Monday, December 12, 2011

Solstice Potluck, Saturday, Dec. 17th, 2011


Solstice Potluck Sat., Dec. 17th

Come celebrate Winter Solstice with your fellow islanders at this season's Community Vegan Potluck scheduled for this Saturday (NOT Sunday!), December 17th at 6:30 pm in the Back Hall. As always, food lovers of every persuasion are invited to join in on our delicious, turkey-free holiday smorgasbord. After dinner we gather round the blazing Yule-fire to celebrate both the nurturing darkness of winter’s respite and the promise of returning light with carols appropriate to the solstice season!

Any 100% plant-based dinner entrée, salad, dessert, or single item dish that all may share (excluding dairy, eggs, honey and gelatin, please) is a suitable contribution to our feast. The now quarterly potluck series continues to welcome food lovers of every persuasion, and the delicious opportunity to pick up creative, and healthy new vegan recipe ideas. However, nothing fancy is required unless you are so inspired!


Please bring along your ingredient list, and thankyou in advance for also helping keep these inclusive community gatherings accessible for folks with chemical sensitivities by attending ‘scent-free’. Admission is by donation (suggested $3 towards expenses). Peace to one and all!

Going Cold Turkey


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It you’ve been thinking about it, you’re not alone. More and more folks are deciding they’re no longer comfortable including the sacrifice of a bird (or any other animal) in their holiday dinner plans. Fortunately, the discomfort of disapproval from some friends and family is a worthwhile trade-off for the peace of mind that comes from opting out of a ritual that more often than not supports the horrors of factory farming- not exactly peace on earth! Somewhere in the range of 1.9 million turkeys are raised in BC each year, with approximately half consumed during the Christmas season.

Turkeys are the only commonly farmed animal native to North America, and wild ones live in forested land where they can roost high in the trees at night, safe from predators. Unlike their domesticated counterparts they have excellent eyesight and can run up to 35 mph. Comparatively, the vast majority of turkeys raised for human consumption today can only manage a slow walk, as they have been bred to be twice the size of their wild relatives, mainly to increase breast volume for the marketplace. They can no longer fly, or even mate (they must be artificially inseminated). In nature these birds would spend up to five months- the age when most farmed turkeys are slaughtered- close to their mothers.

Supermarket turkeys labeled 'free-range' do not necessarily fare any better, as the vast majority are still raised in cramped grow-out quarters awash in ammonia. To prevent these so-caled ‘free-roaming’ birds from injuring each other, a portion of their beaks and toes are routinely severed. While it is standard practice not to use anesthesia, Ian J.H. Duncan, a professor of Poultry Ethology at the University of Guelph, says, “The idea of beak trimming being a short-lived discomfort for the bird may be far from accurate”. Changes in behavior, he explains, such as a substantial decrease in activity, particularly following the first week of the operation, “suggests that the birds are suffering severe pain”.

In the wild a turkey can live from 10-12 years, but domesticated free-range birds are routinely slaughtered between 14 and 25 weeks of age. BC turkey production is concentrated in the Fraser Valley and the live birds are transported via multi-tiered, flat-bed trucks in crowded, tight wire cages, through all kinds of weather conditions. At the slaughterhouse, they are hung upside down by their legs to have their throats cut- still fully conscious.

In BC it is only legal to kill an animal raised for food yourself- rather than make sure the act is carried out by the butcher in a government inspected abattoir- if the animal’s carcass is for ‘personal use’ only, and not going to be sold to someone else. In online forums that discuss backyard poultry slaughter, differences of opinion abound about the most so-called ‘humane’ way to extinguish a bird’s life. Not everyone is convinced that when a bird ceases to struggle it is actually calm. Some small-scale poultry handlers believe this is more akin to the kind of ‘playing dead’ response many animals resort to once escape seems unlikely. Many agree that avoiding exposing individual birds to the ‘kill process’ prior to their own turn, is integral to stress reduction- a modicum of consideration still admittedly difficult to provide in a backyard operation, and obviously impossible on a standard slaughterhouse assembly line.

I would like to stress that my comments here pertain to the industry at large, and not to any local production of turkeys I may or may not be familiar with here on Denman, or elsewhere in the Comox Valley. Whether or not one can afford to pay the high price for a certified organic turkey (the feed alone can cost the farmer three times as much, and the ‘finishing’ time is longer), it simply bears remembering that regardless of the 'label' attached, not all animals are necessarily raised, or slaughtered, under the kind of conditions we might imagine. Ultimately, of course, most will meet the same end in a fear-filled environment. Even those folks who take personal responsibility for the act of extinguishing the lives of the animals they choose to eat, cannot deny the fact that death does not always come easy for those who would prefer to live.

Whenever we allow ourselves to really 'connect' with an animal, it’s impossible to deny their individual will and unique personality. If you find yourself drawn to the idea of going ‘cold turkey’ this season, it’s easy to find inspiring stories on-line about ’companion’ turkeys- birds people have allowed themselves to bond with, and been moved by to include in their circle of compassion.

There are lots of wonderful resources on the internet to assist anyone interested in eating lower on the food chain, and you’ll find all sorts of great links on Denman’s Community Vegan Potluck Series website at www.denmanpotlucks.blogspot.com. If you could use some support in the new year, Denman is already home to a friendly community of happy herbivores who love to share great food and recipe ideas. Happy holidays, and bon appetit!


Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Forks Over Knives


Thursday, Nov. 24


Thanks to everyone who supported our Horn of Plenty Dineout in September, the Community Vegan Potluck Series sponsored event raised $824 for Medicins Sans Frontiers and their relief work in the Horn of Africa.


Our next 'actual' potluck celebrates the Winter Solstice. With only four official dates a year on our plates these days, the Potluck Series has decided to squeeze a film nite into November- with no dinner attached!


On Thursday, November 24th, at 7:00 pm, come on out to the Community School library for a special viewing of, "Forks Over Knives". We've been promising to show this insightful documentary for some time, and don't want to wait till next year! We all have friends and/or family who have been touched by cancer, heart disease, and other devastating illnesses. Renowned physicians Dr. T. Colin Campbell (author of "The China Study"), and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn (author of "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease") share the bold claim in "Forks Over Knives" that not only will increasing consumption of healthy fruits and vegetables lead to better health, but that removing animal products from the diet saves lives.


Both Esselstyn and Campbell grew up on family farms. "Forks Over Knives" is not an animal rights doc and the word 'vegan' isn't even used in the film. Inspired by remarkable discoveries early on in their careers, these men conducted several groundbreaking studies independently which led them both to the same startling conclusion about food, health and healing. The film traces the personal journeys of Campbell, a nutritional scientist from Cornell U, and Esselstyn, a former top surgeon at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic. It also follows the progress of several "reality patients" taught by their doctors to adopt a whole foods plant-based diet as the primary approach to treating their ailments.


Denman Islander Bryanna Clark Grogan is a vegan chef, lecturer, columnist and internationally-acclaimed cookbook author with a passion for keeping up to date on peer-reviewed, science-based nutritional findings. In addition to being available after the showing of "Forks Over Knives" for questions about plant-based eating, Bryanna's latest (and ninth) cookbook, "World Vegan Feast" will be offered as a door prize to a lucky winner! Recently released to rave reviews, this culinary treasure contains over 200 stellar recipes inspired by cuisines from around the world.



Different ideas, traditions, and sometimes conflicting interests influence our dietary choices. As always, food lovers of every persuasion are welcome to attend this community event. We want everyone even remotely curious about eating lower on the food chain to have a chance to view "Forks Over Knives", so while there will be a donation jar on site, admission to the showing is FREE. For further information, please visit see the film trailer below, and/or call 335-1209. Visit Bryanna Clark Grogan's blog at http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/

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Friday, August 19, 2011

SEPTEMBER 18th FALL FEAST FUNDRAISER

-HORN OF PLENTY- (click on poster for enlargement)

It is a longstanding tradition of the Denman Island Community Vegan Potluck Series to mark the Fall Equinox with an abundant harvest supper, but this year will be a little different. Horn of Plenty, a special fall feast fundraiser for the drought stricken Horn of Africa- will take the place of our usual September potluck on Sunday, September 18th at 6:00 pm.

Please come on out to celebrate the bounty so many of us are blessed to share, and together we'll make our caring count. All proceeds from Horn of Plenty will benefit the relief efforts of Medicins San Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders) in Somalia and the surrounding refugee camps.

MSF is running nine medical-nutritional programs in south-central Somalia, and three large programs in camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. Across the Horn of Africa region, MSF nutrition programs are serving more than 260,000 children and pregnant or lactating women.

Between June 6th and July 6th, about 40,000 people arrived in Dadaab, Kenya in search of humanitarian assistance and safety. Dadaab, near the Somali border, is home to more than 380,000 people living in three massive camps: Dagahaley, Ifo and Hagadera.

In Dagahely camp, MSF is the sole provider of medical care for the 130,000 people and currently treating 6,400 childen for malnutrition. In Ifo, MSF provides medical care to the 25,000 refugees gathered on the outskirts.

In Liben, MSF is providing medical care in the six camps where 119,000 refugees are gathered. Here, more than 10,000 children are enrolled in nutritional programs.

Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999, MSF does not accept any government funding - all funding comes from private donors. For further information or to donate on line, please visit www.msf.ca.

Denman's dine-out , Horn of Plenty, takes place in the Back Hall at 6:00 pm on Sept. 18th, and seating will be limited. Our Mediterranean-style menu will include entree, dessert, tea or coffee (see details at top of the right hand column on this page). Donations of appropriate organic produce from local islanders welcome! Please call 1209 to make your reservation before September 14th, thankyou.


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

More research indicates the importance of eating lower on the food chain

Local Food or Less Meat? Data Tells The Real Story -from the Harvard Business Review

In recent years, one part of the food business has rivaled organics as the hot growth area: "local" food (defined vaguely as coming from the same state or from less than 100 miles away, for example). It's a market segment that has just about doubled in sales and number of outlets over the last decade. The world's biggest food buyer, Wal-Mart, jumped on the bandwagon last fall and announced that it would double the amount of local food it sells (to 9 percent of all its food sales).
The idea of buying locally is not new, and farmers' markets have been big for years. It's become almost gospel that the food on our plates hastraveled about 1500 miles to get to us.

So it would seem logical that the best way to shrink your food-related carbon footprint associated would be to buy from near by. But it turns out that this assumption is wrong.

Thankfully, a couple scientists took a harder look at the data and published an analysis in the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. The abstract for this article is a prime example of clear writing and good lifecycle analysis — which don't usually go together — so check it out. But here's the essence:

  • Food is transported a long way, going about 1,000 miles in delivery and over 4,000 miles across the supply chain.
  • But 83% of the average U.S. household's carbon footprint for food comes from growing and producing it. Transportation is only 11%.
  • Different foods have vastly different greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity, with meat requiring far more energy to produce, and red meat being particularly egregious, requiring 150% more energy than even chicken.

So the journal article adds this up to an obvious conclusion: if you want to reduce your food's carbon footprint, eat less meat. In short, "Shifting less than one day per week's worth of calories from red meat and dairy products to chicken, fish, eggs, or a vegetable-based diet achieves more GHG reduction than buying all locally sourced food."

As a numbers geek, I love this kind of analysis. Now for the caveats: none of this data should dissuade anyone from eating locally also. The footprint benefits are real, even if dwarfed by food choice. And the benefits to local economies and smaller farms are very important.

But let me repeat: just moving away from meat for one day a week is more effective than buying everything you eat locally. This number will be surprising to most people, but it's partly why the global call for "Meatless Mondays" is gaining steam, with school systems and universities adopting the approach in cities around the world, from Baltimore to Tel Aviv.

As companies keep discovering, it really helps to run the numbers. As I've written about before, Pepsi discovered that the largest chunk of the footprint of its Tropicana orange juice was not in production (squeezing oranges) or in distribution (shipping heavy liquids is fuel-intensive), but in growing the oranges with natural-gas-based fertilizer.

Smart, knowledgeable execs are consistently surprised when good lifecycle data trumps seemingly solid assumptions. So we shouldn't expect consumers to figure out the right choices themselves. Buying local food seems like the obvious choice — until you run the numbers.

We have a lot of work to do, both in companies and in our homes, to tackle climate change. Good data and analysis will let us focus on the quickest paybacks and get the most out of our efforts.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Summer Solstice Potluck, June 19th

Solstice Potluck for the Birds, June 19th

Denman's Community Vegan Potluck Series is pleased to welcome wildlife rehabilitator, Maj Birch, as guest speaker for our Summer Solstice feast on Sunday, June 19th.

Come celebrate the longest day of the year -and father’s day- over a delicious meal in the back hall at 6:30 pm. As always, food lovers of every persuasion are welcome and encouraged to attend. Any 100% plant-based entrĂ©e, salad, dessert or single item dish that all may share (free of eggs, gelatin, honey and dairy, please) is a suitable contribution. The potluck series provides a great opportunity four times a year to pick up healthy new recipe ideas that are also climate conscious and animal friendly, so be sure to include a list of your own ingredients, and prepare to take home some creative, tasty new ideas!

Maj Birch is the founder of Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society in Merville, which exists to assist ill, injured, orphaned or oiled wildlife and to transport for rehabilitation and eventual release those which have a chance for survival. MARS specializes in avian species- songbirds, waterfowl and raptors. The centre is not open to the public, automatically reducing potential acclimatization to human contact. All efforts are concentrated on providing a safe, stress-free environment for wildlife recovery.

The Society has been providing this important service to the region since the mid 90’s, often on a shoestring budget. Admission to the potluck is by donation, but you may wish to bring an extra $5 along to support MARS' work for wildlife through the purchase of their 2011 Island Experiences Raffle - there are some really great prizes in store!

Maj has an audio visual presentation that will appeal to the whole family, so mark your calendar now! And thankyou in advance for helping keep both the potluck and after dinner event accessible to folks in our community with chemical sensitivities by attending scent-free. Visit MARS online at www.wingbeats.info.

Monday, March 07, 2011

SUNDAY, MARCH 20th, 2011




Clayoquot Sound on the menu at Spring Equinox Potluck


Dan Lewis and Bonny Glambeck of Tofino are touring BC coastal communities this spring with a presentation called Secrets of Clayoquot Sound’. Come on out to hear these two seasoned naturalists and expedition sea kayakers at Denman's spring equinox Community Vegan Potluck scheduled for 6:30 pm, March 20th, in the Back Hall.

Dan and Bonny have paddled much of the BC coast. They'll be sharing stories about their many adventures at home in Clayoquot Sound, and show images from some of BC’s leading outdoor photographers.


Join these inspiring, longtime activists for an unforgettable journey through the natural beauty and splendor of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Learn about the ecology of the region’s globally significant ancient rainforests, and threats to that ecology including fish farms, logging and an open-pit copper mine proposal.


As always, food lovers of every persuasion are invited to attend our delicious community potluck feast prior to the after dinner presentation. Any 100% plant-based salad, entree, dessert, or single-item dish (free of eggs, dairy, honey & gelatin, please) that all may share, is a suitable contribution. Please include a list of ingredients.

Admission is by donation (suggested $3), and the potluck series is also designated 'scent-free' for inclusivity. For further information about the potluck series, please click here. To learn more about the Friends of Clayoquot Sound, drop by their website at: www.focs.ca. Spring is on it's way!


A Life Connected!

Saturday, March 05, 2011

Compassion Documentary excerpt

featuring Australian activists David Coles & Philip Wollen

Friday, January 28, 2011

Sunday, February 20th, 2010

ART and ACTIVISM: RAGING, RESISTING, REJOICING
With Fireweed
Sunday, Feb. 20. 6pm Vegan Potluck, 7pm Presentation. Back Hall. Admission by Donation
Inside and outside of gallery walls, on the streets and in the landscape, art reflects and influences the way we see and experience life. The exciting merger of art and activism is a growing phenomenon today- confronting the status quo, encouraging dissent, and revisioning our world. In her audiovisual presentation, Art and Activism: Raging, Resisting, Rejoicing!, local activist Fireweed explores this widening culture of creative societal transformation. With International Women's Day right around the corner, Fireweed will be highlighting the work of women artists and activists in her slide show (although not exclusively so).
An honors grad from the Emily Carr College of Art and Design (Vancouver, BC, 1982), Fireweed has exhibited as a multi-media artist across Canada as well as internationally. Currently working in graphic design and digital photography, she founded BC’s Women and the Earth, a conference and workshop series dedicated to women’s personal empowerment through activism, in 1991. She has participated on the frontlines of numerous logging blockades, in solidarity with First Nations, anti-biotech activists, and in anti-G8 protests. Fireweed coordinates regional actions opposing Canada’s commercial seal hunt, other marine mammal slaughter, local rodeo, etc.

 In 1993 she initiated the Community Vegan Potluck Series on Denman as another form of animal advocacy, environmental and social justice activism, and enjoys combining her art and politics in part through the creation of nutritious plant-based cuisine that all may share. As a keynote speaker or workshop facilitator on the topics of ecofeminism, art and activism, animal rights and/or feminist earth-based spirituality, Fireweed has addressed numerous women’s events over the years, as well as college classes, environmental gatherings and community groups. With her partner she currently co-hosts a weekly activist-oriented pirate radio show called “Connections”. Also an impassioned writer, Fireweed is a contributing ecofeminist author in the newly released anthology, “Call to Compassion: Religious Reflections on Animal Advocacy” (Lantern Books, 2010). She lives with her partner and feline family in the woods on Denman Island.

Thursday, January 06, 2011

FORKS OVER KNIVES

This important new film will have to be added to our loan collection, for all islanders to share. It's due out in theatres by mid March, 2011.