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Vol. 75 · # 31 Wednesday, August 22, 2012 $1.35 GST Included Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 When Al Michaels retired from farming eight years ago he was looking forward to playing golf three or four times a week. But after one year of that, Michaels says, "I didn't know a day could be so long." In an interview with The Times at his home on the Lakeshore east of Newcastle last Thursday, Michaels said he grew cauliflower for a living because he likes cauliflower. In the 27 years he grew the crop for Loblaws on his Lakeshore farm Michaels says he became very aware of the moderating effect the lake had on temperatures in his area. He claims he never lost a crop due to weather. As golf wasn't giving him the connection to the land he needed, Michaels decided to grow another crop he loved ­ peaches. The micro climate along the Lakeshore caused by Lake Ontario combined with the effects of general global warming led Michaels to believe he could grow peaches at his farm, so he planted 20 peach trees in the field behind his house. Temperatures along the Peach of a hobby Street meat. Steve McKinnon (L) treated his boys Josh (C) and Joey (R) to a sausage at the 5th annual Antique and Artisan Festival in downtown Orono on Saturday August 11. Lakeshore are generally two to three degrees warmer than north of Highway 2, according to Michaels. This spring when the late freeze hurt so many of the local apple growers, Michaels' peach trees were untouched by frost. "I never lost one blossom," Michaels stated, "That is the difference two miles makes." While Michaels says he would never try growing peaches north of Highway 2, he is not under any illusion that he could lose his trees if the weather turned cold enough. A temperature drop to 20 degrees below zero for three nights in a row will cause a peach tree to split, killing it according to Michaels. "It is not magic, the magic is the big air conditioner/furnace called Lake Ontario. When the first 20 trees survived the winter, Michaels added more trees and has done so every year since. He now has 285 trees planted on two acres of land behind his house. "I can't help myself," he stated, "I'm turning it into a monster." This year he will almost break even with his two acre orchard, though he sees his peach trees as a PEACHES see page 3 Y oung artists show their talent By: Christopher W. Brown The Picasso's Picnic hosted by the Clarington Visual Art Center (VAC) this Saturday is a multi-diciplinary celebration of youth and the arts. On August 25th, the VAC in Bowmanville will host the event which is being held by the youth for the youth. Andrea Anfossi one of the organizers of the event and a Bowmanville High School teacher said, "We will have 4 aspects of the programs -- a performance area, food area, activity area, and an area dedicated for youth vendors." Anfossi said of the youth vendors, "We want to ensure that the youth have the opportunity to showcase their own work. We want them to demonstrate what they can do, so they don't have to work at a fast food restaurant but work at something they are passionate about." She went on to add, "There will be no adult vendors that day. We want to make it youth friendly." She went on to say, "There's free admission, performances from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. all day. The majority of the performances are interactive. Singers will be asking for audience participation, artists will teach audience members how to create art pieces." She added, "We want people to have a great time." Some of the other events that day will include a makeand-take-table, where attendees will be able to create a art piece and take it home with them. While the week has a youth theme, "We want families and everyone to show up. We want community members to see some of the talent that Bowmanville and the surrounding area has," Anfossi stated. "We have over 15 different youth vendors who will be attending the Art Festival on Saturday," said Anfossi. "They range in age from 7 to 17, and the best part of it is it doesn't cost them a dime to get a booth." "Booths have been donated by numerous sponsors from around the municipality. We have asked them to donate money to help these young entrepreneurs move forward in their craft." Anfossi added. One of the youth entrepreneurs that will be there that PICASSO see page 5