Pubdate: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 2004, Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: http://www.canoe.com/NewsStand/TorontoSun/home.html Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457 Author: Mark Bonokoski, For the Toronto Sun Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) BAAAD CROP BEHIND FARM The old farmhouse with the two-storey porch and the almost 200 acres of rolling pasture had sat fallow for almost two months before it went up for sale. The real estate ad on the back page of the Bancroft Times carried its picture, but it was the description of the property that brought a smile to the face of Staff-Sgt. Ray Westgarth, head of the local OPP detachment. "This unique property has great potential for an organic beef or produce farm," the real estate listing read. "It has 197 acres, including a 1928 updated two-storey farmhouse, barns, outbuildings, runway, and heated airplane hangar. The house and outbuildings are not visible from the road, and the property is gated." "Sounds almost perfect for a marijuana grow-op, doesn't it?" said Westgarth. "It's got it all ... privacy, lots of land, and even a runway." It sounded so perfect to Westgarth because that's exactly what that leased property was before the OPP paid an early morning visit at September's end and hauled away $8-million worth of high-grade marijuana. "(The plants) were ready for harvest," Westgarth said, shortly after the bust went down. "Never saw anything quite like them before. The plants were squat, only two or three feet high, but they were wide, and loaded with bud from top to bottom." Only the "gardener," a 26-year-old Asian man from Toronto, was arrested that morning. He had no vehicle. He had only food and drink, and he was there alone -- 24/7 -- until the crop he was cultivating was ready for the streets. The identity of his boss who leased the land, however, is still being sought. Even with the asking price of $275,000, big money in these parts, the property wasn't on the market for long. Sold close to list "It sold before we could pull the second newspaper ad," said an agent at the real-estate office. "And it sold close to list." And so, piqued by curiosity, we drove some 30 km north of Bancroft to a dead-end patch of gravel called East Lake Road, turned right through an unlocked gate and then down almost 2 km of dirt road before the farmhouse and outbuildings came into view. The sheep would begin arriving within the half-hour. "Yes, we were aware of the property's history," said Tom Sunberg. "My brother-in-law told us about it. "But it's perfect for what we want it for. And that's for breeding sheep for lamb production. "But I'm not the boss on that," he said. "My wife is." Evalina Sunberg, mother of four, was making lunch back at the old farmhouse, and waiting for the first load of breeder sheep to arrive, a number that will eventually total 90. "Stick around," she said. "They'll be here soon." It was only back in mid-September that the Sunbergs returned to Canada from their native Sweden, having sold a sheep farm there to help finance a similar venture here. Eco invention If the name Sunberg sounds familiar to cottagers, boaters or the environmentally conscience, however, it's because Tom Sunberg's father, Harding Sunberg, invented the popular Sun-Mar composting toilet, leading to his family setting up the company's Canadian operations in Hamilton. "I sold my share to my brother and another investor," said Tom Sunberg. "Now I only get royalties." It was about then that a half-ton truck pulling a cattle trailer appeared on the crest of the hill not far from where some 8,000 marijuana plants had once bloomed -- loaded down with sheep, and one bull calf that is destined to one day provide beef for the family table. This was where Evalina Sunberg took over, her being the "boss" of the operation, and began directing the herding of the sheep into their winter pens. When last seen, the truck was heading south to Madoc to pick up its second load of breeder stock and Evalina Sunberg, well, she was doing what future lamb producers do to ensure a fitful sleep at the end of the working day. She was counting sheep. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek