In Your Backyard – The Hidden Gems of Huron South

In Your Backyard – The Hidden Gems of Huron South

by | Apr 29, 2022 | In Your Backyard, Programming

The Huron County Library has been highlighting the hidden gems found across Huron County through our In Your Backyard speaker series and for those who were unable to attend, we will share some of those gems right here on our website! Join us as we travel all directions of the County, starting in the south.

Huron County’s southern most part, encompassing Exeter, Hensall, Huron Park, Centralia, Grand Bend, Kirkton, Brucefield, Centralia, and more, is chockfull of some of the most unique attractions around! There is sure to be a hidden gem for everyone!

FOR THE WATER LOVERS: Exeter and Kirkton each have outdoor pools, which offer swimming lessons, public swims, swimming teams and more. You can also enjoy splashing around in Hensall at the Kinsmen Pavilion and Splash Pad.

AND THE BEACH LOVERS: The southern part of Huron County stretches along Ontario’s west coast, which features stunning beaches, including at the Point Blake Day Park!

FOR THE HIKERS: Grab your hiking boots and take a hike at either the Morrison Dam Conservation Area or Bannockburn Conservation Area. Access the Ontario’s West Coast Hiking Guide to learn more about these and other hiking trails located through Huron County.

FOR THE DOGS: Looking for something to do with their furry friend? Visit the Crediton Conservation Area’s dog park.

FOR THE THRILL SEEKERS: If you’re looking for something more adventurous, head on over to Grand Bend to skydive, take in a drag race, or hop in a helicopter.

FOR MOVIE BUFFS & THEATRE-GOERS: Take in a late night move at the Starlite Drive-In or see a play come to life on the Huron Country Playhouse’s main stage.

FOR THE FOODIES: For those looking for a culinary adventure, southern Huron County is home to a number of food producers – from The Whole Pig, to Hayter’s Farms, to the Garlic Box, to Metzger’s, to Ferguson Apiaries and more!

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE A GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT: There are a number of fun activities that take place in southern Huron County – from the Kirkton Fall Fair, to the Exeter Family Day Winterfest, to the Lions Fishing Derby, downtown Exeter sidewalk sales, weekly farmers markets in Exeter’s core, the Dodge RAM Rodeo and more! Find more events at: https://calendar.southhuron.ca/default/Month or at https://www.experienceexeter.ca/community-events-2/

 

EXPLORE MORE HIDDENS GEMS:

Printable Garden Labels for Little Green Thumbers

Printable Garden Labels for Little Green Thumbers

by | Apr 22, 2022 | Programming

It appears that the spring weather is finally here and it’s time to start thinking about getting your hands dirty in the garden! As we celebrate Earth Day today, we recognize that planting even the smallest potted garden will make a difference in promoting a healthy, sustainable future for the planet. And, you may even enjoy some fresh, homegrown food at the end of the season!

To add a little fun to your garden, library staff have put together some garden labels. To make:

  • Print off the labels at home, or visit your local branch
  • Colour the labels with markers or crayons
  • Laminate or wrap in plastic to keep them dry through the season
  • Add a popsicle stick or a stick from your garden to the back of each label
  • Stick your labels in the ground to help you identify your plants as they grow

More gardening resources from the Huron County Library:

  • It’s Seedy Saturday at the Exeter Branch on Saturday, April 23. Swap seeds, learn more about gardening, make these labels in person, and so much more!
  • Borrow seeds from the Seed Library
  • Check out these books for little green thumbers!

 

 

April Spice Club – Allspice

April Spice Club – Allspice

by | Apr 20, 2022 | Programming

Don’t be confused by its name, allspice isn’t a combination of different spices! It is, in fact, the dried unripe berry of a mid-canopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America. While it is one of the most important ingredients of Caribbean cuisine, it is also indispensable in many others, like this month’s recipe, Borscht.

The Ukrainian version of Borscht normally contains sausage, lamb, and/or beef, as well as a variety of other root vegetables, and possibly apples, beans, and/or tomatoes. It is served hot with sour cream.

Show off what you made this month by sharing photos on the Huron County Library Spice Club Facebook events page or by emailing them to askalibrarian@huroncounty.ca. Photos emailed will be publicly shared by staff to the Facebook page on your behalf.

FUN FACT: Christopher Columbus encountered allspice during his second voyage to the Americas. At that time, it was found only on the island of Jamaica. 

Borscht*

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 Tbsp bacon fat
  • 2 lb beef, cubed
  • 1 Tbsp vinegar
  • 8 cups beef stock
  • 1/2 cabbage, shredded
  • 3 potatoes, cubed
  • 4 beets, shredded
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • 1 parsley root, chopped
  • 6 peppercorns
  • 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 3 bay leaves
  • dill, chopped
  • sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Melt bacon fat in a large, non-reactive soup pot.
  2. Add the beef and brown.
  3. Add vinegar and stock. Simmer until beef is tender.
  4. Add vegetables, peppercorns, allspice, and bay.
  5. Simmer until all vegetables are cooked through. Remove bay leaves.
  6. Serve hot, garnished with dill and sour cream.

*Recipe from Global Road Warrior™️ by World Trade Press. Access this online database for free with a Huron County Library card to get information about holidays, festivals, culture, travel essentials, and other beneficial travel knowledge.

Natural Dying Easter Eggs

Natural Dying Easter Eggs

by | Apr 14, 2022 | Programming

Spring is in the air and it’s almost Easter! One of the things I loved about Easter as a child was dying and decorating Easter eggs. I have particularly enjoyed decorating eggs using natural dyes. They turned out amazing, so I thought I would share the instructions so you can give it a try at home!

Many of the ingredients you may already have in your fridge or pantry. The other ingredients you will be able to find in grocery stores fairly inexpensively. I used the following items to dye the eggs:

• Tea (brown)
• Turmeric (yellow)
• Blueberries (blue/purple)
• Grape juice (grey)
• Beet juice (red)

Reading list: If you are looking to add some Easter reads to your weekend, check out these books for young readers from our collection. 

Image of naturally dyed eggs with labels

Dying Instructions: 

Notes: For these eggs, I hardboiled the eggs before dying them. The longer the eggs sit in the dyes, the darker the colour. To achieve a rich, dark colour, let the eggs sit in the dyes for at least 20 minutes. Let eggs dry on a cookie cooling rack.

Tea:

  • 3 bags of tea (I used Earl Grey. But you can use other teas. Different teas may create other colours, such as herbal teas, which may turn your eggs a purple or pink colour)
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1/8 cup of white vinegar

Steep the tea for at least 5 minutes to make very strong tea. Put the eggs in the water so that they are completely covered. Let them sit in the tea mixture until the desired colour is achieved.

Blueberries: 

  • ½ cup frozen blueberries (thawed and smashed)
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Roll the eggs in the blueberries until desired colour is achieved. For darker colour, let them sit in the blueberries and rotate every couple of minutes.
I let pieces of blueberry dry on the egg to get the different colours.

Beet Juice: 

  • ½ – 1 cup of beet juice
  • 1/8 cup white vinegar

Let the eggs sit in the beet juice until desired colour is achieved.

Grape Juice: 

  • 1 cup of grape juice
  • 1/8 cup white vinegar

Let the eggs sit in the grape juice until desired colour is achieved.

Turmeric:

  • 3 Tablespoons turmeric
  • 1-2 cups of warm water
  • 1/8 cup white vinegar

Roll the eggs in the turmeric water mixture until desired colour is achieved. 

Paper plate Easter basket:

Now you need a basket to put all your eggs in!

Supplies:

  • Paper plate
  • Paint, markers, or crayons
  • Scissors
  • Stapler
  • Pipe cleaner or ribbon
  • Decorating supplies (optional)

Instructions: 

  • Paint one or both sides of the paper plate. Let dry.
  • Cut four even slits (a few inches long) on each side of the plate.
  • Fold up the sides and staple them together at the top to secure. It should now resemble a basket.
  • For the handle, attach the pipe cleaner, ribbon, or twine on either side of the basket. You can either staple or use a hole punch to punch a hole on both side and secure the pipe cleaner.
  • Optional – decorate the outside of the basket with stickers, decals, glitter, etc.
image of painted paper plate
Image of stapled paper plate
Image of paper plate with pipe cleaner handle
Image of completed paper plate basket

April Spice Club – Allspice

March Spice Club – Cumin

by | Mar 15, 2022 | Programming

The weather in March is so back and forth, it doesn’t hurt to have a warm and hearty dish – especially one that includes a hotter spice! Cumin is the dried seed of the parsley family and is thought to have originated in Central Asia, Southwestern Asia, or the Eastern Mediterranean.

This month’s recipe, pabellón criollo, is considered to be Venezuela’s national dish – incorporating several favorite foods, including shredded beef, rice, beans, and plantains. A popular variation includes placing a fried egg on top of the dish.

While the Spice Club is now full, we have shared this month’s recipe below so you can cook along from home!

FUN FACT: Cumin is sometimes confused with caraway – however, cumin differs from caraway in that it is hotter in taste, larger in size and lighter in colour. 

Pabellón criollo*

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 lb beef
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 cups beef stock
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 4 tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2 ripe plantains, peeled and cut in 3-in pieces
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 cups cooked rice
  • 6 cups pre-cooked black beans

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Cook meat with bay leaf and stock until very tender. Cool in liquid, then drain, shred, and reserve.
  2. Cook onion in olive oil until soft.
  3. Add garlic, tomato, spices, and salt and pepper to taste. Add shredded meat and set aside.
  4. Brown plantains in vegetable oil. Drain.
  5. Arrange the meat mixture, rice, and beans on a rectangular platter, making 3 stripes with the rice in the middle. Arrange plantains on the edges of the dish.

*Recipe from Global Road Warrior™️ by World Trade Press. Access this online database for free with a Huron County Library card to get information about holidays, festivals, culture, travel essentials, and other beneficial travel knowledge.

Nature Photography Contest

Nature Photography Contest

by | Mar 3, 2022 | Programming

Enter our Nature Photography Contest by showing us the plants, animals and natural landscapes from across Huron County that inspire you!

Presented in partnership with Ontario’s West Coast, entries must be submitted by March 24, 2022 for a chance to win a high quality, 16×20 framed and matted print of your winning photograph. Two runner-ups will also be awarded a framed and matted 8×10 print. Thanks to 519 Prints & Frames for the prizes. The winning photograph will be selected by jury. There is a limit of three photos per person and should be current photos taken anytime through 2022.

Please submit your entries by emailing them to askalibrarian@huroncounty.ca or tag us with your nature shots using @HuronCountyLibrary on social media, but make sure to hold onto a higher resolution copy of that photo for printing, should you be the lucky winner!