​Purple Grove news

Welcome Spring! And everyone is sure looking forward to Easter celebrations and egg hunts around the communities! Have fun chasing your rabbits!

Lots of birthdays to celebrate yet for the end of the month! Happy Belated Birthday to Julie Davey, Nora Farrell, Kay Logtenberg, Kathy Holland, Heather Finnie, Marilyn Johnston, Laura Farrell and Jake Lotton! Happy 95th Birthday to John Grubb of Walkerton, April 6!

March 19-24 was National Agriculture Week and what did you do to celebrate agriculture in your community? Thank you to everyone who shops locally and supports our area agricultural businesses as there are always fresh and affordable options for great food and products. That's one of the benefits of supporting local entrepreneurs. Glad to see The Commonplace Market is returning to the Canadian Tire parking lot in Kincardine this week.

Congratulations to the Ripley-Huron Skating Club on the Achievement Night Showcase of "Skate through the Decades." The audience enjoyed the performances and cheered as the skaters danced to the music and showed off all the moves they learned this season. Thank you again to the coaches, program co-ordinators and sponsors for your assistance in helping these young people learn to skate and learn those exceptional skills!

And congratulations to the Ripley Agricultural Society on the first "Once Upon a Time" Prince and Princess Party! Everyone had fun and looked very cute! Fifty children attended the event with decorated cookies, crowns and photos with the Princesses.

The agricultural society also hosted a great Chicken Dinner, Sunday evening. This is to support the organization's pledge to the Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation. Saturday's Sour Dough and Fermentation Courses were full and an excellent day of learning was had by everyone. Stone Bridge Flour was also in attendance.

The Ripley Agricultural Society is partnering with the International Highland Games Federation - Canadian Amateur Championship to bring world-class heavy athletics to the community at the Ripley-Huron Fall Fair, slated for Sept. 24-26.

The Ripley 4-H Sheep Club's first meeting will be April 24 at 7 p.m. Be sure to register before April 1 (tomorrow) to qualify for a rebate from Bruce County 4-H for completed club participation. Contact Lisa at l.sernewein@wightman.ca for more information.

Snowy owls have been seen about the area and the tundra swans are working their way through too. Folks have also made a tour to Aylmer, recently, where 1,500-1,800 swans gather before taking off to their breeding grounds in the Arctic. We are very lucky to see these birds as they go through our area.