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Dear Friends Here we are in August, the high season of fun in Kawartha. The lakes are warm, the sun is shining, and the farmers’ markets are full of good things. In this issue we take you on a high flying adventure over Kawartha, with a visit to the Kawartha Lakes Flying Club and an interview with world-class aeronaut Hal Cooper. We know how beautiful Kawartha is from the ground, but imagine seeing it from above. If you are eager to stretch your wings and soar overhead, you can do that right here in Kawartha. And if your idea of soaring to new heights has a more entrepreneurial flavour, in this issue we profile the unique and successful Oxenham Designs, as well as an energetic start up that’s brewing high quality coffee from around the world, right here in our scenic backyard. Summer is short, so grab your morning coffee, get a piece of cake for breakfast (we have a tasty recipe for this) and head outside to your favourite dock, deck or lawn chair to plan your own adventure close to home.
Don MacLeod Publisher - Kawartha Life PUBLISHER: Don MacLeod ACCOUNT MANAGER: Kim Harrison, 289-638-1533 kimkawarthalife@hotmail.com EDITORIAL: Birgitta MacLeod CONTRIBUTORS: Darren Catherwood ©Copyright 2014: All rights are reserved and articles may not be published without the written permission of the Publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of this paper, the Publishers assume no liability for loss or damage due to errors or omissions. The Publishers cannot be held accountable for any claims or results thereof as advertised in this publication.
Contents
BUSINESS
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world, after oil. — Kyle Gooch
A World Of Coffee In Your Cups
Birgitta MacLeod.....................................................................6 DESTINATION
Lighter Than Air
Birgitta MacLeod............................................................................8 ARTIST: SUSAN FISHER
Cover photo courtesy of James Photography, Yeti photo (above) and giant S prop (below) article on page 18.
Layered Spirit And Energy
Birgitta MacLeod.........................................................................10 MAP
Regional And Trent Severn Waterway ...............................................................................................................12 COVER STORY
Flying High Over Kawartha Birgitta MacLeod .........................................................................14 COVER STORY
Learn To Fly In Kawartha
Birgitta MacLeod .........................................................................16 BUSINESS
Inventing Creative Success
Birgitta MacLeod..........................................................................18 RECIPE
Blue Ribbon Baking
Birgitta MacLeod........................................................................20
August 2014
5
BUSINESS
A World Of Coffee In Your Cups... Birgitta MacLeod
C
omplex, flavourful and full of variety, the world of coffee production and export is as intricate as the drink itself. The way you brew your favourite coffee impacts its flavour. So too does the journey from tree to tasting. Kyle Gooch is a young Kawartha entrepreneur who takes his coffee seriously. He earned his masters degree from Reading University in Agricultural Development Economics, studying the economic impact of high quality coffee. He spent last summer trekking around Costa Rica, meeting farmers and talking coffee for his research. His studies focused on the viability of the direct trade model, in which roasters buy directly from the growers, and how value could be added to the price the farmer collects. To put some figures behind it, a coffee grower typically gets about $150 for a bag of coffee beans. In the certified fair trade market they are guaranteed a minimum of $180 per bag. Roasters like Kyle pay about $375 for a bag of top quality beans.
6
Unfortunately, the fair trade system isn’t all roses and sunshine. “Coffee plants only give one crop per year. Many farmers working micro-lots only earn about one dollar per day. The small farms produce maybe four bags of coffee in a year. The average fee to be certified organic is about $1,300 US. The farmers are often too poor to apply pesticides anyways but also can’t pay for the organic certification.” One of the stipulations of fair trade certification is that the coffee is produced by a cooperative. “But these often become very political and subject to corruption. Sometimes good coffee from the cooperative is blended with poor. The guaranteed fair trade price is an incentive to produce more coffee so the quality can suffer,” explained Kyle. His solution: meet the farmer personally and negotiate a purchase. With the connections he made doing his research he is also able to piggy-back on existing supply chains for high quality coffee. “Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world, after oil,” said Kyle. Kyle became an importer, trader and coffee retailer because when he returned from university there were few local jobs for someone with his skill set. So he applied for a Youth Entrepreneur
August 2014
Grant, got it, and opened his own business, Off the Grid Coffee Micro-Roaster. The name might imply that he’s using solar or wind power to roast his coffee, but in fact it’s powered by propane. The name relates to his forging a new path for farmers to get their beans in to the cups of Canadians. Kyle drinks a lot of coffee. He’s learned the art of “cupping”, wherein freshly roasted and ground beans are placed in a small round cup, very hot water (the optimal temperature is 93 degrees Celsius) is poured over the grounds and after a few stirs and a chance to steep, the mixture is slurped off a spoon. Someone who knows his or her coffee can identify different nuances the way a sommelier tastes wine. “My recent favourite is from Bolivia. They really know how to use the micro climate. It’s sweet with a well-structured body. African coffee tends to be acidic, so it’s good for the morning.” As for the best way to brew coffee at home? Kyle recommends good old drip coffee. Just let the water sit for ten seconds after the boil or you’ll over-extract and it will be too bitter. Off the Grid Coffee is currently available at the Fenelon Falls Farmers’ Market, the Port Perry Farmers’ Market, at South Pond Farms in Pontypool every Thursday, Elm Creek Chocolates in Lindsay, Roland’s Delectable Desserts in Port Perry, and a few other locations. You can also buy online directly from Kyle at www.offthegridcoffee.ca. &
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BUSINESS
Lighter Than Air Birgitta MacLeod
... something happens inside that enhances almost everything you do in the short future. Or longer. Something on the inside happens. It’s like enlightenment. — Hall Cooper
F
or a new perspective on the Kawartha countryside, you might want to try a bird’s eye view. Not a noisy, strapped in by seatbelt listening to the roar of an engine kind of view, but a serene and gentle view as you float overhead in a basket. It might sound adventurous to go hot air ballooning, but it’s surprisingly comfortable and peaceful. And if you had any doubts about safety or experience, in our locale you can fly with one of North America’s top balloon pilots, Hal Cooper. Hal recently placed eighth overall at the Albuquerque Fiesta, an international ballooning competition that attracts more than 500 pilots from 18 countries. Hal took to the skies in a four passenger basket and also won first 8
place in his class. The euphoria from the win matches the feeling Hal gets when he’s floating overhead. “The “wow” factor, flying over the lakes, trees, mountains, that starts almost immediately,” said Hal. “But something happens inside that enhances almost everything you do in the short future. Or longer. Something on the inside happens. It’s like enlightenment.” Hal caught the ballooning bug from his very first flight. He took as many flights as he could and worked on crews for other flights. He read everything he could about ballooning. Finally he put aside his welding and fabricating business and concentrated on training to get his balloon pilots licence. “A balloon is an aircraft like any type of aircraft so you have to train in all types of
August 2014
operations.” It took Hal about two years to earn his commercial pilot’s licence. Since then he’s logged thousands and thousands of flights, in North America, England and Europe. Hot air balloons come in all shapes and sizes. The smallest is called a “hopper” and is basically a sort of chair attached to a 20,000 cubic foot balloon. The largest balloons are 600,000 cubic feet and can take up a basket that will hold thirty passengers. Hal’s company, Uptoit Balloons, owns three balloons. The largest can take up to six people into the great blue yonder. Hal pilots the balloon and a “chase” vehicle follows behind, ready to pick everyone up where the balloon lands. New technology using GPS and other apps has made it easier for the crew on the ground to follow along. In the old days it was done by sight or by walkie talkie. Technology has also improved the balloons themselves. “The biggest change I’ve seen is in the operation of the top. The apex is the huge opening at the top of the balloon. Originally it was put in with Velcro and when you were ready to permanently land [rather than simply descend] you’d pull on the cord and open the top by releasing the Velcro. Now you can open the top and reclose it,” Hal explained. Previously, air was released during flight through vents in the side of the balloon that were more difficult to control. Advancements have also been made in the type of nylon fabric used to make the balloon envelope. “Fabric used to last 50 hours. The new fabrics last 600 hours.” Balloons go up of course because hot air rises. “The balloon gets lift from the difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature inside the envelope. Generally there’s a 100 degree Fahrenheit difference. When you add passengers you need more heat, for example a 225 to 240 degree difference.” The direction of the wind determines the direction of the balloon, but because the
breeze varies with the altitude, the pilot has more control that you might expect. “You have quite a bit of control,” said Hal. But this requires knowledge of winds and weather and it’s not as though you can put the balloon down on a dime. “From the launch you take them where it’s good to go, not where you want to go.” In every flight, Hal brings a bottle of champagne as a gift to the landowner where he touches down. The bubbly is a tradition that started in France where ballooning got its start. “I have my top three priorities,” said Hal. “The first rule is safety. The second is landowner relations. I don’t land in a field where there are cash crops, livestock or buildings for example. The third is ease of recovery. I try to put the balloon down where a vehicle can get to it.” After flying the iconic ReMax balloon for 16 years, Hal loves flying passengers in his own balloons. “Passengers can enjoy the
scenery, the lakes and rolling hills. I do low level flights so it’s very easy to see all the terrain, the valleys, hills, crops. That’s the kind of flying I like to do. In corporate flying we concentrate on flying over people but my idea of flying paying passengers is to get them away from all that and give them a sense of freedom and fresh air. This is some of the prettiest countryside in Ontario.” The other experience he loves to
help create is exotic or remote flying. He’s taken people places where no one else can take them. He’s taken clients ballooning in the Alps for example, and can put together a custom package whether it’s for a marriage proposal in Canada or a special adventure in another part of the world. Most of Uptoit’s flights leave from the Port Hope area and fly in the area of Rice Lake. For full information about prices and booking, visit the website www.uptoitballoons.com or call (905) 396RIDE (7433). &
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ARTIST: SUSAN FISHER
Layered Spirit And Energy Birgitta MacLeod
T
here are all kinds of ways to make paint. The ingredients are basically pigment and a medium. We’re probably most familiar with oil, acrylic and water. Thousands of years ago, artisans in ancient Egypt mixed pigments with beeswax to create a painting medium that was applied while in its molten state. The technique spread to other areas of the ancient world, including Greece, where it was called “enkausticos”. In the twentieth century, artists like Jasper Johns rediscovered encaustic. It’s enjoying an even stronger resurgence today. Peterborough’s Susan Fisher started working with encaustic while still an art 10
student at Concordia University. Today she is well known for her sophisticated, layered and translucent works of art. She’s a soughtafter instructor as well.
I love the translucent layers and the fact that it allows me to weave my photo elements into my pieces to create a dynamic of shifting imagery. — Susan Fisher, Artist
August 2014
The versatility and flexibility of encaustic makes it so attractive to both experienced and beginning artists. Photographs or transferred images as well as three dimensional objects can be imbedded into the piece as it is created. Encaustic paintings are done in many layers, giving them a luminous and multi-faceted form. Each layer is fused to the previous layer with heat and the pieces can be carved and sculpted as well. This variety appeals to Susan, who majored in graphics and sculpture as an undergrad. She later earned a masters degree in art history and native and indigenous art at Trent University. Her interest in history, anthropology and storytelling plays out in her art. “I’m attempting to create an open story, a
story that anyone can put themselves into, one that’s not cut and dried. I use imagery, colours and layers to create suggestions and hints that may awaken memories in someone else.” Always exploring and learning, Susan and her husband have travelled extensively, to Greece, Egypt, Spain, France and Chile. “Ironically, I’ve never actually seen ancient encaustics in a museum,” she admitted. While in Chile she had a chance to explore the ancient glyphs found in the Atacama Desert. The impermanence of human settlement has always fascinated her and inspired her solo show, “The Alchemy of Remains” which was presented by the Peterborough Art Gallery in 2008. Encaustic is actually quite stable and enduring as an artistic medium. Modern encaustic medium is about 85 percent beeswax and 15 percent damar resin, which gives it its archival quality. The technique can be spontaneous but Susan carefully plans and deliberately executes each piece. “A little piece can take a week, simply because I really ponder every aspect. I like to have things balanced. I’m very concerned about how different parts of the composition interact, for example, colour, line and balance.” “It’s not free and gestural. It’s almost like I’ve entered into a dance or a dialogue or a
song with it. It’s not a random type of construction. Yet I will let accidents lead me.” Prehistoric art was created in homage to the cycles of the seasons, or in honour of animal spirits for example. To some degree this vein flows through Susan’s work as well. “I believe there’s spirit and energy in whatever you create, an anime if you want,
and that when an artist works on something you create a connection with what you create and it resonates with people.” Whether you call it resonance, connection or an appreciation of artistic skill, art viewers and collectors respond with enthusiasm to Susan’s work. She regularly exhibits throughout the Peterborough, Kawartha and Durham regions. She also shares her expertise, teaching encaustic techniques at the Haliburton School for the Arts, META4 Gallery in Port Perry an in her own studio, by appointment. Many of her students have gone on to become accomplished encaustic artists in their own right. A talented pianist as well, Susan was once faced with the decision of choosing music or visual art. “I’ve always known I was going to be an artist,” she said, “I’ve always known that.” Clearly she chose well. You can see Susan’s work at META4 Gallery in Port Perry, The Ethel Curry Gallery in Haliburton, The Russell Gallery in Peterborough and on her website, fisherencaustic.com. If you’d like to give a try yourself with this experienced instructor, Susan will be teaching a beginner encaustic workshop at META4 Gallery in October. &
August 2014
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MAP
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DESTINATION
Flying High Over Kawartha Birgitta MacLeod
I
f you’re looking for a high flying adventure and are good with some basic calculations, flying an airplane is a pretty awesome experience.
Enthusiasm for the great blue yonder bubbles to the surface easily for Bob Burns and Flavelle Barrett. The two retirees are members of the Kawartha Lakes Flying Club and regularly take to the skies for fun. “I started my flying experience by parachuting,” said Bob. “I’d never been in a plane before, then I jumped out. I drove from Toronto – that was the most dangerous part – to Cameron and jumped four times. Then I took flying lessons in Buttonville. It took about a year, going every Saturday and Sunday.” Flavelle was so keen to fly that he bought his plane even before he had his pilot’s licence. He bought an advanced ultralight, a plane that’s normally sold as kit that you put 14
together yourself. But Flavelle found one for sale already assembled, so he bought it and stored it in a hangar, keeping it in the wings until he could pilot it himself. When he retired he took lessons on his own plane in Edenvale, Ontario. “I fly by myself mainly, partly because of the weight restrictions, but I love flying by myself,” said Flavelle. “The peacefulness, the freedom. I go exploring in my airplane.” Flavelle recently went on a five day trip with forty other planes to Quebec. He was the lightest, smallest and slowest plane but the experience was memorable. “From the air you see pristine areas with no road access, cottage areas where the only access is by float plane. An airplane can get you places you’d never go otherwise.” The unique view from above inspired Bob to start an aerial photography business, a gig that pays for his plane rentals, since he doesn’t own his own. Besides his interest in photography, there’s “a feeling of freedom
August 2014
when you’re flying up there”. Along with the freedom and euphoria of soaring over Kawartha, there are of course some technical details that require your attention. During flight planning you have to take into account the weight of your aircraft, the weight of the people and fuel, the weather conditions, your route and more. In recent years computers and GPS have made this much easier but flight planning and understanding your instruments are still a rigorous and necessary part of flying. “Before computers you flew with a map on your knee and your finger on the map. Your finger moved along the map,” said Flavelle. “Now we all fly with GPS. On the screen there’s a symbol of the plane and a full aviation map from Transport Canada. You plot the route on the map. There are beautiful databases available and the screen replaces all those dials.” But technology can’t replace know-how and pilots still need to attend flight school, pass
their exams and log a minimum number of hours in the air.
Anyone can learn to fly the airplane. An average person can do the bookwork and study. It’s not easy but if you put the time into it you can do it
well as COPA for Kids. This kid-friendly flying adventure takes place September 6th with a rain date of September 7th. Young people age 8 to 17 can fly for free as part of a Canada-wide event to introduce youngsters to the thrill and science of flight. To reserve a spot at the Lindsay event, register online at the Kawartha Lakes Flying Club website, www.klfc.ca. Next year the club will participate in a vintage airplane event to commemorate World War I. This event was originally schedule for this August but has been postponed to July 2015, when more funding is available to make it even bigger and better. &
— Bob Burns, Pilot
In addition, “different airplanes have different characteristics. For example, Cessna’s generally fly the same but if a plane is lighter, like Flavelle’s, it glides differently and responds quicker.” The toughest and trickiest part is always the landing. For pilots who rent planes, licencing standards require that you fly every thirty days. At least five take-offs and landings are required within six months, more if you are taking passengers in the air. As a hobby, the costs of flying are not as outrageous as you might expect. Rental costs start at around $100 per hour, but that includes insurance as well as fuel and with aviation fuel currently running about $2 per litre, most of that expense in the gas. If you consider that you could spend that stuck in traffic on the 401, piloting your own course as the crow flies sounds pretty attractive. The Kawartha Lakes Flying Club operates out of the Kawartha Lakes Municipal Airport in Lindsay, where they are designated as COPA 101. COPA stands for Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, an organization that works to provide resources to general aviation pilots and ensure that smaller airports are kept open and safe at regular intervals across our great and widespread country. The Kawartha Lakes Flying Club puts on a number of events throughout the year, including Kawartha Classics, a marriage of antique and vintage airplanes and autos, as
August 2014
15
COVER STORY
Learn To Fly In Kawartha Birgitta MacLeod
People who are here full time finish fastest. A student from Germany, for example, was able to earn her PPL in just seven weeks. — Robert Janacek, Flight Instructor
I
tching to stretch your wings and take to the skies? You can earn your pilot’s licence right here in Kawartha at FlyCanadian. The flight school operates out of the Kawartha Lakes Municipal Airport in Lindsay and trains pilots from around the world. Some take an intensive course to qualify as a commercial pilot and some simply learn how to fly for recreation. According to flight instructor Robert Janacek, about half of FlyCanadian students are international and half are local. Students come from abroad because they can take an intensive course and earn their commercial pilots licence in a just nine months. “Our program is cheaper and better. The owner is an airline pilot who has his own airline in Abu Dhabi. For international students we 16
have a complete package that includes accommodation.” A private pilot’s licence (PPL) requires less of a commitment, but still leads to the thrill of flying solo. There’s a medical exam to pass and you have to be at least 17 to apply for your PPL. Some of the other requirements are: a passing grade of at least 90% on your test, a minimum of 40 hours of ground school covering topics such as aviation regulations, aerodynamics, meteorology, engines, flight instruments, navigation and pilot decision making; and a minimum number of hours in the air, both with an instructor and solo. “People who are here full time finish fastest,” said Robert. A student from Germany, for example, was able to earn her PPL in just seven weeks.
August 2014
A Recreational Pilot Permit is even more attainable and, in addition to the requisite ground school, demands a minimum of 25 hours of flight training. Twenty of these have to be with someone else and five must be solo. You also need two hours of dual cross country flying. To give you an idea of the basic cost, the fee for an instructor is $59 per hour and renting a Cessna ranges from $179 to $199 per hour for two people, a bit less for solo fliers. If you’d like to skip the instruction and just take someone special up for a scenic tour over Kawartha, FlyCanadian offers picturesque flights for $199 for up to 3 passengers. More information is available on the company website, www.flycanadian.ca. &
e h t y o j n e d n a e m Co awartha’s K
If you know of a place or person in Kawartha that you think the rest of the world should get to know, please contact us at Kawartha Life. To advertise with Kawartha Life call Kim Harrison at Office - 289-638-1533 • Cell - 905-259-8894 or by email kimkawarthalife@hotmail.com
August 2014
17
BUSINESS
Inventing Creative Success Birgitta MacLeod
I
magine sitting on your deck, looking out over the lake while you conjure up cool movie props on your computer. Sounds like a piece of Hollywood glamour just dropped into your lap in Kawartha, doesn’t it. What’s missing from this picture are the twelve or eighteen hour days you might have to put in at the shop, fabricating, sanding, painting, inventing and re-inventing to get to the finished product. It’s a lot of work that requires some specialized skills and a huge helping of creativity, but Jamie and Jody Oxenham are living the dream in Little Britain. Jamie started building props, making signs and crafting custom furniture in his garage in Little Britain. After several moves to bigger facilities, the shop is currently located in Port Perry. He now specializes in 18
building props for films and commercials and making 3-dimensional signs for all kinds of businesses. “It’s not a nine to five job at all,” said Jody. “It’s a ton of work in a short amount of time with lots of last minute changes.” Despite the challenges, Oxenham Designs has never missed a deadline. In the film and commercial advertising world there’s just no room for tardiness or failure. It’s one reason the company is so highly regarded and how it has grown almost solely by word of mouth. It’s a surprisingly small world. There are only about five similar businesses in all of Ontario. “Other companies specialize in sets but wouldn’t build miniatures or small props,” said Jody. This kind of business requires a huge range of skills. “You have to have a designing
August 2014
eye for sure,” said Jamie. “You can have a passion but if you have no skills you won’t make it. Computer skills are paramount, either 2-D drawing or full 3-D modelling.” Jamie himself is like a one-man orchestra of design and build. At any time be might be welding, 3-D modelling, designing on the computer, product rendering, doing fibreglass work, automotive painting or applying faux finishes. Having the hard skills is an advantage, even in a world where so much is done with a computer. “If there was a colossal machine failure I could go old school and do it myself. I still have the skill set,” said Jamie. The road to success is pitted with the potholes of mistakes. “You do make mistakes. We’ve repainted stuff a bunch of times. It’s not always right the first time off.
The difference between a hack and a professional is that a professional knows how to fix his mistakes,” said Jamie. “We’ve been doing it long enough that we know how to catch potential problems,” he added. The taste of creative success is oh so sweet. “The most rewarding thing is to go from absolutely nothing to getting to the set and your clients are happy. It’s validation. Even if you’ve worked thirty-two hours straight. You watch the filming and you see the commercial on TV and it’s still exciting,” said Jody. The husband and wife team have an unusually good working relationship. If you’ve ever tried to hang wallpaper with your spouse you might be in awe of their ability to get along on the job. “You get a working rhythm and we’re so intuitive together and it flows so smoothly,” said Jody. As a result, however, it’s sometime a challenge to have someone new working with them. If they had to pick a favourite recent project, for Jamie that’s a full size video game character for Sony Playstation. “It was a lot of fun. A lot of sanding and manual labour but it turned out great.” As for Jody, she likes building the environments for kids toy commercials, a twenty-five foot set that was made to look like the surface of mars is her recent fave. In the shop, the equipment that gets the most use are the vacuum forming machine, small laser cutter and the CNC (computer numerical control), a machine that uses software to convert drawings into numbers then makes precision cuts.
Regardless of the latest technology, the timeless standard “great stuff in, great stuff out,” still rules — Jaime Oxenham,
The one technology that’s still in its infancy is 3-D printing. “It’s not the be all and end all. People’s perception is so much greater than what it is,” explained Jamie. “There are different ways of 3-D printing. A
high resolution item could take sixteen hours. A different technique has a rougher resolution and more clean up later. Highly detailed pieces are not as strong and take longer to print. And there’s not one machine that prints in every material available.” “The technology is still relatively new, though it has its place,” explained Jamie. “It opens up small parts manufacturing and creativity for more people.” There’s still a long way to go before the technology has a practical business application according to Jamie. “You couldn’t run a business but you could play in your basement.” Their old-fashioned expertise and creativity is therefore still very much in demand. In recent years they have been invited to the US to teach professional development workshops in the sign industry. Jody and Jamie teach 3-D modelling, colour theory and painting techniques to colleagues looking to move to the next level. The sign industry is a new frontier for 3-D design and the unique design and fabrication that Oxenham Designs can do. “We can do a dimensional sign in about two weeks, depending on the size and the amount of work. The signs are made of high density urethane foam that’s guaranteed, without paint, for twenty-five years outside. Once you paint it, it will probably outlast us.” Bigger signs have a welded metal armature inside. These types of signs become landmark signs. Oxenham Designs has already done signs for attractions and businesses throughout North America. “People want to get photographed with them because they’re just so cool. Businesses aren’t always aware of what you can do with signage and underestimate the value,” said Jamie.
If a business were looking for a sign that would create some buzz, it might well consider a company that’s built a ten foot long, nine foot tall remote control Spanish galleon with firing cannons, a two-man alien pod for Disney’s “Skyrunners”, a crazy coffee machine for a Report on Business magazine cover, or a ten foot tall Himalayan Yeti. For more information about Oxenham Design, visit their website www.oxenhamdesign.com. Jamie also has a really cool blog at http://fromaspiretobeyond.blogspot.ca, where you can read about his latest adventures. &
August 2014
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RECIPE
Blue Ribbon Baking Birgitta MacLeod — Photo and recipe courtesy Foodland Ontario
O
ntario’s glorious fruit season is upon us. While the southern part of the province is awash in peaches this month, here in this neck of the woods we’re feeling less peachy keen and a little more blue. And that’s something to love because nothing says August in cottage country more than blueberries. Ontario has two basic types of blueberries: lowbush and highbush. The lowbush grows both wild and cultivated and, as the name
implies, highbush blueberries can grow to great heights, as high as six to eight feet. When you’re shopping for blueberries, look for fairly firm, sweet smelling berries with no signs of mould or mildew and no crushed berries in the box. You can store them, loosely covered, in the refrigerator for maybe two weeks, but who wants to do that. Better to eat them asap and pick up some more the next time you see them at the market, at a roadside stand or in the grocery store. They freeze really well so if you can’t eat them when they’re fresh, put them
on a plate in the freezer. When they’re frozen, seal them up in a bag and take them out when you’re ready for a summer refresher.. &
Bobcaygeon
Open Victoria Day Weekend to Labour Day Weekend 24/7 Monday to Friday - 7am to 9pm Saturday - 8am - 8pm; Sunday - 8am - 8pm 62 Bolton Street, Bobcaygeon • 705-738-2282
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August 2014
Blueberry Coffee Cake For a terrific dessert, just the right thing to go with your Off The Grid coffee, try this coffee cake recipe courtesy of Foodland Ontario. It even tastes good for breakfast or brunch. If you feel you need to justify eating cake for breakfast, add a slice of Ontario cheddar cheese. Preparation Time: 25 Baking Time: 35 — Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients - Topping: 3 cups (750 mL) fresh Ontario Blueberries 1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar 2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon 1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour 1/3 cup (75 mL) cold butter, in bits 1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped walnuts
Batter: 1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda 1 cup (250 mL) sour cream
Preparation Instructions: Topping: In small bowl, stir together blueberries and half each of the icing sugar and cinnamon; set aside. In another small bowl, stir together flour and remaining icing sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until like coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts. Set aside. Batter: In large bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Sift or stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir baking soda into sour cream. Stir half of the dry ingredients into butter mixture. Add sour cream; stir in remaining dry ingredients. Spread in greased 9- x 13-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan, smoothing with spatula. (The batter is thick.) Sprinkle with blueberry mixture. Sprinkle walnut mixture evenly over top. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Nutritional Information: 1 Wedge Protein: 5 grams Fat: 20 grams Carbohydrates: 48 grams Calories: 385 Fibre: 2 grams
August 2014
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RE/MAX ALL-STARS REALTY INC. Brokerage, independently owned and operated
Cathy Hopkins-Poole SALES REPRESENTATIVE
Honest Professional Friendly Over 25 years experience living in the Kawartha Lakes 73 Bolton Street, Bobcaygeon ON K0M 1A0 Bus. 705-738-2378 Fax: 705-738-5498 www.cathyhopkins.ca cathy@remax-kawartha.ca
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HEAVEN MARIE GATES P H O T O G R A P H Y The amazing people and other inhabitants of the Kawarthas provide a constant opportunity for the camera lenses of Heaven Marie Gates Photographer Heather Glynn, whose work encompasses a blend of the regions natural beauty in the form of family memories and wildlife. Heaven Marie Gates Photography offers families the option of being photographed in more natural settings, such as a forest, garden, on a lake and more! We transfer photos to canvas, cards, plaques or enlargements. Great for cottage art, home and offices alike. Canvas art all made here in Bridgenorth. Senior and union discounts available. • nature photography • family portraits • pet photography • child photography • sporting events • reunions • birthdays • baptisims • pre-wedding • just because • calendars
We focus on bringing families and nature together. 393 Lindsay Road, Selwyn, ON K9J 0C5 email: heavenmariegatesphotography@live.com