The Verona Garlic Festival

Each year on Labour Day Weekend, Verona hosts a Garlic Festival.  I've always wanted to go.  It's hard to convince the kids that this will be more fun than sitting at home.  They aren't completely sold on the idea.  Just wait til you get there, I try to convince them.

When we got there it looked almost like any other Saturday at the Farmer's Market.  Except it was BIGGER!  Holy cow it was bustling.  The summer weather makes it possible to have way more vendors showing off a lot more stuff.  The colder weather forces the vendors to brave snowy days and set up their booths indoors. 

We survey the layout...Ches and the boys decided to take a spin on the train they had set up for kids (pulled by a small tractor no less).  

The usual vendors were out and set up but there were a bunch of new stalls featuring all things garlic.

The Lion's Club hosted a roast beef luncheon.  Check out the beast they're carving!  Usually these meals proceeds go towards a local charity or special cause.  I'm always happy to support.

Here are some more shots of the usual vendors in fine form.  They even started adding furniture to the line up!  Tie-dyed clothing lady is there every week without fail.

This time of year makes my eye move towards the knits.  The warm soft wooly piles of crochet heaven.

The endless tables of fall colours and vegetables.  They are so artfully and tasefully arranged, evoking images of healthy, honest, "country living".

Mini golf is a great, no energy way for the kids to occupy themselves too.  I mean how much garlic can you look at when you're 10 yrs old? 



Betsey 'B' honey had a small display of the honey comb hideout.  Was it ever cool to look inside!!!

The special events held at the fairgrounds include the recycling and waste center...may not look like much...but its HUGE!  It means that all the waste generated by the show gets disposed of correctly!  Pretty cool thing to show the community.

Garlic displays ranged from small and simple, to big and elaborate!  I loved this dark stained cabinet with the tin punch out of a garlic shape on the door...I think this display was of garlic spreads and such...

Plates of kinds og garlic I've never heard of...samples of spreads, jams, preserves...all garlic based.

There were people dying to educate you about the wonderful world of garlic.

Some vendors had their vehicles logo'd with garlic...you could tell these people lived for GARLIC!

The shall's displays made me hungry and salivate for all the recipes I could think of that used garlic!

I also saw something that I never expected to see at a Garlic Festival....

A VAMPIRE!



My son Owen the Vampire...face painting by K's Klubhouse





100 mile Challenge vs the 100 ft Challenge

You hear a lot of talk these days about the 100 mile Challenge.  Someone told me a few years back about it (since we haven't had cable or satellite in years), they had seen it on the Food Network.  By purchasing items that were produced within a 100 mile radius, we would gloablly reduce carbon emissions by a drastic amount!  I was intrigued. 

I checked out the Food Network's website on the matter.  I've included the link for anyone one else who is curious about this global phenomenon.  It is quite a cool site!  It includes a list of what food are seasonally available.  There is also a meal planner and recipes too!  Their community is wide and varied...as showcased in their blog.  Also, it seems the idea has spun into a show too...there are episodes you can view of the families who have volunteered for the challenge.   

For the past few year,  I have consciously sought out local (or at least closer) items.  Its challenging in itself...as some labels are misleading.  Some say "packaged for distribution in Ontario", which is vague and doesn't tell you where it was actually grown.  I especially like it when the label includes the address of the producers.  The March issue of Harrowsmith Country Life had a large article about Food Fraud.  What that means is that people have been latching on to this closer-to-home phenomenon and taking advantage of gullible consumers.  Big food stores say they purchase from local producers...but then define local as anywhere in Canada.  (anyone who's ever driven from Nova Scotia to BC knows thats not really local in the generic sense of the word)  It takes a bit more effort and time to make those informed decisions, but its well worth it.  The more we buy stuff from off shore, the less we'll see those farms along country roads.  Its that simple. 

I like my cheese from Wilton cheese factory (a 20 min drive from the factory) or Ivanhoe in a pinch.  Luckily both are sold in several Verona stores.  The Ivanhoe factory is in Belleville, a 40 kms drive.  My milk is from Reids dairy, also a Belleville commodity.  My meat comes from either the famer's market here in Verona or the Local Family Farms store (also in Verona).  An important connection you should try to foster is between you and the person responsible for your food.  I'm working on getting a local egg supplier...but my husband still says we should just house our own chickens.     

I think that the 100 mile Challenge is also a contributing factory as to why I garden so whole-heartedly.  Its the closest I can do my grocery shopping!  Why pay big store prices when you can step out of your back (or front) door? 

Honestly, do you want your food to come from the other side of the world, and packaged in an environment like the one shown below?



Food production in China

Call me crazy, but I prefer the environment shown below:


Food production in my backyard

I understand that gas prices are not going down any time soon...so that means prices on everything we use and need will be much more in the future.  I would much rather learn to provide for myself, than depend on weather conditions in Mexico for my sustinance.  On a primal level, it just seems absurd. 

The more I learn, the more I grow.  The more I grow, the more I cook.  The more I cook, the more I learn.  Its cyclical!

I urge everyone to try the 100 mile challenge...or better yet, the 100 foot challenge!

I recently took a poll of my Facebook friends...and so far around 23 folks have said they plan to grow something this year.  People from all walks of life, urban or rural, house or apartment are growing!

I urge you all to try and grow something....or if you can't grow (that's called a black thumb)...make friends with a relative or neighbour who does....chances are, they will grow too much of something and you can partake in the goodness!



  

The Farmer's Market

This is the beginning of a series of posts...they will last all year...popping up along the way...
It was the first Saturday back at the Farmer's Market here in Verona since before the holidays.  Owen and I went to see which vendors had come out to share the inside space of the Lions Hall.  In the summer time, the farmer's market is outside and housed in outer buildings.  This is an enduring part of country living and I'm glad to share this with my kids. 


Owen checks out the home made bling




preserves of every kind

  The feeling of the farmer's market changes with the seasons.  Right now, in the winter months, the market has a feeling of old times.  Of perserves and baked goods.  Dried herbs and spices.  In the spring, I'll buy some of our garden seedlings there.  Summertime means we'll get some locally prepared entrees, some odd vegetables we aren't already growing, as well as gift cards with beautiful local photography.  In the fall its a great place to get fresh apples by the bushel and pumpkins...I'll never forget the first time Noah and Ches saw a white pumpkin or a pumpkin that took up the back of a pick up truck...only at the farmer's market. 



spices and rubs





locally grown garlic the size of my fist and kettle cooked popcorn


The variety of crafters seems richer in the colder weather...quilts and tapestries.  Various handmade items for sale, but each one is one of a kind....and every week it changes...

handbags aplenty



the vendor we get our tourtiere from, but the kids only know it as the one with the peanut butter balls

 Everyone has their own experiences with a farmer's market, and it really does depend on your population.  At the Verona Farmer's Market, you have a lady selling spanakopitas, one who makes and sells goat cheese (that melts in your mouth).  A family who sells meats for your freezer who's kids are often helping behind the table. 

You get to meet who is growing your food, not just knowing where in the province or country it came from.  I remember when Noah had a tiny crush on one of the beef farmer's daughters...thinking this is going to make one helluva country song! 

The kids will grow up with their own memories of these Saturdays "spent shopping" at the market.  The best times we had were just being there....not even shopping...because there always seems to be something different each week.  Something to learn...something to see....something to taste...as we always appreciate when vendors offer the free samples....and almost always they win me over and I end up buying.

But its shopping I can feel good about....I'm helping support my local economy....I'm buying food with a very small carbon footprint...I get to meet the people who are growing or raising my food.....I can teach my kids about where their food comes from....and I mostly I get to eat really great stuff!

When the times are tough....

I hope everyone survived the holiday season!  It was a crazy mess of food and celebration for our family.  Definitely worth every minute!

But now that the celebrations are through...you may be under a whole lotta unexpected debt.  One of the fortunate things about being unemployed is that we didn't go crazy this year.  We aren't in too deep, because we've been living on a shoestring since last March.  Its almost become a badge of honour for me, at least.  Look how little I used to make (fill in the blank)!  I've become proud of the meals and snacks I've made using the leftovers or frozen goods we stored from our garden.  I know, pride goeth before the fall...but there are times when I feel like pride is appropriate.

Each New Year I make a new resolution.  I try to build on each previous year's resolution.  I am trying to make baby steps to gently change my lifestyle.  If you try too much, all at once, you are destined to fail.

Last year I promised myself I wouldn't eat any more store bought salad dressings...of course I made this resolution after I realized how stinking easy they are to make!!!  I have been making balsamic vinigrette for over a year now.  Its an endless source of happiness for me, as I adore salads. 

Today I went to make my typical lunch time salad...only to find that I had used up my Balsamic vinegar!!!!  WHAT DO I DO NOW!?!?  Well...i turned to the white vinegar as an alternative.  White vinegar is something we have in bulk.  I only clean with vinegar, so we go through it like it was water.  (Thank goodness its cheap!)

So I freehanded this recipe and it was so lovely I thought I would share it!

This recipe is chock full of healthy things that your body need....plus it tastes fresh and yummy!

3/4 cup of Sunflower Oil
4 tbsp of white vinegar
4 tbsp lemon juice (i use concentrate...but fresh is obviously better)
1 tsp of dijon mustard
2 cloves garlice (pressed in garlice press)
1/2 tsp of ground coriander (we grew it last year in our garden, dried the seeds and keep them in a grinder)
dash of kosher or sea salt (for highest mineral content)

wisk and pour over salad greens

Now will I get more balsamic when the funds permit?  YES!  But this was a great substitute when you are living on a budget.  Dijon mustard tastes healthier than the yellow version and it lasts a long time.  Definitely a good value.  I buy the garlic locally from a guy we see every weekend at the Famrer's Market here in Verona.  Sunflower Oil is a nice light oil and very healthy for you.  You could substitute canola oil but I find that olive oil is a bit too intense for this recipe.  You could also change up the spice to your liking.  I just adore the lemony flavour of coriander...but I did consider using basil or parsley.  Whatever you like!  You can tailor this recipe based on what you grow in your garden!  Or what your taste buds like....

Experiment today!

Check back for the upcoming contest where you could win a copy of "The All-You-Can-Eat Gardening Handbook" of your very own!!!

Maple Syrup and the Winter Blues...



Its around this time of year that I generally think about maple syrup.  Its not tapping season, its not the pancake breakfasts that happen throughout the summer here in Verona....its the time of year that the real stuff gets very scarce!  If you consider its the farthest time of the year since the tapping last spring...it kinda makes sense. 

We love us some maple syrup in our house....and not just because of the home made pancakes that get served under them!  (although they are a huge plus!)

From my days with the tree trimming crew in Oshawa Hydro, I remember Stan Turk telling me all about the types of trees out there.  He'd give me a daily quiz on tree species, that was when I found out that sugar maples are in fact the only maple that actually produces the sap to create the wonderful syrup. 

When I first moved to the country, I made an effort to buy locally and support the folks I shared a community with.  The first time I tried to purchase maple syrup I was asked what kind I wanted.....I was like a deer in the head lights....what kind?  The syrup-y kind, of course!

Here's a run-down on the types available if you know where to buy:

Light:  Pale golden, with a delicate flavour, almost watery in texture
Medium: Light amber, rich but mild in flavour
Amber:  Medium amber, with a robust flavour
Dark: Dark amber and very strong in flavour, very sticky and syrupy

My personal favorite is the Medium but it seems like its the favorite of everyone else in South Frontenac as it sells out the quickest.  Its the best of both worlds...you get a light syrup with a very pleasing flavour.  It doesn't hit you over the head with sweetness.  Each person I've spoken with at the farmer's market over the years has their favorite eating syrup and their best syrup for cooking.

It was very recently that I've been discovering the nutritional properties of the real maple syrup!  What a bonus!

Maple Syrup	50 cal/15 ml
Fructose	46 cal/15 ml
Brown Sugar	51 cal/15 ml
Corn Syrup	60 cal/15 ml
Honey	64 cal/15 ml

Not too shabby!

When you compare with other sweeteners, its hands down a great natural alternative to refined sugars. 

Add this information with the following stats and your natural conclusion might be to start adding maple syrup to everything!

Maple Syrup has about the same 50 cal/tbsp as white cane sugar. However, it also contains significant amounts of potassium (35 mg/tbsp), calcium (21 mg/tbsp), small amounts of iron and phosphorus, and trace amounts of B-vitamins. Its sodium content is a low 2 mg/tbsp.

Maple syrup can be declared a good source of 3 essential elements - calcium, iron and thiamin.
( source: www.canadianmaplesyrup.com/maplenutrition.html )

Maple syrup still contains 43 grams of carbs per 50ml serving, so don't go crazy if you are counting carbs or a diabetic.

Here is a great recipe for the pancake lover in you.  Its packed with hidden proteins so its actually the pancake that is GOOD for you!!!

ENJOY!

Quinoa Pancakes

Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon course salt
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for skillet
1/4 cup lowfat milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
fresh fruit or fruit preserves (optional) for serving
Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together quinoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, egg white, butter, milk, and syrup until smooth. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and whisk to combine.
2. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with butter and heat over medium-high. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on top, 2 minutes. Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside, 2 minutes. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more melted butter and remaining batter (reduce heat to medium if overbrowning). Serve with maple syrup and fresh fruit or preserves if desired.

Makes about 12.

	One cake
Calories	73
Total Fat (g)	1.8
Carbs (g)	11.8
Fiber (g)	0.5
Sugar (g)	2.3
Protein (g)	2.4

( source:  http://www.fitsugar.com/Yummy-Recipe-Healthy-Quinoa-Pancakes-11658074?utm_source=shape&utm_medium=email&utm_term=fit_healthyeating_newsletter&utm_content=email_link&utm_campaign=shape_email_fit_healthyeating_newsletter_20101103 )

I have more maple syrup recipes...but you'll just have to wait until spring time for those yummy treasures!

Until next time....