“We were looking for something else to add to the agritourism part of our farm,” said Justin Jamieson, the owner of Whispering Pine Farm in Hinchinbrooke, where a 60-foot painted silo now stands as a massive ode to the resilience of the farming community.
The silo is the sixth to be converted to a cylindrical canvas in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, where the MRC has spearheaded the creation of a cultural and agritourism circuit showcasing a series of giant murals that tower over the region’s bucolic countryside.
Jamieson’s silo was selected as part of the second call for participants issued by the MRC just under a year ago. As the fourth generation to work his family’s farm, where they now operate a sugar shack in the spring and corn maze in the fall, Jamieson kept his application a secret until he knew the silo had been accepted.
“It was definitely a big experience for us,” he said of working with the MRC and abstract artist muralist, Zoë Gelfant, who was tasked with coming up with a design for the tower. “We wanted something that represented the community and something that would be seen from far and would stand out. Since we do syrup, we went with maple leaves and the changing of the colours through the seasons,” he explained. The design also incorporates the iconic Powerscourt Covered Bridge, as well as other elements more personal to the family.
It took five weeks to wash, prime and then paint the silo. “I knew it was a big undertaking, but it was only when I got there and started working on it that I realized just how big it was,” said Gelfant, who painted, sometimes for 12 hours a day, while standing on a boom lift. She used between 45 and 50 gallons of paint, which was stored in an old milkhouse at the farm.
The three murals cost the MRC a total of $273,594, which was paid largely through an agreement with the Ministère des Affaires municipals et de l’Habitation to create the innovative circuit. The investment is already bringing in new visitors to the region.
“It is amazing to see how many people are coming out to the circuit already,” said Chantal Agnew, who co-owns the Boutique Bon Boeuf farm in Saint-Chrysostome, which is now home to a stunning tribute to “La Relève,” or the next generation of farmers.
The mural took Montreal-based street artist and muralist Ankh One (Mikaël Carriau) around a month to paint. Along with a mother and two children, the image features the city skyline representing the farm’s proximity, as well as a stocked table as a nod to local producers and “all the beautiful places where you can eat in the area,” said Agnew. A bobolink was added to a fence picket as a special reference to the farm’s pasturing practices that help protect the endangered bird.
“I had no idea what it was going to look like, but it is beautiful,” said Agnew. “It was amazing to see them work,” she added, noting the image was projected onto the silo at night and then traced from different angles.
A similar strategy was used by graffiti artist Dodo Ose (Rabilloud Doryan), who painted the mural at the O’Connor Farm in Godmanchester, under the theme of “ingenuity,” in just three weeks. The design features a farmer fixing an engine in front of plowed fields under a morning sunrise complete with a rooster and grazing cow.
Claire O’Connor requested that the design include some weeping willow branches, while her husband, Ronald, asked that his favourite tractor, a Cockshutt 30, be included. “We really had a good time watching the whole thing unfold,” she said. “Sometimes I come out here just to look at it. I always see something different. It’s just fantastic,” she smiles.
The O’Connors were approached by Godmanchester mayor Judith Fouquet about applying for the project. Their silo met all the conditions. It is visible from the road, not in use, and there was adequate space for the artists to work. It is also possible for visitors to park their vehicles for a closer look.
A third call for farms interested in hosting murals was issued by the MRC on October 1. The regional government is looking particularly for silos in Ormstown, Sainte-Barbe and Saint-Anicet; however, structures located throughout the region will be considered. The deadline to apply is December 1.