Innehållsförteckning för Spring 2024 från Harrowsmith

Yay! It’s spring–my favourite season. Full disclosure: I am not a huge fan of winter. I practically hibernate once the New Year’s bell has rung and stay in my cave–ideally with lots of tea, books, a wood burning fireplace and my French Bulldog, Starlord, until the first signs of the warmer weather begin to appear. This year, however, I have even more reasons to embrace the thaw: Spring always marks the start of something new, and I have had two life-changing events occur recently. For one, I am thrilled to be writing to you as Interim Editor-in-Chief of Harrowsmith. I’ve been with the magazine for over a year now, writing stories, working with some of our incredible partners and supporting the team any way I can. I’ve been an editor…

Sink your feet into the dirt, Let the grass dampen your toes And listen closely – Careful not to miss the secrets of the birds. Let the wind bite your face Walking firmly into its pathway Tuning in to the hourglass of your substance, That is now and nothing else.Ever still, without a tick Bring nothing with you Just be, Just breathe graceolivvya Do you have a short poem about nature or your environment to share with us? Send your submissions to editor@harrowsmithmag.com and your work could be featured in an upcoming issue.…

LORI NIKKEL IS THE CEO OF SECOND HARVEST, CANADA’S LARGEST FOOD RESCUE ORGANIZATION AND A GLOBAL THOUGHT LEADER ON PERISHABLE FOOD REDISTRIBUTION. SHE ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO SHOP THE SALES, THE “JUST PAST PERFECT” FOODS, AND SHARE IDEAS ON REDUCING FOOD WASTE. Water usage is a key resource in our food supply chain so when food is wasted, so too is the water used in growing the feed for the chicken, cleaning of the chicken house and drinking water for the chickens as they grow and grow our eggs. It takes about 200 litres of water to produce one egg, which is significant but low compared to what it takes to grow a kilo of beef (15,400 litres, according to the Water Foodprint Network). Eggs are an exemplary source of food.…

Not a week goes by without someone prominent somewhere talking about the shortage of affordable housing in Canada. And judging by the housing prices I see, there’s every reason to believe there’s no conventional solution in sight. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I’ve lost faith that any government anywhere can make a positive difference in this situation. After all, what can any government do except throw money they don’t have at the problem, hurling future generations deeper into public debt? How well does that usually work? That’s why I propose a completely different approach, one that combines something that happened across our country more than a century ago, and something I’ve put into practice myself. Let me start with a true story. The Original Tiny House Back in the mid-1880s, a…

With new inventory arriving daily, there is always something to discover at Marian’s Antiques. Here you’ll find everything a country-chic heart desires from furniture and china to estate art and jewellery (and many out-of-towners say the prices are antiquated, too). Foodies from around the county (and beyond) were thrilled when Northumberland Fine Food opened its doors last year after much anticipation. You will see a lot of the expected gourmet items like artisan pasta, specialty oils and vinegars, and exceptional chocolates, but the real standout is the “tasting lounge.” Most turophiles are impressed with the vast array of cheese offerings from all over the world, and everyone enjoys the charcuterie-style tasting menu, updated weekly. (Did we mention Northumberland Fine Food is fully licensed, too?) If you happen to be spending…

As I sit down to write this column, my heart is filled with gratitude and admiration for the remarkable people that I have had the pleasure of encountering during my quarter century at Harrowsmith, over 12 years of which I have spent as publisher. As every magazine owner knows, it is the editorial team who are the lifeblood of the brand. They are tasked with finding and producing the relevant, original stories we know our readers want while upholding the highest journalistic standards. I am thrilled to welcome Karine Ewart as our Interim Editor-in-Chief. Her experience as team lead at numerous publications in Canada and the U.S. has allowed her to step into this role without missing a beat, and I look forward to supporting her as she helps grow…

To much fanfare, the peony has been named 2024’s Flower of the Year by massive American floral retailer, 1-800-Flowers.com. Right on trend, the Canadian Peony Society took things one step further by announcing that Prosperity Maud – a peachy hybrid created by the late Maurice Ménard – was voted Peony of the Year by its members in early January. Now that you know which flower is the most popular, read on to learn nine more of the best flowers to grow right now….…

“Spring marks the beginning of the chick-rearing period. Ostrich chicks require special care and attention, and spring provides the favourable conditions needed for their growth and development. Our first chicks of the season will usually hatch at the end of May and our brooder room quickly fills up with baby ostrich chicks.”—Brittany Denouden, co-owner of Struisvogel Ranch in Carrying Place, ON. For more ostrich news, turn to page 11.…

“The land is medicine,” explained K’odi Nelson, a cultural leader from the Dzawada ’enuxw First Nation, one of the four tribes of the Musgamakw Dzawad-a’enuxw in British Columbia. Of course, I agreed, and had built a new nature-based travel company, karibu adventures, on exactly this idea: by spending time, actively in nature, and with people who are deeply connected to caring for the land, we could help heal the planet and ourselves. I had even staked my professional future on it, quitting the corporate life at 50, kids still in school, prime earning years be damned. And yet, it was the first time I understood what K’odi was saying with a visceral certainty I had never felt before. “The land feeds the soul, not just for Indigenous people,” he continued.…

BEST FOR 1 The Winner’s Circle Peony (PAEONIA OFFICINALIS) If there was a popularity contest for flowers, this year, peonies would win the prize. And, in fact, there was, and, in fact, they did! (See previous page.) Perhaps they are in-demand because of their limited availability (sadly, peonies only flower for approximately 7-10 days), one could argue it is simply their stunning beauty that sets them apart. You can be certain they will be the stars at plenty of weddings this summer. FUN FACT: Apparently, the peony was named for “Paeon,” the Greek physician of the gods, who discovered its medicinal benefits. Another legend says Paeon was given the flower atop Mount Olympus from the mother of Apollo. BEST FOR 2 Summer Brides: Dahlias (DAHLIA PINNATA) While peonies may be…

Baked Blueberry Cheesecake French Toast Ingredients 1 loaf challah, cut into 1 inch cubes8 eggs1 cup milk1 cup cream¼ cup maple syrupzest of one lemon⅛ tsp allspice4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature4 oz. mascarpone cheese1 tbsp confectioners sugar1 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp lemon juice1 ½ cups fresh blueberries Instructions Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk your eggs, milk, cream, maple syrup, zest, salt and allspice. In another mixing bowl, mix cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Add ½ of your bread cubes to the baking dish and pour ½ egg mixture overtop, being sure to soak all cubes. Drop dollops of the cheese mix overtop of the bread cubes. Sprinkle with half of the blueberries. Pour the last ½…

Tools are an essential foundation of the hands-on life, and choosing well is a big part of success. Buy quality and keep your tools in good condition with consumables like blades, bits and accessories handy and you’ll enjoy the kind of satisfaction that comes from tools that work with you and not against you. Looking back on my nearly 40 years building, renovating and working out here in the country, I’m constantly reminded how the right kind of tools make all the difference. A complete list of all tools I find useful would be too long to cover here, but let me recommend five basic ones, with specific insights into how to choose well. Before I do, let me encourage you to buy for quality, not primarily for price. I’m…

It was the late ‘70s, a time in Montreal when fierce competition raged between the city’s then-abundance of daily and weekly papers, each vying to print the biggest scoop or expose and grab the stage. Politicians and Quebec’s rich supply of professional crooks supplied a constant source for investigation. Our paper was, I thought, best at rooting them out. That is, until the publisher who encouraged us retired, to be replaced by what we saw as a play-it-safe yes man, who rocked-no-boats and kowtowed to advertisers. Many staff were shocked, then disgusted. Our city editor quit and went to a rival paper, asking me to follow. I did, after first telling the new publisher just what I thought of him. Burning bridges falling down. Then the paper we went to,…