Posted : July 28, 2018
Our blog is chock full of great ideas for fun things to see and do in York Durham and Headwaters. We are always adding new content and updating old posts, but sometimes you might stumble upon something from our vault. If this article has inspired you to hit the road, be sure to double-check that the featured stops in this post are still welcoming visitors.
Rebecca Landman runs her family-operated farm with her brother just north of Grand Valley. Together they raise dairy goats, pigs, chickens and turkeys, and tend one acre of organic produce. As well, Rebecca whips up homemade baked goods, pickles and jams which she sells at the farm store as well as at local farmers’ markets. To top it all off, the farm hosts wildly popular farm-to-table dinners at their one-of-a-kind Blackhouse. All in all, Rebecca says her chosen livelihood is a lot of fun – with a healthy dose of hard work.
Rebecca first learned the time-honoured craft of growing organic produce from her grandfather, Sjoerd. She and her family are passionate about farming sustainably and making as small an impact on the environment as possible. Before starting Landman Gardens and Bakery, Rebecca studied Culinary Management as well as Sustainable Agriculture.
In 2013, Rebecca launched Blackhouse dinners, which have attracted curious visitors from near and far. “A Blackhouse is a traditional stone house commonly found in Scotland,” Rebecca explains. “Ours is the only replica of an authentic Blackhouse in Canada.” The Landman’s use their Blackhouse as the setting for magical five-course dining experience complete with local ingredients, fairy lights and (often hilarious) stories about farm life.
Rebecca’s advice for visiting Landman Gardens and Bakery? “Come hungry,” she laughs. At the shop, you’ll find ready-made meals including house-made salads, cooked full chickens, meat pies and more. And for dessert, there are fresh baked goods like pies, squares and cookies. Or if you’ve got a special occasion coming up, impress your sweetie with a Blackhouse dinner date, which are offered from July to November!
