March 26, 2022 | update Apr 02
- Deep Bay oyster recall – update
- Butterflyways
- Maureen Washington zings in the garden!
Deep Bay oyster recall – update
A recall notice has been expanded to include raw oysters harvested from Deep Bay to Union Bay along the eastern edge of Vancouver Island and brands from two more suppliers, Taylor Shellfish and Pacific Rim Shellfish. Check Pacific Rim Shellfish recalled products, and Taylor Shellfish recalled brands.
On March 20, 2022, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency posted a recall of Stellar Bay Shellfish raw oyster products. Their brand, Chef Creek Oysters, is believed to be contaminated with norovirus. There have been 279 confirmed cases of norovirus and gastrointestinal illness linked to consumption of raw oysters between mid-January and late March.
Customers should throw out the recalled oysters or return them to their place of purchase.
The CFIA reported there have been illnesses, including diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach cramps, low-grade fever, headache chills, muscle aches and fatigue from consumption of these oysters, which may have been served in hotels and restaurants.
Butterflyways
Canada’s first ever Year of the Garden 2022 kicked off on the first day of spring, March 20. The concept was developed by the Canadian Garden Council and members of Canada’s Garden-Family to educate and inspire Canadians about the vital impact gardens and gardening have on quality of life, at home, in communities, and across Canada.
Locally, the Town of Qualicum Beach along with several other organizations, including the Arrowsmith Naturalists, have events and projects to celebrate and promote the Year of the Garden.
Rosemary Taylor, a member of Arrowsmith Naturalists, says they are widening the definition of ‘garden’ to include any patches of unused land along public pathways, roads, roundabouts, beside railway tracks, or anywhere patches of native wildflowers grow or could be grown.
“The Suzuki Foundation has successfully promoted the concept of creating Butterflyways across the country for several years, and hopefully this is something Qualicum Beach residents could create, with permission from Council for the use of town land, much of which in the examples given is grass or trailside habitat,” says Taylor.
No Mow May is another suggestion, says Taylor. What the heck is No Mow May, you ask? This started in the UK and Europe, where grass lawns and some parklands are left to grow for as long as possible in early spring so the natural wildflowers, a.k.a.’weeds’ such as dandelions, daisies, or clover can bloom and be over before the grass gets too long. These give early bees the start they need until late spring, when much more is available. It is not always possible to leave lawns unshorn till the end of May, but raising the mower blade height, and mowing less often, all helps.
An eye-catching No Mow May poster is available from the Arrowsmith Naturalists’ to put beside your own garden. Download and print a copy, put it where passers-by will see it, and enjoy the extra spare time you will have by mowing the grass less often!
Maureen Washington zings in the garden!
One of Qualicum Beach’s favourite performers, Victoria jazz singer Maureen Washington, has launched into gardening in her usual charming, effusive way. She takes viewers along on her journey as a novice gardener, prompted by the pandemic, of course.
A reader alerted us to Maureen’s YouTube channel Diva in the Dirt. Check it out. This woman is never boring, and she’s the perfect person to teach wanna-be gardeners how to benefit from her trial and error lessons.