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Small pets vet has her hands full in Hemmingford
After 38 years La ferme d’André has literally become an institution along the Upper Concession Road in Ormstown. This magical, colorful place that offers city kids an escape from the pavement and noise, will one day be in the hands of a foundation that will maintain the farm as a camp. Creator and director André Giguere (left) says half of the property ownership will go to his family and the other half to the camp foundation when the day comes that he says, “Bonjour, bye, bye.”
Jessica Bryson,Audrey Daoust &
Katherine Wallace
Photos: Katherine Wallace
As days become warmer and sunnier, thousands of students throughout the re-gion will soon say farewell to classmates and teachers for the summer. With so many activities planned, children often forget to take time to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings the Châteauguay Valley has to offer.
For over 35 years, La Ferme d’André, located on Ormstown’s Upper Consession, has been an overnight camp which pro-vides today’s youth with an understand-ing of the importance of nature. With over one hundred acres of land and just about as many animals, this farm gives children the opportunity to appreciate the peaceful atmosphere of the country.
La Ferme d’André is a youth camp de-signed to take children out of their hectic schedules and resituate them in an environ-ment where they can be exactly who they are--kids. The camp provides a very relax-ing atmosphere but there are never any dull moments. The farm counts numerous
animals that children are free to play with. They may take the dogs for a run through the fi elds or even take the llama for a stroll
Katie Martin, Sabrina Dineen & Valerie Leduc
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Expanding the business of caringOn a sunny afternoon we visited
the familiar old building that is now the Residence Ormstown. We were cheerfully greeted by co-owner Kim L’Ecuyer’s smiling face before we were even out of the car. A cool breeze met us as we stepped
into the entry way of the newly built extension of the home. A sweet smell-ing aroma wafted in from the dining area where the residents of the facility sat eating lunch and chatting.
So as not to disturb their Continued inside
Kim L’Ecuyer along with her sister and mother own and run Residence Ormstown.Photo: Sabrina Dineen
Story & photos: Colin Barrett-Bernstein & Martin Chambers
In the fall of 2000, Dr. Shannon What-man, a graduate from the University of Guelph’s Veterinary College of Ontario, decided to purchase a house in the heart of Hemmingford and transform it into her very own veterinary clinic. With her mother’s (an interior designer) designs, the house was changed into a practical vet clinic. On February 15, 2001, the doors opened.
She works on dogs, cats and horses with a love for her work that is clearly noticed by anyone observing her in practice. Dr. Whatman’s approach to keeping her clients well informed and educated about their pets is displayed through the numerous posters and charts explaining animal anatomy.
When she was a young girl, her sister’s horse got sick with colic, a gastrointes-tinal condition that is potentially fatal. The horse was taken to the University of Guelph where it was treated for its illness. It was then that she knew she wanted to be-come a veterinarian. At school she enjoyed science, and she was interested in animals and medicine.
“Being a vet was the ultimate combina-tion,” she proclaimed. She has been a prac-ticing veterinarian for the past 14 years, spending the fi rst 7 as an assistant at a clinic in Westmount. While she was there,
she was already coming out to the country to do work on horses. She decided that she wanted to open her own practice. It would not have been practical for it to be based in the city, since the traveling arrangements would be diffi cult. Her husband is from Havelock, and since she had a customer base from around Hemmingford, she de-cided to “put her eggs in one basket instead of a few” and start in Hemmingford.
Dr. Whatman deals with cats and dogs at the clinic, and she goes out into the fi eld to work with horses. At the clinic she gen-erally does ‘routine’ surgery, whether it be neutering, euthanasia, amputations, re-moval of foreign objects, casts and simple dentistry. In the fi eld (with the horses)
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she does a lot of check-ups, castrations, prostate examinations, removal of lumps, stitching wounds and many other proce-dures. The instruments she uses range from a simple stick and rope to the most complex electronics, such as the 49-pound portable x-ray machine she uses for the horses. The sophistication in veterinarian medicine is beyond belief.
The most diffi cult thing for Dr. Whatman when she started up on her own was the establishment of her prices. When asked why, she said, “In the city, if there were complaints concerning the prices, I could say ‘Sorry, those are my boss’ prices’”.
lunch, Kim and her mother Diane L’Ecuyer gave us a tour of the older part of the building. First, they ca-sually mentioned that some of their residents are connected to the his-tory of the building, whether it be that they were born there, gave birth there or even worked there when it was the fi rst site of the Barrie Me-morial Hospital. The L’Ecuyers only made a few minor renovations to the original structure upon their purchase of the building.
It all began with Diane’s other daughter Marie, who has always been compassionate and dedicated to caring for people. In the words of her sister, she was a “born nur-turer”. She had been a nurse at the Huntingdon Hospital for some time when she proposed to her mother and sister that her longtime dream of owning a residence become a re-ality. Both were keen on the concept and after much consideration they began looking for a building that would be suitable for their *proj-ect*.
Eventually they stumbled upon what was the former Barrie Me-morial Hospital in Ormstown. The historic building instantly attracted their attention, and following further evaluation they knew it was perfect. One of the key factors that attracted them to this location was the sizable lot behind the building, which was perfect for the extension that they had in mind.
By March 2005 they had purchased it and what once only existed in Marie’s imagina-tion was slowly becoming a reality. Next on their list was to fi nd a contractor who was willing to take on the duty of building the addition. Before long they came across Constructions R. D. J. Inc. and work on the new extension was begun. Through-out the construction process the residents remained in their rooms in the other part of the building. They were very cooperative and understanding, making no complaint about all the work going on. When all was said and done, the three co-owners were extremely satisfi ed with the new addition.
The whole concept of managing and run-ning a residence for the elderly was all a little overwhelming and an unknown ad-venture,
“When we took over, it was all new,” Kim recalls. Before long everything fell into place and they combined their talents to make it a success. They each have their own domain in which they excel: Kim takes on the kitchen related responsibili-ties; Marie does the nursing aspect; and Diane does the administration part. Thus, one resident jokingly nicknamed them “Cookie,” “Nursie”, and “Bossy”.
The owners and staff have made it their duty to be kind, compassionate and re-
spectful of the people they care for. In re-turn they are rewarded with the happiness and satisfaction of the residents.
“The smallest thing you do for them, they appreciate,” notes Diane.
The residents are encouraged to partici-pate in various activities. A chart hangs on the wall tracking their progress and partici-pation in weekly exercise activities. Bingo also ensures excitement and enjoyment for all, while arts and crafts tend to be a more relaxing activity.
Whether it be at an afternoon activity or sitting up at night reminiscing about their past, the residents are usually interacting with each other. In addition to the orga-nized activities the residents also keep up with different hobbies of their own, knit-ting is a favorite among the women.
Another source of entertainment is the yellow and green budgie, a bird that lives contently on the counter of the sitting room. Also, in the sitting room is a carefully put together photo album of the residents, staff and owners on special occasions.
All of the staff as well as the three own-ers are fl uent in both English and French. They laughingly admit to sometimes switching languages mid-sentence. The deciding factor in their language of com-munication is the mother tongue of the per-son they are speaking with. A quality other than bilingualism that the owners seek in their employees is the ability to be multi-disciplined. They work together to keep the place looking spotless, and ensuring the satisfaction of those they care for.
We were most pleased to sit down and
have a chat with some of the residents. All were very interesting and each had their own story to tell. Arlene Cottingham is nearing her hundredth birthday this fall and proudly shows us a postcard picture of Ecuador where her son Bruce has just returned from traveling on business. Hart-ley Arthur tells us about his family and the past. Fran Stonehouse, originally from England tells of marrying a Canadian sol-dier and raising her children there and later coming to Canada. Also how she and Mrs. Arthur often talk about their experiences as war brides.
“We sit here at night and reminisce,” she says. Claire Taché smiles with pride as
she tells us that she is now a great-grand-mother. As we are on our way through the dining room, Milicent McCartney eagerly picks out her chips for the soon to start bingo game.
All in all it was wonderful that Marie, Kim and Diane decided to pursue the long process of acquiring the Residence Orm-stown. They are all happy that they made the choice as are the residents who all agree that they are well taken care of and just love it there. When asked about it, the residents always responded enthusiastical-ly with, “I love it” and, as Fran Stonehouse put it, “I’m just waiting for my bubble to burst!”
Cookie,Nursie andBossyfrom Page 1
Residence Ormstown is a bee-hive of activity. Older resi-dents have individual rooms and are free to leave for a walk downtown or stay home and participate in activities. Top, co-owner Diane L’Ecuyer helps clean tables for games. Her daughter, Marie, left, is the nurse. Above, Hartley Ar-thur. Top, left, near-centenna-rian Arlene Cottingham and to her right is Claire Taché. Bottom, left is Alice Wilson in the hallway of the old part of the building, and in her room is war bride Fran Stonehouse.
Dr. Shannon Whatman:from Page 1
CV Magazine is produced by the students at CVR High School under the direction of Journalism tutor Phil Norton, Grade 11 English teacher Gregg Edwards, and Principal Patricia Peter. The monthly section is published free-of-charge by The Gleaner once a month during the school year. Comments may be sent to [email protected], The Gleaner once a month during the school year. Comments may be sent to [email protected], The [email protected], or for advertising please contact The Gleaner (450) 264-5364. Thanks to the The Gleaner (450) 264-5364. Thanks to the The Gleaneradvertisers on these pages for your support of this project.
Photos by Katherine Wallace
All things fuzzy and feathery, slimy and slobberyfrom Page 1
around the farm. The big wooden barn is equipped with a Tarzan jungle gym; there is an outdoor petting zoo as well as a mag-nifi cent amphitheatre where children can perform skits.
The twenty-some horses are defi nitely crowd-pleasers. Children can often be seen feeding them or even riding them when trained staff members are present. There are only a few things that the kids are required to do; this includes cleaning up, looking after the animals and helping in the kitchen. One of the farm’s mottos is “Respect your needs, the needs of others and the animal’s needs. The vivacity of the campers is so exuberating that it is obvious the camp provides children with more than just nature classes; it offers them a chance to experience freedom.
Visiting La Ferme d’André is a great op-portunity to see fabulous landscapes and scenery. Driving along the dirt road that leads to the farm, a gigantic stone house can be seen. This breath-taking century-old house serves as the main quarters for the camp. Logging campers and the owner of the farm, this residence is a true refl ection of nature’s beauty and simplicity.
The building’s inner walls are made of stone and true to its original construc-tion, the interior architecture has remained mostly the same. The camp’s ground in-cludes a magnifi cent artifi cial lake fi lled with aquatic life. Often children are seen petting the ducklings and other creatures as the farm’s animal are very docile.
André invented the name ‘Rabasta’ for an enormous type of wooden tepee that serves as gathering place where children can enjoy sitting around the fi re, singing campfi re songs and eating marshmallows. Hearing the laughter of children as they discover the many gifts of nature is simply melody to the ears.
André Giguère, owner of La Ferme d’André, has been promoting the joys of nature for 38 years. “38 years and still with pleasure,” he says. Mr. Giguère is a very busy man. Trying to conduct an interview with him is not an easy task. Dedicated to his farm, he spends most of his time with his animals as well as with the campers. He says his motto is very simple, “Friendship, freedom, autonomy.” André, as he tells the children to call him, is a down to earth and laid-back man. “No walkmans, no gum,
no cell phones. Here we play with simple things,” he said and then added, “it’s very nice to be socially adapted [to technology], but it’s all crap!”
His imagination plays a major role in the ad-ministration of the farm. His unique personal-ity brings joy to his sur-roundings. His creativity can be seen everywhere. At the camp, everyone smiles. André is con-stantly being tailed by his two little dogs which emphasis the truth about his charismatic ways. Making sure the chil-dren benefi t from their stay at his camp has and will always be his num-ber one priority.
La Ferme d’André offers different pack-ages which include summer camps and na-ture classes for young students. Groups are
also welcome to spend a day or weekend at the farm. For generations, families have gathered at the farm to take part in special occasions, whether it be family reunions
or wedding receptions, everyone is guaran-teed to enjoy their stay. For more informa-tion, visit the website www.lafermedandre.com.
But in a small town, being the owner of her practice, she set the price that she thought was reasonable. People like to try and bargain with her, and it is harder to say no. But she said, “There comes a point when you have to put your foot down. I think my prices are fair”.
Dr. Whatman works with an obvi-ous passion and love for animals. She said, “You give something 5 years and if it doesn’t work out, then you have to move on”. This clinic has been in service for 6 years now, so it is safe to say that she enjoys what she worked so hard to create.
She feels she has an attach-ment toward the animals and their owners that is beyond her description.
Caring for animals and their owners is without a doubt one of the driving forces at Cli-nique Veter-enaire Cham-plain.
Photos by Colin Barrett-Bernstein &
Martin Chambers
treats horses, cats and dogs in Hemmingford
Courtney Legault, Jordan Elliott &
Brittany Tremblay
Set between Howick and St. Chryso-stome, hidden by many different kinds of trees, lies Graham Pitcher’s charming brick house. As a young boy Graham lived in the city and spent his summers working on a farm on Covey Hill because his father wanted to, “make a man out of me,” said Graham. He would wake up at 5:00 in the morning every day during those summers to do chores, which he highly disliked. He swore he would never live in the country. Yet, that’s exactly where he ended up.
Around 1944 Graham’s father bought the property where he now lives, which he later purchased from his mother. At the time there were no trees on the land, there-fore nearly every tree you see is one that Graham Pitcher planted. His property re-fl ects his true passion for trees. Graham’s landscaping is very unique and when asked how he decided to plant a tree somewhere he said, “It’s where you feel a tree should be. It’s random rather than the suburbs where everything is placed geometrically.”
It’s amazing how he can walk around his yard and describe each and every tree. Whether the trees are recognizable by the bark, the leaves, the general branching or the fact that he planted them, Graham has a story about each one. He described one of his favorite trees, the linden tree, as a “lovely old tree, where the kids sat in the branches when they were younger.”
Graham’s love of trees roots back to his
Trees are “old friends” to Graham Pitcher
adolescent years. He began planting trees when he was 18 years old and has contin-ued ever since. After high school he at-tended Maconald College where he studied horticulture. Upon graduating he landed a job in the city with a landscaping company called Laurentian Landscape. He worked there for about four years before starting his own business in 1958. He later reno-vated houses in the 80’s. Nursing trees has always been a pastime to him.
Planting trees in southern Quebec was rigorous work as the soil here is heavy and there are many stones in the ground. Gra-ham stated that the ground is “too rocky; I took rocks out everywhere for years.” The frost kept bringing them back up each year. He would use a stone boat, a sort of sled on wooden run-ners, which used to sell for fi ve dollars at auctions, to re-move stones. Graham would tow the boat behind his trac-tor and he would place the stones on it.
One day in 1972 he came across beautiful sandy soil property in Ontario. It was north of Lancaster and twenty-fi ve miles west of Alexandria. He couldn’t believe that no one would want such superb fertile soil. He bought the land instantly and started nursing his trees there. A day’s work here in rocky ground would only take a half an hour there. Graham had
to transport his trees in the back of his trail-er 90 miles to Ontario. It costs $100 in fuel each time and he could only bring six trees at once. Therefore, you may think the cost of a tree is expensive but there is a lot of work and money behind each one.
Having worked with trees nearly his whole life, Graham knows how to produce magnifi cent trees and his massive property, which takes a day to mow, is proof of it. Once you plant trees people think they will just grow on their own but, “You’ve got to nurse them, not just fertilize them. It’s not rocket science, it’s just common sense with trees,” explained Graham.
The process of planting trees may sound simple yet requires a lot of labor and time. First you must plant the small trees and then
cultivate and prune them. Then you must proceed to transplanting each tree four to fi ve times before they are ready to be sold. A 6-foot tree at his nursery is worth about $50 but a tree at a nursery in the city can cost up to $150. Most of Graham’s busi-ness is dealt with landscapers but he’ll get a few other customers from time to time. He offers them a variety of trees such as Colorado blue spruce, Norway spruce, white spruce, Mugho pine, Austrian pine, oak and black walnut to name a few.
Graham Pitcher is a very interesting intellectual who loves to read. He has an impressive sun room fi lled with books of every kind. He made the bookcases
out of pine from his own trees, along with many other objects and structures on his property. Graham is extremely passionate about trees, as he has said, “I get a kick out of it.” Walking outside with him it was obvious he was proud of his wonderful ac-complishments. As he looked at his trees he referred to them as, “Old friends who will be here longer than I am.”
Photos by Courtney Legault
Nature at its fi nest! Graham Pitcher has cre-ated a secluded refuge over his lifetime by planting leftover trees from his nursery and using his own trees for construction from his sawmill. Bottom, left his property in Ontario has the perfect soil for growing and trans-planting trees and shrubs. Below, his daugh-ter Heidi and wife Krista in the study.
