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INSIDE
~our home~
Firehall Inspired
24
4
HOME Front
9
DIY with Britt
A greeting from the publisher.
Board and batten feature wall.
14
Fit for the Queen of Cakes
24
Firehall Inspired
33
Buy and Sell Metamorphosis
38
Cars Need Homes, Too
45
Protecting Your Home
50
Maureen's Kitchen
56
HOMEtown Reflections
62
In the Garden
66
Viewfinder
A peek inside the sweetest kitchen in Saskatoon.
Couple embraces an unusual renovation.
Out with the old, in with the new.
Creation of The Sanctuary.
Photo Credit: Lillian Lane
Cars Need Homes, Too
38
Fire safety readiness.
Company cutlets.
The changing landscape of Saskatoon’s grocery stores, Part 2.
Prepping for winter.
Photo Credit: Anita Skot
Cover: Venessa Liang in her kitchen, designed to facilitate her cake baking and chocolatiering passions. —Photo by Lillian Lane. Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 |
3
HOME front Issue 55, Fall 2021 ISSN 1916-2324 info@saskatoon-home.ca
As the nights cool down and air turns crisp, we can feel a change is happening. Our beautiful Saskatoon urban forest is converting to fall colours, the kids are back to school, our flowers are showing off their final summer hues. Even though this is a busy time of the year, I thank you for taking some quiet time to sit down and enjoy this issue of Saskatoon HOME. I promise you are going to love this one! Inside we will help you prepare your yards for winter with a story by Saskatoon’s own gardening expert Sara Williams. We take you for a tour inside a firehall-inspired family home addition—complete with climbing wall, and we'll show you the kitchen behind Saskatoon’s own Queen of Cakes. And then we move on to a garage with a custom car sanctuary that is sure to inspire. In this issue, we also share some fire safety from Ed Onishenko, a retired firefighter who dedicated his career to protect Saskatoon. And have a look at a DIY project to change your walls from boring to boarded, and many more homegrown, local real-life stories. Our community has so many compelling stories to tell, it is a joy to share them with you. Happy Reading!
Publishers Amanda Soulodre Rob Soulodre
Editor Karin Melberg Schwier
Contributors Ashlyn George Britt Arnason Jeff O’Brien Julie Barnes Karin Melberg Schwier Lillian Lane Maureen Haddock Sara Williams
Connect with us: www.saskatoon-home.ca www.facebook.com/saskatoon.home
Amanda Soulodre
/saskatoon.home
OWNER & PUBLISHER
Saskatoon Home is published by: Farmhouse Communications Telephone: 306-373-1833 Fax: 306-500-2993 info@saskatoon-home.ca
www.saskatoon-home.ca
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4 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
We're Ready For Your Visit!
C
rossmount is a 55+ aging-in-place community located 5 kms south of Saskatoon on Lorne Avenue (Highway 219). Independent homes are available in a variety of sizes. All homes are built for safe aging-in-place with maintenance, snow removal and landscaping taken care of by us. Our residents enjoy a resident-run greenhouse and community gardens, along with unique programs and activities. Crossmount is on city water and we are a pet friendly community set in 400 acres of beautiful natural prairies. Life here still provides a backdrop of birdsong throughout the day and at night you can still see star-filled skies. Crossmount is more than an aging-in-place community. We are also an agri-tourism destination site with unique amenities for our residents, as well as for our visitors. Come out to visit the Prairie People Market & Café, located in the Arts Barn in The Glen at Crossmount. The Café has delicious fresh paninis, sweet temptations, coffee and Italian sodas on the menu. The Market offers farm fresh locally grown produce and other prairie-sourced products. Right next door, you will find the Crossmount Cider Company with its tasting room and outdoor decks and patios. Stop here and relax with a flight of cider made in our working cidery. Our stunning event venue is available for weddings, conferences and other organized events. It features beautiful views of the wedding garden, landscaped grounds and natural pond. The health building is home to Guardian Dental Care, Nomad Therapies and Bayshore Home Health; all are open to the public. In addition, during the winter our natural pond becomes a skating surface and we add cross country ski and snow shoe trails to the prairie landscape; these are also open to the public. For more information about Crossmount please visit our website at www.crossmount.ca. For additional details about the 55+ aging-in-place community please email hheimann@crossmountvillage.ca or phone 306-374-9890.
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With Britt This Issue:
Board and Batten Feature Wall by: Britt Arnason
A wall is, well, a plane surface. And it can sometimes be pretty boring. Full of potential, but plain, pardon the pun. If some of the walls in your home just seem a little blah and if you’d like to add a bit of interest for a small investment, this project is one that adds an elevated feel to an otherwise basic wall. If you are looking for a way to upgrade your home, this is one of the more simple and budget-friendly ways to do that.
Want more inspiration? IG: @investorgirlbritt
Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 |
9
: r e t f A
Board and Batten
Feature Wall
10 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
: e r o f e B Tools Needed Tips • Nail gun • Paint brush, roller and tray • A saw for trimming pieces to size (jig saw, table saw, circular saw) • Putty knife or you can use your finger
Materials Needed • Vertical strips of molding in the size/thickness of your preference (I used 3 ½”) • OR, if you have a table saw, you can use 4’x8’ sheets of MDF to save money • Construction glue • Wood filler • Sanding block • Paint primer • Paint colour of your choice • Spackle (if walls need holes or other small bits of damage filled)
1 Measure your wall first to determine the amount of material you need (sq. ft for paint and paneling strips). 2 You can rent many tools at the local hardware store if you don’t own them and it isn’t worth buying them for one job. Buying used tools online is another option, but buyer beware. Make sure you test before buying. 3 For the most professional look possible, take your time measuring and prepping surfaces for a clean and precise finish. Remember it’s sometimes difficult to cover up significant blemishes so consider the surface you want and how it may show up in natural and artificial light.
Step 2 Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 |
11
4 p e t S
Steps
5 p e t S
1 Prep your surface wall (clean, fill holes, sand and remove baseboards).
7 Prime your surface (you don’t need a fancy sprayer like I have, of course. Rollers and brushes work great).
2 Measure and frame out the top and bottom (I used the same size as the baseboards, 3 1/2”).
8 Cut in the ceiling and corners with a paint brush, and use a roller wherever possible.
3 Measure and mark out your vertical strips so that they are evenly spaced.
9 To get the desired shade of your paint colour you may need to cut in and paint two, three and maybe four coats if needed.The deeper the colour, the more coats often required.
4 For the vertical strips, I cut 2” pieces out of a big 4’x8’ sheet of MDF. This isn’t necessary as you can buy prefinished pieces, but it is cheaper. If you don’t have the tools need to make long even cut, I would suggest the pre-made moldings found at the hardware store. 5 Glue the back, and nail on the vertical strips using a nail gun. 6 Fill all nail holes with wood filler, left dry and then sand to a flat smooth finish.
12 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
7 p e t S
Results
Board and batten feature walls are a relatively fast and inexpensive transformation to a room. With a commitment of maybe 8 hours (about how long this wall took), you can create a classy feature wall that elevates the aesthetic of an otherwise humdrum space. This feature wall application can centre a room, grounding it for all of those who enter. Sparking renewed interest in a once plain-Jane space.
8 p e t S
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13
Fit for the Queen of Cakes
A Peek Inside the Sweetest Kitchen in Saskatoon If you follow Venessa Liang (AKA Foodiepharmbabe) on Instagram, you may have learned what a pomelo is, and the best way to peel it. You might also know that her cat, Mazi, prefers to drink water directly from the tap—only the freshest
14 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
will do for this fancy feline. But more than anything, you’ll understand that her next-level-luxurious cake creations take a painstaking amount of time. Her edible works of art often keep her up past 3 a.m. on weeknights and cut into her weekends.
She squeezes her sweet side hustle around her fulltime role as an oncology pharmacist—a job she describes as both difficult and rewarding. “A lot of people know me as a person who bakes cakes, but actually, I bake
everything,” she says. “I love exploring the world of French patisserie and chocolatiering.” Her interest in baking sparked when she was young. “My parents owned a Chinese restaurant in Colonsay, Saskatchewan,
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and my mom baked a lot in the restaurant,” she says. “I loved to bake alongside her.” “Reality” TV— Film, Cry, Sleep, Repeat Venessa’s foray into chocolatiering was more serendipitous. A few years
ago, a casting director messaged her via Instagram to ask her to apply for a spot on the Food Network’s Great Chocolate Showdown—an elimination-style TV show filmed in Toronto. “I was never really in the chocolate world, but I was cast for
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“Tyler is a very ‘drawer functional person’ because he’s tall,” says Venessa. The couple had all the lower cabinets changed to drawers for easier access to their kitchen essentials. 16 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
IKEA-hacked shelving: Tyler took an old IKEA bookcase, cut it, and installed it under the island overhang for extra storage space.
Venessa shares a peek inside her well-stocked sprinkle drawer.
it and it was a ton of fun.” But it was also challenging, she says. “TV is definitely not as glamourous as it looks. The experience was a series of extremely early mornings with hair and make-up, time-crunch challenges, one-on-one interviews and intense critiques by judges.” She recalls nights returning to her hotel at 1:30 a.m., calling her husband Tyler Hinz, crying, and then going to bed, only to wake up and do the same thing again the next day. Despite the pressurecooker environment, “it was a great experience nonetheless and I Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 |
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Venessa and Tyler purchased most of their furniture from Canadian suppliers through Alt Haus. Their couch was made in Canada.
18 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
A Samsung Frame hangs above the fireplace showcasing a rotating collection of art using a paid subscription that allows them to view art from various galleries around the world. It doubles as a TV for watching movies at night, but this was a secondary consideration for the couple.
learned so much.” Without sharing spoilers, Venessa repeatedly impressed the judges with her creations and earned high praise from Anna Olson (one of the three judges). Eat Your Heart Out, Willy Wonka “My chocolate bar launches have been the wildest thing,” says Venessa. A few times a year, she makes several varieties of chocolate bars that are so immaculate they get mistaken for iPhone cases. She promotes them on Instagram and they sell out within minutes once launched on her website. The flavours are anything but ordinary: Persian black tea latte, golden matcha black sesame, and saffroninfused yuzu, to name just a few. Some come adorned with edible flowers, and
each bar receives her signature Foodiepharmbabe chocolate stamp. “Chocolate takes so much time and it’s very finicky,” says Venessa. There’s very little room for error. “If you are one degree out of temper, the entire batch is gone. Whereas with cake, if I mess up a spot I can just cover it up and call it abstract or put flowers on it.” Venessa’s favourite part of the cake-making process is “the part where I’m actually in the creative process. That’s the fun part. I get lost in that time loop and it doesn’t feel like time is passing by until it’s 2 a.m. The part I enjoy is the painting, sculpting and carving.” She draws inspiration from other art forms. Like the carving and floral impressions made
The couple’s Instagram-famous cat, Mazi, makes frequent appearances on Venessa’s Instagram account, @Foodiepharmbabe. Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 |
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“This is our favourite space,” says Venessa about the couple’s airy, open-concept main floor living space. The accordion glass doors fold away, expanding the living space onto the screened-in portico.
by a potter, or the brush techniques a painter would use on a canvas, “being able to see those processes done on cakes is really unique and cool.” Intentional Design This fancy feline prefers her drinking water directly from the tap.
20 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
Venessa and Tyler moved into their new home in Brighton last fall, giving Venessa a glossy new backdrop in which to bake
late into the night. And just as exceptional baking and chocolate making takes time and thoughtfulness, the same can be said for interior design. The couple didn’t rush out to furnish their new home. “One of our goals here was to buy with intention,” says Tyler. “It wasn’t to come here and fill it full of stuff, we were going to buy things that we absolutely loved and if that meant it was going to be empty for any length of time, that was fine.” When it came to choosing pieces for their new home, Tyler says, “I’m very functional. I’m worried about how the piece is going
The open-concept layout in their new home was ideal. The couple loves to host dinner parties.
to work, or interact, with me and the room. And Venessa is much more interested in how it looks, so I defer to her on that.” For Venessa, the priority was finding unique pieces to reflect their personal style. “I don’t like a generic, whateveryone-else-has look,” she says. The couple found kismet with Alt Haus co-owners Miranda and Jo. Miranda created 3D renderings of their open-concept kitchen, dining and living area and inserted the furniture Tyler and Venessa were considering. “We could actually see what it would look like beforehand,”
Although she doesn’t think she’d participate in another reality TV competition-style show, Venessa says she would love to have her own show someday. “That would be a dream for me.” Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 |
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Venessa's 5 kitchen essentials Kitchen-Aid mixer: This one is probably the
most obvious! I couldn’t crush out as many cakes as I do without it. The 6-quart bowl allows for double batches of everything— saving me extra time to decorate.
Second fridge: We love to cook in our household so the main fridge is almost always filled to the brim. An extra fridge gives me ample room to store my fresh florals and tall cakes before pickup. Stand-up freezer: The buttercream techniques
I use require short bursts of freezing (10 minutes at a time). Ever tried to fit a 12” tall cake in a regular freezer? The stand-up freezer is a game changer for me.
Angled spatula: The angled metal spatula is
like my right hand for cake and chocolate bar making. Buttercream painting, cake and chocolate bar filling—if I were a painter, this would be my paintbrush.
Silicone piping bags: It’s 2021! Gone are the days of gross, cloth piping bags, and plastic one-time-use piping bags are not a good solution either. Silicone piping bags are sustainable, re-usable and an easily washable tool for me to use in all cake, chocolate and pastry applications.
says Venessa. “I can pick out individual pieces that I love but I don’t know if they will all look good together.” They ended up purchasing their sectional, coffee table, living room rug, swivel chair, counter stools, dining table and dining chairs from Alt Haus. The result is a magical alchemy of warm, sophisticated style with glamorous touches—from the luxe velvet counter stools to the brushed brass bases of the dining chairs. Customized Touches Tyler is a software developer by day. “A professional nerd, essentially,” he says.
22 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
“His side hustle is making literally e v e r y t h i n g ,” says Venessa. “He built a vibrating table for my chocolate bar making and he’ll probably finish the basement.” He industriously took an IKEA bookcase, reconfigured it, and installed it under the island next to their two counter stools. It now serves as storage for cookbooks and accent pieces. He also automated the lights throughout their house, so they turn on and off via a motion sensor. Sweet Satisfaction One year post movein, there’s just one sour
note lingering. In the summer of 2020, the couple ordered beautiful white kitchen appliances with brass handles, that blend seamlessly with their white cabinetry. They’ve received the fridge, dishwasher and bar fridge, but the oven is still MIA a year later. It’s a double oven with an induction cooktop, thoughtfully selected for Venessa’s baking. “The whole reason we bought the set was for the oven and it’s the last piece to show, so it’s kind of frustrating,” says Tyler. In the meantime, they’re making do with the oven their builder D&S Homes gacously lent them. Despite the stove setback,
“It feels good to be here,” Venessa says. “Every week or so, one of us says to the other, ‘I really love this house.’” And as much as Venessa loves baking, she has no plans to do it full time. “I’m really passionate about being a pharmacist. I’m passionate about helping people and I would never give that up for making cake,” she says. “I think I can definitely have the best of both worlds. I want to have my cake and eat it too.” Julie Barnes
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Firehall Inspired
Couple Embraces an Unusual Renovation After 14 years and countless discussions about a possible renovation to accommodate their growing family, Paul and Amanda Titman decided to do something about their Richmond Heights two-storey. What they
24 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
did was a little out of the ordinary. It involved cranes. For Something a Little Different “My sister and brotherin-law worked with the Go2Guys on a renovation,” says Amanda. “We’ve lived
in this house for 14 years and had no plans to move anywhere else, but there were some issues. We had talked for years about converting the attached garage to living space. But the structure just wasn’t adequate so it sat
there and became badly used storage space. Because of my sister’s experience, we decided now was a good time to take it on.” In Richmond Heights, the majority of the homes built during the 1960s to the 1980
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and others are adding some architectural diversity to the neighbourhood. Paul and Amanda wanted to do a facelift from ordinary to something different. “We looked for pictures of design elements that we
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The loft was fabricated off-site and installed with cranes before the addition was framed in.
wanted to incorporate,” says Paul, who is an industrial painter. He also knows his way around metal design and fabrication, and his 3D printer gets a lot of use. “We decided to design and build what we liked. Resale was not our primary goal since we’re planning on living here longterm. We skewed more to our likes and needs.” Pedal to the Metal
The open staircase is based on Victorian-era cast iron treads.
26 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
In June 2019, the couple sat down with Tyler Wilson, Go2Guys project manager, to discuss the renovation on the 1800-sq. ft., four-bedroom house. “At first, the focus was on more space since the
existing garage was used as a catch-all for junk and was under-utilized. We originally knew that we wanted something a bit unusual, and we were open to something that didn’t match the home style of the neighbourhood.” Initially, the couple was interested in a timber frame construction. But the more they researched, they kept coming back to Pinterest photos and other online images of reclaimed industrial spaces. Whenever a converted warehouse or firehall showed up in a movie they were watching, they grew more certain. “We were really drawn to that look of old industrial
Paul took the lead on the metal design and off-site fabrication elements. He worked closely with the construction company on how the loft feature would be installed.
buildings,” says Amanda. “That loft look with metal and brick appealed to us so we thought why not do that?” Why not indeed? This was a first for the construction company, but after “brainstorming and rolling a few ideas around,” Tyler says it was a matter of logistics, consulting with engineers and letting Paul take the lead on design. The attached garage and concrete were completely removed, and replaced with an ICF grade beam with an insulated slab. Because of the metal fabrication and painting, it was not possible to construct the loft inside
the addition so it was built off-site. “The six-inch concrete was poured and the eight-inch pads were already placed beneath that,” says Tyler. The weather was a challenge; it got very cold very early in November 2019 with long stretches of 30 below weather. The concrete had to be protected while it cured. From the Top Down That’s when the cranes came in. Before the addition was framed in and the roof put on, two huge cranes lifted the loft—like a giant table— and placed it as precisely as possible.
“Paul estimated the loft weighs about 3,000 pounds,” says Tyler. “We didn’t want to drag it around on that finished concrete floor so we had to be pretty precise about placement. Once the cranes left, there wouldn’t be any adjustments and we got it pretty dang close the first time.” Even before the supports were completely bolted down, it was “all hands on deck” to complete the addition and get it closed in, a marathon job completed on Christmas Eve. The six 8x8 loft posts are secured with 3/4 inch bolts, seven inches long. Tyler says wedge anchors inserted into pre-drilled holes
in the concrete were used for the best stability. “The addition is basically a salt box with one wall covered completely in brick,” Paul explains. “Floor to ceiling is 21.5 feet and it took the mason over three weeks and 4,508 bricks to complete.” The loft, then, is technically not a built-in part of the addition, though the floor is edged to appear so. “Cork flooring was laid down on 1x6 pine lap joint boards and subfloor placed directly on metal beams,” Paul explains. The top perimeter around the cork floor is custom-milled fir with aluminum trim for a cohesive look. The lap Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 |
27
boards on the underside are stained a dark brown. The exposed metal beams, visible from the main floor, reinforce the industrial feel and the red is a nod to the firehall feel. Out of the Ordinary
The project had just started in June 2019 when the couple spent a memorable week in Italy. They discovered Murano glass near Venice, and brought back six light fixtures carefully swaddled in their suitcases. They were installed as pendant lighting high over the front entrance near the top of the climbing wall. Not only a treasured memento of their trip, the colourful glass is an artful feature day and night.
28 | Fall 2021 Saskatoon HOME
“The sound deadening was definitely worth it in walls,” says Amanda. With three kids aged nine, 12 and 14, thundering around on metal stairs (there’s Buddy
the dog, too, but he’s not so keen on the open staircase) and with such height in the addition, sound can carry. Echoing wasn’t a huge problem, but acoustic drywall and buffalo board ensured adjacent bedrooms would be peaceful. Furniture in the loft living space also absorbs sound. The open staircase is designed based on Victorian-era cast iron treads. A wood handrail features
The birch and steel climbing wall does double-duty as a floor-to-ceiling piece of abstract art.
transitions to bypass the metal loft support beams. Paul, no stranger to metal working, made them on a 3D printer. The plastic connection points were painted to match the uprights and corner posts. “The climbing wall is constructed of Baltic birch and one quarter-inch steel plate. We decided to install an auto belay since we are not climbers and safety was a concern,” says Paul who is, ironically, not comfortable with heights. “It has not been used much yet since it was finished during the pandemic. But now as other kids are starting to come over, it has seen use.” The wall does double-duty as a 20-foot vertical piece of foyer art, drawing the eye up through the space to the loft area.
Since everyone in the family is an inexperienced climber, Paul and Amanda installed an automatic belay feature for safety.
Concrete Thinking The floor is clear-coated concrete. It was sanded to drop some of the shine and slippery surface. While concrete is a common flooring material, says Tyler, in residential applications it’s usually covered so care had to be taken not to damage it. “We like the wearability, durability and ease of cleaning the concrete,” says Amanda. “And it looks good and carries through that warehouse aesthetic. We also have a Tidal fit swim spa behind the addition. In fact, one of the reasons for the addition was to keep the water more contained instead of tracking across hardwood in the rest of the house.” Concrete is a popular choice for homeowners who want the warehouse look, but there are some Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 | 29
The brick and metal add to the firehall feel of the interior. A mason spent over three weeks laying the bricks on the 21.5 foot wall.
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Nuts and Bolts 691 bolts in staircase 4508 bricks on west wall 21.5 feet addition height 20-foot climbing wall with 30 jugs (hand and footholds) 2—80-foot cranes
From the beginning, Paul and Amanda designed what pleased them as a family without worrying about future resale. Children William, Lucas, and Arie Anna are happy with the outcome.
considerations. It is not a forgiving surface; a dropped wine glass will not bounce. And there can be issues with concrete wicking moisture from below ground, and it may develop cracks.
on the main floor in the living room and office area were also replaced and garden doors were added so nearly all rooms in the home are bathed in natural light.
Softening Elements
“We were not overly concerned about blending in with other homes in the neighbourhood,” explains Paul. He did get some pushback on his wish to use shiny galvanized steel on the addition exterior, the sort used for grain bins. “I got outvoted on that one.” “If push comes to shove, something completely unexpected happens and we have to move, we’re still happy with the investment,” he adds. “We’ve built it the way we wanted without being constrained by some anonymous future buyer.” But with the red metal beams and industrial staircase, the visible nuts and bolts, the brick wall, and its grey corrugated metal and fire-engine red hardy board exterior, the couple is happy with the outcome. They feel they’ve captured that look they were drawn to when they sifted through all those Pinterest photos of firehalls and converted warehouses.
Paul and Amanda wanted interior and exterior elements that would add warmth and texture. Even though they were drawn to the industrial warehouse look, they knew the house had to have some cozy elements to soften the hard materials. “The cork floor in the loft definitely adds warmth. The fireplace on the main adds character and we put a dark stain on woodwork,” says Amanda. “Now I’m glad we didn’t have the budget for a glass barn door between the addition and the original house. Instead we used stacked two by fours and stained them, and I think it adds to the warehouse feel.” Iron caster wheels on the door track add a vintage steampunk element. Extensive glazing allows for a lot of natural light, something that has its own softening effect on interiors and a tall ficus tree enjoys the large windows. The family hopes to put in an apple tree. “Due to the height in the addition, we went as large as possible without going commercial.” Two windows
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Buy and Sell Metamorphosis Out with the Old, In with the New
By: Ashlyn George
Like many people in 2020, I used the opportunity of spending time at home to declutter. It was surprising the things I found tucked in the back corners of my condo: a university lab coat, an electric ice cream maker,
unused picture frames and clothing with price tags still attached. I was a casualty of consumerism, purchasing items over the years I never needed. But instead of taking my poor choices as a complete loss, I decided
to see what I could get for them online. In less than 12 months, I rid myself of nearly 200 things and pocketed more than $4,500. It became like a game to see what I could sell. I’d carefully track each item in a
spreadsheet while adding up the dollar signs. But I quickly realized it wasn’t all about the money. There was a cathartic release every time I added one more item to my “sold” list and had one less needless physical item in
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my apartment. As a surprising twist when selling these items, a personal love story unexpectedly blossomed. I met my partner when I sold him my high school saxophone that had been collecting dust in my parents’ basement. What began as a meetup to view the saxophone turned into an hour and a half conversation about travel and books which led to a coffee meetup later that month. Apparently frugal minds think alike. (Yes, he did buy the saxophone but has since swapped it for a new-to-him guitar). In Pursuit of Minimalism Over the past several years, the concept and practice of minimalism seems to be everywhere. Japanese tidying expert Marie Kondo touts the benefits of living with items
that only spark joy while releasing unused items with gratitude. The Minimalists, American authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan N i c o d e m u s , a d vo c a t e for the lifestyle across their media platforms to millions of followers. “Less is more” is what everyone is saying. But what do you do with all the stuff while you’re trying to get rid of without throwing it in the landfill? With traditional garage sales on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and possibly met with some squeamishness for some time into the future, the internet has become the answer for where to sell. While websites like eBay have always been popular to reach global buyers, apps and online marketplaces focused on selling locally
Sometimes sellable, sometimes Freecycleable. Looking around your home is sure to reveal items you can turn into cash, or free up some space.
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have popped up. Kijiji and Craigslist are still around but Facebook Marketplace has quickly become one of the most popular places to list gently-used items. The platform is set up like a digital garage sale where you can scroll to see what’s for sale. But it also offers a targeted search function so you can narrow in on what you’re looking for or check comparable prices on items. You can also set up notifications for specific items as they get listed as well as view personal profiles to vet other buyers and sellers. Local buy and sell Facebook groups are also popular and apps like Poshmark and thredUP offer niche selling options when looking to sell high quality clothing and fashion brands.
One Man’s Trash The old adage “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” has never been more true when it comes to getting rid of junk. Someone will always find value in things that others no longer find important. It’s surprising to see what sells first and fastest—including old top soil from a raised planter bed and five gallon pails I had lying around. The easiest to sell items are priced low at five, ten or twenty dollars. Someone picked up an unused “for sale” sign for $1.50. While it doesn’t seem like much, the dollars add up and it feels good knowing the items are finding a new home where they’ll be put to better use. “Free” can be the best way to get rid things. There are local “freecycle”
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groups online where users give away unwanted items as opposed to selling them, all in the name of reducing, reusing and recycling. Even cardboard boxes are in demand. But you have to respond fast as items go quickly. Best Practices With high quality cameras on our smartphones, it’s simple to include images alongside a well-written title and description. You don’t need to be a professional photographer but sharply focused photos with a plain or tidy background and soft, natural lighting works best. Photographing the object from several angles allows a potential buyer to get a better sense of the item and its condition. The more written details you can provide, the better. Include specific information
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like the brand of the item, what it’s made of and a serial number, if available. Sharing specific measurements helps buyers know if it’s the right size or fit. Including a measuring tape with a close up of a measurement in your photos can be helpful to those who are ultra-visual. Don’t shy away from sharing if there are flaws like a hard to pull zipper, small scratches or dings. Buyers don’t want to be surprised when they come to pick up an item. Photograph those details and note that the flaw is reflected in the pricing. Staying Safe Most important when selling items online is doing it all in a safe manner— whether meeting in person or sending and receiving money. While it’s still a “buyer beware” mentality, there are several steps you can take
to ensure a comfortable and safe transaction. Cash is always accepted but wireless e-transfers have become a convenient, and often free, option. Many people wait to see the item before sending money to a cell phone number or e-mail address. For larger items it is not uncommon to ask the sender to send the e-transfer but tell them they can wait to share the password until they arrive and give the item a once-over. It shows that they are committed and not wasting your time, and they feel protected so no money exchanges hands without their signoff. An important tip is to double check the spelling before hitting send to ensure the payment makes it to the right person. It’s also worth noting your bank's e-transfer limits if purchasing a higher priced item—whether that
limit is a dollar amount or a time limit. Many seller s offer contactless pickup from their front step or mailbox. Some people prefer to meet in public places like coffee shops or malls. In Saskatoon, the police service has created an exchange zone set up in their visitor parking lot on the west side of their main headquarters for people to carry out legal purchases. This not only creates a safe space but helps reduce buy and sell fraud. While I can’t promise anyone they’ll unexpectedly stumble across love on an online buy and sell marketplace as I did, I can promise you’ll find yourself with a few more dollars in your bank account and fewer unused items taking up valuable space in your home. Ashlyn George
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Cars Need Homes, Too Creation of The Sanctuary
By: Maureen Haddock Anita and Flynn Skot built a 2400-square foot dream home for their family–that is, their family of Corvette cars. The building was underway to welcome the cars, due to be transported from Calgary to the Corman Park area near Saskatoon. When the Skots decided to relocate, they made a checklist of decisions that needed to be made about their semi-retirement interests and car collection. Flynn, who bought his first Corvette in 1980 and grew his collection to include 18 cars,
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intimated that he was unable to give so many vehicles the attention and maintenance they required to keep them road-ready. He decided to downsize his collection to eight Corvettes and build them “the sanctuary they deserve.” That’s exactly what they decided to name it. A Decades-Old Passion Flynn’s passion for restoring cars began back in high school when he and a buddy rented a garage to work on their own vehicles and make some money on
the side doing repairs for others. This shop fueled his love for “survivor” cars, those oldies but goodies with original parts, paint and upholstery. Flynn’s love for Corvettes was ignited when, at age 16, he loaned his 1973 Chevelle to his cousin who was getting married. In exchange, Flynn drove his cousin’s 1970 Corvette for three days. The cousin still owns that Corvette and Flynn would welcome it into his collection, should it ever become available. Anita says Flynn is the
driving force behind the collection of Chevy vehicles, but she has her 2012 Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Corvette convertible parked in the driveway. Anita’s eyes sparkle as she tells the story of seeing the car when it was premiered at a Corvette Car Show in 2011. She remembers whispering under her breath, “I think I need this car.” Of course, Flynn heard her and when they saw one at a dealership in Atlanta, Georgia several months later, Flynn enthusiastically put in motion the time-consuming
details involved in bringing her car home. Her license plate indicates it was worth the effort: HPY WFE. Anita was interested in vehicles before she married Flynn in 1990, but as he says, “I just convinced her that it is Corvettes she really loves.” Her Grand Sport Corvette is a relatively rare model because the colour was considered, by some, to be a bit too feminine and was discontinued after one year. Of course, it holds a place in The Sanctuary. The Ultimate Display Space Over the years, Flynn has renovated three different shops to house his evergrowing collection. The spaces were never perfect for the cars nor for his love of restoring vehicles. Making do with existing shop spaces has equipped Flynn for creating a home specifically for maintaining and enjoying this carefully curated collection. Flynn started this building project by drawing a sketch which included the musthaves and a wish list beyond those basics. After some searching to find the right builder, he chose Luke Unger from Zak’s Building Group to create blueprints and do subcontracting. Luke and project manager Jarrett Donahue were hired to provide a turnkey building, with the Skots planning to personalize it themselves. Flynn says he collects “cool stuff” and changed the truss spacing from 48” to 24” for added strength to hang items like vintage signs, old boat motors and other collectibles. This will be an ever-evolving space because, the couple admits, there is always an auction or a show to attend.
Flynn and Anita are delighted with their factory-build experience.
The Skots have a delightful give-and-take in conversation and share a passion for their dogs, the outdoors, travel, adventure and Corvettes. Flynn admits he loves the speed and the technology of new cars, but he gravitates to survivors, which along with original paint, interiors and drivetrains, have interesting life stories. Flynn is a survivor, too, says Anita. She says he thinks of the car collection as a form of insurance, since he is uninsurable. Flynn is a survivor of kidney failure, and Anita happily gave him one of hers. They talk about their difficult journey in restoring Flynn’s health in much the same way they talk about the restoration history of their survivor vehicles. They love a good story with a happy ending. That may be one reason they have designated a portion of The Sanctuary for people. In this space, they can relax alone or with friends.
Anita’s Carlisle Blue 2012 Grand Sport still makes her smile.
The Skots' 2019 Grand Sport Driver’s Series Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 | 39
Parked in their new home, from left to right: Bridgehampton Blue 1971 LT-1, Classic White 1971 LT-1, Bright Yellow 1971 LT-1, Anita’s Carlisle Blue 2012 Grand Sport Corvette.
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A Place for a Pit Stop The relaxation area is perfect for storytelling or daydreaming. It has a retro vibe created by the recycled barn wood that Flynn purchased from a Saskatchewan farmer. This look is in perfect contrast to the 75-inch TV where they can watch car auctions and races. The area features a desk, comfy chairs, a fridge, a working 1950s Coke machine and other vintage and personal memorabilia, such as the book about the Skots’ factory-build experience. They watched every step of the assembly of their 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Collectors Edition convertible which happens to be number 713 out of the 935 that were built. It has a Watkins Glen Grey exterior with a mesmerizing Adrenaline Blue interior. The walls in the rest of the building are covered in white, easy-clean, durable, carwashquality panelling which is perfect for hanging vintage signs. Flynn hopes to keep the decor sleek, by hiding car parts inside vintage items like his non-working Coke machines. The Functional Shop Accessibility is of the utmost importance when building a home for working cars. There are two rows of four cars, one in front of the other. Flynn purchased two lifts from Brian at RPM Auto in Saskatoon, so two of the front row cars can be lifted to allow cars in the back to drive through. The lifts can be moved to suit the task at hand.
The 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Collectors Edition convertible is number 713 out of the 935 manufactured.
There is a well-ventilated restoration room for messy work like sanding and painting. This shop has a huge garage door, as well as a people door to The Sanctuary. Flynn loves restoring vehicles and doing regular car maintenance. The Sanctuary has exceptional LED lighting and lots of electrical outlets, some close to the ceiling and others at the four-foot level. Good lighting is essential when doing fine mechanical work and shows the details of the cars well. The Sanctuary has radiant heat, and the humidity is controlled with dual sensors connected to fans. The Skots had planned to choose flooring in Chevy’s blue and yellow corporate colours, but, after visiting Autobox Garage Interiors, they chose a commercial coating in Tuxedo Tech, Red and Light Grey.
It felt like Christmas for the Skots when their well wrapped 2017 Collectors Edition convertible, which they watched being built, arrived at the dealership.
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These fraternal triplets are all 1971 Chevrolet Corvette LT-1s. The blue LT-1 below was Flynn’s first of the three, but when he heard about the others living so close for decades he had to get them back together.
This coating can’t be applied until the cement is well-cured so it will be completed at a later date. Rolling Down the Red Carpet The cars arrived one by one like celebrities, some chauffeured by Flynn and others by his car buddies. Flynn was particularly happy to welcome his fraternal triplets. All three 1971 Chevrolet Corvette LT-1s came to life during the last three days of that model run, 50 years ago, and remained within 15 miles of the dealership for decades. Flynn bought the first one in 2012, a Bridgehampton Blue beauty, with only 16,000 original miles on it. When he learned about the other two, the chase was on to reunite them in a perfect ending. It took him five years and many emails and phone calls, but the triplets are together again and will reside in The Sanctuary. There are two things that are clear about the Skots. Firstly, to them a car home needs almost everything a family home needs and building it requires all the same tradespeople and more. Secondly, Flynn loves the thrill of the hunt and is always on the alert for vehicles of interest. In fact, the Skots have a 1971, green Corvette convertible with tan interior and a white roof on their wish list. Keeping this collection in check will take a great deal of discipline. But maybe just one more addition looms in their future. Maureen Haddock
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Protecting Your Home By: Karin melberg schwier When Ed Onishenko retired as captain after 35 year’s of service with the Saskatoon Fire Department, he wasn’t about to let the flame go out on his mission to educate people about fire safety. He wrote a children’s book about what to do—and what not to do—in the event of a house fire, and he visits classrooms to help students develop a healthy respect for fire. He not only wants families to
be prepared in case of an emergency, he also wants people to understand, develop and practice good preparedness. A habit comes with following a routine, and he is all about teaching adults and children to keep themselves and their homes safe. Autumn is a good time of year to establish new routines. School begins. There is annual maintenance
to be done on a home in preparation for winter. Ed says it’s also a good time to prepare for the possibility of a house fire. It’s fitting, too, that National Fire Safety Week is October 3-9. Knowing what to do in advance pays off if the unthinkable ever happens. Having the Talk Retirement hasn’t gotten in the way of Ed’s zeal for reaching students with his
safety message. He offers a free 30-minute classroom visit to students of any age. Children have fun examining fire fighting equipment and protective gear, and can even take selfies with Ed and the rescue mannequin. The question and answer part of Ed’s visits give children ample opportunity to ask questions. Through his website and classroom visits, he is Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 | 45
Ed Onishenko hasn’t let retirement interfere with promoting fire safety. His children’s book has sold 4000 copies and counting, and his message on captained.ca reminds people “fire safety is cool.”
Photo Credit: Deb Onishenko
known by legions of children as Captain Ed. “Students like the idea of becoming Deputy Fire Preventers,” says Ed. “Kids ask questions like how do fires start? What if my pet hides? How do we put out fires? It’s important to answer everyone’s questions.” The aptly named Captain Ed’s Fire Safety Book was written “in rhyme so that even very young children will catch on and pick up the ideas quickly,” says Ed. The book is colourfully illustrated by Saskatoon artist Deidra Evans. Fire Safety Basics
Fall is the perfect time to schedule routine maintenance checks of household safety equipment like smoke and CO 2 detectors, and fire extinguishers.
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Photo Credit: Karin Melberg Schwier
“Fire safety i s n’ t complicated and the rules in the book are simple enough for everyone in the family. Things like closing bedroom doors at night. Children should know that if they hear the alarm or
smell smoke, they should put a hand on the door. If it’s hot, then they need to get out the window. Don’t go back into a burning house to find a pet or anyone else. The firefighters know what to do.” Understanding a few fire basics is important. It could keep a bad situation from getting worse, he adds. House fires are most likely to start in the kitchen, bedrooms and li ving rooms. Never try to douse a grease fire with water. That will only splatter the grease and spread the fire, he warns. Instead, smother it with a lid or another pan, and turn off the element. Ed points out that the simple messages for children are just as important for adults. Preparation Pays Off Ed encourages families to involve everyone in the
house to help create a fire safety plan, which would include a ‘to do’ schedule for things like checking batteries in detectors. Battery Checks: Smoke detectors are available as battery-operated and hard-wired, and should be installed on every level, including the basement at the bottom of the stairwell. Both types need monthly checks by pressing the test button. If it beeps, it’s working. If it does not, replace the batteries immediately. Batteries need to be replaced once a year. A simple free calendar from the bank or drug store is perfect for this schedule. Ed suggests picking a birthday or holiday so the check will be easy to remember. Smok e detector s and carbon monoxide units should be replaced every eight to
10 years. Ed recommends a smoke detector for each bedroom as an “extra precaution.” The Fire Extinguisher: Everyone should know where it’s kept and how to use it. Buy one from a professional company, check the expiry date and read the instructions. It must be maintained properly, Ed says, and checked to be sure the pull pin is intact, the gauge is in proper range and there are no visible leaks. If there is a file, pull the pin and press the handle to start process. Spray at the base of the flames around the area, and call 911. The Safety Plan: Even if there are no children in the household, the fire safety plan should be in place in every home. “If you do have kids, have them help with the plan, but it’s important
Photo Credit: Karin Melberg Schwier
the adults do this, too,” Ed says. “Draw a plan showing exits from the house and each room with every door and window. Pick out a good meeting place outside. Have the kids draw pictures of their room and know the two ways they
would get out, which doors and windows. Have fire drills and practice escape routes. Educate everyone in the family about when to call 911.” The Sask atoon Fire Department’s community relations department Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 | 47
What if you live in a Rental? Renters have the right to live in a safe, habitable property and landlords have the right to request that tenants practice fire safety measures, like checking smoke detectors once a month. Landlords are responsible for installing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on the main floor and basement. There should be a smoke detector in every bedroom and batteries checked monthly. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide units should be replaced at the end of their life span. If a tenant has concerns about fire safety, they should discuss the issue with their landlord as soon as possible. If the issue is not resolved, the renter may contact the Saskatoon Fire Department and make a complaint under the property maintenance and nuisance abatement bylaw. They may also contact the Saskatchewan Landlords Association.
Sobering Stats Saskatchewan Government Insurance says in fatal, preventable house fires, more than a third did not have smoke detectors installed. There were approximately 100 house fires in Saskatoon in 2020 with one death, smoke inhalation and other injuries to occupants and firefighters, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage.
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The cause of these fires varied: • spontaneous combustion (oily rags) • children playing with matches • candles left unattended • smoking material • cooking equipment left unattended • faulty wiring • frayed electrical cords • deliberately set fires
has brochures to be sure the important points are covered. “For some people, it’s kind of an out-of-sight-outof-mind thing,” Ed says. “But the time to get ready, to educate the adults and children about and practice an escape route–and make sure your home is fire safe–is before a fire. Not during a fire.” Tragedies Can be Avoided “In my 35 years of service, I’ve been to a lot of calls. I’ve seen a lot of tragedies,” Ed says. “So many of them could have been avoided by doing such simple things like checking batteries in smoke alarms and CO2 (carbon monoxide) detectors.” One of his most heartbreaking experiences involved children who tried to hide from the fire in their bedroom closets or under the bed, thinking those were safe places. “They don’t realize that by doing that, they’re also hiding from the firefighters who are searching for them. Fire is very good at playing hide and seek. It will find you no matter where you hide.” Karin Melberg Schwier
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MAUREEN’S KITCHEN Company Cutlets I made this recipe for the first time in the mid-seventies when MSG was a popular ingredient, calculating the cost per serving was as important as understanding calories and people learned the cuts of meat in home
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economics classes or from magazines. The recipe suggested asking the butcher for several ¼ inch thick slices of pork butt, often called Boston butt, which comes from the pig’s shoulder blade area.
By: Maureen Haddock
I followed the directions precisely and in doing so I learned that a slice of pork butt has a pattern of lean meat medallions laced together by strips of fat. My margin notes from decades ago suggest cutting the fat
away using meat scissors. If you can take a few extra minutes to do this, you will be blessed with some delicious company-worthy cutlets and a generous pile of sweet bits of meat to use in your next stir-fry. Refrigerate the tiny
bits and use a meat mallet to flatten and tenderized the larger pieces. You can, of course, save time by purchasing pork cutlets prepared by your meat cutter, which are usually
mechanically tenderized. They may be from the loin or the leg and will be delicious crumbed and fried for this dish. The sauce in this recipe is so tasty that you can serve
it over a roast, chops or cutlets and be guaranteed to please your guests. This recipe provides all the colour required to assemble a show stopping platter. Think browned cutlets,
tomato-based sauce, green broccoli and white rice. I often serve baked potatoes done the 70s way… dry, crisp and soft inside. Keep every drop of leftover sauce, should there be any, to
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Company Cutlet Platter Begin by purchasing pork cutlets from a good butcher. The sauce from this recipe will cover approximately twelve cutlets, easily serving six people. These will be cut from the leg or loin, deboned and mechanically tenderized. Alternatively, purchase ¼ inch thick slices of pork butt, and trim and tenderize your own. Place the pork cutlets in a shallow pan and pour boiling water over them. Remove the cutlets after a few seconds and dry them on paper towel. Once dry, season both sides of the cutlets with salt and pepper. Let the cutlets sit while you prepare 3 shallow bowls with ingredients to batter the cutlets. • In the first shallow bowl, place 1 cup flour. • In the second bowl, whisk 1 cup milk with two beaten eggs. • In a third bowl, place 2 cups fine breadcrumbs. Dip each cutlet in flour and place on a cookie sheet to rest. Heat ¼ inch of canola oil in a frypan or electric skillet to about 350° F. Dip each floured cutlet into the egg-milk mixture and then directly into the breadcrumbs. Place the cutlets on the cookie sheet. There is no need to rush. Let them rest until all the cutlets are coated. Fry the cutlets until browned. This takes between 3 and 4 minutes per side. Arrange cutlets on an ovenproof platter and place in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
Tomato Onion Sauce 1 onion, cut in half lengthwise, finely sliced to form ½ rings 1 tablespoon of drippings from skillet; drain the rest away ¾ cup juice from canned tomatoes 4 canned tomatoes, quartered; I like Roma
2 tablespoons ketchup 1 tablespoon HP sauce 1 or 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar; I use 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup of cold water.
Brown the onion in oil in the pan used to brown the cutlets. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients, stirring well after each addition. Bring sauce to a gentle boil, then simmer for a few minutes. Vegetables Steam or stir-fry green vegetables like broccoli, asparagus or green beans. If you are short of time, microwave frozen vegetables using the auto sensor setting. Presentation Have fun serving this dish. On an oiled, ovenproof serving platter, make a base of white rice, noodles or mashed potatoes. Top with cutlets and place the platter in the oven at 200°F. When ready to serve, pour sauce over the cutlets and arrange the green vegetables of choice as a border around the platter.
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No Fuss Rustic Baked Potatoes serve on rice, noodles or yesterday’s potatoes. Don’t hesitate to serve an entire batch over spaghetti. These cutlets are fork tender and therefore easy for toddlers and great-grandparents to consume. Serving Company Cutlets on an ovenproof platter allows you some visiting time with your guests because the cutlets will stay crisp for half an hour or so in a 200°F oven. Just before serving, pour the prepared warm sauce over the hot cutlets and garnish with a green vegetable like broccoli or green beans.
Dessert should be cooling and light; I suggest Versatile Lemon Pudding, Dreamy Dessert Cloud or Rum Marinated Pineapple. A tiny serving of port with a couple squares of dark chocolate will also provide a nice flavor change. More recipes can be found at www.getabiggerwagon.com.
Maureen Haddock
The best baked potatoes I have eaten were tossed, unwrapped and unseasoned, into the smouldering coals of a fire pit. This method produced a crispy skinned slightly scorched potato that was soft and delicious on the inside. Big, brown-skinned baking potatoes (russets) are my favorite. Wash them early in the day and let them dry on the counter. Prick the skin in several places and put them directly on the oven rack in a 425°F oven for approximately an hour and ten minutes. The pricked skin allows for steam to escape and you avoid a messy explosion. Don’t oil them or season them. You will smell cooked potato as the hour passes. The skin should be crispy and quite hard when you tap on the outside. Prick one with a fork to be sure the inside is cooked. Pile the potatoes into a large clay bowl and sit them near a topping station which might include butter, sour cream, cooked chopped bacon and chives. Personally, I like to top my baked potato with the tomato onion sauce that accompanies Company Cutlets. Heavenly!
Recipes in italics at
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Nalevykin Food Store, 204-33rd Street West, ca. 1940. Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - A-1482
HOMEtown Reflections The Changing Landscape of Saskatoon’s Grocery Stores Part 2 of 2 Rise of the Supermarkets Although chains like Safeway and OK Economy arrived here in the 1930s, the modern, supermarket style of grocery store that we’re all familiar with is a product of the post-war boom. It’s a child of suburban sprawl
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By: Jeff O’Brien and of the automobile, as people forsook the cozy inner city neighbourhoods for the wide open spaces of Greater Suburbia. The automobile meant grocery shoppers weren’t limited to how far they could walk and how much
they could carry, or to the availability of home delivery. Home refrigeration also boomed after World War II, which would have reduced the need for frequent trips to the grocery store. Finally, the new suburbs were overwhelmingly residential.
While neighbourhood planners did set aside space for commercial activities, they were fewer and farther between than in the older neighbourhoods. But it didn’t matter. In these new, post-war cities, the automobile was becoming
a necessity. And if you had a car, you didn’t need a corner store. By 1965, Saskatoon had three big supermarket chains: Safeway, Loblaws and OK Economy. That year, IGA joined the crowd, picking up several small, neighbourhood stores and later building two larger Foodliner stores on 8th Street East and 20th Street West. That meant there was no part of the city that didn’t have a sizable chain store within striking distance. But the corner groceries didn’t go down without a fight. Stores like the Capitol Food Market on Broadway began offering free delivery again. So did the IGA, possibly as a way to make its smaller, neighbourhood stores competitive. Many of the corner stores got out of
OK Economy Store, 8th Street near Clarence, 1964. Photo Credit: CoS Archives - 1100-2010-12
the grocery business almost completely, depending on cigarettes and chocolate bars for most of their profits. There were also specialty stores, catering to specific markets or clientele. But every year, the numbers grew smaller. In 1962, we counted 115 stores in the city directory under
“Grocers—Retail.” By 1992, there were only 83 including many that are clearly just convenience stores. But again, it isn’t the number of stores, but the ratio of stores to people that tells the story. This had been rising steadily since the Second World War. In the early 1960s, at a rough count, the ratio was about a
thousand people per grocery store. This was more than twice what it had been in the 1930s. By 1992, it had doubled again, to more than 2,000 people per store. “We’re Going to Go Broke” The death blow for many older neighbourhood stores was the opening up of
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XL Grocery at 901 Avenue C North, 1967.
XL Grocery building, 2021. Photo Credit: CoS Archives - 1100-1768-03
store hours in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Under provincial and municipal legislation, most stores were required to close at 6:00 pm every night except Thursday, and to remain closed all day Sunday. One of the few exceptions were grocery stores under a certain size, which were allowed to stay open until
10:00 pm. Charging that the legislation was unfair to them and that the Sunday closing provisions violated religious rights, the big grocery store chains went to court over it, simultaneously ignoring the laws and daring the authorities to do their worst. In 1988, the province washed its hands of the whole thing, leaving regulation
Photo Credit: Jeff O'Brien
of store hours entirely up to the cities. Saskatoon held two plebiscites on the question in 1988 and 1991. When the dust finally settled, late-night shopping and Sunday opening were the law of the land. In a newspaper interview in 1987, Sadrudin Sajan, who with his wife ran the Riversdale Grocery on
The Great Food Desert In 1930, the vast majority of people in Saskatoon lived within at most two to three blocks of a grocery store. By the 1970s, that was no longer the case. Today, we often talk about “food deserts”— places where there are no stores selling basic groceries. Downtown Saskatoon, which in recent memory had three big chain grocery stores—a Dominion in the Midtown Plaza, a Safeway at Bayside and an OK Economy—is now unable to support anything more complicated than a Dollar Store and a 7-Eleven. Similarly, it used to be that close to half of Saskatoon’s grocery stores could be found within a few blocks on either side of 20th Street, including one of the first Safeway
Downtown Safeway on Second Avenue, 1970.
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Avenue H South, predicted that de-regulation of store hours would have disastrous consequences. “We’re going to go broke,” he said. As it turned out, he ran the store another twenty-five years until his death in 2012. But other store owners were either not as lucky or not as capable.
Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - CP-5897-3
Lloyd Reid at Reid's Shop Rite, later the Riversdale Grocery, 617 Ave H South, 1959. Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - B-5145
Riversdale Grocery, 617 Ave H South, 1988.
Riversdale Grocery, 617 Ave H South, 2021. Photo Credit: CoS Archives - 1105-129
Photo Credit: Jeff O'Brien
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Exterior of new Safeway Store at 20th Street and Ave H, 1964.
Photo Credit: CoS Archives - Star Phoenix Collection - S-SP-B-29240-002
stores to open in Saskatoon, at 20th Street and Avenue O, which opened in 1930. It later moved down the street to the corner of Avenue D, and then up to Avenue H when a big, modern supermarket was built in 1962. Today, they’re all gone. Connecting Past to Present Even when these old stores close, the buildings often remain, making a physical connection between the
present and past. Some are obvious. The little store at 208 Avenue I North that Johnston Purdy opened in 1915 is now someone’s house. But with the false front stuck on it like something off the Western Development Museum’s Main Street, it can’t have started life as anything other than a store. The same goes for the erstwhile XL Grocery at 901 Avenue C North, except in this case, it’s the front door cut into the corner of the
building that gives it away. Then there’s Mike’s Grocery at 724 28th Street West, which looks exactly like every other house on the street except for the weathered sign that still (as of this writing) hangs above the door. Sadru Sajan’s grocery store on Avenue H is still there. The windows are dark and dusty now, and when you peer through them, it’s all empty shelves inside. No one lives there anymore. But if you
OK Economy delivery vans, ca. 1940.
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Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - A-1293
grew up around there, you probably remember him. Or if you’re a little older, his predecessors, Lloyd “Tiny” Reid, who ran it as Reid’s Shop Rite from 1959 to 1978, and before that his parents, Russell and Katherine, who operated a store at that address under several names as far back as the 1920s. Down the street at the corner of Avenue H and 18th Street is a stylish coffee-andsandwich shop called One Drip. But when it was new in 1911, it was John Bertram’s grocery store. It stood next door to the family’s handsome brick house, which still stands. From 1931 until about 1950, it was one of several independentlyowned Rex groceterias before becoming a Shop Rite in the 1950s and ‘60s. By the 1970s it was a pawnshop. By the 1990s it was something called Cash for Cans before eventually being caught up in the wave of gentrification that has swept through that part of town in recent years. On the east side of the river, the corner of Temperance and 14th, where D’Lish by Tish
1917 Eaton’s catalogue.
Mike's Grocery at 724 28th Street, 2021.
Photo Credit: Jeff O'Brien
is now, has been a great many things over the years. People of a certain age may remember that there used to be an OK Economy store there, along with Walker’s Drugs. But when the building was first constructed in 1921, it was John Rathburn’s grocery store. Of more recent vintage is the grocery store on Early Drive just down from Brevoort Park School. It was the Magnus Shop Rite when it opened in 1965 and later became a Red-and-White Store. The tiny strip mall next door had a drugstore, confectionery and barber shop. They’re gone now, too.
store on the corner is long since closed, there’s still a business there, frequently in the same building that once, decades ago, was someone’s mom-and-pop store, with living quarters in the back and a couple of apartments above. Into the Modern Era It’s all different now. Where we once shopped in supermarkets, nowadays we’re likely to make a trip to some sprawling, big box
where the line between grocery and department store has been blurred almost into non-existence. At the other end of the scale, the convenience store niche is mostly filled these days by huge chains like 7-Eleven and Mac’s. And the internet, of course. Because the internet changes everything it touches. Still, there are echoes of the past in this shiny, digital era. Like the Walmarts of
today, both Eatons and the Hudson’s Bay stores once had busy grocery departments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the big grocery chains started delivering again, just like back in the 1940s. And thanks to Amazon, you can now get your groceries by mail order and have them shipped to your door in Saskatoon. Just like in 1917. Jeff O’Brien
Still Going Strong But some of these old stores are still there. Westmount Foods on 29th Street is a good example, and there’s been a grocery store on the corner of Clarence and 12th Street since 1915, although it would have looked rather different from the current one. Once a property is zoned for commercial uses, it tends to stay that way, so that even though the grocery
Yip Bros, 808 Broadway Avenue, 1940. Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - A-1474
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In The Garden Prepping for Winter Our growing season is short but intense. As winter approaches, we’re often hit equally with the urgency to get our garden chores done before the snow flies and with a sense of relief that it will soon be over and we can put our feet up. In many ways, our plants look after themselves. The progressively cooler fall temperatures combined with longer nights signal plants to ‘shut down’ for winter. But gardeners can help to ensure the success of this annual passage from one season
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to another. Getting ready for winter generally revolves around planting hardy bulbs for next year’s bloom, thorough irrigation and the preparation of lawns, perennial flowers, the vegetable patch and annual flower beds. It’s also a time to give semihardy plants a bit of extra protection. Here are some suggestions. Hardy Bulbs Fall is the time to plant bulbs for next year’s blooms. Purchase and plant them
as soon as they become available from stores, garden centres or specialty catalogues. Select bulbs that are large, firm and free of mold, wounds or injury. Larger bulbs produce more vigorous plants with more flowers. You get what you pay for. Most bulbs require full sun in well drained soil. Their planting depth varies with the size of the bulb. A rule of thumb: plant a bulb three times as deep as its height. A bulb two inches high should be planted so that its base
by: Sara Williams
is six inches deep, with the pointy end up. For a natural appearance, place similar varieties in groupings of three to five bulbs. A word of warning: Not all bulbs sold on the prairies will make it through our winters. Crocus, narcissus, hyacinths, paperwhites and daffodils are seldom reliably hardy here. The following tulips should last several years: ‘Apeldoorn’, ‘Beauty of Apeldoorn’, ‘Golden Apeldoorn’, ‘Golden Oxford’, ‘Parade’, ‘Pink Impression’, ‘Orange Emperor’, ‘Pink
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Emperor’, ‘Red Emperor’, ‘White Emperor’ (‘Purissima’), ‘Yellow Emperor’, ‘Red Riding Hood’ and ‘Toronto’.Also consider the totally hardy tarda tulip (Tulipa tarda). Only four to six inches tall with yellow, whitetipped petals, it soon forms colonies. T. urumiensis is similar but pure yellow. Among the hardy minor bulbs (so called because of their small size) are Siberian squill (Scilla siberica), striped squill (Puschkinia scilloides) and grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum).
Se v e r a l fritillaries (Fritillaria spp.) are very hardy and perennial on the prairies: the chequered lily (Fritillaria meleagris), the Kamchatka fritillary (F. camschatcensis), Michael’s flower (F. michailovskyi) and the Siberian fritillary (F. pallidiflora). The imperial fritillary (F. imperialis) is not dependably hardy. Ornamental onions, often marketed under whimsical names, are terrific plants for our prairie gardens with flowers in white, yellow, pink or blue. Don’t let
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What not to do: Pruning and the application of fertilizer on grass in late summer or fall is not recommended. It promotes growth at a time when plants should be shutting down and entering dormancy for the winter.
pipes and heads. Not only is it highly inconvenient when discovered in the spring, it’s expensive to repair. Lawns
the botanical names put you off. Rather, consider Latin names a form of insurance that you’re getting what you want. Among the most dependable are the lily leek (Allium oreophilum), the nodding onion (A. cernuum), the Turkestan onion (A. karataviense), golden garlic (A. moly), yellow flowered garlic (A. flavum), blue globe onion (A. caeruleum), drumstick allium (A. sphaerocephalon), Persian onion (A. aflatunense), Lebanese onion (A . zebdanense) and German garlic (A. senescens). Lilies can also be planted and separated in fall. Among the most dependable are the Asiatics and Martagons. Along with retail outlets, lilies are available from the Canadian Prairie Lily
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Society bulb sale held every September in Saskatoon (www.prairielilysociety.ca.), with proceeds supporting scholarships for horticultural students. Water! ‘Winterizing’ begins with water. Give trees, shrubs, perennials and lawns a thorough watering prior to freeze-up, particularly if newly planted. Where possible, water to the depth of their root system and a bit beyond. Don’t forget plants under roof overhangs, where moisture from rain may be low or non-existent, especially on south or west exposures. And remember to blow out your sprinkler system prior to freeze-up to avoid damage to the manifold,
Snow mold is a combination of several fungal organisms that thrive under moist conditions at temperatures around freezing (0–7°C). It appears on lawns in early spring as a grey, cotton-like growth visible under the retreating snow, in patches of a few inches to several feet. The mold is favoured by early snowfall on unfrozen ground. Damage is generally worse where the snow lingers longest. In spring, encourage a fast snow melt in affected areas by raking away the snow as soon as mold is noticed. The fungi become inactive when exposed to sunlight, temperatures above 16°C, and once the lawn is dry. Fall is the time to reduce snow mold’s impact. Allow your lawn to harden off. Do not fertilize, especially with nitrogen, after August 15th. Mow as long as the grass is growing. Your lawn should go into winter no higher than 2–3 inches. Longer grass becomes
matted under the snow and is an ideal environment for snow mold. Thatch, a layer of partially decayed organic matter on the soil surface of the lawn, is an excellent habitat for snow mold if over one half inch thick. Use a mulching mower to decrease the size of clippings and dethatch your lawn each spring if the layer becomes excessive. Rake your lawn prior to snowfall, removing leaves and other organic material that provides initial food for snow mold. It’s easy to rake the leaves from the lawn onto adjoining flower and shrub beds as a mulch. Or, mow with a bag attached to your mower, and cut and remove leaves in one easy swoop. Add the bagged clippings and leaves to your compost pile or spread them over your vegetable area. By spring they will have practically disappeared while adding valuable organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Budding hockey players in the family? Snow compaction favours snow mold. Place your ice rink on the vegetable garden rather than the lawn.
Perennials Unless diseased, perennial foliage should be left intact until next spring. If you can’t live with the browned leaves, leave at least six to eight inches in place until spring. Why? The old foliage protects the perennial crowns from winter injury, especially during winters with little or no snow. It is especially helpful for newly planted perennials and for those that are marginally hardy. Dead tops also serve as mini snow fences. The extra snow is a great insulator, further protecting the crowns from cold and desiccation. Now is also an excellent time to mulch or top-dress perennial borders. Use compost, shredded post peelings (a by-product of the fence post industry, usually sold by the cubic yard), well-rotted manure or the leaves from your lawn. A 3–4 inch layer looks great, adds organic material to your soil, insulates the perennial crowns, conserves moisture and reduces weed seed germination. It also provides a winter home for
lady beetles. However, if you’ve had problems with iris borers on bearded iris or grey mold (Botrytis) on lily foliage, remove as much of the old foliage as possible as it could provide them with over-wintering sites. Veggies When dealing with the vegetable garden, bring in the harvest, compost the remaining vegetation (as long as it is not diseased) and then prepare the soil for spring seeding and planting. Rototilling or digging the area in the fall exposes insect eggs, larvae, pupae and adults to foraging birds and winter cold, lessening their impact for the next year. And you weed as you till. The addition of compost, well-rotted manure, dry leaves or alfalfa pellets adds organic matter and nutrients, improving the soil. Fall is also a good time to plant a row of garlic. Annual Flower Beds Follow the same guidelines as you would for the vegetable garden, and you’re set to go next spring.
Lending a Helping Hand Some trees have thin bark that is vulnerable to ‘sunscald’ and frost-cracking on the south and west sides of their trunks, especially when they are young. Among these are Japanese tree lilacs, some apples and crabapples, mountain ash and Amur cherry. Sunlight reflected off snow in late winter and early spring hits the trunks, causing them to warm. The tree is misguided into thinking it is spring, water enters the cells and the tissue begins to metabolize. When temperatures fall below freezing at night, the water freezes and expands, damaging the cells and tissue. This is seen as sunken sunscald areas and frost cracks on the trunk and dieback above the damaged areas the following spring. Prevent these problems by shading the lower trunks or using flexible commercial tree guards or wraps Young conifers, especially cedars on a south or west exposure, often brown due to desiccation from winter wind and sun. Wrapping them in plastic or burlap is
not the answer and often aggravates the situation. Water them thoroughly in late fall so they have as much moisture as possible going into winter. Then apply a four-inch layer of mulch at the base using post peelings or leaves removed from the lawn. Finally, place a temporary three-foot-high burlap screen about two feet away from the cedar on the southwest side, secured with four-foot poles. The screen will deflect wind while shading the evergreen foliage from strong sunlight, thus preventing moisture loss and resultant browning. M u l ch semi-hardy perennials. Don’t skimp. Apply four inches to the soil surface around them. Leaves raked from your lawn work well as do shredded post peelings. Water these perennials thoroughly just prior to freeze-up. Now, sit back, relax and wait for the snow. Sara Williams
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Viewfinder
A Local Project to Admire each issue
When Little Free Libraries started popping up, many were straightforward weather-proofed boxes with a door and encouragement to take a book, leave a book. Creativity set in and now, many of these little neighbourhood gems are like artwork. This one, reminiscent of Dr. Suess flights of fancy, is on the 800 block of Main Street.
Photo: Karin Melberg Schwier
Little Free Libraries are scattered throughout Sasaktoon. Have a favourite? Email info@saskatoon-home.ca and it may be featured in a future issue of HOME.
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Saskatoon HOME Fall 2021 | 67
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