Ontario Horticultural Society is celebrating its 100th year this August 2006. What a wonderful celebration it will be! My father, Clarence Brazier will be celebrating his 100th birthday this August.  It will be a big celebration here too! Yes, there are others who reach 100 years  now. But often they are frail and dependent. Clarence's only handicap is his poor hearing.

Clarence has been a gardener since he was a child. His father was blinded with dynamite when Clarence was four years old . From then on with 5 other siblings, he had to begin to work on their mixed farm near Magnetewan.  As a result, he got very little education. My dad  also became a logger as he got older.
Clarence lived in Timmins on a farm most of his adult life. There, he was a farmer, logger  and miner. Farming with his wife Angela didn't provide enough to raise a family of 4 daughters.  But it was the very healthy life! So farming was always an ongoing job.

My father is now living with me since my Mom died. Last summer Clarence tended to a large raspberry garden here on my property north of Huntsville.  It yielded 125 quarts! Clarence says  "Mulch is the secret". But, he also knew that he had to cut out all the old canes and tie up the tall plants.
Clarence cut firewood with a chain saw until he reached 99 years young. He walks on a daily basis. This winter he walked on our bush trails for about 2 kilometres....daily!
Clarence says "Exercise and fresh air is the key to longevity.
Just as an aside...but an amazing one...... Clarence started to learn how to read at 93, with my encouragement. He now reads at about a grade 7 level on a daily basis. His life is now enriched. But gardening never leaves his mind for long. Horticulture has always been his love!