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The Rural Voice, 1993-11, Page 22e've lived on this farm since we were married 34 years ago, and we've worked on it non-stop ever since," says Sandra Pitt, one of the winners of the 1993 Bruce County Beautification Competition. "We love it, and we do a little more on it every year." The Pius aren't the only ones. This kind of dedication and commitment is plentiful among farm families in the area. Bruce County IS beautiful — and Grant Collins and his hard-working committee have the winners to prove it. They received 179 entries for the 1993 Beautifica- tion Competition, held in conjunction with the International Plowing Match held in Walkerton in September. There were nine categories, each with three top place winners, and many honourable mentions as well. (See sidebar.) Now, meet the winners of the rural divisions: Ralph and Sandra Pitt won first place in the "Farmstead, already improved" category. On their 50 acres near Cargill in Brant Township, they have six acres completely landscaped. When they bought the property 34 years ago, it was a field, and the house had no furnace, no cupboards, and no bathroom. It had been used as a summer residence by the former owner, so the Pitts were really starting from scratch. Every winter, they concentrate on the inside, decorating, replacing windows, and so on. Summers, they concentrate on the outside. This year, they had the barn and fence painted and paved the driveway. As they add something more cach year, the result is a beautiful property with a new delight around each corner. Besides the numerous flower beds, there are patios and flagstone pathways, an arbour and a perennial rock garden, a new solarium, graceful birch trees and stately spruce, as well as many accent trees that add a sculptural effect to the garden. They also put the elegant front veranda on the house, and new gardens are added each year. Next year, the plans These creative caretakers of the land help keep BRUCE COUNTY BLOOMING Meet the winners of the 1993 Farm Beautification Competition by Corinne Robertson -Brown 18 THE RURAL VOICE include removing some overgrown evergreens that no longer add to the yard, and installing a three -tiered waterfall leading down to a fish pond. Also, they plan to improve the area immediately outside of the new solarium, installing gardens and a fountain under the lilacs that frame the view. Landscaping, as well as farming, is Sandra Pitt's love in life. "If I were to stay here another 34 years, I'd just have so much to do," says Sandra. "It's never finished. There are always new ideas to try, areas to improve. I just love it!" Her love of landscaping was also demonstrated at the International Plowing Match this year, as she did the landscaping for all three of the admission gates as well as for several of the displays and facilities at the Match, and for the main signboard on Elora Road. That sign had been in place for over a year, announcing the coming match, and it needed to be spiffed up for Media Day in August. Sandra took her own pots of red geraniums and spikes, dug them into the ground, and — voila! — instant gardening. The Pitts are often approached by people wanting to use their farm as a backdrop for weddings, a request which they are delighted to accommodate. "We're thrilled," says Sandra. "We make sure it's in perfect order. We have the guests park in the drive. Their photographer goes about at leisure. Everyone always seems to enjoy it, and we have always had sunny days for every single wedding here. Often we get photos and thank -you notes, which is really nice, too." On their farm, the Pitts have about 60 head of beef cattle, as well as 35 ewes as a hobby. They also own and manage Pitt Produce, selling and delivering to many area restaurants and businesses on a daily basis. Ralph Pitt drives to Toronto year-round to buy produce. In the spring, they expand into selling shrubs and bedding plants, and in the fall, they concentrate on pumpkins — thousands of them. "Pumpkins are pretty well all we do in October," says Sandra with a laugh. "In the winter, I spend about five hours a day doing chores in the barn. At lambing time, I'm often out there at two a.m. I love being out with the little animals. It is a relaxed time for me. I'm a farmer, and you can't take the farm out of me. So in the summer, it's cutting grass all season, and in the winter, it's chores. We love it. Absolutely love it. For me, it is relaxation after a long day working at the business." elighting passersby doesn't end with the first frost, though. At Christmas, the Pitts decorate their yard with thousands of lights, turning it into a fairyland. "We did about 25 trees last year," Sandra said. "I like to add a bit to it each year. People do Ralph and Sandra Pitt's prizewinning property has been the site of many wedding receptions.