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Rosendo: Today on "Travelscope," I visit Ontario, Canada's Central Counties and discover the region's natural, historic, and cultural attractions.

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Rosendo, voice-over: Ontario's Central Counties embraces the municipalities of York and Durham, as well as the scenic area known as The Hills of Headwaters.

The region celebrates Central Ontario's landscape, historic beginnings, and present-day multiculturalism.

Its natural charms are evident in places like the Cheltenham Badlands, part of a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, and the Belfountain Conservation Area, where it's easy to take in life's simple pleasures.

Central's cultural heritage is rooted in the land and with those who live, work, and spend their lives on it.

The area's first communities formed where mills sprang up, and at the Black Creek Pioneer Village, located at the northern doorstep of Toronto, I get a taste of Canadian rural life between the 1790s and 1860s.

Rosendo: It's 1867, and the new country of Canada consists of 4 provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario.

There's about 3 million Canadians, and Toronto is not Canada's largest city; Montreal is.

Majority of Canadians are farmers, and the reason these villages are sprouting up all over Ontario is because of its rivers and streams that power the mills.

These mills are very important.

They grind the farmers' wheat, and they cut the trees to create their villages.

Well, that looks hard.

It takes practice.

I bet.

You're making thread out of all that...

I am.

I'm spinning our sheep wool into yarn.

I know that this doesn't just come all nicely ready for you to, uh, spin.

What's the process?

So the first thing we have to do is sheer the sheep.

We do that in the springtime.

Of course.

Then we wash the wool and dry it.

After that, we have to card it.

So it's meant to get rid of the curls and the knots and the tangles.

Uh-huh.

Uh, straightening the hair is making it easier for me to spin.

You're basically combing the hair.

Exactly.

Once it's all carded, we use the spinning wheel.

So I just hold the hairs together, and they grab on because the hairs have little hooks or barbs in them.

So how long would it take to create something from that?

So, uh, after 6 hours of carding the wool and spinning, I have enough yarn to make a sock.

It takes 6 hours of carding wool to make one sock?

You're very appreciative of those socks when you get them.

That's true.

Now, what kinds of things would you make with your--your thread?

So it would be used for all the winter clothing, as well as blankets.

We can make pillows, hats, sweaters, scarves-- anything we need for winter.

That is not only beautiful, it just seems to be so peaceful.

Thank you for sharing with us.

You're welcome.

Hi.

Who you weaving for?

Hi.

I'm weaving for the villagers.

What's it gonna be?

It's going to be a rug for the floor.

It's all wool.

Wow, that's pretty.

Can I watch you work a little?

Sure.

OK. Now, maybe you can tell me what you're doing.

Well, this is my shuttle here.

It's just gone right through the threads.

Now I'm going to, uh, switch pedals underneath, and you'll see these threads just, uh, cross through each other.

Oh!

And that means that row has now-- now been woven through.

I'm just gonna bang it into place.

So then I repeat that.

Well, it's beautiful.

Thank you so much.

You're very welcome.

That looks pretty.

Hi.

Uh, I'm working on the door for a barn lantern like this one.

So you can see it's lit right now.

Right.

But if I close this door and lock it...

Yes?

You can try to blow that out.

[blowing] So it's designed so the wind and the rain won't be able to get in and blow the candle out.

That's ingenious.

If it falls over, it doesn't set anything on fire.

That is really ingenious!

You know, the more modern we become, the more I'm amazed of how ingenious humans in the past were to create things that they could use in their daily life.

Rosendo, voice-over: While Black Creek re-creates life in the olden days, the historic centers of Unionville and Kleinburg preserve remnants from the early development of Central Ontario's towns.

Both were established around the mills and then prospered with the coming of the rail.

Less than 20 miles from downtown Toronto, Unionville's historic district has more than 40 19th-century buildings, including the Old Firehall, Planing Mill, and Toogood Pond, whose waters powered the 1840 Union Grist Mill, the town's namesake.

Established between two branches of the Humber River, the village of Kleinburg was founded in 1858 by Nicholas Kline.

I join historian Ron Pearson along the Humber at Binder Twine Park, the site of a yearly festival that dates back to the 1890s.

We have a heritage committee, and they've been really gung-ho to keep Kleinburg as a charming old town.

We've even had 3 buildings that have been moved into town.

One of them was an old farmhouse.

There's another one that started as a little piggery, and now it's a garden center.

OK. And then I guess the piece de resistance is the train station.

Rosendo: So this is-- the community's so connected to its heritage and heritage of the area, they're brining in old historic houses from outside of town.

Rosendo, voice-over: While the present gently intrudes in Unionville and Kleinburg, in the Durham region, Central Ontario's cultural heritage is still ingrained with the rich earth.

Fields of sweet corn and orchards heavy with fruit dominate the landscape.

And I find the pastoral setting is best taken in by bicycle.

As in the past, the Central Counties of Ontario is noted for its rural countryside.

You can really see it here in the Durham region.

Now, one of the best ways to experience it is on bike, and the Ontario government has done a lot to help you out by establishing the Greenbelt Route.

This is a route that runs for 360 miles from Niagara Falls to just east of here near Clarington.

I've hooked up with the, uh, Clarington Cyclist Club to, uh, take in two of the attractions here in the area.

Fred, when did your father first plant this orchard?

The orchard started in 1968, and we're standing inside one of the original trees here.

This is a Macintosh, and this tree is 44, 45 years old, still producing some nice apples.

How many varieties of apples do you do?

In the early days when we started out, we had 4.

Four?

Uh, we're up to 12, 13 varieties now.

Now, it's called, uh, Archibald Orchards and Estate Winery.

I grew up in a little place called Vineland in Niagara.

Winemaking, let's say, was in my blood.

My dad was a wine chemist way back when.

So we started making wine commercially in '97, apple-based fruit wines.

Rosendo: Is that all right, Fred?

Am I doing it right?

Fred: I think you're doing just fine.

Rosendo: OK. Fred: You're gonna be, uh, fully trained in a few minutes here, and we'll be well on our way to a 2,000-bottle day.

Is that how many bottles we have to do in a day?

2,000?

Well, that's a normal working day for Kathy and I, but, uh, we don't have to make it a full day today if you don't want to.

I better pick up the pace if I'm gonna meet that level.

And how many different fruits do you make wine from?

I think there's 10.

We've got lots of old favorites like apples, for sure.

Raspberries we use a lot of.

Black currants, cherries, peaches-- it's a long list.

What's the one we're bottling today?

This is called Idared, and that's the name of the apple, 100% grown here on the farm, and this is my wife's favorite wine, and, uh, you'd probably like to try some, wouldn't you?

It's very, very dry.

A lot of people are surprised with that one.

The fruit wine category is often known for the sweeter elements.

Well, that's how--why I've always avoided fruit wines, because they're mostly cloyingly sweet.

There's a time and a place for sweet wines.

I've got another one I'd love you to try here today.

This is a personal favorite of mine made with black cherries and black currants grown here in Ontario.

Yes?

And red wines often say hints of black cherry and black currant.

Why mess around with the hints?

Just go right for it 100%.

Fred: Yep.

So we'll see what you think about that.

Well, it has hints of lecture-- liquor, but--but also it's--it's not a full-blown fruit bomb.

I've got another one here that we're gonna try.

Low alcohol, light, sparkling fresh, and I'm gonna wait and see what your face tells me when you have a little sip of that.

Well, that's like biting into an apple.

And, Fred, do you think this, uh, goes along with that old adage, "An apple a day, uh, keeps the doctor away"?

If I drink a glass of this a day, I'm OK?

[Fred laughs] You'll be just fine.

It's worked for me.

Well, we're halfway there.

We've done half of our bike ride, and it's been, uh, it's been fun.

It's been beautiful.

They're right.

The best way to experience this is on bike.

Whoo-hee!

Rosendo, voice-over: From Archibald's, our cycling troupe makes its way to Tyrone Mills.

Built in 1846, it's still operating, and it means more to the locals than just a place that grinds grain for their daily bread.

Well, our second stop.

Thank you, guys!

[Rosendo applauds] Thank you for having me out.

I loved it!

This is... [cheering] This is the most fun, best-looking group of Clarington riders I've ever growed with.

All: Yay!

And don't forget about the doughnuts.

Don't forget about the doughnuts!

Let's go get 'em!

Boy, does this smell great in here.

Everybody's getting their doughnuts.

One doughnut and a cup of coffee.

[man laughs] Now, that's a real reward.

Mmm!

That's great!

That's great!

[mill grinding] Bob, what have I done?

Ha ha ha!

You've got the mill running.

You're probably milling flour by now.

The water's coming into the turbine, and through the belts and pulleys, everything's running right now.

So much flour are we gonna grind?

Oh, we're pretty small.

We can only do 300 or 400 pounds an hour.

That sounds pretty good to me!

I--so I don't think we need to have our conversation yelling at each other!

Do you want to turn it down?

All right.

[mill stops] Now, the mills in the early days, that's how this whole Central Counties of Ontario were built.

That's right.

All the villages, all the towns--they were centered around those mills because of the farmers, right?

That's right.

They would bring their grain in.

They would take a bit of flour home, but then they would sell the excess grain to the miller.

Now, Tyrone Mills is one of only two mills still working here in Ontario.

How did you survive?

Because me, like every other owner, adapted to the changing economic times.

OK.

So when the flour business kind of died, they went into grinding feed for animals.

I see.

And in the 1950s, we changed again.

You made your point, Bob!

Yeah!

You had it go into this sawmill business!

Bob: Yep!

Right!

So here we are!

We're planing, uh, some cedar!

Why don't I take you upstairs and I'll show you what we do with it?

That'd be great!

This is our mill pond out here, and that's the water we use to power our turbine and all our machinery.

Rosendo: Oh!

Bob: Yep.

This is our woodworking shop.

Again, it's all run off the belts and pulleys.

These are Muskoka Chairs that we build up here.

It looks like an Adirondack Chair.

Well, you incorrectly call it that south of the border.

But that cedar that we were planing downstairs, we bring it up here and we make the chairs with it.

Rosendo: Voila!

So that's one of the back slats.

So what you've done here, Bob, is what all the mills had to do... Yep.

And, actually, really anybody has to do.

You have to adapt with the times.

Yeah, we've had to find our own niche.

The flour, it goes in our bakery.

We have local products there, especially our doughnuts.

It's lovely that the mills-- they were the center of the village-- you are still the center of your village here.

Oh, very much so.

You can't forget those doughnuts.

No, no.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's all I can say.

Thank you for being here.

A pleasure.

Rosendo, voice-over: The picturesque hills of Headwaters specializes in upscale experiences: luxury accommodations, a wide range of equestrian opportunities, as well as dining and wining in scenic surroundings.

Yet the area's historic soul resides in its family farms.

To get to the heart of the region, I visit the farm of Eric Landman and his children.

Begun by his parents in 1969, over the years the farm and family have weathered adversity and reinvented themselves in order to continue to serve their neighbors and sustain the Province's agricultural riches.

After the passing of his wife Kerry in 2011, Eric handed over the running of the farm to daughter Rebecca and her siblings, and pursues a career gifted to him by Kerry.

Eric, how'd you go from being a dairy farmer to being a dry stone wall builder?

My wife came home and, uh, she said she had a full-time job for me.

And I said, "What do I need a full-time job?"

I was--I was on the farm working.

She said, "You just need a change."

So I ended up, uh, hooking up with a landscaper that I, uh, I know.

I slowly got into this by building a wall for him and-- and was intrigued by it.

This is an incredible wall.

This is an Irish wall.

This is a Feidin wall.

What is it about this process that made you want to build these things?

It's hard to explain, but you're building something that will last for generations.

Hmm.

You're building something with your hands.

Mm-hmm.

It's a very Zen-like job, and you have to learn to get along with yourself.

What does that mean?

You have to be very patient.

What is the most significant wall you've created?

It would be my wife's memorial wall.

I couldn't describe the energy that we had.

Uh, my oldest son helped me build it.

It went together so nice.

Uh, yeah.

We built in a memorial forest, and we had people coming up visiting their trees, and we had them actually place stones.

Wow.

You're obviously into legacy living, my friend.

You have your kids taking over the farm.

You're building walls... Yep.

That last hundreds of years.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And you left a great memorial for your wife.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Rosendo, voice-over: Before I join the family for lunch in Eric's stone Blackhouse, Rebecca and I gather a few ingredients.

Rebecca: Welcome to my garden.

So it's about an acre and three quarters, but our whole farm's over 80 acres.

Have you ever pulled a beet before?

Well, it's pretty easy.

So you just find the biggest top there and pull it out.

Is this one a good one?

Yeah, perfect.

OK. Do you just feed your family with all the stuff you have in your garden?

Not just our family, no.

We sell at farmers markets, and we also have a community shared agricultural program, uh, where customers buy into our vegetable garden.

We pick all the vegetables that are ready in a week, and we'll divide it up by how many families.

So this year, we have 55 families that we're feeding every week.

And throughout the season, of course, they're getting what's seasonally ready?

Yeah.

Exactly.

Well, that's great for you because it keeps the farm going.

Yep.

And it's great for them because they get food that's real.

Rosendo, voice-over: Landman's Farm produces more than organic vegetables.

Among their livestock, there are several peeps of roosters and chickens, and every day brother Carter milks close to 300 goats.

Rosendo: And they just put their head in there and that closes after them, huh?

Carter: Yeah, they're locked in there.

Rosendo: OK, so now they're there ready for milking.

You didn't have to force them in there.

Carter: No.

They just run to the parlor for the grain.

Rosendo: But also, they need to be milked.

Carter: Yep.

It's, uh, relaxing for them, eh?

You could put this one on if you want.

OK, let's--this one.

They're rather polite.

They don't mind, uh, you doing it.

So we have 24 goats.

And how much milk do you get from a goat?

Uh, 2.5 to 3 liters average.

Really?

And from that, of course, you make goat cheese.

Yep.

Goat yogurt.

Goat yogurt.

Uh, goat ice cream.

Goat ice cream?

Yep.

[milker whirs] Uh, what made you decide you wanted to do goats?

I like working with them.

Sometimes they are too smart.

If you don't latch a gate properly, then they'll get out on you.

They can undo a swivel on a chain with their lips.

Oh, OK. What about butting you?

I always hear the thing about goats.

You know, they come in-- no, that doesn't happen?

No, not ours.

Not yours?

Just nice.

Now, do you still know how to, uh, milk a goat by hand?

Yep.

So you make--that's the motion the milker makes, eh, to milk it out.

Do they like you doing it by hand?

No.

They'd rather the milker because they're used to it, eh?

When I try it now, she's not gonna like it?

No, but she's not gonna hurt you.

Oh, all right.

Well, should I give it a try?

OK, here we go.

Put that underneath.

Oh, wow!

Look!

Wow, I'm actually doing it.

Whoa!

Oop--I have to aim better, I think.

That's it.

Yep.

Double-barreled goat milking!

Whoo!

Carter, this is fabulous!

24 will be done.

How many more do you have to do?

Carter: 216.

Farmer's work is never done, so I'm leaving you to finish it.

All right, thanks.

Rosendo, voice-over: After the milking's done, it's time to gather the fixings for a family meal in the old stone house.

Now, this is what I call "farm to table."

Let's eat!

[bell ringing] ♪ Ohh, yea ♪ ♪ Ohh, yea ♪ ♪ Ohh, yea ♪ Me lords, me ladies, me children, I bid ye welcome to the 147th birthday of our wonderful nation, Canada!

Rosendo, voice-over: Every trip to Canada is a celebration of its people, and when better to party with them than on Canada Day, the country's July First birthday bash?

I joined the festivities at Old Port Perry.

Canada Day is also a fine time to ask, "What is a Canadian?"

I think Canadians are-- are warmhearted, good-living people, and very welcoming.

Very honest.

Yes.

But we're also very patriotic.

High values.

We believe in freedom.

Canadian is a unique blend of cultures, of backgrounds, of history, of religions.

A bringing together of all these peoples-- that's what Canada is.

Rosendo, voice-over: Multiculturalism is not just a word; it's the law.

First declared in 1971, the 1988 Canadian Multiculturalism Act affirmed the value and dignity of all citizens.

Part of Canada's cultural mosaic is evident at Markham's Taste of Asia Festival, where you can see Chinese lions, eat authentic street food, and make traditional noodles with a local chef.

We're in Sun's Kitchen.

This is Amy.

Hi.

This is Ken.

Hi.

He's the chef extraordinaire.

This is a--a handmade Chinese noodles.

Yes.

Now, what's in these things?

Two different kinds of flour.

Two different kinds of flour.

It's the bread flour and the pastry flour.

Now, how long has he been doing this?

More than 10 years.

How long have you been here in the Pacific Mall?

Nine years.

And I understand there's almost a hundred of these food stalls here, and this is like a little Hong Kong in, believe it or not, Central Counties, Ontario, Canada.

OK, chef, what are you doing there?

Show me.

Grab the end, and then stretch.

Double.

Double.

Stretch.

Stretch.

And double it.

Oh, put a little flour.

Oh, that's the secret.

Stretch.

Stretch.

Double.

Wow!

Stretch.

Stretch.

Oh, that's great!

You can have it very thin.

Look at that.

That's like a work of art there.

Look at that, look at that, look at that.

They're like piano wire.

Yeah, it's very even-- you see that.

You can try.

I can try?

OK, so you stretch it out, and then you just do that?

Double, yeah.

And then you stretch it out again, and you do that.

Don't let them stick together.

Don't let them stick together?

Yes.

Try to-- Oh, and I almost got it.

I'm getting better.

I--I'm... Oh, well.

I'm better at eating noodles than making noodles.

That's true.

I believe so.

Ha ha ha!

You didn't have to--you didn't have to say that.

I'm very honest.

Ha ha ha!

Very honest.

Joseph, this is your dish.

Mmm!

OK!

Mmm!

Homemade.

Homemade, homemade!

Delicious.

Ha ha ha!

Yes.

Wherever you go, whenever you go, you try whatever you can.

Yes.

Xiexie.

Thank you.

Xiexie, chef.

Rosendo, voice-over: It's hard to leave those noodles behind, but there are more Tastes of Asia just outside.

You come to the Festival every year?

Yeah, every year.

Every year.

I just come to Canada two years.

Two years?

From where?

From Guangzhou, China.

From Guangzhou!

Quail eggs, Taiwan style.

Oh, my.

This is like an Asian market.

There's everything here, even pets.

Hello!

Japanese Oden.

It's like seafood balls.

This is truly the Taste of Asia.

So it's like all the, uh, nationalities, all the cultures, all the languages have just mixed here.

You know, it may be Canada, but it sure looks like Asia to me.

Thank you for joining me on my Ontario, Canada, adventure.

As you've seen, Ontario's Central Counties has many attractions, and foremost among them are the people who live here.

I'm glad that my travels coincided with Canada Day, and I was able to pose the question, "What is a Canadian?"

Asking the question got me thinking.

And while it is difficult to make a generalization about a people, I can say that from my experience, Canadians are a modest, generous, welcoming, fun-loving, easygoing, and multicultural people, and spending time with them makes me feel good and a little nicer.

Till next time, this is Joseph Rosendo reminding you of the words of Mark Twain-- "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."

Happy traveling.

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The vistas of Europe roll by.

Dining options feature fresh and regional cuisine at up to 5 venues, included on all our Europe river cruises.

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Male announcer: Delta Hotels introduces the Delta Toronto Hotel-- steps away from the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre, and Toronto Entertainment District-- and No-Jet-Lag-- jet lag prevention.

For a DVD of today's show, or any of Joseph's "Travelscope" adventures, call 888-876-3399 or order online at travelscope.net.

You can also e-mail us at TV@Travelscope.net or write us at the address on your screen.

Rosendo: Now that we've explored Ontario's Central Counties, learn more at travelscope.net, where you can follow my worldwide adventures through my e-magazine, blog, podcast, and on Facebook.

Stay in touch-- 888-876-3399 or TV@Travelscope.net.

See this and understand it.

Look at the sky.

Wow.

[thunder] I love horses.

Whenever I have a chance, I hop on one.

The Hills of Headwaters is a great place to do it because it's been horse country ever since the first settlers.

Happy Canada Day, everybody.

Happy Canada Day to you.

See how polite they are in Canada?

He didn't ignore them.

Did you notice?

Did you notice?