Citizens for a Livable Cranbrook Society provides grassroots leadership and an inclusive process, with a voice for all community members, to ensure that our community grows and develops in a way that incorporates an environmental ethic, offers a range of housing and transportation choices, encourages a vibrant and cultural life and supports sustainable, meaningful employment and business opportunities.

Monday, June 15, 2015

Shipping Container Home

Go to the link above to read the whole article and watch the video.

CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Sunday, June 14, 2015 10:11PM EDT
It takes a lot of thinking outside the box to build a house for just $30,000. So instead Ottawa native Joseph Dupuis simply turned a box into a home.
The former engineering student has constructed a 355-square-foot secluded cabin outside the city out of three shipping containers.
The home is winterized, powered by solar energy and can be picked up and moved on a few days' notice.
"It is definitely unique and different, but it has all of the amenities of a house," Dupuis told CTV Ottawa.
Once the thick metal doors of the containers have been opened, they reveal a bachelor pad with numerous windows and plenty of natural light, as well as a fireplace and a full kitchen.
Dupuis said the project, which he began in 2012, was a "big science experiment" that allowed him to save money and simplify his life.
"Removing myself off the grid and living a more practical, holistic life solved a lot of my financial struggles," said Dupuis.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Beautiful Babies

Here are the Hummingbird twin babies as of Saturday June 12th.  Thank you Stewart for documenting their progress. (see previous posts for their life history)


Out and About with Stewart


IdleWild,  Blue Heron

Idlewild, Kingbird

Idlewild, Sandpiper

 and the Hummingbird babies are almost fledglings

Friday, June 12, 2015

What's Happening.....

Saturday June 13th

Cranbrook Public Library,
Garage Sale
9:00am to 5:00pm
Manual Training Building

Cranbrook Farmer's Market
10:00am - 1:00pm
Ktunaxa Building

Dora the Explorer
1:00pm
Key City Theatre
Tickets $29

East Kootenay Outdoor Club
Hike in the Hills near Lakit
phone Lorne
250-426-8864

Sunday June 14th
Auditions for:
"Crimes of the Heart"
to be directed by Paul Kershaw
Key City Theatre
2:00pm


We Love Rhubarb Kitchen Workshop

We Love Rhubarb Kitchen Workshop – Kitchen and Garden Workshop Series #2

Rhubarb is one of the first garden crops ready for harvest. Wildsight Kimberley Cranbrook and the Cranbrook Food Action Committee are once again partnering to offer the “Kitchen and Garden Workshop series” and rhubarb is the topic of the upcoming workshop.

The "We Love Rhubarb Kitchen Workshop” will be offered in Kimberley on June 16 at McKim Middle School and in Cranbrook on June 18 at the new Community Connections Kitchen. Sessions run from 6:30 to 8:30 pm and cost $20 for Wildsight members and $25 for non-members. If cost is a barrier, some volunteer bursaries are available.

Participants can expect the workshops to be fun, tasty and informative sessions. In addition to discovering more about rhubarb, you will explore some new recipes and meet your fellow community members.  Sophie of the Cranbrook Food Action Committee challenges people to “move out of the rhubarb crisp comfort zone” and try something different like a rhubarb soda!  Participants will make up to five rhubarb dishes, some savory and some sweet. There will be lots of sampling and participants will take home a little something for later.

Rhubarb is a delicious and healthy vegetable. It is rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber and calcium; it is also a source of potassium. This workshop will ensure you take full advantage of the hardy, abundant bounty of the rhubarb plant if you love rhubarb, grow it or want to expand your cooking repertoire. Register soon to avoid disappointment.
To register or find out more about the workshops visit www.wildsight.ca/kimcran or 250-427-9325 x 221. 


Place a  pot with a hole in the bottom over the rhubarb clump when it first appears in the spring.  This will draw the stems towards the light for the most tender stems of the season.  Remove once the leaves reach the top!

Editor's favourite recipe:


Rhubarb – Raisin Squares

St. John’s Anglican, Manitou, Manitoba from Best Recipes This Side of Heaven published by Holy Trinity Anglican, Yorkton, Sask


Base:
½ cup butter
1 cup all purpose flour
1tbsp granulated sugar

Blend (I use the processor) and press into an 8”inch square pan.  Bake at 350F for 10 mins.

Filling
2 cups chopped rhubarb
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup raisins
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp orange rind
3 egg yolks
½ cup milk
In medium bowl stir together and pour over hot base and bake at 350F for 45mins –‘til set

Meringue
3 egg whites
¼ cup icing sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
¼ cup flaked coconut

In mixing bowl beat egg whites ‘til foamy.  Add icing sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff and glossy. Spread over filling and sprinkle with coconut.  Bake for ten more minutes until browned..  Cool and cut into squares.

Doubles well!!  Good thing!





Garden Club Goings On

Enjoy a self-guided tour of 7 beautifully diverse gardens as well as local artisans from 10am to 3:30 pm
On Sunday July 5th at the Cranbrook Garden Club’s 19th Annual Open Garden Day. Tickets are $10.00 available after June 19th at Lotus Books,Trends & Treasures & Top Crop Garden, Farm& Pet. The Garden Club encourages you to take a tour break from noon to 1:30 pm at Christ Church Anglican (lower level) where you can enjoy a homemade lunch provided by the Church ladies for $8.00 at the door. Don’t forget to drop in at our Garden Club’s Plant Sale at 224- 14th Avenue North for great bargains from 10 am to 3:30 pm.

Another item of interest – Cranbrook Garden Club has a Bus Tour going to the Castlegar Peony Show on Sunday June 28th, 2015 Cost is $25.00 – they also will be taking
In a few of the gardens of the Castlegar Open Garden Day – for more info contact Linda Muraro at jlmuraro@shaw.ca


Blast from the Past

July 31st Cranbrook Courier, 1963


Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Video of Cranbrook Council Meeting June 8th 2015

The video can be watched @

Councillor Graham and Mayor Pratt were absent.  

Rent a Chicken

A unique rental program is bringing farm-fresh eggs to the backyards of aspiring farmers.
Rent the Chicken is a business based in Pennsylvania, but has recently expanded to offer the clucking companions in 15 U.S. states and Ontario and P.E.I.
"They're the perfect little pet and they give eggs as a great bonus," P.E.I. farmer Sally Bernard told CTV's Canada AM on Monday.

Kendra Mangione, CTVNews.ca Writer

Monday, June 8, 2015

A Bee Happy Garden Workshop – Kitchen and Garden Workshop Series #1

Mason bee emerging in March
photo Jenny Humphrey
Cranbrook Food Action Committee and Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook are pleased to announce the first garden workshop of the spring, A Bee Happy Garden, is scheduled for June 9th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Kimberley Open Gate Garden and June 11th from 6 to 8 pm at the Cranbrook Public Produce Garden. The cost is $10 for Wildsight members and $15 for non-members.

Bees help us by pollinating 1/3 of our food supply and now it’s time we help them!  Honey bees usually get all the credit but there are thousands of different species. Both the mason (also known as orchard or blue orchard) and leafcutter bees are excellent pollinators. It would take 60 honey bees to pollinate 12lbs of cherries, but only 1 mason bee to do the same work (crownbees.com). These overlooked bees are gentle natured, do not produce honey and are resistant to the type of mites currently devastating honey bee populations. 

This two hour workshop will cover general information about mason and leafcutter bees including how to protect our native bees, how to create a bee habitat in your yard, and how to care for nesting bees. The workshop also includes a hands on component of building a bee house for your garden!  Participants will be exposed to lots of tips and tricks on how to care for these wonderful little pollinators.

The Bee Happy Garden Workshop is 1 of 3 spring workshops devoted to enhancing the garden bounty and teaching new and exciting uses for your harvest. The next workshop in the series is the We Love Rhubarb Kitchen Workshop on Tuesday June 16th in Kimberley and Thursday June 18th in Cranbrook. The three part spring series concludes with Soil Mates Companion Planting Garden Workshop Tuesday July 7th in Kimberley and Wednesday July 8th in Cranbrook.  These workshops have been made possible by funding from the Real Estate Foundation of BC.

To register or find out more about the workshops visit www.wildsight.ca/kimcran or call 250-427-9325. Register soon to avoid disappointment.  To connect with the Cranbrook Public Produce Garden visit Cranbrook Food Action Committee on Facebook or email cranbrookfood@gmail.com. To learn more about the Kimberley Open Gate Garden please contact dirk@wildsight.ca.

Mason bee just hatched in March

Mason bee hotels facing east - Jenny Humphrey garden

Mason bee plugs Spring 2015, Jenny Humphrey garden