CLEANUP KIDS AND FOOD AND SHELTER
Have you noticed that the world turns regardless of anything else?
Change, they say (who ever “they” are) is the one thing in life that is certain.
Today we want to introduce you to change for the better.

Our friend Susan Hay of Global television forwarded us a story about a most remarkable 11-year-old, Ella Grace. Ella is a Canadian who will some day save the world from pollution and carbon. She could be the next Greta Thunberg. Together with her “business partner” Cash Daniels, a young American, they have created an organization called The Cleanup Kids.
Ella and Cash met at Ocean Heroes Boot Camp a couple of years ago and have stayed in touch through the miracle of electronic communications ever since.

The idea they have hatched is that kids have the power to make a difference in our world. A positive difference that can impact on all of us, today, and in future generations. They “fight to clean up the trees, the seas and all that is in between”.
As they say on the homepage of their website “The Cleanup Kids is a kid thought up, kid inspired, and kid run non-profit.”   www.thecleanupkids.org
We think their ideas have merit and we wanted to share this story with you. 

When you have 3 minutes, check out the story on Global at this link. 
FOOD & SHELTER
Speaking of kids, Mark's second kid Heather, and Ben’s older sister, created some news this week when she launched her new online business Food & Shelter. www.foodandsheltergoods.com 

Heather is the family beekeeper, hands-on gardener, and landscape architect. She loves her home and has always had a flare for making her house a warm, family place. Just ask her husband Martin and their two young boys. 

The beauty of Food & Shelter is that everything offered on the website is handmade by an artisan in Canada, using either biodegradable or recyclable materials. No plastic. Ella and Cash would approve.
 
In Heathers words, “Home should reflect the residents, and provide a sanctuary that allows one to be closest to their true self. Everything that creates a home is personal. Every day details are no exception. At Food & Shelter we aim to bring personal handmade goods that enhance your daily living with unique details.”

That sounds like our girl.  
You might be wondering how any of this is relevant in our “gardening newsletter” other than the blatant promotion of a loved ones’ business. Well, we are convinced that a person who gardens knows something about the environment. 

All our oxygen, after all, comes from the green living world around us. Every plant that we put in the ground and nurture captures carbon. How could a gardener not want to support Ella and Cash, two young people barely old enough to comprehend the current condition of our environment and at a time when adults are working hard to comprehend it.   Their plan is steeped in passion that we admire and want to encourage. 

And Heather? Have a look and judge for yourself. There may be some gardeners on your Christmas list who are hard to buy for. If so, we think you will find something of interest at www.foodandsheltergoods.com.  
THINGS TO DO IN YOUR NOVEMBER GARDEN
Plant spring flowering bulbs. It is not too late for most bulbs, though daffodils and narcissus need more time to put down a root before hard frost in most parts of the country, except, of course, coastal B.C.  Tulips on the other hand perform very well when planted right up to hard freeze up.

Rake your leaves onto the garden, not into bags for the curb. When they make contact with garden soil they will break down and produce amazing humus that is good for all that grows. Run your power mower over them to mulch them into smaller pieces for a quick break-down come spring, especially if you are dealing with oak leaves.

Compost. Remove the finished compost from your compost unit or pile, spread it over your garden soil and start filling it up again.

Fertilize your lawn. A fall application of lawn food is the most important application you will make all season. It builds the natural sugars at the root zone and helps grass plants to bounce back come spring like giddy school children.  

Wrap upright cedars, junipers and other upright growing evergreens with two layers of burlap. 

Mound triple mix or clean topsoil over the root zone of tender roses (not shrub roses as they are 'winter hardy'). Hybrid tea, floribunda, grandiflora and miniature roses all need this insulation to prevent damage due to the freeze/thaw cycles.

Wrap fruit tree trunks, including crabapples, with a plastic spiral wrap to prevent mice, rat and rabbit damage. When the girth of your trees is greater than 8 cm or 3 inch diameter you no longer have to do this as the mature bark will have lost its appeal to neighbourhood rodents.

Apply Wiltpruf to all broadleafed evergreens including blue holly, mahonia, taxus (yews), boxwood and especially rhododendrons. This invisible coating prevents desiccation of the moisture-bound leaves during our extremely dry winter weather.
Cut down tall growing perennials that will blow down during the winter and leave your hydrangeas standing over the winter. Prune down come April.

Put your Halloween pumpkin in the garden where Mother Nature will take good care of it: frost will 'melt' it into the soil. Or cut it up and turn it under the soil to get it out of site. Good for your soil. 
REMEMBRANCE DAY
with the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute and Trees for Life
We plant trees. A simple act.
Sometimes we plant trees in memory of Heroes like the brave Canadians who served and died for our country and are memorialized with over 117,000 trees on the Highway of Heroes. 
Now, at the newly minted not-for-profit Trees For Life we often plant trees for front line workers and those who have suffered and died from the effects of Covid-19. 
Maybe what we do is not so simple.  
I can tell you that the team that makes the wheels go round in both tree planting campaigns are very busy. 

November is, of course, remembrance month in Canada.
It is a fine month for tree planting also.
The simple act of planting a tree can move a nation to a better tomorrow.
That is our hope. 
MARK AND BEN IN THE TORONTO STAR
We write a weekly column for the New In Homes & Condos section of the Saturday Toronto Star.
In case you missed it, these are the exciting gardening/environment columns we wrote in October.
BIRDS IN FOCUS:
Help Birds from Home! Join Project FeederWatch
By: Kerrie Wilcox
*For this month’s feature I’ve invited my colleague Kerrie Wilcox to provide some background on an exciting project for people who enjoy feeding and watching birds from home – Jody Allair.

Did you know that you can connect to nature, learn about backyard birds, and contribute to important scientific research – without leaving your home? You can with Project FeederWatch!

Project FeederWatch turns your love of feeding birds into scientific discoveries. FeederWatch is a November-April survey of birds that visit backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. You don’t even need a feeder! All you need is an area with plantings, habitat, water or food that attracts birds. The schedule is completely flexible. Count your birds for as long as you like on days of your choosing, then enter your counts online. Your counts allow you to track what is happening to birds around your home and contribute to a continental data-set of bird distribution and abundance. With FeederWatch, your observations become part of something bigger than your backyard.
Blue Jay
Photo credit: Kerrie Wilcox
We will send you everything else you need to get started identifying birds. New participants receive a research kit with instructions for participating, as well as a bird identification poster, a calendar, and more. Each fall participants receive our 16-page, year-end report, Winter Bird Highlights.
The 35th Project FeederWatch season is fast approaching. Anyone can join Project FeederWatch in Canada by making a donation of any amount to Birds Canada. Visit BirdsCanada/FeederWatch to join. For more information contact Kerrie Wilcox, Canadian Leader, Project FeederWatch [email protected]
 
Good Birding!
 
Jody Allair
Director, Community Engagement
Connect with me on Twitter at: @JodyAllair
A NIGHT AT WINDREACH FARM - November 6
PRESENTED BY CULLEN'S FOODS
What are you doing Saturday night? We encourage you to join us virtually for this great event.

Cullen’s Foods is proud to be the Title Sponsor for A Night at WindReach Farm Virtual Gala, featuring Glenn Healy and the Highland Creek Pipe Band, country music star Ben Hudson and emcee Bob Baker!

Guests will have the opportunity to hear from a few participants about how impactful WindReach is to their lives.

Join us and help support the impactful programs and services provided by WindReach Farm!

Tickets are only $25.00 and the event is just an hour long.
Your support goes a long way!

They also have some incredible prize draws:
1 in 100 chance to win a Rolex watch donated by Rutledge Jewelers
1 in 100 chance to win 1 of 2 beer fridges FULL OF BEER!

The Silent Auction is now open for bidding.

Tickets are available now
HARROWSMITH MAGAZINE – Feature Recipe
Bacon Caramel Cheesecake

Though both are great on their own, together bacon and cheesecake are the perfect marriage of salty and sweet. Our friend Cynthia Beretta loves creating these delicious recipes from unexpected flavour pairings and, made with organic ingredients, we think you will love this special dessert too!

See the recipe here:
Don’t miss an issue of Harrowsmith’s gardening, cooking, sustainable living and DIY tips. Find the 100% Canadian Fall Almanac on newsstands now and subscribe at www.harrowsmithmag.com/subscribe.