Connecting Albert County News - Connecting Albert County

Political item - Stephanie Coburn, Green Party

24/8/2015

All five political candidates were invited to submit an article for posting on this website. Stephanie Coburn chose to accept our invitation.

My husband and I have been farming in Kings County for 40 years. We have always advocated for local food production and processing. Our farm was certified organic for several years, and we have since put it into the NB Community Land Trust so that the fields and forest will continued to be treated with respect in perpetuity. I was delighted when I went to the first Foods of the Fundy Valley dinner several years ago. It was confirmation that there is a real grassroots movement here for self-reliance in food production! There is no need for us to send 93% of our food dollars out of the Province. One of the things that drew me to the Green Party in the first place is the strong support for local and sustainable agriculture in the policy manual. Green MPs would make sure that government would be an ally, not a barrier, to local food production and processing. I wholeheartedly support the Buy Local initiative. Local processing is also very important, and it's essential to develop regulations geared to the operation. Small abattoirs serving a local market need different food safety rules than a slaughterhouse shipping all over the country. The Green Party supports family farmers as environmental stewards and as efficient producers of nutritious food.

Political item - Jennifer McKenzie, NDP

23/8/2015

All five political candidates were invited to submit an article for posting on this website. Jennifer McKenzie chose to accept our invitation.

It's time for a new way forward for Fundy Royal

Like many families and community members in Albert County, I came face to face with politics for the first time while fighting school closures when my children were young. I became more and more passionate about building strong local communities and eventually better society. The importance of having ethical government that considers people’s and community’s strengths to build prosperity and bring well-being to the people became a life long passion for me.

Raised in New Brunswick and having to leave in my twenties to find work as an engineer, I know first hand that one of the biggest challenges that faces us is that our youth leave to find employment. How can we build healthy community and a strong local economy when our young are missing in action?

Fundy Fresh - local food campaign

9/8/2015

Foods of the Fundy Valley, in conjunction with the Taste of Fundy, is inviting you to become part or our most recent local food campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to provide business owners with the means to advertise to consumers that their products are locally produced, and/or made from locally sourced ingredients.

As local food movements are steadily growing across Canada, we in the Fundy region are fortunate to have an abundance of fresh seafood, beef, poultry, dairy, seasonal berries, fruit, vegetables, maple products, wild edibles and other food products. We also have an impressive pool of talented local chefs, butchers and bakers. As a region that benefits greatly from tourism dollars, it is important to promote not only our beautiful scenery and natural wonders, but also our culinary excellence. Tourists are known to follow the local food scenes everywhere.

“A Taste of Fundy” is a growing initiative steered by representatives from the New Brunswick Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, the “Four Windows on the Bay” (Hopewell Rocks, Cape Enrage, Fundy National Park and the Fundy Trail), Foods of the Fundy Valley, the Albert County Tourism Association and the Chambers of Commerce within the area. Our goal is to transform the Fundy Valley and the Fundy Coast regions into culinary tourist destinations. We intend to get the word out to the “foodies” of the world that we have a distinctive, fresh, local cuisine that rivals any other culinary destination.

To help distinguish the fresh seafood, produce, meats, and other culinary products produced in our Fundy region, two years ago, the Fundy Fresh logo/branding was conceived by Foods of the Fundy Valley. It depicts the diversity of resources – farmlands and the sea, along with the tag line, “Local Foods – Taste the Difference.”

Businesses that choose to participate in this campaign will have the opportunity to boost their reputation as a supporter of local growers and producers. As supporting local has become increasingly important for consumers, this campaign also has the potential to increase consumer purchases, thereby growing the local economy.

If you are a farmer, fisherman, butcher, baker, bee-keeper, chef, restaurant owner… anyone who produces a local food product, we invite you to display the signature Fundy Fresh logo and participate in our Food Tour. Road signs bearing the distinctive logo will be displayed prominently at strategic locations, complementing your advertising efforts.

The Fundy Fresh branding is available in a variety of forms. Stickers can be attached to your packaging or placed next to menu items to indicate local ingredients, tent cards and special promotion boards can indicate specials or seasonal items produced locally, and window stickers and decals can simply indicate to potential consumers that locally sourced items can be found at your business. Our present package of a dry erase sandwich board (for writing your daily specials or other information on), menu stickers, tent cards and window signs is priced at only $75.00, through funding made possible by the Department of Agriculture. If you are interested in participating in any way or would like more information, contact [email protected] or send us a message on Facebook.

Contributed by Foods of the Fundy Valley

Mool Kool Centre volunteers needed

7/8/2015

Attention back-to-school students, teachers, advisers, guidance counselors, mentors, club organizers:

The Molly Kool centre in Alma Village at the east gate to Fundy National Park is an entirely volunteer-run organization and we always need volunteer help and input.

Our Alma Village neighbours who organize the Alma Celebration Days events annually award a Community Volunteer Bursary to qualified students seeking secondary education. Consider your qualifications and your volunteer contributions toward community endeavours. Send a message to see what role you could play to keep the Molly Kool Centre vibrant and engaging and boost your own credentials for the applications you'll be filling out in Spring 2016.

Contact: Jane Chrysostom, [email protected]

Submitted by Jane Chrysostom

A Walk in Time

2/8/2015

Join us on Sunday August 23, 2015 at 1:30 for a walk in time down Maple Street in Riverside Albert. This street used to be alive with industry and residents back in the late 1800s. Led by resident and local historian Beulah Morrissey, this one-block walk will educate and entertain you. In 90 minutes, Beulah will share stories about the life along this street. You will also see pictures from those days and at the end you will be able to refresh with a free drink of punch.

Park in the parking lot beside the old pub at 5707 King Street. The walk will start in McClelan park across the road.

There is no fee or registration needed. Just bring your interest in history and comfortable shoes (and an umbrella, if needed!). Voluntary donations to Albert County Tele-Drive will be gratefully received.

For more information, phone Beulah at 882-2275 or Susan at 882-1121.

Conflict Prevention and Resolution workshop

1/8/2015

Conflict can arise in any group situation. Being on a local committee, part of a church group or in an organization are only some of the situations where people could get into conflict with each other.

In this workshop participants will learn how to try to prevent conflicts from cropping up, understand why conflicts develop and also figure out ways to deal effectively with conflict.

Workshop is offered Aug. 26, 2015 from 9 – 4 at Forest Dale Nursing Home at 5836 King St, Riverside-Albert. Led by Wendy Keats, LearnSphere.

Cost is $60 (HST included) per participant and lunch is provided.

To register, contact the Forest Dale Nursing Home by phone: (506) 882-3001 or by email at: [email protected]

Last day for registration is August 19, 2015!!

Floor Cloth Workshop - Molly Kool Centre

1/8/2015

Back by popular demand!! It's the historic Floor Cloth Workshop at the Molly Kool Centre on Sunday, September 20th.

Through expert guidance and instruction, participants will be led through the history, given the tools, materials, and all supplies needed to create your own 3'X4' floor cloth of your OWN design.

This day-long workshop, with mid-day break, is set in Molly Kool's childhood home (at the East gate of Fundy National Park) overlooking the beautiful Bay of Fundy. Molly's home was originally built in an era when floor cloths were common floor coverings -- they're the precursor to modern day linoleum and vinyl flooring! Created on special canvas sail-cloth and prepared with quality paints, your unique floorcloth will become a treasured, useful heirloom.

Pre-paid $95.00 registration is required for this limited seating 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. event by calling 506-887-2213. (Do let us know if you were shut out last year for sold-out seating, we'll try to get you in this year, though it is first call, first seated.) Morning snacks and all day beverages included; brown bag your lunch. The Molly Kool Centre is an accessible building with off-site/nearby toilet facilities. Registration deadline is September 6. Questions/Contact Jane Chrysostom 887-2213

Submitted by Jane Chrysostom. Jane has continuous roots in New Brunswick that go back to the early 1800's. She and her husband Steve run a Bookshop, Bed & Breakfast, and the Artisan's Shop on Main Street in Alma at Cleveland Place. Now that their four children have independent lives, Jane spends her time running Cleveland Place, volunteering in the community, and creating in her studio where much inspiration comes from Albert County.

Tour of Elgin - mountain bike race

1/8/2015

The Tour of Elgin is New Brunswick’s only and toughest mountain bike marathon and it’s coming up October 3 right here in Albert County!

There are different length options though for all levels of riders, with 4 different races. There are 20 km, 40 km, 80 km and the 120 km races to choose from. There is also a race for kids. Ages of the participants range from 10 to 60, so it is definitely open to everyone!

Candidates forum - 2015 election

1/8/2015

Join us Wednesday September 23 from 7 - 8:30 PM in UTC-03, Caledonia Regional High School in Hillsborough for a debate with the federal election candidates for Fundy Royal.

Open to everyone.

Questions from our youth/students will be given top priority. All questions must be submitted in advance.
Email your questions to [email protected] or submit them at the door. There is no guarantee that every question submitted will be asked during the debate but we will try our best!

Location:
Caledonia Regional High School

34 School Lane, Hillsborough, NB

Connecting Albert County Fundraiser

1/8/2015

The residents of Alma will be once again be celebrating the lobster fishing season in grand style during the Alma Fleet Launch, which begins on the evening of Tuesday, October 13 and lasts until the boats depart the wharf on the high tide.

Connecting Albert County wants you to be there and be part of the fun, so we are selling tickets on a prize package that puts you in the centre of the action and gives you a night to remember!

Proceeds of the ticket sales support our work keeping Albert County connected!

Be Part of the Celebration on October 13, 2015

Riverside School celebrates with the Albert County Exhibition

1/8/2015

Riverside School is celebrating 110 years of continuous operation with an open house during the Albert County Exhibition in Riverside Albert on Saturday, September 19, 2015.

The school, located at 90 Water Street, will be open from noon until 3 PM. See the parade in the morning, bring your antique car, visit for old time’s sake and get a tour of the school. Enjoy punch and crackers and for a toonie, you can support playground improvements.

Afterwards, you can go to the fairgrounds when you get hungry for homemade turkey supper with your choice of delicious pie!

For more information, contact Margie Elliott at 882-2854.

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