My buddy Travis has been doing cool food stuff for ages, and you might recognize him from prior episodes about the Edmonton Organic Growers’ Guild or ice fishing. In fact, we were sitting on the ice catching whitefish when he mentioned his spring plans to do an intensive backyard greens operation for sale to market, restaurants, and door-to-door by bike. I knew … Read More
Episode 44 – Backyard Bees
As you may know already, I like to eat food. I therefore appreciate the work pollinators do. They are a highly necessary piece of the food supply puzzle, without which humans would be in some trouble. And they’re illegal where I live. Not that bees are illegal. They’re everywhere, doing their thing, buzzing about the city. But if you intentionally … Read More
Episode 43 – 1Hr Garden
The more I get identified as ‘that local food guy’, the more I entice objections, or rather, rationalizations to defend why folks choose not to eat ‘local’. First of all, it’s worth noting that the term ‘local’ is rather bad terminology. I am not seeking a 100 mile diet. I’m seeking food that’s good for my health, the planet, and … Read More
Episode 42 – Slow Food Edmonton
I’ve been involved with our local Slow Food convivium for a couple years now, and this year was an opportunity for Edmonton to play host to convivia leaders from across Canada, as well as delegates from Slow Food International for Slow Food Canada’s national meeting. What resulted was a rather epic adventure in food, as well as an unprecedented coming … Read More
Wild Asparagus
I’ve been looking forward to this for 9 months. Last August, while looking for mushrooms and saskatoons, I came across a patch of wild asparagus and since have been dreaming of a spring feed of asparagus I didn’t have to grow myself. That day has come. It’s worth noting that I am doubtful this is a native species of any kind, … Read More
My Food-onomics
My diet is probably the most localized of anybody I know. Some come close, but let’s use me as the example. If I’m Mr. 95+% local food diet guy, and local, good quality foods are by your definition the most expensive foods, I should then have the highest food cost of anybody I know. But the facts are, the opposite … Read More
Episode 39 – Backyard Hens, Part 3
As the urban hen debate in our city heats up, here’s another video featuring yet another urban hen keeper. Well, two hen keepers, in fact. The more I get buried in this issue, the more I realize how important it is. In our province at least, it has become about the right for people to produce their own food. That, … Read More
Episode 38 – Backyard Hens, Part 2
Just a couple days prior to going to shoot video of yet another nice person and their backyard chickens, this lady got a visit from a bylaw officer asking her to remove her birds or pay the $500 fine. Admittedly, I was relieved that they had paid her a visit before I did the video, otherwise I’d feel like it … Read More
Episode 36 – Backyard Hens, Part 1
Ever since my first visit to an urban backyard coop, I’ve been sold that backyard hens are a genius idea. From quality fresh egg supply to insect control, pet companionship to the ultimate supply of fertilization for the yard and garden, they make sense. Yet in many urban areas, bylaws restrict having poultry, full stop. In an effort to bring … Read More
Episode 33 – Doef’s Greenhouses
I’ve been wanting to shoot video in a local greenhouse for quite some time. I know, probably sounds odd coming from the guy who eats asparagus in May and June and abstains for the balance of the calendar year until they’re in season again. I may be an idealist most of the time, but I also have a realist streak … Read More