Archives in Canada and Quebec - British ARA expresses 'deep concern'

Archives in Canada and Quebec - ARA expresses 'deep concern' After liasing with colleagues in Canada, The ARA has written to the Minister responsible for ‘Canadian Heritage and Official Languages’ to express the ARA’s ‘deep concern’ at the elimination of the National Archival Development Program and the impact this will have on archives across Canada and Quebec. Chair Martin Taylor wrote: 'The excellent work of the NADP is known around the world. It is effective and has delivered an excellent return on investment for the people of Canada. The loss of its expertise and its funding will be devastating to all who use, study or enjoy the priceless historical sources which the NADP has protected and made available'.

Canadian Council of Archives need your help

Letter Writing, Facebook, Twitter Part of Call to Action

Submitted by CNSA on Thu, 05/03/2012 - 12:46

The Canadian Council of Archives Call to the community for support in voicing opposition to the elimination of NADP is taking traditional and new forms. Leaders of the archival community are asking archives to write a letter to their federal MPs outlining what they have accomplished for their institution/town/researchers using NADP funding.
The CCA has written its own letter to Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, urging the Conservative Government to reconsider the decision made by Library and Archives Canada.
The CCA has started a Facebook page to coordinate communities efforts and share stores. If you are on FB, please like/join/contribute to the level you feel comforatable.
You can also keep up-to-date on Twitter. Follow CCA_Archives, hashtags: #NADP ; #archives.
An in-person rally is also being planned via Google Groups for those archivists, librarians and friends near Ottawa. Join the "Archivists on to Ottawa Trek" for more information.

http://www.councilofnsarchives.ca/blog/1

Nova Scotia Museums : What's On This Summer

Hello everyone,
Here’s some of the latest events from across the Nova Scotia Museums.

Museum of Natural History

Halifax, Nova Scotia
nature.museum.gov.ns.ca

Out of This World: Extraordinary Costumes from Film and Television
Until August 26

Featuring more than 40 costumes and objects from science fiction films and TV programs, this exciting exhibition shows visitors how costume design uses colour, style, scale, materials, historical traditions, nature and cultural cues to help actors and audiences engage with the characters being portrayed.

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

Halifax, Nova Scotia
maritime.museum.gov.ns.ca

Cable Ships: Connecting Halifax to Titanic and the World

This original exhibit, researched and developed by museum staff, explores the history of cable ships in Nova Scotia and highlights the significant roles of the Halifax-based ships Mackay-Bennett and Minia as part of the recovery operations following the sinking of RMS Titanic.
Cable Ships: Connecting Halifax to Titanic and the World also examines how cable ships contributed to the establishment of global communications; literally laying the foundation for trans-Atlantic wireless communication.

Ireland and Empire: In the footsteps of Columbus
Thursday, June 7, at 7 pm

Join Doctor Nini Rodgers of Queen’s University Belfast for a fascinating presentation about the history of Ireland’s efforts to draw advantages from the discovery and expansion in the new world.

World Oceans Day
Friday, June 8, 10 am – 3pm

This year marks the 20th Anniversary of World Oceans Day. In Halifax, this annual event has grown to become one of the largest and longest-running Oceans Day celebrations on the East Coast of North America. This year’s activities on the waterfront will feature lots of fun exhibits and interactive demonstrations about our oceans and marine diversity.
Halifax’s Oceans Day event is jointly organized by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture, Waterfront Development and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Family Sunday
Sunday, June 10

Taking place the second Sunday of every month, the museum offers fun activities designed to entertain and educate families about maritime heritage. Please note that some activities have limited space. Registration takes place at 1 pm and activities begin at 1:30 pm. (Cost: Included with admission)

Uniacke Estate Museum Park

Mount Uniacke, Nova Scotia
uniacke.museum.gov.ns.ca
Built in 1816 by prosperous Irish politician, Richard John Uniacke, this beautiful country mansion is easily one of the grandest homes in Nova Scotia. Inside, find the Uniackes’ treasured possessions like fine furniture and exquisite portraits. Outside, explore walking trails that feature unspoiled Nova Scotia woodland. Walks range from easy to challenging and trails offer plenty of recreational opportunities for people of all ages.

Ross Farm Museum

New Ross, Nova Scotia
rossfarm.museum.gov.ns.ca

Annual Pumpkin Planting
Saturday, June 2 and Sunday, June 3

Start your summer at Ross Farm’s annual pumpkin planting days! Plant a seed this weekend and return in the fall to harvest your very own pumpkin.

Father’s Day
Sunday, June 17, 2012

Enjoy cake, tea and free admission for Dad at the farm.

Tatting Demonstration
Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24

Described as “threads lovingly shaped around air to create beautiful lace”, tatting was considered very fashionable for the upper classes during the 18th and 19th centuries. Visit Ross Farm this weekend and chat with our staff as they demonstrate the beautiful art of both needle and shuttle tatting.

Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
fisheries.museum.gov.ns.ca

Open House and Ship Model Showcase
Sunday, June 10, 9:30 am – 5:50 pm

During the museum’s Annual Open House and Ship Model Showcase, members of the South Shore Ship Modellers Guild will display their latest projects and share their enthusiasm for the craft of ship modelling.  (Free)

Wile Carding Mill Museum

Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
cardingmill.museum.gov.ns.ca

Museum Day
Saturday, June 9

Celebrate the history and culture of this historic carding mill during an Open House. (Free)

Junkyard Boat Building
Sunday, June 17

This Father’s Day, build your own model boat and take it sailing on the pond. (Free)

Perkins House Museum

Liverpool, Nova Scotia
perkins.museum.gov.ns.ca
Every day for over 40 years, Simeon Perkins recorded details in his diary about life, family and business in Liverpool. Today, these entries provide a personal perspective of life in Nova Scotia from 1766 to 1812.
During your visit, enjoy a different kind of storytelling thanks to the museum’s interpretive audio visual projections.  Pick a tale from one of the memory boxes located throughout the house and be amazed as members of the Perkins household materialize before your eyes to tell you about life in a thriving Colonial town.

Ross-Thomson House & Museum

Shelburne, Nova Scotia
rossthomson.museum.gov.ns.ca
Travel back in time to discover 1780s Nova Scotia and the recently settled town of Shelburne. It is in this historic store that seasoned merchants George and Robert Ross carried on international trade in tea, coffee, rum, port and wine; offering both necessities and luxuries to the town’s residents.
Stroll the property’s gardens; step up to the store counter and ask the clerk about the kinds of goods the Ross Brothers once bartered and sold; spend some time inside the living quarters, furnished in the sparse, but elegant style of the period.

Dory Shop Museum

Shelburne, Nova Scotia
doryshop.museum.gov.ns.ca
Visit this harbour-side factory to discover the historic Shelburne Dory and the world of the Grand Banks fishery as it existed from 1880 to 1971. Easy to build and able to withstand the rugged ocean waves, dories were the backbone of the fishing industry, both in Nova Scotia and around the world.
One of Shelburne’s great claims to fame was the town’s rich dory-building traditions; a skill which still survives today thanks to the Dory Shop Museum.  Learn how the town’s dory-makers rivaled their Lunenburg competitors and witness the art of crafting these vessels first-hand.

Barrington Woolen Mill

Barrington, Nova Scotia
wollenmill.museum.gov.ns.ca
In the 1800s, the Barrington Woolen Mill was a local business that used machinery and water power to turn raw fleece into the yarn and cloth needed to make warm and durable clothing.  Powered by the mill’s rushing river, machines like the spinner, twister, skeiner and loom made it possible to wash, pick, card, spin, dye and weave wool in a fraction of the time it took to do by hand. Today, visitors can step inside the preserved mill to hear stories about the mill workers’ day to day lives and see demonstrations of handspinning, dyeing, and weaving of wool.

Old Meeting House Museum

Barrington, Nova Scotia
meetinghouse.museum.gov.ns.ca
For two centuries, people have gathered at the Old Meeting House. A National Historic Site, this New England-style meeting house is the oldest nonconformist house of worship in Canada and among the oldest in North America.  Built by Congregationalist fishermen and farmers from Cape Cod, called Planters, the meeting house was a building-in-progress for its first hundred years until the windows, doors, box pews and a pulpit were added by the mid-1800s.

Le Village Historique Acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse

West Pubnico, Nova Scotia
acadianvillage.museum.gov.ns.ca

Rhubarb Festival
Thursday, June 7, 1:30 pm – 3 pm

Spend a spring afternoon enjoying mouth-watering rhubarb dishes and live entertainment.

Firefighters’ Museum

Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
firefighters.museum.gov.ns.ca

Father’s Day
Sunday, June 17, 9 am – 5 pm

Bring your father to the museum on Father’s Day and you’ll both get free admission!

Family Fun Day
Saturday, June 30, 1 pm – 4 pm

Join us for our Annual Family Fun Day! There will be games, prizes, face painting and refreshments. (Free)

North Hills Museum

Granville Ferry, Nova Scotia
northhills.museum.gov.ns.ca
The exterior of this small farmhouse looks like a typical country home, but inside it boasts a collection of fine art and furnishings that create an air of Georgian elegance.  In 1964, Robert Patterson bought this house and made it a showplace for his impressive collection of antiques. Be charmed by the history and culture found in this unique home, nestled in the heart of one of North America’s most historic regions.

Prescott House Museum

Starrs Point, Nova Scotia
prescott.museum.gov.ns.ca

Tea at Three
Saturday, June 16, at 3 pm

In support of VON Annapolis Valley’s community work, put on your best hat and enjoy a traditional garden party.  Tickets can be purchased by calling 678-3415. (Cost: $45)

Haliburton House Museum

Windsor, Nova Scotia
haliburton.museum.gov.ns.ca

Plant Sale
Saturday, June 16, 10 am – noon

Get a deal while supporting the local food bank during the Haliburton House plant sale.

Shand House Museum

Windsor, Nova Scotia
shand.museum.gov.ns.ca

BOGO Museum Day
Sunday, June 10, 1 pm – 5 pm

Enjoy a visit to this beautiful home; free with paid admission to Haliburton House.

Lawrence House Museum

Maitland, Nova Scotia
lawrence.museum.gov.ns.ca

In 1874, William D. Lawrence secured his place in marine history by constructing the largest wooden-hulled, fully-rigged ship ever built in Canada. Come explore his bright Victorian home and its 23 rooms, featuring photographs, exhibits and the Lawrence family’s heirlooms. Discover the era of shipbuilding, as well as tales of the Golden Age of Sail in Maitland, Nova Scotia’s first designated Heritage Conservation District.

Fundy Geological Museum

Parrsboro, Nova Scotia
fundygeo.museum.gov.ns.ca

Curatorial Walks
Fridays and Saturdays

Discover the area’s rich geological past and natural heritage on these guided walks. Tours depart from the museum and last 3 – 5 hours.  Start times vary due to the tides. Free with museum admission or with membership to the Cumberland Geological Society. Visit the museum’s website for requirements.

Balmoral Grist Mill

Balmoral Mills, Nova Scotia
gristmill.museum.gov.ns.ca
Due to construction, please call the mill (902-657-3016) or consult the website prior to visiting to confirm that the museum is open.
Discover Balmoral Grist Mill Museum, a three-storey mill tucked away in a wooded gorge on Matheson’s Brook.  See the mill in action, just as it would have been when Alexander McKay opened it in 1874. Hear the whir of wooden gears as shafts and pulleys turn the original Scottish granite millstones. Watch as grains are ground, sifted and turned into flour.  Sample the flavour of oats toasted on the cast iron floor of the kiln. Treat yourself to the experience of a waterside grist mill from Nova Scotia’s past.

Sutherland Steam Mill

Denmark, Nova Scotia
steammill.museum.gov.ns.ca

Schools Out
Friday, June 29, 1 pm – 3 pm

Celebrate the end of the school year at the mill.  Build a gingerbread house; go on a scavenger hunt; play quoits or croquet; and win prizes.

Museum of Industry

Stellarton, Nova Scotia
industry.museum.gov.ns.ca - visit our new website!

Give it a Toss
Saturday, June 16, 1 pm

Join us for toss and throw games on the museum lawn.  Kids and adults can play horseshoes, washers, lawn darts, and quoits – the coal miner’s game of strength and accuracy.

McCulloch House Museum

Pictou, Nova Scotia
mcculloch.museum.gov.ns.ca
Beginning in 1773, hundreds of ships carrying thousands of Scottish immigrants began arriving at Pictou Harbour. One man, Dr. Thomas McCulloch, came ashore in 1803 and soon found himself leading a monumental change in the lives of 19th-century Nova Scotians.
Come visit this 200-year-old brick home where McCulloch and his wife, Isabella, raised their family.  Explore the interactive exhibit that details how one man’s passion launched a journey to create public education in the province.

Highland Village Museum

Iona, Nova Scotia
highlandvillage.museum.gov.ns.ca - visit our new website!

Chun A’ Rubha (A Gaelic Tour)
Saturday, June 2, 1 pm – 4 pm

Come for Chun A’ Rubha, a Gaelic tour and caidreabh tì with Jim Watson, Carmen MacArthur, Mary Jane Lamond and native Gaelic speakers. Seumas Watson will lead a tour of the village, which will be followed by a gathering for tea, stories and songs. This is an immersion event hosted entirely in Gaelic. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

Cash's Carding Mill Day
Saturday, June 9

Join us for a special day celebrating wool and Cash’s Carding Mill. At 11 am, Sarah Nettleton will give a lecture and sheep shearing demonstration. Charlie Cash, who donated the village’s carding equipment, will speak about his family’s operation in Irish Cove.

Cossit House Museum

Sydney, Nova Scotia
cossit.museum.gov.ns.ca
Visit this historic home to discover how a controversial Loyalist Anglican minister and his wife started a new life in the capital of a growing British colony.
Get to know Rev. Ranna Cossit and his wife, Thankful, who raised their family of ten children in this modest New England-style house. Chat with costumed guides and take part in daily activities of the 1700s, like stitching a sampler or churning butter. Come explore one of the oldest homes in Sydney.

Sherbrooke Village

Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia
sherbrookevillage.museum.gov.ns.ca

Road to Stanfest Songwriters' Camp
Monday, June 25 – Thursday, June 28

Come to the shores of the beautiful St. Mary’s River to inspire your imagination and your songwriting skills. As part of the camp, studentx will have the chance to compete for a special performance spot at the Stan Rogers Folk Festival. To register, call 1-888-743-7845 or visit Music Camps on our website.

Courthouse Concert Series
Thursday, June 28, at 7:30 pm

Each summer, the village hosts its annual concert series in the historic Sherbrooke Courthouse. This year’s musical lineup will include Country, Folk and Celtic music. For a complete concert schedule, visit the Sherbrooke Village website. (Cost: $8 at the door)  

Fisherman’s Life Museum

Jeddore Oyster Pond, Nova Scotia
fishermanslife.museum.gov.ns.ca

Rhubarb a Plenty
June 9 – 16

Drop by for a taste of different rhubarb treat every day during this week.

 

Mallett's Maple Pepper Carries On a Long Tradition

A natural sugar made by concentrating maple tree sap into a solid maple sugar block, then grinding into small crystals. Maple sugar was the preferred form of maple by First Nations/Native American peoples as the sugar could easily be transported and lasted a long time. It is called ziinzibaakwad by the Anishinaabeg.^{[6] [7]} Blessing of the Bay, the second ocean-going merchant ship built in the English colonies, carried maple sugar from the Massachusetts Bay Colony to New Amsterdam as early as 1631.

Made from natural Maple trees maple sugar can now be found in products such as Mallett's Maple Pepper. visit Mallett's Maple Pepper Website

• Canada and The United States are the only two maple syrup producing countries in the world. Canada accounts for about 85 percent of the world’s production of maple syrup.

• The four major species of maples are the sugar maple, red maple, silver maple and the ash leafed maple. The sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is the major specie for sugar production.

• Maple sugar is about twice as sweet as standard granulated sugar.

• It takes around 40 to 50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup.

• The maple season lasts only about 4 to 6 weeks of the year.

• Usually maple trees are not tapped until they are at least 40 years old and 10-12 inches in diameter. As the tree's diameter increases, more taps can be added (up to a maximum of four taps).

• When done properly, tapping does no permanent damage to the tree. Some maple trees have been tapped for over two hundred and fifty years!

• Pure maple sugar is a 100% natural product, no additives are allowed.

• It takes one gallon of syrup to produce eight pounds of sugar.

• 'Sinzibukwud' is the Algonquin (a North American Indian tribe) word for maple syrup, meaning literally 'drawn from wood'.

Nova Scotia Action Plan for Natural Resources

 

Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (August, 2011). From Strategy to Action, An Action Plan
for the Path We Share, A Natural Resources Strategy for Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Department of Natural
Resources

Introduction
From Strategy to Action
" Sustainability, Diversity, Collaboration, Transparency and Informed Decision Making. These are the values that guide our 10-year natural resources strategy. The strategy marks a departure from traditional natural resource management and is inspired by a vision of a sustainable and prosperous future—a vision described to us by Nova Scotians and reflected in jobsHere, the economic plan for Nova Scotia. As the foundation for the government’s extensive agenda of change, the principles inherent in that economic plan give direction to this strategy and the actions that flow from it. "

 

By JAMIE SIMPSON
Thu, Aug 18 

There’s no positive change in sight for Nova Scotia’s forests. While the just-released Natural Resources Strategy for 2011-2020 contains positive language about collaboration and new directions, the Nova Scotia government has failed to deliver on the challenging issues of reducing clearcutting and eliminating whole-tree harvesting.

The government’s solution to clearcutting, apparently, is to define clearcutting so narrowly that it nearly no longer exists. In fact, under the government’s narrow definition of a clearcut, I would hazard the 50 per cent goal has already been reached. As long as a few scattered trees are left standing on the harvest site, then presto, a clearcut is no longer a clearcut. The strategy contains no guidance or action for a real shift to uneven-aged harvesting methods.

Reducing clearcutting by a simple change of definition is hardly original. The forestry industry has used this smoke-and-mirrors method for years to try to convince the gullible that leaving behind a smattering of trees means that a clearcut is no longer a clearcut. Our government seems to have caught on to the practice.

And what of the government’s consistent promise to eliminate whole-tree harvesting? Gone. Now the government is committing to develop, sometime over the next six months, rules for whole-tree harvesting.

What does the strategy offer? One promise has been kept — to eliminate the $600,000 in public funding for herbicide treatments. Unfortunately, the language used in the strategy on this issue is archaic, referring to hardwood trees targeted by herbicides as nothing more than "weeds" that can still be removed with the help of other publicly funded programs.

What else? After more than three years of public consultation, expert panel reports and stakeholder meetings, the government has concluded that collaboration with forest stakeholders and commitment to good governance should be priorities at the Department of Natural Resources.

All in all, the government’s new 10-year strategy is high on process, but hollow on meaningful action: It’s a disappointment and a wasted opportunity to listen to Nova Scotians’ call for meaningful change. As the government talks about collaboration and good governance, Nova Scotia’s forests will continue to be clearcut, and whole-tree harvesting will increasingly ravage Nova Scotia’s landscape.

Jamie Simpson is a professional forester and the author of Restoring the Acadian Forest, A guide to forest stewardship for woodlot owners in the Maritimes.

The Path We Share, A Natural Resources Strategy for Nova Scotia 2011-2020

Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (August, 2011). The Path We Share, A Natural Resources Strategy for Nova Scotia 2011-2020, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources.

Here it is at last - 8 months late - but is it worth the wait?

" The natural resources of the province belong to all Nova Scotians, and all share the responsibility of ensuring the survival and good health of those resources for future generations. The government is presenting this strategy, but its fate is in the hands of thousands of others – owners of large and small tracts of land, industry leaders, communities, environmental groups, municipal leaders, the Mi’kmaq, the next generation of political leaders, teachers, researchers, and academics. They and many other Nova Scotians will play a vital role, including the making of decisions that determine the future of woodlots, mining ventures, the living environment, parks, and protected land. "

Memory Lane Heritage Village Eastern Shore Nova Scotia

Special Events 

 

In addition to the daily tours and demonstrations, a series of Special Events are held throughout the year. Generally, special admission fees will apply.
[ view all events ] [ view events archives ]

Visit the Harmonica Festival Website

8th Annual Atlantic Canada Harmonica Festival

Spend the day with musicians who love this unique and versatile instrument. If you have ever thought about playing the harmonica, this is the place to start. If you played in the past and it’s now gathering dust, we’ll inspire you to start again. And if you’re a regular player, you’ll be happy to jam or share a tune with other professional and amateur performers.
This is a relaxing and intimate festival, held on the grounds and inside the Heritage Village historic buildings.
The festival ends with a two hour showcase concert featuring harmonica players from all musical genres, from the Isle of Skye to the Mississippi Delta.
A full schedule will be posted closer to the festival date. Check the Harmonica Website too for more information at http://www.harmonicafestival.ca.
Date: Saturday August 20th, 2011
Location: Memory Lane Heritage Village
Fee: $15 Day Admission, $5 per class, $10 for evening showcase, $49 Festival Pass includes lunch and supper, day and evening events.
Hours: 10 AM - 10 PM

For more information call: 845-1937 / 1-877-287-0697 or email: info@heritagevillage.ca

Eastern Shore Homecoming

A day of celebrating the families and culture of the Eastern Shore. Heritage displays, help with researching your roots, and a great chance to meet family from near and far.
Genealogical services from the Eastern Shore Archives are available all day, with our vast community photo database and knowledgeable staff.
Stay tuned for a full agenda of activities.

Date: Sunday August 28th, 2011
Location: Memory Lane Heritage Village
Fee: Free Admission today!
Hours: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

For more information call: 845-1937 / 1-877-287-0697 or email: info@heritagevillage.ca

Musique Royale Concert with Blue Engine String Quartet

On Saturday, September 17^th 2011, Musique Royale, in partnership with Memory Lane Heritage Village, will present the Blue Engine String Quartet in the historic Clam Harbour United Church at Memory Lane followed by a lamplight “Inspired by Music” heritage dinner in the Village’s Cookhouse. The Blue Engine String Quartet have been widely acclaimed, holding true to classical roots by performing many of the masterworks of the string quartet repertoire, including twentieth century landmarks by Ravel, Shostakovich, and Arvo Pärt. The Quartet has also worked closely with important Canadian composers Christos Hatzis, Peter Togni, Tony Genge and Brian Current.
 
Repertoire
• Mozart String Quartet No. 17    K458  "Hunt"
• Set of Klezmer Freylachs including Klezmar Wedding Dance and Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5
*****intermission*****
• Dvorak 4tet in Eb major Op. 51

Inspired by Music Menu
• Austrian Wedding Soup with ground Nutmeg or Parmesan
• Garden Salad with Fresh Flat bread and Herb Garlic Butter
 • Hungarian Goulash with Homemade Pasta
• Mozart's Delight * Fresh Fruit Tarts * Czech Sweet Dumplings filled with Plum Conserves

Musique Royale, now in its 26th season, is cross-province festival that brings performances of early and traditional music to settings of historic and cultural significance in communities throughout Nova Scotia. And now, for the first time, Musique Royale is coming to the Eastern Shore this Fall.
To view a seating plan, click here: http://heritagevillage.ca/home/images/uploads/Church%20Seating%20Plan.jpg
Tickets can be purchased securely by going online to our giftshop and clicking on the featured item.
Date: Saturday September 17th, 2011
Location: Clam Harbour United Church at Memory Lane Heritage Village
Fee: $50 preferential seating includes "Inspired by Music" Heritage Dinner, some concert only tickets available at $25/ticket
Hours: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

For more information call: 1-902-877-287-0697 or 1 (902) 845-1937 or email: info@heritagevillage.ca

Inspired by Music Heritage Dinner

A 4 course heritage dinner served by lamplight in the rustic Cookhouse with a menu inspired by the evening's Musique Royal concert featuring the Blue Engine String Quartet at 5 PM. This is an all inclusive ticket (concert & dinner). Only 83 tickets available. Reservations must be made by Thursday the 15th of September at 5 PM. Tickets must be paid for in full at the time of reservation.
Repertoire
• Mozart String Quartet No. 17 K458  "Hunt"
• Set of Klezmer Freylachs including Klezmar Wedding Dance and Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5
*****intermission*****
• Dvorak 4tet in Eb major Op. 51
Date: Saturday September 17th, 2011
Location: The Cookhouse, Memory Lane Heritage Village
Fee: $50 per person (includes Musique Royal concert ticket)
Hours: Concert 5:00 PM, Dinner Served at 7:00 PM

For more information call: (902) 845-1937 or 1 (877) 287-0697 or email: info@heritagevillage.ca

Oktoberfest Heritage Dinner

One of our most popular dinners. Authentic Oktoberfest food with live music and Oktoberfest spirit. Reservations must be made by Thursday, October 13th. Purchase tickets online through out gift shop. Cash bar opens at 6:30.

Date: Saturday October 15th, 2011
Location: The Cookhouse, Memory Lane Heritage Village
Fee: $25 per person
Hours: Cash Bar Opens 6:30 PM, Dinner Served 7:00 PM

For more information call: (902) 845-1937 / 1-877-287-0697 or email: info@heritagevillage.ca

Candlelight Concert with “Musical Friends”

The “Musical Friends” choir perform their annual candlelight concert. Seating is limited.
Date: Saturday November 19th, 2011
Location: The Memory Lane Church
Fee: Good will donation welcome
Hours: 5:00 - 6:00 PM (doors will not open until 4:45 PM)

For more information call: (902) 845-1937 or email: info@heritagevillage.ca

Traditional 1940s Christmas Dinner

Our most popular dinner, held by lamplight in the Cookhouse which is “decked out” in 1940s fashion. We will serve a dinner both on Saturday and Sunday evening. The Musical Friends choir will perform in the church at 5 PM on Saturday, November 19th and another choir, TBA,  on Sunday, November 20th. Tickets to the dinner must be paid for when you make your reservation. You can purchase your tickets here, at our online gift shop. No refunds available.

Date: Saturday November 19th - Sunday November 20th, 2011
Location: The Cookhouse, Memory Lane Heritage Village
Fee: $25.00 per person
Hours: 6:00 Bar Opens; 6:30 Dinner Begins

For more information call: (902) 845-1937 / 1-877-287-0697 or email: info@heritagevillage.ca

Pictou firm joins Barbie on Greenpeace’s hit list

Is Nova Scotia shipping its forests to China?

Pictou firm joins Barbie on Greenpeace’s hit list

Nova Scotia Forestry: DNR Update Woodbridge Report May 2011

Click on the document above to expand it to a full screen read.

From the DNR:
"The province's commitment to healthy forests and a healthy forest industry is being supported by an additional $5-million investment to address the economic impact of reducing clearcutting to 50% over the next five years. The investment includes funding for added outreach efforts and silviculture to make wood harvesting more attractive to small, private woodlot owners in the province.

The province’s focus on reducing clearcutting and re-engaging with small, private woodlot owners is supported by an economic impact analysis prepared by internationally recognized specialists on the forestry industry, Woodbridge Associates.

The commissioned report recommends the province take measures, such as the $5-million investment, to help ease the forestry sector’s transition toward the province’s clearcutting reduction target. The report also makes it clear that small private woodlot owners play a key role in the supply of wood fibre for the forest industry".

SAVE NOVA SCOTIA'S FORESTS - SIGN THE PETITION

 http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savenovascotiaforests/

Would you like to register your concerns regarding the management of Nova Scotia Forestry? 

Nova Scotia forests are at risk of disappearing and citizens need to be heard. Signing this petition will send a strong and clear message to Premier Darrell Dexter to reverse the decision to allow cutting for biomass on the Crown lands of Nova Scotia.The forest is being targeted as the quick solution for the renewable energy commitment. The forests have already been subjected to massive cutting which is having severe impacts on waterways, wildlife habitat and soil nutrients. This practice is not an acceptable solution to the sustainable energy decision and citizens have to speak up against this and be heard.

FACEBOOK Save Nova Scotia's Forests
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Nova Scotia Natural Resources Strategy 2010: Why are we still waiting?

 

LINK TO WEBSITE

The Natural Resources Strategy was announced in May 2007 as a three year process. DNR's current policies for forests, minerals and parks have been in place since the 1980s and are in need of renewal; the biodiversity strategy will be the first for the province. The decision to re-evaluate DNR's policies on forests minerals, and parks, and to establish a policy on biodiversity is in keeping with the Province's focus on sustainable prosperity and competitiveness, and the shift to a green economy. The Nova Scotia Government's Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act commits DNR to develop a new Natural Resources Strategy by end of 2010.
The Strategy is being developed in three phases.
Phase 1 - Citizen engagement - led by Voluntary Planning - January 2008 to April 2009
Phase 2 - Technical expertise/Stakeholder engagement - May 2009 to March 2010
Phase 3 - Strategy Development - By end of 2010

The Natural Resources strategy is expected to be completed by end of 2010. So why are we still waiting in the middle of 2011?

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Hundreds of People Protest about NDP Nova Scotia Forest Policy

see more video and photos here at cpawsns.org

The campaingners want the government to release its long-awaited forest management strategy.
Charlie Parker, the province's natural resources minister, says the strategy will be out within a few weeks.
Parker says he believes people will be excited by the report.
A preview of the strategy last December called for a 50 per cent reduction in clear cutting over five years.
Global Maritimes News Link
Eastern Shore Forest Watch Facebook
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Darrell Dexter Ignoring Science Ignoring People: The State of Nova Scotia Forests

My comments are directed to our premier, Darrell Dexter. 

Mr. Dexter, I am from rural Nova Scotia and can safely say that my comments reflect the feelings shared by many communities in our province. 

I grew up in rural Nova Scotia where our recreation involved long walks in the woods, skiing, hiking, fishing and for many, hunting. Over the years, we have monitored and acted as guardians of our precious woods that surrounded our community. Logging companies have come and gone under our watchful eyes. In March, 2009, the type of logging changed drastically. They were harvesting for biomass. We witnessed what was once a nature lovers paradise being literally ripped up by the roots and ground into shreds. The forest floor, with its delicate ecosystems, was churned by the heavy machinery like a poorly plowed garden. Along with this, we have witnessed a serious decline of wildlife, fish and strikingly, there are no birds. In a few short months, it took just 6 men with their huge machines to lay flat more than 700 hectares of land surrounding our community. To put this into perspective for you, this is equivalent to 10 point pleasant parks. And this is just one block.  Mr. Dexter, we are extremely angry and frustrated that this is allowed to happen.

In June, 2009, the people of Nova Scotia went to the polls and voted for you because we believed that you would listen to us, represent us and be our voice. We had great hope that your government would bring about a positive change in the way our forests are managed.

Thousands of Nova Scotians participated in the Public Consultation process and gave our input  toward a new Natural Resources Strategy. We participated because we were told our opinions were valued and we had faith that our input could and would make a difference. Mr. Dexter, you have made a mockery of this process. Many citizens attended the biomass hearings, the Dr. David Wheeler consultations on renewable energy and have taken every available opportunity to be heard. Through all of these meetings, there was overwhelming evidence that burning forest biomass for energy was not sustainable. The removal of massive amounts of wood for forest biomass has a major negative impact on our environment and our wildlife. Our forests will take a century, if not more, to recover, and the ecosystems damaged by the heavy machines will never recover. 

Despite ongoing attention and displays of the horrendous biomass harvesting, you continue to not only condone the practises, you are enabling it to continue with copious amounts of funding for large foreign forest companies who continue to degrade our forests. Instead of supporting the people of this province, you are partnering with the industrial giants and at our expense. You have rewarded bad forestry practise with our money. You have given consent for harvested crown land timber to feed a wood biomass fuelled facility. This company, was rewarded for their bad business planning, as they quote their massive deficit of more than $650 million dollars.

You justify this by boasting that you created new jobs. Mr. Dexter, there is no job worth what we are losing. This is not only a very bad business decision, the premature decision to fund a biomass facility came before a biomass policy is in place. And to top this off, Mr. Dexter, the same month that you made this announcement, you had received this letter which I am holding, from the David Suzuki foundation, the Ecology Action Center, Canada Parks and Wilderness and Forest Ethics group, urging you to hold off on any biomass decisions as a renewable energy source and put restrictions in place before further environmental damage occurs. Mr. Dexter, you are ignoring science and you are ignoring the people of this province who put you into office.

It has been stated by you on various occasions that biomass is the burning of “waste wood”. Mr. Dexter, there is no such thing as waste wood when it comes to a biomass harvest. I invite you to come to Caribou Gold Mines where 1000’s of acres of forest have been taken for biomass....sugar maples, tall red oak, white and yellow birch, spruce and fir and everything that falls in the path of the monstrous machines. They leave behind nothing. We are left with no forest floor, wildlife has disappeared, there are few birds and streams are alarmingly devoid of even mayflies. Mr. Dexter, we are extremely stressed by this and we are suffering. We live with this daily and we can’t escape it. We wake to the grinding of the machines and we no longer have the once beautiful forest surrounding us. And even when the machines have left, we see only a wasteland. What do you expect rural families to do..bundle their children into a car and drive for hours to one of the few pockets of protected land that we will have left to show them what a forest looks like?

All governments have a responsibility to protect our environment which in turn looks after us. It must have a moral and legal obligation to create laws under which industry has to comply. You have failed to provide the leadership for the incorporation of such laws. The Natural Resources policy, due to come into effect last December, has not yet been released. There is no biomass policy and where, by the way, is the wetland policy? And as we speak, massive machines are grinding their way through large swaths of forest at an alarming rate and every minute that we wait for you to turn this around we are losing habitat, precious ecosystems and our province is being turned into a moonscape. This is happening on your watch, Mr. Dexter. You are feeding the industrial giants at the great expense of the very people who put you into office. We are intelligent human beings who love our province. We expect and deserve more than this from you. You have the power to put an immediate moratorium on clear cutting until the NR strategy and a well positioned monitoring system are in place. Mr. Dexter, we all have an obligation to protect what we have for the future generation of our forests, wildlife and our young people.

Mr. Dexter, these pictures are of our backyard.  Without an immediate stop to the destruction of our forests, this will be everybodys backyard. We are asking you to reach deep into your conscience and turn this around for the people, the wildlife and the forests who cannot speak for themselves.

 Published on Behalf of Kathy Didkowsky a Nova Scotia resident.
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Memory Lane Nova Scotia Heritage Quest - April 17th

 

Boat Shop Memory Lane. Photo: Lynda Mallett

Heritage Quest - April 17th, 11:00 - 4:00

Free Admission

 

Take a Sunday Drive to Memory Lane on April 17th as part of HRM’s Heritage Quest commemorating World Heritage Day. We’re launching our new Heritage Hunt for families—a riddle-based mystery tour of the Village with some unique prizes if you solve all the clues. Join our animators in bending a few boat ribs using our new steam box in the Boat Shop. See our Shingle Mill in operation, learn how to use a peavey, and try your hand at tying fishermen’s knots. We’ll have the fires on in the Homestead, and plenty of treats and stories to keep you warm.

In recognition of World Heritage Day, it’s free admission!

The Cookhouse will be open from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, serving fishcakes & beans, soup, “fresh from the oven” bread and dessert, all for $10.

The Eastern Shore Archives will also be open for family research.

For more information go to www.heritagevillage.ca or visit the HRM Heritage Quest Site at www.halifax.ca/events/. Call 1-877-287-0697 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-877-287-0697      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

 

Full Schedule:

 

Family “Heritage Hunt” with Prizes

Follow a set of riddles through the Village in search of mystery objects. Once you have solved all the riddles, you win a prize.

 

Steam Box Demonstrations

Join us for the first firing of our new steam box in the Norm Hutt Boatshop. See how wood is softened in order to form the ribs of a boat.

 

Shingle Mill & Engine Demonstrations

If you haven’t seen the shingle mill in action, this is your chance to be wowed by the big blade. Take home a souvenir shingle.

 

Woodstove Treats & Stories in the Homestead

The home fires will be burning and the smell of baking will be coming from the homestead, along with lots of stories about the Eastern Shore.

 

Knots & Logs

Learn how to tie some fishing knots, how a lobster trap is made, and the right way to roll a log using a peavey.

Deep Roots: Find Your Family

The Eastern Shore Archives will be open from 11 AM -3 PM with volunteers on hand to help you find out more about your family tree.

 

Cookhouse Chow: Fishcakes & Beans Special $10

Includes soup, fishcakes, beans, fresh brown bread, gingerbread, cookies and beverage. Cookhouse will be serving from 11 AM to 3 PM.

 

Admission: We will not be charging admission on this day. Donations are warmly welcomed. As we are opening specially for the Heritage Quest, there will be some aspects of our regular Memory Lane experience missing, such as the Soundscapes in the buildings and our heritage vehicles, which are still in storage. However, there will still be plenty to do, and we hope you will return in the summer when we’ll have lambs, kittens, chickens and a thriving garden!

Bad Logging Practices for Nova Scotia?

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION N.S. pulp mill sold to Paper Excellence; Greenpeace criticizes deal By: The Canadian Press Posted: 03/30/2011 3:49 PM PICTOU, N.S. - A Nova Scotia pulp mill has been sold to Paper Excellence in a deal greeted by union members but criticized by environmentalists. The Vancouver office of the company announced the agreement to buy Northern Pulp and Northern Timber of Abercrombie, N.S., in a news release posted today. No figures were disclosed in the release. The news release says the deal is "good news" for the 230 employees of the mill, and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union issued a news release saying it provides job stability. However, Greenpeace also issued a news release saying it is unhappy about the acquisition due to the firm's forestry practices. Paper Excellence operates three mills in Canada: Meadow Lake in Saskatchewan and Howe Sound and Mackenzie in British Columbia, and is in the process of acquiring the long closed Prince Albert mill in Saskatchewan. Greenpeace Canada March 30, 2011-03-30 ·                                   Greenpeace is concerned about the negative impact on the forests of Nova Scotia and the security of jobs that will result from the sale of Northern Pulp’s Pictou mill to a subsidiary of Asia Pulp Paper (APP). APP’s subsidiary Paper Excellence has been on a buying spree, scooping up prime Canadian pulp assets in British Columbia andSaskatchewan and shipping jobs offshore. The majority of the pulp produced by the company’s other mills is shipped to China for processing into paper products. Statement by Greenpeace forest coordinator Richard Brooks: “It is a great concern that Canadian mills are being bought up by Asia Pacific Paper, one of the most destructive logging and pulp and paper companies operating anywhere on the planet.  APP is the primary contributor to making Indonesia the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases on the planet. We urge the Nova Scotia and federal governments to investigate APP which has been involved in illegal logging and deforestation in Indonesia for decades and continues to be involved in conflicts with local communities there. APP is also a debt-ridden company. Do we want that kind of company as a major player in Canada’s forest products sector?” Background: The destruction of rainforest and carbon-rich peatlands is the key reason for why Indonesia accounts for around a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation. The palm oil and pulp and paper industry are the two major drivers of these escalating emissions. The endangered orang-utan and Sumatran tiger are just two of the species under threat of extinction due to habitat loss caused by Asia Pulp and Paper. Asia Pulp and Paper, the ‘family treasure’ of the Sinar Mas Group and the notorious Widjaja family, defaulted on more than $14 billion of debt during the Asian financial crisis in the 1990s. It was saved by suspicious government financed ‘restructuring’.  At the end of 2009, APP’s Indonesian mills still owed $4.2 billion of restructured debt. Virtually all of the pulp output from APP’s newly purchased Canadian mills has been redirected away from North American paper manufacturers and associated jobs to the company’s own mills in China. Major forest products companies Office Depot, Staples, Xerox, Ricoh, and Target have all cancelled contracts with APP over risks to their brands of using APP products and over APP’s links to deforestation. APP is subject to a global campaign by Greenpeace and other  environmental organizations. www.greenpeace.org/international/en/publications/reports/SinarMas-APP/ Sierra Club BC   Environmental Organizations to CANFOR: Do Not Sell Howe Sound Pulp and Paper to Global Logging Villain SINAR MAS Vancouver Aug 11, 2010 ForestEthics, Greenpeace, Sierra Club B.C. and Canopy are alarmed by Canfor Forest Products’ decision to sell its Howe Sound Pulp and Paper operation to Paper Excellence BV, the Netherlands-based unit of Indonesia’s Sinar Mas Group. In a letter to Canfor, the environmental organizations are urging the company to not sell Howe Sound Pulp and Paper to Paper Excellence, but instead explore alternative ownership scenarios. Sinar Mas, in particular its pulp and paper arm Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), is known globally for massive environmental destruction for palm oil and pulp and paper, including logging intact rainforests and peatland, wiping out Orangutan habitat, human rights violations and financial scandals in Indonesia. Internationally, environmental and human rights organizations have condemned Sinar Mas operations. In July 2010 a group of 40 non-governmental organizations released an open letter to the marketplace alerting any company doing business with APP that this would pose a serious risk to their respective brands. Greenpeace International has a major marketplace boycott campaign against Sinar Mas/APP. “Sinar Mas represents everything we are working against in B.C. and other parts of the world: rainforest destruction, use of violence against Aboriginal people and unbridled corporate greed,” said Jens Wieting, forest campaigner with Sierra Club BC. “We have a global responsibility and should not be inviting companies who apply ‘worst practices’ in other parts of the world intoCanada,” said Will Craven, Media Officer at ForestEthics. “Sinar Mas or any of its paper tiger companies setting up shop in BC is a problem. They need to clean up their act abroad by stopping the destruction of natural Indonesian rainforests for pulp and paper and palm oil. We cannot risk Sinar Mas bringing what they consider business-as-usual practices to British Columbia,” said Stephanie Goodwin, Greenpeace B.C. Director. Howe Sound Pulp and Paper’s joint owners, Canada's Canfor Forest Products and Oji Paper Co Ltd. of Japan, agreed in July to sell the operation to Paper Excellence / Sinar Mas for an undisclosed price. Finalising the deal could take until October. Howe Sound Pulp and Paper is the Dutch company’s second purchase in BC this year, in what an industry publication has described as a “buying spree.” http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-13805654/Sinar-Mas-Group.htm Note: Based in the Netherlands, Paper Excellence BV also owns Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp (BCTMP) in Saskatchewan and two mills in B.C., Mackenzie Pulp Mill (kraft pulp) and Howe Sound Pulp & Paper (kraft, TMP and newsprint). Paper Excellence is the Netherlands-based arm of Sinar Mas' Asia Pulp & Paper (APP)