News and Events

CMBQT Volunteers and  members of the Cavan Monaghan Town Council mark the final quilt block installation on the Cavan Monaghan Barn Quilt Trail with a ribbon cutting at the Township Offices in Millbrook, Ontario.

The last of 24 BarnQuilts that make up the efforts of the artisans, painters, writers, and installers is the Rising Sun Barn Quilt.

The barn quilt is displayed on the south-facing wall of the Township Offices. The land where this building is located has passed through many hands: the 1861 map, published by George Tremaine, lists William McNish as the owner, while the 1878 Belden atlas shows it belonging to James Stanton. The building, opened in 1965, was erected as South Cavan Public School, in order to bring together students from eight small schools (often only one room).

The core Barn Quilt Committee met one last time at Moodys Pub in Millbrook after the unveiling ceremony to mark the end of their work on the committee.

The rising sun is a universal symbol of hope: a daily reminder that each day brings fresh opportunities.

A big thanks to our volunteers and the 4H members for a great Barn Quilt Tour!
#Peterborough County 4-H Association.

CMBQT Volunteers host members of the Peterborough 4H Association on a tour of our Barn Quilt Trail

As Part of our Community Outreach Program, CMBQT hosted a group of Peterborough 4H members on a tour of our Barn Quilt Trail. CMBQT Volunteers arranged for walking and driving tour maps and stories. Local Barn Quilt owners were on hand to provide talks on the design, painting and stories behind their Barn Quilts. A big thanks to our volunteers and the 4H members for a great Barn Quilt Tour!
#Peterborough County 4-H Association.

Another student created Barn Quilt project was unveiled this week.

“Our Community Story” was created by the students in Grade 1 and Grade 4-5 at North Cavan Public School in the spring of 2017.
The 20 individual blocks are mounted on five display panels made up of four blocks each, using traditional quilt patterns chosen by the participants.

This is the second Barn Quilt Block created by students, assisted by volunteer designers and painters from the Cavan Monaghan Barn Quilt Trail team!

In the spring of 2016, Mrs. Sturgeon’s Grade 4 class, made up of 28 students ages 9-10, who enthusiastically embraced the Barn Quilt Trail project and worked together to produce “Sampler Quilts” which is displayed on the south-facing wall of the Millbrook South Cavan Public School.

May 15, 2018

Another quilt block has been added to the Barn Quilt Trail this month….”Horse Over the Barn Door”…..installed at the Brackenridge property on Carmel Line.

May, 2018

Check out the newest Quilt block on the trail that was installed on Sunday April 29th, at the Brackenridge home at Squirrel Creek Farm.

Introducing our newest quilt block on the Trail!

Spinning Star

Ray & Fran Lowery, County Rd #21 West

This traditional quilt pattern is the oddly named “Spinning Star”; and its origins are unclear. However, with only a little imagination the rays of the spinning star become the spokes of wheels of the farm machinery and, especially for Ray Lowery, the spokes of the sulky’s wheels. You see, Ray’s passion is standard-bred horse racing. Look closely to see the green of the jockey’s outfit. This was the colour that Ray was pleased to wear when he jockeyed. The colours of the quilt pattern were chosen to compliment the green of the barn on which the block is mounted. But equally importantly the red, orange and yellow echo the plumage of the laying hens that Fran Lowery keeps. She proudly continues the long tradition of farmers’ wives keeping chickens for eggs: food for the family and a source of income.

Lowerys were early settlers in this Township; the first was Maria Lowery in 1824. The historic 1861 map of this Township (Tremaine) clearly shows this land being owned by Ray’s great-grandfather, William. The historic 1878 map (Belden) shows the same property as Lowerys’ but divided: Ray’s grandfather, Reid, having bought half. Because farming goes back a long way in the Lowery history, there have been a succession of barns on the property. The green barn that displays the quilt was built in 1982.

Alongside farming, Ray was and is an enthusiastic horseman, raising and racing horses. And he comes by this passion honestly from his father and his uncles before him! The type of horse Ray is especially keen on is the standard-bred. This is the kind you race with sulkies, hence the silhouette on this barn quilt. In fact in 1986 Ray built a half-size racetrack on his property. Ray also has the distinction of being a founding member of the Kawartha Downs racetrack in nearby Fraserville. Kawartha Downs subsequently expanded to include Ontario Lottery and Gaming slot machines. This facility employed many people and attracted visitors from a wide area. The Lowery farm manages to maintain a balance between the hard work of farming and the leisure and enjoyment of horse racing.

Design by: Debra Jackson and Kate DeKlerk

Painting by: Jeanne Moran and Maya DeMaria