Lofty Dreams at Brass Point Farms

Kelli McRobert | Jun 15, 2022

It’s the end of May and a flight of dragonfly escorts me down the winding gravel road. On my right are rolling fields that have been toiled by farmers, a reminder of past harvests and those to come. It is hot and sunny, a welcome break from the rainy few days and the overcast skies that overshadowed the week, but still appreciated by gardeners to hydrate and sustain the delicate plants and flower beds. Another bend in the road and I am greeted by two pleasant gentlemen who are surveying their ‘conventional’ fields and are planning the summer harvest in detail. They direct me towards the wooded lot near the rear of the property as I Jeep my way towards the water and a few small outbuildings.

Dorothy is there to greet me and welcomes me aboard her side-by-side so we can do a full tour of the 74 acres, purchased in 2002, with a large shoreline along the Rideau canal, near the Brass Point bridge, and whose frontage runs, non-descript, on the north side of Burnt Hills Road. We start our motorized adventure heading to the south fields where there are multiple neatly planted rows of tended bushes that guide us through grassy pathways as she explains each section with enthusiasm. “I want to live here” she explains, “it is my happy place” …her eyes light up as we bump and jostle amongst the various rows, and each plant has a story of when and how it was planted or for some that have been lost, on how it was ‘eaten’ by one thing or another, much to her dismay.

Many of the plantings have been a 20-year test to determine hardiness for the area and to see what works and what does not, trying to keep them (seedlings) from getting nibbled on with nets, fencing, and various other materials. “The dream last year, was to transition over to more fields being certified as organic” she explained, and you could clearly see the difference in fields with one being brown and arid and the organic side being lush and green. Signage was clear on the perimeter fencing that it was ‘biodiverse’ and to NOT be sprayed so that the certification would ‘hopefully’ come through for the front fields by next year. The more we chatted, the more it became clear that some of the more stringent rules on organic certification truly do depict ‘how’ you can use the land. As we were brainstorming a few ideas for group outings it became clear that even having a dog off-leash would cause an issue if they ‘tinkled’ in the wrong spot.

“We are a perennial fruit and nut farm” she says and for 5 years, “between 2002-2007, I planted 3000 trees” that now offer shade, wood, and habitats for animals. Elderberry was one of the crops that she had researched, and this helped her to focus her business plan towards locally grown ‘super foods’ that cover nearly 8 acres. Plums, haskap, yellow raspberries, black raspberries, wild blackberries, saskatoon berries, and hazelnut, were a few of the plants that lined our trails as we wove our way back towards the main work yard. ‘I have multiple varieties’ she explains for cross pollination, and she is keen to have a large yield next year. The pruning and tending of the crops take many hours of manual labour and she is but a team of 1, so she must plan and work at every opportunity, as the weather permits. Bales of straw were dotted amongst the rows, decomposing so they could be used to mulch the plants and reduce the labour of weeding each season. Dorothy does accept volunteer hours for her farm and is always looking for helpers to tend to the gardens and various plantings, mulching, pruning, and building projects.

We pass by another row of trees “chestnuts” she states, and another story is told about winterizing and caring for the plants, and she admits that there are a few ‘failures’ that come with the territory as she explores this passion of hers, one that began when she was working overseas years ago. When she bought the lot, “sight unseen” that was when she began to clear, build roadways, and see what the land had to offer and what she could do to maintain and improve it for wildlife and humans. She worked with the CRCA and a local consultant to determine what trees were native and how to plant them to support the environment, flora, and fauna. The addition of trees has helped with restoring the land and its beauty with abundant wildlife that took us to a fantasy land with dragonfly’s dipping and dancing around us as we drove through giant trees and climbed the rocky ridge to overlook the beautiful waterway and forest below. We headed back down to the main fenced in area and circled back to the base site that has had a few recent improvements like an outdoor sink with work area, solar hot water, shelter, and a lovely screened in gazebo to enjoy the vistas.

Plans are in the works for a simple outdoor shower, and she admits she may have to add a bit of burlap to the ‘outhouse’ chair that she uses, as her guests find it a bit too ‘open-concept’ for their liking even though it is well hidden in the woods and is normally not considered a spectator area. The idea is to have everything sustainable and off-grid, and the farm currently sells online and through word of mouth. Dorothy is pleased that she already has sales of the elderberry flowers lined up for this year and the next and would like to see a roadside stand in the future along with the possibility of joining a few local markets as her business continues to grow along with her labour force.

She has a love/hate relationship with steel buildings and lofts and continues to learn as she goes as to how to store her gear and be efficient while being safe, working in such an isolated location. Security cameras help her to control the area and she has posted signage to deter trespassers throughout the seasons as there had been some issues with snow mobiles previously and she struggles with the occasional ‘visitor’ that does not remain on a trail or veers off causing damage to her saplings. A large fenced and gated area now protects her main fields and even as we tour the inner compound, I am awe struck at the beauty of wildlife as butterflies float beside us and perch on thin mesh walls, chipmunks dash from their burrows with cheeks full, eyes wide, wondering what threat we may be as we gently roll by. She continues her tales of the perimeter of black walnut and white oak and explains that the original plan was a contiguous property for the wildlife that has since evolved and continues to change and grow along with her plants, passions, and local needs.

As we head towards the northwest of the property, two swans enjoy a quick swim about the inlet as the yellow pond lilies are days away from bursting with vibrant colour: the dark blue water highlighting them like golden discs bobbing softly amongst the breezes. We sat quiet for a moment to take in the loveliness. It was serene, incredible, and soothing, as we were but spectators within the nature around us shaded by maple and pine trees that lined the shore and protected us. It was tree therapy at it’s best.

On our way back to the main work area we shared a few personal stories of our past lives and future hopes and dreams as Dorothy elaborated on her past employment experience and we noted that we had a few things in common including our passion for nature, appreciation for solitude, and creating a safe space for animals to enjoy.

I wish Dorothy much success with Brass Point Farms and her ‘lofty’ dreams, and for those looking for more information or to volunteer, you can contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Check out her website at: www.brasspointfarm.ca or find more details on Facebook and Twitter.