Eat This! Drink That!

The first urban farm for Sudbury addresses a number of opportunities.  Hugh talks with those connected with growing food and also the program leaders.  This team engaged with youth at risk to connect them with the soil - plus healthy food - and positive choices.  MPP Jamie West reflects on what it was like growing up in the neighbourhood, how re-vegetation has greened the entire landscape, and the value of programs like this one. 

I knew Jeff Hundertmark back in Ontario when he worked at Marynissen Estates and other properties.  An outstanding winemaker he headed west and joined Mt. Boucherie as they changed and grew.  Jeff talks about the differences and similarities  between the provinces' growing regions.  

Executive Director at Community Radio Fund of Canada / Fonds canadien de la radio communautaire Alex Freedman shares his passion for radio as a way to distribute information and stitch communities together.  In "news deserts"  community radio is the only media platform and must be encouraged to not just survive but to thrive.  The backbone for all stations are the cadres of dedicated volunteers who invest untold hours in producing content.  Alex celebrates that programs often deep-dive into topics - such a contrast to the clips and sound bites of mainstream media - by taking the time to fully explore and dialogue.  In the changing Canadian demographic landscape on campuses, within linguistic/cultural groups - and geographically - radio has a significant role to play even in 2020.  Join Alex as he talks about community radio's past, present, and future. 

He tells me he has tasted over 70 different kinds of dogs.  Grant Trayner is fast becoming a connoisseur, an aficionado, and expert on what make a good dog.  This is just pure fun and like any quest it is likely never to end... or is there the best of the best just waiting out there for him to discover?  That TOP DOG that is "Best IN Show"!   

With Bob Blumer's newest cookbook "Flavour Bomb" set to launch on the 20th of October it was time to talk food, food trends, and food future.  This Canadian food personality has seen the ground shift on what we buy, what we prepare, and what we eat.  When it come to food Bob even goes after Guinness records.   "Bob Blumer was the host of Food Network's The Surreal Gourmet, Glutton for Punishment, and World's Weirdest Restaurants. He is also a cook book author and illustrator. Blumer was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, but now resides in Los Angeles, California. Bob serves as an Ambassador to Second Harvest in Toronto spreading the word about food rescue and hunger relief."  - from Wikipedia

Want to know more about locally 100% grass fed local beef?  Enjoy these interviews with members of the family at Dalew Farms.

Want to know the future of this country? Ask Darrell Bricker of Ipsos.  He utilizes the census data and makes informed predictions concerning more than the next 5 years.  How will our aging population deal with quality of life and what decisions will we make about housing, education, policies, and purchases? Join me as Darrell discusses his most recent book NEXT. 

The Decanter Wine Awards is an annual event where thousands (maybe 10s of thousands) of wines are evaluated, scored, and awarded medals:  "Now in its 16th year, the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) is the world's largest and most influential wine competition. Judged by the top wine experts from around the globe, the DWWA is trusted internationally for its rigorous judging process."  Andrew Jefford is a judge.  He lives in the south of France and writes for a wide spectrum of news platforms (he also writes and contributes to books) on topics from spirits to port.   Here is what Robert Parker said of Andrew Jefford: “One of my favorite wine journalists, and a guy who is up in the top echelon with Matt Kramer and Jancis Robinson….Andrew Jefford, has an exceptionally fair and balanced piece on the free Decanter magazine website called….”Wither Tasting Notes”….most people would think this goes to the heart and soul of many wine magazines, blogs, etc. but he ,as he usually does, analyzes it in

CARP member Jack Decorby shares the story of a bicycle accident and his subsequent hospitalization.  Now in recovery and rehabilitation we talk about the process and his experiences in healthcare during COVID.  Jack and Joyce volunteer extensively in the community including 12 years of engagement with NOSM (the Northern Ontario School of Medicine) where he is a standardized patient partaking in role/case presentation of scenarios to doctors in training.  Naturally, we include dialogue on quality of life!  

Author of "The Essence of Wine: Celebrating the Delights of the Palate" Alder Yarrow shares his enthusiasm for wines in his backyard (California) and the wines of the world.  I seemed to be following Alder some years ago on an exploration of Hungary's Tokaji region, and though we never caught up then we do now on QOL.  Alder talks about his own wine education and journey - and how he began what was then one of the first wine blogs - and how you too can learn and enjoy; expanding your knowledge and enjoyment.  

One career?  No more.   Paul Gault followed his passion from print media to wine and wine education.  A graduate of the Algonquin College Sommelier  program he fast-tracked into a new industry.   Now as Somm4ALL he provides learning opportunities and quality representation for wineries in the National Capital Region.  Listen to Paul's journey and his words on wine.  

Contributor to CBC's Radio Noon and Ontario Today Konrad Ejbich has decades of understanding the wines of Ontario and Canada.  Author, broadcaster, and travel writer Konrad has provided insights and information to listeners that was valuable to them as consumers.  He challenges you to recognize the excellence in our home grown industry.  

As (hopefully) the Pandemic wanes it is time to restart various sectors of the economy.  Meredith Armstrong. Acting Director, Economic Development speaks on the plans for Greater Sudbury.  The opportunities and challenges we talk about from this conversation in the Spring of 2020 may already have morphed, and the implemented efforts too may have shifted.  This program was originally broadcast on CKLU as a Special.  

I want to sing "over the rainbow" as the downtown "City Centre" is now renamed Elm Place.  This is not just a refresh of name only.  Office and retail spaces are not static and the owners of this mall are acutely aware of the transformations happening not just in this downtown.  Property Manager Robert Green walks me through the changes "in the heart of Sudbury."  For those listeners who have lived here 50 plus years I wonder if you too are singing the lyrics to advertizing from the 1970s?  

How have, how are, and how will businesses cope with the impacts of Covid-19?  What impacts has it had on members of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce? Syed Raza speaks from his experience and position at the Chamber adding insights and interpretations.  Though this episode is focused on Sudbury, we go broader into provincial, national, and global implications.  

Stevie Kim is the publisher of "The Jumbo Shrimp Guide to Italian Wine" and in her role of marketing all that is Italian Wine this is a marvelous primer.  I spoke with Stevie as Northern Italy was emerging from lockdown so naturally we also included a conversation about the effects of the Pandemic on the sales of wine as well as international travel connected with promoting product and providing education worldwide. 

Restaurateur Steve Beckta talks about dining in Ottawa and specifically the world of Play, Gezellig, and Beckta, and how he and his team pivoted during the Pandemic with Curated by Beckta home delivery.   A graduate of the early days of the sommelier program at Algonquin College Steve spent 4 years in New York City honing his skills at top properties.  Influential in changing the food and service landscape Steve returned to Ottawa in 2002 and his trajectory was ever upwards. As restaurants reopen their doors tomorrow (July 17th, 2020) we wish them well and look forward to sitting, opening a menu and enjoying their exceptional welcome and quality dining experience.

Who doesn't love cashews?  Well Nuts for Cheese are making a non-dairy cheese... and now two butter options. Cashews are the base for it all.  Organic and Fair Trade cashews!  Join me as I ask Candace Campbell, marketing director, about the process, the progress, and the progression of the company as it reaches across Canada and now into the United States marketplace.  

21 years ago the community of Inuvik turned their hockey arena into a community garden.  Replacing the roof with a transparent surface essentially offered an 18,000 square foot space to grow vegetables in a moderated space.  They only use the growing season as there is no supplemental heating, but when summer arrives things thrive. 56 days of continuous sunlight. The result is amazing bounding production at the peak of summer and on towards Labour Day.   Executive Director, Ray Solotki, talks about the history, this year's season, and the challenges faced as the Pandemic changed how they operate. 

In the 2000s while attending Royal Roads I got the opportunity to reconnect with Bob Bateman.  He was giving a series billed as "Sketchbook Talks" and would show up on campus every few months to describe trips, travels and adventures.  While on location he would compile a series of impressions into pages and pages of detailed images with words and sometimes arrows highlighting features or unique attributes of birds or other animals. These often formed the basis for large canvases on his return to his studio. Now in his 9th decade he kindly took my call. We talked about his beginning years as a geography teacher, his love of encouraging people (especial young people) to experience the natural world, and the emergence of ecological awareness.