With the addition of the new building, which afforded us some great indoor space, we started offering more lectures and workshops. The addition of Liz resulted in an amazing selection of herbal treats for our special events and the beginning of our "Tea in the Herb Garden" events. Our product line also expanded to include Chutney, new Tea Blends and some additional skin care products.

Kettleby hit prime time with a feature on the ‘Ontario Day Tripper’ program and as part of a NewVR feature on ‘Alternative Health’.

‘Bailey’-the younger of our two Springer Spaniels also arrived on the scene much to ‘Hersheys’ dismay and the two of them became known as the Kettleby Herb Farm ‘Official Greeters’-not to be outdone by Walmart!

We finally gave in to the multitude of requests for recipes and produced our first cookbook-‘Cooking with Kettleby Herb Farms’.

Our new web site: ‘www. kettlebyherbfarms.com’ -Up and running at last. It went live in June complete with on-line ordering, herb info, recipes, pictures etc.etc..

During the summer, I guest lectured and ran a series of herb related workshops in conjunction with Seneca College-King Campus Summer Gardening Series. With the raving success of our ‘Tea in the Herb Garden’ event last season, we add 2 more dates-Liz thinks she is never going to get out of the kitchen now! (She’s right!)

This was also the summer that my youngest son, Steve, worked for us and we both ended up with severe skin reactions due to an unfortunate encounter with our Rue plants, after working out in the garden together one hot July day!

New products added included Slathers and Rubs, our Herbal Coffee-‘Herbs for Drips’ and some of the new bath/skin care products included ‘Rose & Lavender Moisture Cream’ and ‘Lightly Dusted’-Herbal Body Powder

We took the plunge and participated in ‘Canada Blooms’ for the first time. We had amazing response……..but it just about killed us. Both John and I were ill by the time the show began and dead tired by the end of it! Then as they say the other shoe dropped…in April of that year we were the victims of a credit card fraud and to make a long story short….we came close to losing the business. This along with other personal issues saw John and I part ways. He has returned to his previous profession in Property Management and we have remained friends. (Just to curb your curiosity!) I am very grateful, that Liz was willing to take an even more active role to assist me to continue the business. To put it mildly, I would not have been nominated for "co-worker of the year" .….a few tense moments, but we are coping. My youngest son, Steve, worked very diligently for us that summer and his sense of humour was greatly appreciated!

New products included ‘Get Sauced’, ‘More than Mint’-our first blended oil and Peppermint Foot Cream.

Well, the year ended on a positive note with an amazing turn out to our Christmas Open House…"yes, there is a Santa Claus!"

January saw me take my first holiday in eight years! I went to Honduras where it rained most of the time and everyone got sick with a mysterious illness……..it was definitely memorable. March found us back at Canada Blooms for a second year.

Spring brought us Rita, a Chartered Herbalist and garden enthusiast who worked for us all season. This also afforded me a few weekends off in the summer and I took up golf…..no competition for Tiger yet, but apparently I have potential!

The weather co-operated and in November we held our biggest Christmas Open House to date! Again Liz, provided us with an amazing selection of herbal goodies and no one left hungry!

Well, I knew I would have to get to this part eventually...

My children were now all grown and doing ‘their-own-thing’, and it became obvious to me that it was time to make some changes in my own life. These small tastes of freedom that I was experiencing made me realize that my life was very much out of balance, all work and very little play, so I decided it was time to make some big changes. I love my herbs and I love this place, but they were exhausting me. So the property and the business were listed for sale in the fall.

No need to panic……….we are still here! As yet it has not sold and there is a very good possibility that the business will not be sold along with the property. That being the case, it will be moved with me…….to where ever that is?-I can’t answer that question yet! But one way or another ‘Kettleby Herb Farm’ will carry on!

I promise to keep you posted as this gets sorted out.

In January I took a short vacation to the Dominican Republic -weather was great and no one got sick!!! February arrived and so did the dreaded ’BIG’ birthday….. dyed my hair, got an ankle bracelet, but the tattoo is still pending!

It is now March and the greenhouses are getting busy, the mounds of snow are receding at a rapid pace and I can feel Spring coming! Please check out the enclosed brochure for this years hours and events.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I do know that because of your friendship and continued support, 2004 will mark our 10^th year and what an amazing journey it has been -- - Thank you!

Oh, by the way..The 2004 Herb of the Year is GARLIC!

 Come Celebrate Our

Season Opening

 So what’s happening at Kettleby Herb Farms?

• Enclosed with this newsletter is our 2004 Brochure. It includes our Educational Programs and Events Schedule along with our Public Hours, Directions,

Contact Info, etc.-Check it out! This season we have adjusted our Retail Hours, as well as the Educational and Events schedule to accommodate the potential changes mentioned previously.

• This coming season we will be open 10am to 5pm Fridays to Mondays from May 8 to June 13. After that we will be open by appointment only. (see enclosed brochure for specifics)
• Congratulations to Michelle(~step-daughter) & Glenn on their up-coming wedding which is to be held here this coming June! This will be the third wedding held here since 1994. Also, belated congratulations to Stephanie(~step-daughter) & Ryan on their marriage last September.
• I am in big trouble and feel terrible, in the last newsletter I forgot to thank Al who worked tirelessly mixing drinks, cleaning tables and assorted other duties as required, during our ‘Tea in the Herb Garden’ events last summer! Sorry!
• ‘EAT TO BEAT CANCER’- a three part cooking course designed to fight and prevent cancer is being given by Mary O’Reilly, N.D. & Jan Guillard this April in Richmond Hill. The course covers foods that support the immune system and increase the body’s ability to heal itself. This course is sure to be informative and delicious! Call: 905-884-1624 for more information and to register.
• Well spring is almost here and greenhouses are getting full………Mark your calendar and plan to join us for our 10^th Anniversary Celebration at our Season Opening on Saturday May 8