Owned by : Larry & Heather Parkin

Sponsored by: Parkin Farms

Located: 457903 Grey Road 11, Owen Sound ON

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Gordon & Fern (McKibbon)Parkin purchased the farm in 1952.  It began as a mixed farm and soon became a dairy farm, raising purebred Holsteins under the Parkin prefix.  They raised two children there, Larry & Marlene, and in 1974, Larry formally joined the operation.  In 1975, Larry married Heather Franklin, and Gordon & Fern built a new home on the corner of the farm.  Larry & Heather raised two children, Amanda & Brad, whom were quite involved in the operation, as well participating in 4-H.  In 2012, the farm moved away from dairy, and into cash cropping.  Fern was an avid quilter, with a quilt frame set up on a regular basis.  Heather is a quilter as well, so it was a natural fit to add a barn quilt to our farm.  Larry`s father, Gordon was a wonderful steward of the land, paying great attention to growing the crops in an ecologically friendly manner.  A lot of thought went in to the design of the barn quilt, as Larry & Heather both wanted something bright, but also something that reflected the new direction of the farm.  They settled on the brightly coloured star pattern, adding the cob of corn, to signify one of their main crops.  The intertwined star and square in the main design signify closeness of family, with the farm being the place all the family wants to come back to.