Jessica's Blog

It was cellular déjà vu for me. When I looked up, I didn’t see a modern Canadian family with modern devices - I saw my grandparents huddled around the radio with their parents and siblings and my young father, listening to Hitler’s speech, the morning of April 6^th, 1941, which ended with him wishing the residents of Belgrade a very good day. And then, a few minutes later, the bombs fell.

How do you choose?  No, really. This isn’t a rhetorical question. I really do want to know how you choose which groceries to buy, what you’re going to eat, how to feed yourself and your family. I have found this an increasingly difficult task. Already pretty neurotic around food, I became fanatical about buying local, seasonal and ethically produced foods when we ran a small farm in Scotland for 7 years. Farming was a whole new ball game for me, and I quickly learned about the blood, sweat and tears that went into the production of a single zucchini or...

First thing you’re told when you go into business is, “Don’t get political”. That was never going to be a rule I could follow. From the beginning, Singing Bowl Granola has been a vehicle for bringing positive change into my world. I know there will be plenty of people who do not consider my politics to be positive, and I apologize if anyone is offended by my convictions. Like so many others, I have really struggled with this whole “Canada 150” thing. Though I sure do love Canada, I am not exactly patriotic, and there are too many unpleasant aspects...

Sometimes, small really is beautiful. Especially when it comes to sourcing what we eat. Hands down, the shopping experience at the farmers’ market always gets more thumbs up than throwing our dollars at the big, ever-growing corporate chains. Each and every time you visit a farmers’ market and spend a little of your hard earned cash, the entire community wins big. You walk away with some amazing local products while your local producers walk away to spend your money within your shared community. Everybody walks away connected and happy that they have played an important part in some one else’s...

Last month I wrote about one of the more recent connections I’ve made through Singing Bowl Granola, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot about Jen, and what a dear friend she is, not to mention, a local hero. October 2012, I’ve just finished my second season of selling granola at local farmers’ markets, and I’ve developed a taste for this biz. I’m buzzing from the high of repeat customers, new customers, knowing I’ve hit a bit of a winner with my products. Market season has ended, but I’m not ready to stop making and selling granola. Next step –...