The story

The McEwen family immigrated to Canada in 1829 with four other families from Perthshire Scotland. Peter McEwen, his wife Isabella (McLaren) and their toddler sons arrived at Lot 35, Concession 9 Osgoode Township in January 1830. The 200 acre farm was purchased for 25 pounds from Holmes family (UEL) of Williamsburg. The McEwens had one of the township’s first cows. The log part of the barn that houses this quilt block was built sometime in the 1850s, around the same time as the balloon frame house which still stands today. The acreage on the corner of Marvelville Rd and 9th Line was donated by second generation Peter II for the building of the “Scotch School”; which served for many years as the one room school for the district. It has since been converted into a private residence nestled among the maple trees at the corner. The main gambrel-roofed barn was built in 1919 by third generation George W. McEwen and put the family on the leading edge of the dairy industry. His wife Katie (Grant) is credited with the naming of the farm Heather Crest; representing the knoll on which the farm is located and the native plant of the family’s homeland. Heather Crest became the prefix used to register holstein cattle.J. Lynden McEwen was the fourth generation to operate the farm with son Hugh. Additional acreage was purchased to the west and south bringing the current land to approximately 350 acres used for cash crop farming. In 2006, fifth generation farmer Hugh converted the barn to a free-stall and added a milking parlour to the west side of the barn, milking approximately 30 head cattle. Hugh continues to operate Heather Crest with the assistance of his children Kate and Stuart McEwen. It is one of the oldest family run farms in Ottawa-Carleton region. Hugh’s wife Cheryl A. Cooper is responsible for the design and production of this barn quilt featuring colours from the McEwen Family tartan.

Name of sponsor of Barn Quilt : Cooper-McEwen Star



Location

Cooper-McEwen Star

8745 Marvelville Rd, Metcalfe (viewable from 3790 9th Line Rd, Metcalfe)

Latitude : 45.1553 Longitude : -75.42896

See the barns on google maps