When I learned that I was accepted into Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Residency program, I was ecstatic. Sandor’s books on fermentation, “Wild Fermentation” and “The Art of Fermentation,” have been formative in my journey with fermented foods. So with great anticipation,
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is one of the earliest spring edibles that starts bolting up as soon as the snow melts. Now considered invasive in many parts of North America, this plant was actually brought over intentionally by early pioneers
Got fizz? Kombucha is a fermented drink made from sweetened tea that has been brewed using a macroscopic solid mass of microorganisms. It’s said to contain essential nutrients like probiotics, amino acids, antioxidants, polyphenols and active enzymes which have many
It’s that time of year again.
For me the holiday season is a mixed bag. I love the cozy reindeer clad sweaters, hot toddies, snow dusted pines, time with loved ones, holiday parties, cheesy Christmas specials (especially Canadian ones), glowing
The Bees Are Chillin!
Bears hibernate, birds
Bears hibernate, birds fly south, but what do the honey bees do in winter? This is a question we often get asked this time of year.
In late summer, the Queen begins laying special “winter” bees. Winter bees are physiologically
Hi everyone!
Well we are wrapping up what has been an incredibly busy summer of bees! This year we expanded to almost 30 hives which is more than double what we had last year – which means
Ah wood sorrel – it’s tangy flavor is deliciously refreshing on a hot humid day!
Wood Sorrel is commonly mistaken for a clover because it has three leaves. But unlike clover whose leaves are “ovalish,” wood sorrel’s leaves are heart
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
The Bees Are Alright!
It has been a long cold winter for the bees. Sadly, we suffered our first ever winter hive loss in more than 5 years of beekeeping. We went into winter with 14 strong hives and one
News
Summer is flying by and we’ve been busy as a bee!
Literally -we have gone from 1 bee yard with 3 hives to 3 yards and 14 hives! Our largest yard is located at the Just Food Farm in
I love seeing lawns and fields filled with dandelions. They bring such vibrancy after a long, dreary winter. And…they are an amazing spring food. In fact all parts of the versatile dandelion are edible – the flowers, stems, leaves, and
It looks like spring is finally here. I am looking forward to the smell of lilacs and linden blossoms, sitting in the park with my dogs, and not having to put on six layers to step outside. I can’t wait
‘Let your food be your medicine and your medicine, your food’ - Hippocrates
Kitchari is a simple dish made of rice, beans, and spices. It is a mainstay of Indian cuisine, often referred to as “soul food” for good reason
A lot of people think the word ‘organic’ is synonymous with expensive. And it’s true, a lot of organically grown food often does cost more, which doesn’t seem fair when you’re trying to invest in your health and care for
We have been following The Automatic Earth for several years now. We have enjoyed the privilege to organize several talks with the author, Nicole Foss, through Transition Ottawa Meet Up and hopefully more to come in the future so stay
If you’ve always been interested in herbs, but have no idea where to start, herbal nervines (herbs that affect the nervous system) are something that most people can use. After all, in this crazy world who doesn’t suffer from too
Ron makes the best damn popcorn outside of Sudbury where he surrenders that title to his mother, his popcorn mentor.
People often wonder how Ron and I do so much and still have energy. The answer is pretty simple: we
THIS! This article is absolutely brilliant!
With the new year just around the corner, our challenge for you this week is to read the article below.
This article very much defines what Radical Homestead is all about – what Corrie
Winter Solstice – a frosty afternoon, fresh thick blanket snow, and a long snowshoe in the deep woods with our husky. We return to our cozy cottage to gather around the woodstove and celebrate the darkest day of the year
A local journalism student and new friend of ours wrote this article for her class. She needed to write an article as an assignment on ‘lifestyles’ and chose to do it on us!
We first met Amanda through
One thing that I am going to take time to do this weekend is to go on a good snowshoe hike or cross-country ski near our cabin or Mer Blueu. I can’t wait to get some fresh air and sun,
It is long overdue but here it is. I’ve been meaning to send a thank you and an update on how the garden and other things have come along since some friends had come up to help out up at
I was thinking how for the next few blogs I would like to focus on easy things to make as gifts.
I am super-practical which is certainly a blessing, but also a curse because I rarely buy, make, or do
Fermenting foods can be intimidating. We have been saturated with the sanitize it, pasteurize it, bacteria-is-the-enemy mentality! But what we are finding out is that all this bacteria killing is making our immune system weaker and the bad bacteria stronger.
Pomegranate and fig balsamic…sounds delicious doesn’t it? It is.
There is pretty much nothing easier to make in the kitchen than infused vinegars. All you do is literally pour vinegar over fresh or dried herb, fruit, garlic, and other seasonings.
Dandelion coffee is something that I am adamant that everyone should try. It is surprisingly delicious and tastes a lot like real coffee when properly prepared. In fact, in the old days when coffee was expensive and hard to import,
This is actually a bunch of ‘projects’ in one. You can try one or all of them. I wish I had the time to do something like this for myself every week, but it is just not happening. Instead I
If you’ve even been to India, you know that chai tea is served everywhere. And for good reason, chai tea is known to increase circulation, reduce inflammation, boost your immune system, and much more. We drink this delicious chai tea
You can really let your imagination run wild when it comes to homemade granola. Making your own granola is easy, fast, and a lot cheaper than buying it at the grocery store.
Granola is a great way to start the
Beans, beans the musical food!! High in protein, high in fiber, high in antioxidants – there are just so many good things about beans. The downside? Beans can be highly gas-inducing which is why so many people shy away from
Difficulty level: *Super Easy
It’s honey harvest time! We’ve been super busy harvesting our local, organic honey and getting our bees ready for winter. We are happy to share that despite earthquakes, a tornado, and two bear attacks that our
Difficulty level: **Easy
Do you know that there is a house plant that you can grow all winter and eat?
When I learned that one could grow sweet potato vines indoors and eat the leaves I was
Difficulty Level: *Easy
Might as well face it, despite this September heat wave the cool weather is coming. So let’s get ready for the those cold weather sniffles. In this week’s post I’ll show you how to make an immune-boosting
The days are getting shorter, the weather cooler, and the kids are back to school. Although there is still plenty of the growing season to go, it is time to start harvesting the bounty, and bountiful it is.
In the
Difficulty Level: *Super Easy
So my dad was headed to the grocery store the other day and asked if I needed anything. I needed some ginger for a recipe so asked him to grab me some. This is what he
Difficulty Level: **Easy
This challenge is part of a Wild Weeds Series where you will learn about easy to identify medicinal and edible plants. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to 1) get out there and identify
Are you up to you ears in zucchini right now? Seriously, if you’ve ever grown zucchini you know that one plant is more than you need. They are the gift that keeps on giving.
There are a plethora of creative
People must roll their eyes when they hear I make my own salad dressing. I know, it sounds so boring, but homemade salad dressing is one of those ludicrously simple things you can make that goes a long way.
It
This is a game-changer. Honestly, I’ve known about and how to make homemade almond milk forever, but just kept putting off. It just seemed like too much hassle for something that I can easily purchase at the grocery store for
Difficultly level: *Super easy
Specialty stores might have you thinking that infused oils are all mystical and complicated, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Making infused oils yourself is super easy and a great DIY gift that you
Difficulty level: **Easy
Stop what you are doing, grab a bag and a pocket knife, and get on your bike. It’s summer, it’s hot, and it’s time for some delicious and refreshing Sumacaid!
I can almost guarantee that within a
Difficulty Level: *Super Easy
Fragrant, fresh homemade flavoured salts and peppers are a great condiment to many foods and super easy to make. Use them on salads, grilled veggies, french fries, roasted potatoes, your favourite barbequed foods or my favourite –
Difficulty level: **Easy
Yesterday was Canada Day. For my non-Canadian readers Canada Day, formerly Dominion Day, is Canada’s national day. So in celebration of Canada I ask you, what better way to appreciate this country than going on a hike
Difficulty level:*Super Easy
Alright so last week I started you off with a bit of a challenging challenge, so this week I am giving you something easier. Summer Solstice has just turned the corner which means summer is officially here!
We’ve all had rhubarb-strawberry pie or crumble, but have you ever had anything else with rhubarb? Unlikely. If so it was probably in some deserty fashion. So let’s try something really different – a delicious BBQ sauce that you can