T8N December 2019

DECEMBER 2019 I t8nmagazine.com

Urban

Invasion

Dealing with wildlife hitting our streets

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

AWESOME

baking recipes

How to host winter’s winged wonders

DYNAMIC DELI

Sandyview Farms of fers more than just bratwurst

FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON! T8N December 2019 1

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Contents

T8N MAGAZINE

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 9 December 2019 PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Rob Lightfoot

Gene Kosowan

ART DIRECTION

Brenda Lakeman, Correna Saunders DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Correna Saunders PHOTOGRAPHY

Brenda Lakeman CONTRIBUTORS

Rudy Howell, Paula E. Kirman, Markwell Lyon, Shima Zonneveld OFFICE MANAGER

Janice Lightfoot CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Image page 6 © Nikolay N. Antonov/Adobe Stock Image page 8 & 9 © marinavorona/Adobe Stock Image page 16 © Oksana L/ © focus_bell/ © Vermicule design/Adobe Stock Image page 18 © Pixasquare/Adobe Stock Image page 32 © KMNPhoto/Adobe Stock

ISSN 2368-707X (PRINT) ISSN 2368-7088 (ONLINE)

Conversations 6

Wild Things

How big of a threat is urban wildlife in your community?

Living 10

City 25

The delectable deli combos at Sandyview Farms.

28

FOOD & GATHERINGS Gifts from the kitchen

THE 8s

A cup of culture

An aromatic audit of the world’s most popular java beans.

Arts & Culture 19

Boreal Birdwatching

Here’s how you can add an avian atmosphere to your backyard.

THEN & NOW

A classy tribute

A school named in honour of a local teacher leads the way in education.

Set your oven for these seasonal baking options.

16

MEET YOU THERE Bratwurst and More

Spotlight 30 32

Elliot Place Lights Up

A crescent preps to go all aglow for the Yuletide season.

For editorial inquiries or information, contact T8N magazine at info@t8nmagazine.com. Have something to say? Letters, suggestions or ideas can be sent to letters@t8nmagazine.com.

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION Rob Lightfoot rob@t8nmagazine.com 780 940 6212 or visit t8nmagazine.com T8N magazine is published 10-12 times a year by T8N Publishing Inc. Copyright ©2019 T8N Publishing Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.

Content marked by the Sponsored Content icon was produced in partnership between content producers and T8N magazine.

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T8N PUBLISHING INC PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Rob Lightfoot: rob@t8nmagazine.com

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T8N December 2019  3

I FROM THE PUBLISHER I THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR when those warm

and fuzzy feelings really come out. You can’t underestimate the magic that comes with the season of giving and how the forthcoming holidays provide opportunities to share some good times with friends and family.

Those warm fuzzies include animals, such as the household pets that give us additional joy. But as much as we’d like to include wildlife into that category, because a lot of them come across as adorable, we’re all better off leaving those Rob Lightfoot creatures alone and appreciate them from a distance. That’s a bit more challenging these days as civic sprawl has taken over much previously untamed territory, meaning that those animals are more likely to find food and refuge in our communities. We look at the concerning wave of urban wildlife on page 6.

That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some of that wildlife, especially those of the avian variety. We offer one solution via our photo essay on winter birds, which runs down what species are prominent this year. As a bonus we show how to accommodate those winged wonders in your backyard on page 19.

Additionally we hope to provide some food for thought with our look at an extraordinary deli called Sandyview Farms (page 25), our rundown on the world’s most popular coffees (page 16) as well as some delicious baking recipes (page 10). Finally, we look at a couple of Spruce Grove institutions, namely Bertha Kennedy Catholic School (page 28) and the Yuletide lighting display at Elliot Place (page 30).

Happy holidays!

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On the Cover Kudos to our photographer Brenda Lakeman for coming up with this picturesque reminder about the season of giving that’s coming our way.

You’ll find a few nifty holiday ideas scattered through this edition in time for the festivities.

ng Comi g! rin this Sp

Ballots Open December 15th, 2019 Start thinking about your favourite local businesses now! bestoft8n.com

T8N December 2019  5

I CONVERSATIONS I

Wild THINGS

How local wildlife is reacting to urban sprawl and what to do about it PAULA E. KIRMAN AND MARKWELL LYON

GARNET MELNYK STILL remembers the food that was left out in a park

in St. Albert’s Deer Ridge neighbourhood a few years ago. “There was somebody feeding coyotes, if you can believe that,” says the peace officer supervisor. “They felt sorry for the coyotes.” Good intentions, no doubt, but they ended with wildlife officers tracking down the offending Samaritan and asking them politely to cease and desist.

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“You can’t do this,” Melnyk says, still incredulous as he recalls the incident. “You’re creating a problem, and you’re desensitizing these wild animals.”

Then there was local resident Elise Graham, who found the behaviour of the coyotes that visited her home this past summer to be quite amusing. Her fence was down for a few months, and her property backs onto the Botanical Garden where coyotes often roam up from the river valley. “One was coming right up to my back door and taking the mice that our cats would kill and leave. At least he got along with my cats!”

These incidents may be useful reminders of the extent to which we share our towns and cities with wild animals of all sizes—as well as highlighting how out-of-touch many of us are when it comes to dealing with the wildlife around us. Yet, as we become even more urbanized, the problem of how we can coexist with our animal neighbours is a complex one that defies easy solutions, and may even end up changing how we design our cities.

Bright Lights, Big City For example, there was the tragic case of a black bear that had to be euthanized in May, after it was wandering around St. Albert.

During this past summer there were a number of isolated wild animal sightings in communities surrounding Edmonton including bears, cougars, and even moose.

The pace of urban growth in central Alberta is a big reason why human-wildlife encounters occur as often as they do. Through good economic times and bad, Edmonton and its surrounding communities have exploded in size. Since the 1991 census, St. Albert has added some 25,000 people.

The building of roads, buildings and neighbourhoods, as well as agricultural development, has put a great deal of pressure on wildlife, however. Animals generally don’t stick around in just one place; rather, they tend to move between natural areas in search of shelter and food, often using the cover of night or vegetation to remain hidden. Urban environments interfere with this by eating up natural areas and breaking up wildlife corridors. They can also pose a direct threat to wildlife—human-wildlife conflicts are much more likely to end badly for the animal, and obstacles like major roadways pose lethal hazards for animals simply trying to get from one place to another.

Two Worlds Colliding Fortunately, it’s an issue that city officials and planners in the region are increasingly aware of. “The major corridor that we have is the Big Lake-Sturgeon River valley,” says Melissa Logan, environmental coordinator with the City of St. Albert. Like other river valleys, the Sturgeon is crucial as a sort of highway for animals moving between natural areas and habitats. Unfortunately, it also passes through one of the province’s largest cities, and decades of development along the river’s banks have reduced its ability to provide adequate cover for animals passing through.

While the loss of natural cover is one factor bringing wildlife out under the glow of streetlights, another is the sheer amount of food that cities offer. Coyotes are a good example.

Adaptable and intelligent, they’re masters at living on the fringes of city life. As omnivores that’ll eat almost anything, their varied diets include fruit and berries, small mammals and food scraps left behind—intentionally or otherwise—by people. If you haven’t noticed, T8N December 2019 7

these are all food sources readily available in or near urban centres.

“They’re creatures of opportunity,” says Melnyk. “They’ll eat berries and grass, they’ll go through people’s garbage, they’ll go into backyards and eat the fruit off the trees.” Coyotes can even be attracted to pet feces and bird seed, and will sometimes climb trees to get at bird feeders. And, more gruesomely, they are known to go after unattended cats and small dogs.

Creatures Great and Small Tove Reece, Executive Director with animal rights organization Voice for Animals, also blames urban sprawl on the increase of wildlife in cities.

“Animals are being squeezed out of their natural homes,” he says.

“It should not come as a surprise that they are looking for space wherever they can find it, even in busy, dangerous and often hostile cities. I think it’s important to remember that wildlife has not come into the city to attack anyone or to cause trouble but simply looking for food and a place to survive. Most wild animals are not dangerous and would rather avoid people than have an encounter or confrontation.”

In the Capital Region, large wildlife can include moose, deer, coyote, cougar, and lynx, but can depend upon the season and breeding time. However, most wild animals will avoid direct contact with humans, but can sometimes make their presence known in the city through the parks and trail system, or because people have made their way into the animals' natural habitat. The main advice from experts is avoid approaching or handling wildlife.

A general rule is the larger the animal, the larger the risk. “Moose pose a higher level of risk to the public than most 8 T8Nmagazine.com

ALBERTA FISH AND WILDLIFE (EDMONTON) 780-427-3574

NORTHERN ALBERTA WILDLIFE RESCUE & REHABILITATION (WILDNORTH) 780-914-4118

other species,” says Fish and Wildlife Officer Dennis Prodan, who is with the Edmonton district office, which handles calls concerning large wildlife. “A moose that is stressed, a bull moose in the fall rut, or a cow moose protecting her young may be easily provoked into an attack, which is a risk to individual and public safety. A motor vehicle collision with a large ungulate can also be serious.

Any large predator should be respected and given their space. When stressed, startled, or threatened they may become defensive or aggressive.”

What Cities and Urban Residents Can Do Given all the hazards that animals face as they attempt to navigate urban areas, it begs the question of what we can do better to mitigate the harm to animals. Some municipalities might look to our mountain parks for inspiration.

In Banff National Park, the creation of 22 underpasses and two overpasses for wildlife has helped greatly cut down on vehicle-animal collisions there—by up to 90 percent in some sections of the park, research has shown.

Of course, wildlife bridges and underpasses are much more feasible in rural areas or on the fringes of cities, areas that haven’t been fully built up yet. A number of these exist in and around Edmonton, many of them in industrial parks or along the Anthony Henday freeway. In St. Albert, the idea hasn’t quite caught on yet, but it may do so as the city continues to rapidly grow. For example, specialized culverts have been put in place under Ray Gibbon Drive west of St. Albert, though the city hasn’t studied to what extent they’re being used and by what animals.

Ultimately, it may come down to making our communities greener: incorporating more connected green spaces, protecting and expanding existing natural areas, and most of all, better educating the public about wild animals and their behaviour. t8n

LOWER THE RISK “The best thing to do to avoid conflicts with wildlife is prevention,” says Fish and Wildlife Officer Dennis Prodan. “Make your property unappealing to wildlife and manage any attractants on your property.”

Here is some of his practical advice for anyone concerned about coming into contact with urban wildlife and keeping critters away from their homes.

Never feed wildlife. Wildlife feeding on food from people and human-use areas not only prevents wildlife from getting nutrition from natural food sources, it teaches wildlife to associate people with food. This can lead to problematic, even dangerous, situations that

may result in human injury and/or wildlife being destroyed.

Never approach wildlife. It may be stressful for wildlife when someone enters their territory.

Over time, wildlife can become accustomed to people, increasing the risk of negative human-wildlife encounters. Always respect the "personal space" of wildlife to help them stay wild. Also keep in mind that bats, skunks, and foxes are carriers of rabies and, if seen acting oddly, must be avoided, even if your intention is to help.

Keep your dog on a leash.

Even well-trained dogs cannot fight their instinct to bark and chase. This can stress wildlife and cause them to dart into traffic or lead to other unsafe situations such as a defensive attack.

shelter, such as the spaces under decks, patios, and outbuildings, should be closed off with durable wire mesh.

Drive carefully. Slowing down when driving near parks, river valleys, golf courses, and other green spaces lessens the likelihood of collisions with wildlife.

Keep your cats indoors. Cats allowed to roam make easy prey for coyotes and foxes. Coyotes and foxes that learn easy prey can be found in a neighbourhood will return to that same area for future meals, creating potential new problems for the community.

Keeping cats indoors also helps protect the native songbirds that frequent the city.

Teach your children about wildlife in the city. Children should be taught to make safe decisions and respect wildlife by never feeding or approaching wildlife, putting garbage into garbage cans, not running away when they see coyotes or foxes, and keeping their pets leashed and supervised.

Wishing all our amazing customers a very

Happy Christmas!

Keep your garbage in a secure container with a lid. Make sure your garbage containers are in good condition. Household waste appeals to wildlife as a source of easy meals.

Remove food and shelter that attracts wildlife to your property.

Clean your yard of all garbage, pet foods, bird seed, and fallen fruit and berries that can serve as a food source for wildlife. Potential

Thank you St. Albert for voting us BEST SMALL BUSINESS presented by St. Albert Chamber of Commerce

11 Bellerose Drive I St. Albert 780-328-4500

Connect with us on twitter @toastbl Visit us on facebook @toastbreakfastandlunch T8N December 2019  9

I FOOD & GATHERINGS I

Gifts from the Kitchen

Cook up some of these timely holiday treats

RECIPES & STYLING BY SHIMA ZONNEVELD; PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN

NEED A TREAT for a neighbour or perhaps a holiday pick-me-up

for a teacher or friend? We all know that when it comes to the season of giving, what’s good for the tummy is good for the heart!

Want proof of that? Try some of these delicious homemade sweets and get creative with the packaging!

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Chocolate Mallow Meringues These marshmallowy-on-the-inside meringues are made following the common meringue method where the egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks.

Dark chocolate is folded in and they are baked so they are still soft in the middle.

When packaging for a gift, try a partitioned box so these beauties don’t resemble meringue crumbs!

5 eggs 1¾ c. icing sugar ½ tsp. cream of tartar pinch of kosher salt 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste ½ c. finely chopped dark chocolate (70% cacao works well)

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 200ºF. In a bowl, whisk together the icing sugar, cream of tartar and salt, set aside.

In another clean, dry bowl, separate the egg yolk from the egg whites. Any fat from the egg yolk that makes its way into the egg whites will hinder the egg whites from whipping up, so take your time!

In the bowl of a stand mixer (This can also be done with electric hand mixers-just be prepared for a good arm workout!) pour in the egg whites. Turn the mixer on medium and watch for even, small bubbles to form throughout the mixture. This usually happens within four to five minutes of mixing.

Slowly sprinkle in the dry mixture and the vanilla. Then increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Whip this mixture until the meringue is glossy and when the whisk is lifted, the peak in the meringue holds (stiff peak). This usually takes around five to six minutes. Feel free to stop and check to see where the meringue is at.

Remove bowl from stand mixer. For this recipe, either a tablespoon or a piping bag can be used to form meringues on the cookie sheets. So pipe or scoop a heaping tablespoon of meringue onto the cookie sheet and give each meringue a swirl finish on the top!

Baking sheets go into the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Rotate the baking sheets at this point for even baking.

The remainder of the bake time is another 25-30 minutes. Meringues are done when they are easily lifted off the parchment.

Remove the meringues from the cookie sheets and completely cool on a wire rack.

These meringues will keep for up to a week in an airtight container in a single layer.

T8N December 2019 11

Ginger-Chocolate Blondies The familiar flavour of gingerbread shines brightly in this blondie recipe. Try with a warm mug of hot chocolate after a day of outdoor pursuits! ¾ room temperature butter 1 c. best brown sugar ½ c. light brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 2 tbsp. fancy molasses

Chopped crystallized ginger amps up the flavour and toasted pecans give these blondies a satisfying crunch!

2 c. flour 1 tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. kosher salt 1 tbsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. ground cloves 1¼ tbsp. chopped, crystallized ginger ½ c. toasted, chopped pecans ½ c. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line and spray a 10x10-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon and the ground cloves. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and the two brown sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time and then the vanilla and molasses.

Add the dry mixture into the wet and stir to combine.

Finally, stir in the crystallized ginger, pecans and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Pour batter into prepared pan and using a small spatula smooth out the top and push the batter into all corners of the pan.

Bake 17-22 minutes, until lightly golden brown and the cake springs back when pressed on lightly.

Let the blondies cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then remove them (using the parchment paper) to a wire rack and cool completely.

Slice the cooled blondies into squares or long rectangles and package up for a familiar, spicy holiday treat!

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Triple Chocolate Mendiants Mendiants are a traditional French confection comprised of a chocolate disc sprinkled with dried fruit and nuts. In this recipe, white, dark and milk chocolate are all used to create a selection of chocolate buttons.

100 g. bar of good milk chocolate, chopped 100 g. bar of good white chocolate, chopped

Crushed candy cane Chopped chocolate candies Feuilletine

100 g. bar of 70% cacao dark chocolate, chopped

Toffee bits

Assorted toppings:

Mini-chocolate chips

Sprinkles

Puffed Quinoa

Chopped cranberries

And many more, keep the receiver of this treat in mind when topping the mendiants!

Chopped pistachios Chopped nougat

Sea salt

Chopped crystallized ginger

Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Have all the toppings chopped and ready to go in small bowls.

Work with one type of chocolate at a time.

In a glass, heat proof bowl, add in two-thirds of the dark chocolate and place over a pot of simmering water. This will act as a double boiler. Stirring occasionally, melt the chocolate. Remove from the pot of water and stir in the remainder of the dark chocolate.

This process of melting the chocolate in two steps acts as a simple way to temper the chocolate.

Tempering chocolate allows the chocolate to keep its glossiness. If this is not important, melt all the chocolate at once.

Spoon out some of the melted chocolate (use a teaspoon) and drizzle it in a circle form onto one of the prepared sheets. Then sprinkle with chosen topping. Repeat until the dark chocolate is finished. Carry on melting the next type of chocolate, until you have three trays of lovely mendiants with colourful toppings.

Let the mendiants set at room temperature, overnight will do the trick!

Choose your packaging and you’re good to go!

T8N December 2019  13

Toblerone Shortbread Elevate your shortbread recipe by adding in chopped Toblerone and cacao nibs. Finish with a light dusting of icing sugar and you’ve got a great edible gift for anyone who loves chocolate.

1 c. room temperature butter ½ c. sugar 1¾ c. flour ¼ c. corn starch ¼ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, both work ¼ c. cacao nibs, finely chopped 2 x 100 g. Toblerone bars, chopped icing sugar to finish

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch and salt then set aside.

Cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Drizzle in the vanilla bean paste or vanilla. Add in the dry flour mixture. At first the dough will look crumbly, keep beating until it comes together like a shortbread dough.

Fold in the chopped Toblerone and the chopped cacao nibs.

Using a cookie scoop, fill the cookie sheets, leave room for the cookies to spread.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the edges just start to turn golden brown.

Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet and then switch them onto a cooling rack for another 10 minutes.

Lightly dust each cookie with icing sugar for the finishing touch!

NOTE: These cookies store quite well in the freezer for up to a month.

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Black Cocoa Banana Bread Toasted hazelnuts add a textural punch to this delicious banana bread, finish with some turbinado sugar and this is a beautiful treat for a special someone! ½ c. room temperature butter, unsalted ¾ c. brown sugar, best brown or light brown both work 2 eggs 1½ c. all-purpose flour ⅓ c. black cocoa powder 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda 3 very ripe bananas ½ c. sour cream 2 tsp. vanilla extract ¾ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ c. toasted, chopped hazelnuts Sugar in the Raw, or turbinado sugar, enough to sprinkle on the top

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Lightly spray loaf pans and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mash bananas. Whisk in the vanilla, sour cream and the two eggs. Set this bowl aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the brown sugar and the butter using either a stand mixer or hand beaters. Add in the wet ingredients from above and give it a quick blend.

Scrape down the sides and continue to stir with a spoon.

Add in the toasted hazelnuts and chocolate chips and stir just to combine.

Evenly distribute the batter among the loaf pans, using a muffin scoop is helpful for this step. Give the loaf pans a light tap on the counter to release any air bubbles and sprinkle the top of each loaf with the turbinado sugar.

The black cocoa in this cake recipe gives a traditional quick bread a dramatic update.

Bake for 50-65 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Let cool in the loaf pans completely and then treat somebody to this delicious banana cake! t8n T8N December 2019 15

I THE EIGHTS I

A Cup of Culture A global glimpse at the world’s most popular beverage

BY QUENTIN RANSON

THE INTERNATIONAL COFFEE Organization claims to have found 124 different species of coffee, but only two of them are actually used to make the beverage. One is the Arabica bean, a sweeter offering compared to the robusta, which is considerably stronger. But combine their genetic makeup with the growing environments of scores of nations that produce the beans going into the drink, and you’ve got variety by the cupful. Here’s a list of what’s produced by the world’s largest coffee producers.

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1. Brazil: 2,592,000 metric tons (5.7 billion lbs.)

4. Indonesia: 660,000 metric tons (1.5 billion lbs.)

7. India: 348,000 metric tons (767 million lbs.)

By far, the world’s biggest producer of coffee, the country is also noted for creating the Cup of Excellence which adjudicates the quality of beans grown elsewhere on the planet. Brazil’s Arabica coffee beans are known for their low acidity and mild aroma with elements of honey and wheat. Deeper assessments of their taste includes a flavor like peanuts with dried fruits with banana and raspberry features, finishing with a deep body and malted sweetness of milk chocolate and hazelnut.

The South Pacific region is plentiful in a number of Arabic variations, the most popular being the Java bean, once known to create the world’s best coffee. There’s no doubt why “Java” is a word used to refer to coffee, since the bean is known for its low acidity and a taste like brown sugar and elements of spice and earthy aromas such as cedar wood. While great on its own, Java is often used as a blend for other coffees.

The country might be better known for its tea and chai, but its contribution to coffee culture is massive. It’s famous for offering “Monsooned Malabar” beans, which are exposed to monsoon rains and winds for three to four months.

The beans are mostly shade-grown, among spice crops of clove, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg. The medium-body results are some bright fruity flavours like woody, nutty elements of exotic spice and an almost musty undertone.

2. Vietnam: 1,650,000 metric tons (3.6 billion lbs.)

The world’s second largest producer and tops in terms of its robusta bean crop, Vietnamese coffee is sharp and bitter because of a caffeine content that’s almost twice that of what you’d find in an Arabica. It’s often served slow-dripped resulting in a rather thick beverage and if you can get past its potency, there’s a nutty flavour to the concoction. It’s usually served with cream and sugar for obvious reasons.

3. Colombia: 810,000 metric tons (1.8 billion lbs.)

While ranking third in terms of global production, coffee from this nation gets a thumbs-up literally everywhere on the planet. The Colombian Supremo designation is marketed as a being the highest symbol of quality, with a product renowned for its smooth body, mellow acidity, subtle floral and tropical fruit features combined with a strong caramel sweetness and a familiar roasted cola flavor.

5. Ethiopia: 384,000 metric tons (847 million lbs.)

This country is credited with first bringing coffee to civilization and to that end, the land offers the greatest diversity of flavour of any country in the world.

Those range from bright, fruit flavours such as blueberry and blackberry with floral overtones to rich and earthy flavours of baking spices. So highly regarded is coffee in the nation that the drink is a traditional way to welcome guests and usually involves a coffee ceremony which can last for hours.

6. Honduras: 348,000 metric tons (767 million lbs.)

8. Uganda: 288,000 metric tons (635 million lbs.)

This African nation grows both Arabica and robusta beans, and it’s the latter where the country gets its reputation as a much-admired grower. Robusta is strong stuff indeed, but Ugandan variations also have a mild and sweet taste, largely due to the high altitudes where they’re grown. Also contributing to the taste and aroma is the government’s aggressive stance against genetic modification, instead focusing on natural vegetation as nutrient sources for these popular beans. t8n

Coffees from this Latin American nation are praised for their full-bodied taste laces with textures that are sweet and mild. Much of that has to do with them being grown in the mountains as higher altitudes, which make them grow slow enough to absorb the minerals and soil nutrients responsible for their flavours.

And what’s steaming in those cups are tastes that range from hazelnut and vanilla to chocolate with a soft acidity.

T8N December 2019 17

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I ARTS & CULTURE I

Home Tweet Home

Making winter more tolerable with a bird-friendly yard

BY MARKWELL LYON; PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN

THE SIGHT OF birds flying south is a familiar one in these

parts, a sure sign that short days and shivery weather are just around the corner. Yet there are dozens of avian species that do not leave, and many can be tempted to visit your yard. Attracting those charms of finches, parties of jays, hosts of sparrows and banditries of chickadees is easy and a lot of fun—if nothing else, it’ll bring colour and life to a dreary, snowbound yard, and give you months of bird watching from the warm side of a window.

T8N December 2019 19

Familiar Feathers What birds can you actually expect to see? That depends on various factors, but there’s certainly no shortage of options.

About a hundred avian species overwinter in Alberta, and in the Edmonton area, upwards of 50 of them are typically spotted in annual Christmas bird counts.

This includes a good range of beautiful songbirds.

For example, there’s the Bohemain waxwing, a sleek, grey bird with a black mask and white and yellow wings that is often found near mountain ashes.

Nuthatches, both the red-breasted and white-breasted varieties, are tiny, acrobatic songbirds often found on the underside of branches or clinging head-down to the bark of poplars and spruces. Similarly small but hardly shy about it, the black-capped chickadee is another common sight. Very comfortable around humans, these birds are often among the first to show up at a new feeder. Even the ubiquitous house sparrow, while not particularly colourful, can lighten up any yard with its song.

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Going to Seed As with most animals, the surest way to a bird’s heart is through its stomach (or gizzard). Winter feeding helps supplement birds’ natural diets, giving them much needed nourishment and energy when they most need it.

That’s why feeders and food are a great place to start when “birdscaping” your yard for winter.

Feeder placement is important. Position your feeders where merlins, hawks and cats can’t pick off the diners.

Having bushes and foliage nearby can offer an easy escape route for songbirds when a predator is lurking. Be mindful of windows, though—while you’ll likely want to stick a feeder or two where you can watch, you don’t want window strikes to become a problem.

As for seed, oil and fat-rich seed is a solid option for winter. Think suet, peanuts, sunflower or nyjer. Black oil sunflower in particular is loved by smaller birds as the thin shells are easy to open, making it perhaps the best choice for attracting a diverse crowd. Cracked corn and thick-shelled safflower will mainly attract larger birds, and the latter’s bitter taste may ensure that backyard bullies like squirrels or jays don’t steal it all.

Besides keeping your feeder full, you should also regularly clean it. Food can be contaminated by mold or droppings, leading to disease outbreaks.

T8N December 2019 21

I FOOD & GATHERINGS I

The Bird-friendly Yard Besides food, other elements to keep in mind include water and shelter. A heated bird bath or a feeder with a water element attached will help bring in more birds. Having a few coniferous trees around will also make a yard more attractive. These provide warm, safe roosts where birds can huddle together, hidden from the cold and predators. Chickadees, for example, are fond of spruce trees, where they might find refuge in the large, rectangular holes left by pileated woodpeckers, another common winter bird here.

As for when to start prepping your yard for winter, the early bird gets the worm, so to speak. Start in autumn by leaving your leaf litter where it is. Not only is it free compost, but it will also provide food, water and shelter for birds, with the bonus that they’ll quickly learn to recognize your yard for the safe haven it is.

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Where to Go A number of stores in Edmonton specialize in wild bird supplies and know-how. In Edmonton, check out Wild Bird General Store (780-439-7333) on the south side or Wild Birds Unlimited (587-521-2473) near downtown for more information. Other spots include Greenland Garden Centre in Sherwood Park (780-467-7557) and Prairie Gardens in Bon Accord (780-921-2272).

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DIY Bird Feeder Bird feeders come in many different styles—and with a range of price tags. Below is a low-cost and low-waste feeder that you can easily make at home Materials: pine cone, all-natural peanut butter, wild bird food and string

1. Tie the string around the pinecone to hang it later.

2. Coat the pinecone with peanut butter, applying it evenly.

4. Hang your bird feeder outside where birds can easily find it. t8n 3. Pour the bird food over the pinecone, so that the peanut butter is covered

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I MEET YOU THERE I

Bratwurst

and more...

It’s a deli…

It’s a restaurant…

It’s SandyView Farms

BY RUDY HOWELL

WHILE R ESIDENTS IN the Capita l

Region today can enjoy the convenience of the all-in-one shopping experience provided by superma rkets in their municipalities, ma ny still f lock to SandyView Farms, just west of Edmonton.

T8N T8NDecember December2019 2019 25 25

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Highway 16A, SandyView Farms, a locally owned, quality and custom deli and food service shop sporting a burgundy exterior resembling a barn.

Owned and operated by the Gitzel family out of various locations since the 1980s, the deli has become a destination for grocery shoppers due to its large selection of fresh and locally farmed products ranging from deli, processed, and fresh cut meats to baked goods to dairy products, and beyond, all of which are prepared instore. “We really try and focus on everything local,” current owner, Brent Gitzel says.

The story of SandyView Farms can be traced back nearly 100 years to the 1920s when Rudy Gitzel and his wife Elizabeth–the grandparents of Brent– started a mixed farming operation raising dairy cattle, pigs, chicken, and horses in the Garden Valley area. Rudy and Elizabeth had seven children, but their youngest son Gerald–Brent’s father–was the only one who showed any interest in taking over the family farm. In 1967, Gerald moved his wife Selma and two children onto the farm which was by that point acting primarily as a dairy farm. It was also at this time when the farm officially became known as SandyView Farms because of the many sandy hills which dotted the property.

Business was booming for the Gitzels until tragedy struck the farm in 1985 when its entire cattle herd was infected with disease and had to be sent for slaughter, leaving Gerald and Selma with no income to continue farming. To make ends meet, the couple converted an old garage that sat on the property into a meat processing plant where they began selling sides of beef and their traditional Bratwurst sausages using a family recipe from the old country.

By the 1990s, the farm had been sold to pay down debt and Gerald moved the meat processing business, first to a facility 26 T8Nmagazine.com

in Stony Plain and then to another in Spruce Grove where it would stay for roughly 10 years. In 2002, SandyView Farms moved into its current location which included a larger production area, a full-service deli, an 80-seat restaurant, and a catering kitchen. “SandyView Farms was started by my parents out of some very bad misfortune, but grew from just making sausages on the farm to what it is today,” says Gitzel.

While SandyView Farms has made a name for itself through the freshness of its products, there are a couple of things that the deli does and sells in particular that Gitzel believes to be its specialties.

The first would be the fact that the deli does not add fillers, preservatives, animal bi-products, or Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)–a commonly used flavour enhancer in food–to its sausages and processed meats. It also ensures that these products are gluten free and lactose free, allowing for people affected by celiac disease and lactose-intolerance to enjoy them without worry. The deli

is also known for its selection of bacon ranging from classics like pork and turkey to the more exotic like beef and bison, all of which come in a variety of different flavours. A few other fan favourites include its homemade perogies and its famous sausages.

On top of its deli service, SandyView Farms has also been running a restaurant out of the same building since 2002.

The restaurant began as a casual space upstairs where customers could enjoy a soup and sandwich. However, it did not take long for this amenity to become extremely popular with customers.

Therefore, roughly 10 years ago, Gitzel decided to renovate the entire upstairs, turning it into a more cozy, full-service restaurant fittingly named, The Loft, which has since been serving homestyle breakfast and lunch seven days a week.

To top it off, SandyView Farms also provides catering services to the Edmonton area. While, the business supplies all types of foods to all types of events, it’s

most known for its “barbequed prime and flavour-full meats.”

As a third-generation member of a born and raised Spruce Grove family, community is very important to Gitzel and his business. Local and surrounding residents helped turn SandyView Farms into the successful venture that it is today, which is why Gitzel likes to give back through employing locals and purchasing the deli’s beef, pork, and poultry from nearby farms such as Lewis Farms Ltd., Bear and the Flower Farm, and a variety of local hutterite farms. “We take a lot of pride in being from Spruce Grove,” says Gitzel.

Gitzel says he’s been exploring the idea of moving SandyView Farms to a larger and more convenient location within Spruce Grove. “I don’t want to say too much right now because gossip starts,” he chuckles. For now, his primary concern is preparing for December, the deli’s busiest month of the year as one might imagine. t8n

SandyView Farms at a glance Location: 155 South Avenue, Spruce Grove Specialty: Gluten free processed meats and sausages, bacon Fun Fact: The deli’s Bratwurst sausages have been made by the Gitzel family using the same recipe for over 100 years

T8N December 2019 27

I THEN & NOW I

One Classy Tribute Bertha Kennedy Catholic School stands as a legacy to a decorated citizen

BY RUDY HOWELL

WHEN BERTHA KENNEDY Catholic School

opened, the average Canadian family income was slightly more than $50,000 a year, Mark Messier was a scoring dynamo with the Spruce Grove Mets and the closest thing we had to hand-held technology was the pocket calculator.

How things have cha nged, including the education contributions made by the school, named after a former teacher who was also the 1975 St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year. Recognizing the notion of involving more than just students, the school has fittingly played an important role in blending community and education in St. Albert for over 40 years.

1970s In March 1977, an official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for a new school called Bertha Kennedy Community Core School. Local dignitaries, board members, teachers, parents, students, and of course, the guest of honour, 28 T8Nmagazine.com

were all present to watch the evening unfold. The celebration concluded with MLA Ernie Jamison speaking of the inspiration that students could take from the name of their new $1-million K-8 school before cutting the ribbon, officially opening its doors to 250 young new pupils.

In May 1977, Bertha Kennedy Principal Ross Johnson told the Trustees of School District 3 that the concept of “community education” was reliant upon three components—the community use of schools, the involvement of parents in many areas, and staff involvement in the community—three areas where Johnson believed to have made progress. Since opening, the school had begun hosting a variety of different sport and recreational activities for the community to take part in, such as gymnastics, basketball for mothers, macramé for children and parents, as well as volleyball and floor hockey. Parents were also becoming much more involved in the day-to-day life of the school by acting as teacher aides, lunchroom supervisors, and helping with field trip transportation. The school had even been the scene of various religious exercises, including one baptism held in class.

Building the Berta Kennedy playground ca. 1977

Bertha Kennedy and students along with former Alberta Lt. Gov. Lois Hole celebrate the school's 25th anniversary.

MARY BERTHA KENNEDY (BRENNAND) (MARCH 11, 1909-JUNE 28, 2004)

1980s In 1982, Bertha Kennedy made provincial headlines with its PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations) Computer, the first in all of Alberta.

The computer offered digital learning programs to students in a range of subjects. The most popular of which were Hangman (language arts), Pizza Fractions (math), and Africa (social studies). Students were each assigned their own password for the computer and were able to book 1.5-hour slots after school when they could come in and work on the computer with their parent’s supervision.

1990s In the mid-1990s, when POG games or “milk caps” were all the rage, the St. Albert RCMP came up with a crafty plan to promote drug education among children in the community. In May 1995, local officers visited Bertha Kennedy with a set of 39 cardboard POGs for Grades 1-6 students featuring photographs of themselves, along with the anti-drug slogan “Say No to Drugs.” As elementary school is typically the best time for police to make initial contact with children, the goal of this venture was to connect and familiarize the local RCMP officers with students to prevent them from getting

into trouble, rather than having to deal with them after the fact.

2000s Bringing agriculture into the classroom through indoor gardens was an idea and exercise that began to grow in Edmonton area schools during the 2000s. By 2008, Bertha Kennedy was participating in something called the “Seed to Salad” program, where students experienced the food production cycle of vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers first-hand. Students gained a direct and personal understanding of how plants were grown and harvested for food as they would water, transplant, prune, and harvest their own vegetables which they would use to prepare fresh salads, fruit skewers, and soup.

2010s-Today Today, Bertha Kennedy, led by Principal Anna-Lisa Doll, and Vice-principal Cindy Pereira is a Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6 Catholic school which provides universal, targeted, and individualized academic and behavioral supports in its classrooms, while embracing learning environments that are inclusive, flexible, and responsive to students. t8n

Born in Lancashire, England on March 11, 1909, Kennedy came to Canada in 1921. After attending Normal School in Calgary during the 1926-1927 term, Kennedy found her first teaching position in Strome, Alberta.

In 1935, she married Andrew Kennedy, and moved to St. Albert in 1938. In 1940, the newlyweds moved onto a farm east of St. Albert where the Sturgeon Valley Golf Course operates today. In 1957, the Kennedy’s sold the farm and moved back to St. Albert, where Kennedy would teach at Mission Park School, École Father Jan, and Albert Lacombe Catholic School until her retirement in 1974.

Even after retiring from teaching, Kennedy was still ever-present in the community as a church organist, children’s choir leader, researcher in religious education, member of the town Historical Society, and a charter member of St. Albert’s first recreation board.

She would often visit Bertha Kennedy Catholic School until her passing on June 28th, 2004, at the age of 95.

T8N December 2019 29

I SPOTLIGHT I

Elliot Place

lights up

How a minor street gets major attention during the holidays

BY GENE KOSOWAN

WITH ONLY 17 residential homes dotting the crescent

drive, Elliot Place is one of the smallest streets in St. Albert. But every December, the tiny lane tucked away in the Erin Ridge community hosts a seasonal lighting display that rivals other neighbourhoods in the city.

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As far as holiday events involving oodles of glowing bulbs go, the Elliot Place version is rather casual. The neighbourhood attraction doesn’t have an official name, although Candycane Lane was used for a while. That was until other communities in the Capital Region adopted the moniker, adding to the confusion among those wanting to check out the lights. And folks don’t follow any definitive opening and closing dates for the seasonal household installations, either.

“There is no formal meeting that decides any of that business, because nobody is in charge,” says Rein Selles, one of the residents in Elliot Place. “As the weather starts getting cooler, everybody starts putting everything up.”

thousands of spectators who visit the street each year, although reactions were mixed.

“A lot of people thought it was funny,” recalls Selles. “Other people, not so much.”

What’s unique about the Elliot Place setup is the array of arches on the sidewalk, meant to be an illuminated passage for visitors to cover the entire cul-de-sac on foot. It was an idea dreamed up by folks having a few drinks on a neighbour’s driveway, says fellow participant Michel Bourgeois.

“It’s a big hit now,” says Bourgeois.

“The archways go up before Halloween because of the cold weather. Try putting up something plastic when it’s minus-20.

It snaps.”

Some might start as early as Thanksgiving, while others wait until Halloween’s final shrieks waft into the ether. But whenever the rollout of each household takes place, what they do put up is ambitious. Luminescent reindeer, Santa Claus, a Grinch theme, even a miniature train on a track circling a tree have been among some of the perennial draws on the lane. One enterprising resident projected onto a garage door an image of St. Nick placing presents under the tree while sampling one of the cookies that the generous homeowners left for him.

“What makes it special is that people can walk through the arches, so everyone can get a good look at all the different lights on each house,” adds Selles. “If a car is driving through, it only takes a minute to see everything.”

And then there was the case of one participant whose display consisted of an unlucky decorator clinging to the roof for dear life after his ladder slipped away.

It certainly got a lot of attention from the

Despite the lack of formality over the event, Selles says the folks on the street do have to follow a common code: “Everyone participates as a rule and everyone has to do something different.” t8n

Selles admits that vehicular traffic is higher during much colder weather, which has an effect on food bank donations, which he’s responsible for collecting in front of his home. Pedestrians tend to be more generous. But the event still manages to gather roughly 1,500 lbs. of food annually for the charity.

T8N December 2019 31

I DOWN TIME I

Calculation ‘TIS THE SEASON for giving away

holiday treats in time for the Yuletide festivities! However, rather than discover these tempting goodies under the tree on Christmas morning, you’re going to have to do a bit of work.

It’s a simple task, really. Just take a good look at the jar on this page and figure out how many candies are inside. Then go to t8nmagazine.com and submit your answer.

The closest guess will win the jar of candy and an additional prize. If there are more than one correct guesses, the prize will be awarded to a lucky winner among those with the exact answer.

To enter, you must submit your name, age, email address, phone number and agree to join our Summer in the City e-newsletter.

Sweets for the sweet... and all the best for the holiday season! t8n

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