Photojournalism
Pioneer
Vol. 54 · Issue #13
Thursday, March 7 , 2024 Loyalist College · Belleville, ON · Canada
Photo by Nic Adam
Hilary Thomas, a peer support worker at the John Howard Society, stands in front of a wall of food and supplies at 60 Bridge St. The society hands out food to those in need, including those who struggle with housing, addiction and the possibility of an overdose.
Drugoverdosesaregularoccurrence By Nic Adam
It’s almost been a month, to the day, since Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis declared an addiction, mental health, and homelessness emergency. On Feb. 6, the city of Belleville made national headlines after multiple people collapsed near 60 Bridge St., overdosing, almost in unison. For weeks, journalists wanted to get the full story as people across Canada watched in shock as the events unfolded. This isn’t the first time this has happened, however. It’s just the first time
so many eyes have been watching. According to Jennifer Cormier, executive director of the John Howard Society of Belleville and District, what happened on Feb. 6 was nothing compared to what happened in November. “So, in November, we had 90 overdoses in a week,” said Cormier. “I think it didn’t get the publicity because we were working together and there were intervals between overdoses. ... We were dealing with it.” Even though the overdoses were happening every couple of minutes, police, paramedics, and John Howard staff were keeping on top of it, just barely. This was
unlike Feb. 6, when everything happened all at once, and it was too much to handle. This is an ongoing crisis that is only now starting to get the publicity it needs, Cormier said. “It kind of struck me as strange, because in November, there was nothing. You know, the staff really felt like we were out here battling this kind of on our own,” said Cormier. “We had our emergency services, and they were stretched and were doing everything they could. But whatever we were doing, we were just keeping people alive. And that was it, you know, we weren’t really helping people.”
Part of the problem is the lack of funding for their programs. The organization receives all the goods they give out by donation, and the limited money they do get comes from Hastings County, which gives them “what they can.” Because they only had four staff working on Feb. 6, they were forced to get some of their guests to help them deal with the crisis. “We work on a skeleton. ... We just did what we could. You have guests who are preparing naloxone. You have guests that are doing chest compressions while you’re administering the naloxone,” said Corm-
ier. “We really do rely on our guests, and they rely on us, in a sense, to get through an emergency like that.” Melissa Lynch, a guest at 60 Bridge St., says that the people on Feb. 6 weren’t overdosing on fentanyl at all. She thinks it was some kind of tranquilizer meant for large animals. “It wasn’t fentanyl, it was tranq dope which has no fentanyl in it at all. It’s antiseptic, it’s a type of tranq that’s used on rhinoceros and elephants,” said Lynch. “Not everybody that has a pipe in their hand is smoking fentanyl.” ...See Overdoses, page 2
Goat farm offers unique experience By Jilly MacIver Nestled in the back country of rural Port Hope, Ont., lies a hidden gem that invites visitors with promises of fun, charm, and an unforgettable experience. Haute Goat Farm is 200-acres in the rolling hills of Northumberland County. Haute Goat Farm, founded by Shain Jaffe and Debbie Nightingale, is not your average farm; it’s a sanctuary where visitors can escape the fast pace of modern life and immerse themselves in the calmness of the countryside. Upon arrival, you are greeted by the gentle bleating of goats grazing in the fields. When you look to your left, you will see horses running through their pasture. As you further explore the farm, you will not only see goats, but kune kune pigs, alpacas, sheep, and chickens. “Majorly, we are agricultural tourism, which means that we actually just invite the public to come see and interact with the animals. The main thing we do here is animal experiences, so you can book one of our animal experiences which will basically get you a VIP look within those animals. Our main experience is goat shmurgles, which is essentially goat hugging/cuddling,” says barn manager Tori Broadbent. Here, the focus is not solely on farming, but offering guests a one-of-a-kind experience that encourages a deeper connection with nature and its occupants. At the heart of it all are goats – curious, playful animals with personalities as diverse as the colours they come in! Visitors to Haute Goat can take part in a variety of activities designed to engage all ages. Goat yoga, a popular offering, combines the practice of yoga with the goofy presence of goats, resulting in a truly fun and memorable experience. As participants stretch and breathe deeply, the goats meander among them, adding an element of spontaneity and humour to the experience. “Goats are very zen; they’re chaotic, but at the same time, they’re very easy going, and most people come out of here like ‘oh my goodness, I don’t want to leave,’” says
Photo by Jilly MacIver
Tori Broadbent, barn manager at Haute Goat Farm in Port Hope, hangs out with the clan. Broadbent. Though the experiences can range on the pricier side, there is no admission charge to go to the farm and take a walk around the property. “Even if you don’t want to book an experience, you can just come and walk the farm. Debbie’s whole philosophy is getting as many people out here just to see what the farm life is all about and enjoy the outdoors as much as you possibly can,” says Broadbent. The farm’s rolling hills and beautiful scenery provide the perfect backdrop for walks, picnics, or simply basking in the stillness of nature. Whether you’re admiring the beauty of a sunset or listening to the animal’s chatter at dawn, guests are invited to slow down
and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Previous to working at Haute Goat, Broadbent mainly worked with horses. “I actually wasn’t a ‘goat’ person before I started working here, but as soon as I started, they won me over – I’m head over heels for these guys,” she says with excitement. Haute Goat just recently built a new barn/arena that will be used to host guests during the not-so sunny days. Like people, goats don’t like the rain. With this new barn, the farm is looking into their next offering, hosting dog agility competitions, and eventually, goat agility competitions. “I’d also love to do something where a dog and a goat are on a team. So, you have the dogs time, and then their goat partner also has to get a time, and then combine
their times and go from there. I think that’d be really fun.” says Broadbent. The second newest addition to the farm is kune kune pigs (aka fluffy pigs) and the farm is now offering a new experience – a kune kune cuddle twice a week. “I don’t think anyone has left that experience unsatisfied yet. We also plan on building them a racetrack, number one, because it’s fun, and it’s also great for their enrichment. Standing in their pen all day doesn’t do much for them, so it would be a super great way of exercising them. As long as you show them their snacks at the end of the track, they’ll do it,” Broadbent says with a grin on her face. Despite the fun atmosphere of the farm, there are struggles, just like any other fi-
nancial endeavour. For Haute Goat, it’s the off-season, as summer remains their busiest time. “We’re doing better this winter so far because winter hasn’t really been winter, so there hasn’t been extreme snowstorms or extreme colds. We try and do a lot of things online so that people can still interact even if you aren’t coming out. We have a live goat and pig cam so that’s the kind of stuff that keeps people interactive with the farm yearround.” Asked what her favourite part of the job is, Broadbent says “the goats” without hesitation. “The animals are the main purpose we do this. So even when we’re doing morning chores, morning chores are great because you really do get to interact with all the animals. Like this morning, one of our chaotic babies from last year learned that he could use the stool to jump on our wheelbarrow and then now he’s figured out he can use the wheelbarrow to then jump on top of the hay feeders. So, he was literally just like bounce, bounce, bounce, and yeah, I’m shoveling some stuff, but you just watch him do that and think, ‘Yeah, this is just great.’ ” Broadbent has worked on farms her whole life and has tried a few different avenues outside of farm work – went to university, tried a few different college programs, but she kept leaving to find a farm to work on. “I would do other things, but I’d always find my way back to animals, and I really can’t picture myself doing anything else.” As well as offering unique experiences, Haute Goat Farm is committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship. The farm engages in eco-friendly practices, such as composting, rainwater harvesting, and organic gardening, to minimize its carbon footprint and preserve the natural beauty of the land. In a world that often feels chaotic and disconnected, Haute Goat Farm offers a beacon of happiness – a place where the simple joys of life are celebrated, and the bonds between humans, animals, and nature flourish.