I was not born or raised in Haldimand, but it doesn't mean that I love it any less than someone who has (and how could you even measure that?).  What's important is that Haldimand is home. Our children are born and raised here. My husband and I moved to Caledonia from Hamilton 11 years ago (2015) to start a family away from the noise, the traffic, and densely populated area to a smaller, quieter, and safer town, South Caledonia.  In 2022 we left South Caledonia because it had begun to resemble a city we left. 

Today rural Hagersville is home.

We didn't come from farming families or generational knowledge, we learned and built everything ourselves. Farming is a close knit community where you help out one another, sharing skills and knowledge, when you can especially if there is a farm emergency (like a furnace that won't start in the dead freeze of winter). There is a different type of appreciation and understanding that develops that can't be learned unless you've experienced it.  Whether it’s hobby farming or business farming, the work doesn’t end, the days are long, body is sore, and there are animals that depend on you regardless of the weather and you keep doing it because you can't imagine living any other way now. 

"It takes a village"  is a phrase about raising kids and family support,  I think this applies to many aspects of our lives and is not limited to families or raising kids. Community and people is what makes living in a small town so great, I was able to meet many great individuals who have become friends through my involvement with:

4-H Haldimand, I'm a Club Leader and Association Representative (2024, 2025, 2026)

Three years ago I did not know what 4-H was until a friend shared about it. I thought it was the greatest thing ever with the whole premise of "Learn by Doing". I began volunteering in 2024 with helping out with Cloverbuds (ages 6-9). This year I created two new clubs, 1. For the Love of Chickens, 2. Cut Flower Club, that I run with 3 other leaders and host at our mini farm in Hagersville, along with continuing to help with Cloverbuds. Being a new volunteer and not having come from an agricultural background, it was heartwarming to see the patience, kindness and acceptance that was awarded to me. I got over the learning curve (mostly!). 

Haldimand Horticultural Society - Board Member & Volunteer (2025, 2026)

Being a flower farmer this one is kind of an obvious one to join. The amount of knowledge and skills that are present at the table of the horticultural society are remarkable. As a board member I volunteer at events and am responsible for compiling a monthly newsletter for our 140-ish members with all the monthly happenings.  

Haldimand Youth Soccer Club - Coach (2022, 2024)

A soccer coach for the U6 division in 2022 and 2024. I promised my kids that I would only coach their first year of soccer. 

Although I am no longer working in the municipal government, I have a total of 8 years combined employment experience, including Haldimand County.  I have been a part of:

• Projects,  budget processes, policy and procedure reviews and development, tax sales  

• Budget Processes: how the decisions are made, what impact it will have on the rates, the type of projects that are approved

• Council Reports:  all the reports that are published online for council meetings, and the ones that you may have seen at some of the council meetings (usually a thick stack of papers).  I've written some of those reports and contributed to some, I have also previously printed and put those packages together.  I've collected and analyzed the data that goes into them.  

• Asset Management: It is legislatively (O.Reg. 588/17) driving the county's Capital Budget. Municipal Assets are all the things that the county owns and includes buildings, equipment, fleet, roads, bridges etc. I've worked on the life cycles, costing, financial impacts, and condition ratings. 

Long story short, I have seen how things work on the other side of council.