Nathan Pegg from Homestead Orchards joined Dan Pollard for Tractor talk to discuss some of the challenges Apple farmers face. “There are a lot of diseases out there that can destroy a tree and end its life; if they get black rod in them, or fire blight, things like that, or viruses, scab– Apple scab, it’ll just kind of be a year to year kind of thing. If you have scab in your orchard it is hard to get rid of. For those people at home, if they have scab in their trees(..) they’re best defenses is raking up the litter at the end of the year, so getting rid of the apples and the leaves and everything that’s on the ground underneath the tree because the following year those scab spored will be in the ground. So if you break them up and get rid of them you eliminate some of that from your own trees at home.”  Fall is the peak harvest season for apples here in Ontario.

More than 2,700 runners took part Sunday in the sixth annual Georgina Marathon and Half Marathon, a Boston Marathon qualifier that attracted runners from Georgina and as far away as Finland and South Korea. Local runner Denise Derlis completed the half marathon despite health challenges caused by spinal stenosis. She walked the course using a specialized rollator, showing determination and inspiring others along the way.

Yesterday was Firefighters’ National Memorial Day, a day held each year to honour firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Flags were lowered at the Georgina Civic Centre and Town fire halls as a sign of respect. The Town of Georgina remembered those who made the ultimate sacrifice and thanked all firefighters for their courage and service to the community.