Just west of Burns Lake along Highway 16 is the rural community of Palling. With its lush, gently rolling fields, farms, and stands of poplar and evergreen, it seems like an ideal location to raise a family, but there is a problem.

Newcomers to the area, especially avid gardeners, soon discover there is a down side to this peaceful community. Portions of Palling boast a unique micro-climate which is substantially colder than other areas in the Lakes District. It isn’t uncommon to wake up and find perfectly healthy marigolds have been reduced to shrivelled ruin by an unseasonable frost.

Indeed, whole pea crops have been lost, fallen prey to a hard frost in late July or early August. While the pods continue to fill out as the season progresses, the peas inside do not develop and the pods bear white scars.

Though the Palling area does pose challenges, there are some residents who do manage to grow beautiful, productive gardens and successful greenhouse crops despite frequent frosts. Shirley and Bill Ortloff, who have lived in their home for approximately forty years, have both.