SPARTA Ontario
a pretty village with an interesting |
The descendants of those early settlers still live in the area today.
My hubby and I first discovered the village of Sparta Ontario one afternoon in the 1980's, when we were out for a ride on our motor-cycle - we were young and reckless then!
I was struck by the history of the village and although I thought it was quaint, what impressed me was that it was genuine and not an artificial quaintness - the buildings really were old, the Quaker Meeting House is actually used for Worship. I thought then that it was a lovely place, and I still do.
When you visit the village, you will see the Quaker Meeting House on the left hand side of Quaker Rd, just north of the village. This Meeting House is still in use and has a peaceful, restful atmosphere.
While you are here don’t miss the lovely Sparta House Tea Room & Restaurant which is housed in the former Coaching Inn, better still, go inside and sample some of the delicious fare on their menu!
The owners have an impressive collection of Tea Pots - we tried to count them all, but lost count at 300! Perhaps you could count them all and see how many you find!
Many years ago I worked in this charming Tea Room and have always loved the atmosphere here - it is a wonderfully relaxing place to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Just beside the Tea Room you will find the Studio of local Sparta Ontario artist, Peter Robson. Spend a little time exploring his Aladdin's Cave of art! There is a selection of Original works, Limited Edition Prints and smaller Art Cards.
When we met, my hubby and I both owned a small collection of Peter Robson's Limited Edition Prints, which we have added to over the years of our marriage.
I love the local scenes and my Hubby's favourites always include snow scenes and horses as he loves the way the horses in Peter Robson's pictures seem so realistic - almost ready to start snorting and stamping their feet!
You can see some pieces of Peter Robson's Original Art here - Little Beach (Port Stanley) and December Morning - both are lovely examples of his work.
Hot off the Press ......
The Easter Bunny visits Sparta, Ontario on Saturday April 16, between 11 am and 3 pm, and Sunday April 17th between noon and 3 pm in the Side room of the Village Tea Room - bring your children and grand-children to this fun event! Donations to the Caring Cupboard would be appreciated.
Community Wide Garage Sale on Saturday May 28th, 2011, Sparta is having their Communtiy Wide Garage Sale from 9 am to 2 pm. The merchants of Sparta do the advertising and the community benefits. Everyone in the village gets out their " treasures" for all the garage sale junkies! Come along - you may find some "treasures" yourself!
Sidewalk Sale Saturday August 6 and Sunday August 7th 2011 there will be the Sparta Sidewalk Sale, which will be held from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday downtown. Come early and enjoy the sales - from the weird to the wonderful, Sparta has it all!
Doors Open Sparta Saturday Oct 1, 2011- Doors Open - Port Stanley and Sparta - more info to follow.
Santa visits! Saturday November 26th and Sunday November 27th 2011 - Santa visits Sparta for an old fashioned Sparta Country Christmas, from 11 am - 3 pm on Saturday, and from noon - 3 pm on Sunday, and will be held in the Side room at the tea room. Come and visit Santa with your little ones, and have your picture taken, enjoy draws, gift baskets and goodies at all of the stores. Donations to the Caring Cupboard would be greatly appreciated.
Contact either Mary Muscat at 519-775-0054 or Norma Roberts at 519-775-2312 for more information about any of these Sparta Ontario events.
While you are still at the four corners, check out the delightful
Anything Used & Sparta Country Candles
store on the south east corner of the main intersection of the village - check out both levels of their establishment where they sell candles, potpourri, home decor, books and much, much more!
This unique family business was started in 1992 by Pat and Mary Muscat and their store is located in the historic general store which dates back to 1838.
The store is a great place to find interesting and unusual gifts for those special people on your list! Don't leave Sparta without checking them out!
The items below are available from Amazon.com - but why not check out Sparta Country Candles for their unique scented candles!
If you continue west along Sparta Line you will find
Lavender Blue,
Lavender Farm & Gifts - check their website for their location and hours.
If you like lavender you will love their Lavender Harvest Festival which takes place annually - usually in June, so check their website for 2010 information.
The lavender is in bloom from mid-June to mid-July and again from the end of August to mid-September.
You will find Lavender items for Bed & Bath, for cooking and for your home & garden - so why not plan to visit this summer and enjoy all that Lavender Blue has to offer!
If you live too far away from Sparta Ontario to visit Lavender Blue, you can find many Lavender products below at Amazon.com.
Just to the south of the village of Sparta Ontario, on the road to Port Bruce, watch out for the signs for
Winter Wheat, Sparta Ontario
, which is an amazing place to spend an hour or even an afternoon.
The owners, Mike Roberts and artist, Lucy Ogletree, opened this wonderful and whimsical store in 1996 and now have a thriving business.
After you have wandered the grounds, and taken a good, long look around their store, peep inside one of the two cabins on the property.
Mike and Lucy provide complimentary tea, coffee and cookies – for their visitors - they are so good, I’m sure Mike gets up early each morning to bake them himself!
We try to spend some peaceful time there to listen to the soothing music and soak up some of the relaxing atmosphere before we move on.
Before you leave Sparta completely, take a drive north up Quaker Road – and turn left at Fruit Ridge Line.
Watch for the
Quai du Vin Winery
on your left.
This winery opened its doors, and bottles, in 1999 and has an excellent variety - White, Red and Specialty wines.
Each summer the Winery has Featured Events for visitors to enjoy – we love the Jazz Festival and other activities and wait eagerly for them to start in the summer time.
For our wedding in 1995 Hubby & I ordered our wine from Qui du Vin and were so pleased with the beautiful wines we had selected - they really helped to make our wedding perfect!
You can even get customized labels on the wine you order for special occasions - Weddings, Anniversaries etc - the staff work with you to make sure that the wines you select will be just right for you.
Their opening hours are Monday to Saturday, 10am until 5pm and Sunday, from noon until 5pm.
After you visit the winery and sample just a little of their amazing wine, continue along Fruit Ridge Line and stop in to the
Pfeffer Family’s Rhea farm.
on your right. If you have never seen Rheas up close, now is your chance and at the same time check out the Rhealife products that are available there.
These Rhea oil based products are wonderful, have a gentle, pleasant fragrance and, I'm told, are good for you.
Mary, John and their family have farmed on this property for many years and they will be happy to show you their wonderful Rhea products - some for arthritis, others for soothing and moisturizing the skin.
Along Union Rd, heading west out of the village of Sparta, you will see the St Thomas Dragway , which is a great place for those who like car racing. Just click on the link to their website for more information on schedules and races - check out their amazing Photo Gallery!
Accommodation in the Sparta - St Thomas Area
If you are looking for Cottages in Southern Ontario you should check out the cozy, comfortable accommodation at the Sunnybrook Holiday Home in nearby St Thomas, a great place to stay as you explore this beautiful part of the country. Your Hosts will make you most welcome!
Lavender Blue Lavender Farm
A lovely place to stop and shop - there are Lavender items for cooking, the home & garden, bath & body products too
Anything Used & Sparta Country Candles
If you plan to spend time in pretty Sparta Ontario, then make sure you have the time to visit this quaint store
Winter Wheat
Lucy Ogletree is a Canadian folk artist who developed her own unique style of expression, which shows in her whimsical paintings, inspired by memories from her Southern Ontario childhood
Quai du Vin Estate Winery
Opened in 1990 and now producing 90,000 bottles each year, this winery is a great place to sample fine wines year round
Pfeffer Rhea Farms
Located just north of the village of Sparta Ontario, this is the only place in Elgin County where Rhealife products are sold, so take a look at their store and quality Rhea items
St Thomas Dragway - Sparta Ontario
Check this site for a summer schedule
