Looking for a better loaf and a calmer life? We start with snow, dogs, and learning to heat a home on wood—choosing species, managing airflow, taming coals, and moving heat through a mid-century bungalow—then step into the bake room with Edmonton’s Bonjour Bakery owner, Yvan Chartrand, for a masterclass on real bread. Yvan’s journey runs from Montreal to rural Hokkaido and back to the prairies, carrying lessons on heritage grains, stone milling, and the slow magic of fermentation.

Yvan breaks down what sourdough truly means in Canada—no shortcuts, no vinegar masquerading as time—just flour, water, and a 45‑year‑old starter nurtured daily. We unpack gluten in plain language, why rye yields dense, slice-thin loaves, and how real pumpernickel bakes for hours to avoid a burnt crust and raw core. He contrasts one-hour industrial processes full of conditioners and preservatives with three-day fermentation that naturally preserves, deepens flavour, and can support a lower glycemic response. We also demystify “whole wheat” labeling, explore ancient vs heritage vs modern wheats, and show how in-house stone milling preserves aroma and nutrition.

If you bake at home, you’ll love Yvan’s “three secrets” of bread—temperature, temperature, and temperature—and how season, flour storage, water temp, and mixer friction change everything from dough development to crumb. Along the way, we keep returning to a shared theme: patience and process matter. Whether you’re tending a fire, sled-hauling wood with the dogs, or feeding a starter, the reward is real—clean heat, clean bread, and a clearer head.

Subscribe for more conversations that connect outdoor craft, food, and well-being. If this sparks an idea—or a craving—share the episode, leave a review, and tell us your go-to loaf so we can bake up more of what you love.

A cup of tea can tell you where it grew, how it was harvested, and even what the weather felt like—and John has spent 43 years learning that language. From Tetley’s legendary training to global trading desks and UN projects, he walks us through the real mechanics of quality: why the top two leaves and a bud matter, how insects trigger flavor by provoking plant defenses, and how high-altitude stress in places like Sri Lanka and Darjeeling creates brighter, more layered cups.

We dig into the details that change your daily brew. John explains why soil acidity, drainage, and microflora drive healthy roots, how intercropping legumes boosts nitrogen without burn, and why old bushes clinging to rock can taste astonishingly pure. We challenge the myth that teabags are “bad tea,” unpacking CTC vs orthodox processing, oxidation, and particle size. Then we tackle the big headline: microplastics in teabags. What materials are actually used today? How do PLA and modern paper mills change the equation? The answer is more nuanced—and much less scary—than the viral posts suggest.

Beyond the science, we talk value and ethics. John shares his work in Pakistan, where massive tea imports strain foreign currency. By planting tea on marginal slopes and keeping packaging and distribution closer to farms, communities can keep more margin at origin. We finish with practical takeaways: a sleep-friendly blend ratio (valerian, chamomile, spearmint) that tastes good, not just “good for you,” and circulatory-support pairings like rooibos with hibiscus that also play nicely with chaga. If you care about flavor, truth over hype, and supporting growers while you sip, you’ll find plenty to bring to your next kettle boil.

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Ever wonder why your poinsettia crashes by New Year’s while your neighbour’s looks flawless into January? We sit down with greenhouse manager Adrian Lee to demystify holiday plants and real Christmas trees with clear, field-tested advice you can use today. From watering routines that actually work to placement tips that prevent stress and leaf drop, this is a practical guide to keeping festive greens alive and beautiful.

Adrian breaks down the quirks of classic Christmas plants: how poinsettias colour up after a darker rest period and why they hate soggy foil sleeves; the simple feeding schedule that coaxes Christmas cactus into reliable blooms; and the difference between moisture lovers like frosty fern and rot-prone bulbs like cyclamen. We also explore small but mighty evergreens such as lemon cypress, plus rosemary and lavender trimmed into miniature trees for scent, cooking, and calmer sleep. Looking to build a mixed planter? Learn how to water each species on its own terms without drowning the rest.

If a real tree anchors your season, you’ll get a straightforward care playbook: make a fresh base cut, keep the stand topped up, consider cooler room temps, and mist to slow needle loss. We even talk about oxygenating water and whether brown sugar does anything meaningful. For gardeners dreaming ahead, Adrian explains compact ornamentals for small lots, grafted apple trees with staggered ripening, and pollination basics. We wrap with kitchen garden tips like pruning bay to encourage branching and sustainable leaf harvests.

Ever wondered how a galaxy ends up inside a marble? We kick off with winter wisdom—how to shovel so the plow doesn’t bury your driveway, why raccoons can’t raid tipped‑over bins, and a simple wood‑heat trick that moves warmth to every room—then shift into the firelit world of borosilicate glass with artist Trevor Logan.

Trevor breaks down glass at the atomic level in language anyone can follow: the differences between soda‑lime and borosilicate, why lab glass resists thermal shock, and how sourcing pure silica sand shapes clarity. He walks us through his signature “space marbles,” shaving a pure silver coin, fuming vapor onto clear glass, and sculpting spiral galaxies with tungsten tools before backing them in deep black and annealing overnight at 1050 degrees. We compare soft‑glass crucible work to torch‑based lampworking, visit the culture of marble shows, and map the life cycle of glass from color‑sorted bottles to California’s famed Glass Beach.

The conversation turns heartfelt with memorial ash pieces—small pendants and marbles that suspend a loved one’s ashes in glass with remarkable clarity, often using only an eighth of a teaspoon. Trevor shares options, pricing, and stories of families combining ashes or choosing suncatchers and shelf‑ready keepsakes instead of urns. We round it out with his second maker lane: 3D printing photo reliefs in PLA derived from corn sugars, using techniques like HueForge to turn wedding portraits, fish trophies, and family moments into luminous, backlit art. Along the way we highlight practical winter gear tips, all‑wheel drive vs four‑wheel drive in slick corners, and where to explore Trevor’s work online.

If you love craft, science, and stories you can hold, this one’s for you. Follow and share the show, leave a rating or review, and tell us: what memory would you preserve in glass?

What if great pet care started with fewer defaults and more decisions? We sit down with holistic veterinarian Dr. Sasan Hyatt to rethink parasite control, vaccination schedules, and daily nutrition with a clear focus on resilience over routine. Instead of chasing problems with stronger chemicals, we look at how whole-food diets, targeted testing, and simple environmental changes reduce risk and improve quality of life.

We dive into the realities of ticks, fleas, and Lyme disease and why a healthy, less “attractive” host matters. Dr. Hyatt lays out practical, lower-toxicity layers for prevention: safe garlic dosing by weight, nettle and spirulina blends, ultrasonic and ceramic tick collars, and when a short course of selamectin makes sense for fleas. On Lyme, we separate positive tests from actual illness, discuss immune-supportive strategies, and explore teasel root’s potential while calling for more veterinary data. For heartworm, we prioritize annual blood screening and early detection over blanket prophylaxis.

Vaccines get a measured approach. Rabies protection is non-negotiable, but titers can document lasting immunity and help avoid over-vaccination that may fuel allergies and autoimmune issues. We also talk candidly about emerging mRNA-based pet vaccines and why asking for traditional formulations is wise until questions are settled. From there, we zoom out to the home: filtered water over tap, modified citrus pectin (PectaSol) to bind glyphosate, low-residue detergents, double rinses, bedding hygiene, and how a quick baking-soda first pass can stop skunk oils from setting in. For mobility and pain, osteopathy, chiropractic, and rehab often succeed where sedating drugs fall short.

This is a compassionate, evidence-forward blueprint for pet parents who want their animals to thrive without unnecessary exposure. You’ll leave with concrete steps: upgrade the bowl with cooked or raw whole foods and mushrooms like shiitake and chaga, use smart, layered parasite defenses, test before you boost, and make home a cleaner, calmer ecosystem. If this conversation helped you see pet health differently, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more owners find it.

Walk a 200-year-old market with us and meet the people who turn fields, hives, herds, and ovens into food that actually lasts and tastes like home. This is a guided tour of the Peterborough Farmers’ Market, where stories of craft and community sit behind every jar, loaf, and bundle of greens.

We start with why local often means smarter value: lettuce that keeps five weeks, Brussels sprouts that last longer on the stalk, and produce picked midweek and sold on Saturday for maximum freshness. From there, we stop by a second-generation beekeeper for raw and pasteurized honey, beeswax candles, and a primer on basswood’s citrusy honey versus buckwheat’s molasses-like depth. An emu farmer shares how emu oil supports sore joints and skin, and a small-batch cheesemaker walks us through curds, flavoured cheddars, and bold 10-year wheels made by hand.

Textiles take center stage with alpaca fiber: how grading works, why alpaca socks wick and warm without itch, and how felted dryer balls cut static and drying time without chemicals. We taste our way through deep-fried pierogies in classic potato cheese, roasted cabbage and onion, and truffle-parmesan, then explore dedicated gluten-free baking—from pies and loaves to freezer-ready lasagna. Microgreens growers harvest live for you at the stall, offering sunflower, radish, broccoli, and mixes that elevate salads, wraps, burgers, and soups with serious nutrients and shelf life. Even pets get a seat at the table with single-ingredient dehydrated treats like beef lung, tendons, and chicken feet sourced from inspected farms.

Along the way, we highlight how markets launch businesses, build trust, and keep dollars close to home. You hear the practical tips—how to store stalk sprouts, how to pair maple-infused cheddars, how to use microgreens beyond salads—and the bigger takeaway: buying local isn’t a luxury; it’s a resilient, flavorful way to eat and live.

The woods don’t shout their lessons; they whisper them through blisters, bandages, and the warm glow of a stove that finally wins against the cold. We open with Gunnar, our chocolate lab, whose paw surgery turns into a candid look at corporate vet practices, realistic costs, and the small rituals that keep him healthy—yes, right down to the toothbrush. From there, we step into the birch stands and unpack what years of ethical chaga harvesting have taught us: how to use the right tools, why leaving a live margin matters, and what the mycelium hidden in a birch’s heartwood reveals about this storied fungus.

Gear and grit take center stage as we trade too-hot rubber boots for supportive soles that tame plantar fasciitis across long, leaf-slick miles. We get practical about layers, coveralls over shorts, and the packout details that make a ten-kilometre day feel doable. Back at camp, small comforts roll in hot from the pan: carrots parboiled, then sautéed in butter and garlic; pickled wild leeks with perfect crunch; and hot peppers that find their way onto nearly everything. There’s mischief, too—like swapping mayo in a Hellman’s jar—and a listener testimonial praising chaga cream for fast healing.

The bush has a way of writing plot twists. A nagging arm injury becomes a hospital odyssey and ends with a two-inch sliver finally sliding free—equal parts relief and “you won’t believe this.” We round things out with heat: a log cabin that needs a full day to warm, backup propane to jumpstart the process, and a fireplace insert at home that sips wood while heating the house with help from the furnace fan. We even tease a new chaga mint line and share where to find us at holiday markets.

If you love smart outdoor talk that blends fieldcraft with camp kitchen joy, sustainable foraging, and the real-world fixes that keep a trip on track, you’ll feel at home here. Subscribe, share the show with a friend who lives for the bush, and leave a review with your best camp hack—we might try it on our next run under the canopy.

A single “kind” release can rewrite a whole ecosystem. We open with hard‑won lessons from a deep bush chaga trip—gear that saved the day, how to improvise repairs miles from a road, and the thrill of spotting brook trout in a stream you could step over—then pivot to what really threatens our waters: invasive species carried by trade and well‑intentioned pet owners.

Katie Church, Aquatic Invasive Plant Coordinator at the Invasive Species Centre, joins us to break down the European water chestnut story in clear, practical terms. You’ll learn how to identify those floating rosettes, why the barbed seeds are a hazard, and how manual removal by canoe works when communities act early. We also dig into reporting tools like EDDMapS, Ontario’s Invasive Species Act, and the outreach power behind the Don’t Let It Loose campaign.

From there, we tackle the pet pipeline. Goldfish don’t stay small in stormwater ponds; they grow large, stir up sediment, block sunlight, reduce oxygen, and set the stage for algae blooms. Red‑eared sliders compete with native turtles already under pressure. Marbled crayfish can clone themselves, meaning one escape can spark a population. We share smart, humane alternatives—rehoming through retailers, aquarist groups, sanctuaries, and schools—so you never face a release decision at the water’s edge.

If you care about healthy lakes, clean shorelines, native fish, and vibrant wetlands, this conversation gives you the field knowledge and the civic tools to make a difference today. Learn the signs, report what you see, and help stop the next introduction before it starts. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves the outdoors, and leave a quick review to help more stewards find these resources.

A cold morning, a quiet road, and a plan that starts before the first bootprint—this is how we turn a chaga hunt into a smooth, sustainable system. We map our routes with Starlink-preloaded Google Maps, carry a Garmin as backup, and treat radio specs with skepticism, because terrain always has the last word. When we grid-walk skidder trails, stop for 360 scans, and use binoculars to avoid false marches, we find more chaga with less wandering and far fewer near-misses at dusk.

We dig into the details that make or break a remote harvest: smart footwear that prevents blisters and plantar flare-ups, energy management that favours stepping around obstacles late in the day, and a drying setup that starts the moment we get back to camp. Chaga is heavy after rain, so airflow and racks matter; losing 40 to 55 percent of weight through curing is normal, and preventing mold is nonnegotiable. We cut clean with a hatchet, use climbing spurs when needed, and always leave live tissue on the tree to keep growth going. The result is a steady supply now and a healthier stand next year.

Local knowledge proves priceless. A midweek dump run connects us with neighbours who point out fresh logging cuts, and those roads open up new access to promising birch stands. We trade notes on graders, trenching, snow buntings skimming the hood, and the way cold snaps lock the ground, letting ATVs push deeper with less damage. We also share a listener’s story of switching from coffee to green tea with chaga and seeing blood pressure normalize—a reminder of why people care about this fungus—along with the caveat to consult a physician about personal health choices.

By the time we’re back in the sauna and the generator hums down, the racks are filling, next year’s GPS pins are logged, and we’ve kept our promise to the forest: take only what we need, harvest with care, and return with better eyes each season. If you love foraging, backcountry systems, or the calm confidence that comes from a good plan, hit follow, share this episode with a friend who needs safer field tactics, and leave a quick review so others can find the show.

The roof drums like a metronome while we sort the chaos of a wet northern camp into something that works. We’re counting paper plates, flipping pots to outsmart mice, and finding out the hundred-pound propane tank still has life—thanks to a quick hot-water trick on the steel. Five days of rain can’t stall a Chaga season, so we get practical: clean the carbon off a fouled plug, lean out a smoky two-stroke, and hunt down missing couplers for the old Gifford hand pump. When the seals slip, we switch tactics and haul lake water in pails, forty steps up and forty down.

The sauna becomes our reset button. We strip barcoded stickers from new pipe, seat a fresh damper, and build heat with cedar kindling, pine, then hardwood until the rocks sing. At 175 degrees we wash with a mug, breathe deep, and sleep like we earned it. Along the way we share the small bush hacks that keep a camp alive: a coffee-can bread toaster, a torch to convince a stubborn furnace valve, perked coffee with a hint of Kenyan instant and a scoop of Chaga, and breakfast leveled up by homemade pickled jalapeños. Even the boots get a second life—cut into dry camp slippers that laugh at soaked leaves.

Nature edits our plans with a wink. A perfect idea for wild hazelnut Chaga tea disappears when a black bear stands tall and cleans the bushes bare. We take the hint, shoulder gravel to mend the road, and lean on Starlink for a brief lifeline to forecasts and family. Between stories of decades on this land and fresh testimonials about Chaga’s impact on blood pressure, clarity, and resilience, a theme sticks: simple systems, steady hands, and respect for the bush go farther than fancy gear.

If you love practical outdoor knowledge, camp-tested fixes, and the calm that comes from real work under wet skies, press play and join us under the canopy. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a breath of pine and woodsmoke, and leave a quick review to help others find their way here.