We've compiled a list of the ten most popular pages on our sites, foodsecuritynews.com and rootcellarsrock.ca. Enjoy!
1. The Big Question: What is Food Security?
http://www.foodsecuritynews.com/What-is-food-security.htm
What is food security exactly? This page has an answer for you: “Food security means that all people at all times have physical and economic access to adequate amounts of nutritious, safe, and culturally appropriate foods.” The Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making that happen here.
2. A Root Cellar for Hobbits
http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2013/06/school-root-cellar-in-sweden-stores-fresh-food-for-students/
A recent post on Reddit bumped these images of a Swedish, “shire-inspired” root cellar into our top ten this year, attracting visits from all over the world.
3. Food Skills Workshops
http://rootcellarsrock.ca/food-skills-workshops/
This is a list of all our excellent workshops, featuring the four Ps: Planting, Picking, Preparing, and Preserving. These documents are meant for individuals and community groups to help teach and improve food skills in our communities, and are blocked with great information.
4. All About Labrador Tea
http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2013/07/labrador-tea-an-abundant-local-edible-wild-plant/
Labrador tea is a plant you’ll find in barrens, wetlands, damp and dry woods, beside ponds, exposed areas, and in arctic-alpine barren. So, in other words, you can find it pretty much everywhere in the province. Here is some information on identifying it and ways you can enjoy it.
5. A Long List of Canning Recipes
http://rootcellarsrock.ca/recipes/canning/
A collection of links showing you how to can or pickle anything from blueberries to dandelion greens to beets—including a link to our super easy, one-jar fridge jam recipe.
http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2011/10/out-of-the-frying-pan-into-the-jam-jar/
6. The 2014 Good Food Challenge
http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2014/10/sign-up-for-the-good-food-challenge/
“Food and food issues have become complicated, so it can be overwhelming to make good food choices.” says FSN Executive Director Kristie Jameson. “With the Good Food Challenge the idea is for people to take the time to think about food, talk to each other, and to set their own goals.” We spent the month of November talking about food, digging up statistics, reading books, and eating delicious things.
Click for a Good Food Challenge post archive: Week One / Week Two/ Week Three / Week Four
7. How to make your own maple syrup
http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2012/08/diy-maple-syrup/
Maple syrup is delicious, and you can make it here in the province. Lisa & Steve McBride wrote this very detailed post on making maple syrup a few years ago.
8. A tasty invasive: Japanese Knotweed
http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2011/05/tasty-invasives/
The term “invasive species” sounds harsh—we prefer to call them “dinner.” At least in the case of Japanese knotweed. Here’s some inspiring information about cooking and eating this fast-growing plant.
9. Choosing a Backyard Compost Bin
http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2012/08/backyard-compost-bin-patterns-choosing-a-bin/
Composting is a good thing to do. One big reason is to prevent our landfills from producing so much dang methane. Each molecule of methane in the atmosphere traps more than 20 times as much heat as carbon dioxide. Decomposition with oxygen — eg. in a compost — produces less methane than when it decomposes in, say, a garbage bag piled on top of thousands of other garbage bags… So! Composting reduces the amount of methane produced by our waste and messing up our atmosphere. Anyway! End of rant. This link gives an excellent roundup of backyard compost bins available, as well as directions on building your own.
10: International Year of the Family Farm: Growdat Farms
Summer student Sarah Campbell created a wonderful bunch of features about the International Year of Family Farming this summer, gathering stories of family farming from around the Avalon Peninsula. Here's one about Terry Dobbie and Donna Bishop of Growdat Farms, located on the Avalon Peninsula in the place between Heart’s Desire and Heart’s Content.
