Indice dei contenuti per Winter 2024/25 in Harrowsmith

POLLEN NATION While bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators aren’t necessarily top of mind during winter, that doesn’t mean they don’t need your help. Pollinator Partnership Canada (P2C) is a registered Canadian charity that accepts donations year round. You can dedicate your contribution in memory or honour of a loved one—which makes a nice gift this holiday season.) Go to pollinatorpartnership.ca to learn more. To learn all about the University of Guelph’s new Honey Bee Research Centre, turn to page 74. ON OUR BOOKSHELF The Seed Farmer by Dan Brisebois (New Society Publisher, November 2024) Whether you’re interested in growing your own seeds for farm use, selling seed on contract, or scaling up for retail sales, The Seed Farmer will help you integrate organic seed production into your small-scale farm…

I fell in love with L’Occitane en Provence products when I was fortunate to travel to Europe with my husband’s family many years ago. Not only are do they have their B CORP™ certification, I am transported back to the south of France every time I wash my face. However, it is this hand scrub that is a game changer—perfect for the gardener in your family.”– Karine Ewart, editor-in-chief Shea One-Minute Hand Scrub, $16,50, loccitane.com “This is a great gift idea for anyone with dogs.”– Yolanda Thornton, publisher Power Cap Unisex LED Hands Free Beanie Toque, $27, marks.com Speaking of pooches: Head over to harrowsmithmag.com for our No-Fail Dog Biscuit recipe! “I would like to recommend a company called NoMiNoU out of B.C. The company uses recycled plastics and other…

Inhaling the humid air of a productive greenhouse is proof-positive of the impact abundant plant material can have on indoor air quality; the smell alone is unmistakable. Leaves, roots and soil all work together to remove harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene and ammonia, as well as carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with fresh oxygen. Nowhere is this more important than in newer buildings, which, by virtue of their energy-efficient airtightness, exchange less fresh air with the outdoors. While this is positive from an energy-conservation standpoint, it is important to monitor from an indoor air-quality perspective, especially if your home is heated with natural gas. There is nothing more uplifting than abundant plant life to freshen up a stuffy new build. While the…

SNOW much more to Gravenhurst! Winter in Muskoka can feel like you have wandered into a Group of Seven painting with snow-laden trees, crisp blue skies, and beautiful blankets of white snow. Only 90 minutes north of Toronto, Gravenhurst is located at the Gateway to Muskoka. This recreational paradise is a fantastic place to experience the true Canadian wonders of winter. It is a playground for snowshoeing, nordic skiing, ice fishing, and snowmobiling. And don’t forget...winter can provide the best opportunities for star-gazing. When the temperatures drop, the night sky is bright, clear and magical! But what about when delicate snow-flakes turn into blustery flakes or fresh white snow melts into a muddy spring? Come inside and experience our small-town hospitality, cozy fires, delicious food & drink, and exciting attractions.…

There’s always lots to do as we transition from fall to winter and celebrate the holiday season. For many, it’s a time when we cram in too many activities in a short period of time hoping everything will fall into place. Between the shopping, entertaining, Christmas parties, travel and home projects, it’s a hectic and exhausting time of year but one we welcome and look forward to all year long. We’re always on the lookout for practical solutions to help us navigate through this season. It’s all about simplifying our lives to make more room for the things that matter—those special moments and memories. In this issue, you’re going to love Chef ILona’s ideas to make your holiday parties stress-free and delicious (page 64). Her make-ahead dips and spreads are…

Prep time: 25 minMakes: about 2 1/2 dozenCook time: 2 hours INGREDIENTS ½ cup/125 ml NatureggTM SIMPLY EGG WHITESTM, well shaken½ tsp/2 ml cream of tartar Pinch salt1 cup/250 ml superfine granulated sugar (see tip 1)1 tsp/5 ml cornstarch 1 tsp/5 ml vanilla extract (or ½ tsp/2 ml peppermint extract)½ tsp/2 ml green gel food colouring, approx. (see tip 2)Festive sprinkles DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 200°F/100°C. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt on medium speed until very soft peaks form. 3. Meanwhile, stir sugar with cornstarch until combined. Gradually add sugar mixture to egg whites, a spoonful at a time, beating until fully incorporated. (Scrape bowl as needed.) 4. Increase speed to high and beat until egg whites…

We were capping off the last day of our hiking tour in a hidden corner of the Italian Alps with the toughest of our climbs—a short but unrelenting switchback that opens up into panoramic views of four different valleys, and the snowcapped Monte Rosa, the second highest peak in the Alps. I’d been prepping the group all week about the challenge of the hike. I was trying to manage expectations, but I may have over-indexed in my caution. “I don’t think I’m going to do this last one,” said Owen, clearly a little spooked. On the first day of the tour, Owen (not his real name), a retiree from Toronto in his mid-60s, had described himself as “not a hiker.” And yet, he’d finished every hike, climbing centuries-old stone steps…

How fortunate we are that outfitter and guide Tomas Edmunds Wilson happened upon Emerald Lake, B.C., in 1882, during the production of the Canadian Pacific Railway. (He is also credited with discovering Lake Louise, Alta.) Situated along the border between British Columbia and Alberta, the lake gets its name from the jade colour caused by the reflection of sunlight on the glacial silt in the water. If you plan to make the trek, camp at nearby Yoho National Park, or, if you are looking for something a little more upscale, try Emerald Lake Lodge (pictured above). You can also find a great roundup of some of Canada’s winter camping destinations at harrowsmithmag.com.…

1 The great tree debate: If you buy an artificial Christmas tree, ensure it is made with eco-friendly materials and take good care of it so you can use it for as many years as possible (or donate it for someone else to enjoy). For those who prefer a fresh-cut tree, make sure it’s sustainably sourced, avoid unnecessarily long car rides to find it and dispose of it responsibly. Potted evergreens work, too, but if you plan to plant it, ensure it has a root ball that is native to your area. 2 Hosting a buffet or potluck? Ask guests to bring their own take-home containers. (Trust us, the initial awkwardness will quickly pass and the gesture will be appreciated.) 3 Use energy-star-qualified LED lights or, better yet, go bulb-free:…

Have you heard of the holiday hangover? It’s that feeling you get when you return to your “normal schedule” after a bit of a break, like the second half of December, for example. There’s a letdown after weeks spent celebrating with loved ones, mixed with a dash of anxiety from maybe spending just a little bit too much money... Now that all those gifts, parties and vacations are in the past, some of us are left with buyer’s remorse and a stack of credit card bills. That’s why it makes a lot of sense to use January to get back on track and take a break from spending money needlessly. The movement begs the question: How much stuff do we really need? And that query is quickly followed by: Where…

I always cherish this time of year. The vibrant colours of fall soon transform our forested landscapes into a beautiful, winter wonderland – the perfect playground to enjoy the holidays with family and friends. It is also at this time that I take a moment to appreciate what an extraordinary year it has been and pay tribute to the many relationships we have fostered over the past few decades. At Forests Ontario, we believe healthy and vibrant communities include diverse, thriving forests, and that working together is the means to that end. As a leading national charity with roots going back more than 75 years, our tree-planting programs significantly reduce the costs of planting on private land while ensuring the right trees are planted in the right place for the…

Early in winter, stores fill up with pots full of flowering daffodils, tulips, crocus and the like. They are so prolific that they must be easy to force into bloom, right? After all, come autumn, all we do is dig a hole, plop the bulb in with the pointy side up and bury it. They always seem to bloom when treated this way. Not so fast. There is a process that occurs underground in the late fall and early spring that triggers the bloom of winter-hardy Holland bulbs. Producing pots full of colour using the same bulbs in winter takes time, effort and knowledge. The term used to describe the preparation of bulbs for blooming is “cold stratification”—a cold and damp period that occurs naturally in every growing zone in…

In 2024, for the seventh year in a row, Finland was ranked the No.1 happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report. There must be “something in the water” in Nordic countries, as the second, third, fourth and seventh positions went to Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Norway. (For the record, Israel was number five and The Netherlands number six. Canada came in at 15.) Before we begin, a bit about the World Happiness Report: The organization is a partnership of Gallup Research, Oxford University’s Wellbeing Research Centre, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the WHR’s editorial board. The report is based on the results of self-assessment questionnaires, where respondents rank their answers from the best possible life being ranked at 10, and the worst possible…

Snowflakes are formed when ice crystals collide and stick together as they fall from the sky. Ever since you caught that first flake on your tongue as a kid, you’ve probably been captivated by the notion that no two are exactly alike. It’s a concept that likewise fascinated a Vermont farmer-cum-amateur scientist in the 1880s. Through trial and error with a camera and a microscope, Wilson A. Bentley became the first person to photograph a single snow crystal. “Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others.” By the time he died in 1931, he had photographed more than 5,000 snowflakes and sure enough, no two were exactly alike. –Originally published in…