HERITAGE LINE HERBS

The Silver Birch Tea Room

A few minutes east of the town of Aylmer at 53443 Heritage Line, you will find Heritage Line Herbs and the Silver Birch Tea Room - they are well worth a visit!

Because of the world-wide decline in tobacco use and the drop in the tobacco market, the Benner family have re-invented and rejuvenated their former tobacco farm, into the Heritage Line Herbs of today.

This is now a thriving and successful grower and retailer of over 160 varieties of herbs and over 40 varieties of Heirloom vegetables.

The farm has been in the Benner family for three generations, and the transition from tobacco to herbs has been a change which has brought employment to the local community, as well as their own immediate family.

Great care is taken in all areas of herb production and their herbs are used in items sold in their retail store, and in the Silver Birch Tea Room - check out their menu! They are open from June to September, 7-days a week.

You can also find recipes using their fresh herbs - my favourite are the Lavender Blossom Muffins - the recipe is here!

The retail store is housed in what was formerly the Bunk House, where the seasonal workers stayed during the tobacco season.

The greenhouses where the tobacco plants were started every spring are now the home of a year-round wholesale potted herb operation.

My mother loved this place when she was over from England on holiday, and we visit every summer.

When you visit their website, you can sign up for their monthly Newsletter.

On Canada Day, Thursday July 1st 2010, Heritage Herbs are celebrating Canada's birthday by holding a BBQ and Half-Price Herb Sale from 10:30 am until 4:00 pm, with BBQ food being available from 11:00 onwards.

All their 4" potted herbs will be on sale at 50% off - for one day only!

There is also a new Children's Activity Centre which will be open all day for the children.

Check out their website at Heritage Line Herbs for lots of information and recipes using fresh herbs, and for information about their upcoming events this year, including their Family Days in July and August.

You can enjoy a wagon ride on Saturday afternoons and also children's activities and games.

There will also be a free class offered each Saturday afternoon!

Visit their website for a list of activities.

On Sunday afternoons, from 1:30 to 3:30, there will be featured High Tea with clotted cream, jam and scones, tiny sandwiches and desserts - just like a traditional English Afternoon Tea, how lovely!

This will be a smaller version of their weekday High Tea and will cost $12.95.

There is also something special for the children, who can enjoy a special children’s High Tea, with tea (or juice or lavender lemonade if they prefer), fancy sandwiches made just for children, clotted cream, scones and jam and dessert.

The cost for children 6 and under is $5.95 and 6 to 10 is $8.95.