Photo: John McDougall, Paul Pospisil, David Hahn, Miguel Hahn, Dianne Dowling.

The Verona Lions’ 5th Annual Garlic Festival was a smorgasbord of everything garlic as area growers specializing in the beloved bulb offered shoppers a wide range of locally grown varieties and numerous edible products whose number one ingredient is garlic. The event attracts garlic growers from all over the area, who are fast finding a wide customer base at the Verona market, and not surprisingly, many sold out of their stock.

Garlic Guru, Paul Pospisil, editor of the Garlic News of Maberly and founder of the Eastern Ontario Garlic Awards, once again made the awards presentations this year. And once again, the cash awards were sponsored by the National Farmers Union Local 316 and Local Family Farms in Verona, and representatives Dianne Dowling and Kim Perry were on hand to give out both awards to the winners. Brent and Carolyn Smith of Croydonview Farm of Roblin once again took home the second place reserve champion trophy. David and Miguel Hahn of Forest Farm in Godfrey once again won as the overall champions, winning firsts in the overall collection and 12 bulb display categories, and seconds in the braid and best bulb categories.

David Hahn said, “Garlic epitomizes the best that local food has to offer. It is a superior product and it enhances every other local food product that it is added to. This festival is another way that local growers and eaters are putting food, families and farming back into the centre of our lives.” The Hahns have taken the first place award numerous times over the years and Miguel Hahn explained their success this way. “I think that is because we really focus on garlic; it’s our main product and our main priority so we put a lot of time and energy into growing it. We also love it and eat a lot of it and people tend to have the most success with the things that they love. ”

The Hahns also sell their garlic at the Perth Garlic Festival and for the last two years running have sold out of their product on the first day. “The popularity of local garlic is definitely on the rise. Though it’s not essential if you are trying to eat to survive, it definitely makes everything you eat better and if you have a commitment to local food, the health of your family and the community it is something that you will definitely choose.”

by Steve Blight

Black bears live throughout much of Ontario and are relatively common in the northern parts of our area. They prefer forested areas where they are best able to find food, refuge and den sites. Just last week a medium-sized bear crossed in front of me as I was driving along a gravel road not far from Sharbot Lake. No brakes were required since I was going at a leisurely pace and the bear crossed about 20 metres in front of me. I love seeing bears in the wild – but I admit that I was pleased to have layers of thick glass and metal between the bruin and me.

When they are not hibernating, bears spend most of their time looking for food – somewhat like teenage boys. In the summer, bears eat berries such as blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. In the fall, they turn their attention to hazelnuts, mountain ash berries, acorns and beech nuts. While black bears will eat carrion, insects, fish, deer and moose calves, the bulk of their diet is made up of plants. They like to find lots of high energy food – like huge berry patches – that will help them fatten up fast. Their survival and ability to have young depends on them doubling their weight before winter hibernation.

Bears den up in late October or early November, and that is where the adult females give birth if they are carrying young. In January or early February they generally have two or three tiny cubs – weighing about 250 grams (or about ½ pound) each. Bears emerge from their dens in mid-April and begin their endless search for food.

Bears usually avoid humans, but they are attracted to human settlements to get food. They will topple bird feeders, ransack barbecues, raid garbage cans and even try to enter buildings if they think they can get food. When they learn that they can find food where people live, bears will return again and again. Garbage, bird and pet food, and smells like grease and food residue on barbecues attract bears to our homes and cottages.

I was recently at a meeting of bear scientists and managers in Ottawa, and the consensus among the experts was that there is no such thing as a problem bear – only problem human behaviour. Bears can always be expected to be looking for food, and conflicts can very often be prevented if we are willing to make small changes in some of our habits. One bear expert noted that the best thing that has happened in bear management in Canada’s national parks over the past 30 years was the introduction of the metal bear-proof garbage container. This seemingly minor step has drastically reduced the need to destroy bears that become used to human garbage and become safety risks.

Clearly the best way to avoid conflicts with bears is to not attract them to your house or cottage in the first place. The following tips for handling food and food waste around homes and cottages come from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Bear Wise web page

www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Bearwise.Good food management is a great way to help make sure bears and people can continue to share the fields and forests of the Land O’ Lakes for a long time to come.

Put garbage in metal containers that have tight-fitting lids (bear-resistant), and put them out only on the morning of garbage day, not the night before.

If you do not have curbside pick-up, take your garbage to the dump often.

Frequently wash garbage cans and recycling containers and lids with a strong smelling disinfectant.

Fill bird feeders only through the winter months.

Do not leave pet food outdoors.

Avoid landscaping around your house with trees, shrubs or plants that produce food known to attract bears (such as crab apple trees, mountain ash).

Do not put meat, fish or sweet food (including fruit) in your composter.

Pick all ripe fruit from trees and bushes.

Remove grease and food residue from barbecue grills, including the grease cup underneath, after each use.

Send your observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Steve Blight, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please feel free to report any observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Steve Blight at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Photo courtesy of Pat Patricia Ward

Patricia Ward loves nothing more than cooking, and she aims to share her lifelong love with like-minded individuals in the community. Having recently retired from a long career in the high-tech world, Pat has just launched her new cooking school and business, and is offering small classes at her waterfront home on Hambly Lake in Hartington.

Pat spent years as a youngster in her grandmother’s kitchen, watching and helping her grandmother bake. She has since attended various cooking schools and classes in her world-wide travels in North America, North Africa and Europe, and also acquired a Culinary Diploma from Algonquin College in Ottawa in 2010. She is a trained artistic cake designer and decorator, and earlier in her life she baked and sold cakes from her home. She has studied Tex/Mex cooking in San Antonio, Texas, Sicilian cooking in Italy, and has taken numerous courses at the Cordon Bleu school in Ottawa. So it is no wonder that she is making cooking her new focus since retiring. “Some people eat to live whereas I live to eat,” she joked.

Her new business is called Pat's Kitchen, and on August 20 she launched the first of many classes with a session on Thai Cuisine, in which she and five students prepared a full-course Thai meal that included a sweet and sour lemongrass soup, fresh mango salad with a classic Thai dressing, a main course of red curried chicken and a typical Thai dessert made with sticky rice and coconut cream. Following the session, participants sat down to enjoy the meal they prepared and were given the recipes to take home and try in the comfort of their own kitchens.

Pat says that her classes are not just about eating, but cover all one needs to know to add ethnic foods into their regular meal roster at home. “Education is a big part of what I do in my classes - we not only cook but I also teach students about ingredients, where to find them, and how to pick the best. After that we work specifically on the recipes I have chosen for the class and I divide up all of the tasks between the students so that everyone can see first hand how to prepare each item on the menu.”

The prep time can vary from class to class and on Saturday the students spent about two hours preparing the food and another two sitting around the table enjoying it together. “Many people like to go out and enjoy ethnic cuisine in restaurants. I’m aiming to teach cooks how they can prepare the ethnic food that they love right in their own homes.” Pat is offering a number of ethnic food themed courses at her home this fall. On September 8 she is offering a vegetarian sushi class. She says, “Personally, I didn't think that I liked sushi until I was shown by a Japanese chef how to make it. It's incredibly easy to make and is the perfect hors d'oeuvre.”

On Sept. 10 she will be giving a class on making salsa from summer-fresh tomatoes, and on Oct. 1 she will be offering a class on Moroccan cooking, something that is close to her heart and that she has incorporated into her home.

Pat had her kitchen designed specifically to accommodate the cooking school. The open concept log home is perfect for accommodating large groups and the kitchen boasts a 7x6 foot island that provides each student with a comfortable work space. Her Italian Ilve gas stove provides the control needed by professional cooks, and an ample supply of kitchen utensils and a huge sink make her classes easy to participate in and enjoy.

Future classes will include how to prepare a typical roast beef dinner, and there will be a special class on cooking fish and one dedicated to Christmas baking. “These classes are perfect for new young cooks who want to learn how to prepare these basic meals, which can seem overwhelming to those who have never done a lot of cooking before.”

For more information visit www.patskitchen.ca or call her at 613-374-1366.

An infusion of cash for a province-wide initiative to combat homelessness will allow Southern Frontenac Community Services (SFCS) to solidify some programming, provide counseling and make it easier for families facing poverty and housing challenges across Frontenac County to access support programs.

The $20,000 grant is coming from an unusual source, the Greater Simcoe County United Way, which came forward with a Request for Proposal process for homelessness prevention projects throughout the province. SFCS answered the request for Frontenac County, and received the $20,000.

“This funding will greatly improve the ability of SFCSC to deliver our community services, including the applications and processing for programs such as Rent and Utility Banks, Food Security Programs (Good Food Box, Food Bank, and Meals on Wheels), Community Caring Fund and Consolidated Homelessness Prevention Program,” said David Townsend, SFCSC’s Executive Director.

According to Kate Hulton, Family Services Coordinator for the agency, the funds will be used to combat rural homelessness in three key areas:

The Rural Women’s Group, a monthly support group, will be re-instated in August of 2011. This program aims to combat the isolation of rural living and provides support and informative educational sessions on topics such as: mental health, budgeting, healthy eating, parenting, and helping to break the cycle of abusive relationships;

Specific housing pages will be added to the www.sfcsc.ca website, providing timely and accurate housing information for both potential tenants and landlords;

The Hydro LEAP Program (a low-income Energy Assistance Program) will be expanded, making accessing LEAP much easier and effective for SFCSC’s clients.

Ongoing case management from SFCSC’s staff will ensure that recently housed and at-risk households remain housed, preventing further setbacks. Additional services will include the provision of six-months to one-year of follow-up and case management for the agency’s recently housed clients, through advocacy, referrals, assistance with filling out forms, applications, budgeting and other individualized support.

All three project components will be operational by September 1, 2011 and will be ongoing. This funding will provide direct access to more than 200 families each year.

While most of SFCS’ programming is focused on residents of South Frontenac and North Kingston, the homelessness initiative is a county-wide project.

For more information regarding the above services and programs, people can contact Kate Hulton directly at 613-376-6477 ext. 31; Residents living north of Verona in the catchment area of Northern Frontenac Community Services (NFCS) can call 613-279-3150 for a referral.

In other news from SFCS, programming for seniors will begin being delivered at the Grace Centre on August 8, as the agency gradually centralizes its operations in its new home.

 By Devin Gagne-Baldacchin, Grade 8

The students and staff of North Addington Education Centre have been busy bringing in non-perishable food items. The local food bank has been low on food and financial resources are limited, so the elementary students responded with a school-wide food drive during the last week of school.

In total, over 1300 items were brought in and $180.00 was raised. Classroom teachers used various incentives to encourage students to bring in items. The homeroom who brought in the most items (per student) was awarded with a ‘Make Your Own Sundae’ party. Ms. Buck’s class was the winner, bringing in a record-breaking 386 items (14 items per student). The response was so incredible that second and third place also received a sundae party (Mrs. Beeg and Mrs. Hackett’s classes). In addition, many teachers also matched the number of items brought in by students and/or offered to have an ice cream party for the class even if they did not have the most items.

A special thank you goes to Mrs. Hackett’s grade eight class. Taylor Salmond and Cayley Wilson went around to homerooms each morning, collecting, tallying, and unloading the food. Robyn Cornish was responsible for posters. The class helped box the items up, load them in the van, and unload them at the food bank. The class also used 1/3 of their graduating funds (over $100) to purchase non-perishable items. They played an enormous leadership role in the undertaking of this event.

Students were excited to participate and give back to the community. Angela Salmond, the principal, would like to thank the students, their families, and staff for their generosity: "We have shown what wonderful results can come about when we pull together. This is such a good opportunity for students and the fact that we have gathered so much is almost unbelievable".

This time of year is especially low for the food bank, as children are home for the summer. Those wishing to donate items can call 613-391-1408 (leave a message if no answer), and to receive help from the food bank, call Land O’ Lakes Community Services at 613-336-8934.

Photo: some members of Sharbot Lakes Friday Night Ladies group at their January meeting

For over a decade a group of women from the Sharbot Lake area have been gathering regularly on the last Friday of the month in each other’s homes as a way to share fellowship, a sense of community and information gathering.

The meetings were the brain child of Alison Robinson and Susan Wing, who one quiet Friday night in 1998 decided that there was a definite void that needed filling in the community. Hence, the Friday Night Ladies group was born. After a number of phone calls word spread fast and now the group, with over 40 members, has become not only a source for good eating, conversation, and information sharing but also an important means of supporting community projects. Members who attend meetings make a $5 contribution and with 42 members those donations add up. To date the group has donated a total of $8,500 to various community projects.

Former chair Pearl Robinson, who has been in the group since its beginning, said, “Its really amazing how we can get together just once a month and in doing so are able to contribute to the local community in so many different ways.” 

The first project the ladies undertook was in March 1999 to support the Elizabeth Cottage Retirement Home in Kingston, which at that time was in dire need of renovations. That same year after the tragic death of a Sharbot Lake resident on the winter ice, the ladies unanimously decided to aid the local fire department in purchasing the necessary equipment to improve their ability to perform ice rescues. Pearl recalled, “After that tragedy we felt the need for improved ice rescue equipment to increase the safety of residents and of the local fire fighters.” Member Ann Walsh added, ”It was pre-amalgamation so the Sharbot Lake department was on its own and had very little funds available for purchasing equipment.” It was during that time also that the group organized a fundraising dance at Oso Hall, which together with their monthly donations raised close to $2300 for that cause alone.

Former chair Pat Kelman was the member of the group who many years ago strove to encourage the ladies to use cloth grocery bags instead of plastic ones. It was under her direction that the group purchased and then sold over 100 blue cotton cloth bags to members and friends, which they used themselves, hoping to encourage others to follow suit.

Other past donations have been made to a number of other community projects including the Sharbot Lake Community Garden, the Blue Skies Fiddle Orchestra, the Northern School of Art, the Silver Birch Fund Reading Project, the construction of the washroom facilities at Oso Beach and much more.

Members are invited to suggest where in the local community they would like their donations to be directed and current chair Linda West explained, “We are not in the business of accumulating money so members are free at anytime to suggest where our donations can go and we will then discuss it and vote on it.”

The group is admittedly a casual one. At the most recent meeting there was not a single objection to the fact that Treasurer Ann Howitt presented her financial report on a post-it note. In fact the overall feel of the meetings tends to be of one of relaxed sharing and friendly camaraderie. Chair Linda West took time out to read two recent letters addressed to the group thanking them for their most recent donations to the NFCS Food Bank and to the breakfast program at Sharbot Lake Public School. Member Sally Angle, who volunteers with the breakfast program at that school, also answered specific questions about how the program is helping students at the school get enough to eat.

Speaking of food - as is usually the case whenever women gather, food is front and centre and members often bring either a simple snack, or something special they have prepared.

The group is open to all women in and around the community who are looking for a social networking opportunity and members are always also encouraged to bring along a friend who might be interested in joining.

Anyone who would like to join the Friday Night Ladies can contact Linda West at 613-279-2576. The group does not meet in December, June, July or August.

The students of North Addington Education Centre will be suiting up again on Oct. 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 among Flinton, Northbrook, and Cloyne to collect non-perishable food items, instead of trick or treating for candy. The secondary students organized a very successful Trick or Eat campaign last October, and the elementary food drive in June assisted the food bank in stocking its shelves for the summer. The students are not strangers to supporting the community who supports them.

According to participant and grade 11 student Kendra Wilson, “I had so much fun last year that I can't wait to do it again. It also felt really good to go over and fill the shelves at the food bank. It was great to see all of that food!”

We are asking community members to contribute what they can. We will be having three to four students canvassing each community between approximately 5 and 8 p.m. They will be wearing NAEC ID tags and Campbell's soup-can costumes. When you see the soup-cans, you know students are collecting non-perishables! 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. Also, food can be dropped off at NAEC between October 29 and the 31st.

On behalf of students and staff, 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!

By Steve Blight

The American Goldfinch is probably our best-known member of the finch family. Found in our area in all seasons, its “per-chick-o-ree” flight song and undulating flight pattern are good ways to identify this diminutive seed-eating bird. Known by some as wild canaries or thistle birds, they are found throughout much of North America – from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from Mexico all the way north into the southern boreal forest.

Goldfinches are well adapted to human-modified habitat. Their preference for weedy fields, hedgerows and shrubby areas fits perfectly with the settled areas found throughout much of Ontario south of the boreal forest. In the Kingston region, goldfinches have been identified as the 12th most common breeding bird. No significant population increases or decreases have been observed in southern Ontario, but significant increases in goldfinch numbers have been seen in more northerly areas. Overall in Ontario the goldfinch population has been estimated at about 4 million birds!

Goldfinches are considered to have the most seasonally and sexually varied plumage of all the finches. This trait is known as “dimorphism” – the males are brilliant lemon yellow and black during the breeding season, with the females a variable but duller yellow all year round. By late fall the males have lost their bright colours and much more closely resemble the female.

Goldfinches have a couple of breeding characteristics that set them apart from almost all other local birds. First, they are strictly vegetarian. Most birds take in some insect or other animal food at some point in their life cycles, but not the goldfinch. They rely strictly on seeds throughout the year, enjoying those produced by thistles and other similar plants. They are easily attracted to feeders in winter where they will happily take sunflower or nyger seeds.

Their reliance on seeds may have led to the second interesting difference. Unlike so many birds that nest in the spring, goldfinches begin the business of nesting surprisingly late – towards the end of June, with egg laying taking place in July. This timing works out well as the young begin needing large quantities of food at about the time when their favourite food plants are producing seed. In fact active nesting can go as late as into September.

Goldfinch migration is tricky to fully understand. Large flocks of goldfinches have been observed migrating through banding stations in both spring and fall, yet there is always plenty of goldfinch activity left behind throughout the winter. Where the migrants and winter residents originate from is not well known.

Nests are constructed from plant materials and lined with plant down, often from thistles. No wonder they are known as thistle birds – they rely on these coarse but plentiful plants in so many ways. Built by the female alone, the nests are usually found in the terminal forks of small deciduous trees or shrubs such as hawthorns, dogwoods or serviceberries.

Soon it will be time to clean up your feeders and stock them with seeds for the winter. Time to get ready to welcome the thistle birds!

Please feel free to report any observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Steve Blight at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Editorial by Jeff Green

I don’t usually comment on national news stories, but something caught my attention this week. The story about e-coli in beef produced at a single plant in Alberta did not seem to be of local interest at first. Then it came out that the XL plant in Brooks, Alberta, supplies 1/3 of all the beef sold in Canada, and any of our readers who shop at Loblaws or Your Independent Grocers stores might have purchased some of that beef, which sells all across the country.

XL is owned by Nilsonn Brothers Inc., which has its hand in various aspect of the livestock business in Alberta, from feed lot operations, to cattle auctions, to processing. It is a conglomeration of a number of smaller operations that has grown to become a key player in the food supply of the entire country.

Canada has the second largest land mass of any country in the world and a population of 34 million people, and quite apart from being concerned about this particular outbreak of e-coli, the fact that 1/3 of the beef that is sold in the country is from a single plant is pretty staggering.

The knock against local food has been that it is never going to get to the point that it can serve masses of people. It’s fine for the few who have access to farmers and farm gate stores but maybe it is unrealistic as a solution for large populations.

While it is true that local food has its limitations, certainly there is a problem on the other end of the food spectrum, when economies of scale tip towards madness.

To put it another way, how many farms must a truck carrying beef from Brooks, Alberta, pass on its way to PEI?

Certainly there are enough beef producers in Eastern Ontario to feed Eastern Ontario residents, and the scale of the XL recall can easily be seen as an object lesson in how food sovereignty, the guaranteed access to a safe food supply for a given population, is threatened by mega agribusiness.

Opposition politicians are attacking the government for cutting back on food inspections, which is all well and good, but perhaps some thought should be put to governments promoting the development of mid and small-scale agribusiness (that’s a modern way of saying family farms) to serve regional needs.

Photo: Marlene Wheeler of Sharbot Lake and OPP Aux. Const. Mike Scott “stuff the cruiser” in Sharbot Lake

Members of the OPP stuffed their cruisers at three separate locations in South and Central Frontenac in support of local area food banks. In Sharbot Lake, Auxiliary Constables Andrew Mouck and Mike Scott received cash and food donations for the North Frontenac Food Bank, which is run out of Northern Frontenac Community Services. In Verona and Sydenham, donations were taken for the food bank run by Southern Frontenac Community Services. I spoke with North Frontenac Food Bank coordinator Kim Cucoch at the Sharbot Lake location about the importance of the event, which is now in its fourth year. “At this time of year the food banks are in need of absolutely everything. Cash donations are very handy because with them we can buy food in bulk and can get it at really good prices.” That being said, of course all donations of food are also much appreciated and Kim said all of the basic essentials like cereals, soups, and especially protein-rich foods like peanut butter and tuna fish are always welcome.

Kim stressed the fact that the increasing cost of food has put more and more families in need of the local food banks especially with winter coming. “In this area in particular, where many people are seasonally employed, and with the added cost of heating with winter coming, a lot of people and families are put into a tough position that leaves them turning to the food banks to help get them through.”

Anyone who missed the event can call and make a cash or food donation to either local food bank by calling NFCS in Sharbot Lake at 613-279-3151 and SFCSC in Sydenham at 613-376-6477 (toll free at 1-800-763-9610).