Man from land of tulips becomes renowned Cactus King of Canada
March 1, 1976, was a memorable day in Dundas history when town council proclaimed Dundas The Cactus Capital of Canada. It was also around the same time that the local chamber of commerce and the Dundas Jaycees were attempting to establish a community summer festival with a strong central theme.
Thus, the Cactus Festival, acclaiming the international reputation of Ben Veldhuis, was established and a tradition was born. Barend (Ben) Veldhuis was born in Amelo, Holland, on Friday, Dec. 13, 1913, and emigrated to Canada with his family in 1927, when he was 13. Ben went to work right away at his father's nurseries in Burlington. There, he had his own little spot which he used for growing cacti, and a life-long fascination with the prickly plants ensued. Ben carried on the family tradition first in Limehouse (near Georgetown), then in Burlington, Waterdown, Hamilton and, finally, Dundas, where in 1951, Ben and his wife, Marika, purchased the Peterson Greenhouses at 154 King St. E. and started Ben Veldhuis Limited.
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