How eggsasperating!

Kellogg’s has issued a nationwide voluntary recall of Froot Loops in the United States. Finally, I thought. The company has recognized the folly of its ways and refused to expose children to their atrocious spelling any longer. But no, the recall is because of an 'uncharacteristic off-flavor and smell coming from the liner of the packages'. Kellogg’s has not identified the substance that causes the smell but says it is commonly used in the waxy resins used to coat cheese and cucumbers. Why am I not reassured?
As long as you did not pick up your Froot Loops (or Apple Jacks, or Corn Pops) on a recent trip to the States, you need have no fear. None of the affected product appears on the Health Canada recall list. (Our national health watch dog does, however, want Canadians to be aware of the clear and present danger of counterfeit Viagra and “small pieces of metal” in certain chocolate chip cookies, so keep up your guard.)
The smelly substance in the foil cereal liners no doubt accounts for the “Better Before” dates of the recalled packages - March 26 through June 22, 2011. Do people really buy cereal seven to ten months in advance? Do they have cases of emergency Corn Pops in the basement to avoid temper tantrums at the breakfast table?
On a far more serious note, the number of eggs in the recent recall in the United States has now reached half a billion, and news reports say it may be the largest egg recall for salmonella in the past ten years. It “may” be?? The affected eggs could carry any of thirteen brand names, are suspected in illness in at least fourteen states, and might have been made into anything from meringue pie in a restaurant to the pudding in a senior’s home. But all the eggs came from two “farms”. Apparently the owner of the larger facility had paid $2 million in fines in 1997 for health and safety violations on his farm in Maine, where the national labour secretary called the conditions “simply atrocious”. He moved on to Iowa, where in 2000 he was designated the first ever “habitual violator” of environmental regulations. And they are still wondering how salmonella bacteria might have found its way into the eggs.
It would be nice to sit here in Grey-Bruce and feel smug that none of these salmonella- laced eggs were sold here. This time. But we are not immune. There are hundreds of dozens of American eggs being trucked into Owen Sound every week, and they are subject to no more scrutiny than the recalled eggs.

Summerfolk Food

A few years ago, the Summerfolk folks decided to showcase local food at the festival. Food vendors now use lots of local food in their offerings. The merchandise tent includes a new feature, In My Backyard, where festival goers can buy local food products for snacks, camping and souvenirs.

And this year, look for food demonstrations and samples at the Grey Bruce Agricultural and Culinary Association's booth on the west side of the food area all weekend.

Red Wigglers...the Cadillac of Worms!

Remember that jingle from WKRP in Cincinnati? Red wigglers are indeed a kind of worm - a very helpful kind. Worms eat half their body weight a day, and if you feed them your coffee grounds, fruit and veggie scraps and other kitchen waste, they will turn it into the most beautiful soil you have ever seen, ready immediately to put in your garden or houseplants.

Casey Lunman visited Around the Sound last week and shared his knowledge of vermicomposting with an enthusiastic audience. We saw the Wigglers themselves - natives of Florida, they are much slimmer than or familiar dew worms. Our worms make soil too of course, but the redworms stay closer to the surface, so they are most useful for indoor compost bins. Given that most of us keep our compost bin at a distance from the house, and that path is knee deep in snow several months of the year, the easy to make odourless worm bin you can keep in the basement, the garage or under the sink is a great way to go.

Casey will give his entertaining presentations to groups of all ages, and sells worms and bins to get you started.