New Brunswick Traveler

Wild blueberries are native to Canada and grown mostly in coastal areas that have moderate temperatures and not as much possibility of frost. The majority of wild blueberry production is in Northeastern NB, but about 20% is in Southern New Brunswick where I live. Currently there are over 300 wild blueberry producers and with good crop management over 4,000 pounds of berries are harvested per acre. The farm gate value is about 20 million dollars and the blueberry industry has contributed $81 million to the provincial GDP. Only five percent of the crop is sold fresh. Most is frozen and the largest markets are industrial, hospitality and institutional. But for the New Brunswicker, there is nothing better than going to a local producer and purchasing them fresh. Or even better, buying the muffins and pies that they have available at those farm stands. In season, McKay's Blueberries sells 300 pies a day. And I buy one any time I am in the Pennfield area!

This episode primarily talks about some of the history of lobster fishing in New Brunswick and the value of the lobster industry to the province. Until the development of a canning process for lobster meat in the mid 19th century, there was really no commercial value, rather lobsters were just harvested for feeding individuals and their families. By the 20th century, the sale of live lobsters and the processing of lobster meat made it a significant commercial product. Lobster is Canada’s most valuable seafood export, contributing as much as $1 billion in export sales, and is one of the exports most closely associated with Canada. Live lobsters can be purchased from: Collins Lobster Shop https://collinslobster.com/ Misty Harbour Seafood https://www.mistyharbourseafood.com/ A cup of coffee can be purchased for me at https://buymeacoffee.com/marks5

In this episode, I interview Laura Weil, who has established a fiberglass door manufacturing company, perhaps the first one in the Maritimes. Laura shares her journey of establishing a business in Saint John, a city known for its doors. She discusses the hurdles she encountered in securing a suitable location and suppliers, and her efforts in transforming a vacant space into a functional showroom and workshop. Laura also highlights her collaborations with a local artist and a contractor, and her plans to connect with builders, developers, and contractors in the area. She talks about her unique fiberglass doors, which offer a stylish and customizable alternative to the standard steel doors commonly found in the region. Despite the geographical challenges of the Maritimes, Laura expressed her determination to expand her business across the region. The company website is https://www.hatchparley.com/

An interview with David Goss who has spent over 45 years sharing about the wonders of Saint John and the surrounding area through his walk and talks, and his books. In this episode, I talk to him about his new book on Fernhill Cemetery co-authored with Harold E. Wright, and on walks he is doing on New River Beach. The book launch will be at a huge celebration at Fernhill cemetery on August 26 in the morning. Walk and talks on New River Beach will be on August 23-24 and September 14-15.

In this episode I discuss the upcoming Fundy Sea Shanty Festival with Gary Caines, its artistic director. Gary explains the historical significance of sea shanties, their role in maritime culture and how appropriate to have it annually in St. Martins. We also talked about the Festival, program, highlighting its diverse activities and the importance of partnerships and sponsorships. Gary expressed his interest in expanding it and appreciated the unique friendliness of New Brunswickers. The festival will be held in St. Martins August 9-11. For more information and their schedule, go to their website at https://www.fundyseashantyfest.com/schedule-1

In this episode I discuss the rich history of Partridge Island, a site significant for navigation aids, quarantine stations, military fortifications, and lighthouses. I highlight the role of lighthouse keepers and their duties, including the use of foghorns and the invention of the steam-powered fog alarm. I also shed light on the island's quarantine station, its use as a burial ground, and its importance in controlling the spread of diseases during the 19th century. Information for this podcast is Linda Hersey, Harold Wright and others that have contributed to seven different webpages which are listed below: ihttps://www.saltscapes.com/roots-folks/3024-partridge-island.html https://legionmagazine.com/the-sad-story-of-partridge-island/ https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/partridge-island-quarantine-site https://newirelandnb.ca/quarantine-stations/partridge-island https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=191 https://maritimemac.com/2018/01/22/the-quest-of-saint-john/ https://mynewbrunswick.ca/partridge-island/

This episode talks about fiddleheads and their popularity in New Brunswick. The village of Tide Head New Brunswick bills itself as the Fiddlehead Capital of the World. Perhaps it is, but Saint John has the only Fiddlehead sculpture. It was made by Jim Boyd of Sussex and sits in front of the Arts Centre. The predominant type of fiddlehead in Canada is the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris). These are bright green, with tightly coiled heads, sometimes with bits of the forest floor still clinging to them. With a flavor slightly reminiscent of asparagus, but somehow also nutty and pleasantly bitter, they are a short-lived but delicious reminder that the doldrums of winter are finally over. I refer to an article by Raymond Plourde entitled “Fiddlehead Season” in Saltscapes Magazine for some of the information found on the podcast. https://www.saltscapes.com/kitchen-party/1068-fiddlehead-season.html To learn more about harvesting opera fiddleheads, this video might be helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBfG6yyPtAg Information about freezing or pickling fiddleheads https://foragegirl.com/en/

This week I am interviewing Andrew McClean, who tells about the backyard history of interesting things from the Maritimes. Our particular focus in this episode is on the prominence of rum in the life of people who live in New Brunswick during the early part of the 20th century. Rum was a part of the salary of some of the workers and it was common for them to take a “rum break” instead of a “coffee break”. For more information about Andrew McClean, go to his website https://backyardhistory.ca/

The launch of New Brunswick Traveler was on Tuesday morning, December 5, 2023. Hope to share a cup of coffee with you on Tuesday mornings, and have the water on for tea if that is what you prefer!