little chocolate chews arrived and I thought to myself, "Okay, these must be really high in calories. How can I justify a whole Weight Watchers point just to get my daily calcium?"

They're 15 calories, folks. Just 15 calories. And they are delicious. Now, the old me may have devoured the entire bag in the pursuit of strong bones and teeth, but the new me is happy to enjoy one or two delectable morsels with my morning array of vitamins.

They are awesome.

Since the little miss was born I have noticed my nails are weaker than they were before, and that's truly not saying much. I have made a concerted effort to take a calcium supplement every day to help improve things, and it is making a difference.

The recommended dietary daily allowance for calcium is 1000mg for people 19-50 years of age. (And the maximum tolerable amount is 2500mg, which helps deter me from eating more than the suggested 1-2 chews per day.) The chews are 600mg each, with 400 IU of Vitamin D thrown in for good measure.

On a side note, did you know that taking 1000 IU of Vitamin D daily can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer? (Sorry, there's my day job poking in!)

Here's the skinny on calcium:

• Calcium is involved in regulating blood pressure as well as building strong bones and teeth.
• Calcium is essential for muscle contraction, heart and nerve function.
• 99% of the body's calcium is stored in the bones and teeth.
• Calcium helps to prevent osteoporosis. 

Right now I have no big, looming concern about osteoporosis, but one day I might. And I would WAY rather be relieved I'd taken calcium supplements for years and reduced my risk, than finding out at the age of 65 that there was something I could have done.

Swiss Natural is a 100% Canadian owned company, which is always cool. The calcium chews retail for between $9.99 and $11.99 for the 60 chew size. 

So, Dr. Gillian (I'm not a real doctor, but go with me) says: Take your calcium. Take your Vitamin D. And if you can take them both wrapped up in a delicious little chocolate treat, why the heck wouldn't you?!

My Poop in a Box

Okay, so not exactly MY poop. It was the little man's poop. But in an effort to pay homage to Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg, I stayed true to the phrasing.

We thought we were done. He'd finally mastered the art of using the toilet. Wiping, no, but that's a whole other siutation which I won't worry about right now. Nobody takes their mom to college with them because they can't wipe their own bum, right?

About a month ago, the little man went crazy. That is truly the only explanation I can come up with. A week before his fifth birthday, he got up from the living room floor, said "I'll be right back" and went into his room and closed the door. Now, a year ago this would have been cause for alarm as this would SURELY have meant he was in there dropping a trouser bomb, but we were past that. We were confident in his newfound skills and knew we were in a poop-free situation.

Or so we thought.

A few minutes later we heard the little man giggling and jumping up and down. Mr. Awesome went to his room to investigate what was happening, and I have never heard the tone that errupted from him seconds later. It was a mixture of anger, disgust, disbelief, shock...and then an eery calm, followed by silence.

Because what do you say when your almost five year old son takes off his pants, empties a cardboard box, crouches over the box and POOS? And then proceeds to check out the poo and wind up smearing it on the carpet and closet doors?

You say nothing. Because rage and despair have stolen your voice.

This incident was followed by another, where he made "a nest" of toilet paper on the floor in the bathroom and made a deposit, and several other times where he figured the best place to have a pee was in the corner of his bedroom.

Needless to say, all the Lego he'd been rewarded for his toilet achievements was promptly removed. I am happy (and relieved) to note that this phase has now passed and we are back to putting "things" where they should go, but it really shook my understanding of the child psyche. He got his Lego back and we're all good again...for now.

Parenthood. It gets you every time. Just when you think you've mastered one phase and finally moved on to greener pastures, your kid poos in a box.