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CHAPLEAUEXPRESS
Canada,OCanada
BuffaloN.Y.NewsArticleaboutCanadians.Nicebitof infothatalotofusdon'tevenknow.Anarticlepostedin theBuffaloNewsbyGerryBoley.
Misconceptions in the United States aboutCanadaarequitecommon.They include: there is always snow in Canada; Canadians are boring, socialists and pacifists; their border is porous and allowed the Sept.11terroriststhrough;or,astheU.S.Ottawa embassy staff suggested to Washington, the countrysuffersfromaninferioritycomplex.This is a great time to clarify some of these misconceptionsandbetterappreciateaneighbour thattheUnitedStatesattimestakesforgranted.
With the exception of the occasional glacier,skiinginCanadainthesummerjustisn't happening. Frigid northern winters, however, have shaped the tough, fun-loving Canadian character. When it is 30-below, the Canucks get theirsticks,shoveloffthelocalpondandhavea gameofshinnyhockey.
The harsh winters have also shaped Canadians'senseofhumour.Canadahassomeof theworld'sgreatestcomedians,fromearlyWayne and Shuster, to Rich Little, Jim Carrey, Russel Peters,SethRogan,MikeMyers,LeslieNielsen, John Candy, Martin Short, Eugene Levy and "Saturday Night Live" creator and movie producer Lorne Michaels.
The suggestion that Canadians are soft on terrorism is a myth.
The 9/11 Commission reported that terrorists arrived in the United States from outside North America with documents issued to them by the U.S.government,butCanadawasinitiallylinked toallowingtheterroristsintotheU.S.becauseof laxed border control. The Canadians in Gander countereddespicableterroristactswithloveand caringtotheirU.S.neighbourswhenplaneswere divertedthere.
Americansglorifywarwithmovies,butit istheCanadianswhoareoftenthereal"Rambo." The Canadians are anything but pacifists and theirhistoryiscertainlynotdull.Beitontheice orbattlefield,thiswarriornationhasneverlosta war that it fought in... -War of 1812 (versusthe UnitedStates),WorldWarI,WorldWarII,Korea andAfghanistan.During the '72 Summit Series, Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak said, "'The Canadianshavegreatskillsandfighttothevery end.'"
In hunting the Taliban in Afghanistan, U.S.CommanderandNavy SEALCapt.Robert Harward stated that the Canadian Joint Task Force2teamwas"hisfirstchoiceforanydirectactionmission."
Contrary to Thomas Jefferson's 1812 commentthat,"TheacquisitionofCanadawillbe a mere matter of marching," the wily Native AmericanleaderTecumsehand Maj. Gen. Isaac Brock captured Brig. Gen. William Hull's Fort Detroit without firing a shot. The Americans never took Quebec and when they burned the Canadian Parliament Buildings at York, the WhiteHousewastorchedinretaliation.
Canada consolidated its status as a
warriornationduringWorldWarIbattlesatVimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Somme and the Second BattleofYpres,wheresoldiersweregassedtwice bytheGermansbutrefusedtobreaktheline.By theendofthewar,theCanadiansweretheAllies' shocktroops.
Intheair,fourofthetopsevenWorldWar I aces were Canadians. Crack shots, the names William "Billy" Bishop, Raymond Collishaw, Donald MacLarenandWilliam Barker, with 72, 60, 54 and 53 victories, respectively, were legendary. These were the original Crazy Canucks, who regularly dropped leaflets over enemyairfieldsadvisingGermanpilotsthatthey werecomingoveratsuchandsuchatime,andto comeonup.BishopandBarkerwontheVictoria Cross,thehighestawardforgallantry.
The pilot who is credited with shooting down the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, withalittlehelpfromtheAustraliandownunder, was not Snoopy but Roy Brown from Carleton Place,Ont.
During World War II, Winnipeg native and air ace Sir William Stephenson, the "Quiet Canadian," ran the undercover British Security CoordinationunderthecodenameIntrepid.From Rockefeller Center in New York, as a liaison between Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.Stephensoninventedthemachinethat transferred photos over the wire for the Daily Mail newspaper in 1922. Americans were not aware that the BSC was there or that it was stocked with Canadians secretly working to preserve North American freedom from the Nazis. Cont’donP.2
Canada,OCanada
Cont’dfromP.1
Also little known is that Intrepid trained IanFleming,authoroftheJamesBondseries,at CampX,thesecretspyschoolnearWhitby,Ont. Five future directors of the CIA also received special training there. It is suggested that Fleming'sreferencetoBond's007licensetokill status, his gadgetry and the "shaken not stirred" martinis, rumored to be the strongest in North America,camefromStephenson.
When Wild Bill Donovan, head of the U.S. OSS, forerunner of the CIA, presented Intrepid with the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1946, he said, "William Stephenson taught us everythingweknewaboutespionage."
AmericanmilitarywriterMaxBootwrote
recentlyinCommentarymagazinethatCanadais a country that most Americans consider a "dull but slavishly friendly neighbour, sort of like a great St. Bernard." Boot needs to come to Canada,haveaMolsonCanadianandchatabout Canadian history. He owes his freedom to CanuckssuchasStephensonandthecourageous soldiersandfliersoftheworldwarswhoheldoff the Germans while America struggled with isolationism.
Canadian inventions such as the oxygen mask Martin Baker ejection system, and antigravity suit, the forerunnerof the astronautsuit, allowedU.S.andotherAlliedfighterpilotstofly higher, turn tighter and not black out with the resulting G-force. The 32 Canadians from the Avro Arrow team helped build the American space program and were, according to NASA, brilliant to a man. The most brilliant,Jim Chamberlin, chief designer of the Jetliner and Arrow, was responsible for the design and implementationof the GeminiandApollospace programs.
Although Canadians have had a free, workable medical system for 50 years, they are not socialistsandtherearenotlonglineups,assome politiciansopposedtoObamacaresuggest.This writer has had a ruptured appendix, hip replacement, pinned shoulder, blood clot, twist fracture of the fibula and broken foot, and in everycase,therewaszerocosttome.Canadians have and value a medical system for all Canadiansthatisfreewithminimalwaits.Thatis not socialism; that is caring about fellow Canadians.
Americans may be surprised by the Canadiancontentintheirlife.Superman-"truth, justice and theAmerican way" - was co-created by Canadian Joe Shuster, the Daily Planet is based on a Toronto newspaper, and the 1978 film'sLoisLane,MargotKidder,andSuperman's father, Glenn Ford, were both Canadians. The
captainof the starshipEnterprisewas Montrealborn William Shatner. Torontonian Raymond MasseyplayedAbrahamLincolnin1956.Andas American as apple pie? Ah, no. The McIntosh applewasdevelopedinDundela,Ont.,in1811by JohnMcIntosh.
Many of the sports thatAmericansexcel at are Canadian in origin. James Naismith from Almonte,Ont.,inventedbasketball.Thetackling and ball carrying in football were introducedby the Canucks in games between Harvard and McGill in the 1870s. Five-pin bowling is also a Canadian game. Lacrosse is officially Canada's nationalsport,andhockey- well,Canadiansare hockey. And Jackie Robinson called Montreal "the city that enabled me to go to the major leagues."
Tomakeeveryone'slifeeasier,Canadians invented Pablum, the electric oven, the telephone, Marquis wheat, standard time, the rotary snowplow, the snowmobile, Plexiglas, ovencleaner,thejollyjumper,thepacemaker,the alkalinebattery, the caulkinggun, the gas mask, thegoaliemaskandmanymore.
Canadian inferiority complex? That is anothermyth.Neverpickafightwithaquietkid in the schoolyard. Never mistake quiet confidence for weakness. Many a bully has learned that the hard way. Canadians are selfeffacinganddonotbrag.Thatdoesnotmeanwe donotknowwhoweare.Wearecaringbuttough, fun-lovingbut polite and creative, and we share with each other and the world. Our history is exciting but we don't toot our horn. The world doesthatforus.Thisisthethirdyearinarowthat Canada has been voted the most respected country in the world by the Reputation Institute globalsurvey.
Perhapsonceayeararoundourcollective birthdays, Americans can raise a toast to their friendly,confidentneighbourintheGreatWhite North.
ReprintfromJuly2015
by MichaelJ. Morris Chapleau
MichaelreflectsonGreyStreettoElginStreetasconnectinglinkonfirst anniversaryofChapleauMomentswithpersonalthoughtsofhome
Moments
A year ago when I accepted Mario Lafreniere's invitationto writeacolumnforthe ChapleauExpress,IwonderedifIwouldbeableto comeupwithenoughmaterialforamonth'sworth ofChapleauMoments.
Since starting Chapleau Moments a year agothisweek,Ihaveoftenremindedmyselfofthe wordsthatDr.J.B.McClintonsharedwithmeina Timmins restaurant shortly after my arrival there to begin my career as a daily newspaper reporter withTheDailyPressin1964.Iwashavingcoffee withDr.McClinton,agreatpromoterofNorthern Ontario and Highway 101 connection between ChapleauandTimmins,andhesaid,"So,youwant tobeareporter.
"Look around you. There are stories everywhere.Ifyouneverleftthisrestaurantforthe restofyourlife,youwouldneverbeabletowrite allthestoriesthathappenedinthisplace."
Well, "let me tell you" as my good friend Dr.G.E.Youngwouldsaywhenhestartedastory, ifIcontinuedtowriteforanother46years,Iwould never be able to share all the stories about the people and moments that are part of Chapleau's history.
LetmefirstthankMarioforprovidingme with the opportunity to share some Chapleau momentswithyou --thestoriesoftheincredible people who have called Chapleau home -- those who still live there, those who now live somewhere else, and those who are no longer with us but left their mark on the life of the community since1885,andbefore.
Letmethankallthosewhohavecontacted me during the past year with comments, story ideasandtheirrecollectionsofthelifeandtimesof Chapleau. Maybe that's been the best part of the experience, reconnecting with so many of you overthepastyearandbringingbacksuchwonderfulmemoriesofhome.
Andyes,I'vediscoveredbeyondanydoubt that Chapleau is still considered home to those who have lived there, even if like me, they have beengoneformanyyears.Ithasalsobeengreatto openemailsfromfolksIdonotknowtoreadabout theirconnectiontoChapleau.
Of course, I am not really "from"
Chapleau, having been born in Hamilton, Ontario, where my father, James E. Morris, who was born in Chapleau, was a flying instructor at the Elementary Flying Training School at Mount Hope, part of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan in World WarII.Hehadjoinedthe RCAF in 1940 but took leave to be a flying instructor, at the EFTS. My mother, Muriel E. (Hunt) Morris was born inGlasgow,Scotlandand came to Chapleau with her parents just before WorldWarI.
When my father wentbackintotheRoyal Canadian Air Force in 1942, we returned to Chapleau to stay with family while he was overseas on active service duringWorldWarII.Westayedafterhewaskilled whileonactiveserviceonJuly16,1943--67years agothisweek.
MurielandJamesMorris,takenin1941whenMichael'sfatherwasan instructor at the Elementary Flying Training School, part of the CommonwealthAirTrainingPlanofWorldWarII.
Many readers will recall my mother who taughtatChapleauPublicSchoolfor32years,and let me say thanks to all those who have kindly rememberedherinmessagestomeduringthepast year. While at the public school she directed annual concerts including Gilbert and Sullivan's musical 'HMS Pinafore'. Billy Kemp, Charlie Byce and Gordon Bolduc all had leading roles in thisproduction,whileJoanKempwasthepianist.
Mom was also very active in St. John's Anglican Church where she was choir director. However,oneofthegreatmomentsinherchurch lifewasundoubtedlyin1935ataservicemarking the 50th anniversary of the parish.As one of the soloists she sang 'Now the Day is Over.' Her father,mygrandfather,GeorgeHuntwasthechoir directorwhiletheorganistwasMissNettieHerner, wholatermarriedArthurGrout.Mygrandmother, EdithHunt,alongwithMrs.P.J.Collinswerejoint conveners of the banquet. In 1974, Mom married Ernie,thesonofMr.andMrs.P.J.Collins.
In my first Chapleau Moments column, I shared my tricycle ride from our home on Grey Street,uptownandacrosstheoldoverheadbridge, tovisitmygrandparents,Lil(Mulligan)andHarry MorrisonElginStreet.Itjuststruckmethattrips
from Grey Street to Elgin Street were actually startedbymyparentswhentheyweredatinginthe 1930s -- a connecting link for us to both sides of early Chapleau. As I have noted previously my grandmother was a member of the Mulligan familywhocametoChapleauin1885. This time let me tell you a bit about my fatherandsomeofhisfriends,andmomentsthey shared growing up in Chapleau. Born in 1914 in Chapleau, he attended Chapleau Public School andChapleauHighSchoolgraduatingfromGrade 13in1933,andyes,oneofhisteacherswasJohn 'Mac' McClellan. In fact, Mr. McClellan coached the juvenile hockey team he played on with Gordon McKnight, Don Robinson, Eric Young, Walter Moore, Bobby Perpete, B. McAdam, Joe CrichtonandRomeoLevesque.
In his application to the RCAF, he noted thathewasinvolvedinallschoolandlocalathletics, including track and field where along with Claude Turner and Ken Godfrey they won marathon relay races at Schreiber and Fort William in 1931,1932and1933.InthoseyearsChapleauhad very active track and field club with a five mile raceheldinconjunctionwithJuly1celebrations. After the war, the James E. Morris MemorialTrophywasestablishedanditwaswon by Greg Lucas so many times that it was finally giventohim.Inthe1970s,thefivemile racewas revivedandGregwouldpresentthetrophytothe winner.Cont’donP.5
ConstructionUnderwayonNorthlander’sTimmins-PorcupineStation Province marking major milestone in plan to bring back the Northlander
The Ontario government has awarded a contract to build Timmins-Porcupine Station, markingasignificantstepintheprovince’swork tobringbackNorthlanderpassengerrailservice between Timmins and Toronto. The northern terminalstationfortheNorthlanderwillsupport northern industries, the resource sector and tourism,helpingtosupporteconomicgrowthand keepthousandsofpeopleonthejobinthefaceof tariffsandeconomicuncertainty.
“Ourgovernmentisgettingshovelsinthe ground on this critical station, delivering on our promisetobringbacktheNorthlanderandbetter connect northern communities to jobs, health care and opportunity,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “It’s all part of our plan to protect Ontario in the face of unprecedented U.S. tariffs. We’re supporting
northern industries and the resource sector, unlocking economic growth and investing in infrastructure that builds a stronger, more resilientfutureforOntario.”
Early work construction is currently underway on the platform, parking area and a passenger waiting area. Once complete, the Timmins-Porcupine Station will be a modern station with accessible washrooms, varied seatingandaticketcounter.Outdoorfeatureswill include an accessible platform, motor coach bays, parking, pedestrian pathways, a taxi stand and a designated passenger pickup and drop-off area.
“The Northlander will fundamentally shift how people move across the province, creating more connections to the province’s integrated transportation network,” said Chad Evans, Chief Executive Officer at Ontario Northland. “The Northlander will provide improved access to essential services, such as health care and education, while supporting economicprosperityandtourism
in the region, strengthening the connection betweenthenorthandthesouth.”
Work is also underway along the Northlander track to adjust curves to ensure the train runs at higher speeds and with fewer disruptions. Once reinstated, the Northlander will provide southbound service leaving from Timmins and northbound service leaving from Toronto, up to seven days a week, based on seasonal travel demands.There will be 16 stops inbothdirections,includingarailconnectionto Cochrane.
EllisDon has been awarded a contract to build Timmins-Porcupine Station, which will serveNorthlandertrains,motorcoachesandBus ParcelExpressservices.
Lastfall,theprovinceawardedacontract to reconstruct platforms and install premanufactured shelters at train stops along the future Northlander corridor from North Bay to Cochrane.
InMay2024,theprovinceawardedthree contracts to design and manufacture nine new Northlander station shelters, enhance rail safety andcompletewarningsystemupgrades.
Safety Reminder Following NumerousMarineIncidents
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is remindingthoseusingtheprovince'swaterways thissummertostaysafe.
This weekend a large number of marine incidents were reported across the province. OPP members from various detachments were calledouttomultipleincidentsonOPPpatrolled waterways, and police are urging the public to takemeasurestopreventtragedy.
Boaters and paddlers are reminded that alcohol or drug impairment, operator inexperienceandnotwearingalifejacket,areamongcontributingfactorsinmarine injuriesanddeaths.
In incidents investigate d by OPP, falling overboard and capsized vessels remain the leading causes of death each year. Lifejackets should be worn by everyone in the boat. If you are rendered unconscious, a lifejacket will keep your headabovewater.
Forasafeandenjoyableboatingseason,alwaysbewellprepared,checkthe weatherforecast,andmakesureyourvesselisfunctioningandequipped.Swimmers shouldneverventureintothewateralone,childrenshouldbesupervisedclosely,and swimmersshouldknowtheirlimitsandobeypostedsignsandwarnings.
The OPP recommends all vessel owners/operators familiarize themselves with the Safe Boating Guide found here: https://tc.canada.ca/en/marinetransportation/marine-safety/boating-safety.
WithJulyandAugustbeingpeakmonthsforboatingandswimming,nowis theperfecttimetoreviewwatersafetypracticeswithyourfamily.
ChapleauMoments
Cont’dfromP.3
Tennis was also popular and I learned to play from some of my father's friends including Greg, Eric Young and Charlie McKee, as well as Rev.FrankLeighwhowouldhavebeenabitolder. WeplayedontheSt.John'sTenniscourtand,those guys could really whack a ball, and won some northernOntariotitlesintheirprime.
After graduating from high school, my father became assistant secretary at the Chapleau Railway YMCA for three years. The YMCA on Lorne Street was a beehive of activity in those yearswithrooms,arestaurant,sportsactivitiesand a bowling alley downstairs.As an aside the most famous bowler in my memory was Mrs. Mabel Young, Dr. Young's mother. Dr. Young was also one of my father's good friends. Mr. 'Pop' Depew wasthesecretaryasthemanagerwascalled.
Ofcourse,growingupinChapleaumeant skatinginthe"old"arenaonLorneStreetaswellas playing hockey on outdoor rinks including on the river by the present beach, skiing, hiking and campingandswimming.
Two of my father's good friends who sharedmemoriesofgrowingupwithhim,whichI reallyappreciatedwereClydeFifeandF.A.'Nick' Card.
When I turned 16, and went to get my driver'slicense,Clydewastheexaminerandwhen Iarrived,andknockedonhisdoor,hesaid,"Iwas expecting you today. I was there when you were born." And he was. Clyde had enlisted in the RCAF and at the time was stationed in Toronto. So,onthedayIgotmydriver'slicense,Clydetold me stories, and finally asked, "How did you get here?"towhichIreplied,"Idrove".Clydereplied thatseeingashowIhaddriventohishomenearthe old power plant, I could drive home and he approvedmylicense.ClydeisthefatherofRobert Fife,nowtheOttawabureauchiefofCTVNews.
Nick,whoservedasreeveofChapleauand alsoasacouncillorgrewuponElginStreetalmost next door to my Dad. In fact, untilWalter Paradis built his home there, a vacant lot separated their houses. I don't know if it is still visible today, but almostacrossfromtheirhomeswasabigrockon whichtheypainted,"Kilgorewashere."
Myfather'sloveofflyingstartedatanearly age when he would go down to the Chapleau waterfrontandhangoutwiththeearlybushpilots who would fly in to Chapleau in the 1930s. An articleintheTorontoTelegramafterhewaskilled notedthathewasinvolvedwithearlybushpilots. In applying to the RCAF he wrote that he had acquired knowledge in "part time employment" around aircraft. According to my grandfather, he really was learning to fly planes, thinking that his mother did not know. She did. Mothers always know.
In 1936 he joined the Canadian Pacific Railway department of investigation and in 1939 waspartofthesecurityteamfortheRoyalVisitof
KingGeorgeVIandQueenElizabeth.Hereceived hisprivatepilot'slicenseattheFortWilliamFlying Clubin1937.
Insharingabitaboutmyparentswithyou, I do so with a great sense of gratitude to them for makingthedecisiontohavemymotherandIreturn to Chapleau while my father went overseas.
DespitethetragiclossofhimwhenIwassoyoung, I was able to grow up close to my wonderful grandparents - George and Edith Hunt and Harry and LilMorris - and among thegreatest peopleI have ever known, the good people of Chapleau. Thankyouforbeingthepopleyouare.Myemailis mj.morris@live.ca
Lastweekssolutions
MOMENTS IN TIME
OnAug.1,1944,AnneFrank,theyoungJewishgirl hiding in a secret annex in Nazi-occupied Holland whose diary would come to serve as a powerful symboloftheHolocaust,pennedherfinalentrythree days before she, her family and four others were arrestedandtransportedtoconcentrationcamps.
Summeris
andmanyofusaretaking advantageofthewarmweatherandsunshineby staying right where we are. More than half of Canadians plan to travel within the country this season, according to a recent TD Bank Group survey.
consumerspendingslowingdown."
Your summer adventures can be a great chancetocheckoutsomeofthelocalattractions andbusinessesyoumightnothavehadachance to.Herearesometipstohelpmakethemostofit:
Thissummer’shottrend?Staylocal,spendlocal SHOP
89 per cent of respondents reported that they felt it’s important to support small businessesthissummer.They’rebeingdeliberate about it too, with more now researching shops, restaurants and attractions ahead of their trips. That research is helping Canadians—especially Gen Z and Millennials—plan: almost threequarters are considering basing their travel destination on a specific business or attraction theyresearched.
Theuptickinlocaltravelandspendingis a boon for small businesses across the country, many of whom have been uncertain how trade disputesandapotentialeconomicdownturnmay shapetheirfortunes.
“It's encouraging to hear that Canadians areplanningtosupportlocalsmallbusinessesas part of their vacation plans this summer, as it helps both entrepreneurs and our local economies," says Julia Kelly, Vice President, SmallBusinessBankingatTD."It'sparticularly welcome news, as small businesses in many communities have been concerned about
Going on a road trip? Try taking a different route than you’re used to, and leave yourself open to saying “yes” to the local businesssignsyouseeontheroadside. Thebackroadshavealottooffer.Lookforlocal food stands serving up great grub, as well as farms along your way.You can find good prices onfresh,high-qualityproduce,orevenartisanal crafts.
Headed to cottage country? Your local marinas stock lots of little supplies you might haveforgottentopack,aswellassomesurprising gems like books, local art or DVDs for a nointernetmovienight.
The important thing is to keep an open mind,andanappetiteforsomethingnew.Ifyou
Gas
also carry road trip snacks, which includes Subs,
approach the season with the right mindset, you might surprise yourself to learn that the dream destinationyou’vebeenlookingforwasrightin yourbackyardallalong.
Doyouknowaboutage-relatedmaculardegeneration?
(NC)It’stheleadingcauseofvisionlossamong older adults, affecting nearly 2.5 million Canadians, but awareness around age-related maculardegeneration(AMD)remainslow.Itcan significantlyimpactdailylifeandlong-termeye health, so education and early detection are crucial.Here’swhatyoushouldknow:
WhatisAMD?
The condition begins when the macula,apartofyour retina, becomes damaged. There are two forms of the disease, dry and wet. The dry form is the most common, accounting for 85–90 per cent of cases. The disease advances through three stages: early, intermediate and late. In some cases, the dry form can progress to wet AMD,alesscommon but more aggressive formthatcanleadtosignificantvisionloss.
Whatarethesymptoms?
At the early stage, symptoms are often unnoticeablebutcanrapidlyprogress,impacting vision and quality of life. In later stages, central vision can become very blurry or completely
dark, making simple tasks like reading and recognizingfacesdifficultorevenimpossible. Who’satrisk?
Risk for developing AMD increases as we age, and research suggests that a family historyofthediseasecanincreasetheriskfurther. Other factors like cardiovascular disease, prolonged UV exposure, smoking and diets rich in saturatedfatsalsomakethediseasemorelikelyto develop.
Whattreatmentsareavailable?
Ahealthylifestyleandbalanceddietcan helpslowtheprogressionofdryAMD,butcan’t reverseit.ThefirsttreatmentapprovedbyHealth Canada is a device called MacuMira, and it’s currentlytheonlyavailableoptionfordryAMD. Research has shown that it improves vision significantlyinmostrecipients.
The more Canadians know aboutAMD, its symptoms and risks, the better chance they have of protecting their vision well into the future. Ask your eye care professional about lifestyle choices that can support eye health, as wellasavailabletreatmentoptions.
Learnmoreatmacumira.com.
3bestfruitsandvegetablestofreezeforthewinter
(NC)Freezingfruitsandvegetablesisoneofthe best ways to enjoy the taste of Ontario's harvest all year round. Whether you’re looking to stock uponwintermealsorsimplywantareminderof the hot summer days when it gets cold, freezing offers a simple and effective way to extend the harvestseason.
Herearethreegreatoptionstofreeze: Strawberries
A summer favourite, strawberries are perfect for freezing. If you’re able to somehow
resisttheurgetoeatthem right away, freezing them while they’re ripe ensures you’ll have sweet,juicystrawberries to enjoy all winter long. Use them in smoothies, desserts or as a topping for oatmeal during the wintermonths.
Peas
Peas freeze incredibly well as they maintain their taste, texture and colour even after being frozen. They’re the perfect addition to a fall soup, stew or even as a standalonesidedish.
Peaches
Like strawberries, peaches are another summer favourite. It’s best to slice peaches beforefreezing,becausefreezingthemwholecan make them tricky to use later. Sliced peaches freezewonderfullyandareperfectforsmoothies, dessertsorbaking.
Tipsforfreezingproduce:
• Blanch your veggies: For most vegetables, blanching(brieflyboilingandthenchillinginice
water)isessentialtopreservetexture,colourand nutrientsduringfreezing.
• Make sure you’re storing properly: Always ensure that your produce is completely cooled anddrainedbeforefreezing.Removeasmuchair as possible from freezer bags or containers to preventfreezerburn.
•Useyourproducewithintheyear:Whilefrozen fruitsandvegetableslastforseveralmonths,it’s always best to use them within a year to get the bestflavourandtexture.
Learn more about Ontario’s fruit and vegetableproductionatofvga.org.
