Mino Kamig enters third season on Canoe Lake Road

Jeff Green | May 26, 2021

Maggie Keenan and Bob Lovelace have the ideal location for their garden business, in a way.

“We are kind of right in the middle of nowhere,” said Bob, “about 20 minutes from Westport, 20 minutes from Sydenham and 20 minutes from Verona.”

They live, grow and sell plants and vegetables at 1294 James Wilson Road, which is off of Canoe Lake Road, 9 kilometres from the Canoe Lake Road/Desert Lake Road intersection.

Both lifelong gardeners, they began their business, Mino Kamig (the Good Earth in an Anishnaabe language) three years ago. They participated in the Frontenac Farmers market in 2019, and also did farm gate sales, and when COVID hit they decided to focus solely on selling at home, for now.

They have four greenhouses at the property, as well as chickens and goats, and gardens too, where they raise a large variety of vegetables, flowers, herbs and other plants that are not available at larger commercial garden centres. While they sell dried herbs, teas, and other farm products, this time of year they are mainly selling bedding plants for home gardeners. Their plant list is extensive. In addition to a large variety of peppers and tomatoes, they also grow some harder to find flowers and herbs, many varieties of annual flowers such as petunias and marigolds, tender and hardy perennials like geraniums and coneflowers. (see plant list below)

“We get seed from a variety of sources, some local seed, some from further away, from Richters near Toronto, primarily for perennials and Annapolis Seeds from Nova Scotia as well, '' said Maggie. “We grow everything from seed.”

Although they are looking at opportunities for some of their seedlings in Sydenham and other locations, for 2021 now they are sticking to the farm gate.

“We are a destination stop for gardeners looking for variety,” said Maggie. “Some people came from Sharbot Lake and Kingston last year. People can call ahead with orders if they like.

Mino Kamig can be contacted through their Facebook page, at 613-374-2072 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

List of plants: Achillea - White Yarrow, Amaranth - Love Lies Bleeding, Artichokes - Green Globe, Aubrieta - Audrey Red Purple Mix, Bacopa - Blutopia Blue, Bacopa – Snowtopia, Basil – Genovese, Blue Fescue Grass, Borage, Broccoli – Munchkin, Cabbage – (Danish Ballhead - Golden Acre), Castor Bean - Carmencita Red, Catmint, Catnip, Cauliflower - Early Snowball, Celery - Tall Utah, Chamomile, Chives, Cleome – Mixed, Cobea - Cup & Saucer Vine, Coleus, Cosmos - Cosimo Red-White, Cosmos-Double Click, Cranberry, Cosmos – (Lemonade – Rubenza), Dahlia - Giant Mixed, Datura – (Blackcurrant Swirl - Double Golden Queen), Dianthus - Arctic Fire, Dutch Iris, Echinacea - Purple Coneflower, Eggplant - Florida High Bush, Foxglove - Excelsior Hybrids, Gaillardia – Grandiflora, Garlic Chives, Geranium (Coral-  Deep Red - Ice Queen – Maverick -  Violet - Mosquito Plant - Pinto Premium Orange – Red – Vancouverensis - White)  Ground Cherry - Aunt Molly's, Hosta – Variegated, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichoke, Johnny Jump Up, Lavender – English, Lemon Balm, Liatris - Blazing Star Blue/White, Lunaria - Money Plant, Lupin - Russell Mixed, Marigold - (Bonanza - Deep Orange - Bonanza Yellow - Super Hero - Orange Bee) , Parsley - Forest Green, Peony – Assorted, Pepper (Ancho Gigantea - Aurora  - Golden Cal Wonder, - Jalapeño Traveller - Jimmy Nardello's - Joe's Long Cayenne - Orange Sun - Red Cal Wonder - Scotch Bonnet) Peppermint, Petunia - (Daddy Sugar – Firefrost -  Supercascade Red -Supercascade White), Pleurisy Root (Asclepias or Milkweed), Potentilla - Fireball Mix, Rhubarb, Rosemary, Rudbeckia – Single Mixed, Sage  (Culinary, White) Scabiosa, Scallion – Evergreen Hardy White, Shasta Daisy – Alaska, Spearmint, Strawberry – Ozark Beauty, Thyme, Tithonia – Torch, Tobacco – (Wild, -  Virginia),  Tomato - (Black from Tula - Black Plum - Bush Beefsteak -  Bob’s Choice Orange Cherry - Cherry Roma - Garden Peach - San Marzano – Sheboygan -  Black Cherry) Valerian, Wallflower, and Zinnia (Envy -  Persian Carpets - State Fair Mix - Whirligig Mix)