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Flavour and Shelf Life—The Garden Gem and Other Food Stories
August 25, 2016
Brian Crumblehulme compares food industry eggs, tomatoes, and apple with fresh-from-the-garden ones and comes to some startling conclusions about just how old food on store shelves is. Do you eat 75-day-old eggs? Also, tasty island recipes for this garden fare.
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Applying soil science to gardens
May 5, 2016
Brian Crumblehulme discusses the best ways to keep your soil - and the plants in it - healthy. The key to good soil is a thriving microbiome. But what exactly does that mean?
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Soils beneath us
April 21, 2016
Brian Crumblehulme turns his inquiring gaze to the ground beneath us, which is being studied in the Earth Microbiome Project. We are gaining amazing insights into our sustaining biome. Beneath our feet, trees ‘talk’ via fungi, one third of the planet’s carbon is sequestered, and we could learn a thing or two from the level of cooperation underground. As always, Brian takes it right back to growing food, too.
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Leftovers
November 12, 2015
Leftovers–love ’em or hate ‘em. Brian Crumblehulme takes a look at a world of leftovers, past and present, and their changing ranking in post-consumerism.
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Food in a time of climate change
August 20, 2015
What will our food system look like in times of ever-dramatic climate change? Brian Crumblehulme takes a look.
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Vigorous Vegetables
June 25, 2015
Brian Crumblehulme takes a look at what makes some vegetables taste so good and grow vigorously. Perhaps its time to get tough on our gardens.
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The Magic of Mushrooms
May 28, 2015
Mushrooms are key to the health and vitality of our forests - and they’re delicious too! Brian Crumblehulme shares some interesting facts and recipes.
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The Human Microbiome: Part 2
February 5, 2015
Data shows that the human microbiome remained very similar through time and across distance - until humans started eating industrialized food.
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What Will Be On Your Plate Next Year?
January 22, 2015
Brian Crumblehulme looks at current fashions in food, including supplements and additives, and has a quick look at spring planting.
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The Human Microbiome
December 11, 2014
Brian Crumblehulme discusses the ‘human microbiome’ and what it means to our health.
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The Post-Modern Pizza
October 30, 2014
Pizza is a peasant food with an ancient, strong grip on the hearts - and stomachs - of the world. There’s even a World Pizza Championship in Italy every year. And a new Salish Sea recipe.
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Consider the Tomato
September 18, 2014
It has been a great year for tomatoes. Brian Crumblehulme tells us about innovative growing methods and gives us recipes for tomato jam.
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Beekeepers sue makers of neonicotinoid pesticides
September 18, 2014
Ontario beekeepers site loss of over $2 million in bees and honey to pesticides since 2006. Banned in Europe, neonicotinoids are still permitted in Canada.
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The price of cheap shrimp
September 4, 2014
Elizabeth May tells us about shrimp aquaculture and the resulting Mangrove destruction and links to slave labour.
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Almost the last word on carbs-and beyond
September 4, 2014
The food industry responds to Science Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s report on carbohydrates by adding more ‘functional foods’ to the shelves such as veggie bread and fortified milk drinks. How about just making a veggie sandwich?
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Carbs and Fibre
July 24, 2014
Brian Crumblehulme dissects a study of studies and finds surprising conclusions: no evidence that carbohydrates are inherently bad but lots of evidence that fibre is vital to a healthy diet.
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Ancient Grains -Wheat
June 26, 2014
Brian Crumblehulme looks at the revival of interest in various varieties of wheat.
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Grains: Wheat - part 1
June 12, 2014
Brian Crumblehulme talks about the grain that has greater world production than all the other grains put together. He includes a science experiment to do with the kids and some whys and wherefores of baking.
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(Dis)Comfort food
May 29, 2014
Brian Crumblehulme shows how food manufacturing, aided by new technologies, is moving into the surreal and sinister and how the modern, equally fabricated lifestyle dovetails into this.
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ALR Amendments will pass
May 29, 2014
Agricultural Land Reserve changes will remove 40 years of protection on agricultural land to give LNG development a free hand. Is this sensible in view of climate change? (See also 'LNG not such a cash cow', p 3.)
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Public input for ALR changes urgently needed
May 1, 2014
Adam Olsen, BC Greens interim leader gives the history of BC’s Agricultural Land Commission, and tell why Bill 24 is unnecessary in view of recent reviews and certainly should have had comprehensive input from British Columbians before being introduce in the Legislature. Could Bill 24 have anything to do with opening up the north-east to unrestrained gas fracking? He urges citizens to get involved.
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Honey
February 20, 2014
A great sweetener and a exotic recipe ingredient. Not only a very good food, honey has other properties.
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Chocolate; food of the gods
February 20, 2014
The chocolate binge season may be over but, for those with an appetite, Brian Crumblehulme fills us in on the food’s secrets, dark and light.
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ALR: protection to prosperity
Jan 23, 2014
Adam Olsen calls for a BC discussion of food security and farmer prosperity.
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Coming Soon to a Health Food Store Near You
Jan 23, 2014
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A nice cup of tea
Oct 10, 2013
Brian Crumblehulme talks about the iconic beverage in his series about food chemistry, cooking and growing.
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Broccoli beneforte
Sept 26, 2013
‘Eat your broccoli’ takes on new meaning in Brian Crumblehulme’s series about food chemistry and cooking.
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Saltwater: the other fish
May 9, 2013 | Ralph Shaw
Ralph Shaw gives us a fascinating catalog of the fish besides salmon that are worth catching on the coast.
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May culinary calender
April 25, 2013 | Brian Crumblehulme
Mayne Island polymath Brian Crumblehulme tells us about the lexicon of ‘allowable’ food labelling euphemisms. Meanwhile, how are your over-wintered salad greens doing? Brian has the whys and wherefores of salad dressings with 4 mouth-watering recipes.
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Stinging Nettles
March 14, 20113 | Bruce Burnett
A highly nutritious spring wild food on the GulfIslands
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New local food facilities on Salt Spring Island
October 18. 2012 | Sara Miles
As contaminated meats from an XL Foods slaughterhouse demonstrate the risks of agri-business, the small-scale Salt Spring Abattoir Society opens its doors to process its first, locally-raised Thanksgiving turkeys.
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An apple experience like you have never imagined
September 22, 2011
Find out what makes the Salt Spring Island Apple Festival, on October 2, so scrumptious!
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Taking control of your food system
August 11, 2011 | Harry Burton
Harry Burton discusses Michael Pollan's book, In Defense of Food, highlighting the paradoxes and dangers of the modern world food system, as well as a plan to get healthy again.
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Our Taste for Beef and Hamburger
March 24, 2011
Brian Crumblehulme looks back at how our intense desire for hamburger developed from a historical, business and chemical point of view.
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Denman Agriculture
March 10, 2011
Denman Island Agricultural Strategy report was presented to the Islands Trust.
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Central Saanich growth threatens regional strategy
February 24, 2011
Pressure to develop in Central Saanich will fragment the area's rural character; creating urban sprawl, and automobile-dependent housing and services. Six proposals are reviewed.
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2 Chocolate Letters in One
February 24, 2011
Brian Crumblehulm's chocolate column of the February 10 issue inspires two letters about the impact of its production and a fair trade solution.
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The Potato Underground
September 30, 2010
Hard to harvest mechanically, the Caribou potato was outlawed but growers give them away to keep this tasty variety growing.
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Goodness growing on Galiano
September 2, 2010
Galiano Community Greenhouse lets residents grow food for the islands year round.
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Greener revolution
April 1, 2010
Elizabeth May reports on an islands local food conference and how it impacts our larger community.
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Local food: defending what's local, healthy and organic
December 3, 2009
Elizabeth May takes a look at the complex factors which make food a good buy, for us and the planet.
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Red is the bite of the future! - Harry Burton
July 24, 2008
Red-fleshed apples are truly the apple of the future. At Apple Luscious Organic Orchard on Salt Spring Island, we grow 23 varieties. The novelty of biting into these apples is amazing—you never have to encourage a child to eat them—and they taste even better than they look. The first reaction to biting into the red flesh is always, ‘Wow!’
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Agriculture and the BC Budget
May 15, 2008
MLA Corky Evans gives one of his legendary speeches in the BC Legislature.
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Warning About Eating Fish
May 15, 2008
BC government warns which kinds of fish are mercury contaminated and how much to eat of them.
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Community farm on Salt Spring becoming EcoReality
May 1, 2008
EcoReality Sustainable Land Use and Education Cooperative on Salt Spring Island has agreed to purchase 37 acres of the former 100-acre Hughes Farm in Fulford Valley, 63 acres of which is to become community farmland.
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Parochial Gardeners
May 1, 2008
We all have our lists of pet peeves. One such irritant is that continental mind-set that declares there are only two seasons, while here on the Salish Sea we celebrate four.
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Sorting out farm taxes
February 7, 2008 | By Jenny McLeod
In December, Rick Thorpe, Minister of Small Business and Revenue, ordered a review of farm property tax assessment policy. The policy review is aimed to protect small farms, and in particular small suburban-area farms.
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Saturna salmon cycle begins again
November 29, 2007
Last week Saturna’s salmon enhancement group went up to Cowichan River to collect salmon eggs destined for Lyall Creek on Saturna.
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Organic food more nutritious say EU researchers
November 29, 2007
Early results of a £12 million, 4-year European Union study on the benefits of organic food suggest that some of them, such as fruit, vegetables and milk, are more nutritious than nonorganically produced food and may contain higher concentrations of cancer-fighting and heart-beneficial antioxidants.
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Shrooming in Vancouver Island’s stumpfields
November 15, 2007 | Commentary by Ingmar Lee
Every autumn I head out towards Jordan River to pick wild mushrooms. Years ago, having comprehended the scale of the industrial decimation of fish worldwide, I quit one of my favourite pastimes and channelled my predatory proclivities into the hunt for mushrooms instead.
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Fifty Years of Rootstock
July 26, 2007
Traas Nursery was the only grower in Canada producing rootstock for the fruit industry.
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More than meets the eye in bee colony collapse
May 17, 2007
I’m on an organic beekeeping list of about 1,000 people, mostly Americans, and no one in the organic beekeeping world, including commercial beekeepers, is reporting colony collapse.
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Controversy over new Agricultural Land Commission appointments
May 18, 2006 | Derek Masselink
Recent appointments to the Agricultural Land Commission, an independent provincial agency responsible for administering the province’s Agricultural Land Reserve, have resulted in controversy for the provincial government.
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Farmland Forever
May 4, 2006 | Derek Masselink
On April 18, the David Suzuki Foundation released ‘Forever Farmland: Reshaping the Agricultural Land Reserve for the 21st Century.’ The report calls on the government to reaffirm its commitment to the protection of agricultural land by making its commitment to protect and preserve agricultural land in perpetuity.
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What's Gardening Got to Do with It?
March 11, 2004 | Derek Masselink
We used to live on the UBC Farm, which we often bragged with some irony is the last remaining farm in the city...
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