The Face behind Pure Music Garlic Products
Good morning to all that have met me and know me and to those who don’t know the face behind Pure Music Garlic products...hello!
The questions I usually get asked when I’m behind the table and people try one of the products for the first time is, “what is in that?”, “you must love cooking”, or “where do you find the time?”. I never get tired of answering but I don’t usually like talking about myself because Pure Music Garlic on a whole is about a lot of people. I grew up in Bracebridge and while I don’t live there anymore my heart will always be there, it is one of my most favourite places in Ontario besides Grey County, where we live now. Unfortunately I don’t get time to go visit my family as much as I would like to and family means a lot to me. My mom was a stay at home mom who ran the household and was either baking, canning, gardening, sewing and feeding the live stock of a pig and lots of chickens. She always had time to drive my brother and I around for all the activities that we did as well, but her true love was volunteering. She volunteered for just about anything and everyone in town knew where to get the best maple syrup, fresh eggs, and amazing baked goods. I was the rebel who didn’t want to do “women stuff” and cried every time. I hated it. I joined The Girl Guides, told to be a volunteer candy striper and had to learn how to bake, make preserves, and knit and sew. I just didn’t know these things were going to help me in my adult life.
Now I look back and really miss my mom and what she did for me. I now know how special those personal letters from 2 different Prime Ministers thanking me for services given through volunteering are, know the difference between a flower and a weed, how to flash freeze a tomato, and of course still making my grand mother’s award winning dill pickles perfect every time. I know she would be proud of what I have accomplished and my plans of growing my company.
For many years I had worked in the restaurant hospitality industry, until 10 years ago I rediscovered my love for the health care industry and work at a LTCH/retirement community in Thornbury. Caring for the elderly is a huge part of who I am and my gratitude for the life I have. I still volunteer for Meaford community theatre, Rocklyn agricultural society, of course for The love of Grey Barn Quilt Trail. I have helped direct and introduce many young kids into theatre and have been in a couple of lead roles at Meaford Hall. And now for the last two years, running a small business of value added products of the garlic we grow on our 100 acre farm.
With all this and working part/ full time hours, I still and very much enjoy cooking, some baking, writing, and yes canning. I’m not a super woman, I don’t like cleaning, yard work or mucking out the chicken coop or even catching a chicken for freezer camp. But my mind never truly rests with what new products I can mix together and how they can be incorporated into everyday cooking. Sit back and enjoy the day, what ever the weather may be. Reflect back on what or who moulded you in your life. And best of all smile and say thank you to those who are beside you, behind you and in front of you because you never know where you might end up.