Dry Stone Canada was pleased to announce that they are going back to Amherst Island for this year's festival. Their host is Topsy Farm, a long established sheep farm well known for their quality sheep (especially the wool!).
Using stone collected from farms and fields on the island, they will be building a wall near the barn, along the entrance to the farm.
The general theme of the event is about the roots of dry stone walling: building walls to support farming and to celebrate the interconnection
And, as is the case on Amherst Island, much of the community will be involved:
Accommodations will be available from many of the island residents
Food (local produce) will be served at the island's Back Kitchen
Events will be held at The Lodge (Dry Stone Canada's unofficial home base)
More details will come as arrangements are finalized but what they can tell you is this:
Special Guests will include:
Sunny Wieler, waller, sculptor (Ireland)
David Wilson, artist – designer – waller – maker (UK)
Brendan Stewart, Ontario Landscape Architect, University of Guelph (Canada)
Wallers from far and wide will come together to build this wall, and it will also be a workshop for those wishing to learn about the trade. Those enrolled in the workshop will work alongside seasoned wallers.
Their Supporters
Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA)
Ontario Sheep Farmers
Topsy Farms
The Back Kitchen
The Lodge on Amherst Island
About Topsy Farms
The wool comes from a well-cared for flock of over 1100 breeding sheep that are protected from predators by large white guardian dogs and a predator resistant fence around the home farm. Developed through careful breeding, the flock grazes on tree-shaded pastures of Amherst Island at the eastern end of Lake Ontario.
PLEASE NOTE. Dry Stone Canada is not affiliated with dry stone walling across Canada in any way.
This posting of Dry Stone Canada's event on this website is purely done as a service for people visiting this site interested in any other events happening in Canada. We regret if there has been any confusion as to who is doing what.