We reserved a spot to spend the night on the grounds of the Western Development Museum, which is also Harvest Hosts location. As we were about to retire for the night, a couple of guys arrived in an orange car (that I diagnosed as needing a valve job) and parked on the grounds. They were exhibiting rather strange behaviour, driving around the grass and parking in different spots, and then driving off and returning again in a few minutes. When dusk arrived they drove off. We watched and waited awhile and it seemed they were not going to return. Where we were parked was well lit but we were the only RV on the grounds, so we went to bed feeling uneasy.
We slept lightly, if at all, until 1pm when a fifth wheel unit pulled in beside us. When we looked outside, I noticed a semi had also parked fairly near us, the driver likely catching a few winks. The orange car had returned accompanied by another van, and were parked at the far end of the grass nearby the neighbouring park. Like us, I presume they just needed a place to sleep for the night. So, we went back to bed and fell asleep soundly with the knowledge there is safety in numbers.
Despite nothing untoward occurring, I wouldn’t overnight at this host in the future. The museum is a great attraction but not the best Harvest Hosts spot.
We rose early in the morning and headed out to our next location. It would be our shortest drive on this entire journey, just 1.5 hours.
It was a beautiful day, Canada Day, and the traffic was light. We had contacted our host the previous day to inform them of our early arrival, and rolled into Twin Peaks Creamery in Warman, Saskatchewan at 1030am.
We checked in at the farm store and were met by Art the host (well actually his wife Elaine runs the show). Since the previous night’s guests (they were from Vernon, BC and were also travelling across Canada) hadn’t left and we weren’t in a hurry to set up, we stood outside and chatted with Art.
In 1991, Art and Elaine left their family farm in Abbotsford to purchase a 2800 acre farm in Warman, Saskatchewan. Four years ago, they purchased a former dairy farm on 200 acres, which is the location of Twin Peaks Creamery. Their eldest son runs the dairy operation and the creamery, another son manages the 2800 acre wheat and canola farm, a third son lives in Ottawa and is in the show cow business, a fourth son is a competitive volleyball player and is in his last year of an undergraduate business program at the university in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Their only daughter also lives on a farm in Alberta.
Connie and I moved from New Westminster to Chilliwack in 1993. We became friends with some dairy farmers on the Sumas Prairie. So Connie asked Art, “by any chance did you know Glenn and Cheryl.” To our surprise, Art said “yes.” It is true, there are only 6 degrees of separation…it’s such a small world.
Twin Peaks Creamery is by far our favourite Canadian Harvest Hosts site. Our truck and trailer are parked on grass and nestled up against a row of elm trees. A hedge of Caragana shields the property from the dust of the gravel road approaching the farm. We overlook an acre or more of grass, with a scattering of picnic tables. Visitors to the farm store can purchase meat (beef, pork and lamb) grown on the farm and a variety of ice cream flavours made on site. We filled our freezer with meat (and a little ice cream) and because it was Canada Day, joined the steady stream of visitors for an ice cream cone…not just once but twice. The store is open from 10am to 10pm daily, except Sundays.
There were several groups of bikers who road up from Saskatoon in addition to two ladies who rode their horses up for an ice cream treat.
Lucky, the farm dog seemed content to visit with us as we watched the visitors come and go.
In the late afternoon another couple from Edmonton rolled up in a motor home and parked beside us.
JP (Jean Paul) and Diane’s home base is in Edmonton but they live full time in their 40 foot, 2021 Tiffin motorhome. It is a real beauty. They too are heading east to New Brunswick, which is home to them.
JP was raised in Campbellton, an hour from Bathurst and worked for CN for 38 years in Edmonton, Halifax, Moncton and parts of Ontario. Diane grew up on the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec and did her registered nurses training in Bathurst. She worked in hospitals, corrections and as a Telehealth nurse.
Since all their family is in New Brunswick and Quebec, JP and Diane make it a priority to visit Quebec and New Brunswick every two years.
They were a very nice couple. Connie and I visited with them for 3 hours this afternoon and evening. They gave us several recommendations of places to “camp” in NB, Maine, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. JP even got me thinking about living full time in a 40 foot motor coach. But then what would I do with my old Ford truck?
Until next time, happy reading.
Mal and Connie's Cross Canada Adventure 2.0 