I have had the honour of knowing Larry and Heather for a number of years now. They are two of the most passionate volunteers you will ever meet. They are the epitome of kind and generous, volunteering for the agricultural society, regional 4H Shows, Harvest for Hunger and so much more. I thought they would be the perfect people to have a Barn Quilt. Their love of agriculture, their community, and their family made for a great story to tell. When Heather had shown me the design she wanted I thought it was striking and beautiful. And naturally since they cash crop the addition of a corn cob in the middle was cherry on top. It's so interesting for me when there is a bit of a challenge involved. Enjoy this quilt as much as I do on Grey Rd 11 just outside of Owen Sound. Thank you Heather and Larry for jumping onboard the trail.
Gordon & Fern (McKibbon)Parkin purchased the farm in 1952. It began as a mixed farm and soon became a dairy farm, raising purebred Holsteins under the Parkin prefix. They raised two children there, Larry & Marlene, and in 1974, Larry formally joined the operation. In 1975, Larry married Heather Franklin, and Gordon & Fern built a new home on the corner of the farm. Larry & Heather raised two children, Amanda & Brad, whom were quite involved in the operation, as well participating in 4-H. In 2012, the farm moved away from dairy, and into cash cropping. Fern was an avid quilter, with a quilt frame set up on a regular basis. Heather is a quilter as well, so it was a natural fit to add a barn quilt to our farm. Larry`s father, Gordon was a wonderful steward of the land, paying great attention to growing the crops in an ecologically friendly manner. A lot of thought went in to the design of the barn quilt, as Larry & Heather both wanted something bright, but also something that reflected the new direction of the farm. They settled on the brightly coloured star pattern, adding the cob of corn, to signify one of their main crops. The intertwined star and square in the main design signify closeness of family, with the farm being the place all the family wants to come back to.
This quilt is sponsored by Parkin Farms.
Comments