May 1, 2018
PEI’s liquor laws in need of overhaul De gustibus non est disputandum. There is no accounting for taste. A common saying when it comes to all kinds of matters of taste: food, politics, religion, fashion, and so much more. So what about alcohol? Or more specifically, liquor laws and their implications? In a country that is on the cusp of…
May 1, 2018
A glimpse at agricultural labour shortages in PEI After meeting with Laurie Loane, executive director of the PEI Agriculture Sector Council, the take-home message was this: labour shortage in agriculture is a complex topic. Family farms without successors, increasing use of automated systems, erratic employment for labourers, and barriers for minority groups to enter the sector are a few of…
May 1, 2018
The International Herb Association has named hops as the herb of 2018 Without hops modern-day beer would be a very different drink. For even the most mild lagers available, brewers still use hops in the recipe. But with the craft brew market still growing and going strong there is a lot more interest in beers that have stronger flavours and…
May 1, 2018
A Fancy Name for Simple Soup Say you have some shells and bones left over after processing your catch and selling the meat to the local swells, what is a poor fisherman to do? Why, create an inexpensive soup that will eventually be one of the pricier broths to end up on any menu all over the world. There are…
May 1, 2018
Taking the free-range philosophy to heart at Saoirse Farms Drive down a side road that is a patchwork of old asphalt, potholes, and frost heaves in eastern PEI for a few bone-jarring kilometres and you will find Saoirse Farms. It’s a chilly but sunny April afternoon when I cautiously make my way to the farm to meet with former NDP…
May 1, 2018
Traps to be set May and June in fourth trial season of integrative pest management for wireworm “The problem is the solution.” Famous words from permaculture guru Bill Mollison. A phrase that sounds paradoxical. Yet, isn’t all great wisdom? In recent years PEI has experienced a growing problem that has cost the potato industry millions. Three introduced species of European…
May 1, 2018
Musings of a cranky chef: “What do you expect?” Sometimes as chefs we want someone else to cook for us, you know: shed the apron, ‘iron our shorts’, and transport ourselves to the other side of the swinging door, where food magically appears on tables. But, where to go? When we cook for ourselves we know what we’re getting into.…
May 1, 2018
PEI farmers discovering Island conditions can be ideal for hops For centuries, hops have been grown and used as medicinal plants as well as a key component in brewing beer. Despite the multitude of craft breweries opening in our region in recent years, farming hops is only now slowly catching on. Currently there are approximately 27 acres of hops being…
April 19, 2018
Finding foods that lessen the after-effects of a night out Cropsick, crapulent, carpenters in the forehead. You’re hungover. How did you get here (again)? The following will in no way help you to answer any line of questioning you may have for yourself on the subject, but it may provide some remedial insight for the oft-underestimated, yet impossible to ignore,…
May 1, 2018
Finding the right garden spot and starting your planting Ok, we’re getting into the warm weather at last. Ahhh, doesn’t it feel just fabulous? Now we can start to really see where our work is going outdoors. In a future article I will get into long term planning, but for now let’s start with gardening goals for this year. A…