Table of contents for Fall 2020 in Harrowsmith

JENNIFER BIRCH is a freelance writer with a penchant for such topics as lifestyle, food and sustainability. In fact, she’s a big advocate for sustainable travelling and encourages everyone to see what the world has to offer while making sure to make a good impact. AMANDA BULMAN is a chef, writer, filmmaker and standup comic from Prince Edward Island. Her first cookbook will be released sometime next year, but she isn’t allowed to say too much more because there are still some pesky contractual details to be worked out. She lives in colourful St. John’s, Newfoundland, with her husband and a rascally basset hound named Gabby. You can follow her adventures on Instagram@amandabulman. MARK AND BEN CULLEN Mark is an expert gardener, author, broadcaster and tree advocate and holds the…

Hardbite Chips Based in British Columbia, the Hardbite team is dedicated to designing the ultimate snack experience and was on the GMO bandwagon long before the buzzword buzzed. These chips are all natural, just like the landscape that the company is inspired by. Hardbite encourages celebrating nature by blasting down muddy tracks through the woods in anticipation of the ultimate reward: all-natural chips cooked in avocado oil. After pushing the boundaries outdoors, Hardbite challenges you to ramp up your taste buds in the same way. The chips are gluten-free and made with no preservatives. We’re talking no cholesterol, no trans fat, no artificial anything. Your adventure doesn’t have to end once your bike or kayak is back on the rack. Instead, explore the carefully curated flavour profiles that make Hardbite…

Through an informal Facebook survey, we asked readers to tell us about their farmhouse cuisine favourites and, oh boy, did you ever! That was the fun part. Picking just three dishes from all the wonderful suggestions was nearly impossible, and it made us very hungry. From soups and stews to cobblers and cookies, what you told us confirmed what we already knew about farming families: They are a practical and resourceful lot. The recipes that have become beloved classics are products of the seasons, the land and necessity. They are foods that fuel the body, buoy the spirit, and maintain a delicious connection to generations past and to homelands far away. Keto, vegan, gluten-free these are not, but are they ever good! FARMHOUSE CABBAGE ROLLS Serves 6 Makes about 15…

We consider ourselves lucky that we have cold, long winters. The season kills off a host of pests that would make growing produce here a lot more challenging. That said, at the beginning and end of the season, over-enthusiastic gardeners can find themselves getting into trouble with late or early frosts. Thankfully, we have creative ways to extend the season that can open a world of new opportunities for Canadian gardeners. RECYCLED CLOCHES We love this idea because it involves recycling and costs nothing. If you were to buy a cloche, it looks like a bell-shaped hat made of translucent plastic that can be placed over tender plants to create a micro-greenhouse effect. In the fall, you could use a large cloche to protect your peppers or tomatoes past the…

Dehydrate Rinse, cut in half, and scoop out tiny hairs and seeds. Place in single layer on tray. Dry in oven on lowest setting for a few hours, or use a food dehydrator. Store dried hips in glass jar in a cool, dark place. Eat Fresh Rinse, then remove tiny hairs and seeds or eat around them. Tea Add 1/4 cup of rosehips to tea mesh strainer in cup. Pour boiled water over all, squish hips with back of spoon, then let steep for 10 minutes. Remove hips and strainer. Add honey to taste. Rosehip Flour Grind dehydrated, seedless hips in blender until powdered. Add to foods, soups and smoothies. One ounce of rosehip flour contains 45 calories, 11 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of dietary fibre and 1 gram…

SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS WINTER 2020–2021 The first half of the winter should be milder than normal due to a persistent southerly airflow. Winter may start out dry but then will become stormier during the middle and late part of the season. The snowiest/stormiest period will be late January through early March. A colder air mass will likely set up in late winter and linger well into spring. SPRING 2021 Spring-like weather will come late, as temperatures will struggle to get into double digits well into late April. It should also be a gloomier spring than normal with a persistent storm track remaining over the East Coast, bringing waves of light to moderate precipitation. A drier pattern starts to move in mid-May. SUMMER 2021 Temperatures should remain seasonable to slightly above normal.…

SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS WINTER 2020–2021 Similar to last winter, the eastern Prairies should see a persistent cold Arctic flow though most of the season while areas farther to the west should be closer to seasonable, aided by a number of chinook events. Frequent early storms through Alberta should make for a decent early ski season in the Rockies, but overall the season should see average snowfall in Alberta and below-average precipitation over Saskatchewan and Manitoba. SPRING 2021 March should see above-normal temperatures that will continue into mid-April, followed by a pattern shift that will bring a cooler northwesterly flow dropping temperatures to below normal from mid-May to early June. Precipitation will be above normal in Alberta and closer to normal for Saskatchewan and Manitoba. SUMMER 2021 Expect seasonable temperatures this summer…

SEASONAL HIGH REGION LIGHTS 7 WINTER 2020–2021 The polar jet stream will be running straight through this area, so expect much colder than normal conditions with a barrage of polar vortex air masses. As a result of the colder flow, we should see a drier pattern, with the lack of an active storm track. SUMMER 2021 Temperatures will be close to normal levels overall, yet precipitation will trend toward above-average levels. The amount of cloudy days will outnumber the sunny ones. SPRING 2021 Similar to last year, a cold and wet start to spring will slowly transition to more seasonable temperatures and precipitation levels. Expect a couple of late-season warm spells that could bring some instability in the air. FALL 2021 Precipitation levels will range between normal and slightly above…

Got some land to fence for livestock? When it comes to pastures and paddocks, the quality of fencing is just as important as the quality of soil. Modern options include high-tensile woven wire and polywire (or poly tape) fences. Perhaps you’ve already got a tumbledown wooden rail fence on your land that you might want to resurrect. Read on to learn about four basic fences I’ve been using on my Manitoulin Island homestead for more than 30 years, and then make an informed decision about the best option for your situation. Option No. 1: Woven Wire Fence Pros: Strong; secure; reasonably attractive Cons: Highest annual cost; most maintenance required Sometimes called a page-wire fence, this system uses the same kind of wooden or metal posts common to other permanent…

In 1933, my grandfather Andy Perry bought a building on the corner of Spring Street and First Street in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Already an avid racehorse breeder, Andy created a speakeasy/café in his new building and named it after one of his racehorses, Soviet. The Soviet Cafe was purchased primarily to keep up with the request from the locals for alcohol at a time when it was still illegal. Police, lawyers, doctors and all walks of life would walk through those doors for a drink. The location of the Soviet Cafe was perfect, as it provided a view of Summerside Harbour, the town hall and the police station. Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia were the last two provinces to ditch Prohibition, which didn’t end in P.E.I. until June…

We all walked to school in those days. Me, my little sister and pain-in-the-butt kid brother came up Kehl Road and turned right on Highway 71 for the final half-mile to school. Quite a few kids came down Hammond Road and we seldom reached the pavement at the same time, so what with the Miller kids, and the kids from Walter Sparks’s (where the golf club now sits), we were spread out along the highway shoulder. With 30 to 32 students, half of which came from the east, we were an unorganized herd of wildlife. At 4 o’clock, we all left, east and west en masse. The rules of the Serengeti (pick off the oldest or weakest) never came into play. We all survived—and did our parents ever worry? I…

It’s sometimes difficult to write these editor’s letters several months in advance of our publication date. I mean, it’s May 7 and the warblers and hummingbirds have yet to return to the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, where I live. By the time this issue hits newsstands in August, many species will be readying to head south again. I can safely predict that birdsong, bees and our backyards will have proven to be the saving grace for many this past summer as the world continues to contend with the intense fallout of COVID-19. Canadian farmers have faced unexpected obstacles beyond the unpredictability of climate change. Every year, the Canadian agricultural industry employs about 60,000 temporary migrant workers. Though Canada closed its border to non-essential travel on March 21, 2020, farm workers were…

Save the juice (or syrup) from canned fruit. From lychee to peaches and every fruit in between, the juice or syrup it’s canned with is tasty stuff and shouldn’t go down the drain. Here are some delicious ways to use it up. • In drinks: Add a splash to jazz up sparkling water, concoct a cocktail or sweeten a smoothie. • In baking: Use canned fruit juice as an alternative to milk in cakes, muffins and pancakes. If using syrup, experiment with how much less sugar to use in the recipe. • With meats: Reduce it over a low flame and use to glaze pork and poultry; add it to sweeten barbecue sauce.…

The skinny on duck fat: Duck fat is healthier for the heart than butter or lard: 33 percent saturated fat in duck versus 62 percent in clarified butter. (Yikes!) Duck fat is also higher in cholesterol-fighting monounsaturated fats: 49 percent versus butter’s 29 percent (Globe & Mail). Duck fat is used by chefs throughout the world in place of butter, while in France and other European homes, it is used daily. Its rich flavour and higher smoke point make it perfect for frying potatoes or onions, in omelettes and pastry, for frying steak or any meat, or enriching a stew.…

Canada’s reliable staples may be potatoes and wheat flour, but a recent report on CBC showcased how rice has been making a slow and steady progress these past few years. This rise has been partially attributed to the changing cultural makeup of Canada and a growing population of Asian immigrants. It’s also a result of the changing Canadian diet, which is slowly embracing plant-based protein rather than red meat, and whole grains rather than potatoes. Why Rice? From corn to oats, there are other western options to choose from besides rice. However, rice has the most benefits and is the easiest to integrate into one’s diet. Whole grain rice, for instance, tends to make you feel fuller, thus preventing overeating. CTV News also reports that rice has less fat and…

We are thinking about food a lot lately. Every time we go out into the garden, we are reminded that the food that we grew with such pride through the summer is melting away into pockets of rot. When Thanksgiving has passed, we are here to tell you that there is an encore happening in your garden and that the celebration need not be finished. With a little effort, it won’t be for another few weeks. LEEKS If you don’t have these in your garden, begin to sow them directly in the soil as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. Leeks are easy to grow. Water deeply during dry spells and keep the area weed-free. If you prefer a white stem, mound soil over the base…

Many of us have specific things we do to wrap up the gardening season. For me, this includes pulling up the last of the vegetables, cleaning up perennial beds, topping up my compost, cleaning off my gardening tools and tidying up before the snow falls. There are many other things that are not on my to-do list, but I do them anyway, year after year. They have become a gardening tradition and a source of joy to me. Some involve friends or family members, like when my friends and I divide our perennials and share them with one another. This has brought me a great deal of happiness over the years, as I’ve been able to look around my garden and feel like I’m surrounded by those friends. I remember…

SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS WINTER 2020–2021 A snowy winter is anticipated across a large portion of the province. These storms will mix with rain and ice in the first half of the season, one of which could produce significant icing resulting in power outages in January. It is likely that the latter part of winter will turn cold as the storm track shifts more toward the eastern seaboard. A good season of skiing ahead. SPRING 2021 Similar to last year, spring conditions will likely be slow in coming (late April) due to several persistent upper-level low-pressure systems. Temperatures will only start to moderate into the last week of April and early May. The season will be wetter than normal from mid-March to early April, and then more seasonable until early May, when…

SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS WINTER 2020–2021 A rather mild winter is expected. The southern half of the province should be drier than normal, with more sunshine than usual. Only the northern third of the province should see an active storm track bringing some rainy and snowy events through the season. The lack of snow in the south could lead to drought later in the year. SUMMER 2021 Temperatures will be slightly below normal, even though there will be a few hot air masses passing through in late June and July. Precipitation will be normal along the coast. Some storms with strong winds could affect coastal areas early in August. SPRING 2021 The entire province should see seasonable temperatures and below-average precipitation for much of the season. It should be rather sunny much…

When I sent an inquiry to Harrowsmith’s request for writers, I simply shared a brief history about my experience living in the country, across the Canadian Prairies, for a total of nearly 25 to 30 years. I have also lived in the city for about 15 to 20 years, but I always missed the countryside. I would go for drives often, checking out farms, looking at listed properties for sale, hoping, praying, one day the good Lord would answer those prayers in His time. Graciously, He did. I was asked to write about hay and straw and describe the difference in a way that could help new hobby farmers, urban families who are starting out in the country, and those who have just purchased livestock. Essentially, hay is feed and…

Satin’s coming home! I’m at the end of our long, tree-lined lane, making daisy chains and waiting. I know they have a distance to travel from the city, but 2 hours late? Every cloud of dust has me hoping it’s the truck and trailer. Oh boy, here they come! I run along behind, flying with anticipation. I arrive at the barnyard, puffing. Guess they didn’t see me run behind, or maybe they couldn’t brake so easily in that swanky new rig. Never mind, I’m here now and so is Satin. Elation! One look at my poor horse and my mood falls flat. Satin is a sorry sight with her hair dull and matted, not to mention she’s lame. I stroke her neck and give her the sugar that was put…

The weather was great for the first 3 weeks that October—an extended Indian summer— and although I was busy-busy, my weekends were free. Bobby Green had a nice 1958 Meteor, but the motor was a bit lazy. It needed a valve job. Money was tight, so we decided to fix it in my garage. We pulled the head off the 6-banger and dropped it off at West End Motors. We would pick it up after West End did the serious stuff, and bolt the Meteor back together on Saturday. Now we have to go back 2 or 3 months to June or July. My wife was working midnights and I was at home sleeping. Two of my yahoo buddies were indulging at the Emperor Hotel bar and left at closing…

Big Day Though it sounds like an “I do” and chicken dance might be involved, a Big Day is actually a birding event where an individual or team of birders attempt to see as many birds as possible in one calendar day. A Big Year is similar in that a birder tries to list as many birds as possible within a defined area (county, province, state, country) within a calendar year. The American Birding Association coined the term Big Year, but it was made a little more famous by the likes of Jack Black, Owen Wilson and Steve Martin in the 2011 film The Big Year. corned beef Don’t be confused: There’s no corn involved at all, unless you choose it as a buttery side with some roasted brussels. Corned…

Family dinners had become a rarity over the past few years, but the national emergency brought them back with a rush. There were lots of questions and very few answers to offer at that point, but my wife said very firmly that the most important thing we could all do was look after one another as best we could. My big livestock-protection dog, Dexter, was sitting with us, listening attentively, as he always does. The very next day, he went out on his morning patrol and brought back a turkey. I don’t mean a mouldy wild turkey carcass from the woods. This was a shrink-wrapped, 10-pound Grade A Cavalier bird from Walmart. I called around the neighbours to see where he might have found it, and old John McKee said,…

ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO Dear Ms. Torti, My name is Edna Juffermans and I am writing to you in regards to the Yukon Gold story (“No Small Potatoes,” Spring 2020). Mr. York von Sivers needs to hear a few more details about the Yukon Gold story. Yes, it did land Dr. Johnston infamy, but there is a little more to the story. To fill you in, my husband, John Juffermans, attended the University of Guelph in the late ’70s. He was in the horticulture diploma course. He enjoyed spending time with a Dr. Evans, who was involved in lily research. Dr. Evans was under Dr. Johnston’s umbrella of researchers. My husband, in chatting with Dr. Evans, discussed the study that was going on with potatoes. My father, Henry Boer, had…

It was late 2017 when I first heard about Suzanne Crocker’s ambitious 100-mile diet, northof-60 style. She had started the 1-year challenge that summer, with her family in nervous tow. My selfish thought was, “What, no bananas? No avocados? For a year?” Crocker wrote about her emotional trials in Harrowsmith’s Spring 2018 issue, nearing the summit of their year-long edible Everest. This is a woman with fortitude and resilience! First We Eat, a film produced and directed by Crocker, had its virtual world première at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in May 2020. Her documentary couldn’t be more timely, as food security has become paramount in the lives of Canadians, regardless of where we call home. For Crocker, living just 300 km from the Arctic Circle—with no salt,…

Since its birth, Harrowsmith has told entertaining, empowering and informative stories of Canadians living well and sustainably. Now our flagship podcast, Harrowsmith Radio, puts those powerful tales right between your ears. In each episode, host Wayne MacPhail interviews innovative, engaging and inspiring guests who share their lives and life lessons. In recent episodes, he has spoken with David Suzuki about his career, his regrets and his learnings. Dan Needles, the creator of the Wingfield Farm series of stage plays, shared his thoughts on his success and background. Wayne has even chatted with Canada’s leading hemp ambassador. The podcast is a cozy, half-hour soak in a warm audio bath. Enjoy it on a commute, a walk or just hanging out at home. Sound good? Listening is free and easy. Just subscribe…

The conversation with Lieutenant Colonel Deforest is long and sprawling. It must be a slow day for illegal wildlife trafficking, or perhaps no one else had ever taken such an interest in his work. He has bright blue eyes, short bangs, and a goatee-mustache combo grown just past the stubble phase. There are two swords hanging on the wall behind him and a lamp of twisted wood on the filing cabinet. Massive trade networks transport food products from Africa to the growing diaspora in Europe. Semi-legal container shipments arrive at European ports regularly, packed with vegetables, fish, and fruit. But wild game is brought to Europe in a much different manner. Each week, flights from Kinshasa and other African cities carry immense quantities of smoked meat, crammed into passenger luggage,…

When it comes to perennials, roses are the workhorse of the garden. Not only do they add beauty, form and structure, but they also provide us with high-value nutrition, and they are tough! There is a rose for every garden and every gardener—you just need to know which variety best suits your climate zone and location. In Alberta, we are in zones 2 to 4, where only the strong and hardy will survive. It is no coincidence that the wild rose is one of Alberta’s provincial emblems. Here are my top three favourite roses that grow exceptionally well in Alberta. 1. Morden Sunrise Parkland A shrub rose with beautiful peachy flowers, it has pink petals that shift to yellow in the centre. Bred in Morden, Manitoba, this rose is hardy…

For this year’s Almanac, we decided to showcase innovative and visionary Canadians in the farming industry. Typically, our Almanac includes the Small Ponds section, which introduces readers to our nation’s greatest musicians, authors, athletes and thinkers. In a time when food security is paramount, we wanted to shift our focus to our favourite Canadian farmers with this inaugural Small Farms feature. Our farming community deserves a giant thank you for their commitment and dedication during a season of unexpected obstacles. We hope you enjoy this inspirational look at the farmers who toil behind the scenes to bring us bundles of asparagus, hops, lamb burgers, alpaca mittens and just-tapped maple syrup. Farmers stock our shelves, delis, bakeries and farmers’ market stalls with countless staples and genuine treats. Be sure to support…

Harrowsmith: Tell us about your farm. What do you grow or raise? The Jungle Farm: We grow 6.5 quarters of traditional grain and have a market garden with about 20 acres of berries and 15 acres of vegetables. We grow fun stuff like strawberries, raspberries, saskatoons, spinach, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, kale, onions, leeks, cucumbers, winter squash, pumpkins, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, peas, beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers. In the greenhouse, we have lettuce, strawberries, raspberries, bedding plants, hanging baskets, herbs. There’s also farm entertainment like the corn maze, farm animals, wagon rides, public and school tours. HS How long have you been in the industry? JF We came home to my family farm in 1996. Our farm has been in my family since 1897. HS How many family members…

SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS WINTER 2020–2021 A winter that’s colder and drier than normal is likely in store for northwestern Ontario. The central and eastern parts of the province look rather stormy, especially during the first half of the season. Overall, for central and eastern Ontario, the winter should feature near-average high temperatures. Watch for the potential of some significant freezing rain events across southern Ontario in January. SPRING 2020 Spring will start off cooler than normal, but we should see a milder pattern move in by late April, especially in the most eastern parts of the province. The northwest should be drier than normal, while areas to the east and south will likely be wet early and then becoming drier by early May. The drier pattern should persist until summer. SUMMER…

SEASONAL HIGH REGION LIGHTS 6 WINTER 2020–2021 Expect colder-than-normal temperatures in Yukon throughout the season. Everywhere else, we expect seasonable temperatures most of the time, despite several Arctic outbreaks crossing through the area. Precipitation will be above normal over northwestern Yukon and near normal over areas farther east. SUMMER 2021 Temperatures return to seasonable levels while precipitation will likely become more persistent, leading to a wetter-than-normal season, except for the most eastern areas, which will have precipitation levels closer to normal. SPRING 2021 Colder-than-normal conditions will continue into spring over the entire region, despite a few mild periods over Yukon in late April. Precipitation will be above normal. FALL 2021 Expect temperatures to run near normal overall, even though there will be a couple of mild spells in early September…

On October 13, 2020, at 7:20 p.m. EDT to be exact, we will be passing one of our celestial neighbours. It will serve no purpose to say “Hi!” because sound doesn’t travel through space. And there is no one there to hear us, as far as we know, so it is more about making a psychological connection than it is about communication. Our neighbour is the planet Mars. You have probably noticed it as a “beacon” low in the east after sunset. It’s the brightest object in the sky, though on the 13th it will be joined by the moon rising at about 30 minutes after midnight, and by Venus at about 4 a.m. If you would like to “sense” the slow and stately rotation of Earth, sit in a…

Many permanent fences are electrified, and the power behind any electric fence is different from the electricity that comes out of a wall socket or battery. Creating this unique form of power is the job of a fencer. Also called a “charger” or “energizer,” this device takes relatively low-voltage electricity from a wall socket or battery and bumps it up to 2,000 to 10,000 volts at the fence wire, with a corresponding drop in amperage. The result is a very lively bunch of electrons that are eager to try and make their way back to ground via anything that touches the fence wire. And when those electrons pass through a cow or a horse (or a homesteader!), there’s no question about what happened. The result is a shocking deterrent, but…

In 2017, singer-songwriter Jann Arden’s soul-nourishing memoir Feeding My Mother: Comfort and Laughter in the Kitchen as My Mom Lives With Memory Loss was published. Arden’s steadfast advocacy for dissolving the stigma surrounding dementia came in many forms, including the CTV comedy series Jann. Her mother, Joan Richards, died in December 2018, and it was a reminder to us here at Harrowsmith about the importance of sharing stories, giving them momentum and, most importantly, writing them down. And so The Lost Stories Project was created. When Harrowsmith posted a call for submissions to The Lost Stories Project, Beulah Lennox of Coldwater, Ontario, was quick to respond. For our Fall 2019 issue, Beulah submitted a stream of stories to the project on behalf of her late mother, Bessie Wilson, who had…

When I was a kid growing up on a Prairie farm near Holdfast, Saskatchewan, in the ’40s, threshing time couldn’t come soon enough. Only one of our neighbours owned a threshing machine, so every year he and his machinery moved from farm to farm to harvest the ripe fields of wheat. We kids could hardly wait for our turn, the day when a threshing machine, bunkhouse and crew of neighbouring farmers, along with hired hands recruited from Ontario, as I recall, arrived at our farm. While our dad and older brothers were busy in the fields helping with the harvest and our mother and older sisters were busy in the kitchen preparing heavenly gargantuan meals, we kids were free to roam as we pleased. We loved the bunkhouse and snooped…