A tourism grant from the municipality is helping three Chatham-Kent businesses promote the area, its culture, and local food.
Forest Therapy Walks, TJ Stables, and Fresh Connection each received $3,000 to start up or continue growing their tourism idea. Fresh Connection has three businesses behind it; Urban Sunset Farms in Highgate, In-Home Chef, and Crazy 8 Barns in Palmyra.
Susanne Spence Wilkins, the owner of Crazy 8 Barns, said the first of several limited and special farm to plate and storytelling events will be held in the spring.
"In this case, we are telling the story of the fisheries. We're hoping to look at next time, whether it's the fall when we hold another one, there will be a different story we will be looking at telling," said Wilkins.
Wilkins said there are so many exciting local stories to share with people far and wide.
"All of our small towns used to have great baseball and hockey teams that were very competitive. We're also looking at the Highgate area. It was a big mastodon area tens of thousands of years ago," she said.
The grants help find, promote and support new tourism ideas that will enhance current tourism and motivate travel, longer stays and repeat visits.