Want to learn more about root cellaring?

The Ecology Action Centre is conducting a root cellar tour on Saturday, November 26. We will be touring three different root cellars in HRM. The event is free of charge, but pre-registration is required as space is limited.

We will be starting at 3 pm sharp at the Ecology Action Centre at 2705 Fern Lane, Halifax. We will then be carpooling to two root cellars in HRM, returning to the EAC to visit our root cellar and ending with a potluck. You can register online here: http://www.ecologyaction.ca/content/root-cellar-tour

You can check out photos from last year’s tour here: http://adventuresinlocalfood.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/my-sunday-spent-underground/

Also, our second round of community root cellar funding has just opened. Read more here: http://www.ecologyaction.ca/content/community-root-cellar-funding-%E2%80%93-proposals-accepted-until-december-12

November 6^th, 2011  A visit with Organic Cheese producers Frazer and Angie Hunter at Knoydart Farm, 7037 Route 245 (Shore Road), Knoydart, Nova Scotia. Tour the farm and learn about Organic Dairy farming and Cheese production followed by a convivial lunch provided by Gabrieau’s Bistro. Meet at the farm 11:30am. Cost $15 for Slow Food members; $20 for non-members; children under 12yr – Free. RSVP Scott info@sugarmoon.ca as soon as possible so we know how much food to prepare!

September 18

Ramble in Bramble Corner

Slow Food board member and entomologist, Rob Smith, will host us for an informal tour at the 20-acre family farm near Aylesford that has been in his family for 3 generations. He tells us: The farm has been in orchard since the late 1800s…….we have a few heritage trees of considerable vintage still in production, about 12 different apple varieties (including the Gravenstein) over 15 acres, a few pear, plum, cherry, peach. As well as vine crops……..melons, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, strawberry, raspberry,blackberry, hascap. We sell most of the tree fruit crop through Scotian Gold CoOP, and Kent CoOP as well as farm gate.

Time: 2pm till 4pm

Please let us know you`re coming (sheilastevenson17@gmail.com) so we have enough juice and Gravenstein apple cake for everyone! Remember to tuck a spoon and plate in your gear!

Find Bramble Corner Produce at:

Bramble Corner Produce

1584 Victoria Harbour Road

R.R. # 3

AYLESFORD, NS

September 18

Join Slow Food Northumberland Shore member Cammie Harbottle for a tour of Waldegrave Farm’s market gardens and then celebrate the Fall Harvest with a convivial Feast prepared by Slow Food Chefs Chris Aerni of Rossmount Inn, St. Andrews, N.B. and Craig Flinn of Chives Canadian Bistro.

Where: Alex Cox Road, off Hwy. #6 East of Tatamagouche, Colchester County, N.S.

Event Itinerary:

1pm – Meet and Sign in

1:30 – Guided tour of Waldegrave farm

2:00 – Taste Education Activity for kids of all ages

3:00 – Harvest Feast – A Celebration of the Northumberland Shore

Cost: $35/Slow Food Members – Children 12yr and under Free

$40/Non-Slow Members – children 12yr and under free

This Event is by reservation only.

To Reserve:

Call Sugar Moon Farm @ 1-866-816-2753 or 1-902-657-3348

Or Email info@sugarmoon.ca

(Tickets are non-refundable)

Now if you’ve only listen to phwat we spake about

I’m going for to toll ye how to make that sauerkraut,

The kraut is not made of leather as effery one supposes

But off that little plant what they call the cabbage roses.

Sauerkraut is bully, I toll you it is fine,

Me thinks me ought to know ‘em for me

eats ‘em all the time.

-Sauerkraut Song, Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens

After braving the 6 mile trip to Tancook aboard the ‘relief’ ferry last Sunday, 55 or so intrepid Slow Food members were greeted at the wharf by some born and bred Tancookers and some naturalized ones as well. The women, part of a group that calls themselves the Tancook Island Marketing Group, introduced themselves and got down to the business of showing us around the island, showing us how Tancook Island sauerkraut is made and showing us how slow living is done, Tancook style.

The first stop of the day was at the ‘Rec Centre’ which is also the tourism office for the island. The smells of our lunch, being prepared by Kerri-Lynn and Martha, followed us down the road as Rosa Cross showed us the last remaining cabbage house on the island. Although the house is in need of restoration, we could still see where and how the the massive cabbages that used to grow on the island were rolled in to the house and stored.

Rosa showed us a display of the islanders’ great preserving prowess, not only in their cabbage treatment but also with the wide variety of jams, jellies and pickles they have to offer. The sauerkraut making process was explained from field to finished product. They even divulged the island ratio of cabbage to salt, three armfuls as much as you can carry of cabbage to one cupped hand of coarse salt – no more, no less.

Just in time for lunch, a light cloud cover cooled things down for the afternoon and relieved the warm walkers. Kerri-Lynn and Martha arrived with a car full of sausage, sauerkraut, new potatoes, homemade rolls and pickled beets proving, as if we didn’t already know, that simple food made well is a wonderful thing. After some rhubarb crisp and cream and with full bellies, Hillary of Wishing Stones, Martha of Popplerock and Angela of Curious Crow gave a brief presentation of the art, culture and history that is available and on display on the island.

Marybeth Hay, the organizational mastermind of the day, ended the afternoon with the promise of a fish fry next year. Looking around the group as she said this, I noticed a lot of nodding heads and smiling faces. So, here’s to looking forward to next year and another amazing day away from what Dora Cross,one of the oldest people living on Tancook, calls, ‘all that rat-racing around.’

Special thanks for this event go to The Tancook Island Marketing Group for all of their organization, information and a stellar lunch, Rosa Cross for sharing her knowledge, and Rick McKenster for the use of his beautiful picnic setting.

Leah Moon lives on the seabound coast and writes about cooking at Bonnie Bonnie Lass.