Harrowsmith

Growing up, my most treasured childhood memories involve weekends and holidays spent at my grandmother’s house on the St. Lawrence River in The Thousand Islands near Gananoque, Ont. Rocky Knoll, as the property was called, was the centre for my Briti

When we launched our first Almanac in September of 2007, our newsstand sales quickly showed us that readers liked the Canadiana content, recipes and, most of all, our weather and night sky predictions for the coming year. When almanacs were originall

Established in 1976Issue No. 40 Publisher Yolanda Thornton [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Karine Ewart [email protected] Art Direction and Design Meredith MacKinlay eggdesign.ca Executive Assistant/ Customer Service Teresa Martin teresa

In May 2024, the CBC reported that annuals are more popular with pollinators than scientists originally thought. Gardens that were dedicated to single-season flowers were once thought of as “pollinator deserts,” since it was believed that their necta

BY ROSIE DAYKIN, PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDREW MONTGOMERY (APPETITE BY RANDOM HOUSE) Is it just us, or are we seeing a trend here? Like Taste Buds author Nikki Fotheringham (see page 32), Vancouvorite Rosie Daykin took her love of gardening and developed rec

Little did Deb Dana know when she wrote her 2018 book, The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy, she would be starting an international movement that is still gaining traction. (You know you’ve achieved something quite spectacular when the editors at Oprah Da

SEPTEMBER’S BIRTH FLOWER IS…the aster, the symbol of love, wisdom, faith, and patience. Named after the Greek word for “star” (one look at its blooms and you’ll understand why), their dainty appearance, along with their strong straight stems and vari

1-7 Very warm conditions with variable skies. 8-14 Seasonable temperatures prevail, with some storms expected late in the week. 15-21 Slightly below normal temperatures accompany partly to mostly cloudy skies. 22-28 A warm start transitions to cooler

OCTOBER’S BIRTH FLOWERS ARE … marigolds and cosmos. The former are members of the genus Tagetes and usually red, orange or yellow, giving them a reputation to represent warmth, passion and creativity. The latter, which range in colour and have about

1-7 Early warmth gives way to cooler temperatures under variable skies. 8-14 Seasonable conditions with early storms clearing out by late week. 15-21 Unseasonably cool weather brings rain mid-week. 22-28 Seasonable temperatures with partly cloudy ski

NOVEMBER’S BIRTH FLOWER IS…the chrysanthemum. In Asian cultures, the chrysanthemum signifies life and rebirth, making them great gifts for birthdays and baby showers. However, on the flip side, in some North American countries, yellow chrysanthemums

1-7 Mild temperatures and variable conditions, with rain showers mid-week and mixed showers inland. 8-14 Unseasonably warm weather in the first half transitions to seasonable conditions with isolated showers. 15-21 Cold start leads to seasonable temp

DECEMBER’S BIRTH FLOWER IS…holly. Given the influence of Christmas in Canadian culture, it’s not surprising that holly’s bright red berries and glossy green leaves – plus its ability to thrive in harsh winter conditions like ours – make it a festive

1-7 Mild conditions with a chance of wet snow inland and rain showers mid-week. 8-14 Partly cloudy skies and unseasonably warm temperatures, with late-week rain showers. 15-21 Chilly start transitions to mild temperatures, with showers expected late

Tuesday, December 3, 2024, is Giving Tuesday, “the world’s largest generosity movement.” (Basically, it means people should make a concerted effort to be kind and help others.) Here are 3 eco-friendly ways to show your support: • Financially support

Fish collars are the best-kept secret of the fish world. The collar is located just past the gills. It is boney, with lots of fat and collagen. But nestled amidst it all are the most succulent parts of the fish, on par with fish cheeks, but much meat

JANUARY’S BIRTH FLOWERS ARE…carnations and snowdrops.While carnations have gotten a bit of a bad rap because they appear to be everywhere, when you consider that it’s their hardy, long stem that makes them resilient (and therefore, cost-effective for

1-7 Seasonable conditions with fair skies. 8-14 Mild and changeable weather, with occasional rain showers along the coast and wet snow inland. 15-21 Unseasonably mild conditions become colder late in the week, with mostly dry weather but possible hea

FEBRUARY’S BIRTH FLOWERS ARE…the iris and violet. Irises, with their vibrant colours, have petals that represent courage, faith, and hope. (The three upright petals of an iris bloom also signify friendship and compliments.) Violets are delicate flowe

1-7 Unseasonably mild and cloudy weather with scattered showers. Humidity increases. 8-14 Mild start gives way to colder temperatures late in the week, with occasional mixed showers. 15-21 Unseasonably mild conditions continue with partly cloudy skie

February 14th is often criticized for its commercialism, but you don’t have to ask us twice to embrace a holiday dedicated to showing our loved ones love, while keeping Mother Nature’s heart in mind, of course. We’ve put a sustainable spin on the top

MARCH’S BIRTH FLOWER IS…the daffodil. Bright and cheerful, daffodils symbolize friendship and new beginnings. As one of the first signs of spring, they bring a sense of renewal and hope, making them closely associated with Easter. In China, daffodils

1-7 Unseasonably mild conditions with passing rain showers early in the week. 8-14 Chilly start becomes mild late in the week, with a major mixed precipitation storm possible early on. 15-21 Warmer-than-average temperatures accompany unsettled condit

Wherever you live, at 8:30 p.m. local time, it’s time to switch off your lights as a symbolic gesture of solidarity and raising awareness about environmental issues, particularly climate change. In addition to doing something kind for our planet, it’

APRIL’S BIRTH FLOWERS ARE … daisies and sweet peas. Daisies attract pollinators with their bright yellow centres surrounded by white petals. They have quite a cultural history, often referenced in literature, poetry, and nursery rhymes. Daisies repre

1-7 Seasonable and unsettled weather. 8-14 Average temperatures with showers most of the week. 15-21 Continued mild conditions with variable skies. 22-28 Warm temperatures with mostly cloudy skies. 29-30 Seasonable temperatures and sunny conditions.

MAY’S BIRTH FLOWER IS…Lily of the Valley. Representing humility and happiness, there seems to be a bit of a love/hate relationship with Harrowsmith readers when it comes to this shade-loving woodland plant: Some welcome the fragrant spring flower, a

1-7 Unseasonably mild weather with partly to mostly cloudy skies.8-14 Early warmth transitions to cooler temperatures with mostly sunny skies. 15-21 Average temperatures and mostly fair skies, with showers expected late in the week. 22-28 Mild and hu

JUNE’S BIRTH FLOWER IS…the rose. As anyone who has celebrated Valentine’s Day knows, roses are widely recognized symbols of love and passion. According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite’s beauty was so great that roses sprang up wherever she walked. In a

1-7 Warm start becomes cooler late, with thunderstorms expected toward the end of the week. 8-14 Warm weather persists with showers and thundershowers midweek. 15-21 Continued warmth with clearing skies. 22-28 Fluctuating temperatures bring unsettled

Most public libraries have a community seed program, where growers donate their seeds and gardeners can “check them out” at no charge. All that is asked in return is that you contribute the fruits of your labour (i.e. the seeds you end up with) to ke

JULY’S BIRTH FLOWERS ARE…larkspur and water lilies. Larkspur comes in many shades and provides great support for pollinators. Though historically used in medicine, larkspur is toxic and should be handled with care. Water lilies represent purity and r

Lobster Festivals: On the east coast, towns like Shediac, NB, and Pictou, NS, get into the spirit with lobster festivals. These parties showcase the region's maritime heritage and culinary delights, with events such as lobster boils, seafood tastings

1-7 Average temperatures with unsettled conditions early, clearing later. 8-14 Warm and mostly clear weather with a slight chance for showers mid-week. 15-21 Hot inland and warm on the coast, with late-day thunderstorms. 22-28 Cooler, cloudy and humi

AUGUST’S BIRTH FLOWER IS…Gladiolus. Also known as gladioli or sword lilies, these tall and elegant flowers belong to the iris family and originally come from South Africa. The name “gladiolus” actually comes from Latin, from the word “gladius,” whic

1-7 Hot and mostly sunny conditions. 8-14 Cooler temperatures accompany stormy weather, with a chance for showers all week. 15-21 Seasonable temperatures persist with continued stormy conditions. 22-28 Cool and fair weather expected. 29-31 Warming tr

The word “almanac” has its roots somewhere in the Arabic language but a handbook telling you what to plant and when, is actually a western invention. It grew out of the work of a committee of scholars in Toledo, Spain in the eleventh century who work