GREENLIVINGSHOW
Magazine
Hear all about the North Carolina community who might save the planet • Page 11 Tips for your next carbon conscious renovation • Page 4 DIY projects that you can crush this fall • Page 32
FALL 19
WELCOME
excited to have a contributing piece this season, “How Turtle Island Might Save The Planet,” which explores a unique community in North Carolina.
Autumn is often referred to as a soft start for the new year. Summer indulging winds down, the kids go back to school, and many use it as a mark for new hobbies or skills they wish to try. Are you thinking about renovating your home this fall? You aren’t alone. Or maybe now that school is back in session, it’s time to try a new hobby - like making jam! Welcome to our third edition of the Green Living Show Magazine. In this issue, we covered a variety of topics we think will help you this fall! Do you suffer from eczema? The team at Lunah Life walk us through some natural remedies for this pesky condition. Our friends at Greening Homes share some tips and tricks on how to make your next renovation more green. We are also 2
Thanks to Victoria Hobal, we are also sharing the step by step process you need for preserving this seasons harvest. A must if you are looking for something new to try! We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we have enjoyed putting it together. While we are busy preparing for our 2020 show, the magazine is a great opportunity for us to connect with our community in the off-season, and continue the conversation of sustainability. If you have any comments or feedback about the magazine we would love to hear from you! Send us an email or find us online at greenlivingshow.ca. Sincerely,
Kathleen Krimker President & CEO, Green Living Show
TABLE OF CONTENTS Not easy building a green home? Think again.
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Cannabis in Canada
8
How Turtle Island Preserve Might Save the Planet
11
Conscious Consumerism: Everything You Need to Know
14
Living with Eczema: Part 1 – Supplementation & Diet
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Five Tips for Preserving the Summer Season
23
Exhibitor Spotlight - Q&A with Dresden Vision
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DIY - Sustainable Centrepiece for your Thanksgiving Dinner
32
Read of the Season
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shauna McConnell ASSISTANT EDITOR Adrienne Collins GRAPHIC DESIGNER Josh Hillman
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Christopher Phillips Dresden Vision Jennifer Sims Lunah Life Mary Beth Skylis Shauna McConnell Victoria Hobal
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Dresden Vision Greening Homes Ltd. Lunah Life Mary Beth Skylis Shauna McConnell thredUP Victoria Hobal
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Adrienne Collins Roberta Smith
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NOT EASY BUILDING A GREEN HOME? THINK AGAIN.
By: Christopher Phillips, Founder and President of Greening Homes Ltd.
Now that the fall is upon us, you may be seriously considering a home renovation. You are not alone. This time of year, Greening Homes fields many enquiries. Some homeowners have returned from summer holidays and have put off their renovation plans until now; others have purchased a house as the real estate market heats up and want to make changes. Often, prospective clients will tell us that while it would be nice to go “green,” it’s unaffordable. And when they do think of a green home renovation, they often envision high-performance windows or a well-insulated attic. In reality, environmentallyresponsible renovations, when done right, go beyond windows and insulation and can save you money while improving your home’s comfort – all the more important as the cold season approaches. A responsible renovation takes 4
into account the project’s full environmental footprint. The choices made before and during the build will have positive impacts long after completion, including reduced carbon emissions, improved occupant health and low utility costs. Not only will an energy-efficient and healthy home reduce your utility bills and even doctor visits, but the upfront costs associated with a responsible renovation are not that much higher than a conventional build – and can sometimes cost less. What are the factors that make an environmentally responsible renovation? Greening Homes follows five key pillars. Responsible Waste Management More than 88 percent of all construction-related waste ends up in Ontario landfills. This not only taxes the environment but your pocketbook with disposal costs. Setting up a waste diversion plan is easy and cost free. We often set up a plan which includes diverting
fixtures to Habitat for Humanity. Doing this helps divert up to 80 percent of our clients’ renovation waste, saving hundreds of dollars in disposable costs. Reusing materials also lessens the impact of your renovation while adding beautiful touches to your home. For example, we have installed reclaimed barn board collar ties from Rebarn, leftover flooring material on a wall for a textured look, and reclaimed cast iron radiators. Careful and Informed Material Selection An efficient and healthy home is the sum of its parts, so it is imperative to carefully review all building materials before beginning a renovation. We check for toxicity levels, the amount of energy needed to produce it (also known as embodied energy), packaging and travel distance from the plant to the home. Sustainable flooring and countertops have become widely available – and cost competitive – so too have locallysourced recycled drywall, effective low-embodied insulation, LED 5
lights, low flow toilets and non-toxic adhesives.
Ensuring Healthy Indoor Air Quality
Efficient Design and Use of Resources
Materials can often look alike. Unfortunately, many products found in the market today contain toxic chemicals that degrade over time, contaminate indoor air quality and, as a result, negatively impact your health and quality of life. The Living Future Challenge’s Red List informs what products are toxic-free. We spend 90 percent of our time indoors. It is crucial to minimize potential sources of indoor air pollutants while using technologies that ensure proper ventilation and fresh air supply.
Energy-efficient homes start at the planning and design stages. Ideally, you want the architect and builder to work collaboratively together to ensure that the entire process is grounded in Building Science. This holistic approach to home renovation includes indoor thermal environment, energy performance, air quality and building materials, to name a few. We find this approach also saves homeowners money. Too often they approach builders with architectural plans for a project that does not match their budget and, as a result, have to go back to the drawing board.
Greening Homes Ltd. has won numerous awards for its work in making homes healthy, energy efficient and beautiful, and is committed to being an impetus for change in the building industry. Established in 2007, Greening Homes is a fully licensed, WSIB-registered, insured and bonded healthy renovations firm headquartered in the Junction Triangle area of Toronto. Learn more at www.greeninghomes.com. 6
Smart Transportation To and From Site Building efficiently doesn’t stop with detailing air barriers. Services such as RenoRun offer efficient delivery of construction materials. This makes it easier for the renovations team to travel to the job site by bicycle or TTC. Bonus: neighbours will appreciate the added street parking not taken up by trucks. You can learn more about eco-conscious building and renovations in the Green Building Learning Zone at the 2020 Green Living Show in March.
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CANNABIS IN CANADA ONE YEAR LATER A Timeline by Shauna McConnell
Most people remember it - where they were the day “weed” became legal. It was a long road of policy revisions, senate pushbacks, and lots of political jargon, but finally, on October 17, 2018 – the Cannabis Act came into action, allowing for the sale, possession, production and distribution of cannabis. It put Canada on the map as the first major world economy to legalize recreational marijuana and the second country in the world, after Uruguay. The New York Times called it “a national experiment that will alter the countries social, cultural and economic fabric…” As we near the one-year mark, how has this “experiment” gone? Here are some of the memorable moments from the last year. 8
OCTOBER Well, the rollout was rocky. No one was surprised when the demand was much higher than the supply. Which, of course, led to some unhappy customers and a wrath of complaints. Before the end of the month, there were issues with access, shipment, quality, and product shortages. There was a lot of heat, particularly on the Ontario Cannabis Store, with one customer calling it the “worst dealer I’ve ever had.” Most credited the terrible customer service for their foul moods, citing wait times of up to two hours, only to be disappointed that their order was still not fulfilled. Plus that pesky Canada Post strike did not make things easy for the industry in the first few months. Despite the bumps, it was a monumental month for our country. Many Canadian’s swelled with pride and celebrated in style. Many refer to it as a proud and progressive moment in Canadian history. NOVEMBER In November British Columbia started to hand out their private retail licenses (after reviewing hundreds of applications) while
Alberta suspended issuing new retail licenses citing a shortage of product. DECEMBER Health Canada releases proposed regulations for cannabis edibles, extract and topicals. The regulations set limits for the amount of THC each product can contain while outlining packaging and labeling rules. MARCH Seth Rogen ladies and gentlemen! The Canadian Actor and screenwriter Evan Goldberg teamed up with Canopy Growth Co. to launch their own cannabis brand called Houseplant. The two collaborated on stoner film “Pineapple Express” back in 2008. MAY In May, Statistics Canada released a report stating approximately 5.3 million or 18% of Canadians aged 15 or older reported using cannabis in the last three months. This was 4% higher than those who reported just one year earlier before legalization. Where was the most significant growth? Males aged 45-64. 9
What was also interesting about the survey was the number of people who said they were using it for the first time. In the first three months of 2018, the number sat at 330,000 Canadians. In 2019 it basically doubled to 650,000. JUNE In June the Quebec Government put the brakes on Bill 2; the Coalition Avenir Quebec government’s bill to increase the legal age of cannabis consumption from 18 to 21. The bill was tabled until the fall when parliament returns from summer recess.
On our side of the country there seems to be a bit more action. As of June Ontario police had placed 100 charges, and Quebec has seen 39. Meanwhile, BC has laid 0 charges. So where are we now? Overall, pretty proud. There have been many learnings and quite a bit of growth. There is no doubt that it is an ever-evolving industry, and the true impact is still to be determined. It will be a few more years until we see the full results of this “experiment.”
AUGUST Almost a year after Parliament passed laws setting blood limits for cannabis and other drugs, reports say police are making little use of them. And even more shocking is the inconsistencies across provinces. In August, the Alberta government says that provincewide, eight impaired-by-drug charges have been laid, but the Criminal Code doesn’t distinguish between marijuana and other drugs. Calgary police say only one of those charges was for cannabis impairment. 10
Sources: CBC, Statistics Canada, Global, Leafly, Montreal Gazette, and NY Times.
HOW TURTLE ISLAND PRESERVE MIGHT SAVE THE PLANET By: Mary-Beth Skylis
I visited Turtle Island in March of this year for about a week. It was the same week as Turtle Island’s big “Families Learning Together Festival.” Tons of local people came out to learn how to blacksmith, woodwork, or maybe even to work with Eustace, owner of the 1,000 acre Turtle Island Preserve located in Boone, North Carolina. I was blessed enough to work in the sawmill for the day. While I was on Turtle Island, I slept in a three sided shelter that was built by one of the Island’s previous Interns (as nearly all of the cabins were). This is my story. The squeal of dust-covered brakes resounded during an early spring evening on Turtle Island. Eustace was maneuvering “dumpy” (Turtle Island’s endearing dump truck) up a gravel road when I saw him for the first time. His silver braids rested on his shoulders, tousled yet orderly. He wore the grin of a happy, yet tired soul. His desire to
create the planet’s last remaining hope could be seen in the grooves of the dirt road. Just a handful of years ago there wasn’t a road on Turtle Island at all. But persistence begets progress. How do cob buildings work? What is a blacksmith? How do you tan a hide? What happens if we use our bodies for manual labour rather than resigning ourselves to a desk for a day? And if everyone turns off their gadgets, what does the sky look like at night? Turtle Island answers these questions with a series of summer camps, workshops, and festivals that remind us of sustainable times. Nestled in the mountains of Boone, North Carolina, Turtle Island Preserve aims to re-educate the planet’s population about forgotten things. While Turtle Island isn’t a plot of land that’s surrounded by a choppy sea, it is an island of darkness that’s surrounded by development. 11
If you gaze into its depths from outer space, you’ll see a dark bowl receptive to the natural way of life in a way that modern society isn’t. This isn’t a story about a hippie commune or a utopia that’ll disintegrate into ash. It’s a vision that was born out of necessity. Eustace Conway and his team designed a space intended to re-instill respect for the environment, to educate, to inspire and to motivate.
How Disconnection Wreaks Havoc on the Planet One night, while sitting next to an unlit fire pit, Eustace told me that the root of the world’s problems relates to disconnection. We go to the grocery store where all the food we could ever want is available to us. We’ve forgotten where it comes from, who grew it, and how much work it takes to sustain our population. Running water pours from the faucet, suggesting that there’s an infinite supply of water that comes from a magical place. We’ve forgotten that our resources are limited. A sense of entitlement consumes the planet. And human eyes glue themselves to screens day after day to eliminate uncomfortable social connection. When was the last time you were engaged in eye contact during an extended conversation? If we open our eyes to the natural environment, maybe we’ll start to remember its sacredness. Rebuilding Planet Earth
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During my time on the Island, I was surprised to find that most of the structures are made without doors. There’s no space to forget about the weather or the changes of the season. It’s impossible to disconnect from the ebbs and flows of the environment because you’re living in the middle of them.
But what’s even more astonishing is that, for years, Turtle Island has focused its efforts on the reversal of mindless consumption. Mindfulness surrounding basic choices like feeding into plastic production is enough to eliminate landfill waste. In the time I spent on the Island, I observed just two plastic entities: a plastic rocking horse (Eustace chuckled when he told me he’d use it to “teach kids how to ride horses”), and a bird feeder that used a single-use plastic water bottle for storage. So, What’s Next? We need a paradigm shift. Instead of investing in things, we should invest in people. We should trade status for meaning and money for re-education. By living like the habitants of Turtle Island, we might begin to rebuild a structure that
prioritizes the quality of life over quantity of material possessions. What if we begin to tune into our senses instead of zoning out and making mindless decisions? If we consider the repercussions of our choices? Or if we educate ourselves about sustainable living? By remembering simpler ways, we might have a shot at rebuilding the planet. The damage is done. But we have the ability to halt further destruction and to begin again. And yes, those “simpler ways” offer challenges of their own. But the planet is running out of time. Like an idea that’s sprouting with small but recognizable determination, Turtle Island just might offer a solution to the destruction of the planet.
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CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
By: Jennifer Sims
While conscious consumerism may appear at first glance to be a complex concept, it’s actually quite simple. Being a conscious consumer simply means that as a buyer, you look past what meets the eye. Nowadays, most shoppers tend to be very surface level with both their wants and their needs as they browse local stores. Conscious consumerism digs a little deeper when it comes to what a product is made of, and more importantly who is producing it. It challenges the everyday buyer to think about the impact of each purchase they make. Below are a few tips you can put into practice to embrace conscious consumerism in your life.
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Check the Label Always try and look for signs on the label or tag of what you purchase that indicate the item was made under fair labour laws. This will significantly lessen your contribution to mass-producing corporations who don’t offer workers fair pay. Communicate with Companies Have a favourite brand you don’t want to stop buying from? Take the time to do your due-diligence and communicate with that company ways they can reduce their environmental footprint. Whether you encourage them to go green with their packaging or to offer more sustainable products, don’t
be afraid to reach out to them via email or phone call. Research A huge part of being a more conscious consumer is taking the time to do your research. Look for companies that are cruelty-free, vegan, or are dedicated to fair trade. There are many resourceful sustainability databases online to search from that will give you a better idea of where to start and where to shop. Stay Local Doing your part to buy locally grown food will lessen your contribution to the harmful gas emissions linked to outsourced produce and meat. Lower your 15
by previous owners is a great way to prevent them from ending up in landfills that harm our planet. From local consignment shops to larger online retailers like thredUP, choosing used has never been easier. Buy as a Last Resort
carbon footprint by buying items made or grown within a 50 mile radius of your home. Borrow More Instead of purchasing items that you may only need for one or two uses, a great way to consume more consciously is by asking to borrow these items from friends and family. From asking your in-laws to loan out their weed wacker for your summer landscaping to linking up with other moms to swap old school books, borrowing is the perfect way to avoid unnecessary spending. Shop Used A lesser known fact you may overlook when you go thrifting is that shopping secondhand is, in fact, conscious consumerism at its finest. Believe it or not, buying items that have been gently used 16
Lastly, the number one rule you should try and stick to as a conscious consumer is always making buying new a last resort. Try to utilize what you already have, borrow what you won’t use often, and look for used options whenever possible. Though you may have to make some life changes when it comes to your purchasing habits along the way, being a more conscious consumer might just end up saving both your bank account and our planet at the same time.
Jennifer Sims is a freelance writer dedicated to conscious living and motivated to leave the world a better place than she found it. From advocating for sustainable shopping to growing her own produce at home, she can almost always be found writing at a coffee shop or at the local library.
LIVING WITH ECZEMA PART 1 – SUPPLEMENTATION & DIET
By Lunah Life
‘Tis the season when anyone that suffers from skin imbalances such as psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, or super dry skin- starts to really feel it. We can’t tell you how many clients we have that come asking for relief from their itch! And we want to help. When it comes to skin conditions, natural is best as it will not aggravate the skin, and it acts as a long term healing agent, versus a bandaid. The chemicals found in store-bought products can cause more trouble on your already aching skin, then good. 17
From a Holistic Nutritionist stand-point, these imbalances almost always start on the inside, which is why at Lunah, we are big on asking about food, stress, sleep, and other lifestyle factors. There is no one single cause of eczema, but there are numerous underlying factors that can cause this condition to worsen. Let’s go over a few major recommendations you can start to implement into your daily routine that will help give you relief. It’s not about ditching all of the “bad” at once. Let’s focus on adding in more good routines so there is less room for the ‘bad’. Supplementation We’re not big on supplementing unless it’s necessary. In this case, it usually is, at least for a short while, to start the journey of rebalancing your skin. • EFA’s: Essential fatty acids help keep the skin moisturized, fight systemic inflammation, and aid in nervous system homeostasis. Stress is a huge factor in this skin condition, and a good essential fatty acid is like giving your nervous system a big ol’ hug! When selecting a quality supplement from this category, please consult with your neighbourhood health store (they know so much!). Avoid high heat purified, molecularly distilled fish oils, and instead look for companies using the whole fish, which means you get all of the omegas plus naturally occurring vitamin D. 18
• Probiotics: Research has shown that the more strains of healthy bacteria we have in our bellies, the better our bodies are at fighting disease, powering up our immune systems, and decreasing inflammation - which are three key factors in the development of eczema. Probiotics also help to create vitamins and minerals that develop in the gut. • Vitamin D: Supplementation with this vitamin is necessary for healing the skin from within. Research has shown that people who have eczema have lower levels of vitamin D;
most of us are deficient here in Canada. Vitamin D helps the immune system reduce levels of inflammation and strengthens the skin barriers of protection.
• Digestive Enzymes with HCL: A lack of one or both of these things can cause a lot of internal imbalances. If you do lack the factors to help break your foods down, then they are not being assimilated, absorbed, and used to their best abilities. There are a few options here to increase your stomach fire, which leads to fewer symptoms of indigestion,
as well as decreased inflammation. You can pop over to your local health food store and enquire about which HCL supplements they carry to increase stomach acid. On the other hand, digestive enzymes will help break down either carbs, proteins or fats, thus allowing you to absorb all the good stuff. You could also start with some affordable and easy solutions like the ones below: 1 Drink less fluid with meals. Fluid actually dilutes your digestive fire and can interfere with proper digestion and absorption. 2 Try adding about 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to 1/4 a cup of water before each meal. 3 Wake your stomach acid up first thing in the a.m. with a cup of warm water and a squeeze of half a lemon. Take before consuming breakfast. Diet Research has shown that food allergies/intolerances are often at the root of the growing number of eczema cases. The best way to 19
• Corn
• Eggs
narrow down the foods that don’t work for you is to keep a food journal and try an elimination diet. Which means you’ll be eliminating the most common allergenic foods for a certain time period, and then re-introducing them one-by-one, afterwards. Here is a list of foods to think about, when trying to find the cause of your flare-ups. • Dairy (includes milk, butter, yogurt, cheese, etc.) • Gluten
• Soy (a cheap filler in many dressings, sauces, etc., also includes tofu, soy sauce) • Alcohol
• Peanuts • Sugar 20
Keep a food journal and log how certain foods/meals make you feel. Our bodies are always talking to us and giving us clues. Remember, just because it’s considered healthy, does not mean it is a good fit for your body. For example, apples could be your best friend’s saviour, but maybe for you, they make you feel bloated and uncomfortable. At the same time, you will want to start including foods that support gut health. Improving your gut health will decrease inflammation, and create a soothing environment for good things to start happening! Like improved food breakdown, absorption and assimilation of nutrients, to improve your skin. Foods to Include: 1 Nettle Tea: This local herb is mega high in minerals and vitamins. We like to make a pot of this each day and sip until bedtime. Nettle will help soothe the itch from the inside.
2 Flaxseed oil will moisturize skin from the inside out. Rich in inflammation-fighting Omega3s, 1/2 teaspoon per day is all you need. Drizzle on salads, stir-fry, or add to smoothies. 3 Cruciferous Veggies are detox perfection: brussel sprouts, kale, arugula, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower. 4 Improve your gut health with probiotic-rich foods like homemade pickled vegetables, kimchi, organic tempeh, unpasteurized sauerkraut, kombucha, and miso soup.
5 Turmeric, ginger, black pepper, clove, cinnamon: these spices are the ultimate in fighting inflammation! Chop them, sprinkle them, blend them. Just get them in each day! 6 Fish: Loaded with antiinflammatory omegas, this food is not one to miss in your weekly diet if you are looking for healthier skin. When inflammation decreases, so do your debilitating symptoms. 7 Greens like kale, swiss chard, arugula, and spinach. These babies’ main goal is to create
alkalinity in the body. And the closer you can get to an alkaline body, the less disease can thrive. Blend it in smoothies, add to your morning eggs, your protein bars, and your dinners. 8 Water: your body needs this for so many functions. Your brain needs it to perform optimally, the skin needs it for lubrication, it assists nutrients to get from place to place in the body, and it’s needed to carry waste and other nasty things out.
Use the code GREENLIVING13 save 13% until Dec 31st 2019 at 11:59pm. Online only.
@lunahlife /lunahlife
*The information here is not intended to treat or cure. Please consult your trusted health care provider before going ahead with any new program
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FIVE TIPS FOR THE SUMMER I learned and fell in love with the process of canning and preserving through osmosis. For my Aunt Giselle and Uncle Wally, it was a summertime tradition, along with weekly shopping trips to the local farmers’ market and jaunts to the Falk Family Fruit Farm just outside of Niagara on the Lake. . There’s just something so special about canning a batch of fresh Ontario tomatoes or enjoying a jar of August-ripened peaches in the middle of winter. It’s been almost a decade since I first started preserving. After hundreds of jars, I’ve discovered some time-saving methods and useful tips and tricks for at-home canning (aka “jamming”). Here are my top five tips for preserving the best of the summer season. Take Advantage of Farmers’ Markets to Find the Freshest Local Produce The freshness of your produce can and will affect how the finished product sets and keeps. Jams and 22
R PRESERVING SEASON By Victoria Hobal
jellies set because of a natural occurring starch called pectin. Pectin occurs naturally in some fruits – including citrus, apples, and pears – and when cooked with sugar, the acids in the fruit help to thicken and set your product. The older the fruit is, the less natural occurring pectin is present, and you will need to add in a substitute such as store-bought pectin. When preserving, try to avoid fruits with bumps, bruises or soft squishy parts as you only want to use the freshest of produce. Not only does the natural pectin content diminish in damaged and older fruits, but you’ll also be preserving rot and potentially bacteria, which is certainly not an appealing addition to your morning toast! Frozen Fruits Actually Make Spectacular Jams, Jellies and Preserves Although none of us would like to admit it, summer is short and unfortunately the warm nights and sunny days are quickly coming
to an end. With that comes the urgency to preserve large amounts of fresh, ripe fruits while they are available! While fresh fruit is ideal, you can make fantastic jams, jellies and preserves with frozen fruit and no one will know the difference! Once I came to this realization, this tip saved me from panicking and stressing over abundant harvests that I couldn’t possibly keep up with. After visiting the farmers’ market, spread your freshly picked fruits or vegetables evenly across a baking sheet and put them in the freezer for two to three hours. Spreading ingredients out in a single even layer keeps everything from clumping together. Once they’re frozen solid, toss everything into a freezer bag and return to these sweet little gems when life is a bit less hectic to start the preservation process.
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Correctly Processed Foods Last Much Longer Than You Think
Be prepared, Read Recipes and Know What You’re Doing – Mise en Place!
Making jams, jellies or preserves is a straight-forward process, as long as you know the rules and guidelines for safe canning. When you can, preserve or “heatprocess” fruits and vegetables, you are hermetically sealing the jars so that no air or tiny organisms can get in. This process also kills and eliminates undesirable elements such as mould, yeast and bacteria. It also destroys naturally occurring enzymes that cause food to spoil. It’s a magical process.
Mise en place (French for “put in its place”) is an essential practice in any professional or home kitchen. You must be comfortable with the equipment, ingredients and various steps of the recipe before you begin. If you are familiar with the directions, it makes the activity less stressful and allows you to be more confident with your end result.
The goal with home-canned or processed goods is to achieve a proper vacuum seal. You’ll want to store your preserves in a dry, dark, and cool place to ensure a long shelf life. With safe and sanitary canning practices, there should be no reason the strawberry jam you made one and a half or even two years ago isn’t safe to eat. It should taste as fresh as when you first made it. As with any food – preserved, fresh or otherwise – be sure to inspect before consuming, if in doubt, throw it out!
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Jamming requires exact ratios and quantities. These precise measurements are critical as incorrect amounts will upset the balance of fruit, pectin and sugar in the recipe and yield a jam that does not set correctly. Preparing all of your ingredients ahead of time and ensuring your mise en place is in order will result in an utterly delicious preserve. Have the Right Tools on Hand Canning is an incredibly satisfying and relatively affordable hobby. Investing in a few inexpensive essential tools will make the process much safer, cleaner and easier. Here are my recommendations for must-have items:
• A large deep pot – your
everyday pasta pot or traditional enamel pot is perfect for canning, as long as the pot is deep enough for the water to fill up two inches above the top of the jars. This will ensure a perfect seal.
vegetables in Ontario. Learning how to preserve these seasonal goodies effectively can help you enjoy the fresh taste of summer for months, and even years, to come.
• A wide-mouth canning funnel
will allow your product to be poured cleanly and safely into jars.
• Canning tongs are important
to have on hand; they’re long with rubber-coated grips that make grasping jars in hot water slip-free.
• A Metal ladle to cleanly pour
your preserves into the jars.
• Baking sheet lined with a tea
towel, because when hot jars meet a cold pan…boom!
• Measuring cups – remember;
making jam is a science; everything must be exact!
Whether you’re shopping at a grocery store, visiting a farmers’ market on the weekend or harvesting ingredients from your own backyard - there’s a large bounty of locally grown fruits and
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Makes 5.5 cups
SPICED CRABAPPLE JELLY Ingredients • 3 litre basket of crabapples.
• 1/2 cup vinegar.
• 1 cinnamon stick.
• 1 tbsp whole cloves.
• 5 cups sugar.
Steps 1 CLEAN and stem crabapples.
2 COVER apples with water until submerged and boil for 20 minutes. Boil apples with the skin on. You are going to be using the pectin from the skin in this recipe.
3 STRAIN crabapples into a jelly bag, cheesecloth or use a colander lined with a coffee filter.
4 MIX 5 1/4 1/4 cups of your strained juice with vinegar, cinnamon stick and whole cloves. Boil for 3 minutes.
5 REMOVE spices with slotted spoon.
6 ADD sugar to juice and bring to boil stirring slowly until a candy thermometer reaches 220 degrees F. Cook no longer than 25 minutes. 7 POUR immediately into warm sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of rims. Seal while hot with sterilized two-piece lids with new centres. Let stand at room temperature until set. 26
Makes 4 cups
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB JAM Ingredients • 2 cups crushed strawberries
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
• 6 1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl • 1 pouch liquid pectin
Steps 1 COMBINE fruit and sugar in large heavy saucepan.
2 BRING to full rolling boil on high heat; cook 1 min., stirring constantly.
Remove from heat. Immediately stir in pectin. Stir 5 min. to prevent fruit from floating to top, skimming off foam as needed.
3 POUR immediately into warm sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of
rims. Seal while hot with sterilized two-piece lids with new centres. Let stand at room temperature.
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Makes 4 cups
RED PEPPER JELLY Ingredients • 6 firm red peppers
• 1 hot red fresh chili • 3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar • 1 pouch liquid pectin
Steps 1 REMOVE stems and seeds from peppers and chili . Cut into chunks
and dice in a blender or food processor. Place peppers and chili in a fine sieve or cheesecloth and drain off the juice to make 1 cup.
2 MEASURE juice, sugar and vinegar into a medium saucepan. 3 PLACE on high heat and bring quickly to a boil.
4 BRING mixture to a boil and stir in liquid pectin. Bring to a full boil again and boil 1 minute stirring constantly.
5 SKIM off any foam and pour immediately into warm sterilized jars. 6 SEAL while hot with sterilized 2-piece lids with new centres.
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EXHIBITOR SPOTLIGHT - Q&A WITH DRESDEN VISION 29
1. If you were to describe Dresden as a person, how would you describe them? Funny you should ask that, like our customers, we are open and tolerant, green and arty, edgy and odd, and busy having fun at work.
2. It’s my first time stepping foot into your storefront, and I know nothing about your brand. What should I expect? A warm greeting, a quick explanation and the space to play and create the glasses you love.
3. What sparked the idea for an ethical and sustainable optical brand like Dresden? Simple frustrations and unanswered questions. Why are glasses so expensive? Why are they so breakable and then disposable? Once we started investigating and realized that none of these things have to be true, the idea for Dresden was born.
4. Your website says that you use recycled nylon to make your glasses, but what does that mean? How do you get the materials and how do they become the glasses that I wear? 30
We make our glasses out of a combination of virgin and recycled nylon as well as other recycled materials. We partner with various organizations (such as Sea Shepherd) who give us their collected plastic waste (such as fishing nets, or keg lids), and we turn them into glasses at our zero-waste facility in Australia. Our sustainably sourced virgin nylon is used to make sure that our glasses are as durable as possible, and yet still fully recyclable so that we can melt them down to make new glasses to keep our production loop closed.
5. You recently launched glasses made out of recycled Australian banknotes. First of all, that is so cool! How often do you have unique upcycled or recycled glasses that aren’t a part of your usual offerings? We try to have them as often as possible, at the very least every time we do a new production run. We have a few exciting new partnerships coming up, so stay tuned for our next limited series!
6. What is your biggest accomplishment as a brand so far?
8. You are expanding! Tell us about that.
Being able to come to Canada (a different continent than where we started!) and start educating and spreading the word here has been a huge accomplishment. We’ve been exceptionally well received and are excited to continue to grow here.
We are! This summer we popped up in Hamilton and found the same demand we did in Toronto, so now we’re looking at spreading coast to coast serving people wherever they need affordable and sustainable glasses, whether that’s city centres or small towns.
7. What is some of the common feedback you get from first time visitors and returning customers?
9. What else should we know about Dresden before coming in and buying a pair of glasses?
“Wow!” is the general reaction! Whether it’s to the fact that our one frame shape does flatter most faces, or the price, the sustainability, the speed or even just our service, people walk away impressed. Even if they don’t come back themselves, they send their family and friends, which we love just as much.
As long as you’ve got a prescription from within the last two years, or have made an appointment with any of our wonderful optometrists, you’ll find something you love at Dresden. Even if you don’t need glasses and just want a pair of sunnies or some brightly coloured reading glasses, you know that you’ll have a great time mixing and matching your colours and will walk away with a product you can feel great about.
599 College St, Toronto 733 Queen St E, Toronto 28 Bathurst St (Stackt Market), Toronto 154 James St N, Hamilton
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DIY - SUSTAINABLE CENTREPIECE FOR YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER Who enjoys Thanksgiving? A beautiful meal surrounded by friends and family. What’s not to love? Sometimes though, for the host, Thanksgiving can cause some extra stress. The timing of the meal, cleaning the house, setting a beautiful table - it can all be a bit overwhelming. We love using vegetables for styling a table for a couple of reasons; one, because you can always reuse the items and two, because there is little to no waste! We have played around with a sustainable centrepiece we think you will love. Created out of hearty seasonal vegetables, use the pieces of this centrepiece when creating weeknight meals with your leftovers!
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Steps: 1 It is always good to start with a base. We used purple kale, but depending on the colours you want to use, any leafy vegetables will do. 2 Add the height. For this table, we put herbs (that we would use weekly anyway) in small jars to add a bit of depth.
3 Place your bigger items first. They are the focal point, and you will adjust and fill around them. Use your brightest colour vegetables first and place them in clusters. You will work around these with the more muted vegetables. 4 Fill the space. Use your smaller vegetables to fill any gaps or create texture.
Try using your centrepiece veggies in these recipes! Kale & Beets - try making a salad and topping it with leftover turkey. (if your kale is a bit soft after dinner, try a warm kale salad.) Carrots & Onion - add this to a leftover stew. Parsley & Carrot Stalks - you can use this to make a fresh pesto. Check out our GLS Summer issue for the recipe.
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READ OF THE SEASON Selection by by Shauna McConnell, Editor-in-Chief, Green Living Magazine
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Have you ever thought about the power of soil? It takes tiny seeds and turns them into mountains of food. Delicious food that literally fuels our bodies. But we haven’t gotten to the best part yet - soil can help reverse climate change. Soil is pivotal to our civilization. And we don’t always treat it the best. This book explores our complex relationship starting from the ground up (no pun intended). It dives deep into the world of regenerative agriculture in a story told through Tickell’s first-hand experience and through interviews with celebrity chefs, ranchers, scientists, and of course, farmers. Deepak Chopra described it as “a must-read for anyone committed to healing our bodies and our Earth.” We agree - we never knew dirt was so interesting. Not a reader? Check out the documentary called Kiss The Ground. To learn more visit kisstheground.com Interested in the cause? Finian Makepeace, co-founder of Kiss The Ground Organization, will be in Creemore, Ontario on September 21st for The New Feast, a dinner focused on regenerative agriculture. For more details visit thenewfeast.com
Stay tuned for our next read of the season by following us on instagram at @greenlivingpage
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