At Home on the North Shore_Fall 2022_Vol-7 Issue 4

ON THE COVER:

Cori Bennett of Kings Head Garlic

PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

athomeonthenorthshore.ca

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Inside this issue

Cover Story

For the love of garlic

From clove to table, Kings Head Garlic is offering up something unique

At Home With...

10 Cedric Smiley

Sharing Viola Desmond’s legacy with the world

The Inside Story

16 A legacy of strong women

Antigonish jewellery store part of the community for 100 years

18 Our tangible past

It’s our history. It’s who we are

22 Historical exhumation

Historian Clyde Macdonald tells forgotten stories of Pictou County’s past

38 Cottage life off the grid Sisters build peaceful paradise in Toney River Entertainment

26 The deCoste Centre for Arts & Creativity

PHOTO BY PATRICIA WALLET

The fall 2022 line-up Special Feature

34 Atlantick top dogs of the North Shore

We asked our readers to share their best photos of their most beloved companion

Healthy At Home

44 Rogart Mountain

A trail above the rest

48 Medalling with my food

Tracy Stuart’s Autumn Bruschetta using fall tomatoes

Departments

7 Editor’s letter

9 Contributors

14 Off the wall

Restoring the saints at St. Ninian Cathedral

25 The library

Sarah Butland reviews Gary Blackwood’s The Devil to Pay

50 DIY – Cross stitch What’s old is new again

Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. Outstanding.

Kohltech’s relentless pursuit of innovation and commitment to creating high-performance windows and entrance systems has established the company as a proud Canadian industry leader

From customer service to warranty coverage to quality and environmental sustainability, Kohltech’s passion is to make your house feel like a home.

Here’s to 40 years of outstanding in all that we do. kohltech.com

LOVE AND LEGACY

There was never a shortage of pets in our house when I was growing up. Our parents were both animal lovers. I don’t think there was ever a time when there weren’t at least two dogs, more cats than I sometimes want to remember, and a backyard hen house for a while. We even had a few “show” rabbits that became a passionate hobby for my parents for a few years. I’m not sure how they fell into that one, but it was just another avenue of animal adoration for them to explore. It likely would have made more sense to live in the country, but my dad was a pharmacist, not a farmer. So, we lived on the main street of town just a short walk to his drug store and right across from a Catholic Church, where a few of our cats were known to visit during mass when the church doors were left open.

My parents’ love and innate duty for animal welfare was well known in our community. So much that our home also became the depot for strays and boxes of unwanted litters of kittens. Most of the time, my Mum was able to find homes for the abandoned critters. Looking back this was no small feat. You couldn’t just post a cute pic on social media and reach the masses. “Rescuing” dogs or cats was not a popular way to find a furry friend. Our home in many ways was the first location for the Pictou County SPCA. My Mum, Ann MacKinnon, and her neighbour, Nancy Cassidy, became the founding members of the local agency. I remember lots of bake sales, walk-a-thons and sessions of grant-writing before the SPCA building on Granton Road was built. It was my first taste of philanthropy and giving back to community. My Mum and Nancy eventually moved on from their official duties but their passion for animal welfare has been a constant.

I was thrilled when I learned a new and expanded SPCA was in the planning stages. There have been many compassionate individuals who have continued to volunteer their time and give voice to the unloved and unwanted four-legged members of our community.

This summer, we launched our first annual Top Dog of the North Shore photo contest. The pooches who were nominated by their people know what it’s like to be adored and to be the “Top Dog” of their own home. We had an amazing response to this contest and our team of At Home dog lovers are excited to share the results with you in our fall issue. Judging a photo contest for dogs is like being asked to judge a beautiful baby contest. All the doggies we were introduced to are perfect pooches. We narrowed down the finalists based on the quality of the photograph and picture composition and even that was ruff — sorry, I couldn’t resist.

editor’s LETTER

PHOTO BY NORTHOVER PHOTOGRAPHY

We are also pleased to announce that At Home on the North Shore will be making a donation to support building the new SPCA to honour the legacy of this amazing organization and its ongoing impact on animal welfare.

The idea of legacy is woven throughout the pages of this entire issue. We open the issue with a celebration of the legacy of Viola Desmond and meet Antigonish entrepreneur and activist Cedric Smiley (“Revolutionary Apparel,” page 10). Then we climb the scaffolding at St. Ninian Cathedral in Antigonish to learn about an important art restoration project (“Restoring the Saints,” page 14). We often celebrate new business in At Home but this time we are giving some love to a business that has been a local gem for 100 years (“A legacy of strong women,” page 16) and we welcome a new series of stories on the important work of preserving our historic properties (“Our tangible past,” page 18). And to continue with the history lesson, we meet up with retired Judge Clyde MacDonald, one of our most notable historians in our region, who continues to tell forgotten stories with his latest book that will be published this fall (“Historical exhumation,” page 22).

While so many of our stories reflect our past, we also welcome the new season with a trip to Kings Head Garlic. This fall, friends and farm co-operators Cory Bennett and Jo-Anne Russell will harvest a bumper crop of more than 18,000 bulbs of garlic (“For the love of garlic,” page 28). And it wouldn’t be an issue of At Home without a tour of another magical property, (“Cottage life off the grid,” page 38).

It has been a glorious summer, but now it’s time to welcome the most sweet and savoury season of the year. It’s time to fall in love all over again.

EXHIBITION CENTRE

Harvest Greetsthe Holidays

think

are the

then

this fall. Festive

face-to-face,

SARAH BUTLAND is always ready for a mysterious tale, puzzles to solve and investigative work to distract her. Gary Blackwood has provided all three with his intriguing characters, fast plot and touch of history in Devil to Pay. A heart-pumping read and grand excuse to escape from social events.

TRACY STUART trained as a whole foods chef and also holds a Master of Science, Bachelor of Physical Education; she is a two-time World Champion and Olympic Bronze Medallist in rowing. In this issue, Tracy shares her tips on how to take the green tomatoes that are racing against the frost, and turn them into juicy red bruschetta well into the fall season.

SHELLEY CAMERONMcCARRON is a freelance writer with more than 20 years experience. One of the things she likes most about her job is speaking with people and learning about their passion projects.

JOHN SOOSAAR has spent more than 40 years as a journalist with The Canadian Press as political reporter, and in television with the Atlantic Television System (now CTV) and with CBC Newsworld. He produced a series of videos on the lives of the Mi’kmaq for the NS Office of Aboriginal Affairs, and won the Premier’s Award of Excellence for producing a three-part series entitled Wabanaki: People of the Dawn

TRISH JOUDREY

There isn’t a better time than the cool autumn days to enjoy Nova Scotia’s trails. In this issue, Trish explores the well maintained, historic and versatile Rogart Mountain trail on the North Shore. When her hiking boots are put away, she writes, plays the piano, and reads stories to her granddaughter. trishjoudreytravels.com

BRUCE MURRAY has been creating food and lifestyle photography for more than 20 years in the Maritimes and in his original studio in Vancouver. visionfire.ca @VisionFire

LORI McKAY, associate editor, has been working as a magazine and newspaper editor/writer for more than 20 years. She has an MFA in creative nonfiction and a journalism degree from the University of King’s College. She lives in Dartmouth but spends much of her summer at her family’s cottage in Pictou County. In this issue, Lori writes about a lovely “off the grid” cottage in Toney River.

NICOLE LEBLANC is a communications professional, a passionate community volunteer, and current town councillor who loves DIY. She lives in Trenton with her husband and beloved dog—and when she’s not getting crafty, she can be found exploring Nova Scotia, meeting new people, and being involved in projects that make our communities better.

MELANIE MOSHER is the author of three books for young readers. Fall is her favourite season, bringing cooler nights and glorious autumn colours. It also marks the beginning of a new year for students and a not-so-new time for Cameron’s Jewellery in Antigonish. Learn more about this family run business and their 100 years of success in her article.

melaniemosher.com

JANET WHITMAN, contributing editor, is a city- and nature-loving journalist who divides her time between Halifax and her cottage on the Northumberland Shore. She’s happiest digging in the dirt, picking up a hammer or messing around in the kitchen.

STEVE SMITH Fall 2022 has arrived and gosh I do love this cover. This was a grab shot as I was packing up my gear, literally the last photo I took at the farm. Sometimes cover shots kind of sneak up on you. I’d like to dedicate this issue to my father, who passed away in late August. He loved hearing or telling a great story, and meeting new people that were then counted as friends. It’s exactly what we do here with this magazine. Enjoy.

DENISE FLINT has been a freelance journalist for more than 20 years. She has lived in many different places and last fall she left her cedar shack overlooking the ocean in Newfoundland for an ancient farmhouse on a river in Nova Scotia.

BRIANA CORR SCOTT is an illustrator and author who lives in an old house in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She makes art celebrating the beauty of the natural world by creating gouache illustrations, paper doll kits and picture books.

brianacorrscott.com

PHOTO: STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

BY SHELLEY CAMERON-McCARRON

onary

Ever since Cedric Smiley heard the story of Viola Desmond — the Black businesswoman who challenged racial segregation in 1940s Nova Scotia by refusing to leave the whites-only section of a New Glasgow, N.S. movie theatre — the Antigonish resident knew he wanted to do something to continue her legacy.

“Upon hearing, I felt privy to a jewel of knowledge, the kind of knowledge that should be shared with the world. This is important,” says Smiley, who with his wife Syna (Reddick) Smiley, started Revolutionary Apparel in 2019.

The concept behind the business stemmed from wanting to further share Desmond’s story.

The T-shirt is designed with

that

SANDI

In 2018, Desmond became the first Canadian-born woman to appear alone on a Canadian bank note, the $10 bill, and Smiley’s idea was to sell T-shirts that come with an actual $10 bill featuring the image of the civil rights pioneer. They’ve designed a space on the front of the shirt, a sleeve that holds the bill, along with information on Desmond, which can be taken out when you want to wash the clothes.

“The shirt is truly ‘note’-worthy,” jokes Smiley as he explains the concept. “It’s the shirt it pays you to buy.”

More importantly, he says, by having the bill on the shirt, he hopes it prompts conversation and people to ask more about Desmond.

“The uniqueness and impact of Viola is what we think is so revolutionary,” says Smiley, who’s originally from the U.S. and married to an Antigonish native. “We found the new Viola Desmond $10 bill empowering and something that should be promoted.”

Cedric Smiley and family.

on the North Shore

As an American, he hadn’t heard of Desmond, and was surprised to learn her story happened almost a decade before U.S. activist Rosa Parks (whom he met at one time) refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Smileys launched Revolutionary Apparel in 2019. They sold their initial run of T-shirts at the Antigonish Farmers’ Market and showcased their project at an event at the Halifax Airport. They received local media attention and were gaining traction. Then the pandemic hit.

“When COVID came, we locked down and didn’t do anything,” says Smiley.

Just this year, the duo decided to restart the business.

They started reprinting T-shirts and added a few new products. They participated in the Juneteenth celebration on the Halifax waterfront and are looking forward to other upcoming events and having the T-shirts available for sale. Smiley says

they are making some inroads about potential partnerships.

They are also working to tweak their online presence, including their Facebook page and revisiting their business model.

When Smiley had a chance to meet Wanda Robson, Viola Desmond’s sister, he told her about his idea. “She said, ‘I think that’s a great idea.’”

The T-shirts are available with two separate slogans, “Not just Black history, world history” and “Not just on the map, on the money.”

It’s about empowerment, says Smiley, whose retail background stretches back to his early 20s, when he operated his first T-shirt and novelty shop in Tempe, AZ. It’s a concept he feels should be embraced by Black people and white people alike, and a chance for more people to learn this history.

Why this story? What resonated so much about Viola Desmond?

“The fact it was a story that wasn’t told,” says Smiley. “It wasn’t known.

It’s culturally impactful. Canada has this image of nice guys and all that good stuff, and it’s nice enough, but you’ve got your own issues.”

When Syna came up with the name, Revolutionary Apparel, it struck him as perfect. It’s revolutionary in many ways — in Desmond’s story, but also that a Black man from Phoenix, Arizona is doing this. He says if he can do this, anyone can.

Even if people don’t wear the money in the T-shirt, he hopes they will still tell someone the story.

“If we don’t embrace this $10 bill, it will come and go, like her legacy,” he says. “Let’s embrace this money.”

Smiley tells a story of a local teacher, a repeat customer, who has bought a few T-shirts to give to students to inspire them. “It put me in the frame of mind; I’m hitting the right market. I see this as a teaching tool.”

He wants to give back to the kids, he says.

The consciousness is also a crossover. “Everybody can get it.”

OFF the WALL

Restoring

BY SHELLEY CAMERON-MCCARRON

To save the saints, you must go high — 40 feet up, that is. That’s where I find head art conservator Michelle Gallinger, working with conservator Dr. Ruth Del Fresno-Guillem in the scaffolding, near the ceiling of St. Ninian Cathedral, a grand stone edifice holding pride of place in the university town of Antigonish, N.S. Gallinger and her three-to-four-person crew have been painstakingly restoring a national treasure: 119-year-old, larger-than-life wall murals by Quebec artist Ozias Leduc, known as the “Michelangelo of Canada.”

Leduc, designated a person of National Historical Significance, spent two years from 1901 to 1903 crafting artwork inside the Catholic church, which was built in 1874. It is the only place of worship he painted in Atlantic Canada.

The work is rare; fewer than five of Leduc’s interiors have survived. At St. Ninian, his brush strokes and airy vision are in peril, obscured underneath years of renovations — specifically seven layers of peeling paint that’s flaking off the walls, taking the original artwork with it.

Gallinger says it’s been a race with time to save them.

The conservators have been working since 2015 to restore 14 saints in the cathedral’s main nave — the 12 apostles, St. John the Baptist and St. Cecilia — and two angels over the sanctuary. All funding has come from private sources.

“It’s so exciting,” says Gallinger as we sit in pews near a before-and-after poster depicting the transformation of St. Matthew, one of 11 now-restored saints. The final three were expected to be complete by the end of August.

“They all looked very sad, dead and floating in a sea of flaking paint,” says the Dartmouth, N.S.-based Gallinger.

Parts of the paintings were covered over in 1937 with the first renovation of the cathedral, and again, more seriously, in 1957. “They just looked so sad as these little white figures. We called them the floating saints.”

Additionally, the interior paint of the cathedral was already in bad shape, and something had to be done, says Ernst Schuegraf, head of St. Ninian’s restoration committee.

St. Ninian conducted a preliminary investigation in the late 1990s, bringing in experts from the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), who

How St. Ninian Cathedral is bringing art, history, 14 saints and two angels back to life

Head art conservator Michelle Gallinger

Conservator Dr. Ruth Del Fresno-Guillem at work.

Restoring the saints

PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

declared the paintings recoverable.

While some leaned toward painting over the interior at less cost, the parish as a whole decided to pursue restoration, to preserve Leduc.

St. Cecilia, in the choir loft, was the first saint restored back in 2015, thanks to a private donation. The project provided a cost and time baseline (depending on condition, a saint can take 12 weeks to restore and cost $40-$50,000 including scaffolding expenses) and showed dramatic transformation.

Part of St. Cecilia’s hair had been missing, her colours were unattractive and she didn’t look natural. When restored? “She was wonderful,” says Gallinger, who says it was gratifying to bring her back to life. “Particularly her hands and feet, to get those beautiful lines back. She was lovely.”

St. Cecilia’s original architectural niche was uncovered, revealing the garden she appears to be stepping out from.

Leduc was all about light, says Gallinger, and with the saints, he was imitating traditional fresco paintings, even though the paintings are oil rather than fresco. She believes Leduc wanted a traditional European feel, to have an

airiness that most churches in Canada don’t have.

For Gallinger, beauty and serenity are inherent in each saint. “Right now, it’s like they’re coming in to join us from their own respective gardens. Each have their own landscape. It’s like they’re joining us right now, saying ‘we’re here for you.’”

One of the reasons Schuegraf became interested is because of his historic home.

“I come from a city in Germany, Bamburg, which is thousands of years old,” says Schuegraf. “The house I grew up in dates to 1382. You have respect for the older stuff. If you don’t preserve at 100 years, you don’t have at 500 years.”

Schuegraf says the project really captured attention two years ago when the angels in front of the sanctuary were restored. The saints, high along side walls, aren’t in immediate line of sight, but the angels are.

“They really hit when you go in there,” he says.

Restoration is a laborious process, with conservators working nine-hour days atop scaffolding, often in hot conditions. Summer’s heat helps make the paint more pliable. They must carefully glue all

curling flakes of paint down before they can even start the process, an elaborate mix of steaming, gluing, cleaning, restoring and tacking.

Gallinger says it’s wonderful to be involved. “Not everyone gets to have their hands on and restore a national treasure artist’s work.”

And still there is work to do as the saints aren’t the only part of Leduc’s art at St. Ninian. What happens next depends on funding.

Schuegraf says some of Leduc’s most significant work is hidden in the main nave ceiling, some completely overpainted with blue paint, including, Gallinger says, an original with two massive angels that haven’t been seen since 1937. The Stations of the Cross are also Leduc, painted in his Quebec studio, put on linen and transferred here. They need to be cleaned and frames covering parts of the painting removed.

For now, as St. Ninian approaches its 150th anniversary in 2024, they’re thankful to be saving the saints.

Schuegraf invites all interested to come in to look, and of course, they’re happy to take donations.

Dr. Ruth Del Fresno-Guillem, assistant Marah James and Michelle Gallinger.

A legacy of strong women

BY MELANIE MOSHER

PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

Antigonish jewellery store part of the community for 100 years

Cameron’s Jewellery Ltd. continues to sparkle 100 years after making its debut in Antigonish in 1922. Its success can be credited to quality products, good service and strong, hardworking women.

The shop is currently owned by the Hawley sisters: Patricia, Brenda, Carmen and Sheila. They all work there in some capacity, but it’s Brenda who is affectionately considered the historian and spent 20 years — more, if you consider her early teenage years — working among the glitter and the gold.

“I started working for my father at 13,” recalls Brenda. “He’d give me $10 out of his pocket once a week. That was my pay.

“[The store is] our life blood. It’s who we are. It’s been with us since before we were born. We always had it and it’s something we took great pride in.”

Before these four ladies, there were other remarkable women who played key roles in Cameron’s success.

Zina Cameron began working at Monahan Jewellery in 1926 for the owner, Fred Monahan.

“She was a woman ahead of her time,” says Brenda. She was bright, active in sports and her community.

Cameron captained the Antigonish Ice Sickles, a local woman’s hockey team, long before it was socially acceptable for ladies to play the sport. An article in the Feb. 12, 1920 issue of The Casket describes Cameron as “a neat stick handler and a wicked shot.” On the ice was not the only place Cameron’s skills would shine.

Born in Antigonish in 1899, Cameron attended the Bowman School of Watchmaking in Philadelphia and the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto. When the original proprietor of the jewellery store died, she bought the business and changed the name to Cameron’s Jewellery.

As the business continued to grow, Cameron hired two Second World War veterans, Joe MacPherson and Cyril Hawley. In 1942, Cameron designed

“She designed it and outsourced the work to have it made,” says Brenda.

“The original company still makes the ring. Not the same employees, but it’s been passed down from generation to generation.”

The ring is a prominent part of the retailer’s success, but only part of the story.

Patricia and Sheila Hawley.

When Cameron retired, she sold the store to MacPherson and Hawley.

“They worked side by side and ran the business,” recounts Brenda.

MacPherson died in 1969, making Brenda’s father, Cyril Hawley, the sole owner. Cyril passed away in 1976, leaving the business to his widow, Aloma Hawley.

“My mother came in not knowing anything, really,” explains Brenda. “She had four children at home who needed to be looked after. She really stepped up.”

She goes on to say her mother made some wise choices over the years. She gives her credit for keeping Cameron’s in business. Learning as she went, Aloma maintained the dedication Cameron had established.

“I went to Toronto and took a watch making course and came back and joined her in the store,” says Brenda. “I started working full time in ’79 or ’80. I’ve been here awhile.”

Brenda worked alongside her mother for 20 years before moving to Halifax to become a teacher, but she always kept in touch with the company.

Business continued to sparkle and shine. “In the 70s, 80s and 90s, it was quite busy. I remember delivering wedding gifts to people. It was considered a big thing to get a gift from Cameron’s.”

As part of their customer service, presents were hand delivered on the day of the ceremony.

A strong work ethic and attention to detail have been constant for a century, although the store has been updated and relocated.

“When I was a child, it was on the corner of Main and College, where an insurance company is now,” Brenda says. “Then we moved to a lower basement on College Street, then in 1981, back to Main Street.”

They completely renovated in 2011 to “freshen it up.” The current store features a chandelier that pays tribute to the famous university ring and a few pieces from the past. An oak cabinet, the safe and the work bench where Cyril Hawley once worked, are all from the original store. “My father’s work bench is the bench I work on when I’m repairing watches,” says Brenda.

When their mother died, the four sisters became co-owners. And all continue to participate in some capacity, adding to the list of women involved in Cameron’s. This is an important aspect of their longevity. “The thing that really stands out for me is the staff,” says Brenda. “We’ve always had women. It’s nice to see good strong women in a business that has lasted 100 years and was begun by a woman who was ahead of her time.”

Pride in ownership and gratitude for their clientele and staff have attributed to the success of Cameron’s.

“I’m thankful for having had such a wonderful staff,” says Brenda. “We’ve had dedicated people who feel the same way about the store as we do.”

Cameron’s is more than a store selling sparkly jewels. It’s a family of hard workers ready to serve their clients and community. Cameron’s Jewellery is a true gem.

Hair

we are growing

Our tangible past

Built heritage. It’s a term that gets bandied around when people talk about our collective history.

in 19th and 20th century Nova Scotia. It’s also a beautiful building.

BY DENISE FLINT ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRIANA CORR SCOTT

But what does it mean? Obviously, it’s something constructed. Probably sometime in the past. The term suggests it has some relevance to our culture. But after that? What counts?

Public buildings obviously qualify. A prime example would be the Truro municipal library. This iconic example of Second Empire style was once the teacher’s college and is integrally related to the development of public education

What about houses of historical significance? Most likely. Think of Willow House. Currently an inn, the New England Colonial-style home was built in 1840 for Pictou’s first mayor. The Chapman House in Amherst was built in 1774 and the two-storey brick manor house made of marsh clay is still owned by the builder’s descendants. They both qualify.

But how about cemeteries? Dykes? Lamp posts? Parks? The answer is yes to all those things. If you can touch it — as opposed

It’s our history. It’s who we are

to intangible heritage, like music or even a dish associated with a particular region — it can be designated as built heritage.

And if something that has been built is of historic interest, then it can be officially registered as such.

There are three levels of heritage designation: municipal, provincial and federal. To get a building listed, people generally start at the municipal level. That’s the easiest place to get listed and if something is of provincial or national importance, it stands to reason that it must be of local significance as well. But the opposite isn’t necessarily true. The building in question might, for example, have been the home of the community’s first doctor or a beloved teacher. That historical connection has no real value beyond the local area, but it still makes the house culturally significant enough to have a local designation. If that doctor or teacher went on to become a premier, though, it would then have provincial significance as well; and if he or she then became a famous inventor or war hero, the building has national importance.

The Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia has been around since 1959. Its mandate is to “promote, foster and encourage interest in and preservation of buildings and sites of an historic, architectural and cultural nature within Nova Scotia.”

According to executive director Emma Lang, build heritage consists of “the things built by humans that make our communities what they are.” A building can be significant for a variety of reasons well beyond just being old (although being old helps; generally speaking, a building should have been around for at least 50 years). Those reasons can include the building’s original purpose, the kind of construction, who once lived there or its importance to the community. It sounds contradictory, but a building can be designated of historical significance because of its unique architecture, or it can be registered because it represents a very typical vernacular style that defined a

particular era. So, a one-of-a-kind place like St. Ninian Cathedral in Antigonish, a stone edifice built between 1867 and 1874 and featuring murals created by Ozias Leduc in the early 1900s, counts. But so can a typical barn from the 1800s, even though no one may have recognized it as significant at the time.

“We have an inventory of 150 buildings,” says Leslie Childs of the Amherst Area Heritage Trust. “Not all are grand gorgeous

houses. There are lots of typical workers’ houses still in town as strong as when they were built.”

Of course, in any given area there are hundreds of buildings that are not registered, which makes it difficult to create any kind of inventory of heritage buildings. The reasons for this vary. Some people are afraid to pursue heritage designation because they think it will limit what they’re allowed to do with their

Scotia’s longest operating and largest winery!

Come taste, tour and explore

own property. They worry they’ll be constrained to paint it a particular colour or won’t be able to do renovations to suit their own tastes. Generally speaking, though, this isn’t a problem.

“No one says you have to live in the 19th century just because you have an older building,” says Lang. “Nothing says you can’t get a new stove or update your HVAC.”

People who live in heritage buildings are expected to maintain its heritage value, but the chances are they would do that anyway. Otherwise, they’d be living in a modern house. And when push comes to shove, they can’t really be stopped from doing what they like with their own property. They can only be delayed.

Insurance can sometimes be a problem. Insurance companies base their prices

on replacement costs. When a building has irreplaceable components — think hand-carved stone imported from Scotland or 16-inch-thick hickory beams — prices can skyrocket. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, and Lang says the federal organization, of which the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia is a member, is working on getting the rules rationalized.

The reasons for registering a building can be both concrete and intangible. For example, there are grants available under the Heritage Development Fund for both conservation work and conservation advice, as well as provincial tax rebates. But there is also the internal reward that comes with acknowledging the worth of a building and the community in which it stands. Registering a building shows that the owner thinks it’s something worth preserving.

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“It shows the community, young people and tourists that we value history. It’s a public way to acknowledge that we value them [old buildings] and the more buildings registered the more we can lobby to government to show we think they are of value,” says Lang.

John Blackwell lives in a heritage house in Pictou. The retired professor and chair of the Pictou Heritage Advisory Committee says, “We must respect old buildings that have managed to survive. They’re like people. They’re survivors and part of who we are.”

That survival often includes applying the three Rs to a building. Lang calls it “adaptive reuse.” Instead of tearing a building down, make it serve the community instead. The train stations that dot the region are a prime example. The station in Amherst is a pizza joint;

in Pugwash it houses the library; the Tatamagouche station has been converted to an inn and restaurant; and in Pictou and Antigonish the stations serve as a community centre and museum respectively.

Such an approach also yields an environmental benefit. New materials aren’t being manufactured and old ones aren’t ending up in the landfill.

We lose untold numbers of heritage buildings every year. Yet, they are what tie us to our community and show the rest of the world who we are. Built heritage is not just why people visit Paris or other large cities that have world renowned monuments. It’s also why people spend a day or a week meandering down the Sunrise Trail.

It’s our history. It’s who we are. And it’s what makes us a community.

that

No matter where you live in Nova Scotia - or how long you’ve lived here -we can all be proud to call this province home. We have a lot to be proud of - our food, our culture, our vibrant communities, our people. Everything we need is right here.

Colchester North Local Product, Local Businesses

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Ebbett ’s Meadow Brook Farm Market

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Jamieson’s General Store Pork Shop (Denmark)

Tatamagouche Brewery

in Colchester

in the

Tatamagouche Farmer’s Market

Tatamagouche Ice Creamery

Historical

BY JOHN SOOSAAR | PHOTOS BY BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

Over the last 20 years, Clyde Macdonald has uncovered and documented a treasure trove of historic information about his fellow Pictonians — their lives, crimes and achievements. Many of these untold stories would never have been revealed had it not been for his insatiable interest in history.

Lawyer and former provincial court judge, Macdonald will publish his 19th book in October, and he is already thinking of his next project.

And judging by the reception for his past work, Pictonians — as well as people from all across North America who trace their ancestry to Pictou County — can hardly wait.

“In the year 2022, there still exists a genuine interest in the diverse Pictou County history, generated from all walks of life and diverse cultures that is ready to be revived, brought to life and recorded by journalists, story tellers and writers,” he says.

With titles like Notable Pictonians (2003), More Notable Pictonians (2004), Murder Cases in Pictou County 1811-1950 (2006), Innocent until Proven Guilty, Pictou County Court Cases (2009), Crimes, Trials, Duels, Accidents (2016) and Pictonians at War (2020), Macdonald has been able to ferret out information on long-forgotten criminal cases, war heroes, athletes, artisans and other notables over the centuries. His books are dense with information, often supplemented with rare photographs, some donated by aged relatives of the subjects of his stories.

Each book acknowledges by name the assistance provided him by individuals through research assistance, information and photographs.

Macdonald attributes the strong personalities of early Pictonians, many of whom came from Scotland, to religion, education and a sound work ethic.

“This was the springboard that transformed the achievements of the descendants of these settlers into the rich history of Pictou County,” he says.

Another Pictou County historian, James M. Cameron, wrote in the preface of his 1994 book Yesteryears in Pictou County, that his only regret was that “Pictou County’s recorded history is merely a ripple in a large lake.”

Cameron wrote 15 books and 11 historical booklets.

After 21 years of practising law in New Glasgow, until his appointment as a judge of the Provincial Court in 1990, Macdonald finally felt he had the time to research some of his favourite subjects. He started with the history of the village of Sunny Brae, where he was born in 1942 and lived for his first 18 years. He wrote stories of the veterans from the village in two world wars and the artisans in stone of Pictou County.

The book Faithful Services in WW1 and WW II, Veterans of Sunny Brae covers the war records and lives of more than 100 soldiers and nurses. He managed to get photographs of almost all the veterans from their relatives and credits his daughter Meghan Macdonald in Indiana with helping with the research.

This was followed by the 400-page Sunny Brae, a Village Since 1802, covering almost every aspect of life in the village over more than 200 years.

In 2000, when he was ready to publish his first book, Artisans in Stone of Pictou County, he was a sitting judge and thought it best to ask the chief

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judge of the provincial court, Pat Curran, if his position as a judge posed a conflict.

“It’s all right as long as you don’t make money from it,” was the answer.

Macdonald donated $10,000 from the sale of the books to the Pictou County Historical Society, and they published Artisans in Stone of Pictou County. All the funds from the sale of his books go to charitable institutions.

The first book launch revealed the depth of public interest in local history.

Frank Calder of Springville, Pictou County, who had recently published a history of that village, told Macdonald he shouldn’t expect any more than 25 people at the book launch. Macdonald knew that more than 25 members of his own family and relatives would attend so he prepared a light lunch and drinks for 75 people.

A lifestyle communityA lifestyle community

But it was standing room only when 150 people turned up at the Museum of Industry in Stellarton, many curious after reading a newspaper interview with the author and receiving invitation cards sent to “individuals who read books.”

The following launches usually attracted upwards of 250 people and the first three books sold for $12 each because Macdonald wanted to make them accessible to everyone.

The light lunches became popular, perhaps because Macdonald made it known that “if you don’t read books, come for the lunch.”

To reach ever wider readership, Macdonald’s books also deal with historical events outside the county, including the trial of Joseph Howe, publisher of The Novascotian, who was charged with criminal libel in Halifax and successfully defended himself in the Nova Scotia legislature and struck a blow for press freedom. More recently, he investigated the 1946 case of Black beautician Viola Desmond who was dragged out of the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow and charged by police for refusing to move from the whites-only section of the theatre.

In 2009, he published a book entitled Innocent until Proven Guilty: Pictou County Court Cases, which contains a chapter on the Desmond case. Macdonald stated publicly that Desmond should be granted a pardon. When a representative from the Nova Scotia justice department asked him for any authority he could cite on pardons, he provided information on a Pictou County case in which a man sentenced to hang for murder was pardoned by King George III during his 50th Jubilee in 1810-11, when convicted criminals in the British territories could apply for a pardon. The man was pardoned, but six months later drowned in Saint John.

On April 15, 2010, then Lt.-Gov. Mayann Francis, invoked the Royal Prerogative (on the advice of premier Darrell Dexter) and granted a posthumous free pardon to Viola Desmond.

Some of Macdonald’s stories go further afield, as in “The Duel that Stunned a Nation.” Here he describes the duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton in 1804, in which Burr, then vice-president of the United States, killed Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury. The next chapter, entitled “An Affair of Honour: The Last Fatal Duel Fought in Nova Scotia” describes a duel between Halifax merchant and auctioneer William Bowie and Halifax attorney Richard John Uniacke, Jr., in 1808 in which Bowie was fatally injured.

Macdonald’s interest in historical events in Pictou County began in 1968, when as a graduate of the University of New Brunswick law school, he was completing his articling at the Halifax law firm of Stewart, MacKeen and Covert.

Clients of the firm had purchased the Henry House on Barrington Street, renovated it and opened it as a restaurant.

The Henry House was known for its association with William Alexander Henry, a father of Confederation, co-author of the British North America Act and the first Nova Scotian to serve as a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Macdonald was asked to go to the Registry of Deeds and search the land records to determine if Henry ever held title to the property. There were no land transactions on record to show that Henry ever owned the Henry House and lands. The next year, the Henry House was designated a National Historic Site.

That began what became a life-long interest in what can only be described as historical exhumation.

THE LIBRARY

Historical fiction with themes still relevant today

A REVIEW BY SARAH BUTLAND

Athought-provoking, spell binding adventure ride filled with characters who quickly stole my heart. I am hesitant to admit it, but The Devil to Pay is the first Gary Blackwood novel I have read. This Tatamagouche author has a way with words, which had my heart racing and my fingers turning the pages quickly.

The story is told in the voice of the protagonist, Simon, who weaves together mystery, code-breaking and a cast of characters who all play important roles in the story development. It takes place on a university campus in the late 1960s, an era and environment ripe with protests against war and for free love.

With an homage to karate, a history of self-defence and staying true to yourself, the storyline was finely knit with flashbacks and foreshadowing.

It’s clear the author has done his research and has captured a moment in time, with references to the effects of Agent Orange, cracking codes, the twisted humour of Mad Magazine, and the conflict of money over justice. It’s historical fiction with themes that are still relevant today.

love FOR THE OF

garlic

BY JANET WHITMAN

PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

Foodie friends Jo-Anne Russell and Cori Bennett got into the garlic-growing business on a bit of a whim. Bennett was close to retiring from her lab job at the Aberdeen Hospital and Russell, a seamstress and occasional caterer, had acres of unused farmland on the family homestead at Kings Head overlooking the Northumberland Strait. They were both looking for something new and fun to do. Bennett came up with garlic.

Why garlic and not, say, turnip?

“Cori said there was nothing to it,” recalls Russell. That hasn’t turned out to be the case.

But with the help of their tractor-driving and weed-pulling husbands and other family members and friends, the business, Kings Head Garlic, is thriving.

From an initial crop of a hundred disappointingly small bulbs four years ago, this year the harvest was around 18,000 large heads, roughly 2,500 pounds. They’ve expanded their kitchen to ramp up production of roasted garlic jellies and salsas and expect to have no trouble selling their crop of four different garlic varieties through word of mouth, Facebook and buyers like Stirling Farm Market, the Green Thumb and East Avenue Dining.

They grow the garlic without pesticides or herbicides, using sustainable farming techniques, unlike most of the product from China found on grocery store shelves.

“It’s a lot of work but it’s rewarding,” says Bennett. Two new products are planned: a garlic spray to ward off the black-legged ticks that plague the Little Harbour area where the farm sits, and black garlic.

From clove to table, Kings Head Garlic is offering up something unique

At

While popular for centuries in Asia, black garlic is little known in these parts. It’s made by heating whole cloves over the course of weeks until they caramelize, turning dark brown and sticky, with a softer, Balsamic-like flavour.

“The health benefits are beyond,” says Russell. “And it’s delicious,” adds Bennett. “Chefs are crazy about it and have been approaching us.”

Such products take time to bring to market. Russell and Bennett worked with Rick Kane at Perennia, Nova Scotia’s food-focused development agency. After nearly four years, they’re ready to sell the product.

Kane, a food safety and regulatory specialist, is also helping them navigate the process to pass regulatory muster with their own version of a garlic solution to spray on properties.

“Even with Rick helping, it’s probably a three-year plan by the time you get through Health Canada,” says Bennett.

“We want to have it with no chemicals because we both love animals,” adds Russell.

If the product takes off, Russell has another 25 acres they can start farming.

Garlic scapes — the tender stems that turn to flowers if not picked — are a delicious by-product Russell and Bennett plan to start selling next year.

“People in the last couple of years didn’t know much about them, but this year we find more people are interested,” says Russell.

“There’s so much you can do with them,” adds Bennett. “My husband made garlic scape pickles. We’re going to make pesto. My favourite way to have them is in the air fryer with a little lemon, oil and salt and pepper.”

Grocery stores have asked about getting the garlic, jellies and salsas, but Kings Head doesn’t yet have the capacity.

“They would take 30 per cent,” says Bennett. “We’re just a small business starting out so we just sell directly to customers.”

Jamie Gratto (left) and Summer and Emma Kosckulics (below) harvest the latest crop.

Inset: Kings Head Garlic co-owner Cori Bennett hangs the garlic to cure.

Above:

Top

Inset:

Gratto

with

from

Kosczculics.

They do envision producing enough for major grocery chains and even exports down the road. “That’s when we’d do more acres,” says Bennett.

At every step, the two “research the hell out of everything,” says Bennett.

That included a misfire when one guy they reached out to recommended amending the soil with Epsom salts. “I had my husband going everywhere looking for Epsom salts,” says Bennett. “That was the first year, when we had a terrible crop. We found out Epsom salts is not a good thing to put in. It was quite comical.”

The friends say working well together is the business’s “Jo-Anne’s the math mind and I’m the idea girl,” says Bennett. “My brain doesn’t stop. At the beginning, Jo-Anne said, ‘You’ve got to stop throwing ideas at me.’ I was putting her in a tailspin. Now I just keep quiet and write things down and when I know she can handle it,

The pair is particularly busy leading up to the Christmas holidays, making jellies and salsas. After that they get some downtime until weeding season begins again in

They say the business would be nowhere without their family and friends, especially at harvest time in August and planting the next year’s crop in the fall before the

“My husband is one of our main weeders,” says Bennett. “He’s down on his hands and knees for hours picking out every little weed, even ones that are a quarter of an inch. We don’t have a weed in our garden.

You have to be on top of it because, if not, the nutrients are going right to the weeds.”

They plant each clove of garlic by hand with a shovel but are hoping to get more efficient with a contraption Russell’s 81-year-old father is building to tow behind her husband’s tractor. It will cost a fraction of the likely $10,000 it would be for a new one.

“He built the thing with steel that goes underneath the soil and loosens everything,” says Bennett. “We’ve been very lucky to have people on our side.”

They’re thinking of hiring next year.

“Right now, we’re depending on our friends and family,” says Bennett. “We give them gift certificates for jellies and salsas.” “And we feed them,” says Russell.

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BECKHAM GOLDEN RETRIEVER TONEY RIVER

TOP DOG EDITOR’S PICK

With a sizeable Instagram following, Beckham shines in the spotlight. Known for his adorable smile, he loves big sticks and he has an even bigger heart. A born swimmer, you can always find him at the beach, but on the off chance he’s not there, he would be taking nappies on the couch with his mom and dad.

Atlantick

TOP DOGS OF THE NORTH SHORE

BY AT HOME ON THE NORTH SHORE

We asked our readers to share their best photos of their most beloved companion – and they delivered! Our Atlantick Top Dogs of the North Shore photo contest received more than 200 entries featuring pooches hiking, posing on their favourite chair and oh-so-many basking in the sun and sea on the shores of the Northumberland Strait! Let’s see who came out on top of the dog pile.

HONOURABLE MENTION EDITOR’S CHOICE BHODI

MIX: SPRINGER SPANIEL, LABRADOR TRACADIE

Bhodi is a beautiful English Springer Chocolate Lab mix known as a Labrodinger. Hailing from the North shore, he loves the beach and goes every day, rain or shine. His favourite treat is ice cream. At 10 years old, he’s enjoyed frisbee his entire life and has no plans to slow down now.

HOW WE DID IT

To determine the Editor’s Choice winner and honourable mentions, members of the At Home on the North Shore editorial and design team chose their top picks based on quality, creativity, and editorial suitability. The overall winner was chosen by our editor-in-chief, taking into account the opinions of the rest of the staff.

WE’D LIKE TO THANK

HONOURABLE MENTION EDITOR’S CHOICE

TEDDY GOLDEN RETRIEVER ANTIGONISH

Teddy just turned two! He loves to explore Antigonish County with his mom and dad. His favourite place is the beach, and he loves to hike. He also has a Golden Retriever brother named Benji who is a little jealous he won this competition but is too wiggly to take a nice picture. His dad is a lobster fisherman and Teddy, being an east coast good boy, loves his lobster.

HONOURABLE MENTION EDITOR’S CHOICE ROO

AUSTRALIAN SHEPHARD LYONS BROOK

Roo is a well-trained and obedient pal, her name is short for Kangaroo. This 10-year-old was a blue-eyed beauty when she was born and lives an active, healthy, balanced lifestyle.

NOVA

CHOCOLATE LABRADOR CAMERON’S BEACH

Just like the humans of the North Shore, this two-year-old pup is playful and silly –she loves splashing around the beach and riding shotgun in the golf cart around Cameron’s Beach.

BEST BUDS

HEMINGWAY AND BUKOWSKI

BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS RIVER JOHN

Double trouble: These two pups get into mischief wherever they go. They’re brothers from separate litters and love eating watermelon in the summertime.

RUA POODLE ALMA

Rua is a poodle with lots of pizazz at only five months old! A true-blue resident of the North Shore, she loves to travel in her mom’s backpack and be with people, making them smile wherever she goes. Once you meet Rua, it’s guaranteed she will steal your heart forever with her teddy bear charm.

MARLOW MINIATURE AMERICAN SHEPARD CARIBOU

Marlow loves to go to the beach (surprise!) and kayak. She’s an eight-month-old who’s already known for being a loyal companion to her family.

ARCHER RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK CARIBOU ISLAND

Archer has a big personality for such a small dog. He loves to cuddle and chase bunnies in the woods. This isn’t Archer’s first win: he’s a champion who competes in the Canadian Kennel Club.

DODGER

MIX: BORDER COLLIE, FOX HOUND, BRITTANY SPANIEL MERIGOMISH

Dodger was born on Canada Day. He loves to celebrate his birthday with his mom. This doggo loves fetch, frisbee and swimming. When you can’t find him playing outside you can find him eating ice cream, cheese and salmon. A feast fit for this good boy!

PRETTIEST PUP

HEART STEALER MOST PATRIOTIC

BY LORI MCKAY

PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

Growing up, Lee Cameron Surrette and her sister Lindsay Cameron Wilson spent their summers at their family cottage in Toney River, N.S., where they enjoyed the beach, the beautiful scenery and time with family. As the years went by, and the sisters had families of their own, they needed more space.

“We wanted to build a cottage so we could be at the beach the same time as our two other sisters, parents and cousins,” said Lee. “The original family cottage was bulging at the seams.”

After buying a nearby wedge of land from their parents — land that had been in the Cameron family since the early 1970s — they began construction on their own place in the summer of 2014, moving in the following year.

Lee, a professional house designer, designed the cottage, taking both the landscape and the families’ needs into careful consideration.

Sisters build piece of paradise in Toney River

COTTAGE LIFE off the grid

The families knew they wanted space for extra guests, but didn’t want the cottage to be too tall. They liked the gable roofs and white clapboard vernacular of the local farmhouses, but went with one-storey plus a loft instead of a full two-storey cottage.

One of the most unique features of the cottage is that it is completely off-grid. Both sisters agree it was an easy decision to build this way. The closest power line is on the other side of a gully. They wanted to bury the line but the gully was deemed an active waterway so that wasn’t an option.

The cottage is just under 1,200 square feet and has two main bays. The beach side has an open, shared space that maximizes the view of the water, the point and sunsets.

“We wanted an area for everyone to gather to play cards and maybe host a talent show or two for the community here at Upalong Beach,” says Lindsay, noting get-togethers had been put on hold in recent years due to COVID-19, but resumed this past summer.

Lindsay and Lee share the cottage with their husbands and children, who are ages 12 through 18 (nine people total), but it’s designed to house more.

There’s a loft over the kitchen with a spare bedroom and desk area that’s perfect for remote working. The back bay of the cottage is where you’ll find the rest of the bedrooms — one end for each family. The bedrooms are small with built-in bunks. Each family has two bedrooms plus a loft, and their own bathroom, which has proven to be a huge plus.

A friend described the cottage décor as ‘Sandy Scandi,” as the sisters love the simplicity, clean lines and coziness of Scandinavian design.

Almost every building element in the cottage is either local, salvaged from friends doing renos, or from buildings being demolished.

“We all share a space really well, probably because the husbands insisted on two toilets,” says Lindsay.

When it comes to style, the sisters agreed on the look.

“Our friend Hillary coined the cottage décor as ‘Sandy Scandi,’” says Lindsay. “It wasn’t an intentional aesthetic decision, but we love the simplicity, clean lines and coziness of Scandinavian design.”

“We have a foot basin by the door, but sandy feet are still allowed,” adds Lee.

Almost every building element in the cottage is either local (from the Proudfoots Home Hardware in Pictou), salvaged from friends doing renos, or from buildings being demolished.

“The loft ladders, for example, were built in Hantsport by a man who builds apple-picking ladders,” says Lee.

Other elements were taken from their own homes or built by them. For example, they all worked on building the beds and benches, with Lee’s husband Jamie as lead builder.

OFF THE GRID

One of the most unique features of the cottage is that it is completely off-grid.

Both sisters agree it was an easy decision to build this way. The closest power line is on the other side of a gully. They wanted to bury the line but the gully was deemed an active waterway so that wasn’t an option.

“Jamie’s business manufactures storage batteries and he’s familiar with installing solar panels,” says Lee of her husband’s company. “It was an obvious solution given the constraints of tying to the grid.”

The cottage has a battery bank, solar panels and a power inverter.

“Before this, I knew nothing about how much power things draw,” says Lindsay. “For example, a hairdryer draws a lot. Luckily, we are very low maintenance in the summer. There’s no hair-drying. It’s never an issue.”

For cooking, they have a propane stove and stovetop. The barbecue is also hardwired into the propane tank. And solar power heats the water.

She says the kids haven’t noticed anything out of the ordinary living off-grid.

“They can plug in their iPhones, and all is fine,” laughs Lindsay. “If they couldn’t do that, they might notice.”

LOCATION & MATERIALS

When building the cottage, the families gave a lot of thought to the cottage’s placement on the property and what materials they used.

“The beachside deck is where we spend the most time,” says Lee. “The cottage is angled to capture water views as well as the rising and setting sun. The angle also provides privacy for us as well as our neighbours.”

The cottage is separated from their family cottage and the rest of the cottage community by a small gully that borders the western edge of the property. On the south side is a farmer’s field, and to the north is a rocky bank that leads to the beach.

Lee Cameron Surrette and her sister Lindsay Cameron Wilson.

For cooking off the grid, they have a propane stove and stovetop, and the barbecue is also hardwired into the propane tank.

For materials, they went natural and subdued. The interior walls are clad in whitewashed 8” spruce flooring from Hefler Forest Products and the floors are a buffed concrete. They also have numerous sheepskins from Lismore Sheep Farm in River John, N.S.

“They add a little bit of warmth and comfort,” says Lee.

And even though the bedrooms are small, they all have at least two windows for maximum cross breeze and added light.

The main areas of living space are perfect for entertaining and enjoying the sunset view. There is a large window across from an L-shaped sofa that frames the setting sun. They call it “nature’s movie screen.”

But when the weather is good, they spend much of their time outdoors.

They do yoga and play lawn games such as washer toss and spike ball, and their deck has become a popular gathering spot.

“Our big table is always full,” says Lindsay. “It’s the meeting point for all the cousins and family… We have a lobster pot we use for deep frying fish and steaming crab legs. We do a lot of fish and chips outside on that big table.”

And although the families don’t use the cottage during the winter months, they keep it open well into the fall, typically closing up around Thanksgiving.

“We’ll open it up again in May,” says Lindsay. “We always love getting here in the spring, doing a bit of planting and getting everything ready for a new season.”

We all know the vital role health care workers play in our community, but some are truly going above and beyond the call of duty. Nova Scotia Health employee Nancy MacConnell-Maxner has dedicated much of her time to enhancing Pictou County through volunteer work and community involvement. She now participates in the Payroll Deduction Program, donating a portion of each pay period to the Pictou County United Way and the Aberdeen Health Foundation. Through the generosity of donors like Nancy, the Aberdeen Health Foundation is proud to be able to give $2 million each year to advance health care in Pictou County. “When you live and work in a place, you want everyone to have opportunities to nd success and to be able to actively engage in their community,” says Nancy. “If I have an opportunity to help create the conditions for a healthy and thriving community, I think that’s important and it means a lot to me.”

Pictured is Nova Scotia Health employee Nancy MacConnell-Maxner.

North Shore

Great walks of the Rogart Mountain trail is a hiker’s dream. There are brooks and a waterfall. It’s a loop that’s not too long, and every step of the way you learn about the history and ecology of the area.

PHOTOS BY TRISH JOUDREY

ROGART MOUNTAIN TRAIL

BY TRISH JOUDREY

Situated a stone’s throw from Earltown on route 311, Rogart Mountain hiking trail is considered the gold standard for trail maintenance and signage in Nova Scotia.

“We are proud to have 17 interpretive signs along the trail, evidence of the many hours of work from our enthusiastic maintenance team,” says Sheila Wilson, chairperson of Cobequid Eco-Trail Society. With a wink she adds, “You can never get lost on that trail.”

Sheila does disclose, however, how increasingly difficult it is to get volunteers to keep up Rogart’s high standard.

“We go out after every storm and clear downed trees and branches from the

path,” says Sheila. “And one thing we do that no other trail association does in Nova Scotia, is we use a leaf blower to keep the paths clear for our hikers, so they don’t fall over hidden rocks and roots.”

It is a hot day when Alasdair Veitch, Pictou’s Y on the Move hike leader and certified Winter and Summer Outdoor Council of Canada Field Hiking Leader; Leo Gillis, also certified OC of Canada Field Hiking Leader; Suzanne MacDonnough, avid hiker; and myself all gather in the parking lot of Sugar Moon Farm’s parking lot before our hike. There, we meet Norris Whiston, historian and author of more than 50 books and nature guides, to hear about the research he has compiled on the trail.

“In 2006, Garnet MacLaughlin and myself started exploring the area to make this trail a reality,” says Norris, looking up from his trail map. “After we got all the landowner’s permissions, the new trail was born in 2008.”

Norris’s eyes sparkle with enthusiasm. He has been part of Rogart Mountain trail for 18 years. “But we needed a name, so my colleague, Glen Matheson, named it Rogart Mountain, meaning “high plateau” in Gaelic, to commemorate the origin of a number of the Scottish settlers in the area who came from Rogart, Scotland.”

“The whole history of the mountain is on the 17 interpretive signs along the trail,” says Alasdair, who said he could have easily

Left to right: Alasdair Veitch, Suzanne McDonnough, Leo Gillis, and historian and author Norris Whiston at the trailhead.

stayed hours listening to Norris talk about how Rogart Mountain was formed more than 380 million years ago and about the ecological benefit of the flora of forest floor. But instead, he points to the trail, “Shall we begin?”

We say our goodbyes to Norris and enter the forest. The well-maintained, undulating earthen 6.2-km loop path beckons us through arches of healthy stands of sugar maple, yellow birch, contorted beech trees and old-growth lichens. Dappled light streams through the branches, magically playing with our strides along the wide, well-worn path.

It’s a hot day, but the shade from the trees makes it a perfect temperature for walking. We cross over a brook on a sturdy wooden boardwalk, clear proof of many hours from Sheila’s volunteers.

To the left of the path, a sign explains that the remnants of a stone wall is where Peter “Bonesetter” and Elizabeth Murray once built their home in 1822. Peter “Bonesetter” was aptly nicknamed because he had set the bones of humans and horses.

Alasdair, a long-distance hiker who often hikes alone on trails for days at a time with his 60-pound backpack, tent and other necessary camping supplies, is now plowing ahead. We race to catch up.

Once together, we stop to have a chat, a laugh or two, and admire the beauty around us. “I love snowshoeing here in the winter,” shares Leo proudly. “It’s so peaceful and because the path is so wide, it’s perfect for snowshoeing.”

Alasdair agrees. “Yes, and the snow makes a good cover for the roots and rocks that dot the path in the summer months,” he says.

I admire the year-round versatility of the Rogart Mountain trail. Alasdair tells us of the proposed plan to soon join it and the other six trails in the Cobequid Eco-Trail system with the Cape to Cape (Cape George to Cape Chignecto) and Appalachian trail systems.

“It will make it Nova Scotia’s first long distance trail of over 400 kilometres,” he says proudly.

Our path ascends now, passing over New Portugal Brook. I remember Norris’ explaining that the Mi’kmaq First Nations people first settled the land and used it many years ago as a connection between Northumberland Strait and Bay of Fundy.

Climbing higher, we cross a beautiful field of purple fireweed. I stop to snap a few pictures on Andrew’s Plateau, just ahead where the Scottish pioneer Sutherland family made their home in 1832. I can see why. A beautiful, gently rolling slope fades off to an impressive vista of distant mountains.

We stop and chat with two spirited hikers who are hiking the trail from the opposite direction. When asked if they hike this trail often, Janice Fralic-Brown replies with a smile, “Oh, my friend Karen (Walsh) and I are from Halifax. We love coming up here to hike. We make it a day and have lunch afterwards.”

They are off again, and we wish each other well. As they descend, we continue up to the Rogart Mountain lookoff of 1,129 ft.

To the south, across fields of variegated shades of green is a panorama of rotating windmills on nearby Nuttby Mountain. We stand silently, basking in the rich history we have just traversed, and revelling in the miles of natural beauty around us.

ways to respect and enjoy nature trails

1. Stay on the path. Go through puddles, not around them. This helps protect the fragile ecosystem. The only exception is going to the bathroom.

2. Carry in and carry out. All food wrappers, peelings and, of course, doggie poop bags. FYI: A banana peel can take a month to decompose.

3. Speak softly and no music, please. This is respectful, not only for the birds and animals of the forest, but also to fellow hikers.

4. Leave nature they way you find it. It can be tempting to pick that unique flower, take a sample of moss you’ve been searching for, or break a twig off a tree to identify it. The rule of thumb is to enjoy your walk and leave it the way you found it for others to also appreciate.

5. Never feed the animals. That goes for the cute little squirrel who approaches, chattering away. Feeding wild animals “people food” can cause serious health issues.

Beech tree beauty.

Fireweed field.

Get readyfor Fall

“Look,” says Leo. “Here’s a bench dedicated to Norris Whiston.”

“We must sit down on it then, and have our snacks and drinks,” says Alasdair, at which point he unzips his pack and takes out four drinks. I choose the grapefruit lemon, and ask in wonderment, “How are they so cold?”

Alasdair laughs. “I always carry an ice pack or two. Nothing better than chilled drinks on a hike.” We sing Happy Birthday to Suzanne. It’s a birthday, she says, she will not forget.

Our last stop, before the open path leads us back to Sugar Moon, is Jane’s Falls. Named after Jane (Matheson) MacDonald, the interpretive sign tells us she emigrated from Rogart, Scotland by 1818. It’s a magical spot and very different from anything else on the trail. A tall rock slope falls sharply between stands of maple and birch trees covered in a long, stringy, carpet of soft, deep green moss. No

water is flowing today, but it appears still damp, perhaps from the trickling remnant of a previous rain.

The sun is hot now on the wideopen path as we head back. We are all missing the protective shade of the forest. Just before reaching the parking lot, we spot a four-foot-tall remnant of a stone foundation amid a field of yellow flowers that once housed the family of Robert and Nancy (Fraser) Munroe.

I remember Norris’ words about the purpose of the Rogart Mountain trail. “It’s designed to be beautiful but also to protect nature and the properties the trail goes through. It celebrates the movement and rights of the Indigenous people, the homesteads of the pioneers and loggers, and the resilience of nature.”

We leave Rogart Mountain Trail reflecting on what we have learned, its beauty and the fun we’ve shared along the way. It’s a trail above all the rest.

Gate,

Crossing |

Vernon St, Halifax

Granite Dr, Moncton,

Snowshoeing the trail

Get

the of your reading experience

FALL

tomatoes ALWAYS A RACE AGAINST TIME

BY TRACY STUART

MEDALLING WITH MY FOOD

Tracy is an Olympic medallist and has a Chef’s diploma from the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts.

Fall has arrived, and with its arrival, the heat of the day is bookended with cool evenings and crisp morning temperatures. The garden that was so generous to us over the past few months is now winding down, with only the cold hardy vegetables asking to be picked.

At the beginning of the season, I always feel like I didn’t plant enough, so I sneak in a few more of our family favourites. By late September, I realize I went too far, and I have enough tomatoes and basil to feed a village.

Like every gardener at this time of year, I am mindful of frost warnings, and I find myself in a race against time with my heat-loving tomatoes and bushy basil plants. I’ve already made enough pasta sauce and pesto to last until next year, but there are heaps of green tomatoes still on the vines (and I cannot bear to lose even one), so it’s time to get creative.

Several years ago, I discovered a way to keep fresh ripe tomatoes coming well into November. (As for saving the

basil, an easy transplant to an indoor planter will work.)

If you find yourself in the same race against the frost with your precious green tomatoes, here’s the solution. Harvest as many healthy, unripe tomatoes as you can. After cleaning them with fresh water and allowing them time to dry, begin individually wrapping each tomato in newspaper. Then, place the wrapped fruit carefully into a cardboard box. Somewhere in the box, tuck in a few fresh, ripe apples before closing the box and storing it in a room temperature dark cupboard. The ethylene released from the tomatoes in the warmth indoors will ripen the tomatoes. Adding the apples will simply speed up the process. Check the box every four or five days and remove any ripe fruit to enjoy right away and remove any spoilage. The process can be done without individualized wrapping of the tomatoes, but I found more spoilage that way, so it all comes down to personal preference.

It may seem like a lot of effort initially, but I assure you that when you are still serving up your home-grown juicy tomatoes well into the fall, you will understand that the effort was not in vain. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

One of my favourite appetizers to either bring to a dinner party or serve when hosting, is bruschetta. This is another one of those recipes that is a crowd pleaser, even more so when the ingredients are super fresh in late fall.

INGREDIENTS

20-30 small cherry tomatoes (or about 5-6 medium) *

½ tsp sea salt (or to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.

2. Dice tomatoes and place them into a medium mixing bowl. Cover the fruit with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt (to taste).

3. Make ribbons with your basil by stacking 5-6 leaves, rolling them lengthways, and cutting thin strips across the roll. Add the ribbons (chiffonade) to the tomato mix and combine.

4. Slice the bread diagonally.

5. In a small saucepan, melt butter, garlic and half the shredded parmesan cheese (be careful not to burn).

6. Take the sliced bread and dip one side in the butter mixture, place buttered side up on the baking tray, and bake for approximately five mins. Keep a keen watch. Remove when sides are golden brown and starting to crisp.

7. Remove the bread and scoop the tomato mixture on top of the bread, leaving the juices behind.

8. Drizzle with thick balsamic vinegar and the remaining fresh parmesan.

BY NICOLE LEBLANC

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN

BELOW: A beautiful piece that Nicole’s grandmother made for her, featuring none other than Anne of Green Gables. There are many beautiful Anne patterns on Etsy, which would make a great addition to a nursery, playroom or bookshelf.

As temperatures cool off and we prepare to curl up and be cozy, diving into a cross-stitch is the perfect fall craft.

Cross-stitch is essentially a matrix of tiny cross stitches that form an “X” and sometimes other stitches such as a simple back stitch or more complex like French knots. Though there are complex patterns, cross-stitching is quite easy. In fact, it’s something I’ve been doing since I was nine years old, after learning the craft from my mother and grandmother.

CROSS-STITCH IS SURPRISINGLY EASY

HOW TO START

• Grab a kit that includes everything you need to get started, including your Aida cloth, needle, floss and pattern. TIP: I like working with a cross stitch hoop to keep the edges of my cloth from fraying while I work. You can use tape along the edges of your cloth to keep it from fraying, which is especially helpful for long-term projects you’ll be picking up and putting down.

• You’ll notice black arrows on your pattern that indicate the centre of your design. Simply fold your cloth in fours to find the centre of your cloth and start with the corresponding thread on your pattern.

• From there, you’ll be doing lots of counting, or even triple counting.

WHERE TO FIND KITS OR PATTERNS

• Most craft stores/sections sell patterns that make great starting projects. I’d recommend a small picture with few colours to start.

• When you’re ready for something a little more challenging, you can purchase patterns on Etsy and source materials on your own.

TIP: Cross-stitch thread is called DMC floss and the colour codes are universal and easily sourced locally.

PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS

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