By Photo: Paratroopers from Mike Company visit Mrs. Cuddy's class to answer questions."

Friday, November 9 saw a set of welcome guests at North Addington Education Centre (NAEC). Students, staff and community members gathered for the Remembrance Day Ceremony, and were joined by local Royal Canadian Legion members and members of Mike Company, 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment.

The ceremony focused on the importance of taking a small amount of time to recognize the sacrifices made by Canadian Forces and their families in the past and present. Brittany Washburn and Janine Beckett were the MCs, and Nick Smart handled the audio/visual component. Miss Buck’s class recited “In Flanders Fields”, and Cassandra Parks and Brad Paul recited it in French. The guests from Mike Company made brief remarks and promised to talk to students later.

Immediately after the ceremony, without even stopping to eat lunch, the guests from Mike Company had a vigorous volleyball game with students – and the students won! While they were doing that, Sgt. James Brown was talking with Mr. Hill’s Grade 7/8 class and Ms. Cuthill’s Grade 6/7 class. He made a visual presentation, then fielded questions. Because the guests were paratroopers, students were very interested in the fact that they jumped out of all kinds of aircraft. The classes had obviously prepared ahead of time, as there were many knowledgeable questions about weaponry, food and tactics.

Mike Company paratroopers ate with the elementary classes, and joined them outside for recess. They ran races, played basketball, and generally had a lot of fun. They also visited Mr. Rewbotham’s class, Mr. Reynold’s class, Ms. Beeg’s class, Ms. Buck’s class, and Mrs. Cuddy’s class. Some classes saw a visual presentation, and some just chatted. Students, again, had obviously prepared, and had a range of questions, from what troops ate to how they showered in wartime conditions. They also wanted to know about the types of vehicles they had ridden in, and where they had been in their jobs.

It was clear that the students and the paratroopers were delighted with one another, and many students asked if the same paratroopers could visit in the future.

Trick or Eat a big success! submitted by NAEC

On October 31, 11 students from North Addington Education Centre canvassed the community in their costumes, not for candy or treats, but for non-perishable food items.

At least two students were stationed in each community: Flinton, Northbrook, and Cloyne. The response was overwhelming. Most homes had a bag or box of food ready, and were not reluctant to contribute to the community. There was a pick up location in each community, as the food was collected on Hallowe’en night. The event and pick up were supervised by a staff member.

In total, students collected 708 items (up from just over 400 last year), which will help the food bank through the winter season. Lydia Kellar, an NAEC student, admitted, “I couldn’t believe how much fun I had! A lot of people recognized the Campbell’s soup can costumes right away. I can’t wait to do it next year!”

The items were then taken over to the food bank and unloaded by the junior boys’ volleyball team. Angela Salmond, the principal of NAEC, was excited to show her support for the event: “I am so proud of our students and would like to extend my thanks to their families and the community. Our students are able to contribute because of the support we receive from the community. Thank you for investing in our students- I am very grateful”.

While this event helped stock the shelves, the winter and holiday seasons are a busy time for the food bank. An attempt was made to go to as many houses as possible, but if your donation was missed, please call North Addington at 613-336-8991 and ask for Ms. Bovard; we will pick up your item(s). For those requiring assistance, please contact Land O’ Lakes Community Services at 613-336-8934. Those wishing to donate food, please call Karen Anderson at 613-391-1408 (leave a message if there is no answer).

Each year the Canadian Federation of University Women sponsors an information evening in Perth. Last year the difficult topic of prescription drug abuse was explored.

This year, the information evening was called “The Power of Local Food”, and was held on April 16.

Janet Duncan, the co-owner of Dunbrae Farms in Almonte, hosted the event, which was structured around short presentations by a range of presenters, from farm-based businesses, to restaurants with a commitment to local produce and meat, Foodsmiths food store in Perth, and the upstart farmers market in Sharbot Lake.

Duncan did not mince words in describing the general state of agriculture and food production in the region, however.

"Sixty years ago Canada’s agricultural policy was focused on feeding ourselves, but that has changed to a focus on producing food for export,” she said. “Fifty percent of our vegetables are now imported and 80% of our fruit. And in terms of agricultural production 2/3 of family farms in Canada have folded since 1945.”

She said that she is encouraged, however, by the fact that a number of younger people are entering the farming businesses, and also by the amount and variety of local food that has become available in recent years.

“We are here tonight to talk about how farmers and eaters are becoming re-acquainted,” Janet Duncan said.

The first of the speakers was Bill Dobson, a beef farmer who talked about how his daughter and her partner have taken over his farm and are turning it into a sheep farm that will be bringing cheese, lamb, and yarn to market starting this year.

Christine Swaren, a former civil servant, talked about the joys and struggles of organic farming.

Aynsley Gabreil-Buchanan of Café Mera in McDonalds Corners talked about how a weekend food business ties in to a commitment to community development and the ability to produce food that is sourced extremely locally, within 15 miles.

Pat Furlong talked about the short and intense history of the development of the farmers' market in Sharbot Lake last summer, which went from an idea that was floated at a meeting in March to a successful opening two months later. This could not have taken place, she said, without significant support from Mayor Gutowski and the Township of Central Frontenac and the efforts of the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation.

There were also presentations from Foodsmiths store, Castlegarth Restaurant and Farm, and from a teacher who has started up a vegetable garden at her school.

Photo: Ruby and Gary Malcolm (seated) cut the ribbon at Denbigh's Community Food Bank opening.

Members of the Denbigh Griffith Lions Club, the Lakelands Family Health Team, Addington Highlands Council and the community at large joined in celebration at a special ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 28 at the new Addington Highlands Communty Centre-Denbigh, the new location of Denbigh's Community Food Bank.

Cutting the ribbon were Ruby and Gary Malcolm, two long-time Denbigh residents who have been operating the food bank there for over 10 years now.

Ruby informed me of how she and her husband came to take the reins of this very needed community service. “The Community Food Bank was originally started 10 years back by Rev. Angela Corey at the Denbigh United Church. When she was transferred to Nova Scotia, we really hated the idea of seeing the service be discontinued so we decided to take it over.”

Ruby said that having worked at the Denbigh Public School for 10 years before retiring in 1990, she saw first hand the people in the community who were going hungry. “That was one of the main reasons we decided to keep the service running.".

The food bank was formerly run out of the basement of St. Luke's United church, which meant hauling heavy boxes of canned goods up and down numerous stairs, so the Malcolms are grateful for the new location. Ruby served on the planning committee for the new community center and specifically asked if there might be space in the building where they could relocate the food bank. She was thrilled when the committee agreed.

The food bank now sits in the former office of the school principal. Completely funded by donations, the food bank accepts all kinds of non-perishable food items and cash donations. The money is used to purchase perishable items from the local store. The food bank works solely on a emergency basis, usually by referrals but also through word of mouth. The Malcolms are grateful for the generous donations it receives from the Matawatchan Market, the churches of St. Andrew's, St. Paul's, St. Luke's and the New Apostolic, the Denbigh Recreation Committee, the Denbigh Griffith Lions Club, T.O.P.S., 41 Stop, the John Landry Christmas Show at the Pine Valley Restaurant, the Matacushie Community Development Program, the Santa Claus Parade committee and many individuals and families from the community.

Councilor Tony Fritch made a few remarks following the ribbon cutting and thanked the Malcolms, all of the donors, the Denbigh Griffith Lions Club and the local municipality. “Personally I wish the day would come when we didn't need a food bank but recent statistics show that the need in Canada is on the rise. I recently did a bit of research and discovered that food bank use has increased by about 30% across Canada in the last few years. In Canada alone 851,000 people use registered food banks on a regular weekly basis." Fritsch said.

That being the case, the community food bank in Denbigh is always in need of donations. It will be open on Tuesdays from noon until 3 p.m. and both food and cash donations can be made at that time.

On October 31, 11 students from North Addington Education Centre canvassed the community in their costumes; not for candy or treats, but for non-perishable food items.

At least two students were stationed in each community: Flinton, Northbrook, and Cloyne. The response was overwhelming. Most people had a stack of food, and were not reluctant to contribute to the community. Throughout the collection process, students were asked to perform tricks, and they sang, danced, and recited poetry. There was a pick up location in each community, as the food was collected on Halloween night. The event and pick up were supervised by a staff member.

“It’s such a great idea. It’s incredible to see the kids out there supporting their community and having fun, and it makes it a lot easier for people to donate when the food is picked up at your front door. I hope this program continues”, says Cheryl Hartwick, a community member who graciously told many people about the campaign.

In total, students collected 431 items, which will help the food bank through the winter season. Kendra Wilson was excited to share that she’d definitely be doing this again next year. Students visited the food bank to see the stocked shelves and the effects of their actions. Taylor Salmond said, “I got a warm feeling when I saw all of that food. I can’t believe we helped do that”. Salmond also suggested that students dress up as soup cans next year, so the community knows right away who they are, and collaboration with staff has already taken place to make these costumes for next year.

John Mooney, the vice-principal of NAEC, was excited to show his support for the event: “North Addington is a part of the community and we are so appreciative of this partnership because it allows us to support the food bank. I am extremely proud of our students and grateful for the support our students have received”.

On November 16, the Northern Highlights Craft Show will be taking place at NAEC. Staff and students are participating in the ‘Empty Bowls’ project. Between 3-6pm, soup will be sold and the proceeds will be donated to the local food bank. Students in the art class have created bowls that the soup will be served in. For a minimum donation of $5, you can enjoy dinner, take home the bowl, and support the food bank!

While this event helped stock the shelves, the winter and holiday seasons are a busy time for the food bank. An attempt was made to go to as many houses as possible, but if your donation was missed, please call North Addington at 613-336-8991 and ask for Ms. Bovard; we will pick up your donation. For those requiring assistance, please contact Land O’ Lakes Community Services at 613-336-8934. Those wishing to donate food, please call Karen Anderson at 613-336-8934 (leave a message if there is no answer).

Photo: A Spooktacular Halloween party at RKY

A great kids’ Halloween party took place at the RKY camp in Parham on Oct. 29. Put on by the District 4 Hinchinbrooke Recreation Committee with the help of staff at RKY camp and student volunteers, the campgrounds were completely transformed into a ghoulishy spooky haunted playground that had the 60 costumed attendees screaming in frightful glee. The arts and crafts building was transformed into a haunted house with strobe-lit cobwebs with every kind of terrifying Halloween bauble hanging from the rafters. It housed a live coffined ghoul, a hook-handed pirate, and a hidden grim reaper who clawed at unsuspecting visitors’ legs as they passed by. Those who dared enter shrieked in delight and many even returned for a second scare. The party included a guided haunted walk through the surrounding forest. Inside the main dining hall snacks and beverages were served and party goers enjoyed various activities including a coloring contest, pumpkin and cup cake decorating and multiple costume contests with prizes for the winners. For a final treat the costumed mob made their into the dark night to five of the camper cabins each inhabited by costumed staff who offered treats to all who came knocking. Bob Teal, who chairs the committee, said the rec. committee and the RKY staff put in numerous hours to treat local kids to a memorable party. Rhonda Vincent, the food services manager at the camp, said the idea of holding a Halloween party at the camp came to her one fall when she was working at the camp all alone and was completely spooked out. “I thought it would be a great place for the rec committee to have their annual Halloween party and they got on board last year when it was held here for the first time.”

Camp Director Christina Bonner, who is new to the camp this year, said she is pleased to offer up the camp for free to the community for this kind of special event. “Local kids often don't have an opportunity to come to the camp, so putting on events like this gives them a chance to come out and enjoy it.” She said the camp would also be hosting events for the upcoming Frontenac Heritage Festival, so those who missed the opportunity to visit this Halloween will be invited back in February. Hats off to all of the volunteers and staff who helped make this Halloween a memorable one for many local youngsters.

Photo: Tracy and Sandi Hook of Hook's Rona Store in Northbrook

Students at NAEC are working together to run an Empty Bowls Project on Nov. 16 at the Northern Highlights craft show at the school.

Students from the Grade 11/12 Art classes have hand-made and glazed a variety of ceramic bowls. Ms. Sproule’s Grade 9 Science class and Ms. Bovard’s Grade 9 French class will be making chili and soup to fill the bowls. Ms. Kellar’s School to Community class will be making bread to go with the meal.

Members of staff and the community will offer a minimum donation of $5. They will choose a bowl and have it filled and accompanied by a roll. All profits will go to the local Food Bank. Visitors with large families or fixed income will be able to purchase the meal in a regular take-out container for a lower sum.

NAEC has made the Food Bank a priority in the last year. “We are pleased with the way so many groups have pulled together to help our local Food Bank over the last few months,” remarked principal Angela Salmond, “and this project is another way to help.”

The Empty Bowls Project started at a secondary school in the U.S. and has spread to many countries. L to R) Gabrielle Gagne-Balcacchin, Natasha McIsaac, Heidi Hawley and Shayla Newton show off some of the bowls they made for the Empty Bowls Project.

Photo: Back Row:  Mike, Terry, Anthony, Desiree, Front Row: Robin, Lydia and Abby

The students of North Addington Education Centre will be suiting up in their favourite costumes on October 31 and knocking on your door! They will be asking for non-perishable food items, which will be donated to the local food bank.

About a dozen secondary students will be spreading out between Flinton, Northbrook, and Cloyne to collect non-perishable food items, instead of tricking or treating for candy. The secondary students organized a very successful food drive last Christmas, and the elementary food drive in June assisted the food bank in stocking their shelves for the summer. The students are not strangers to supporting the community who supports them.

According to participant and grade 11 student, Abby Burtch, “I’m at an age where it doesn’t feel right trick or treating for candy, but this is a really good way to help out and still hang out with friends on Halloween”.

We’re asking community members to contribute what they can. We will be having three to four students canvassing each community between approximately 5 and 8pm. They will be wearing NAEC ID tags and a very large smile. We are going to try our best to visit as many households as possible, but if you have contributions and the food is not picked up, please call Ms. Bovard throughout the week at 613-336-8991 and we will pick it up.

On behalf of students and staff, the principal, Angela Salmond, would like to thank the community for their contributions to our food drive efforts over the last year: “The response we have received is overwhelming. We would not be able to organize events like this without the support of very generous families in this community. I am proud to see students take ownership of the area in which they live.

If you see students in the community and they are ‘trick or eating’, feel free to ask them to sing or dance for your donation; they are prepared to work for your generosity!

Photo: Courtesy Carol Pepper

A warm autumn glow and the soft tones of a flute accented the last market day of the season at Sharbot Lake Farmers Market. There was a definite holiday atmosphere and a steady hum of activity as shoppers came out to pick up interesting additions for their Thanksgiving dinner. Taste Fest was underway and this added a variety of new selections of savoury and sweet treats - colourful salsas, baked squash, cranberries, pickled veggies, jams, spreads and more - everything imaginable that could be gathered from fall gardens, along with some refreshing ideas on how to prepare all those great foods. There were even opportunities to support local organizations through fundraisers while you enjoyed the food and music.

By all reports, vendors and shoppers alike found it to be a highly successful and enjoyable day, and reflecting over the entire season, that it has been a highly successful first season for the market as well.

There was the bitter sweetness of this being the last Saturday to gather at the beach but it will be a break for those who could use a needed rest from the schedule and effort of producing and selling their products. Vendors report that they will miss serving their customers, the beach atmosphere, and socializing with both customers and other vendors. There was a vendor meeting and lunch at the Maples Restaurant to wind up the season and plan for the next events. Sharbot Lake Market will be participating in the Small Business Trade Show on October 19, sponsored by the County of Frontenac. The market will be donating some food items to the Lions' community breakfast at Oso Hall on October 29 and there are plans for a market float in the Sharbot Lake Santa Claus Parade.

Market vendors and organizers are looking forward to offering the community another great market season in 2012, with a Grand Opening next year on Victoria Day weekend. The community has been amazing in its support for our local market- it's what makes the whole thing possible. Thanks to the great people who care enough to cultivate these fine products and to those who organize to make it happen.

by Paul Pospisil, Lanark County Master Gardeners

The centuries’ old practice of putting food by for winter has disappeared from many households for a number of reasons: with an abundance of supermarket food, fewer people are growing their own; the time pressure of having both mom and dad working out leaves no one at home to do the gardening, harvesting and storage or preserving; and technology has made our homes so warm and dry that the old cool basement or root cellar used for food storage is no longer there.

For the avid gardener, however, growing and eating your own vegetables is a delight. Winter squash is one of those traditional winter keepers that is relatively easy to store with a little preparation.

Winter squash ranges from such popular types as buttercup, butternut, acorn and spaghetti to the huge, 25-30 pound ones like the green, orange or blue hubbards, as well as many newer hybrids. It is delicious and has endless uses in cooking and baking. It is high in vitamin A, potassium, iron and riboflavin and in the fall, also high in vitamin C. This near-perfect vegetable is full of nutrition and doesn’t deteriorate very quickly in storage.

The squash should be harvested and cured before the first fall frost. You can check to see if it’s ready by pressing your thumbnail against the rind. If the rind breaks easily, the squash won’t keep so use it up first. You can also tell by the rind colour once you become familiar with growing them. Store only the fully-matured ones.

Choose a dry, sunny day for harvesting. Cut the squash from the vine, leaving 2-3” of stem. If there is no risk of frost, roll the squash over to expose the pale side and leave in the garden for a few days. Take the squash indoors to cure. I wash and dry ours to remove any garden dirt or spores that could cause decay.

Cure the squash by keeping in a warm, dry and ventilated area for two weeks. Then, move it into cool storage, around 50-55 degrees, if possible. The ideal storage is a cold room in a corner of your basement with a window. Otherwise, any cool place will do – an unheated bedroom, a cool pantry or attic or a corner of the basement far away from the furnace or any heat vents. Store squash on racks so they don’t touch. Check the stored squash frequently and use up any that show signs of starting to soften. Squash loses flavour quickly once it starts to soften.

Well-cured, mature squash should keep until February or March, sometimes longer. Any surplus squash can be cooked, packed in serving-size zip-loc bags and frozen for ready use.

 All your gardening questions can be submitted and answered on our website atwww.lanarkmastergardeners.mgoi.ca

Photo: Auxillary Constable Jeremy Saunders in Sydenham

Auxiliary Constable Jeremy Saunders was at Sydenham’s Foodland, taking food and cash donations to add to the donations shelved at the Southern Frontenac Community Services Food Bank located at the SFCS Centre at 4419 George St. in Sydenham. Donations from the Sydenham area drive totaled $1700 in food and $260 in cash donations, which Jennifer Linton, chair of the food bank, said will go a long way in assisting families in need in their catchment area. “The response has been wonderful”, she said. “Jeremy asked us beforehand what we were especially in need of - which these days tends to be mainly children’s lunch food items, tinned fish and meats. Parents these days are having trouble finding protein-rich foods to put in for their children’s lunches, with peanut butter being banned in most schools.”

A similar drive took place in Sharbot Lake and Verona for the Sharbot Lake food bank, which raised $1200 in food and cash donations combined. Jeremy wanted to thank all of the students who assisted by making the signs for the event. Thanks to Laurie Adams’ grade1/2 class at St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Harrowsmith, Leslie Smith’s, grade 8 class at Prince Charles Public School in Verona, and Aaron West's grade 5/6 class at Sharbot Lake Public School.