Exchange delegates from Florida were out and about Thursday, getting their own taste of rural Ontario. They traced the path of agriculture production from the greenhouses and farms, straight through to an area farmers' market.

The morning started bright and fragrant with a dose of beautiful flowers as delegates toured the greenhouses of Kees and Sabina Kennema and family at Greenway Blooming Centre near Breslau. Drawing from Sabina's background as a professional florist and Kees' talent in plant breeding, the Kennemas have worked hard to create an experience that's exotic and different for their visitors. Delegates learned how the family business has flourished, particularly with their success in retail hanging baskets and growing Christmas cacti. Behind Greenway's marketing strategy is Kees' belief that quality products and quality service are the keys to success.

After touring the greenhouses, the students enjoyed a special treat by viewing the new Naturium - a unique Butterfly and Hummingbird Centre with many informative and inspirational displays, as well as a beautiful butterfly-shaped garden. The Kennemas partnered with "The Butterfly Man," John Powers of Cambridge, to incorporate exhibits from his private collection into the Naturium.

Kees and Sabina said they enjoy the beauty of life and try to share this with every visitor. They also enjoy giving to local organizations including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for which they fundraise by selling real butterflies and donating all the proceeds.

Delegates received their own souvenir butterfly magnet, and were on the road again to St. Jacobs. Along the travels a stop was made for some group shots in West Montrose at the 'kissing bridge' - one of the oldest covered bridges in the region.

Soon delegates were at St. Jacobs market for an unforgettable experience, delving into the rich agricultural heritage of the region. Authentic farmers' markets are held in St. Jacobs every Thursday and Saturday year-round and are popular with local shoppers and visitors. Delegates toured through the sales barn and arena where live cattle were being auctioned, sampled meats, cheeses and baked goods and, browsed crafts, clothes, tools and home décor. As the van pulled away from the market, delegates caught sight of Mennonite farmers traveling to and from the market by horse and buggy. For some students, this was a unique experience.

Next, a tour through the University of Guelph's aquaculture research station in Alma revealed the differences between raising fish in Florida, compared to the colder Canadian climate. The exchange students learned about different species, growth cycles, methods of raising, feeding, oxygenating and water circulation as they walked about the facility. Many of the same principles for aquaculture apply among operations in Florida and Ontario, although the species they raise are appreciably different - in Florida, aljost all the aquaculture is for tropical aquarium fish, whereas Ontario fish farms are mainly devoted to food fish (aljost exclusively rainbow trout).

A sweet experience waited at the next stop as exchange delegates visited Thelma and Morley Trask's farm to learn about maple syrup production. The outing began with an authentic wagon ride across the white fields to the sugar bush. Morley pointed out the differences in trees and tapping procedures as the group trekked through the snow. The warm barn was much appreciated as the group returned from the bush to watch a video on tapping, collecting and processing maple sap. Warren Trask, Morley's son, explained the reverse osjosis machinery that removes two-thirds of the water from the sap to reduce the time for further processing. He also described how the water is further boiled off from the sap and finally, how the more concentrated maple syrup that results is finished and packaged.

The Trask's tap more than 800 trees for production each year and retail the product from their home farm. Each product is assigned a grading for clarity and colour. Everyone had the opportunity to enjoy top quality maple syrup as Thelma served up delicious pancakes and maple syrup. Dessert also included apples picked from the Trask's very own orchard.

To end of a great day, the FarmHouse and Ceres fraternities joined the Florida and CanACT delegates for a delicious supper and evening of dance.