Harrowsmith – September 2019

Harrowsmith Fall 2019 | 231

TRAVEL & CULTURE: WHY WE LOVE AYR

Together, they employ elements

of the permaculture philosophy

and a closed-loop symbiotic

process to their farm. They grow

all their own feed (hay and corn

silage), use natural fertilizers and

maintain chemical-free pastures.

The closed cow-calf herd means

no outside cows are introduced

to the herd, resulting in a reduced

need for antibiotics.

Now operating on “semi-

retirement hours” (Thursday to

Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), the

couple sell rump roasts, all-beef

summer sausage, porterhouses

and products from their 100-mile

partners, like raw-milk gouda,

pumpkin butter, organic flour

and turkey sausage.

faulfarms.com

Abe Erb at the Mill

143 Northumberland St.

End your Ayr tour with a refuel

at Abe Erb at the Mill. After the

original Abe Erb opened to huge

fanfare in Waterloo, Ontario, in

2014, a second outpost popped up

in nearby Kitchener. The newest

location, in Ayr, is a continued

ode to Abraham Erb’s Grist Mill,

the first mill built in Waterloo (a

replica of the 1816 mill was built

in 1996 and is a celebrated spot

for weddings). Abe Erb at the Mill

is also a nod to the property’s

roots as a feed mill and is a hip

combination with Settlement

Coffee Roasters (settlementco.ca).

Both brands operate under one

roof in the 2,800-square-foot

space—the fourth location for

the roasters.

Try Mudge’s Ale, an American

brown ale with hints of caramel,

toffee and chestnut warmed

with spice and orange zest. It’s

a tribute to Abel Mudge, and a

fitting one. Pair it with my pick:

the Abe-rger. Local red Angus

beef, stacked with bread-and-

butter pickles and a slather of

roasted onion aioli.

Grab a Settlement Nitro Cold

Brew to go or a bag of medium-

roast Vagabond, ready to grind for

your next small-town adventure.

abeerb.com H

JULES TORTI