Cape Breton writer Silver Donald Cameron’s latest undertaking, The Green Interview, is an ever-growing collection of videotaped interviews with “thinkers, writers and observers whose ideas and perceptions are leading the way to a new era of sustainability.” Cameron interviews people who would be considered Green Royalty if the kind of peopleRead More

Author’s Note: This week, we are re-running the third in a series of three columns from 2017. They are perfect for this time of year, and will help you get ready for spring while Michelle deals with a few things that have her tied up right now.  What to do thisRead More

This time last year… What to do this week: This week I want to talk a bit more about days to maturity because it is a big factor in what you choose to grow in your garden. If you look at any single seed catalog, be aware that the daysRead More

This time last year… What to do this week: Gardeners are always happy to have a steady supply of vegetables throughout the growing season. One way to achieve this is to plant things in succession. You may plant a row of carrots, and then two weeks later you plant anotherRead More

This time last year… What to do this week: It’s almost time to plant onions. Yes, already. This is seed catalog season, as you may have noticed by the previous few columns, but I must admit it is not actually necessary to place your order quite this soon, unless youRead More

This time last year… What to do this week: It is still winter, and we are still holed up with our seed catalogs. In case you haven’t noticed, some catalogs are better than others. Some are pretty, and inspirational for that reason. Others are full of information you will needRead More

Chinese itineraries CBRM Mayor Cecil Clarke has yet to publish an itinerary for his November 30-December 6 trip to China on which he was accompanied by CAO Marie Walsh, Economic Development Manager John Phalen and his executive assistant Mark Bettens. As it happens, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was inRead More

Editor’s Note: Today, Michelle and Madeline mark the beginning of year two of their gardening column. The plan is to build on the advice given last year so, where applicable, the new columns will begin with links to the previous year’s, to allow you to refresh your memory. If you’veRead...

What to do this week: Now that winter is here it is time to start gathering seed catalogs, and planning the coming year’s garden. This week I am thinking about trees, bushes and berries. It is always a catch 22 because the prices are really good now, but it mayRead More

What to do this week This week, it might be a good idea to check on the health of the plants you’ve taken in for the winter: it is time to check for pests. When you bring plants in from the outdoors you sometimes bring outdoor pests in as wellRead More