reved
Quarterly
SPRING '09 Issue #16
FREE!
Arts, Culture and Life in Revelstoke
reved.net
Artist in Profile...Tom Scott is on page two
editorial
Every time the seasons change, I say it’s my
favourite time of year. I love transitions, I suppose, but the shift from winter to spring is so appealing that it is, therefore, 'my favourite'. Some people don’t like the wet streets, the muddy snow and the end of powder days; I like seeing snow pits with lawn chairs, smelling resurrected barbeque’s and feeling the warmth along the side of a building in direct sunlight. I also like spring cleaning and expect this will be a time I’ll organize something major, for example, my office. Once a place for well thought out chaos, it’s now a place where I open the door, throw something in and then close the door. This is how I clean my house when people come over. Literally, I throw things in there. Sometimes I hear something break, which I haven't discovered to be a problem yet. A lot goes into that room, but not much comes out. It’s very satisfying to have a room like this – everyone should have one. My friend Debbie came over once and asked me if I knew my office had been broken into. I’m also particularly ecstatic about spring this year because for most of the winter, I lay wide-eyed awake at night worrying about another cold spell that would put me again into a most disturbing place in my home: The Crawl Space. This is a place I said I’d never go. A place for which there should be numbers invented like 1-800-RENT-A-MAN. A place in which claustrophobics like me could totally lose it, die, and not be found for several days. I had to go under there after the first cold spell froze my sewage pipes and I had no toilet or shower facilities for over two weeks. The Crawl Space is a two-foot high cavern I became intimate with over many days while attempting to thaw ‘stuff’ out. I had
special clothes for The Crawl Space and would emerge from under my house looking like a miner caught in an explosion. It’s tight under there. I built a tarp-tent to trap in heat that would triumphantly thaw things out enough to flow again. I thought this was ingenious and started saying clever things like, “I don’t need a plumber”, until I needed a plumber and paid him $85 to tell me I had a leaky toilet flapper. Such a simple repair after all my under-dwelling mining irritated me enough to start a blog called How To Be a Man When You’re a Woman (.blogspot.com) where there are tips like how to fix your own damn toilet flapper.
In the last issue, we asked readers to send in
words they wanted to see used in this issue’s front page editorial. I've used six of those words on this page so if you’re feeling sporty, go ahead and guess which ones. Answers are posted at the bottom of the page. This was so much fun, we're doing it again, so send us a word: editor@reved.net. I’ll give you a freebie to start: one of the words sent in was chivalry; a word that sparked assorted conversations ranging from how chivalry is alive and well to how chivalry is lacking in appearances. One friend told me a story about getting her vehicle stuck in the snow in the middle of the road. She was pushing her own car when a guy drove up and over a snowbank to avoid helping her and kept going. A fine example of Lack of Chivalry. Another story started with a woman whose husband immediately jumped in and said, “But we’re scared! With all this woman’s lib stuff, we’re scared to be chivalrous!” A justified statement when there are women out there fixing their own damn toilet flappers. But I have to say, once I started watching people, I saw chivalry happening all over the place.
Of course, I wouldn’t be doing chivalry justice if I didn’t mention my neighbours. I am nestled between four of the most accommodating surrogate grandparents who always, always help me when I’m in distress. Which is often (refer to plumbing story). I hope my neighbours never change. They are old-school Revelstokian's and part of an invaluable synergy to our town. Now there’s a good segue into the next topic: what you hope never changes in Revelstoke. The results of our online Reader’s Questionnaire are below. Heather Lea - Senior editor/publisher Reader's Questionnaire Results: "Things I Hope Never Change in Revelstoke." You said: That there will always be snow on Mount Begbie/that people always remain courteous and nice/the size of the town stays below 10,000 people/that the downtown heritage feeling is never compromised/that we keep our green spaces green and keep Revelstoke walkable and bike friendly/that bank tellers and grocery store clerks always know my name/that we keep the farmer's market and the plans to enlarge Grizzly Plaza/that we always have a snowy winter/that we continue to value our large hardwood trees in the downtown area and that cut trees are replaced/that we are able to easily find places to hike/that we are not overrun by tourists/ that we have no lack of personal, friendly people in businesses and around the town in general/ that our town is not run by a bunch of strangers/ that we keep the small town atmosphere/I always want coffee at the Modern, the Farmer's Market and the Wetlands/Joe's happy smile of greeting at the Video Store/The Nomad's awesome burgers/the ability to feel like a local, even if you have just recently moved here....... Kids said: I always want the roads to be plowed in winter I don't want the Columbia River to ever stop flowing I never want the skateboard park to be removed I never want Holly to move away I don't want to ever move away I don't want the swimming pool to ever change The six words: Chivalry, my friend Debbie, Postmodern, Cinderella, Breastfeeding, Synergy
photo: Heather Lea
On any given day, men of any given age will take their lives into their hands and open a door for a woman. Maybe there should have been a disclaimer in the women’s lib declaration, like: “From this day forth, every woman shall be considered as strong and as smart as every man and shall be able to work while breastfeeding in any and all forms of occupations. Disclaimer: However, if men still want to be chivalrous, we’re cool with that.” Otherwise, what‘s to become of the post-modern Cinderella?
Artist in Profile Tom Scott Makes The Cut
A resident of 36 years, Tom has captured a niche in Revelstoke. “I don’t think anyone else is milling cuts like this in town.”
by Heather Lea
A visit to Tom Scott’s home at the base of Mount Mackenzieand it’s clear - this man loves wood. A large covered driveway shelters timber of all shapes and species while the inside of his home is beautifully finished in post and beam. But the most convincing piece of Tom’s passion is the chainsaw mill he has built in his backyard. Mounted onto a steel highbeam frame is a seven foot chainsaw blade, which Tom manually pushes through trees wide enough to hide a grizzly bear. A resourceful man and former logger, Tom uses his contacts in forestry to ensure he gets the right cuts at the right time. Boom trucks regularly deliver trees onto Tom’s property, which he then mills and supplies to local woodworkers, carpenters, and homeowners. The wood is purchased from forestry operations in the area and can include all varieties of trees from spruce, fir and hemlock to cedar and white pine.
all photos: Tom Scott
“My father started his livelihood milling," says Tom. "I learned everything I needed to know from him.”
One particular type of cut that Tom is branching into is called “bookmatching” or “the butterfly technique”. Bookmatching shows off an interesting design after the tree has been cut into two slabs and matched together like an open book. Any knots and other ‘features’ in the tree will show up as a sort of mirror image. This also allows a cut slab to become twice as wide. Tom’s mill can cut slabs as wide as 44 inches and as long as 28 feet. Each slab that Tom has to lift and maneuver around can weigh over 300 pounds. How does he move it off the mill? “A lot of grunt work. I guess I just learned how to sling these things around with my father. I was about 12 when I started moving wood slabs that weighed more than I did.” After a slab is cut, Tom pulls his truck up alongside the mill and slides them onto the flatbed, then he’ll walk the ends in. “I do love the milling aspect of it. Every time I cut, there is something different to see in the wood.” Tom’s appreciation of wood doesn’t stop at cutting. Along with what is stored in his garage, Tom also keeps a collection of wood in a large shed beside the mill; all the makings for custom door stock, bookmatch sets, end tables, shelving stock, mantels and countertops. “Spruce beetle damage has actually become sort of trendy in countertops; it is, after all, part of the natural process.” It seems word of mouth is keeping Tom and his selfdescribed “grass-roots milling” going strong. Though he’s not interested in “running the mill twenty four hours a day”, Tom is definitely looking to develop a keen clientele of local craftsmen and homeowners in the market for indigenous and low-impact milled wood.
Tom's backyard mill
r eved publications writing services
Heather Lea 250-837-4676 reved.net writing@reved.net
by John Simms
editor@reved.net
managing editor Colin Titsworth man-ed@reved.net
ad sales/marketing Emily Beaumont sales@reved.net
design/layout Heather Lea design@reved.net
Quarterly
So you're travelling and you've just fired off a whole bunch of highly bloggable and flickr-friendly photos. Later, you sit down, coffee in hand to create your next online masterpiece and voila! A hard digital reality slaps you in the face. They're gone. This can happen any time to a memory card full of photos: on the way back to base camp or at the top of a kazbah during prayer call. Without going into any techy reasons why this happens, I'll just give the first rule of "losing photos", and that is "Don't Panic". Cursing in the Sistine Chapel or ranting to a tribe of Amazon head hunters will NOT get your pictures back. Next, remove the card, slip the tiny write-protect tab to the 'lock' position and stash the card somewhere safe (if you re-use the card you run the risk of losing your pics). When you're back at home, slip the card into a card reader and install the free version of Easus Deleted File Recovery found at http://www.easeus-deletedrecovery.com/. When the program runs, you're presented with a list of drives. Click the drive that is associated with your memory card and press 'next'. You can then browse and select the deleted files (you can check all at the same time) and press 'next' again. Then specify where to save them, click 'next', and Bob's your uncle.
reved
Box 2126 • Revelstoke, BC • V0E 2S0 • reved.net
publisher/senior editor Heather Lea
staff writers Alison Lapshinoff Colin Titsworth Butch Kibosh
contributors Melissa Jameson Sarah Newton David Huebert Karilyn Kempton John Simms Penny Page-Brittin
Table in 112 Lounge
Bookmatching
“I use bio-degradable oil for the mill. On a big cutting day, I could use up to 4 litres, but that’s unlikely; more average would be 2 litres.” Most of his scrap wood, shavings and sawdust will be used for the future addition of a steam room which will be used to heat and bend wood for landscaping accessories. Tom’s wood work is seen in such locations as The Nomad, The Cabin and coming soon, The Village Idiot. Tom and John Townley worked together on a striking cedar top harvest-style table, which now sits prominently inside The Regent’s 112 Lounge. He has also done many pieces in local homes. Tom Scott can be reached at 837-2472.
A Reved Tech-Tip! Where did my pictures go?
editing/proofreading • newsletter/flyer design • business cards
countertop in friend's house
If using the software seems confusing, resort again to rules 1 and 2...don't panic and stash the card. Then enlist the services of a geek upon your return.
2
Spring Exhibitions April 3rd - April 24th
Metamorphosis Call for Entry - works exploring theme of change. A juried exhibition. Submissions dates: March 22nd - 24th, 2009 Entry fee
May 1st - May 29th
Filamenta Connections (Textile exhibition) Arin Fay Between the Lines (Paintings)
June 5th - June 26th
Andrew Stacey Inspiration Revealed (Mixed Media Sculptural works) with Revelstoke in Black and White. Call for Entry - Black and white photographs of architecture and structures of Revelstoke. Sandra Flood A Gardener's Pots: Pots for and about gardens.
For spring classes in a variety of media, please refer to our website: www.revelstokevisualarts.com
The Kettle Valley Railway by Alison Lapshinoff
As winter loosens its icy grip and the long, dark nights mellow into refreshingly cool and sunny evenings, many will mourn the imminent passing of yet another ski season. There are those, however, who await the spring thaw with eager anticipation of other pursuits. Many are dusting off their mountain bikes and pulling out their hiking boots, looking for their tent and that big, old backpack, perfect for long excursions into the mountains. Revelstoke has notoriously short summers and avid bikers and hikers must exercise extreme patience while awaiting the spring thaw in the mountains. However, for those looking for summer sooner, the Okanagan beckons. When Revelstoke is wet with spring rain, the Okanagan offers plenty of sunny destinations. One such adventure might include grabbing your bike and heading for a ride along the Okanagan's Kettle Valley Railway. In the year 1887, silver ore was discovered in the Kootenays, instigating a flurry of mining in the area. This remote, southern pocket of BC was not easily accessible and Canadians watched in despair as much of their wealth was shipped south on America’s Great Northern Railway.
Recognizing the need for access to the mines, as well as a burgeoning fruit growing industry in the Okanagan, the West Coast to Kootenay line of the Canadian Pacific Railway was born; otherwise known as the Kettle Valley Railway. The railway ran from Hope through the Coquihalla River Gorge, to Princeton, Summerland and Penticton, along the south side of Okanagan Lake to Kelowna and continuing to Midway. Traversing over three mountain ranges was 525km of steel ribbon, alternately entering the mountains via long winding tunnels and soaring above them on lofty wood frame trestles. From 1916 to 1964, the Kettle Valley Railway provided passenger service from this once remote area of BC to the West Coast. Freight service continued until 1989 when trucking companies, vehicles and the construction of highways made rail travel less popular. The Kettle Valley Railway was abandoned and the track was torn up. What remains is a scenic recreational trail through the mountains of southern BC. Head to Kelowna and Myra Canyon for one of the most dramatic sections of the route. Although hardcore mountain bikers may scoff at the gentle grades, there is no denying the thrill of riding across the valley’s deep gorges on narrow wooden trestles. Descents into cool, dark tunnels, lush orchard greens and the valley
THESCENE
Revelstoke Events
events in Revelstoke
photo: Alison Lapshinoff
get outta here
The Myra Canton trestles
vineyards contrast nicely against the sparkling backdrop of Okanagan Lake. From here you can pedal south to Penticton where wineries abound and the lake beckons for a refreshing swim. Then on to the small town of Summerland where the only preserved section of track still exists, complete with 90 minute rides on a historic 1912 steam locomotive crossing the 238 foot high Trout Creek Trestle Bridge. Now, if you will excuse me, I think I have talked myself into a short holiday. After all, this sounds infinitely better than sitting around and waiting for the snow to melt! If only I could find that old backpack….
RMR's Got Plans for the Spring by Karilyn Kempton
Revelstoke Mountain Resort's 'Spring Meltdown' has given two Ski Resort Operations and Management co-op students an opportunity for first-hand experience in developing events. Katie Naylor, 20, and Eric Zimmer, 23, are both at Revelstoke Mountain Resort (RMR) for the 2008/2009 winter season on a work co-op from Selkirk College in Nelson. Spring Meltdown includes St. Patrick's Day celebrations on March 17, the Slush Cup on April 4, a Dummy Downhill on April 11 and an Easter Egg hunt on April 12. The Stoke to Spoke ski/bike race will be on April 13, the last day of the ski season. The scope of responsibility was a welcome surprise to Naylor and Zimmer: "Helping out with spring events turned into taking charge of spring events," he laughs. Zimmer and Naylor entered the first Spring Meltdown planning meeting with a "Let's do it all!" attitude, but quickly learned to narrow their focus. Naylor acknowledges they're trying to “decide what's a good idea and what you can actually do.” Zimmer says one of the most challenging aspects of organizing Spring Meltdown is "probably trying to figure out the logistics for the event as a whole, and for each one individually." A big part of the logistics remains up in the air until right before the events take place. "The biggest thing will come down to weather," says Steve Bailey, Director of Skier Services and Base Area Operations. "It's not until the week before that you'll have an idea what the weather's going to do, and you can actually, at that point in the week, put all the logistics in."
Check out what's happening in Revelstoke on a day-to-day basis at www.reved.net!
Riders skied or snowboarded right until April 27 last season, and while the snowfall has been significantly lower than the 2007/2008 season, Bailey is confident that the snow will last until the end of Spring Meltdown. Last year's Dummy Downhill was RMR's first major event, followed by the always-popular Slush Cup. "We didn't' have much of a spring last year," says Bailey, but the weather cooperated and the Slush Cup was held on a warm, sunny afternoon. "I think the Slush Cup is just going to keep growing," Bailey adds, and hopes to reach the 50 participant mark this year. The entry fee for the Slush
3
Cup on Saturday, April 4 is a donation to the Revelstoke Food Bank: "We want to do something to help out the community as well," Bailey acknowledges. He also confirms that on top of donations garnered by the Slush Cup entrants, RMR will offer all those who drop off food for the food bank a coupon for 50% off lift tickets for that day. "We're hoping to give the food bank a boost for the Easter Weekend. The Stoke to Spoke kicked off last year with just under sixty riders competing. Sixty people all at once was “almost like a Chinese downhill,” says Bailey, so riders had to search for their skis in a big pile in order to space competitors out a little bit. "Ideally it's the Stoke to Spoke," Bailey says, "so we'd love to run it from the top of the Stoke to the bottom," and then set the bike course "wherever we've got dirt exposed. Last year we spent a couple hours pushing snow just to find dirt," he laughs, which led to a slippery bike race. “Guys were going around the corners using their feet as wings to keep upright." Prizes for the events include ski & stay packages with partner hotels, logo wear, and ski gear. Coca Cola is a key sponsor of the Spring Meltdown, and Bailey acknowledges that corporate sponsorship is key to letting these events happen. During the Spring Meltdown promotion, visitors to Revelstoke can also take advantage of two other deals: a '3 for 2' stay and ski deal running from Sunday night to Thursday night through RMR's partner hotels in town, and a '4 for 3' stay and ski deal running seven days per week. The hotels are running the ski & stay packages on their own, so tickets must be purchased from the hotels. Registration happens in the week leading up to the event at Guest Services in the Day Lodge, and some of the events will have limited registration. "Every event last year was bigger than the event previous, and I think we're going to keep that trend continuing on," says Bailey. For inquiries on where to sign up, or logistical concerns, email Katie at knaylor@revelstokemountainresort.com or Eric at ezimmer@revelstokemountainresort.
A Smelly Compost will Attract Bears by Penny Page-Brittin Revelstoke Bear Aware Coordinator
Spring is here! Tulips are blooming and it’s time to put the snow blowers away and bring the lawn mower out of hibernation. At this time of the year I am often asked whether it is possible to compost in Revelstoke without attracting bears. Yes, you can compost in bear country, but there are a number of precautions that must be taken. Compost that smells will attract bears, but a properly maintained compost will not smell. Firstly, what is compost? Understanding what compost is and how it works, helps us to understand how to make changes to our compost to ensure it is working properly. Composting is a natural process through which organic material is converted into a soil-like product called compost or humus. The process works with the help of micoorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, combined with air and moisture. When getting started, place your compost in a well drained area where it is convenient to use. It is not wise to place a composter near your door or in a hidden place in your garden. If a bear does come to visit, you do not want to walk out a door or around a corner and surprise a feeding bear. It is also important to not place a compost at a forest edge or along a wildlife travel way. .
Beyond the Dumpster
Trash Doesn’t Disappear When It Leaves Your Hands
by Butch Kibosh
The roar of the garbage truck’s diesel engine was deafening as it pulled up to the Revelstoke dumpster. With a motion that had been rehearsed countless times, the driver gently eased the hydraulic forks into the dumpster and effortlessly lifted the giant steel box above the truck. For a moment, I expected to see a body come rolling out of the dumpster and cascade into the guts of the truck. But this was no mob movie and the only carcasses that fell into the belly of the beast were those of aluminum cans and household waste concealed in the black veil of a trash bag. Modern conveniences such as garbage trucks smooth out the jagged edge of trash, but the sword’s blade is still a rusty one. Humanity is faced with the omnipresent question of what to do with our trash. Here in North America, we feel as though our trash removal system is far superior to that of poorer countries; however we have not gone beyond digging holes in the ground and burying our trash. Have a look for yourself and check out Revelstoke’s landfill on the western shore of the Columbia River. While the Flux Capacitor and other trash-powered machines still loom far beyond the horizon, we can embrace simple measures to reduce the amount of trash produced by daily life here in Revelstoke.
photo courtesy of www.revelstokebearaware.org/
what matters....
Never add meat, fish, dairy products, oil or cooked food to your composter. If you want to add egg shells, ensure you have rinsed them first. It is also important not to add large amounts of fruit. These items will attract bears and other animals long before the fruit can decompose. Always layer the waste you are adding. It is best to layer kitchen scraps between a dry layer of leaves or grass clippings. I find if I allow grass clippings to dry in the sun for a few days, I can use them as a dry layer and they prevent the compost from smelling. The compost mixture should be moist, like a wrung-out sponge. If the contents are too dry, it will take overly long to decompose and if too wet, the contents may begin to smell. Ash or lime can be used if a compost does start to smell. Composting is aerobic - the micro organisms and fungi at work require oxygen to break down the organic material. To ensure the mixture is well aerated, mix or turn your compost every couple of weeks or each time you add new material. Compost with extra care during the fall months, when bears are most actively searching for food. Avoid adding a large amount of kitchen scraps at this time. If a bear has visited in the past and been rewarded with easy food, they will likely revisit. There have been cases where bears have learned to identify the black dome composters as a food source and have even gone after new empty composters. If this is the case, even a properly maintained, odour free compost will not keep the bear out.
Composting is a very important way to recycle and can reduce the amount of household garbage by about a third. So when composting correctly, not only are you preventing garbage from going to the landfill, you are creating a rich humus like product to put on your flower beds and garden. Along with gardening and yard care there are other home maintenance items that need to be taken into consideration at this time when the bears are awake. It’s time to survey our yards for potential bear attractants. Garbage should be stored in a secure place until garbage day, and pet food needs to be stored inside. With warm evenings, many are enjoying dinner on the barbeque, but please ensure you take the time to burn of any excess food that remains when finished. Lastly, please bring in your bird feeders. There is plenty of natural food for birds at this time. If you have any further questions regarding composting or would like more information on how to manage bear attractants, please call Revelstoke Bear Aware at 837-8624 or visit our website at revelstokebearaware.org.
Recycle
Establish a simple system that separates your trash into several bins, such as Paper, Plastics, Glass, Metals and non-recyclables. By organizing your waste, you can significantly reduce the amount of trash you send to the other side of the river.
Get a Bag
And reuse it. Plastic bags are the bane of the planet’s existence; they wind up everywhere, stuck in trees, at the bottom of lakes and rivers and never go away— at least not for thousands of years. Reusable grocery bags could be the easiest way you can green up you life.
Bring Your Own Mug
Single use cups are so passé. In fact, local businesses such as The Modern Café and Bakeshop have begun charging 25 cents for paper cups in order to encourage customers to bring their own mug. Each month the money collected for the “to go” cups is donated to an environmental cause.
Compost
Organic waste, like vegetable stalks, leftover food scraps (excluding flesh), coffee grounds, and orange peels can all be safely composted in your backyard. Composting, when coupled with effective recycling practice, will cut the fat out of your weekly trash output, and leave your garbage can smelling a lot better.
Revelstoke's next Recycling Fair is Sunday, May 3rd from 10-3pm at the Public Works Yard located at 1200 East Victoria Road.
For class schedules, visit: www.revelstokeyoga.com 1596 Illecillewaet Road, Revelstoke, BC 250.837.1817
PLEASE share or recycle this newspaper...
Presents:
Rivers at Risk Presentation Monday, March 2 7p.m. Revelstoke Community Centre Free admission. Donations welcome. Climate Change, Changing Revelstoke Presentation Thursday, March 12 7p.m. Revelstoke Community Centre Free admission. Donations welcome. Food Security movie: Hijacked Future Tuesday, March 24 7p.m. Revelstoke Community Centre Free Admission. Donations welcome. Pesticide, Revelstoke, and Cancer Presentation Thursday, April 16 7p.m. Revelstoke Community Centre Free Admission. Donations welcome. Land Conservancy of British Columbia Presentation Thursday, May 27 7p.m. Revelstoke Community Centre Free Admission. Donations welcome. www.northcolumbia.org
The NCES gratefully acknowledges funding from the following:
4
&you
The Pro's and Con's of a Vegetarian Diet by Sarah Newton When looking at the pros and cons of a vegetarian diet there are four issues; environmental, health, social and ethical. One infamous report lives on with the persistence of Sasquatch legends. The report states that veganism leads to poor health because of the impossibility of getting enough essential amino acids. This well funded article has lived on despite the exposure of the sponsor, the largest pharmaceutical company in Europe. Pharmaceutical companies have a great deal to gain by supplying dairy and meat producers with chemicals for their animals. We have evolved to eat meat, just check out your pointy incisor teeth, they weren’t created to tear at corn husks! Sadly today’s meat comes with all kinds of environmental, health, and ethical strings attached. Perhaps the most common reason that people adopt a vegetarian diet relates to concerns over animal cruelty. Fifty-five billion farmed animals are raised each year in factory farms where they are subjected to cruelties. On the health front a strong case can be made that an appropriately planned vegetarian diet is at least as healthy as any other diet. Vegetarian foods contain no cholesterol and tend to be lower in both total fat and saturated fat than animal products. And while animal products contain no fiber whatsoever, most whole vegetarian foods are loaded with fiber. Given that most vegetarian foods are lower in calories than their animalderived counterparts, it’s hardly surprising that vegetarians tend to have healthier body weights than the general population. Additionally, numerous doctors have experienced great success using a vegetarian diet to reverse diabetes and heart disease.
The reality for most of us is that a vegetarian diet takes more time, more energy, and well, we like the taste of meat. Another issue is the social context. As a vegetarian it can be a real spoiler to go to a friend’s house and as you sit down say; “Oh sorry I don’t eat meat.” It is so unbearably lame to insult the cook and sound like a pompous ninny. Another interesting viewpoint is that a long-term sustainable agricultural paradigm depends - as it has for millennia - on mixed farming: there’s a cycle on the land that involves animals. We need to remember that so much of the world’s surface isn’t really suitable for agriculture - but it’s great pasture land. Goats and sheep can thrive on land that you wouldn’t think could support anything. Cattle can graze on land that’s suitable for grasses, but would be ruined if cultivated; animals can graze amongst trees and orchards. This vision does not support the current models of industrial livestock raising, which has little to do with natural cycles and eco-systems. In the same way that industrial agriculture debases plant crops, so it does with livestock. Do we need to eat as much meat as we do? Certainly not. To eat meat, find sustainably raised products and then follow bestselling vegetarian author, Michael Pollan’s line: "Eat Food, not too much. Mainly plants."
What Food Is That? by Alison Lapshinoff photo: Heather Lea
health
Eating at the top of the food chain entails a huge drain on resources at the expense of the environment. Water, land, and energy consumption are astronomical in a meat diet compared to a vegetarian one. This is especially true where beef and fish are concerned, the production of which are clear-cut environmental menaces. On top of that, beef cattle spend the final months of their lives at feedlots, where they are fed a notoriously inefficient and resource-intensive corn-based diet. As well, cattle emit huge amounts of methane – one of the worst gases involved with global warming. The United Nations estimates that animal agriculture is responsible for 18 percent of the total global warming effect. The environmental case against eating fish is, if anything, even stronger than it is for beef. Worldwide, large numbers of formerly abundant fisheries are in collapse as a result of overfishing.
The Incas revered it as the mother of all grains. The invading Spaniards scorned it as Indian food. Whatever you call it, quinoa has been a South American staple grain for over 6,000 years.
Pronounced keen-wah, this hardy and resilient plant can grow at altitudes up to 4,000 metres and contains many of the essential amino acids giving it a higher protein content than most grains. It has more calcium than milk and is very high in iron, B vitamins, magnesium and potassium making it a great food for vegetarians. One cup of quinoa contains 22 grams of protein compared to 15 grams in the same amount of brown rice. Quinoa is versatile and can be prepared in a variety of ways: Boiled like pasta and dressed up as salad, cooked like oats and sweetened with fruit and maple syrup for breakfast or gently simmered as you would a savoury rice pilaf. My latest favorite, however, is to treat it like risotto. Typically made with the starchy, short grain Italian rice known as Arborio, risotto is a cheesy, buttery comfort food that can be made healthier by using quinoa instead of rice.
Quinoa risotto
Lightly sauté some finely diced garlic and onion in butter. Add your quinoa and stir it in. Add a splash of white wine. Now, this is the important part: Risotto is made by gradually adding the cooking liquid as it is needed and stirring frequently uncovered, so…..Add enough broth or water to the mixture and stir. Let it simmer. not boil, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue until the grains are soft, then remove from heat and stir in butter and parmesan cheese. Exact measuring is not terribly important so just play around and add what you like: sauteed mushrooms, asiago or romano instead of parmesan cheese, or stuff it in peppers and bake it. If you are not a vegetarian, throw in some seafood! Then, sit back and enjoy your rich and creamy comfort food. You might even forget that it’s good for you! Alison works as a chef at the Regent's 112 restaurant.
Hey!
Take our online Reader's Poll at reved.net...
"Where do you find your copy of Reved?" and enter to win a sexy Reved t-shirt!
56 rooms . spa . hot tubs NOW OPEN!
Climb, play and descend on the New Adventure Tower and New Kid's Course Join us for Team Building, Parties and Special Events, School Groups or an unforgettable day with your family and friends.
OPENING MAY 16, 2009 - SEE YOU IN THE TREES! 1.866.944.9744
5
Located in Powder Springs Hotel
Enjoy great English food and a cosy atmosphere with fireplace. 201 2nd St. west . 250 837 5151
WHAT'SYOURBIZ'NESS? by Melissa Jameson
Last winter Mark Hartley was obsessed with coffee - it was all he talked about. Finally, this past summer, his friend, Conor, asked when Mark was going to turn all of his chitter-chatter into a business plan. So Mark, owner of Stoke Roasted Coffee Co. got busy looking for a roaster and a place to rent. “We scraped together all the money we had,” said Mark, who is originally from Cranbrook but moved to Revelstoke just over a year ago. “We had support from Community Futures. Definitely having Community Futures on the project was a huge help.” A tree planter, Mark took the fall season off, and started to work on a business plan. Finding a space, he said, was a tough job. “We got really lucky. We’re located in the Big Eddy. It’s a great spot over there. Things finally started to get underway in December.” With no business background to speak of, starting up Stoke Roasted Coffee Co. has been a challenge, but one Mark is excited about. “We definitely want to make it work one way or another,” he said. “We have goals in our business plan set out. We’re hoping to get the town turned on to good coffee that’s locally produced.” Mark located a distributor on the Sunshine Coast, who brings in beans from around the world. “We’ve chosen what we feel are a good
selection of conscious coffees. We do our best. A lot of people want organic fair trade certification. Currently we’re not certified organic, but we feel good about our coffee.” While Stoke Roasted Coffee Co. is not yet certified organic, it’s something Mark says is being considered. “All of the beans we buy have certification. We’re aware of the impacts.”
It’s not just environmental impacts, but sustainability that’s important for Stoke Roasted Coffee Co. “It’s a big priority. It’s not just the source of the beans, it’s the packing, the distribution, inventory management – it’s all designed to sustain,” said Mark. That includes the bags the beans are packaged in. The bags are 40 per cent recycled paper and are lined with a compostable film made out of corn. After the beans are delivered from the distributor they are roasted, blended, and packaged. “While roasting, we carefully monitor the temperature, bean colour and the length of time it takes to achieve the degree of roast we’re aiming for,” said Mark. The accuracy of the roast is confirmed by measuring the weight lost by the beans with roasting. “We blend according to the characteristics of each variety of bean, and the taste we’re looking for in the cup.” While Stoke Roasted Coffee Co. can grind the beans, they prefer the customer do that themselves. “It’s better that way,” said Mark.
Currently Stoke Roasted Coffee Co. is offering up a selection of three espresso blends called West Side, East Side and Major Roger’s Rations; a drip blend called Big Eddy Blend and a single origin decaf. While Mark says the focus is currently on wholesale, they are considering a bulk purchase option for individuals in the future. Look for Stoke Roasted Coffee at Mountain Goodness, Woolsey Creek Bistro, Valhalla Pure Outfitters, The Secret Garden and other local retailers.
photo: Heather Lea
Local Entrepreneur Gets Stoked About Coffee
Mmmmm...coffee.
MUSICNOTES
by David Huebert
Andrew Allen calls Revelstoke ‘Whistler Village without the Pretension’
Open from 5 - 10 pm Every Night Reservations recommended
"We offer bag lunches for all outdoor enthusiasts!"
soup - sandwiches - desserts gourmet coffee
Lisa Belsham Hairstylist 250.837.3938
Andrew Allen, a talented singer-songwriter from Vernon, BC, is one of many people locals can expect to see riding the wave into Revelstoke these days. Although he calls Vernon his home base, Andrew comes to Revelstoke to play Bad Paul’s Roadside Grill every Thursday and Friday night through February and March. Andrew, who won the BCIMA (British Columbia Interior Music Association) award for best new artist of 2008, has high praise for Revelstoke. While he admits that he used to just know Revelstoke for A&W on the highway, he’s glad to know it deeper than that now. Having played in Revelstoke many times in between UK tours and studio recording sessions, Andrew describes the community as being “like Whistler Village without the pretension. The community in itself is just really embracing and very warm.” Andrew credits Revelstoke in helping him to get off the ground as a solo artist. He explains that when he first decided to make a go at being a solo artist, he phoned Bruce at Bad Paul’s. "He was the first one to give me an opportunity". Since then Andrew has played at Bad Paul’s numerous times, as well as contributing to Revelstoke’s outdoor musical festivities in the summer. Andrew is certainly not shy about lavishing our community with praise, but how the favour will be returned remains to be seen. At Bad Paul’s on Thursday night, there is no shortage of bobbing heads and polite applause, but the audience is clearly there for a nice dinner first, and musical accompaniment second. In a city with a rapidly increasing population of youthful faces and a distinct lack of musical acts to entertain
6
them, there is surely a market for live music. Andrew's style can be described as having a “positive pop sensibility” with an “organic… beach pop groove”. Among his musical inspirations, Andrew cites Jack Johnson and John Mayer. He also stresses the importance of friends: “Friends really influence the way my life goes. That’s the beauty of touring; that we meet all sorts of people. Those people influence my writing style and what I want to sing about”. Andrew is eager to distinguish his live music from his recorded tunes. He says that live shows capture more of his character and allow him to engage with the audience and vice versa. His recorded music involves a variety of instruments and nuanced arrangements of sound, but “when I perform live it’s just me and my acoustic guitar or my piano”. Andrew believes that his live show is a personal experience with a mélange of originals and covers of everyone from George Michael to Sublime. These shows make it difficult to ignore Andrew's dynamic and rich singing voice. His debut album, The Living Room Sessions, was picked up on the BBC during his UK tour, and to brought him the BCIMA award. Regarding the award, Andrew says, “It was a real honour just to be nominated and to be awarded was just awesome”. The album’s success was certainly not the result of a high-powered executive team. “The first album I did completely independently, and by independently I mean nobody else played on it. It was just me, a computer and a guitar”. The Living Room Sessions provides listeners with mournful and poetic love songs (My Love), funky, bass driven numbers (Breathe, Mr.
Lover) and even some flamenco driven guitar rhythms (Stick in the Wheel). Catchy hooks and thoughtful lyrics are exemplified by Facebook Prophet, a song that suggests Western society is too easily captured in the monotonous drudgery of everyday routines, and loses track of the important things in life. The song provides an example of how Andrew’s lyrical style oscillates between the vague and the vivid. Andrew is currently working with producer Jeff Dawson at Mushroom Studios in Vancouver, recording his second album which has a “huge sound to it”. He says that this album sounds “more produced” and that “it’s definitely a more mature depiction of what my thoughts are like”. A more mature sound may be needed, but this budding young musician is certainly not short on talent. On the new album he plays “everything from the organ to the ukulele”, and his skills as a musician/singer will surely translate onto the recordings. As Andrew points out, his songs don’t necessarily have a premeditated message in mind: “When songs come out on the page sometimes they end up telling me what they’re about”. While Andrew’s recorded tracks often strive for depth and leave much open to interpretation, his live show is far from melodramatic. He provides no pretense of a troubled poetic soul, but rather seeks to entertain with a happy-go-lucky demeanor. If you’re interested in seeing a compelling entertainer with a fun-loving poetic flare, make sure to catch Andrew Allen live at Bad Paul’s, located in Grizzly Plaza on Thursday and Firday nights, February through March.
Tech Kids
This Issue's
Revelstoke's Youth
For the first time in history, our population includes a sizeable segment of people who have developed their bearings surrounded by electronic gadgets. Hence, a generation of computer people are arriving into adulthood. Computers are breaching their second decade as public school fixtures and the effects are starting to show. This major transition in human conduct rivals the shift from horse-to-car. Once introduced into the system it was evident the computer and its friend the Internet were here to stay. Small towns like Revelstoke may not have noticed the initial wave of technology right away, but there's no shortage of youth text messaging their friends while listening to music on their way to school. Young adults have exponentially exceeded their elders comprehension of technical devices, which leaves us with a weak upcoming labour force for standard trades. Less people are choosing the path to the construction site because employment within the technology industry is more comfortable for them. Last fall the government of British Columbia needed to implement mandatory physical activity for all children in grade school because our youth population is getting fatter. Kids once escaped to the great outdoors to avoid their parents but now they escape to the electronic den known as their bedroom. Opportunity for computer savvy adolescents to stay based in Revelstoke may be on the horizon. A $400 million “Tech Park” proposal for Westside Road will
be a computer wizard warehouse filled with company calendars and cubicles. Hundreds of office chairs could be filled with computer geeks, who love looking at the mountains from the comforts of their computer desk. Today’s work environment is not exclusive to high tech change. Social settings have evolved to where living rooms include multiple computers with someone likely to be on one. The electronic shift in society has developed new social options, which makes corresponding around the world easier than walking to your neighbours house. Web cam phone conversations cost only pennies and connect you directly with friends or business contacts. Video games are now integrated on the web so players can challenge fellow gamers from anywhere there is high-speed internet. It seems like there are less reasons to leave your house to find entertainment. Humans have recently created a world that is increasingly more reliant on computer interaction than human interaction. Only brave elders attempt the new self-checkout at the local grocery store where youngsters head with confidence to bypass those still relying on a cashier. If you were born before the eighties you probably struggle a little more to understand technology that comes second nature to our younger population. The technological revolution shows little sign of slowing down leaving our youth to be the guinea pigs for the future of instantaneous everything.
Heritage Moments The Big Bend; A Dam History by Alison Lapshinoff
The Big Bend Highway ends abrubptly 150 kilometres north of Revelstoke at the Mica Dam, but it has not always been so. Otherwise known as Highway 23 North, this road to nowhere once followed the course of the Columbia River, providing the only access through the Selkirk Mountain Range to Golden and beyond. This mighty river once flowed unhindered for 2,000 kilometres from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to Astoria, Oregon, where it finally spilled into the Pacific Ocean. In the 20th century, man recognized that the Columbia’s awesome power could be harnessed, which began a flurry of dam construction and altered the surrounding landscape forever. Construction of the Mica Dam began in 1967. Once among the largest earth filled dams in the world, this massive structure withheld the Columbia to create the Kinbasket Reservoir, flooding 21,000 square kilometres of land and necessitating the services of a bustling little town called Mica Creek. Now beneath the waters of Lake Revelstoke, Mica Creek once boasted all sorts of amenities for its 4,000 residents. A school, church and community centre were constructed, as well as a police station, fire hall, grocery store and post office. When the dam was completed in 1973, the historic route that once followed the hairpin bend in the Columbia River through to Golden
was flooded. Roger’s Pass had opened in the mid 1960’s, providing more direct access and rendering the Big Bend Highway obsolete.
Volunteer Job-Pick by Heather Lea
Partners For Others – a non-profit organization Revelstoke’s Ray Brosseuk and his wife, Jackie, have a big job on their hands. Last year alone, their organization Partners for Others sent over 425,000 pounds of clothing, school books, dehydrated soup mix and first-aid items to third world countries around the globe. From a sizeable warehouse in the Big Eddy, volunteers struggle to keep up with bags coming in from the Revelstoke Thrift Store and individual donations. Toys, books, purses, belts and shoes that people have tired of and give away are among the most treasured when they reach their destination. “When we arrive in these countries," says Ray, " and the women open the boxes, they break down and cry.” Ray is a Canadian who grew up in the South Pacific and Central America. He realized one day that he could just take his Canadian passport and move to Canada, while the kids he’d grown up with – his friends - didn’t have that luxury. “I wanted to give something back”, says Ray opening a large barrel of dehydrated soup mix. The soup is supplied by Gleaners, (okanagangleaners.ca) a nonprofit group based in Oliver, BC. Each barrel contains 80 packages of quality soup mix prepared from vegetables that come from grocery stores when the product isn’t quite “attractive’ enough to put on the shelves. One package of this soup mix makes 29 litres of soup, which will feed 150 mouths. Last year, 3.5 million cups of soup fed orphans and AIDS victims in Fiji, Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho. “Most of our efforts go to the AIDS crisis in Southern Africa – I’d say 90 percent.” From their warehouse in Revelstoke, Partners for Others fed 60,000 orphans in Swaziland last year and they have funded 138 orphans through school. The shipping containers used to transport materials to these countries are donated by Big Steel Box in Salmon Arm and are subsequently turned into clinics, school houses or care centres in their destination countries. Last year, the Interior region of the Red Cross donated 250 wheelchairs. “Right now, we have to turn away stuff that shows up here. If I had, maybe, six or seven more volunteers, we’d be on our way.” They also help with the Revelstoke Food Bank and Community Connections. If you’d like to volunteer for Partners for Others, you can reach Ray at 837-6444. partnersforothers.com
The population of Mica Creek slowly dwindled to almost nothing, and in the early 1980’s, the small settlement currently used to house the employees of Mica Dam, was relocated to higher ground. To the south, construction of a massive concrete gravity dam was underway. Lake Revelstoke, the massive body of water whose shores we like to line with tents and RV’s and whose waters we ply with pleasure boats and fishing rods, is a relatively new feature. When it opened in 1983, the Revelstoke Dam gave birth to a 128 kilometre long reservoir that flooded the valley, creating the landscape we see today. The historic town site of Mica Creek met its watery demise and much of the remaining Big Bend Highway had to be rerouted to accommodate the rising water levels. In places, the old road is still visible, plunging dramatically into the lake. Today, the route of the mighty Columbia is hindered by 14 dams on its journey to the Pacific Ocean. The river is the largest producer of hydroelectric power in North America. Before the construction of highways, the river was a major mode of transportation for pioneers with steamboats. Towns sprung up along its banks and the dam construction created jobs, electricity and wealth. However, vast tracts of land were logged to create manmade reservoirs, prime farm
7
land was flooded and the natural landscape irrevocably altered. Although the dams may be controversial, there is no denying the beauty of the lake that now fills the valley to our north. As well as the fascinating history that lies beneath it.
photo: Robyn Begley Columbia Forest District.
emerging
by Colin Titsworth
sleeps n’
eats
r eved publications writing services
Hotels/B&B's
$ = under $60 $$ = $60 - $90 $$$ = $90 - $110 $$$$ = $110 and up
Cheeky Beaver B&B
802 2nd St. West
Days Inn 301 Wright St.
Grumpy Bear Lodge
1616 Dogwood Drive
Hillcrest Hotel
2 km east of Revelstoke off Hwy 1
Inn on the River
523 3rd St. West
Minto Manor B&B
815 MacKenzie Ave.
Monashee Lodge 1601 Third St. West
1-800-668-3139
Peaks Lodge
5km west of Revelstoke on Hwy 1
Poppi’s Hostel
313 1st St. East
Regent Inn
112 1st St.
Swiss Chalet Motel
1101 Victoria Rd.
Restaurants/Pubs
$ = under $15 $$ = $15 - 25 $$$ = $25 and up
Conversations Coffee House 837 - 5886
$$
837 - 2191
$$$$
837 - 4601
$-$$$$
837 - 3322
$$$$
837 - 3262
$$$
837 - 9337
$$$
837 - 6778
$$-$$$
837 - 2176
$$
837 - 9192
$
Powder Springs Inn (under new owners) 201 2nd St. West
Reved Quarterly is published independently by Reved Publications. Please turn to page two for complete contact information or find us online at reved.net. Thanks for reading Reved!
837 - 5151
$$
837 - 2107
$$$$
837 - 4650
$$-$$$$
205 Mackenzie Ave.
Great White North
5km west of revelstoke on Hwy 1
Hillcrest Dining Room
located in the Hillcrest Hotel
Kawakubo Sushi Sake Steak
109 1st St. East
Manning’s Chinese cuisine
302 Mackenzie Ave.
Modern Bake Shop & Cafe 212 Mackenzie Ave.
River City Pub
112 1st St.
$
837 - 3495
$$
837 - 3322
$$
837 - 2467
$$-$$$
837 - 3200
$$
837 - 6886
$
837 - 2107
$-$$
The Last Drop(inside Powder Springs Hotel) 201 2nd St. West
837 - 5151
The Nomad Food Company 1601 W Victoria
Traverse Lounge Club
112 1st St.
Village Idiot Pub
306 Mackenzie Ave
Woolsey Creek Restaurant 604 2nd St. West
112 Restaurant & Lounge 112 1st St.
Reved Quarterly is partially sponsored by:
837 - 4772
$$
837 - 4211
$
837 - 2194
$$
837 - 6240
$$
837 - 5500
$-$$
837 - 2107
$$-$$$