Back in the 70’s, Guinness record size cheese and the House of Vera Ernst McNichol
Wayne Conrad Serbu
Back in the 70’s I was making my way around Ontario searching out small independent cheese makers that would make artisan branded cheese for a large conglomerate food manufacturer.
Millbank Cheese was one of the first I stopped at because of my familiarity being sold at the Galt market.
I stopped in and saw that this Giant Cheese being made to be in the Guinness records.
After doing my business with the owners I asked what are all the people doing over at that house?
Don Tanner’s reply that it was the house of Vera McNichol. Millbank became famous in the twentieth century by Vera Ernst McNichol (1910-1995). Vera was trained to be nurse and midwife, published many books of poetry, history of the local area, and Biblical stories. But it was her Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) that drew people to Millbank, especially in the 1970s and 1980s, early every morning waiting for their turn to seek her help. It got my interest and I hung around till I got to see her. I won’t go into details about the energy surrounding her place, but it did feel spirited. Her husband who controlled the crowd was a crotchety old timer but offering him a chunk of cheese smoothed things over. When I first laid eye’s on Vera she gave me this big smile and a crushing hug. She said I knew you would be here today and thanks for the cheese. Now I know that there was no way she could have known that I was coming to Millbank or too see her or that I gave her husband some cheese, but she did. My interest was fully sparked now. She told me about who I was and what I was doing in my life. She even knew where I lived and my birth sign. Her message to me was that what I saw today would effect my life later on.
Well she was right. Seeing that big Millbank Cheese to be entered into the Guinness Book I thought to myself I wonder if I would ever get to do something like that?
Well in 1978 some 5 years later I was part of the Conestoga College winning team that made the worlds largest omelets 12440 eggs and I was pictured on the front cover.
Vera wrote a book called Smiling Through the Tears which may I suggest is well worth a read.
thekitchenman ramblings