Canada 150 photo: Popsilos tour in Prescott-Russell, Ontario

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Disclosure: I participated in the tour as a guest of Popsilos, which neither reviewed nor approved this post.

What the heck are Popsilos, you ask?

They’re a combination of farm architecture and art, the brainchild of Jen Larocque and Mat Mault. The young couple grew up in Prescott-Russell, east of Ottawa—Jen in Casselman, Mat in Rockland—and now run a project management company.

On a trip to Scotland, they visited Kelburn Castle, a 13th-century structure now covered with colourful paintings created by a team of Brazilian artists. “We just thought it was such a surprising idea,” said Larocque.

Larocque and Mault started dreaming of ways to try something similar in Prescott-Russell and decided silos would make the perfect canvas. (It turns out that great minds think alike; long after conceiving their project, they learned of a similar route in Australia.)

It took almost two years to bring the idea to life. In late June 2017, the first five Popsilos were unveiled on a route stretching from Embrun to Vankleek Hill. The idea is that visitors and locals alike can follow the self-driving route to see the silos, admire the countryside and stop at a few local businesses along the way.

The Canada 150 project involved lots of partners, including many who didn’t previously know each other. For instance, Larocque spotted Hannah Weideman’s silo from the road, thought it had great artistic potential and cold called her to see whether she’d be interested. Weideman, owner of Horses by Hannah in Casselman, was intrigued and signed on. Her silo sports a giant pink flower and buzzing bees.

Other local farms and businesses came on board, including the St. Albert Cheese Co-op, Beau’s Brewing Company, Ouimet Farms Adventure and Vankleek Hill Vineyard.

“Ambitious ideas—if you talk about them, they attract ambitious people who make successful things happen,” said Larocque.

Artists from across Canada created the murals, based on ideas generated by school and community groups. The logistics weren’t simple; artists had to work from cranes, which could be a tricky task on windy, rainy days.

The murals will be up for at least 10 years, and Larocque and Mault hope to unveil others as time goes on, if funding allows. The Popsilos website includes a detailed map and instructions for visiting each property. It’s a self-driving tour, and some of the properties are closed at various times due to farm operations, although you can still see the silos from the road.

You can have a meal or buy the fixings for a great picnic at St. Albert Cheese, or swing by Beau’s for a light lunch or early dinner on the terrace (Friday to Sunday until September 3).

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As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.