Local Connections Halifax - Autumn 2012

Social Profit Spotlight Features on the Centre for

Women in Business and the Black Business Initiative.

15 Years of Beers The two local breweries who put Halifax on the map.

Community Foodies Haligonians who are

Hope Blooms Meet some kids who are changing our world!

Autumn 2012

inspiring us through food.

Still in the family after 35 years.

Just like some of the cars we’ve sold.

Wouldn’t it be nice to get behind the wheel of a Honda in a pressure free, relaxed environment? We’ve proudly served Halifax since 1977, and become known as the dealership of choice for new and used Hondas. The next time you’re in the neighbourhood, stop by. We’ll have a set of keys for you.

Contents Issue Number 3, Volume 1 - Harvest Edition 2012

9 Expert Advice

Regular sections on networking, social media, and taking care of yourself.

16 Getaway Farm

Meet your local butchers from Getaway Farm at the Halifax Seaport Farmer's Market.

20 Hope Blooms

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An inner city urban garden that's changing our world.

34 Local Spirits

Check out our showcase of wines from Nova Scotia.

40 The BIG SWIM

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40

46

A group of locals swim to PEI to raise money for Camp Brigadoons.

46 Dawn of the New School The food truck scene has arrived here in Halifax!

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rAtINAuD.ca

rAtINAuD HFX

Better Choices.

Chief Harvester

Alexander Henden

Executive Farmhand

Brenden Sommerhalder

Contributing Writers

Michelle Brunet, Simon Thibault, Veronica Simmonds, Jacob Boon, Brenden Sommerhalder, RenĂŠe Hartleib, Lindsay Best, Frances Leary, Floria Aghdamimehr, Phil Otto, Jeff Barrett, Sylvain Allaire, Anisa Awad, Alexander Henden

Chief Photographer Riley Smith

Photography

Darren Hubley, Trevor Kennedy, Scott Kirkpatrick, Alexander Henden, Kumi Henden

Illustration

Scott MacDonald

Design & Layout

Popcorn Creative

For All Enquiries, Including Story Ideas, Suggestions, and Advertising

magazine@localconnections.ca

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As far back as I can recall, autumn has always been my favourite season.

There's something special about the combination of cool temperature and the warmth of the leaves changing their colour that just does it for me. In fact, a lot of my favourite childhood memories revolve around this time of year in particular. It's a magical time!

As the years have passed, autumn has taken on new meaning for me.

When I turned 18 and moved out from the rent-free family nest, I began my journey of cooking for myself. It actually took me a long time to get a handle on making good food, but as I slowly started moving away from things like frozen 'chicken' fingers (which wasn't even real chicken) and preservative-heavy packaged foods, I noticed that the quality of the food I was preparing was becoming better and more enjoyable. Of course some of it had to do with new culinary techniques I was learning along the way, but the true secret was in the ingredients I was using. Every season I was going more fresh and more local as I was starting to do more of my grocery shopping at smaller grocers and farmer's markets.

Today I find myself even more passionate, more curious, and more determined when it comes to using good local food. Even when I dine out at restaurants, I find that I am always asking about ingredients. And if there's no local beer or local wine on the menu, or if the coffee being served isn't roasted locally, I never return for a second visit. Why, as a paying consumer, should I have to settle when there is choice?

So in the spirit of making better choices, we are dedicating a good portion of this edition to celebrate the local food movement and the local harvest.

At the end of the day, we are what we eat!

@ConnectionsHFX

Alexander Henden Chief Harvester

There's so many neat things happening in Nova Scotia right now.

So let's take a moment and check some of them out!

Farm Direct, Ethically Purchased Coffee

Earlier in the year, some consumers became confused on the subject of farm direct, ethically purchased coffee, and we'd like to clarify things. The fact of the matter is that a number of local coffee roasters including Just Us!, Java Blend, and Laughing Whale have been purchasing their beans ethically either farm direct or through a certified Fair Trade arrangement, and have been for some time. In Spring we'll be doing a full feature on the subject for you.

GAME ON Halifax!

On Saturday, November 10, the boys in blue and white will be back in action. After a very succesful 2011 campaign, there's a lot of buzz surrounding the team and what might be possible this year. Regardless, taking in a Halifax Rainmen game is great fun, even if you're not really into basketball. It's also a great way to support local!

Local Tasting Tours is wrapping the main part of their first season, and what a season it's been. The tours have emerged as a great and unique way for the general public to experience local cuisine.

There are two main tours, the Waterfront to Barrington tour and the SOMO group tour, the latter of which is ideal for the downtown office crowd or groups who want to share in the indulgence. The tours are reasonably priced and deliver intimate access to Halifax's emerging restaurant scene.

localtastingtours.com

rainmenbasketball.ca

justuscoffee.com javablendcoffee.com laughingwhalecoffee.com

Pete's Goes Gluten-Free

This year, Pete's Frootique launched their Gluten Free Eatery and Coffee Bar at their Dresden Row store, in which they teamed up with Schoolhouse Gluten Free Gourmet and Odell's Gluten Free to deliver deliciously healthy sandwiches, pastries, muffins, soups and salads througout the day.

petesfrootique.com

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Prop'r Cask Nights

A few months ago, Propeller launched Prop'r Cask Nights.

Their formula: to make a one-off keg of craft beer, bring in a local caterer (like Ratinaud, Dee Dee's, Brooklyn Warehouse, etc), and sell a limited amount of tickets. It's a $15 night of magic, but only for those who are top of the 'getting the tickets quickly' game.

facebook.com/propellerbeer

Flippin' Sweet Gourmet Burgers & Fries!

A new burger joint has opened in Clayton Park, and it seems it's just what the neighbourhood needed. The fries are hand-cut using Atlantic Canadian potatoes, and the beef and pork come from Oulton's farm house in Windsor.

The great pricing for burgers and combos is hardly believable considering their attention to quality, but we'll leave the final verdict to you.

flipburger.ca

Hop on the Bus!

Launched in early September for the Nova Scotia Wine Festival, the Magic Winery Bus is an easy way to explore the wine country for a very accessible $10. The tour visits five wineries in Wolfville, and although the seaon ended October 14, we're expecting them to be back for next season.

2012 - 2013 REGULAR SEASON HOME SCHEDULE Saturday

November 10

7:00pm

Saint John Mill Rats

Sunday

November 11

2:00pm

Moncton Miracles

Saturday

November 17

2:00pm

Moncton Miracles

Saturday

November 24

7:00pm

Windsor Express

Sunday

November 25

2:00pm

Summerside Storm

Friday

December 7

7:00pm

Oshawa Power

Saturday

December 8

7:00pm

Saint John Mill Rats

Sunday

December 16

2:00pm

Summerside Storm

Friday

December 21

7:00pm

Summerside Storm

Sunday

December 30

2:00pm

Kebs de Laval

Tuesday

January 1

2:00pm

Saint John Mill Rats

Saturday

January 5

7:00pm

London Lightning

Sunday

January 20

2:00pm

Moncton Miracles

Thursday

January 24

7:00pm

Windsor Express

Sunday

January 27

2:00pm

Summerside Storm

Thursday

January 31

7:00pm

Moncton Miracles

Sunday

February 17

2:00pm

Saint John Mill Rats

Saturday

February 23

7:00pm

Kebs de Laval

Saturday

March 9

7:00pm

Oshawa Power

Tuesday

March 12

7:00pm

London Lightning

nsfallwinefestival.ca/blog/ wolfville-presents-themagic-winery-bus

l halifaxrainmen f HalifaxRainmen

photo: Perry Jackson

2012-2013 Musician-in-Residence

SHIMON WALT

Halifax Networking 2.0 The Cello as Voice French Stylings Thibault Cauvin, Guitar Saturday, November 10, 7:30 pm Fort Massey United Church 5303 Tobin at Queen Street Presented in partnership with Alliance Française.

This young Parisian guitarist is on a North American tour.

Music by Astor Piazzola, Carlos Jobim, Sergio Assad & Billy Strayhorn.

Opera!

Mozart: ‘Così fan tutte’ Jeunesses Musicales of Canada Sunday, December 2, 2:00 pm Lilian Piercey Concert Hall 6199 Chebucto Road Mozart’s famous comic Italian opera about love and seduction, jealousy, trickery & mischief!

A Musician-in-Residence Concert Sunday, January 27, 2:00 pm Lilian Piercey Concert Hall

Shimon Walt, cello Allison Angelo, soprano Diana Torbert, piano Norman Adams, Laszlo Muranyi, Hilary Brown, Benjamin Marmen and Lydia Hanson, cello Supported with a generous donation from Judith Grant.

A program showing the lyricism of the cello through music and movement!

Music by Fauré, Previn, Saint-Saëns, Lennon & McCartney and others.

Ticket Information Bookmark, Spring Garden Road Box Office: (902) 423-0143 e-mail: sccs@ns.aliantzinc.ca Twitter: @Ceciliamusicns For Forte Club, U-Pick subscriptions or individual tickets, visit www.stcecilia.ca or call Box Office

The next generation of networking is coming to Halifax this winter.

Meet Your Local is a new events series that will focus more on the quality of the experience—and the quality of the connections you'll make. We'll create regular events where a limited number of people will get special behind-the -scenes access to some of Halifax's finest locally owned businesses. Our new events page will go live on November 1, 2012.

localconnections.ca/ communityevents

Donate Your Pennies!

The Maritime Heart Center is collecting pennies at various locations throughtout the city to help raise money for their efforts in keeping us healthy. To find drop-off locations, visit:

maritimeheartcenter.ca

BUSINESS + LIVING WELL

ON Networking Lindsay Best

ca.linkedin.com/in/lindsaybest

l @lindsaybestbiz

T

he beautiful Annapolis Valley is a taste of true country about an hour away from our vibrant city. This is the place I call home, and I often reflect upon memories of my favorite season there: autumn. The crisp air, the colorful landscape and the bountiful harvest remind me what it is like to truly reap the rewards of your hard work. But we're not all farmers and fishermen, so how does this translate into our daily lives?

I'm in the business of people: working with people, for people, and building relationships to foster growth in our community. Like any crop, people often reveal their true value only after you have invested your time and hard work.

Many people enter the fall season with renewed gusto from a few extra days enjoyed in the summer sun and are ready to get down to business. If this is your "busy time of year", then full speed ahead. For those of us who rely on networking and relationship building to generate business, fall is a great time to reap what you sow.

Reconnect with your contacts this fall and let them know what's new, briefly explain what you are looking for (referrals, leads) and make it clear what you can offer

and what you want from them.

Keep the correspondence brief, pleasant and honest.

Putting yourself in the forefront of peoples' minds will result in increased word of mouth about you and your business. Task your network and get them working for you by being as explicit as possible. Your connections are busy people, and you want to be sure that you are part of their conversations. Over the next few months as people reconnect with their own networks, you should see an increase in business as

word of mouth works its magic.

I'd highly recommend coupling this initiative with a marketing campaign (offering something special to new clients) or a referral incentive (offering something extra to existing clients). Simply asking for a referral is not as easy as it sounds; especially considering the number of the people you will be connecting with during the busy fall season.

Take the time to plan out your marketing initiatives and have another set of eyes review your work. â–ˆ

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Andre Livingston Halifax Rainmen Halifax, Nova Scotia www.rainmenbasketball.ca

Jason Vaillancourt and Robert Loppie The Bin Doctor Ltd.

Darla Johnston SLIC LASER Inc. Sackville, Nova Scotia www.sliconline.com

(Consumer Recycling Products) Dartmouth, Nova Scotia www.bindoctor.com

Garnet Wright Stone Gallery Halifax, Nova Scotia www.stonegallery.ca

Putting a Name to the Faces of Business Success Barbara Miller Manning GenieKnows Inc.

Cynthia and Cassandra Dorrington Vale & Associates Inc.

(Online Advertising/IT) Halifax, Nova Scotia www.yellowee.com

(HR Strategic Consulting) Halifax, Nova Scotia www.valeassociates.ca

Glen Carvery Carvery’s Construction Ltd. Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Dr. Abdullah K. Kirumira BioMedica Diagnostics Inc. Windsor, Nova Scotia www.biomedicadiagnostics.com

Proudly brought to you by:

BUSINESS + LIVING WELL

YOUR

CommunityOnline Frances Leary linkedin.com/in/francesleary

“

T

he law of harvest is to reap more than you sow.

Sow an act, and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny.”

–James Allen Autumn is here, and with it comes the harvest, a time to reap the rewards of the efforts we have put forth all year. We have cultivated the land, planted our seeds, fertilized them, watered them and eliminated weeds and other threats that might cause harm.

Now, we gather berries from wild bushes, pick apples from their trees, carefully select pumpkins ripe for carving into jack-o-lanterns and harvest the multitude of crops that have been planted across the region.

In the years of our forefathers, that would be all for another year. With the advancement of technology, however, the cycle of planting and harvesting can now be repeated in various ways and locations throughout the year.

This is much as it is with social media. It’s not a one-time event but a continual process that generates the deep and meaningful results that can come with connecting online.

First, we must cultivate the

l @francesleary

ground. We set up what is necessary to engage. We create our Facebook and Google+ pages, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles, Pinterest boards and more. We add pictures, descriptions about ourselves and website links.

Do we leave it at that? Certainly not. Cultivating alone does nothing.

So, we plant. We join groups, add friends, create circles, follow, like, connect. We post content that offers value to our fans and followers.

Then we sit back and wait for our return on investment. Right?

Not hardly!

Without tending to the seeds we have planted, many if not all will die, and then it will all have been for naught.

So, we engage. This, truly, is where the magic happens. We

send messages to our friends.

We respond to people’s posts. We comment. We like. We favourite. We reply. We retweet. We +1. And we keep doing it…over and over again.

Then, after many months of engaging, our harvest comes in the form of true friends, new business partners, loyal customers and more.

And that is just the beginning.

As new online platforms emerge, we cultivate them. We continuously plant new seeds as we make more connections, and we consistently tend to our garden as we engage. As we do, each harvest becomes more bountiful, and the rewards are truly limitless.

Through social networking we do, indeed, sow our character.

And now…our destiny awaits. █

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Hillcrest Volkswagen.

Family Driven Since 1979.

BUSINESS + LIVING WELL

TIME to Live Well

Floria Aghdamimehr ca.linkedin.com/in/floriawellnessconsultant

A

utumn is the season for transition and to harvest the fruits of seeds sewn. It is a time when local produce is in abundance to enjoy. Although I'm not known for my green thumb, my friends are kind to share their fresh fruits and vegetables, and I also visit various U-picks. It is an experience I have cherished for the last 25 years, and one that is also relaxing, too. In the autumn I also tend to be more philosophical, drawing analogies between nature and my work.

My work focuses on looking

after our bodies, minds and spirits to enrich our lives today, tomorrow and for years to come. The struggle to eat more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and to drink more water can be a challenging one. It takes commitment to plan and prepare healthy foods and say no to processed foods.

The effort it can take to eat well and lead a healthy life may sometimes feel discouraging, or it may feel that it takes too much time, or that you don’t want to cook. But oh, the sweetness of success!

The energy that freshly prepared food provides is incredible and can lead to years of good health. And water is not only required for farmers and the soil, but it is also crucial for our bodies.

Like a seed needs proper care, water, nourishments, fertilizer, weeding, sun, and fertile soil, we too need to look after ourselves with care and attention. Eating the right foods, getting adequate sleep, being physically active, paying attention to relationships, taking nothing for granted, meditating, laughing often, giving back to community, and helping others including those you don’t know are a great recipe for whole life health for years to come.

I assure you, if you treat yourself well today you will reap the benefits for years and years to come. No farmer would have wonderful crops that are sweet, juicy, tender, flavourful, nutritious, crunchy, tasty, and healthy without the right conditions. We are no different, and careful, consistent attention seasoned with lots of TLC will add years to your life, and zest to those years!! █

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Brooklyn Warehouse

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Article: Simon Thibault Photo: Riley Smith

YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD FOOD GUYS On September 18th, 2012, Brooklyn Warehouse turned five years old.

Leo and George Christakos, the father-son team that started it all, couldn’t be happier.

“Our original plan was to create a neighbourhood café here,” says George about the Windsor and Almon eatery. Not long after opening, customers soon started to come in at night looking for something to eat. The duo quickly decided to change the focus of the eatery, and Brooklyn Warehouse was on its way to becoming part of the fabric of the area. “People in this neighbourhood wanted a neighbourhood eatery, so we just listened” When it comes to operating a restaurant, the art of listening is key. You have to listen to your customers and your staff, but you also have to listen to what’s happening in the world of dining. “The opulent fine dining culture of five or ten years ago is sort of done,” argues the younger Christakos.

“What you’re seeing now is a back to basics approach, supporting local food and rediscovering agriculture from your area.”

But you also have to listen to yourself. The entrepreneurial Christakos recently opened up Ace Burger, located inside Gus’ Pub as a tasty takeout burger joint. “Ace Burger was the opportunity to do something simple,” says George. Leo and George had been looking all over the north end of the city looking for a location for a couple years when they were able to broker a deal with the owners of Gus’.

At the end of the day, George and Leo Still just want to feed people food that they believe in. “We want to nurture relationships, just like any restaurant should,” says George. “If a friend comes in and orders a burger or a pork chop, we want that meal to end where we ask, ‘What did you think’ and they say, ‘That was the best I ever had’. And then we’re on our way. So maybe the next time, they may ask us to pick what they should eat,” trusting in Brooklyn Warehouse's high standard of quality. George recognises that not all of his customers are like this—nor should they all be, he asserts—but he does want others to see that he and his crew are confident in what they put on their patrons' plates, and hopefully create even stronger ties with the people who support them.

For the guys from Brooklyn Warehouse and Ace Burger, building stronger ties means fostering a culture of local institutions. “We’re a neighbourhood,” says George. “I want to know how we can put ourselves into the fabric of this neighbourhood so that as it’s evolving, it’s supported by the neighbourhood for an indefinite amount of time.” █

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Article: Simon Thibault Photo: Riley Smith

Chris deWaal & Ben Andrews

THE MEAT DUO FROM GETAWAY FARM Chris deWaal and Ben Andrews have nothing to hide. Not even the carcasses in the fridge.

In 2011, deWaal opened Getaway Meat Mongers at the Seaport Market.

His family owns and operates Getaway Farm—a small scale grass-fed cattle farm up in the Annapolis Valley—one of the main sources for his shops' meats. As for Andrews, he had apprenticed for three years in his native New Zealand as a butcher and has been working in his trade for the past ten years. The result of their combined forces is a match made of meat matrimony.

"One of our core values is working off whole carcasses so as to operate as sustainably as possible," says deWaal. "To be truly sustainable, you need to use every pound of that carcass that you can. Waste not want not."

As for Andrews, using whole carcasses isn't only about sustainabilty, but also visibility. "We deal only in whole animals because some people have lost the connection where food comes from," he says. "When we have a carcass hanging in the shop, those people look at us in disgust." But Andrews isn't out to preach, he just believes that food should be done in an honest fashion. "We don't hide the process," he says.

Keeping the process open for all to see is a pratice that deWaal believes benefits everyone, both customers and owners alike. "The fact of the matter is, few of us these days have ever had the privilege of developing a relationship with a local butcher or butcher shop," he says. "Someone will tentatively ask if Ben would cut them a roast, or he will offer to cut something unique like a rouladen and peoples' eyes light up. It suddenly dawns on them that this is a place that exists to serve them in their adventures with food."

It's not only just a select few who are asking for specific cuts or preparations of meats. "The demand for local, ethical meat is spreading beyond every demographic boundary," deWaal points out. "At any given time on a busy Saturday, our lineup will consist of young families, hipsters, downtown professionals, soccer moms, students, retired folks and everyone in between. This isn't just a fad or a trend. It's the spreading of a grassroots movement that is beginning to put pressure on our industrial food supply to change." █

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Article: Simon Thibault Photo: Riley Smith

Jenna Mooers & Jane Wright FOR THE LOVE OF GOOD FOOD

It took a hurricane for Dorothy to discover the wonders of Oz, and it took a hurricane for Haligonians to discover the wonders of jane’s on the common.

In March of 2003, after eighteen years of working for other people, Jane Wright decided that enough was enough. Five months later on September 1st, jane’s on the common opened its doors for the first time. Just a few weeks later, Hurricane Juan rocked Halifax. But what looked like a horrible omen turned out to be a boon for the new restaurant.

A few days after it hit, hurricane Juan had left thousands of Haligonians without electricity—but somehow jane’s had power. And coffee. And food. The little resto that shouldn’t was on its way to becoming a neighbourhood institution.

“I wanted to open a restaurant in my own neighbourhood,” explains Wright.

“A warm, welcoming place where people could get breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Sustenance. I always think of us as being about sustenance, not dining.”

Hurricanes notwithstanding, very few people thought that a restaurant by the Halifax Common was a good idea. Wright reminisces about how the empty parking lot across the street become an apartment complex and a disregarded neighbourhood became a destination point for food lovers.

Like the neighbourhood, Jane has changed as well. “I now have grey hair,” she jokes. “I have a rotator cuff injury from wiping tables in a circular motion. This work completely offset my potential for carpal tunnel in my old job.”

Wright doesn’t have to worry about rotator cuff injuries for much longer.

The much-loved restaurant is closing its doors on the evening of December 31st, after one final meal. Three years ago, Wright realised that she wanted to have her own space, one that she owned rather than rented. So she set off looking for one, and found it on Gottingen Street. That space is now the nerve centre for Jane’s Catering and Events, as well as a kitchen for the frozen foods that she sells at jane’s to go and Pete’s Frootique. It is also the home of Jane’s next project, one she is undertaking with her daughter, Jenna Mooers.

The as-of-yet unnamed restaurant is still in the planning stages, but Mooers is focused. “My mother instilled in my sister and me a love of food and taught us to find joy in it”, says Mooers. Mooers worked as a restaurant manager in Montreal before returning to Halifax for this new venture. “It’s going to be a bit different from jane’s” says Mooers, “but with the same dedication to fresh, local and consistency—yet with a bit of twist. This is the new generation.” █

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COVER FEATURE

Article: Michelle Brunet Photos: Riley Smith

Meet some kids who are changing our world!

C

ommunity involvement, empowerment, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and respect— these terms read like a best-practices list for strengthening neighbourhoods. They also describe a project from north end Halifax: Hope Blooms.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change,” says Jessie Jollymore, a registered dietician at the North End Community Health Centre, reciting a statement she came across as a teen. It symbolizes the vision she had when she started Hope Blooms in 2007, and it has also become the group’s motto.

Hope Blooms consists of the North End Community Garden located in Warrington Park on Brunswick Street, a greenhouse, a salad dressing business, and a growing number of intelligent and driven youth. In the last five years, the group has grown to 42 members between the ages of 6 and 14.

“A lot of people look at the inner city and say, ‘I’m going to hand out suppers at Hope Cottage or hand out coats' and feel good about that,” says Jollymore. “But, there is not a lot around that encourages grassroots empowerment. There are people are fighting for policy

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change, but what can we do ourselves?”

Next to the youth garden of pumpkins, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes, strawberries, chard, peppers, lettuce, cabbage, watermelon, and herbs, there are 26 plots allocated to families living in the area as well as three to non-profit organizations.

There is still great demand from the community for gardening space.

“Harvesting and taking care of the plants is actually fun,” says 12-year old Karen. “I really like cucumbers and strawberries. And this year, lucky for us, we have strawberries and they’re so sweet!”

“We get to go to all kinds of places and see different things that most kids don’t get to see,” adds 13-year old Craig. He says that the group has visited farms outside the city and learned many gardening techniques, including the fact that each vegetable and fruit has its own planting and harvesting schedule.

From April to October, Hope Blooms organizes two garden days per week, but a number of the youth come every day to care for their plots. The youth share their harvests with the community and bring some home to their families; they also sell produce at their “own

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CANADIAN YOUTH BUSINESS FOUNDATION

designed farmers’ markets” and use the herbs they grew to make their salad dressings.

Jollymore says the kids and teens take pride in their business and work very hard, coming in Thursday evenings to make the dressings and going to the farmers’ market at 7am on Saturdays to sell. “So many people, when we first started going to the market, would say, ‘Oh that’s such a cute idea’ or ‘Oh look at the kids fundraising.’ And the kids would say, ‘We’re not fundraising. This is our company!'” says Jollymore.

Jollymore and Sarina Piercy, the garden’s coordinator, have noticed that not only have the greens and legumes bloomed—the youths' confidence has also blossomed.

“It’s so much more than a garden. I think the garden provides, to use a metaphor, the seeds, and it allows kids with so many different interests and personalities to come together for a common goal,” shares Piercy. “As they’re growing food they themselves are growing”.

Thirteen-year old Bocarwade says he joined Hope Blooms two years ago because it “felt like family”. He says, “I learned that doing stuff together is better than doing stuff by yourself. I like that everyone is equal”.

The youth are empowered to make all the decisions for their garden and business. Jollymore says their creativity and brilliance are inspiring, especially because they have not yet developed those “blinders” that adults tend to have. “You know the saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child?’ Well sometimes it takes the children to raise a village,” expresses Jollymore.

The Hope Blooms children have indeed engaged their village. They have recently begun holding monthly community suppers where up to 45 people are served

CYBFAtlantic @CYBFAtlantic

Sarina Piercy working in the garden.

COVER FEATURE

a three-course meal. They also hold musical events, barbecues and cooking workshops allowing for crosscultural and intergenerational exchange.

Jollymore says they would love to continue holding such events, as well as using ingredients from the garden to make soups for seniors and baby food for moms in need. “We want to expand this program so that the at-risk-youth can become mentors to new gardeners,” wrote Jollymore in a recent grant proposal.

“There is a large older adult (senior) population in this inner city community, many of them dealing with food insecurity. The youth can help them grow their own vegetables and maintain their plots.”

Hope Blooms has many reasons to be optimistic about the program’s future. Just this past June, the group won a $1,000 grant from the Awesome Halifax Foundation, and used their winnings to host a community barbecue.

At the event, the neighbourhood was treated to a menu

consisting of Hope Blooms’ produce, along with fare provided by Propeller Brewery, Getaway Farms, Ben's Bakery and Farmer's Dairy.

Hope Blooms will continue to raise funds and form partnerships in order to increase the number of youth who can participate, and also the range of services that can be offered to the community. There is currently a long waiting list for garden space, along with boundless energy beaming from the Hope Blooms kids. Naturally, there is much more hope yet to blossom! █

If this story speaks to you, speak to the Hope Blooms team. Contact Jessie Jollymore at (902)225-9729 or jjollymore@nechc.com.

▲ GROUP PHOTO CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Ben Andrews, Mark Gray, Joel Flewelling, Geir Simensen, Denis Johnston, Dereck Johnson, Paolo Colbertaldo, Sean Gallagher,George Christakos, Jessie Gillis, Fred Connors, Mamadou, Frederic Tandy

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L O C A L C O N N E C T I O N S H A L I FA X | A u t u m n 2 0 1 2

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Years of B E E R S

Article: Brenden Sommerhalder Photos: Alexander Henden

Garrison and Propeller Celebrate a Decade and a Half

I

magine a Halifax where you couldn’t find local craft beer on tap outside of a couple small brew pubs, no matter how you tried. For those few that were craft beer drinkers in Halifax fifteen years ago, they don’t have to imagine. They only have to remember.

It was fifteen years ago that Garrison and Propeller breweries—now stalwarts in the Halifax beer scene— opened their doors and began to transform an industry.

“Fifteen years ago, bars had draught. Just draught.

They may not have known what it was themselves,” recalls John Allen, owner of Propeller Brewery. “It was just poured by air, and a guy would sit there with the tap open and pour a tray of draught, and a lady would walk around and sell draught. And that's just what you'd get—a draught. Well,

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actually you'd get two, because you didn't want to waste the guy's time.”

Brian Titus, long-time craft beer drinker and owner of Garrison Brewery, remembers it similarly. "If you think it was tough for us to get started in brewing, think of how tough it was for someone who liked to experiment with craft beer to get it,” remembers Titus.

“It just wasn't there, so how frustrating was that."

It was a combination of this frustration and good business sense that led Titus and Allen to jump into the craft beer brewing business. As a diving officer with the military, Titus traveled across Canada and internationally. “As much as I love the Maritimes,” recalls Titus, “it was very frustrating to come back and be offered a Keith's or nothing else. It just didn't make sense.” Working in film, Allen also traveled the world, and both men recall having experienced thriving local craft beer cultures in other places, and knew that the same was possible for Halifax—and if they didn’t act soon, they could lose an opportunity.

“You could see the renaissance of craft beer beginning in the west and in the US, and creeping slowly across the country. It was a matter of time - somebody had to shake things up out here or we'd be overtaken by outside craft beers,” explains Titus. “I love sampling beers from other areas, but it would be unfortunate if we couldn't come up with our own versions of beer, both to enjoy and to offer.

You want people to come here to try our beer too, because we sure as hell love to go over there and try their beer.”

Look ahead to present day and Halifax has a thriving local craft beer culture, and if one bar or restaurant doesn’t serve a “real” IPA on tap, you just need to move to the bar next door to find one.

But getting the Halifax bar scene to that point wasn’t

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easy, and it didn’t happen overnight. Although Allen and Titus are both quick to point out that they were not the first craft brewers in Halifax, they do admit to having helped lay the groundwork for the craft beer scene that Halifax enjoys today.

“Training the bars and convincing bar owners to carry craft beer was harder than convincing people to try it,” says Allen. “You couldn't take samples into the bars so you had to convince [bar owners] to come and try it, then show them the sales package and talk price points. On top of that, most of them only had anywhere from one to four draught lines.”

“Literally, there were only one or two draught beers in any given restaurant,” agrees Titus, “and they were already taken up by the major breweries. We had to work with the local restaurants to try to find ways, both by using small kegs, and by doing installations ourselves and converting equipment over, so that a restaurant that could only run two kegs could now run four kegs.

That's how we had to get those places to give us a shot.”

“A lot of it was convincing bar owners that variety is the future,” adds Allen. And the future would prove them right.

Allen recalls 2006 as a defining year in the Halifax craft beer industry. "In 2006, something changed. Something exploded. I remember that year - it was the same year we opened our storefront on Gottingen. But this boom happened before we opened our storefront. I don't know what changed about the market, but that year I think we were up fifteen percent when previously we had been growing at about four or five percent per year. And every year since then we've seen double digit growth.”

Today, both breweries are experiencing double digit annual growth and their beers are being poured in over a hundred bars and restaurants. Through a mixture of hard work and determination, along with exceptional customer service, consistently excellent beer, and proud local citizenship, Propeller and Garrison breweries have helped to develop a generation of craft beer enthusiasts, and they are eager to share Halifax with other

craft brewers.

“Now we have people walking in constantly, and they'll have a Propeller, maybe a Picaroons, and a Garrison growler, and we will gladly fill all three,” explains Titus. “Because ultimately, that person is about craft beer. They will appreciate what we do because we make good craft beer, as opposed to, ‘Oh, I only like Garrison and I don't like that other stuff.’ That's not what we're trying to encourage. All of the craft brewers are busy, and that's a great sign."

The sense of partnership among craft breweries in the region has culminated in the newly-formed Atlantic Craft Brewers Association, which will allow craft breweries to speak with a common voice when dealing with industry players such as the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission. “It’s basically a united voice,” says Allen. “When we work together, we start to make waves,” adds Titus.

Titus and Allen are both happy with how far their breweries and the local craft beer industry have come, and are excited about what the future of craft beer in Halifax holds. "Canadian trends tend to lag about two or three years behind the US, and their craft beer market is still growing like crazy, so we're feeling good about that.

There's an awful lot of room to grow,” says Allen.

So just what has been the effect of fifteen years of accessible, quality local craft beers in Halifax?

“You have so many great craft beer choices in Halifax now,” asserts Titus, “that you have no reason to drink bad or boring beer. No reason whatsoever.” █

You can connect with Garrison or Propeller at: garrisonbrewing.com & drinkpropeller.ca

COMMUNITY HARVEST

Noggins Farm at Alderney

Article: Brenden Sommerhalder Photo: Riley Smith

FRESH, LOCAL FOOD RIGHT BY THE FERRY TERMINAL

I

f you have purchased fruits or vegetables at Alderney Landing on your way home from work lately, chances are that you included Greenwich, Nova Scotia in your dinner plans that evening—and you can thank Noggins for helping you to add that local flair to your meal. With farm land in Greenwich (just outside of Wolfville), Noggins has been supplying the city with locally-grown products for years.

“I started coming to Halifax early in the summer of 2009,” explains Noggins Farms’ Ian O’ Brien, who got his start in the Halifax farmers market scene contributing to the Queen Elizabeth II Partners for Care efforts by supplying produce to the Health Sciences Centre through kiosks. During the fall of that same year, Noggins also started setting up temporary shop in Alderney Landing, first only on Saturdays, and then also on Wednesdays.

Business was going well for Noggins Farms (which, by 2011, was also selling produce at the Seaport Market), but it still wasn’t quite what O’Brien had in mind. “I’ve always had a vision,” says O’Brien, “I love working in the fields, planting, picking, and packing. But I wanted to be able to have my own market to be able provide the wealth of fresh produce that the valley has to offer to more people. I knew that the product is there and the demand is there, so I guess it was always about timing.”

Luckily, timing worked out for O’Brien and Noggins Farms. The commercial space that O’Brien sold outside of on Wednesdays and Sundays at Alderney Landing unexpectedly became available. “I never thought anything of it,” aside from reflecting on the loss of the

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deli that used to occupy that space, admits O’Brien, until a couple of days later. “I had a brain wave on a drive to Moncton. I thought, maybe I should apply to take over that space? Over the past couple of years people have been telling me it would be nice if I could be here on a more permanent basis, so I thought that I should go for it.”

Noggins Corner Farm Market ended up reaching a deal with Alderney Landing, and by August 1, 2012, Alderney Landing had its first permanent local produce retailer. Looking back on the decision, O’Brien calls it a no-brainer. “I’ve always had a loyal, positive customer base in Dartmouth, and they appreciate the consistent quality of the product that I provide. Being here all year round also provides customers with convenience,” whereas other vendors tend to be seasonal.

For O’Brien, Dartmouth was exactly the right place to get a start in running a permanent local food shop in the city. “It feels great being part of the Dartmouth waterfront, it’s feeling very positive,” says O’Brien. “I feel like the potential to grow here in Dartmouth is huge.

With the downtown Dartmouth rebranding, the new developments, the variety of shops already in Alderney Landing, and the variety of people that use Alderney Landing as a transportation hub, this is an active and exciting place to be selling local food.” █

You can connect with Noggins Corner Farm Market at the sore or online: nogginsfarm.ca

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Fresh Local Fish GETTING IT STRAIGHT FROM THE FISHERMAN

T

he fall season of Off the Hook is underway, offering the freshest, locally sourced fish to hungry Haligonians.

Started in 2010 through the Ecology Action Centre, Off the Hook is a community-supported fishery that allows subscribing customers to pay for a share in seasonal weekly catches of fish like haddock and hake.

"What Off the Hook does is allow fishermen to set a fair price, which is the biggest obstacle small fishermen face," says project manager Dave Adler.

The idea has drawn high praise, including placing third in the global Turning the Tide for Coastal Fisheries Solution competition held by National Geographic, and even being "liked" by David Suzuki on his official Facebook page. But Off the Hook really succeeds locally.

"It gives fishermen a direct connection to consumers, and people eating their fish,” says Adler, “which is really important, literally just to be thanked by the people who eat what they caught."

"For the consumers," he adds, "they get to know how it was caught, where it was caught and who caught it."

Customers get the highest quality product, while fishermen receive more income and an increased ownership in their livelihood. It's win-win for everyone.

Except maybe the fish. . █

To get 'hooked up' with fisherman direct goodies from Off the Hook, visit: offthehookcsf.ca

Article: Jacob Boon

Saturdays 7am - 4pm Sundays 8am - 4pm Weekdays 8am - 5pm

let’s get fresh and local...

COMMUNITY HARVEST

Urban Chickens

Article & Photo: Alexander Henden

AND THE FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO HAVE THEM

T

o some people, the idea of having chickens in the city may come across as silly, and in the context of how most of us live in the 21st century, that's understandable. As a society, we've come to view chickens as cartoonish creatures that we might see in a petting zoo. The unfortunate implications this has had for policy is an example of how we have allowed ourselves to become detached from our food system.

To most, food is something bought in a grocery store, meaning that as consumers we have come to hold very little control over how our food is produced. The importance of food security has never been greater.

Fortunately, there are signs of progress. A growing number of people are beginning to demand to know where their food comes from, how the animals are being treated, and whether the food is safe. People are concerned about the amount of fossil fuel that is used to produce and transport food, which is sometimes coming from the opposite end of the globe. The past approximately 50 years have contributed to a weakening of food security, and more people are beginning to take note.

Locally, there is still a long way to go. Back in February, 2010, a group (who identify themselves simply as the Halifax Chickens group) pushed for policy change to allow residents to keep chickens in urban areas. They were met with the resistance to change at City Hall that has become unfortunately characteristic. Consider this: New York City, Oakland, San Francisco, Houston,

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Chicago, Seattle, and Portland are all currently chickenfriendly, making them as progressively-minded as they are densely populated. On our side of the border, Niagara Falls, Brampton, Guelph, Vancouver, Victoria, and Surrey all support urban chickens, and many other Canadian cities are making moves in this direction.

Back in 2010, a Moncton group called Post Carbon Greater Moncton partnered with the City of Moncton to conduct a pilot project called the Urban Experimental Farm. The program measured everything from operating costs to impacts on the neighbourhood, including noise level, odour levels, and whether urban farming activity attracted predators to the area. A temporary permit to maintain urban farms was issued for the year-long pilot project.

The results were very favourable, concluding that there was no reason why the city shouldn't permit urban farming on a permanent basis.

The next step for Moncton is to look at the appropriate regulatory framework necessary to make the keeping of urban chickens a possibility. If Haligonians don't want to live in the last city to support urban chicken keeping, we have to push for change together.

When will City Hall support citizens in regaining some control over our food? â–ˆ

To get involved, visit the Halifax Chickens Group on Facebook!

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Outdoor Pizza DARTMOUTH'S NEW COMMUNITY OVEN

I

t started in 2011 when Dartmouth resident Jeff Overmars—motivated by the idea of bringing "something awesome" he had discovered while living in Toronto to his new home in Dartmouth—pitched a project to his district councillor. That "something awesome" is a wood-fired community oven.

Fast forward to October, 2012, and the Park Avenue Community Oven (PACO) has been constructed by Gena Arthur and her Eco Developments team. There is now a core group of volunteers from the community who are looking at taking the next step in establishing a leadership group that will continue to work on all the necessary pieces needed to make the oven a socially prosperous, sustainable project for the community.

What happens over the next few months will be key.

There are a lot of people in the community who have the skills and leadership abilities needed to help this project thrive, and it would seem that now is the time for them to get off the fence and demonstrate the pride for their community they so often speak of.

There's a lot of work ahead, but with the right people working together this can be something that people from Darmouth can proudly claim as theirs, and with a little luck, maybe they'll invite the rest of us over for a pizza party every once in a while. █

To find out how you can get involved with this group, email: paco@parkoven.ca

October 17th - 31st

Final Vinyl New Art on Old Records The Craig Gallery

November 28th - December 19th

Christkindlmarket FREE TO ATTEND Traditional German Market

November 30th - December 2nd

The Heist Before

CHRISTMAS

DINNER THEATRE De c e mbe r 13 th - 2 2 n d For a detailed listing of all Craig Gallery, Market, Theatre and Other Events, visit www.alderneylanding.com or to Book Tickets call (902) 461-8401

LOCAL FOOD HOTSPOTS

Edible Matters T

Article: Jacob Boon Photos: Alexander Henden

EPICUREAN DELIGHTS IN HAMMONDS PLAINS

here are not many restaurants on this largely sparse stretch of Hammonds Plains Road, but that's not the only reason Edible Matters stands out so sharply.

A creative combination of café, restaurant and farmers market, Edible Matters is the concoction from chefs James MacAulay and Chris Burton. MacAulay spent the last 18 years working in British Columbia, and Burton moved to Nova Scotia in 2003 to operate his own catering company. Together, they have spent the past ten months working with partners Ed and Matthew Webber to build the location and philosophy behind Edible Matters. Their efforts appear to be paying off.

"It starts with a late lunch," says MacAulay of the typical Sunday rush, "which is probably the churchgoing crowd."

Customers pouring through Edible Matters' doors can browse the upscale market that offers house-made specialities like salted caramel sauce and yellow tomato vinaigrette. There are also tasty items like Oulton's Farm meatballs and Pelley Foods' steaks. All local, all natural, and all delicious.

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A level below, the talented team in the kitchen zip back and forth preparing the day's lunch specials, including a BBQ duck sandwich with cilantro oil and a marinated melon salad with feta and cumin honey.

The kitchen is viewable through several large windows, allowing diners a start-to-finish view of their meals from a dining area whose skylights and dark woods exude a handcrafted feel.

It's a familiar yet innovative experience that is only part of the scene Edible Matters is pioneering.

Though only open since late June, staff have built a groundswell of support through Facebook and other social media platforms.

MacAulay says that's the sort of interaction that will be integral to the business's growth. More than a café or restaurant, Edible Matters is a crossroads where families, farmers and chefs can enjoy a new kind of food community. █

For more information about Edible Matters, visit: ediblematters.com

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Pavia Gallery I

Article & Photos: Alexander Henden

L O C A L G E TA WAY I N H E R R I N G C O V E

f you live close to downtown Halifax, it's just a quick, scenic, ten-minute drive along Purcells Cove Road before you end up at a T-intersection facing Pavia Gallery Espresso Bar & CafĂŠ. Once there you'll have reached a neat little getaway that I've come to consider one of HRM's finest hidden treasures. As the name suggests, Pavia is an art gallery, but it's also a terrific spot for a cappuccino, a panini sandwich, some Dee Dee's ice cream, or even some wonderful chocolates or pastries. Food aside, the space itself is the perfect tonic for the local traveler in need of a relaxing retreat. The space is brightly lit and has a way of recharging even the most tired soul. The ever changing gallery exihibits add to the experience, leaving patrons feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world.

Of course, if the gallery space isn't relaxing enough, you also have the option of going upstairs to Ocean Breeze Health & Wellness Centre, which is a destination for your complete spa, aesthetics and registered massage therapy treatments. I've yet to do this myself, but the plan is to endulge fairly soon. In fact, I'm thinking about making an appointment right now!

Regardless, Pavia Gallery has become a regular stop for me, and one that I would recommend to anyone who hasn't yet discovered it. â–ˆ

Fresh,Local

Fusion Cuisine Located on Argyle Street beside City Hall.

N O M A D G O U R M E T. C A

l nomadgourmet f nomadgourmetinc

Always fresh, Always local.

For more information about Pavia Gallery and Espresso Bar, visit: paviagallery.com

5883 Spring Garden Road www.saege.ca

you deserve to eat well.

There's an abundance of delicious and locally made food stuffs available at select grocers and local retailers. Here's a few tasty examples.

Jarred Preserves ▶

◀ Handmade Sauces

More well-known as a local butcher, the Highland Drive Storehouse in the Hydrostone also produces a number of jarred preserves. highlanddrive.ca

Edible matters of Hammonds Plains sells many types of sauces and jarred preserves from their location on 1345 Hammonds Plains Road. ediblematters.com

◀ Cooking Essentials Along with the rilettes, pâtés, sausages, cured meats, and many fine cheeses, Ratinaud on Gottingen also has sells jarred items like duck fat, chutneys, and headcheese. ratinaud.ca

◀ Whole Bean Coffee Laughing Whale Coffee is an eco-roaster from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and they sell to many locations throughout HRM and the Province. laughingwhalecoffee.com

Handcrafted Ice Cream ▶ Sensational just about sums it up.

Dee Dee's is made using only the best local milk and cream, organic fair-traded raw cane sugar, real fruits, nuts, European chocolate, and other real ingredients. Plus it's available in over 30 flavours! deedees.ca

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◀ Housemade Granola While they are mostly known for their hair salon and cafe, FRED also produces a deliciously nutritious granola, and a few other packaged items, which you can buy at FRED or through their online store. shopfredstyle.com/food/

▲ Frozen Dinners For people on-the-go, Jane's sells a wide selection of handmade dinners and desserts which are available at Jane's Next Door, Pete's Frootique, or via home delivery. catering@janesonthecommon.com

Tasty Snack Bars ▼

◀ Vegan Energy Bars

Made with Local bars are not only made locally, but they are made using local ingredients as well.

There are 4 different flavours to choose from and can be purchased at the various locations listed on their website. madewithlocal.ca

These delicious energy bars come on two flavours (Crowbar and Ravenous), and are available at many locations throughout HRM. facebook.com/crowbarrealfoods/info

Whole Bean Coffee ▶

◀ Jarred Preserves Every harvest season, Local Source Market jars many types of local vegetables from cherry tomatoes to pickled fiddleheads. They also do an amazing raspberry jam! localsourcemarket.com

Roasted right in the North End of Halifax at their North Street retail location, Java Blend whole bean coffee is sold at the store, Pete's Frootique, the Seaport Farmer's Market, and is also served at various local restaurants around town. javablendcoffee.com

AVONDALE SKY 2009 BIN 45 A red wine blend with medium body.

Blackberry, raspberry, cherry, cinnamon and spice, and long finish with a melow, food friendly acidity. avondalesky.com

NOVA SCOTIA OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, the Nova Scotian wine industry has seen rapid growth, and for good reason. The wine, in many cases, is now excellent.

The winemakers seem to be making all the right choices when it comes to making and marketing their wines. Of course, they've been getting some help from organizations like the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, the NSLC, our four very passionate wine retailers, and even farmers markets. Even the local restaurants are starting to come on board, getting behind what is becoming a source of local pride.

As we move forward and our wines become even better, it's important that we learn and adapt so that we can truly appreciate what is available. We need to become more knowledgeable and sophisticated when it comes to wine. One easy way to do this is to embrace the world of pairings. The art of wine pairing includes taking a food item and pairing it with a wine that complements it well. The goal is to take two things that are different and bring them together bring balance and harmony.

In this piece, we're going to counterbalance the acidity of Nova Scotian reds, and pair them with foods that will bring out their own unique characteristics. And as luck would have it, we have three local gourmandes who will show us the way.

Enjoy!

Available at: Avondale Sky, Halifax Seaport and Wolfville Farmer's Market

$18

LUCKETT VINEYARDS 2011 Triumphe Medium-bodied, dry, easy-drinking with a pleasing complexity that never leaves you on hold. Ripe fruit flavours of blackcurrant and cherry licorice. luckettvineyards.com Available at: Luckett Vineyards, Harvest Wines, and Wolfville Farmer's Market

$20

GASPEREAU VINEYARDS 2008 Lucie Kuhlmann Remarkable depth in color, flavour and tannin. A dry red wine aged in French Oak barrels. Complex with mocha and smoky cherry aromas. gaspereauwine.com Available at: Bishop's Cellar, Premier Wines, NSLC, and Gaspereau Vineyards

$22

Frederic Tandy - RATINAUD CHARCUTERIE For my first pairing, I tried the BIN 45 with the Dragon Breath cheese from the Dutchman and I found they paired well, even though the strength of the cheese almost over-powers the wine a little. I also tried it with cheese like Baluchon from Quebec and Brie from France, I enjoyed it more with the Baluchon, and I think it's because this cheese has got a lot of fruit flavour and a little sweetness.

I then paired it with charcuterie, duck prosciutto, bresaola and noix de jambon, and found those to match up very well.

Finally, I had it with beef bourguignon and also duck confit and both of them were good with the wine, with a little preference towards the duck.

Heather Rankin, Certified Sommelier - OBLADEE Triumphe's high natural acidity and vibrant fruit make for a versatile food wine. The alcohol isn't too high (%12.5) but not super low so spice in the dish should be kept to a minimum - as over-spicing tends to amplify the alcohol making the wine taste bitter. The wine is medium-bodied so it can handle more robust flavours and textures present in red meat, but fine tannins suggest a more delicate protein. Besides being fruity it has an earthy, herbaceous quality that calls for some rustic foliage on the plate.

My suggested pairing is a meal of Barbecued Lamb Burgers with Parsnip & Parmesan Risotto and a side of Sauteed Broccoli Rabe & Garlic. The wine has enough volume and sturdiness to pair against assertive flavours like grilled lamb and sharp Parmesan, and its earthiness is complimented by the rootsy risotto and greens.

Laura Oakley, Local Food Blogger - HALIFOOD This deep, smoky red has well-balanced tannins and while it is extremely drinkable on its own, it can also stand up to complex and flavourful dishes like: • Braised Nova Scotia beef short rib • Local venison – seared medium rare or stewed • Sharp, aged cheeses, like Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar • Italian style dishes with rich tomato sauce, like spaghetti Bolognese

Wine | Spirits | Beer

SOCIAL PROFIT FEATURE

Centre for Women In Business C E L E B R AT I N G T W E N T Y Y E A R S O F U N I Q U E S E R V I C E S A N D S U C C E S S

W

hen you walk into the office of The Centre for Women in Business (CWB) on any given day, you are likely to encounter women business owners meeting in small groups, receiving advice, and sharing the joys and challenges of being in business for themselves.

"Building networks is a huge piece of how we help women entrepreneurs," says Executive Director Tanya Priske. "The introduction of women to other women business owners and to the programs, services, and organizations that are out there is essential."

While networking, women can confidentially and honestly share their business challenges and problem solve on a group basis. Priske adds that during her ten years at CWB, she has witnessed how avidly women support each other. "They are very willing to share experiences and talk about how they have overcome challenges and attacked opportunities."

Taking advantage of these CWB networking options

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Article: RenĂŠe Hartlieb Photo: Riley Smith

is one of the ways that Dawna Tibbetts, who runs her own electrical company, Tibbetts Electrical, has successfully grown her business. "The Centre for Women in Business has been exceptional in providing the education, mentoring, and business partners to keep me current with new trends, innovation, and strategies for the future growth and sustainability of my business," says the Kentville-based business owner.

"In a dynamic, changing environment, I feel I can count on CWB for support and assistance in areas that I need up-to-date information and also the contacts to move forward."

Networking is just one of myriad services offered by CWB, housed out of Mount Saint Vincent University.

Established 20 years ago to increase the number of Nova Scotian women involved in entrepreneurship, they are the only university business development centre in Canada focused on women.

"Women have unique challenges that require

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unique services and this is how we try and focus our programming and training," says Priske, who cites the 2011 Canadian Womens' Task Force report on women's entrepreneurship. "Women are still lagging behind their male counterparts in terms of number of businesses owned and their annual income, with women making only half of their male-owned counterparts."

The CWB, which has helped over 11,000 women business owners throughout Atlantic Canada, ensures that all women have access to business skills and that they are able to build solid networks and connections.

"Our mission is to help women start, grow, and advance their businesses," says Priske. "We provide a full range of services from one-on-one business advice, to business skills training, to access to networks around the world."

Funded by Mount Saint Vincent University and Atlantic Canada Opportunites Agency (ACOA), and offering training in all four Atlantic provinces to women in all sectors of business, the CWB continues to grow by consistently responding to client feedback. "We listen to the needs of women entrepreneurs and what they are seeking and are able to respond very quickly to those requests." The organization often addresses these current issues, challenges, and trends by developing just-in-time training or peer-to-peer mentoring.

It seems the phrase "continual growth and evolution" is synonymous with the activities of the CWB. "We are so proud to still be growing and thriving after 20 years," says Priske. "And proud that we have acted as a positive influence and inspiration for women to believe in themselves and their business ideas." █

We’ve moved heaven on earth to bring you award winning wines.

Come and enjoy!

Save the date! Join the CWB on November 5th for the Centre for Women in Business 20th Anniversary Gala: Celebrating the Future of Women in Business.

Open daily 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM

80 Avondale Cross Rd Newport Landing, NS

902-253-2047 AvondaleSky.com

SOCIAL PROFIT FEATURE

Black Business Initiative

Article: RenĂŠe Hartlieb Photo: Riley Smith

G R O W I N G B L A C K B U S I N E S S E S A N D T H E E C O N O M Y O F N O VA S C O T I A

A

gainst the backdrop of local, national, and international headlines that proclaimed 1996 as the year designated for the eradication of poverty, the Black Business Initiative (BBI) was born in Nova Scotia. Its goal for these last 16 years has been to create a dynamic and vibrant Black presence within the Nova Scotia business community.

According to CEO Michael Wyse—who has been a BBI staff member, board member and the Chair of the Board—the organization also plays an important role in the growth of our province's economy. "We believe that by building the Black business community, we are contributing to the economic strategy of the province and creating economic prosperity for both Blackowned businesses and Nova Scotia in general."

Of all the sectors that BBI is helping to support and grow, the construction industry is one that Wyse is particularly excited about. "We're investing heavily in increased certifications and training to help the construction sector position itself to be more competitive," says Wyse, who notes that 'green' is where it's at. "I really want to support the building of capacity in terms of eco-efficiency, which is where this industry is going globally. I want to be on the leading edge of that curve."

One of the ways that BBI is walking the talk is through an MOU with the Nova Scotia Community College. Unemployed men and women are funded to take a construction training program and at the end are matched with BBI business partners in the field.

"We've just finished our fourth program and both the response from employers and the success rate of these students has been incredible," beams Wyse. In fact, the program has almost tripled the level of enrollment of Black students at NSCC. Located in downtown Halifax, BBI has helped over 2,000 clients in the last 15 years. Although the bulk of the member businesses are in Metro Halifax, the organization does reach out to all parts of Nova Scotia. "We have a provincial mandate and are working hard to ensure that anyone who is interested in exploring entrepreneurship and growing a business has access to services and resources," explains Wyse. BBI staff, of which there are 12 in total, travel to their clients and also help link them

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up with supports in their local communities.

Government and corporate funding and strategic partnerships, in addition to the exceptional leadership of an involved and passionate Board of Directors, has allowed BBI to grow a unique organizational structure with many moving parts. Not only do they provide business counselling and loans to small businesses, but the organization has expanded to include community development work, a revenue generating arm, and investments in youth entrepreneurship.

It's this latter piece that really fires Wyse up. "I firmly believe that if you want to create an entrepreneurial culture, you need to let youth experience entrepreneurship first hand," he says. "They need to dream it as the first step to achieving it. If we don't create an environment where they can see owning their own business as a realistic option, they won't pursue it."

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DOWNTOWN DARTMOUTH explore dartmouth online at downtowndartmouth.ca and follow us on twitter @dt_dartmouth

All together

ll together

For theA price of a fill up of gas…*

DOWNTOWN DARTM For Wyse, the future looks exciting and invigorating, and he is committed to continuing to bring meaningful results to the Black business community and economic development in Nova Scotia. "It's a huge pleasure to be contributing to the economic engine of our province and to be making contributions to our economic prosperity," he says. "When you're a part of something so positive, it's hard not to be enthusiastic about it." █

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For more information about the Black Business Initiative, visit: bbi.ns.ca

It happens here… for less than you think. * Prices are based on adult annual memberships—approximately $50/month.

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COMMUNITY FEATURE

The BIG SWIM for Kids

O

n August 14th, 2012 Joachim Stroink and nine other brave souls went for a swim.

This was no quick dip. It was The Big Swim.

Stroink and his fellow swimmers dove into the waters off of Prince Edward Island and swam the fourteen kilometres to New Brunswick.

This great distance would be a feat by anyone’s standards, but especially so in Stroink’s case, as he did the almost six-hour journey while suffering from a Giardia infection.

“It was hard because I got really sick,” says Stroink.

“But when I was swimming I just thought, if kids can fight chemo every single day, then I can swim sick for one day.” When he finished his swim that day, he did it for the kids. Specifically, he swam for the kids that attend Camp Brigadoon. Under the umbrella of the Give to Live organization, Stroink was swimming to raise money for a camp he has been working with for 13 years.

Nestled in the heart of the Annapolis Valley on the shores of Aylesford Lake, Camp Brigadoon is a year-round retreat for children of all abilities. With a completely accessible Art’s Hall, a swim area with a docking station and a well-equipped medical centre, Brigadoon is the only camp in the Maritime Region that is dedicated to youth with chronic illnesses, conditions, or special needs.

“There were a lot of kids in our region that did not have a camp to call their own,” says Dayle McNabb, Manager of Development for Brigadoon. “We are pretty unique for the region in having a facility that is open and encouraging.”

This facility was made possible through a capital campaign that raised nearly $8 million. “We got support from all areas, government, corporations, foundation and individuals,” explains McNabb. “We continue to

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Article: Veronica Simmonds Photo: Darren Hubley

fundraise now so that we can continue to provide the programming. It’s really just the generosity of our donors that keeps Brigadoon going.”

The cold swim that Stroink took on that August day raised some much needed funds. Altogether The Big Swim raised around $50,000 for the camp.

Stroink had been involved with Brigadoon for the last 13 years but this was his first time doing any fundraising.

“Brigadoon has always been a big part of my life and my family’s life,” he says. His mother worked at the IWK and got involved with the camp through the hospital. “It’s a pretty special, incredibly impactful place when you go there and you see all these kids enjoying themselves.”

Brigadoon works as a host facility where different organizations can hold retreats, conferences, and of course summer camp. There are currently ten available camps hosted at Brigadoon, including arthritis camp Camp Join Together, Camp Good Time, the Canadian Cancer Society camp, and About Face, a camp for children with facial differences.

Having a space for these specialized programs means that these children are guaranteed to have a place they can call their own.

Participants in The Big Swim choose a charity of their choice to donate their funds to. But Stroink thinks they have more in common than they are different.

“Everybody is working towards their own thing but we’re all in the same water just trying to get to the other side.” █ SWIMMERS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Chris Dobbin, Todd McDonald, Dan MacDougall, Joachim Stroink, Meg Todd, Mark Campbell ▼

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A Question of Future Collaboration I am sure by now you have grown accustomed to preparing yourself for my attempts at the philosophical. Prior to reading my first article (two editions ago) it would have been normal to expect the typical subject matter- markets, insurance, retirement etc. This heuristic was firmly planted in your mind to allow for efficiency of reference and understanding. In the end it was my goal to uproot that expectation and create momentary confusion. For you, the result may have been total indifference and confusion. Perhaps you thought I was obscure and selfserving. Whatever the outcome may be, I am certainly grateful for your undivided, if burdened, attempts to understand what I was trying to say.

Like all predictable outcomes, I considered my approach well in advance.

I guess you could say I planted a new seed of expectation that must be nurtured through to autumn.

The point of this analogy, if you will indulge me again, is to suggest that there should always be a creative challenge to expectation. Personally, I am not certain if exhibiting template responses to life creates any worthy returns. In the world of investment advice it works no differently. You cannot expect a customized result when you take a template approach.

I implore you to consider the organic, and unique, nature of your needs and to think collaboratively and creatively when planting your seeds for the future harvest. Our fields often lay fallow until the soil is barren because we do not understand what to plant or how to grow it. When asked, you are presented with solutions one silo at a time and are left to passively assume an eventual cornucopia. Instead, you and I must plough on and retain the responsibility and uniqueness of your end result. We must weed out the digressions and harvest your options in situ. We must drive home the stakes of intention, protect our uniqueness from predators, and be nourished in the result. This is your unique garden path. â–ˆ

Sylvain Allaire

MPA, CHRP linkedin.com/in/sylvainallaire @HR_pros

Harvest Time Fall is definitely my favorite season in Nova Scotia. Years ago, when we moved back to Halifax with two boys under five years of age, a fall trip to the Annapolis Valley became a family tradition. We would pick apples, select pumpkins for Halloween and take advantage of the wide variety of locally grown vegetables. Over the years, Fox Hill Cheese House became a “must go there” and several wineries were added to our route. We enjoyed the food and products and rarely gave a second thought about how they were produced.

For my work as a Human Resources consultant, I regularly travel to the Annapolis Valley to meet with some of our clients in the agricultural sector. I have a lot of respects for our food producers. They are more than farmers; they are entrepreneurs who face the same challenges that other businesses owners do. In some respect, theirs are much more difficult.

They have to contend with the vagaries of the weather which means that success or failure of their business can be attributable to factors that they can’t control. If weather was not bad enough, they have to hire, train, and manage a workforce in areas of shrinking population. The work can be physically demanding which further limits the number of potential employees. Thin profit margins means that they can’t compete with high wages. Since agricultural work is mostly seasonal, anyone seeking full time employment is likely to overlook job openings on farms, further reducing the pool of potential employees.

In labour intensive farming operations, food producers have almost become immigration specialists. They have come to rely on the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program to hire workers from Mexico and certain Caribbean countries to obtain the labour they could not otherwise get locally. This is not a cheap labour option and it is administratively demanding. They have to pay return trip airfare, provide free seasonal housing, and offer the same wage rate paid to Canadian workers doing the same kind of work. In a strange twist, without foreign seasonal workers, a lot of our “local” food products would not be available at harvest time!

The kids have moved out—I helped the youngest one move to a new apartment in August—but we still enjoy our regular excursions to the Valley to get fresh fruits and vegetables, not to mention a bottle of wine and some cheese. I hope you do as well, but the next time you do, take a moment to think about the difficulties that our food producers must resolve to bring the harvest to your table. █

HALIFAX

Anisa Awad

B.A. COMM linkedin.com/in/anisaawad @Anisa_A_

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Hundreds of bubbly and excited freshmen passed by me as I strolled down University Avenue. I can feel it in the air. It’s already fall, the time of the year where people from all walks of life sit in classrooms to pursue education in fields ranging from costume design to mechanical engineering. Whether they are starting university for the first time or coming back for their final semester, it’s the season of new beginnings for some and “back to routine” for others. For me, it’s just a continuation of how I spent my summer. As the sunny season is leaving us behind, I can’t help but contemplate on how I spent it.

This summer wasn’t “summer” in the typical sense for me. I embarked on a new journey when I started my MBA at Dalhousie this July. Starting grad school in the summer wasn’t an option. The program kicks off in the summer with three courses: accounting, economics and statistics. Not exactly the most fun subjects to take in a condensed timeline. Two years ago, I would’ve never thought that I would do an MBA. But, here I am, reading about financial statements and ratio analysis.

The hardest part about the past two months was getting back to the student mentality. I didn’t miss the countless projects, assignments and exams that came along with the student experience. On top of that, this was a whole new world for me. I wasn’t exactly a “numbers person”. Needless to say, I was expected to learn and master those subjects by the end of August.

Frustration, doubt and negativity took over as I went to classes everyday. It was challenging and out of my comfort zone. My self-confidence fluctuated depending on whether I understood what the professor was talking about.

Doubting my capabilities and myself was harmful and exhausting; such an attitude wasn’t going to get me anywhere.

Then I decided it was time to step up the game and reclaim my self-belief to conquer my fears and challenges. It paid off. I passed my courses with flying colours and learnt new concepts and business terminology along the way. It was all about my state of mind. I was the captain and cruisecontroller of this journey. This whole myth of there being “numbers people” wasn’t entirely true. It was about hard work, dedication and ultimately selfbelief. When I put my mind to it, the fruits of my work and determination were reaped. This story is not only mine; it is the story of every person who ever doubted themselves and what they can accomplish. “Your value is the product of your thoughts. Do not miscalculate your self worth by multiplying your insecurities,” as Dodinsky said. █

Phil Otto

CEO & Senior Brand Strategist, Revolve ca.linkedin.com/in/philotto @brandguy

Field to Fork: More Than Great Taste Sunny autumn days and cool autumn nights remind me of my mom and grandmother pickling dills, beets, beans and making mustard pickles and green tomato chow. Of freezing apple, blueberry, pumpkin and mincemeat pies. And canning string beans, carrots and peas grown in our suburban backyard garden.

Most people got away from pickling, freezing and canning over the past thirty years, but it's coming back, and for good reason. You simply can’t beat the quality, nutrition and taste of freshly prepared and preserved food. And there is no better way to experience Nova Scotia’s own brand of agriculture and aquaculture than to visit one of our local farmers markets. It is very satisfying to meet the producers of local vegetables, fruits, herbs, dairy, meat, poultry and seafood, and hear their stories. You can feel their passion and love of the land (or sea).

But there are far more compelling reasons than environmental, societal and economic to buy and preserve local fare. Much of the food in our grocery stores contain genetically modified ingredients, and genetically modified organisms can be allergenic, toxic, carcinogenic and anti-nutritional. The recent explosion of obesity and digestive, immune and eating disorders is not a coincidence. A good rule of thumb is to eat foods as close to their natural state as possible, and if a food will not rot or sprout, throw it out.

The good news is, Atlantic Canadians are more likely than other Canadians to support local producers. In fact 19% of people buy their vegetables, fruit, herbs, dairy, meat, poultry and seafood from farmers markets and fruit and vegetable stands instead of grocery stores. A recent survey shows many reasons for this growing trend, including the importance of supporting local producers, freshness, safety, quality, lower environmental footprint (shorter travel distance), taste and access, in that order.

The bad news is, well over 100 farms have closed in Nova Scotia over the past decade. Farming is Nova Scotia’s primary resource and needs to remain our primary resource. Buying local vegetables, fruit, herbs, meat, poultry and seafood keeps more money in our communities—45 cents of every dollar spent locally stays in the community, cycling many times and creating tax revenue to fund education, health care and safe streets. Compare that to 14 cents of every dollar spent at big boxes sticking to the community.

A neighbourhood corn boil with fresh apple crisp for dessert has more positive impact for more reasons than most could imagine. If every Nova Scotian family committed to spend $10 of their existing grocery budget this week on local produce or protein, the impact would be millions of additional dollars circulating in our local economy. Imagine the impact if every Nova Scotian family made that commitment every week of the year! █

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ON A CLOSING NOTE

Dawn of the New School

Article: Alexander Henden Photo: Trevor Kennedy

T

he food truck culture seems to have arrived in Halifax. Over the past couple of months, Nomad Gourmet and the Food Wolf have both hit the streets, delivering a new generation of food truck cuisine to Halifax. It's an exciting time. In the US, food truck culture has long been celebrated. In fact, there's even a show on the Food Network called Eat Street which is dedicated entirely to food truck culture, and there's good reason why. Food trucks capture the playful spirit and social essence of food by bringing people together in a unique, street-level dining experience that really cannot be compared. And both of these new food trucks are really taking things to another level by offering fusion cuisine that's healthy and at affordable prices. It's the best of all worlds! â–ˆ

GET CONNECTED: nomadgourmet.ca facebook.com/TheFoodWolf

â—€ Nick Horne - Nomad Gourmet 2012 CEED & CYBF Alumni

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