Tabla de contenidos para Fall 2022 en Harrowsmith

Harvest time is truly one of my favourite times of the year. I love the crispness of the air and the way that the kaleidoscope of the crimson, gold and ginger leaves send me daydreaming. Most of all, I adore all the ingredients that come to market at this time of the year. As the weather begins to cool, we find ourselves ready to gather again around our tables and hearths inside; aromas of delicious foods enveloping as we share stories which bring us nuzzled closer to one another around the table. These recipes are perfect for any type of informal gathering that brings us together in celebration of the Canadian harvest. Harvest Sausage Traybake with Kale Pesto When I was growing up, autumn squash was always a popular ingredient…

Atlantic Provinces, Region 1 The autumn season should be wetter than normal, aided by direct or indirect impacts of some tropical systems from late September into October. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland should be the wettest locations, while New Brunswick should be a little closer to normal. Temperatures should be milder than normal throughout the period. Quebec, Region 2 Autumn should have a warm beginning but then should become seasonable mid-season. November should bring colder-than-average temperatures mid-month. Precipitation levels will be slightly above average, and we should see accumulating snow as early as the middle of November down into southern Quebec. Ontario, Region 3 The first half of the season will have above-normal temperatures; the second half will have seasonable temperatures. The entire season will be rather unsettled…

The January birth flowers are the carnation, a positive symbol of love, fascination, and gratitude and the snowdrop which stands for innocence and purity. Zodiac signs: Capricorns (Dec 22 – Jan 20) are invested in working hard to make things better in the real world while Aquarians (Jan 21 – Feb 18) are known as the “eccentric professor” of the zodiac who always think outside the box. 1 HAPPY NEW year! What will 2023 have in store? Here are some fast forecasts: • UN finally delivers a climate plan to reduce emissions caused by the global shipping industry. — Climate Home News • 10% of reading glasses will be connected to the internet and 90% of the global population will have a supercomputer in their pocket —Business Insider •…

Atlantic Provinces Temperatures should remain seasonable to slightly above average overall. There will be stormy spells bringing quite a bit of cloud cover and rain, especially in August and September. Overall, precipitation should run above normal. Quebec Temperatures should be a little to a lot above normal overall. Expect two to four prolonged heat waves in mid-June, July and August, with each wave breaking with severe storms. Some storms will likely be destructive, and some could produce tornadoes. Precipitation will likely run below average overall, despite some occasional heavy downpours accompanied by strong storms. Ontario Temperatures should run hotter than normal for the season overall. June should start off close to normal, temperature-wise. July and August should be rather hot and humid, as two to four heat waves will likely…

August’s birth flower is the Gladiolus. The name comes from the Latin word for sword and symbolizes strength, victory and pride Zodiac signs: Leos (July 23 – Aug 23), a fire sign are passionate, warm-hearted, and fearless while Virgos (Aug 24 to Sept 22) are practical and often obsessive over details. 3 On Watermelon Day what you really need to know is how to pick a ripe watermelon. The answer: Knock on it and listen for a hollow sound. Also, note that a ripe melon will feel heavy and smell sweet. 4 Celebrating World Cookie Day in August poses a bit of a problem when it comes to storing these delicious treats. Because of the very warm days and added humidity, they get stale quickly. Keep…

Interior woodwork and furniture can look great or terrible — it all depends on the finish. This is why refinishing interior wood has such enduring popularity. Remove 100 years of ugly paint and varnish, and what looked like something fit for the trash is now beautiful in a completely new way. Successful wood refinishing can do this for you, and in my own work, I’ve found that success comes down to mastering three key steps. STEP 1 REMOVE THE OLD FINISH When wood finishes need to be removed, it usually involves doing battle with thick coats of old, stubborn paint or varnish. The tools for doing battle here include chemical strippers and scrapers, plus a few other tools you might not have heard of before. The goal is to get…

This is a cautionary note to the readers of the 16th version of the Harrowsmith Almanac. You will find a lot of forecasts in these pages, along with all the useful tips and observations on what you should be doing with your plot in the forest as the seasons turn. But we don’t recommend you bet the farm on any of these predictions because the planets have a way of combining in ways that constantly confound us. Prediction has never been the strong suit of the human species. We get it wrong pretty much 10 times out of 10. But we’re absolutely brilliant at adapting to stuff nobody expected to see in our lifetime. We’re so good at adapting that there are now something like eight billion of us on…

In early 2020, the current solar cycle, No. 25, began. In 2022, the solar activity associated with this cycle has outperformed forecasts. What happens if this trend continues? How do solar cycles affect our weather and our planet? How much of our climate change can be attributed to the ebbs and flows on the surface of the sun? Let’s try to answer these questions…and more. The sun and its influence on weather forecasting and climate When I build my long-range forecasts for Harrowsmith, I analyze four influences that impact global temperatures and climate. Those are (1) volcanic activity; (2) ocean patterns, such as El Niño and La Niña; (3) carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere; and (4) solar activity. These influences are widely accepted by scientists globally. Although it is…

Atlantic Provinces With a weak La Nina expected, winter should be close to normal when it comes to temperatures, but precipitation should be slightly above normal. Most of the storminess will be positioned over New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI and the storm track is expected to ride through this area for a better part of winter. Newfoundland should be able to avoid most of the big storms. Quebec The season should be known for its persistent cold. December starts off mild but then gets cold and stormy in the second half. January and early February should be rather frigid yet drier than normal. Only when a couple of milder periods appear will some snowstorms arrive. Some could be mixed with ice. The latter part of February should bring some…

April’s flowers are the daisy which symbolizes innocence, happiness, and new beginnings, and sweet peas which represent blissful pleasure. Zodiac signs: Aries (Mar 21 to Apr 20) are courageous, competitive and honest while Taurus (Apr 21 to May 21) are tenacious and stubborn but also very chill which makes them resilient. 3 APRIL Fools’ DAY is always an opportunity to have a little fun. Check out last year’s hilarious Twitter post from Banff National Park, @BanffNP. How many people do you think believed it? 1 It’s Sourdough Bread Day and we’re thinking that after months of baking (and eating) it during Covid, we’re a little over celebrating this right now… 4 CARROT DAY. We’re happy that carrots have a day because quite frankly they are unvalued as…

June’s birth flower is the rose, a symbol of devotion and love. Depending on their colour, roses can mean passionate love (red), friendship (yellow), or peace (white). Zodiac signs: Geminis (May 22 to June 21) are smart and quick-witted while Cancerians (June 22 to July 22) are ruled by emotion and tend to wear their heart on their sleeve. 4 National Cheese Day. Canada produces over 1,050 varieties and brands of cheese! And leaving an equally good taste in our mouths is knowing that Canadian dairy farmers are building on a legacy of sustainability by committing to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from farm-level dairy production by 2050. 4 It’s National Black Bear Day. This is the mating month for them and interestingly, after a mother bear becomes impregnated,…

Planting and harvesting according to the moon cycle can sound a little woo-woo, but if you ask the people behind Summerhill Pyramid Winery in Kelowna, British Columbia, and Southbrook Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, it would seem that it’s the only practical thing to do. “We strive to be a model of man in nature,” says Stephen Cipes, proprietor of Summerhill Pyramid Winery. “We have 80 acres overlooking the lake here in Kelowna. And we feel we are a model for the world to come in and see how we can live together in harmony with the earth and not only be sustainable, but also with biodynamic farming and permaculture, we’re giving back. It’s about replenishing the soil. We’re giving back to nature rather than just taking.” “ It leads to…

Newfoundland and Labrador - Atlantic Puffin • The Atlantic puffin, also known as ‘parrot of the sea’ or ‘clown of the sea,’ has a large, colourful triangular bill that turns orange and red during the breeding season. • They are divers and live on a diet of fish. • They live and breed on The Rock’s rocky shores, predominantly on the east coast during the spring and summer months. (They are also known to live at sea in the winter months.) • Typically, puffins lay one egg per nest. • The largest colony in Newfoundland is south of St. John’s in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, where there are about 260,000 pairs. • While in Iceland a few years ago, I learned that the local folks welcomed the return of…

Find everything you need to know about gardening at harrowsmithmag.com/gardening. HOW TO START A NEW GARDEN BED The year 2022 has been declared the Year of the Garden, and rightly so, as many Canadians are looking to add more gardens to their lives. For us, that means adding more planting square footage by creating new beds. A planting bed is the foundation of any new garden you decide to create, whether it is to grow vegetables or to attract pollinators. An existing lawn is a great place to locate your new bed, as grass is not productive in the yard for much more than walking on. Besides, it will be easier to dig up old sod than your driveway. Here’s how to get started. 1. Remove the grass. The easiest…

October’s flower is the marigold, commonly referred to as the ‘herb of the sun’ for its orange and yellow hues. These annual flowers symbolize positive emotions and energy. Zodiac signs: Libras (Sept 23 – Oct 22) strive for balance and order and are often perfectionists, while Scorpios (Oct 23 – Nov 21) tend to be brave and passionate but can be stubborn and jealous. 1 WORLD Vegetarian Day Even if you have no desire to live a vegetarian lifestyle every day, give yourself a chance to explore health benefits and find out how delicious and healthy a plant-forward diet can be. On this day, use the opportunity to try out new restaurants and dishes. Your efforts will work towards providing a viable answer to feeding the world’s…

Atlantic Provinces Slightly warmer than normal temperatures can be expected this spring despite a cool start. Precipitation should be slightly above normal early and then get drier as the season moves along. Many foggy days early on over coastal areas as chilly air battles with warmer sea surface temperatures. Quebec Winter conditions will likely stick around into late March. By April we should see a progressive rebound in temperatures. April should be milder than normal followed by seasonable temperatures in May. Precipitation should be close to average, or slightly below for the period. Ontario It will start off colder than normal aided by persistent ice cover on the Great Lakes. Temperatures should start to rebound nicely by mid-April. May should be pleasant with slightly warmer than normal temperatures. Frequent storms…

Insulating your home effectively seems pretty simple at first glance, and that’s the problem. Success is not always simple, especially if you’re dealing with an older house. If you’re really interested in optimizing the insulation efficiency of your home, the only way you’ll succeed is by first understanding and addressing key details as part of your insulation campaign. The tips I’ll explain below are for all houses and make especially good sense for older homes. Exterior Surface Upgrade There are two reasons rigid foam or fiberboard insulation applied to the outside face of exterior walls makes sense. First, rigid sheets are a great insulator. The R-5 per inch delivered by most foam is a powerful addition to between-stud batts because foam provides an insulation layer that’s unbroken by wall studs.…

Across 1 Created so as to assist long-term planetary survival7 Waste disposal site10 Dad in slang11 Sunbeam12 ____ warming15 Interlinked living environment18 Sand ___: shallow area in the sea19 Conserve resources by reusing them22 Natural source of heat24 Canadian what?25 Therefore26 Material that is damaging the oceans and its ecosystem Down 1 Natural form of energy2 Shore feature which is often subject to erosion, 2 words3 “__ Wiedersehen”4 Zero5 Continue to exist6 US government org. concerned with reducing carbon emissions, abbr.8 “___ say!”9 Testing area12 TV channel showing wild animals and the natural environment, Nat ___ Wild13 Electric versions of them are being increasingly used on the roads14 Acid in protein16 Call out for help17 Spanish for sun18 Vital pollinators20 Army rank, abbr.21 People who respond to medical emergencies, abbr.23…