UsedEverywhere.com

Donor Breast Milk Needed In Vancouver

Sometimes you read a post that makes your own problems diminish – POOF! This happened when Vancouver’s Prenatal Coach, Crystal Di Domizio posted a plea to Vancouver moms asking for donor breast milk for a local mom starting chemo treatments to fight breast cancer. While mom undergoes treatments she wants her three-month-old baby Linnea to receive donated breast milk nourishment. The goal is to get baby to six months of age exclusively breast fed. Here is what the result of local hero moms donating their milk looks like (image belongs to Prenatal Coach):

After reading a plea like this, you experience tunnel vision because even without having breast milk to donate, anyone can help by reaching out via social media or to community partners. UsedEverywhere.com has smaller chapters in most Provinces of Canada and if you aren’t aware, has a wonderful Community Angel program. When people in the community need help, Community Angels are there to assist. I am lucky enough to help with the role of Vancouver Angel and write this article to ask for your help if you have breast milk to donate. I’m thrilled with the help already received from UsedVancouver and our partner in kindness SPUD Vancouver because these two companies are now supplying the family with eight weeks of organic food boxes. We have no doubt that trying to manage high quality nutrition while receiving treatments for cancer is important, not only for mom but the entire family. Dad responded to our news with “We are humbled by this generous gift by SPUD and Used Vancouver to make life easier during this challenging time. Thank you so much!!! ” We also wanted to bring attention to the issue of donor breast milk. The well-documented benefits of breast milk consumption in early life are present in all human milk but when a child is unable to thrive solely on the milk of their biological parent, human milk is available as an alternative. Crystal recommends checking out milk sharing groups like Human Milk for Human Babies for more information.

Checking in with Crystal today, she reports they have approximately one week of donor milk left in hand for the family to use for baby Linnea. It takes a lot of milk to give a baby continual support of donated milk. We ask if you live in the Vancouver area and can deliver donor milk to Crystal (drop-off downtown), please get in touch via email crystal@cultivateyourhealth dot com. Our community is lucky to have Crystal with her obvious devotion to prenatal wellness. When Crystal is not collecting milk for a special mama and baby in need, you can find her mentoring pregnant women through their journey to motherhood. She is passionate about helping women have easier and more comfortable birth experiences through Hypnobabies Childbirth classes.

Community connections keep the light in our steps as we navigate through darker journeys. It is very reassuring as a Vancouver resident to know that UsedEverywhere Community Angels, SPUD Vancouver, and Crystal are keeping a watchful eye out. Sometimes feeling the warmth on our backs from unexpected acts of kindness makes all the difference in times of need. We hope this article gives the topic of community support and donor breast milk more light.

Related Articles:

Our own Used blogger Erin wrote about her personal experience with milk sharing; read her article here.

Found something cool to reupholster? Five tips for choosing the right piece

Hello UsedEverywhere fans!  My name is Staci Edwards, and I am the owner of Switch Studio, which is an upholstery and sewing shop located in Oakville, Ontario.

As a designer and upholsteress I always get asked what to look for when buying a used piece to reupholster, so I’ve put together five easy tips to ensure you’re buying a great piece…

1. Take a look:  Stand back and have a look at the lines and overall shape of the piece – Is it appealing to you?  Are the details and finishes of the piece unique?  If so, then be sure to nab that rare treasure!

2. Feel around: Feel around and give the edges a shake to ensure that it feels solid.  Also, feel underneath the dust cover the {black cover located under the seat} if you feel that it is solid under there, then it’s probably constructed with coil springs.  Coil springs take a lot of time to tie by hand, and chances are whoever took the time to use coil springs, took the time to construct a quality piece of furniture.

3. Lift it:  If the piece is heavy, that is usually a good indication that it is well made using good quality hardwood, that will last virtually forever.

4. Have a seat:  Be sure to wiggle around and really test it out.  If it feels sturdy, then great, and if it doesn’t be sure to consult with a professional to see if repairs can be done.  Of course make sure that it is comfortable, keep in mind that the padding and springs can be repaired in the reupholstery process, but the proportions are what they are.

5. Imagine it new:  Go ahead and picture it with some new paint, gorgeous fabric, and some coordinating throw pillows – Do you love the idea of what it could look like redone and in your home?  Then follow your heart, make the purchase, and call an upholsterer {or an upholsteress} to get that makeover.

To get some inspiration goodness going, let’s take a look at some before and after pics of furniture we’ve made over at Switch…

See the awesome things you can do with used, vintage, or antique furniture?  Way better than shopping at a big box store and buying new beige stuff, huh?

I hope you’ve found this post helpful, and if you have any questions, drop me a line at  www.switchstudio.ca.  Also, please be sure to join Switch Studio on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

It was nice to “meet” you, hope to see you around soon, and happy shopping!

Staci

An Interview with Tonic Living's Janine Morrison

On October 20th we attended/sponsored the Blissdom Canada 2012 social media conference for women in Toronto. This was a big deal for us and we wanted to make a good impression. If you don’t already know, when we go to events we like to create a pop-up living room furnished with items bought from a local Used site—UsedOttawa for this event. We decided to go with a Mid-Century Modern theme for Blissdom and I think we pulled it off rather nicely and affordably, I might add. See below. Pretty swank, non?

I fell truly, madly and deeply in love with a lot of the furniture and accessories we found which made it a little heartbreaking to let it all go—the bigger pieces went into storage while most of the decor items were given away as prizes to Blissdom attendees. But the hardest good-bye for me was bidding adieu to five, gorgeous custom-made pillows from Tonic Living.

I’ve been a huge fan of this Canadian fabric company for a while so I was thrilled when owner/co-founder Janine Morrison agreed to donate the fabric for an awesome chair makeover that the lovely Jennifer Flores of Rambling Renovators created for our booth. But when Janine also agreed to whip up some custom pillows to give away to a lucky winner, I was over the moon.

After spinning my moral compass north, south, east and west I concluded it would be wrong to fix the draw in my favour (considering, I’m not even allowed to enter)…  And although it hurt to hand them over, I’m pleased to report the pillows went to the awesome Brooke Berry and they’re reportedly quite happy with her in their new home in Calgary.

The lovely Brooke of brooklynberrydesigns.com

Sitting pretty

I GUESS these were kind of made for Brooke's place...

Cozy in Calgary...

Chair reupholstered with Tonic Living's Holland - Vapour fabric

I’m still dressed for mourning (mostly because it’s slimming) but let the healing begin with this nifty little interview with Janine about the family business, upcycling and the stupidity of short shower curtains.

Interview with Janine Morrison of Tonic Living

Janine Morrison

Tonic Living as seen on Rambling Renovators

Custom pillows made for Blissdom 2012

Janine's fave fabric of the moment: Spring Mix in Aloe by Robert Allen

We started out on eBay a few years before our site was built and launched… so, all together, around 10 years.

On your website you say you’re a family owned and operated business…what family members are you putting to work? 

No children …yet! ; ) My husband Jon and I started our business while he was still working in the film industry, but he’s been full time with Tonic Living for the last five years at least. Our youngest son shows quite a bit of interest in the “numbers” part of our business (Liam’s only 8, for goodness sake) and our oldest shows a lot of interest and promise in the marketing/graphic design end of things (Darin’s 12 and rather talented I must say!) Also, I have my first cousin Linda who comes in from Portugal once a year to work for us when she’s here for her annual Canada visit.

Why the textiles business? Are you a seamstress yourself? 

Seamstress is a very strong word! I can sew, but in a basic way. But did I mention I mastered putting a zipper in a pillow? And did I also mention that Jon was the one that taught me how? We once had a big order for a 75 pillows roll from BCBG in LA  (with a tight deadline, of course) and wouldn’t you know it our chief pillow sewer had just moved to another city. And so because we didn’t have a replacement lined up yet we learned together… And fast! The origin of our company was selling vintage collectibles and textiles on ebay and we had a tip from our friends about a “stash” in an old store in Toronto which led us to a gold mine of 30 and 40 year-old fabrics still on the bolt! From there we were sold on choosing fabric as the next, clear direction. Besides, the world was being drained dry of actual vintage fabrics so we began sourcing reproduction prints.

Do you remember the first item you sold? What was it?

On our website it was a single yard of fabric in a multi colored dot. On ebay, a few years prior, it was a pair of gorgeous old wall sconces from the 20′s that I picked up from Habitat for Humanity’s Restore. What a rush!

You sell custom fabric and you also make custom pillows, cushions, draperies and futon covers… Any other plans/creations in the hopper?

SO many ideas it could take an evening to discuss it… BUT, off the top of my head as far as products go, we want to launch a line of ready-made shower curtains with fabrics that we carry but in a longer length that means it would just almost kiss the floor. A pet peeve of mine is to see how short they are traditionally?! I mean, we don’t make our drapes short by 8″ do we? Of course we do custom shower curtains already but having them ready to go on the site would be smart.

Where do most of your buyers come from? Are they Canadian, American, International?

Slowly Canada is beginning to tip the scale where it used to be mostly American (we never advertised, so all of it was organic traffic) and there’s always been a good steady stream from the UK, Australia and New Zealand etc.

What’s been your favourite or most memorable project to date?

Doing Jennifer Flores’ (from Rambling Renovators blog) master bedroom drapes. At the time we were buried so deep in work and business that we were still wondering what the word ‘blog’ even meant.  We had no idea her drapes were going to be blogged about, on the Nate Berkus Show and in Style at Home Magazine. The response was overwhelming and to this day a few years later we still get many inquiries on those particular drapes. She has done such a great job with so many of our fabrics and custom items and we’re downright lucky to have her support.

What’s your favourite fabric pattern in your collection?

Currently i’m loving the Spring Mix in Aloe by Robert Allen. There’s something about it that reads a little vintage but not overly and works so well with some contrasting geometrics and glazed metallic linens. YUM!

If you could give one decorating tip to people working with a snug budget, what would it be? 

We’re huge supporters of re-using or up-cycling furniture and frankly that’s how 95% of our home is decorated (OK, minus the window treatments and pillows) so part of going that route is taking your time and staying committed to your vision whether it’s clear cut or more eclectic/organic. If you prefer to buy only new things then at least try to wait until you can get a quality item rather than buying “landfill” quality items. And you see that’s why I mostly buy used furniture that was meant to last the ages because it’s affordable and you don’t have to wait to save up!! (and… the soul it gives, such soul!)

Big plans for the future?

Yes, expansion for sure. In fact we’re currently hunting high and low for another commercial space but it’s been really difficult to find just the right building. There we’ll be able to offer even more selection of fabrics and spread out on larger work surfaces when designers and decorators come to visit. We’ll also be able to host design and industry related events which would be SO fun I think!

The Green Kiss of Life: A quickfire round of what to avoid in cosmetics and why

This post wasn’t scheduled. I was going to take a moment to talk about curries if I’m honest, because I seriously love curries, but then I saw a facebook status update from The Green Kiss and changed my mind.

The Green Kiss is an online cosmetics store with an offline beauty bar in Victoria, BC (located in The Good Planet Company on Fort Street for those of you who live locally). They specialize in selling only organic beauty products, vegan makeup tools and 100% toxin free cosmetics. The status update told of a customer who had come into the store on the advice of her oncology healthcare workers. Here is the status:

Today I met a woman here at my little beauty bar, who was just diagnosed with cancer. She was told by health workers at her integrative cancer care clinic, all about the toxins in her regular makeup and body care products. She was also told that these could have contributed to her cancer, and was told to seek out alternatives, especially because she is about to go through chemo. This had been on her to-do list for years, but now, with the diagnosis, she was finally taking action. So – that is how her and I met today. By the end of her consultation with me, I was pretty teary, as this is exactly WHY I was inspired to start what I do.

And here’s my  interview with Megan of The Green Kiss:

Megan, what are the main three toxic ingredients we absolutely must avoid in our cosmetics?

Unfortunately, this is a long list.  I like trying to keep it simple for our customers by referring to The David Suzuki Foundation’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ list.  This is a list of 12 toxic ingredients that are some of the worst. They are all linked to health problems.  Due to the wide use of the following ingredients though, I would say that the following three are the ones that people should start trying to avoid:

1) Parfum (Fragrance)

2) Parabens

3) Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP).

 And these are mainly found in which types of cosmetics?

Parfum, or Fragrance, can be in pretty much anything.  Simply, it is perfume.  That is when it is most concentrated.  But, it is also in most lotions, hair sprays, shampoos, body washes, conditioners, lip balms, children’s body care items, deodorant, cosmetics, you name it.

Parabens (a class of ingredients including methylparaben, butylparaben, or propylparaben) are preservatives.  They are one of the most widely used preservatives in the cosmetic industry.  They are in everything from body care products, to hair care products, to cosmetics.

Dibutyl Pthalate (or DBP for short) is most commonly used in nail care products as a solvent for dyes, and as an ingredient that prevents nail polishes from becoming brittle.

Are these pretty regular ingredients found in most brands?

Yes.  If you purchase your cosmetics at a regular drugstore, grocery store, or department cosmetics counter, chances are that at least one of the ingredients listed above will be included in the ingredients list.

 What can these products do to our bodies?

1) Parfum or Fragrance is what many call the big ‘mystery’ ingredient. Although companies are legally required to list all of their ingredients on their products, they are not legally required to list what is within the fragrance that they use in their products. It is considered proprietary information. But it unfortunately creates a big loophole in the system.  It therefore means that anything can go into a company’s ‘fragrance’ blend.  The ingredients within what will be listed as ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’ do not have to be disclosed.  According to the Dirty Dozen report, some 3,000 chemicals are used as fragrances.

The main issue however is that there are a slew of health concerns related to the ingredients commonly used to make fragrance.  According to the same Dirty Dozen report, many of the unlisted fragrance ingredients are irritants, and can trigger allergies, migraines and asthma symptoms.  According to lab experiments, common ingredients found within fragrance have been associated with cancer, neurotoxicity, and other health problems.  For more information, and a list of resources and studies, please see read this information about the toxins in parfum.

2) Parabens can easily penetrate the skin, and have been linked to numerous health concerns including interfering with hormone function.  Research shows that parabens can mimic estrogen, and they have been found in human breast cancer tumours.  For more information, and a list of resources and studies, please see this information on parabens from the David Suzuki foundation

3) DBP is absorbed through the skin.  And, although it is mainly found listed as an ingredient in nail polish, phthalates are also used as an ingredient in many fragrances.  Research has found that DBP has been shown to cause birth defects and reduced sperm counts. It is incredibly disturbing.  Again, for more information, and for a list of resources and studies, please see this information on DBP.

So, if we can only make the switch to one all natural cosmetic, what product should it be? 

I would start with what you use every day, what is applied to the largest area, and what stays on the skin the longest.  For most women, it would be their face moisturizer and their foundation (either liquid or powder).

Is that the worst offender in the toxin filled cosmetics world? What comes in a close second or third?

Honestly, I wouldn’t know what to say is the worst offender. Every category of personal care products, whether it be skincare or cosmetics, can be equally as toxic in my opinion.  It just depends what is in the ingredients list of the individual product. I can say this though, women who wear perfume, should really try to stop, and convert to a natural essential oil blend instead.  As, not only are they potentially putting their own health at risk, they are also affecting the health of others around them.  Anyone who suffers from headaches due to fragrance can relate.   It’s almost like smoking. Rather than sec on-hand smoke, it’s second-hand perfume.

What ingredients will we see in organic cosmetics that make them long-lasting, still glamorous but safe?

The strangest thing for me as someone who is constantly learning and researching about this industry, is that the natural and organic alternatives are often more effective than their conventional alternatives.  I used to think they weren’t, but after having tried and tested so many products, many of them actually are!   I have met many women who have had acne, redness, and skin sensitivity disappear after they switch to truly natural cosmetics.

Individual ingredients that you might see include things like Vitamin E (used as a natural preservative), Zinc Oxide & Titanium Dioxide (used as a pigment in cosmetics) and Essential Oils or Fruit Extracts (used as natural ways to scent a product without adding artificial fragrance).

What inspired you to found The Green Kiss

A huge combination of things.  On a personal note, I had been soul searching for a career in entrepreneurship that would make a positive difference, but that would still be fun and exciting.  I have a huge passion for natural products, fair trade, and ethical business practices, as my previous work experience was running a family business of natural clothing stores. But I am a girly girl at heart.  I am also a singer and performer who wears a lot of makeup for stage. And lastly, I love meeting new people, I love connecting with the community, and I love educating (especially kids).

About five years ago or so, I read the book Not Just a Pretty Face that I had picked up at The Good Planet Company.  The shocking research and information in the book, combined with my experience and interests above, basically gave me one of those Oprah ‘aha’ moments.  I immediately started to plot out and research what would eventually become ‘The Green Kiss’

What’s The Green Kiss beauty motto?

Pure Glam!  The idea is that you can still get a glamorous and sexy look with the natural cosmetics sold at The Green Kiss.  I research all of the ingredients in the products that we carry, and I also research the ‘glam’ or ‘effective’ factor for each of the products.  The goal is to have people replace their favourite conventional products, with ones that are natural, healthy, and safe, without them losing any performance quality.

Anything else you think we should know?

The other concept that is extremely important to me, and to the brand I am creating, is authenticity.  I am looking to create an environment where women (or men for that matter) feel welcome.  There is no commission based sales at the beauty bar, no sales pressure, no silly add ons, no gimmicks. There is no judgement on customers if they talk about their love for some of their non-natural products.  And, there is no fake-ness in the approach to selling the cosmetics.  The Green Kiss was created for real women, looking for real products that work.

If you are looking to do your own research, and I always urge our customers to do so, then please check out The David Suzuki Foundation, their information is reliable and easy to understand.

Or, pick up a copy of Not Just a Pretty Face by Stacy Malkan at The Good Planet Company in downtown Victoria, or Gillian Deacon’s There’s Lead In Your Lipstick at Rocky Mountain Soap in Mayfair Mall.

On a personal note, after interviewing Megan some time ago for my own VictoriaMom website, I made the switch. I swtiched my MAC foundation for Sappho and my Dior mascara for 100% Pure. After a week my skin broke out terribly and then after that, it was the best it’s ever been. The foundation lasts longer and smells better than any I’ve ever used before and well the mascara smells like fruit and black tea, what more do you want! Make the change, it’s worth it.

What Happens in The Makehouse

When I first spoke to Jenny Ambrose from The Makehouse in Victoria. BC, I was so excited. I love crafting and dressmaking but never dare participate in either. I did a beginner’s dressmaking course once and held the whole class back and ended up with a pencil skirt that was longer on one side than the other (of course it was meant to be that way), but talking to Jenny made it a possibility again. Her approach is that it’s possible whatever the level and I mean come on, who doesn’t want to be able to make their own made to measure lingerie!

Here Jenny chats about what happens in The Makehouse (and no it doesn’t stay in The Makehouse), the chance to drop in and sew, her favourite dressmaking patterns and my favourite, the fashion upcycling class. If you need motivation to get back into sewing and dressmaking or are looking for a sewing buddy in a sewing lounge environment, then The Makehouse is for you!

So what happens in The Makehouse?

We offer workshops to teach you how to make all kinds of things including clothing, lingerie, homeware, kidswear and accessories. We supply the machines, equipment and materials for most of the projects, so you really just need to bring yourself! We are very beginner-friendly and will always have workshops for beginners each month and workshops that you can move on to when you are ready to experiment further!

And the history behind this little gem?

I spent over 5 years running my own small eco-fashion/ lingerie label in the UK, which evolved into a love for teaching when I started to offer workshops for ladies to learn how to make their own underwear. I was soon invited to teach at The Makery – a pioneering business offering creative workshops in the beautiful city of Bath in Somerset. I wound up making a very difficult decision to move back to Canada after spending 13 years in the UK. The most complete I felt in my professional life was during my time working with Kate and Nigel at the Makery. I vowed that when I got settled in Canada I would have a go at creating my own sewing studio and teach again. I never thought I would be doing it after just a year back in Canada, but I’m so excited that it’s all happening now! It seems that Victoria is ready for The Makehouse!

Are there other Makehouses in Canada?

There are other places that are offering sewing classes like Spool of Thread in Vancouver and I’ve heard of a cool place in Montreal. Though I don’t think either offers knicker workshops!

My sewing skills are little to none, will I feel out of place?

Not at all, we will always have workshops for total beginners. A big part of The Makehouse is to introduce sewing to people who have no experience, or those who haven’t touched a sewing machine for years!

I want to sew a specific project, can you help?

During the dressmaking classes, students will be working on a project of their choice, with guidance based on sewing levels. I’m also looking at running a Makehouse membership or punchcard idea for drop in sewing. I’m still working out logistics but should be ready to swing from October! I would like people to really enjoy the social aspect of working on their own projects with the company of others.

What classes can I expect to see over the next few months?

Beginner Sewing, Dressmaking, Knickers, Swimwear, Kidswear, Upcycling Fashion and we’re even talking to someone about offering a shoe making workshop down the line. Oh and Doggy Fashion! I know it’s wrong!

Fashion upcycling, I like it, what happens at this workshop?

Many of us have clothes sitting in our wardrobes that we never wear but can’t bring ourselves to give away as we love certain elements about them. Maybe you love the fabric, the colour but hate the sleeves, the shape or the hemline. During this workshop we look at each garment and discuss the options and figure out what the possibilities are for each piece. This could mean cutting off the sleeves and adding new ones, taking up the hems, simple alternations or more daring and creative changes that will breathe new life into an old garment. This workshop is designed for people with some sewing ability as there won’t be time to go through machine basics and threading so we recommend coming to one basic sewing workshop first. There will be a mixture of machine sewing and hand-sewing for each project.

Do you think the days of making your own clothes are behind us? What can we do to remedy this?

Not at all! I think that a lot of people have the desire to make their own clothes, but the task of learning and doing it often seems too daunting so people tend to put it off, and hide their sewing machines in a cupboard! I think that The Makehouse can be a part of the inspiration to get people doing things again. If you combine the social aspect as sewing is so often solitary, it helps to get people’s imagination and enthusiasm going as they feel like they are a part of something rather than working at home alone, trouble-shooting with a sometimes tempermental machine!

Do you have a favourite go-to pattern?

My tastes are always evolving so I get favourites for a period of a few months but that can change when I find something else new that I like!

A favourite era for fashion?

Definitely the 1950′s! I don’t know what it is about that era, but I just love the aesthetics! Although I wouldn’t want to have to eat the food from the 50′s every day!

If you could sit and sew with anyone, who would it be?

Dead – Would have to be Jacques Fath, one of the most influencial post-war designers from France famous for his plunging necklines and hourglass figures. He got to dress the likes of Rita Hayworth and I would love to have spent time as his sewing wench while he was alive! But alas!

Alive – Vivienne Westwood – to learn from but also for the incredible conversation and endless stories! She is such an icon and has evolved each and every year coming up with something new. That woman is AMAZING!

And because we just love used! What’s been your best ever used find?

I got a beautiful Elna sewing machine in a second hand store for $18.50 recently. The attachments were still in the bag – unused! It’s been an amazing machine and the same model is over $300 + in stores! It’s incredible what you can find in the second hand market place! No need to buy new for most things you might need!

Update from Jenny:

The Makehouse recently moved into it’s new home at 833 1/2 Fort Street [currently Maureen Patricia's bridal and evening wear studio]. We are so excited as we will be in such a beautiful studio with loads of extra elbow room! It also means we can take more students in each workshop and offer group bookings and parties!

Worth His Salt: Vancouver Island Salt Company

Voltaire said that business is the salt of life, but what if salt is life’s business? Here I talk to Andrew Shepherd, head of the Vancouver Island Salt Company, a company located in Cobble Hill, Vancouver Island that handcrafts over 20 different salts and distributes them to the tables of people like me and thee. Here I learn about the simple infusion process, how to cook with this incredible salt and how the blue cheese infusion can change my life, which I don’t doubt at all!

Artisan Salts?

Good question!  I’m actually thinking about dropping the “Artisan Salts” phrase. Recently I saw a bottled water truck boasting of it’s “Artisan Water”, so I’m thinking the term “Artisan” is being a touch over used.  For me “Artisan Salts” are hand crafted/harvested salts that are produced as a form of culinary art.

All different flavours?

It’s probably a little over the top, but I think we have over 20 different salts on offer. I guess this is where the salt becomes a true medium for culinary art. Salt is a remarkable thing in that it can  absorb flavour and color from pretty much anything it comes into contact with. I get bored easily so the infusions help keep me motivated. Also keeps my market tables fresh and interesting for market regulars.

So what would I choose?

Do you like blue cheese? If you do, the blue cheese infusion will change your life.  If you don’t  like blue cheese, our jerk infusion (flavoured with Vancouver Chef, Bounty’s authentic Jerk Sauce) is awesome.  If you don’t like jerk either, you’re boring and need to change the way you eat! Just kidding!  We have salts for all tastes, but these are my most unique infusions.

Can we know the infusion process, or is it a secret?

Super simple, we take wet, un-finished salt early in the harvesting process blend in the  flavouring agents (blue cheese, jerk sauce, garlic, paprika, etc) and then slowly dry it allowing the bond to take place.

I like your cooking suggestions. If this was my first artisan salt experience, what would you suggest I purchase and what should I go on to cook?

I always suggest that people have a crack at cooking with my straight up local Canadian Sea Salt first, it’s actually quite different cooking with it compared to the table salt so many of us were brought up with. A great application to test out the difference is in  bread making, my salt will eliminate that salt first taste that a lot of home bakers end up with.  But fair warning you will need to change up your recipes a bit because my salt is pretty strong.

What`s your personal favourite and what do you do with it?

Blue Cheese Infused.  I like to stick my fingers in it and then lick them, I also like to sprinkle it on popcorn.

How did you end up in the salt business?

I made some salt to show that it could be done, gave some away, people freaked out, four months later I’m self-employed.  Opportunity knocked, and I was home.

Having said that, I am a chef by trade, and I had spent the previous two years working for a small company developing and wholesaling gourmet foods, so the salt game was right up my alley.

Where can we go to buy some of this deliciousness?

**Attention valued clients, I can’t actually list you all in this interview**

All the Country Grocer and Fairway Markets on the Island, Cook Culture, Niagara Grocery, all the Red Barns, Ingredients, Community Farm Store, Edible Island, Edible Canada, Marche St George Capilano Trading Post.  So basically all over BC, and now we are branching into Alberta, and Ontario.

What’s next?

We are just finishing up a much needed expansion which should allow us to continue to spread our salty goodness throughout the rest of Canada. Whats really exciting is that our new production line is being converted to run on waste veg oil, so not only are we growing the biz, but we are greening up the salt co to pretty much unheard of ‘greenliness’.***

Basically I’m really proud of what myself and my little company have created in terms of having started the Canadain Sea Salt industry. So now I need to make sure that as copy cats jump into the salt game (which is already happening) we maintain a leadership role in the industry and that we keep the Canadian Sea Salt industry focused on high quality standards and sustainability both fiscally and environmentally.

*** I was thrilled to get a recent update to say that the conversion went well and the VISC is now producing salt with the assistance of reusable energy!!

Anything else we should know about VISC?

It’s not lost on VISC, that our success is and has been directly dependent on local support. While we are focusing on spreading out over our great country, the back bone of our biz is to supply local people with their local salt. And we are very thankful for every word of encouragement and every bit of support we have received here in BC and specifically on this great rock we call Vancouver island.

Omnivore Acres: Eat All, Eat Well, Eat Local

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, nothing tastes as good as food grown locally, carefully and with genuine passion and interest. Is it me or can you taste a happy vegetable? The more I write for this blog, and the more people I get to chat with, the more I realise just how easy it is to adapt to a sustainable and local eating habit. Here I interview Catherine Gowans from Omnivore Acres, a farm in Central Saanich (Victoria, BC) intent on providing healthy, happy and well raised chickens (for eggs and meat), pigs and veggies to its local community.

Farm life. Tell us about it.

Jim and I bought the farm in August 2008 after a tour of New Zealand. We made a commitment to buy a farm and grow food, raising meat for local market and exploring the local food community. We had enjoyed full careers and were ready to begin our “bucket list” of projects. Jim’s a livestock nutritionist by profession and I’m a Registered Nurse.

We named our farm “Omnivore Acres” having been inspired by Michale Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma

Our vision is “Growing Food and Creating Hospitality through Sustainable Agricultural Practices”

Shortly after moving into the farm house we realized that the major renovation we planned needed to be a rebuild. We planted our first garden in 2009 and began remediating the soil from dormant hay land. One of our first purchases was a manure spreader!

In 2010 we got our first flock of layers and began selling eggs from our farm gate. Our customers tell us our Omega 3, free range, veggie fed eggs are exceptional and it’s Jim’s knowledge and experience in the feed industry that has guided the diets we provide to all our animals.

In 2010 we began exploring ways to market our vegetables and started a small box program. Our program today has grown to 20 customers and runs for 18 weeks.

This year we have also raised 350 chickens on pasture for meat birds. These birds are veggie fed, range on grass and produce beautiful meat. In 2011 we added pigs to our brood.

The pigs! Yes! How is that going?

These pigs are enjoying life, free ranging on pasture, eating a vegetable diet and providing manure for the land. Right now, our pigs are all pre-sold. The pigs arrive in June 2011 as weaners from a nursery barn in Alberta. The pigs grow here with us until mid/end of September and are custom ordered and finished on a vegetable diet.

So what else do you have growing on your farm?

3/4 acre of vegetables, 350 meat birds, 399 laying hens, two Border Collies and sixteen pigs!  I handcraft custom pies for customers as well. Frozen and fresh.

And all these lovely nutritious homegrown goodies, how do we get our hands on them!

In 2011/2012 we’re vendors at the Downtown Victoria Farmer’s Market. You can also check on our Facebook page which I update regularly or call the farm 778-426-4477

And what about Thelma and Louise? Are you harbouring fugitives?!

Yes, they’re aptly named. When not given enough to do, they tend to look for mischief. Both dogs have their talents and jobs to do like good farm workers!

What been your favourite experience so far of life on the farm?

It’s hard to identify any one experience or event. Jim and I celebrated our wedding in 2010 on the farm with a pig roast and 130 friends and family. That stands out for sure.

The best part of living here is the lifestyle and the connection with the soil and all things growing. It is especially wonderful to share our bounty with likeminded folks who enjoy and respect seasonal eating, cooking and going a bit out of their way to establish a relationship with a farm.

Local support and the folks we have met through our venture to date has been very gratifying.

We are living a lifelong dream we both shared before meeting in 2005. I would say “never let go of your dreams.”

Lest it sound all romantic, farming is hard work, labour intensive and a business that has to make it on its own. We had a barn flood on Christmas Day, we have had pigs break out and need to be wrestled back and had neighbour cows visit our back yard. You have to laugh somedays.

But we have so much encouragement from our customers and have found notes and dog biscuits left in our egg box out front and veggie left overs delivered from a neighbor for our laying hens. We’ve had everything from firewood to trailers loaned to us to help keep our costs down as we develop our business.

What’s next for the farm?

Nothing at the moment, but stay tuned to our Facebook page.

If you were to prepare a dinner solely from the fruits of your labour, what would be on the table?

We enjoy this type of meal every night in the summer and frequently throughout the year. This past weekend as an example, we enjoyed a lovely roast chicken from our field, patty pan summer squash, red potatoes, green beans, roasted beets and greens and a blackberry pie!

And because we love used, what`s been your best used find?

Well, we sell more on UsedVictoria than we buy but of items I’ve purchased I would say dog kennels which we use to transport baby pigs have been our best purchase!

Omnivore Acres is located at 2888 Dooley Road, Victoria, 

Art in the Open: a Sneak Preview

Late last summer, for a single evening, downtown Charlottetown was transformed.

There were sounds you don’t normally hear and sights you don’t normally see: poems in the street and a human crow parade and magical TV towers. Charlottetown’s first-ever festival of public art showcased not only the creativity and theatrical flair of this little city, but also its green spaces and the charm and possibility of its varied urban landscapes.

It was Art in the Open: a hands-on discovery extravaganza.

And this coming Saturday, August 25th, from 4pm to midnight, all over historic downtown Charlottetown, it’s happening again. All over Victoria Park, Rochford Square, Connaught Square, Victoria Row, and the Confederation Centre, Art in the Open will be back for an entirely new collection of magic. There will be installations, performance art, theatre, dance, portable sculpture: a whole array of new transformations waiting to make Charlottetown come alive for another evening of experiential art.

And in the middle of it – ready for you to walk right in – will be the Wonderland Labyrinth, collaborative partnership of visual artists Lori Joy Smith and Catherine Miller.

Catherine and Lori both make beautiful, whimsical things. Long-time friends, they’ve joined creative forces for the first time with the creation of Wonderland Labyrinth: a world of soft marvelous creatures and wind-blown walls. And very stylish animals.

Scaled to big and small alike, Wonderland Labyrinth is a children’s fantasy made real: an exploratory space of touchable toadstools and magic rabbits, where tiny slugs smile up at you from fabric logs and even the rocks are adorably cute.

Large and small, EVERYthing is cute.

I got to visit the inhabitants of Wonderland Labyrinth and their creators and talk a little about Art in the Open and their inspiration for this year’s installation. Lori was busy wrapping a barbamama with genuine Island wool blanket ends from MacAusland’s Woolen Mills, while Catherine fixed a fluffy tail to a nattily dressed bunny.

1. Lori, how did you get involved in Art in the Open?

Catherine approached me with her idea of a labyrinth back in the spring. She wanted to build a large 60′ by 60′ fabric labyrinth filled with creatures and animals. I loved her idea and was really excited about the thought of a collaboration with her. Catherine’s work tends to be big and bold, where I like to work small and intimate. It’s been a great experience trying to blend the two. I feel we’ve done a great job.

2. You have indeed…all the critters are full of personality. What’s your most vivid memory of last year’s Art in the Open?

I think the bonfires in Victoria Park are my most vivid memory from last year. It’s hard to say tho, because it was such a magical night. It felt like everywhere you looked there was art and people. There were people riding story telling bikes, the crow parade, DIY t-shirt in the park… the cannons wrapped in blankets. It was great to see Charlottetown so alive.

3. What inspired you and Catherine to create your particular installation for this year’s show?

Catherine came up with the main idea, but it has grown and developed as we’ve worked on it together these past couple of months. We wanted to make it a Wonderland for kids. We’ve drawn inspiration from the books we loved as kids to create some of the characters, Beatrix Potter books, Wind in the Willows, Moomin books by Jove Hansen and the barbapapas, to name a few. It’s been fun working together on this and truly a collaboration. We worked on each piece together. Catherine did most of the sewing and I knit most of my pieces. We took turns sewing the almost 100 fabric panels though… that’s seriously a lot of fabric!

And it’s seriously a grand collaboration.

Even the garlic is cute.

Come on out, Charlottetown, on Saturday August 25th, and enjoy the magic of Wonderland Labyrinth and all of Art in the Open. Help the city – and this fabulous installation – come alive.

House Made: Bitters and Boozy Bites

House Made`s Principal, Janice Mansfield by Derek Ford Photography

This week I caught up with Janice Mansfield to chat with her about her housemade bitters, tiki syrups and other booze based treats. As Homer Simpson once said `To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.`

You’re a woman of many talents, a chef, a co founder of the wonderful event Breathe Now and creator of House Made, making cocktail bitters and other extraordinary delights. Tell us about House Made, the who what, when, where, why!

House Made is the side of me and my business that produces small batch,artisanal cocktail bitters. It really began a few years ago as I was trying to source unusual bitters to make cocktails with an finding a dearth of product here in Canada — entirely self-interested! As I began sharing samples of some of my latest batches of bitters, it turned out other people wanted to use them too! So I kind of fell into the whole thing.

What are the extraordinary delights?

I produce cocktail syrups under the House Made brand — syrups for tiki drinks such as Falernum (a spicy, ginger-ey, lim-ey syrup), ginger syrup, and cinnmamon syrup. also the real-deal Grenadine — made with lots of pomegranate and a touch of hibiscus flowers. I’ve also been venturing into the world of booz-ey marshmallows, using interesting bases such as Green Chartreuse, Campari and Fernet Branca (the Green Chartreuse marshmallows are AWESOME on top of tequila-spiked hot chocolate!)

How many bitters do you currently produce and what are your current flavours?

I currently have about 8 flavours of bitters in production, and continue to make seasonal flavours depending on what strikes my fancy at the greengrocers. The regular lineup includes: lavender, grapefruit, sundried tomato, chocolate, coffee, apricot, cherry and chai tea

I see that you make your bitters in a style similar to the late 1800s, can you elaborate?

Bitters back in the pre-prohibition era were common, and there were many variations available – originally as medicines and later incorporated into cocktails. Famous bartenders of the day, such as Jerry Thomas, would have their own signature concoctions brewing on their back bar, so they were often made in small batches, with high-proof alcohol as the base, and proprietary combinations of bitter herbs and flavourful ingredients. The magic behind these bitters lay in the proportions of the ingredients, and the time they spent macerating together. Its a pretty low-tech production method, but it works today just as well as it did 150 years ago.

Do you make custom bitters, should a person request it?

I have made one batch of custom bitters for Niagara grocery using their Mile 0 Coffee. If someone is interested, give me a shout!

Your cocktail recipes are divine. What’s your personal favourite?

Why thank you! this summer, I’ve been concocting a lot of tiki drinks at home. I’m particularly partial right now to a tiki drink I came with earlier this year using Fernet Branca called “the Misfits” — its looks all wrong, but the components just come together and balance each other perfectly!

Where can we purchase bitters and do you supply any local establishments?

People can purchase bitters directly from me, OR from Charelli’s Cheese shop on Foul Bay, or from Cascadia liquor stores

Where’s your favourite place to go for cocktails?

In Victoria — Clive’s Classic Lounge is one of my favourites! Great cocktails, great bartenders and servers with an awesome knowledge about the cocktail program! Shawn Soole has carved out a leading-edge cocktail program here in our little city!

If you could have a cocktail with absolutely anyone, who would it be?

I would love to sit down over drinks with Gary Regan and just shoot the breeze. He was one of the driving forces behind the cocktail rennaisance we are enjoying today, and produced one of the first Orange bitters back on the market after prohibition! A close second would be Ada Coleman – she was the head bartender at the Savoy Hotel bar in the early 1900′s and the creator of the Hanky Panky cocktail.

What’s your cocktail accompaniment, do you do nibbles?

For me, cocktails are usually a standalone affair, either before dinner or after! After a couple of cocktails though I do enjoy a nice plate of charcuterie or a healthy portion of poutine.

And what about buying used, what’s been your best ever find?

Almost all of my classic barware has been purchased used! To get the authentic stuff, you need to keep your eyes and ears open! My best score to date is a set of old decanters with hand painted cartoons of bar scenes – one labelled Scotch, one labelled Gin, and one labelled Rye.

Family Feedbag: Food Fervour Forever

Amy Bronee’s food blog Family Feedbag  is my favourite food blog. Actually it’s pretty much my favourite blog full stop. Why? Because it just seems so darn real. She’s a mom, she makes great food, she takes great pictures of said food and that’s pretty much it in a big fat giant nutshell of awesome. The recipes are wholesome and they’re nutritious, some of them I can follow no problem, others I think I’ll come back to but never do. There’s creativity mixed with traditional and every single recipe is developed in Amy’s kitchen in Victoria BC. And Amy sounds like quite the hoot and who doesn’t like a blogger with a sense of fun.

If you take a look at Amy’s website, you will see that I’m not the only fan, Amy is an award-winning blogger with accolades from The National Post, Become.com and Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution!

I put some questions to her recently, here are the results:

Okay Amy, open your main kitchen cupboard and tell me the first fourthings that you see!

White vinegar, tomato paste, honey and chocolate chips.

Imagine it’s a masterchef challenge, in fact Gordon Ramsey is breathing down your neck right now, what dish can you pull together from these ingredients and I’ll let you throw in one more ingredient for good measure!

I’d mix the vinegar, tomato paste and honey as a BBQ grilling sauce for chicken. The chocolate chips I’d obviously feed to Gordon to keep him sweet.

It’s a rainy day, what dish will you make today?

A rainy day is the perfect excuse to take my time in the kitchen. A beef and spinach lasagna sounds pretty nice.

It’s a blazing sunny day but you’ve got the itch to cook, what will you make?

A cold pasta salad with fresh garden tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs. Simple and satisfying.

Midnight feast?

Midnight?! If I’m up at midnight give me a cup of herbal tea and put me straight to bed because the kids will be up at dawn! Okay, maybe a slice of pizza too.

Picnic in the park?

Egg salad. To me it’s the quintessential picnic sandwich. Just don’t forget to add some chopped pickles to the mixture.

Romantic soirée?

I’ve always believed salmon served with a glass of red wine to be the most romantic meal. I mentioned that to my husband when we first started dating and I ate a lot of salmon for a while after that.

Getting the kids involved?

I like to get my kids involved when I’m making something with the stand mixer. They love watching ingredients whirl around in the big shiny bowl. My chewy peanut butter cookies are extra fun because you get to roll them in sugar before baking.

What was the motivation behind Family Feedbag?

I blog simply to share the fun I have in my kitchen. Feeding a family is a busy and important job, and it can be a wonderful creative outlet when you’re having fun with it.

Where do you go from here?

Who knows! The blog has already led to opportunities to teach cooking classes locally, it has received some flattering awards and served as program material for university students. And this fall I’m going on a trade mission to visit fruit orchards in Washington State. I’m always amazed by each opportunity that comes along through the blog and I’m excited to see what happens next!