Variety Show 2019
Coming Friday Sept 13th and Saturday September 14th!!! Come be impressed by your incredibly talented (or un-selfconscious) island neighbours.
It’s an annual tradition not to be missed!!!
22
07, 2019
22
07, 2019
Charcoal Making
Charcoal making is an ancient art dating from 6000-8000 BCE.
In a carefully controlled process known as pyrolysis, all moisture and most of the volatile materials contained in wood are removed, leaving almost pure carbon. The resultant charcoal burns at 600 to 1200 degrees Celsius, producing an even, smokeless heat.
Preparation
To prepare the kiln on this site for firing, a crib floor was laid over cedar logs set lengthwise above a subfloor,with channels for the air to flow from the entrance to the flues. On top of the crib was packed a floor of sand and dirt.
Loading
20cm diameter logs of alder (sometimes fir or maple) were stacked vertically side by side, reducing in diameter toward the front opening.
Capping
Once the kiln was filled, a thick layer of sticks and branches were placed over the logs. These were covered using a sand-clay-soil mixture, packed firmly to make a dome of 20cm thick.
Protection
The kiln would also have had a framed roof to protect the firing process from rain, as charcoal making was mostly done in autumn
Air Flow
This pit kiln has a typical teardrop design, dug out of the slope and forming an earthen mound lined with stone. Two flues are built half-way up into the walls and a metre away on each side of a central outlet chimney; all help regulate the flow of air, and control the heat.
Insulation and Drainage
15cm below the floor, a hidden subfloor of split cedar logs was laid across the width of the pit. This subfloor had two purposes: to act as an insulator for the ground heat, and to drain moisture and volatile acids toward the central chimney in order to be burned out.
The Process
The charcoal maker would light the fire at the narrow front opening, and then give his full attention to the burning. At the beginning white smoke would pour out the flues and it would take the day to get the kiln going.
A large tub of water would have been kept nearby in the event that a fire broke through the dome. If it did,water and more sand-clay mixture would be used to repair the leak. As the temperature in the kiln rose, moisture and volatile acids would be released from the logs, and the entrance way would be closed except for a small air intake.
The charcoal maker would judge the conditions in the kiln by observing the four stages of carbonization, revealed by the colour of the gases coming out the flues: white, yellow-white, blue and finally translucent. A slight odour of alder wood – not smoke – would be the sign to end the smoldering by covering the air intake and the three flues.
With all oxygen cut off to the kiln, carbonization would be complete. After one or two days’ wait to make sure the fire was out, the kiln was ready to be opened. The charcoal would then be removed, packed into rice sacks for market and taken down the hill to be loaded onto boats in Active Pass.
A century later, charcoal is still widely used, for barbecues, filtration, odour removal, art materials, smelting, soil enhancement and even as an ingredient in cosmetic products.
18
07, 2019
Food Program Summer Roundup
Afternoon Tea with Games
In May we tried a new event: An Afternoon Tea with Games. This idea sprang from requests we’d received from seniors. Some felt that our popular Thursday Games Night can be a little loud. (Admittedly Games Night can be a raucous affair with kids playing Twister and Hungry Hippo, and adults playing Ping Pong and Scrabble – who knew scrabble was so competitive?) So we decided to try a quieter games afternoon.
A dozen seniors showed up for our inaugural event. The majority played cards, though once again scrabble made an appearance, and all enjoyed a classic afternoon tea of scones, sandwiches and cake. Plus while they were playing the volunteers and I made dinner for anyone who wanted to eat at the end of the afternoon, or take something home with them for later.
So if a quieter games afternoon might be something you’d enjoy – then mark your calendar. We’ll try another one on September 26th at 1:30pm till 3:30pm – Come join us. (I promise there won’t be any Twister!)
CRFair Roundtable
On June 3, Emma attended the Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable on Food Literacy. There were interesting discussions about Food Justice, mostly around indigenous issues of land use and also barriers for refugees, and programs that are tackling these. There is a new food atlas at https://foodatlas.ca/ which includes the Southern Gulf Islands – check it out.
Gleaning Project
The Gleaning Project is in full swing for another season. We are once again organizing groups of people to pick surplus fruit, to be shared between the pickers, the landowners, the Food Bank and the Food Program. If you would like to be notified about picking sessions, please let Emma know and we’ll add you to our list. If you have trees that need picking, please email Emma.
Grandparents & Elders Lunch
On Tuesday June 1th Cathy’s class walked to the hall to cook lunch for 25 seniors. The kids did really well and the elders really enjoyed their lunch, with lots of lively intergenerational conversation happening around the room.
17
07, 2019
Cinema Galiano – Woodstock Edition!
Cinema Galiano is pleased to announce we will be presenting the director’s cut of the film Woodstock Saturday, August 17th at 7:00 – exactly 50 years to the day that the original event occurred.
The $15 admission ticket includes Alison’s awesome pizza and sweet treats during the intermission at 9 and unlimited popcorn. We are setting the Hall up so that you can dance and peace out during the movie showing.
We’ll figure out a prize for best costume too! Bring out the old bell bottoms, tie dyes, etc.!
17
07, 2019
The Historic ‘Maier’ Piano
The Community Hall has an historic upright piano bequeathed to the Galiano Club by Alice Maier. It has had a home in the Hall since at least the 1990s.
Used in countless local musical productions, school concerts, etc, the piano has also been played by several visiting musical celebrities. Jon Kimura Parker, the famed Canadian pianist, has performed on it during at least a couple Galiano Concert Society recitals & was delighted with the sounds the old piano produced.
Researching the piano’s serial number, local musician, Will Guthrie, has discovered that the instrument was produced in 1925 by The Weber Piano Co, Kingston, Ontario. The piano bears the name ‘Stevenson’ which, he was told, is probably the dealership’s name — a common practise at the time.
2
04, 2019
Galiano’s Next Top Nettle Cooking Competition
Chefs, cooks and foragers: It’s time to put your “pedal to the nettle” in this year’s competition at the 12th Annual Nettlefest Community Potluck Celebration at the South Galiano Community Hall. Come “test your nettle” by entering your best nettle dish against fierce island competition. And the sting: all dishes must be in by 5:30pm.
Categories
• Dan the Man Island Style (featuring 100% ingredients grown or foraged on Galiano)
• Avant-Garde Cuisine
• Homestyle Cooking
23
03, 2019
12th Annual Nettlefest Community Potluck Celebration
Sunday, April 7th Doors open at 5:00pm
Come together to celebrate the return of Spring as we gather as a community for the 11th annual Nettlefest Potluck. It’s all about gathering with friends and neighbours, sharing some wonderful food, and enjoying the entertainment of some amazingly-talented locals. Join us, and bring something to share with others.
23
03, 2019
Forest Foraging Walk
10:00am, Saturday April 6, Alistair Ross trailhead parking lot
with Holistic Nutritionist Cedana Bourne from the Galiano Conservancy Association
Bring your cameras and notebooks and learn about foraging in our local forests. We’ll walk through Galiano’s wild places and talk about nettles and other edible wild greens, how and when to pick them for a sustainable harvest, where they grow, and their roles in our local ecosystems. We’ll also learn about their nutritional and health-giving properties, and how best to preserve them.
Suggested donation $15-$20. Please register at galianofoodprograms@gmail.com
23
03, 2019
Wild Kitchen—Nettle Cooking Workshop with Alison Colwell
This Year we are holding 2 classes – Thursday April 4th and Friday April 5th at 5:30pm
Learn how to make a variety of delicious nettle dishes and how to remove the sting so that you can take advantage of all of nettle’s incredible health benefits. This hands-on class includes cooking demonstrations and is suitable for all levels of cooking skills. It’s a prime opportunity for those looking to develop their skills and incorporate wild foods into their diet. We will create a delicious meal to share around a communal table at the end of the evening. This is a chance to bring questions, and get ideas for your entry into the Galiano’s Next Top Nettle Cooking Competition at the Potluck.
Registration includes all ingredients for a meal we prepare in class, plus a copy of Alison’s Nettle Cookbook.
Please register at galianofoodprograms@gmail.com. Sliding scale $15-$25
Registration includes all ingredients for a meal we prepare in class, plus a copy of Alison’s Nettle Cookbook.
Please register at galianofoodprograms@gmail.com. Sliding scale $15-$25
18
03, 2019
12th Annual Nettlefest by Alison Colwell
Whenever I’m explaining the Food Program to new people (both on island and off), I always mention Nettlefest because it’s a Galiano celebration that both mystifies and inspires!
Most people think nettles are a weed, but those of us who are lucky enough to live on Galiano know better! Stinging nettles are among the first edible plants to burst from the ground in the Pacific Northwest. Around Valentine’s Day, sometimes even earlier, green shoots start emerging from the ground, and soon the nettles are everywhere! For me nothing says spring like the arrival of this tasty green plant—free for the foraging. Plus, nettles are good for you, high in Vitamin C and calcium.
When you are picking nettles for cooking, choose the young, tender leaves, usually the top four or six on a plant. Use scissors and you won’t damage the plant. Nettles are delicious—but most first-time nettle eaters are nervous about being stung. Use rubber gloves when you are picking and until the nettles are processed in some way. Once the fresh nettles are steamed, frozen, dried or cooked, the sting is neutralized. There are lots of ways to use nettles. Some of my favourites are: soup, pizza, nettle pakora, and a green nettle ravioli pasta.