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EDITORIAL
Long, long ago, Christmas and
New Year's were the same
holiday. They celebrated an
event far older than history,
which we scarcely notice at all
today. It is the Winter Solstice,
the shortest day of the year,
December 22.
The month January is named
after the old god Janus, who is
depicted with two faces, one
looking backwards and one
looking ahead. Our present ritual
of New Year's resolutions invokes
the spirit of this ancient deity as
we review the old year and
prepare for the next.
Our history and traditions have
many sources, and the calenders
of various ancestors often differed
in their ways of marking time.
Thus, three different days mark
the same event with belief and
ceremony as different as the
different peoples who celebrated
the event.
In our Christian heritage, the
cycle of time has been exalted
into a larger reality — the
moment of the New Year's birth
spans into the Millenium. When
the people of early Europe were
converted they brought their
custom of gift -giving to celebrate
this birth. Before the coming of
Christianity they believed in a
figure very like our Father
Time who brought the gift of
return — in the bleak European
winter people in those days
reinforced their vigour by the
custom of giving small gifts as
a joyful reminder of the large
gift of yet another season of
growth and harvest to come. The
tradition came into Christianity
through the personage of Saint
Nicholas, who practiced a
generosity which matched the
spirit of the old ways.
As we approach Christmas and
New Year's once again we
observe that the spirit of it seems
Dear Editor—
do not live in your area. I have no
talents whatever for handicrafts, art,
etc. But I rejoice in the fact that an
area adjacent to Toronto has people
who appreciate the value (therapeutic,
artistic and community -building) of
such projects as the Claremont School
of Crafts is going to foster.
In my mind they appeal to the
genuine, the honest, the fundamental,
in man's spirit -They teach us the true
values of our pioneer heritage.
May your efforts succeed in bringing
the neighbourhood together in an
interwoven pattern of arts, crafts,
understanding and friendship. I do hope
to be lost in the advertisements,
the bewildering array of gifts
and the competition for our
money. The temptation is to
curse the grQed and callousness
of it all.
Be of good cheer. Everything has
its season, from year to year,
from lifetime to lifetime. In this
winter of commerce and
exploitation, celebrate the
coming season; your gift can
be in your preparation for it.
Q...,.,. 12--,.er
fle
I shall have the opportunity of some
day visiting your School of Crafts.
Sincerely,
Heidi Vockeroth
PS. May you be able to avoid
commercialism!
Dear Editor —
I found out about your School
from a friend and upon reading your
paper (Ploughshare) I was very
impressed. I would therefore like a
one year subscription and if in any
way I can help with your School,
I would love to.
Yours respectfully,
Gary Eisenhammer
Claremont
School
of Crafts
The Claremont School of Crafts
is coming along fine! This month
we got organized and appointed
a board of directors and some
more staff. On the board are
Steve Doyle, who is also our
Business Manager and runs
Steve's Red Barn at the
Stouffville Barn Sale on Highway
47. Also Carol Yawney who is
a social scientist; she's doing
fund-raising and organizing the
various proposals we are making
to other groups and associations.
Then there's Wendy Wurtele who
runs her own typesetting business
and is one of the editors of
Ploughshare and Bruce Becker,
the other editor. Robin
Gallagher, master puppeteer,
is in charge of representing the
School to the public. Abby
Becker is the main co-ordinator
of the school as well as its
driving force. Helping her are
Bevin Hall, alternate co-ordinator
and Chris Wadley, assistant
co-ordinator. Fran Howard is
looking after procurement of
goods for the various courses
and also runs the Windy Ridge
Riding School in Claremont.
We have put high on the list of
priorities to get a building in the
area for the Inn, as wel I as space
for offices. We've located several
possibilities so far, but each one
has some difficulties. If you know
of any place which we could use,
let us know — it's going to be a
lot easier when we have offices
and space to work in.
Classes in folk guitar, puppetry,
dance, weaving, spinning,
woodwork, batik, natural dyeing,
nature lore, horsemanship,
metal -working, herbs, drawing
and macrame are going on now;
some still have openings. In a
couple of weeks a full-scale
photography work shop will be
set up and we'll be ready for
students in that area too.
As it stands now it looks like the
Claremont School of Crafts is
well on its way — but there is a
tremendous amount yet to do to
make it really work in the long
term. It's coming together, but
it needs your help to make it go.
Let us know what you like to do,
what you'd enjoy learning, what
ideas you have — in short, your
support is needed to help a
wonderful idea grow.
Contact us at:
Claremont School of Crafts
RR3 Claremont, Ontario
Or come visit us. Call 649-5636
for directions to our temporary
headquarters.
Best Wishes
The Staff
FIREWOOD
Beechwood logs are bright
and clear
If the logs are kept a year.
Chestnut only good they say,
If for long it's laid away.
Make a fire of Elder tree —
Death within your house
will be;
But Ash new or Ash old
Is fit for Queen with crown
of gold.
Birch and fir logs burn too fast;
Blaze up bright and do not
last;
It is by the Irish said,
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest
bread.
Elmwood burns like churchyard
mold —
E'en the very flames are cold;
But Ash green or Ash brown
Is fit for Queen with golden
crown.
Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes
you choke;
Applewood will scent your room
With an incense -like perfume.
Oaken logs, if dry and old
Keep away the winter's cold;
But Ash wet or Ash dry,
A King shall warm his
slippers by.
—Anonymous
Once again
it's time to
pull upa
rocking chair
and warm
your toes by
a cheery red
fire. Watching
the ashes fall
from the grate,
we are
reminded of
the old Bible
quote, "Ashes
to ashes and
dust to dust."
But let us
hasten to remember that in
dead ashes lie new growth for
the coming spring. Woodashes
can be a wonderful fertilizer
for your garden if properly used
They contain a host of elements
needed by plants, including
calcium, potassium, sodium,
magnesium, phosphorus,
manganese, zinc, copper, iron
and silicon. The potassium and
calcium content of wood
ashes will correct soil acidity
and for this reason should be
used only on acid soils. (25-50
lbs. per 1000 sq. ft.) Different
woods produce different
amounts and qualities of ash.
Most conifers contain 2-3% ash
while hardwoods contain up to
9%. Hickory yields the highest
quality ash.
In pioneer days an important
use for wood ashes was in
soap -making. Ashes, when
mixed with water, form lye.
Add tallow to this and you have
soap. (Would any of our readers
have an old, handed down recipe
for soap -making? If so, send it in
and share it with us.)
Of course half the fun of having
a fireplace is roasting chestnuts
or popping popcorn or toasting
marshmallows. It is important
to position the logs correctly
to preserve embers and retain
heat. Standing logs on end will
cause them to burn too rapidly.
According to an old adage:
One log can't burn,
two logs won't burn,
three logs may burn,
four logs will burn,
five logs make a good fire.
And of course, let's not
forget the most important
use of a fireplace ...
SANTA CLAUS!
HONEY CAKE
Cream together:
'/2 cup shortening
% cup sugar
Add while beating:
4 well beaten eggs
Add while beating:
1 cup honey
Sift together:
3 cups flour
'/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. allspice
3 tsp. baking powder
'/2 tsp. salt
'/2 tsp. cinnamon
Add and mix:
1 cup orange juice
alternately with flour mixture.
Add and mix:
1 orange rind
'/4 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts or almonds
which have been well dredged
with flour mixture.
Line a loaf pan with greased
brown paper.
Add mixture and bake at
300 degrees for 30 minutes,
325 degrees for 15 minutes
350 degrees for 15 minutes.
PUMPKIN BREAD
Mix together:
2
eggs beaten
1'/2
cups sugar
1
cup pumpkin
'/2
cup oil
'/4
cup water
'/4
tsp. baking powder
1
tsp. baking soda
%
tsp. salt
'/2
tsp. cloves
'/2
tsp. cinnamon
1-2/3
cups flour
Add:
nuts
and raisins to taste
Pour into greased loaf pan
and bake at 350 degrees
approximately 60 minutes.
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POOR MAN'S FRUITCAKE
Boil together until only a few
(3) tbsp. of liquid remain:
3 cups raisins
2 cups boiling water.
Add and boil 5 minutes:
1 cup molasses
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup honey
1 cup chopped nuts
'/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
Sift together:
4 cups flour
1'/2 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
2 tbsp Brewers yeast
Mix together:
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour milk
and add alternately with
flour mixture.
Pour mixture into two greased
loaf pans and bake for 60-70
minutes at 325 degrees.
YUMMY APPLE CAKE
Sift together:
2'/2
cups whole wheat flour
2
tsp. baking soda
'/2
tsp. salt
1
tsp. nutmeg
1
tsp. cinnamon
Cream
together:
'/2
cup butter
1'/2
cups brown sugar
Add:
2
eggs
Add to:
3'/2
cups dried apples
alternately
with flour mixture.
Grease a 9"x 13" pan.
Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.
POTATO PANCAKES
Peel and place into cold water
until they are chilled:
3 lbs. raw potatos
Grate quickly and drain off any
water that collects on the grated
potatos.
Add and mix:
2 eggs
'/2 cup milk
1% cups flour
1 pinch pepper
'/2 tsp salt
'/2 tsp grated onion
Form into pancakes.
Heat shortening in a frying pan
and fry 3-4 pancakes at a time.
Fry brown and crisp, turn over
and fry other side. Serving platter
should be hot. Serve with apple-
sauce or sour cream.
24 HOUR SLAW
Shred and mix together:
1 head cabbage
1 large bermuda onion
Sprinkle with:
'/2—% cup sugar.
Boil together:
% cup vinegar
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp mustard seed
1 % tsp salt
Add:
% cup salad oil
and bring to boil again.
Pour over cabbage mixture
and marinate 24 hours.
Serves 8-10.
Send your favourite
mixes and recipes to
PLOUGHSHARE
"Humble Pie"
Stouffville, Ontario.
We tried out some of these
recipes and they were
really good! We're looking
forward to getting some
more.
SUBSCRIBE!
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PLOUGHSHARE
are available at a cost of
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No. of Years
Amount Enclosed
Make cheques and money
orders payable to
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PLOUGHSHARE
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Give
" A
Friend
A
Ploughshare
For
Christmas!
[BACK
SSUES
of. Ploughshare are available
at a cost of 5W each.
❑ NOVEMBER 1972 — copies
NAME
ADDRESS
AMOUNT ENCLOSED $
Mail to:
PLOUGHSHARE
Stouffville, Ontario.
We Goofed!
In our November issue, we forgot
to mention that Bonnie Day
wrote the poem "Dilemma",
and that Peter Schuman wrote
the article on the Bread and
Puppet Theatre. Sorry folks.
Hope you accept our appologies.
THE
JOINERY
Custom Cabinet Shop
Woodworking to order
RR2 Claremont, Ontario
294-1768
Pam Keirstead
Cabinet Maker
PLANT POWER
There is no human engineering
which can compare in power with
the silent machinery of a growing
forest. It has been estimated that
the physical energy of the sap in
the plant is fourteen times that of
the blood in man. Professor Clark,
of the Massachusetts Agricultural
College succeeded in measuring
the power of growth in a squash.
He harnessed it in iron, put it in
prison, and gave it a weight to
lift. The squash, thus harnessed,
was placed in a box in such a
way that it could only grow by
pushing upward, and lifting the
long lever with the weights
suspended on it. The result was
that the squash steadily pushed
its way upward, carrying the bar
and weight with it. On Aug. 21
it was lifting 60 pounds, Sept.
15 it was lifting 1,400 pounds,
Oct. 18, 3.120 pounds, Oct. 31
5,000 pounds. How much more
it could have carried is not
known, for at this point the
iron harness cut into the rind of
the squash, thus putting an end
to the experiment. There is, to
our imagination, something grand
in the thought of a force so vast,
so almost incalculable, exerted
without noise, and apparently
far exceeding the ordinary
exigencies of the plant. In every
acre of well -cultivated ground a
power is silently at work which
transcends man's mightiest
machines, by almost as much as
the infinite transcends the finite.
Lep
Fi�om
Lishman
This is my first column —
maybe my last. There are a
multitude of things I'd like to
write about, but one thing in
particular bothered me the other
day. I stopped at a store in the
quiet country town of Omeemee
(between Lindsay and Peter-
borough). It was a Becker's
store, and once inside I could
have been in Whitby, Ottawa,
Windsor or Toronto! There
they were — the same fluorescent
lights, chrome and Cheesies,
with the same harassed -looking
woman I've seen behind the
counter in other Becker stores.
Nervous about getting held up
at night? Nervous that we might
be one of those incognito Becker
agents checking that you don't
have your fingers in the till?
Or perhaps just nervous because
we're strangers.
Anyway, where are all the country
stores going? I often used to go
to the Greenwood store. You
could buy nails, bread, lye,
cheese (good cheese) locally
grown eggs and produce (in
season), nuts and bolts, Christmas
cards, and the Post Office was in
the back. A Great Store! Also
a village social centre — and Mrs.
Clarke always smiled. Certainly
a far cry from the cold Becker's
atmosphere with its plastic
wrapped deals and impersonal
clerks.
The impersonality of big
business is invading us more than
we realize. I don't know what to
do about it — perhaps boycott
Beckers's, Mac's Milk or any of
those "little corner store chains",
and get them back into the hands
of the little people — who will
at least give you credit. (I owe
a great deal to credit in a small
store. Mrs. Clarke once gave me
over $500 worth of credit.
Artists never starved in Green-
wood!)
Becker store — the crowning
thing about it was the log sale.
Here in the heart of (almost)
backwoods Canada you can buy
a genuine pressed sawdust Yule
log, imported all the way from
California, for only a dollar (990.
At that rate you could heat your
house for only eight dollars a day.
Just imagine — they were
probably air -freighted in
costing their own heat content
in fuel to transport them here
from California. Very efficient
when we only have limited
fossil fuels left.
Let's start some competition for
them. More small-time country
stores! I'd pay for the warm
feeling any day!
Anyway, back to the Omeemee —Bill Lishman
A FAT
ALBERT
LAMP
TO BUILD
Go to your local hardware store.
get a porcelain or white plastic
lamp socket with a pull chain.
Get a round conduit junction
hnv rnvor
i�— a NIuy
.15
Get some lamp cord, about 8'
long.
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i
Get a large, round decorative
lamp bulb which is silver on the
outside (Fat Albert by Sylvannia)
(including tax)
$ 5.33
Now find a cork, and 2 bolts
about'/2" long with No. 6 or
No. 8 thread size, with nuts to
fit them. Take the junction box
cover and trace its outline onto
a piece of cardboard (use the
box the lamp socket came in)
and cut it out.
Take a penknife and one end of
the lamp cord. Split the two
wires about 2" down.
Now carefully cut the insulation
on each wire all the way around
at a point about 3/4" from the
end. Be careful not to nick the
wire inside.
Now you will be able to slip the
insulation off the end of the
wire. Twist the wire and form
it into a loop.
Put the wires over the screws in
the lamp socket so that the
loop is facing to the right.
Tighten the screws.
Now take the other end of the
lamp cord and put it through the
hole in the plug. Then split and
strip it as shown above. Twist
the wire ends and form a loop
like you did for the lamp socket
ends.
Put the wire around the prongs
and put the loop under the screw
on each side, so that the hook is
going clockwise around the screw.
Tighten the screws down and
make sure no strands of bare
wire are sticking out anywhere.
Put on the cardboard cover that
came with the plug.
(enlarged view of plug)
Assemble the cover plate and
the cardboard you cut out to the
bottom of the lamp socket
using the two'/z" bolts. Put the
nut on top and the head of the
bolt on the bottom. Screw them
up fairly tightly, but be careful
not to crack the plastic or
porcelain.
lamp si
car
Take the cork and cut three
slices about 3/16" thick off the
wide end. Sand the pieces
smooth in order to make a flat
surface and glue them to the
bottom of the cover plate for
feet that will not scratch your
furniture.
O
Take the bulb out of its box,
being careful not to get finger-
prints on it. Screw it into the
finished lamp socket assembly
and plug it in!
It makes a fine gift!
Design And Paint Your
Own Christmas Cookies!
Here's a fun recipe to get the
whole family in on!
Turn your oven to 350 degrees
Sift together:
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Beat together:
% cup butter
2 cups sugar
until fluffy
Beat in:
2 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract
Stir in:
flour mixture, a third at a time
f7_111k1i
Beat together:
5 egg yolks
2 tsp water
Divide the mixture equally into
five small bowls. Add a drop of
food colouring to each bowl, a
different colour to each one.
red
yellow
green
blue
"black" (blue + green + red)
Butter a piece of waxed paper.
Place a piece of dough on it.
Place another piece of buttered
waxed paper on top of the dough
(butter side against the dough)
and roll out with a rolling pin
to %- thick.
Remove top piece of waxed
paper.
Using the "black" paint, draw
the outline of the picture you
wish to create. Draw in any
other predominant features you
wish to emphasize (arms, buttor
etc.) Fill in the areas with
different colours.
NOTE: The paint must be
applied very thickly, or it will
crack when baked.
When your painting is finished,
take a paring knife and carefully
cut away any excess dough
(Return the excess dough to
the bowl and re-use).Now, slip
a cookie sheed under the cookie
(waxed paper and all) and bake
for 10 — 12 minutes. (Until
the cookie is light brown around
the edges). While it is baking,
paint another one!
This is a great project for kids
on a cold December afternoon.
Last year we made huge cookies
with everyone's name on them
and hung them on the Christmas
tree. They were a great success.
The following mitten pattern
would make an excellent
Christmas present to warm the
fingers of a loved one all winter
long. It uses an ingenious stitch
which makes two layers of
knitting at once. It's like wearing
two pairs of mittens!
The pattern is made in a ladies
size small to medium.
Yarn: 4 ozs. 2 ply Gobelin
or equivalent
Needles: 2, size 13 (Aero) or
whatever necessary to obtain
correct gauge. 2 st holders.
Gauge: 1 "= 6 sts. and 8 rows
Mitt: Cast on 48 sts. Work in
ribbing of k 2, p 2 for 4'/2 ins.
Inc Row: (Inc 1 st in each of
2ksts, p2)5times, (inc 1 st in
each of 2 k sts, inc 1 st in each
of 2 p sts) twice (inc 1 st in 2 k
sts, p 2) 5 times. Total 76 sts.
Double Knitting Pattern
Row 1: *K 1, yarn in front of
work, sl 1 as if to p allowing
yarn to cross in front of st,
repeat from * across. Repeat row
1 for pattern. This pattern forms
a double thickness of knitting.
Work in pattern for 10 rows
(looks like 5 rows)
First Inc for Thumb: Work in
pat on 35 sts, put marker on
needle, inc 1 st in each of next 2
sts, work in pat on 2 sts, inc 1
st in each of next 2 sts, put a
marker on needle, work in pat on
35 sts. Work in pat for 3 rows,
slipping markers.
2nd Inc for Thumb: Work in pat
to marker, sl marker, inc 1 st in
each of next 2 sts, work in pat
on 6 sts, inc 1 st in each of next
2 sts, sl marker, work in pat to
end. Work in pat for 3 rows,
slipping markers. Continue in this
manner, increasing 2 sts after first
marker and 2 sts before 2nd
marker every 4th row until there
are 30 sts between markers for
thumb. Work in pat for 3 rows.
Thumb: Work in pat on 35 sts,
place these sts on a holder. Inc
mitten
knittin
1 st in first st of thumb, work in
pat to last st of thumb, inc 1 st —
32 sts for thumb. Place remaining
35 sts on a holder. Work even in
pat on 32 thumb sts for 2" (or
to length of thumb minus'/z"
for cap of thumb)
Cap of Thumb
First Dec Row: * Work pat on
4 sts, k 2 tog twice, repeat from
across. Work back in pat.
2nd Dec Row: * Work pat on
2 sts, k 2 tog twice, repeat from
across. Work back.
3rd Dec Row: K 2 tog across row.
Break yarn leaving end for
sewing. Draw end through sts;
fasten. Sew thumb seam.
Hand: Place sts from first holder
on needle, join yarn, pick up and
k 6 sts under thumb, work pat
on 35 sts of 2nd holder. Work
even in pat on these 76 sts for
3'/z" (or to length between
base of thumb and tip of longest
finger minus 1'h" for cap of hand)
Cap of Hand
First Dec Row: * Work pat on
6 sts, k 2 tog twice, repeat from
across, work pat on 6 sts. Work
3 rows in pat — 62 sts.
2nd Dec Row: * Work pat on
5 sts, k 2 tog twice, repeat from
across to last 8 sts, work pat on
4 sts, k 2 tog twice. Work 3 rows
in pat — 48 sts.
3rd Dec Row: * Work pat on 4
sts, k 2 tog twice, repeat from
across. Work 3 rows in pat —
36 sts.
4th Dec Row: * Work pat on 3
sts, k 2 tog twice, repeat from
across, sl last st. Work 1 row in
pat — 26 sts.
5th Dec Row: * Work pat on 2
sts, k 2 tog twice, repeat from
across, k 1, sl 1. Work 1 row in
pat — 18 sts. K 2 tog across next
row. Break yarn leaving end for
sewing. Draw end through sts.
Sew side seam.
Done! Aren't they great! Now
make a pair for yourself!
HOME*BREW
Five gallons of home-brew
beer can be made for less then
$2.95. Here's how:
Into a clean plastic tub or
crock pour the contents of one
2'/2 lb. can of hop -flavoured pale
barley malt extract (about $1.15)
Add 1 tsp. salt; 1 oz. gelatine;
2'/2 lbs. sugar, and add boiling
water until you have 5 imperial
gallons of mixture.
Cover the crock with a piece
of plastic to exclude wild yeasts
and other airborne critters, and
allow to cool to room
temperature. This will take
several hours and should not
be rushed.
When cool, add a packet of
active brewer's yeast, obtainable
at wine making shops and many
large department stores (about
59d for 2 packs). Keep the
crock off the floor to avoid
chilling, which would slow
fermentation.
Skim off the foam, then stir
each day.
After about 5 days the
fermentation will stop and the
beer will start to clear. Now
it's time for bottling.
For 5 gallons, use 60
stubby beer bottles or 32 large
pop bottles. Don't use other
kinds of bottles since they aren't
strong enough to take the
pressure. The bottles must be
thouroughly washed, rinsed in
very hot water, and drained out
before using.
For sparkling beer, add
'/4 tsp. of sugar (no more!) to
the stubby bottles or tsp. to
the large. Siphon in the beer to
within one inch of the top,
being very careful not to
disturb the sediment in the
bottom of the crock.
Borrow a bottle capper and
get some caps (where you got the
beer yeast). Cap the bottles and
shake them up a bit, then
store in a moderately warm
place, for a few days. The longer
you store it, the better it
tastes.
To serve, chill the beer well
and pour slowly without
"chugging" into a glass. This
method will avoid disturbing
the yeast sediment on the
bottom of the bottle. Cheers!
This recipe courtesy of Mrs.
Pat Dymond of
Dymond's Health Centre
in Mongolia, just south of
Stouffville on the 10th line.
She says that beer is a great
tonic!
Belcher and Smith
MILLINERY SUPPLIES
844 Yonge Street (Upstairs)
Toronto 922-4961
Fabrics at Rock Bottom
Prices
Great Big Floppy Hats
and lots of patterns ..... !
OfnT
TOYS
Toys are constructed of
white pine and hardwood
dowels. Dowels and glue
are used to secure all the
pieces together so they
will not come apart under
normal play use. There
are no screws or nails to
rust or cut fingers or mark
furniture.
The wood is finely sanded
with all corners and sharp
edges removed. The toys
are left unfinished so
children will not accidently
ingest toxic finishing
materials.
All these things make for a
very safe and long lasting
toy of the highest hand-
made quality.
For catalogue write to:
G.M.T. Toys
c/o James Cairns
RR3 Embro
Ontario, Canada.
Now
For The
First Time Revealed
At Long Last
The True Story Of
The
Carden
Of
Eve
(unexpergated version)
by Pam Keirstead
Once upon a time in a place
just east of here, when the
world was still very young and
dreams more or less came true,
there lived a little girl who loved
to climb trees. There was a big
maple at the bottom of the
garden, the best tree in the
world. It was all green and sweet
smelling; it swayed and rustled
in the wind till all its fiddles
bowed together, all its hands
applauded. Its limbs reached
everywhere, even to the top of
the sky. When the little girl
reached out to a higher limb, it
always held her. Her dreams
soared to its top -most branches
beyond her little arms: all
summer she kept climbing.
In the fall she watched how
carelessly it dropped its catkins
to take root at the will of the
wind, and marvelled at how
many were lost. Sometimes
she's stick one on the tip of her
nose and dance about like an
elf.
The winters were heavier months,
laden with ice. The old maple
bent and cracked. Yet the snow
bound its wounds like a white
bandage. Now without foliage,
it was stark and splendid. It
didn't invite her to play; its
nobility was stiff with indiffer-
ence. But its naked, weathered
branches held her winters in
awe. She knew it still kept
growing; she could hear the
eternal flow of sap within.
One spring, not so long ago,
she chose her place in the
garden of trees. (It was winter
that taught her to choose.)
And if you look you'll see her
— her orchards are growing
everywhere.
Some topics covered in the text are:
Wild flowers, their names and lineage
Wild flowers and cultivated flowers
Where wild flowers grow
Learning about wild flowers
The influence of individual
researchers
The influence of horticulture
and gardening
The influence of specialist
exploration
The printing is excellent and the
colour renditions are accurate (at
least where we were able to recognize
the species). If you are interested in
the beauty of nature, or the study of
flowering plants, or just like excellent
artwork, buy this book. You will be
well rewarded.
JOY OF COOKING
BOO
Irma S. Rombauer
Marion Rombauer Becker
Bobbs-Merrill Company Inc.
REV I E WR
1967, 849 pages, $7.95
WILD FLOWERS OF THE WORLD
Paintings by Barbara Everard
Text by Brian D. Morley
Rainbird Reference Books Limited
1970; 9"x12" 432 pages, $9.95
This book is beautiful. It is a
compilation of over 1000 water-
colours of wild flowers from all
reaches of the globe. It is also an
excellent descriptive text on native
flora of the major geographic regions
and it contains an introduction
which is, for once, just what it says.
There is no way we could reproduce
adequately the fine paintings by
Barbara Everard. Suffice it to say
that she is the Audobon of the wild
flower world.
This is by far the most comprehensive
and useable cookbook we have ever
seen. Sensitive to food value and
nutrition, as well as having excellent
recipes (over 4,000 we're told), this
cookbook also has an extensive and
interesting section on most of the
basic ingredients used in food
preparation. It also has a step-by-step
section on canning, and many other
types of food preserving.
At each important point in the
instructions an arrow is placed in the
text to mark out important hints and
directions.
"To familiarize yourself with herb
flavors, some 'lazy day' , when you
feel experimental, blend % pound
mild cheddar cheese with 2 table-
spoons vodka. Divide the mixture
into small portions and add herbs and
herb combinations. Label the cheese
samples as you mix them. Let them
rest for about an hour to develop
flavor. Then have a testing party with
your husband, your wife or a friend."
"Since vinegar and salt release
juices and impair vitamin content,
add them as close to serving time as
possible."
"Commercial jellies, according to
the law, have at least 45% fruit and
55% sugar. The juice is extracted by
pressure cooking, and although as
much as'/o more juice can be extracted
as in the open kettle method, the
natural pectins in the fruit are
destroyed by the higher heats and
must be replaced. These added
pectins demand a greater percentage
of sugar to fruit, in order to make the
fruit juices jell. "
REPORT OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON CONSERVATION
Province of Ontario Bookstore
1950; 188 pages, $1.00
On April 7, 1949, this resolution was
passed in the Ontario legislature:
"That a Select Committee of this
House be appointed to study all
aspects of conservation, notibly,
(1) soil depletion,
(2) drainage,
(3) flood control,
(4) reforestation,
(5) local demonstration farms,
(6) soil analysis ..."
Study they did. In their report the
men who sat on this committee
documented concerns and made
recommendations in 1950, most of
which are as strong as any of the
present-day ideas put forth by the
ecology movement.
Not only is this a government report,
but something of a textbook. Each
area of investigation is well defined,
often detailed with historical perspec-
tive. The material is never dry and
dull, since it is written with obvious
care and thoughtfullness.
The facts are not "played -up" but
are presented in a reasonable form
so that their urgency speaks for
itself.
The committee visited a notable
laboratory of conservation practices
in the State of Ohio. This was the
famous Malabar Farm and Pleasant
Valley areas, written about by Louis
Bromfield in his two excellent
books.
.. organic matter or humus is
often referred to as the 'life of the
soil.' All living things supported by
the soil return to it in the end. There
they are broken down by living
microscopic organisms that swarm in
the soil— 'micro-organisms' . In getting
food for themselves these micro-
organisms break down raw organic
matter, such as stubble or leaves, into
the complex substance called humus,
and this again into simpler elements.
In their turn the micro-organisms
themselves die by the billion and add
to the soil organic matter. The
process of life, not all visible to the
naked eye, are furiously active in
every cubic foot of soil: birth, growth,
death and decomposition. There is
more drama in the soil than appears
at a glance from the highway."
This book is real. We recommend it.
M-1 - t 1 11 T,
The Cosmic Egg seems to be in a
continual state of evolution, hope-
fully reflecting the attitudes of
service and love towards those who
shop or browse in the store. We are
all brothers and sisters on this planet;
and if I bring you and you bring me,
we can bring each other along on the
way of peace and understanding.
The Cosmic Egg came into existence
when Kent found himself the surprised
owner of $200 worth of army surplus
clothing and suddenly without a job.
So the store was born and the policy
was then, and still is, to provide
durable and inexpensive clothing to
our customers.
Time saw the usefulness of including
camping equipment, fur coats, boots,
and leather jackets to the stock. More
recently we have added old-timey
women's clothing, patchwork quilts,
feather comforters, used jeans, cords
and sweaters. The sweetest fruit of
our labour is the smile and good word
from someone who is glad to stop by.
Karen Kennedy
25 Baldwin
367-0463
camping equipment
government surplus
168 McCaul
536-4370
clothes and toys for
the wee ones
31 Baldwin
864-9671
native clothing
herbs and spices
Aagnarohr
33 Baldwin
368-7769
hand -made leather goods
160 McCaul
364-0072
�eCloba
Arb Eruck
39 Baldwin
341 Bloor W
368-7780
head and body supplies
I&AWth 6treet
0airerp of
Vbotograpbp
23 Baldwin
364-2630
CHRISTMAS TIME
DYEING
This being the Christmas season,
you will probably be thinking of
getting a Christmas tree. If you
decide to purchase a live tree,
you will ' ave a chance to do
some experimental dyeing. It
always seems a shame to have to
throw out the tree after so short
a use. Here is a way to use it
for more than one purpose
before discarding it. After you
have had the tree a couple
weeks, and the needles begin to
drop, instead of chucking them
out, use them for dyeing. Spruce
bark for example, will give you
a beautiful dark rose tan colour.
The needles, cones and branches
can also be used.
Soak 1 peck (8 qts.) of needles,
bark, cones or branches in 2
gallons of water overnight. Heat
to boiling and boil for several
hours until all the colour has
come out of the material used.
(be sure to add hot water
occasionally to maintain the
original water level). Strain the
dye liquid through cheese cloth
and add 2 gallons cold water.
(Total of 4 gallons) When dye
bath is lukewarm, immerse
1 lb. of wool or cotton that has
been wet and squeezed damp.
Heat the dye bath to boiling
and boil for 30 minutes. Rinse
and dry.
PS— don't throw away your
trees, cook them!
Happy Christmas
'Ness
1. aardvark/drd,
vdrk/a burrowing
nocturnal African
mammal that feeds on
ants, has a long snout,
a snakelike tongue,
large ears, and a heavy
tapering tail.
2. aardvark limited/
a store selling good aardvark (Orycteropus afer)
things to live with,
chairs, tables, books, fabrics, lighting, acces-
sories, tableware, and a lot of interesting things
from the Americas and around the world. 38
Wellington Street East, Toronto 1, Ontario,
368-2697
HowI
ut
it?
Dear Sirs —
Why tobacco in an otherwise
excellent paper?
Heidi Vockeroth.
HERBAL TOBACCO
This is a substitute
for tobacco, not a cure.
1 lb. Coltsfoot leaves
'/z Ib. Eyebright
% lb. Buckbean
4 oz. Wood Betony
2 oz. Rosemary
1'/zoz. Thyme
1 oz. Lavender
For extra flavour add Rose
leaves and Chamomile flowers.
The herbs should be rubbed
to a coarse powder between
the hands and rolled into
cigarettes. (see Ploughshare,
November 1972 issue).
•;� �vrE CURB YOU
> O�AII OsfrRE FCp TIf6At�0
sa.n oHcY By
3 � StARs RO[BUCK bC0•NC.
nncAao n�.
MOON
SHINE
The moon is the symbol of
the attainable, and reflects the
light of the sun to guide us in
the night. Its rhythms are
commemerated in the fertility
of women and it controls the
ebb and flow of the waters of
the sea.
When we look at the moon in
the sky it is easy to imagine a
face in the patterns of its
surface. The Man in the Moon
gazes down upon us as
benevolently today as he ever
has.
Moon is companion to earth
as earth is companion to sun.
As a symbol for the top of a
Christmas tree it crowns the
aspirations of all living things
as its soft light shines down on
the boughs of evergreen.
The face of the moon is lit
by the sun; on the tree the
moon is head to a body of
evergreen. It is also the symbol
of the heavens; the stars are
lights, the moon is shown as the
brightest object in the night
sky. The Christmas tree so
decorated becomes a symbol of
the unity of man with the
cosmos with the patterns of the
heavens projected upon his
perfect body: it merges with
the symbol of Christ in this way.
A5
y
HOW
TO MAKE
A MOON
FOR YOUR
CHRISTMAS
TREE
You will need:
a metal coat hanger
a pair of pliers (preferably
vise grip)
a thin brown paper bag
crayons
scissors
glue
First make the frame. Take the
coat hanger and bend it in the
middle and fold it in half to look
like this:
Next bend out the inside frame
on each side, about 3 inches
down, to look like this:
Now make another bend 1%"
down farther on each side:
And then another about'/2"
in the opposite direction.
Now shape the outside making
a number of small bends into
a curve.
Finish shaping and making small
adjustments until it looks like
this:
You now have a frame for the
moon.
Place the frame on the paper
bag and trace its outline.
Colour the face thickly with
crayons, making a cheerful,
wise old face. Then cover
the rest with yellow crayon.
Cut out the moon face leaving
V of paper border all the way
around. Put it near a stove or
heater so that the crayon marks
melt into the paper, and the
wax in the crayons make it
translucent.
Cut a strip of paper about 18"
long and about 2" wide. Take
the moon face and cut the border
about every '/2" all the way
around, running the cuts right
up to the outline of the face.
Bend the tabs you have made
over at right angles all the way
around, and glue the paper
strip to them. Form the paper
strip so it takes the same shape
as the moon.
Now you should have a moon
face which is 2" deep and will
fit on the wire frame you have
made. Slip it over the frame
and make tabs on the bottom
part of the strip
Glue the tabs to the bottom
wire of the frame by folding
them over it. The moon is
finished!
Now take some cord and tie it
to the top of the tree. Take one of
of the lights in the string on your
tree and tie it behind the moon
to make it glow. Use a white
or yellow bulb according to the
feeling you want.
10 M_
Legend
Of
The
Christmas
Tree
To -day the Christmas Tree is the
centre of our festivities, topped
with a star and glittering with
ornaments, it is a part of the
beauty and the meaning of the
Christmas season.
How the Christmas tree came to
play such an important part in
the observance of Christmas -
well, there is a legend that comes
down to us from the early days
of Christianity in England.
One of those helping to spread
Christianity among the Druids
was a monk named Wilfred
(later St. Wilfred). One day,
surrounded by a group of his
converts, he struck down a huge
oak tree, which in the Druids
religion was an object of worship
As the oak tree fell to the earth
it split into four pieces, and from
its centre grew a young fir tree,
pointing its green spires toward
the sky.The crowd gazed in
amazement. Wilfred let his
axe drop and turned to speak:
This little tree shall be your
holy tree tonight. It is the
wood of peace, for your
houses are built of Fir, it is
the sign of an endless life for
the leaves are evergreen, see
howit points toward the
Heavens. Let it be called the
tree of the Christ Child.
Gather about it, not in the
wilderness, but in your own
homes. There it will be
surrounded by loving gifts
and rites of kindness.
And to this day, the Fir tree is
one of our lovely symbols of
Christmas.
SNUGLI is a baby carrier designed
to be worn on back or front. It is
made of high quality, machine wash-
able, two -layered corduroy, by a
group of hardworking, proud farm-
wives from Dunkard, Ohio.
SNUGLI has a small, inner seat for
the newborn, with special head sup-
port. Darts, built into the seat, can
be opened as the child grows. When
too large for the inner seat, the child
can use the large, outer seat, which
also has darts that will enable you
to adjust the seat to the baby's
exact needs.
SNUGLI is easily put on and off
without assistance. It can be useful
while doing housework, shopping,
hiking or walking. It is adaptable
in size both to the baby and the
wearer, whether mother or father.
SNUGLI is available in Beige, Royal
Blue, Wildcat Red, Marigold Yellow,
and Charcoal Green for $28,95.
WRITE: Abby Becker
RR3 Claremont, Ontario.
Antiques
and bygones
Cotton
tiffany lamps
Hours
daily 12-6
Proprietress
Lynn Brown
75 Jarvis Street
Toronto 2a
366-0078
salmagundi
A collection
of interesting things
callass.
ads
ART SUPPLIES
GWARTZMAN'S ART SUPPLIES - 448
Spadina (below College) Phone 922-5429
Paul and Bella Gwartzman, proprietors. "If
fate gave you a lemon, squeeze it - and
start a lemonade stand!" (Toronto)
AUTO ACCESSOR 1 ES
FOR SALE: 4 Firestone Champion Deluxe
WW Tires with tubes, size 6.45-14. Almost
new. $40.00. Also 2 sealbeatn headlamps.
Phone Paul at 727-5254.
CLAREMONT SCHOOL OF
CRAFTS: COURSES
BATIK. Teacher Mary Burdick - 649-5636
DANCE STUDIO. Teacher Diane Becraft.
10 lessons for $25. - 942-7354.
DRUM LESSONS. Teacher Don Wherry
Lessons at $10. per hour - 649-2036
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. Teacher Van-
essa Perry - 649-5636.
GUITAR (Classical). Teacher Chris Wadley
$3. per lesson - 649-5636.
GUITAR (Folk). Teacher Peter Carty, $3
per lesson - 649-5636.
NATURAL DYEING. Teacher Vanessa
Perry - 649-5636.
NATURE LORE. Teachers John Hopkins,
Roy Ness - 649-5636.
PHOTOGRAPHY. Teacher Laura Jones -
364-2630 or 649-5636.
PUPPETRY. Teacher Robin Gallagher -
294-1896.
RIDING LESSONS. Teachers Fran Howard,
Rick Howard - 649-2447.
SEWING LESSONS. Teacher Jackie Findlay
-649-5636.
SPINNING LESSONS. Teacher Paula Lish-
man. 5 lessons for $25. - 649-2918.
WEAV ING LESSONS. Teacher Carol Wherry
5 lessons for $25. - 649-2036.
WOODWORKING LESSONS. Teacher Pam
Keirstead. - 294-1768.
CRAFTS
CRITTERS. Very small hand -dipped candles
guaranteed to last one meal! $4.50 a dozen.
Phone Abby 649-5636.
CRITTER HOLDERS. Small wooden stands
for critters. $1.00 each. Three of them make
a beautiful gift with a few critters. Phone
Abby 649-5636.
HAND -DIPPED CANDLES. $2.00 a pair.
These are not romantic candles. They burn
too brightly! Phone Abby 649-5636.
SILKSCREENING by Peter Carty. On the
3rd concession (Uxbridge) at Underhill, just
north of the town line.
EATS
EIEIO FOOD CO-OP stocks dry goods,
grains, nuts, honey etc. If you wish to join
call 649-5636.
HERBAL TEAS 250 a pack. Anise seed,
Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemon Balm, Star
Anise, Licorice Root, Buchu. Send orders
to: Claremont School of Crafts, R.R. 3
Claremont, Ontario.
WILD GINGER SYRUP, MAY APPLE JAM,
CANDIED WILD GINGER ROOT. 500each
Claremont School of Crafts, R. R.3 Clare-
mont, Ontario.
PERLMUTAR'S BAKERY 175 Baldwin St.
in the Kensington market (Toronto). The
small bakery with Jewish pizzas in the
window!
TEL AVIV RESTAURANT 440 Spadina
Avenue (Toronto). Have a Fellafel and
feel great! Moishe.
DYMONDS HEALTH FOOD. Just off the
10th line in Mongolia, south of Stouffville.
HOMEBAKED BREAD AND COOKIES
Call Cindy and Deborah at 294-1473 in
Whitevale. Also daycare available.
I HOUSEHOLD
NEEDED: A used oil stove or burner (pro-
pane) to heat a garage 400 sq. ft. Phone
Bill Saunders 924-3507
• MUSIC -�
GITANE MUSIQUE Fine Instruments. 425
Queen Street East (Toronto) 364-9498. Now
offering Piano Repair Service for Uprights
and Spinets. Reasonable Prices. Free Esti-
mates. No Piano is too old
PETS
FOR SALE: 8 puppies 8 weeks old, Hound
mother and Doberman father. $20. each.
Can be bought in matching pairs. Phone
Lex 294-1896.
POSITIONS
ADVERTISING MANAGER needed for the
Ploughshare. Applicant must have own veh-
icle. Ploughshare has an unusual advertising
policy that accepts goods and services in
trade for advertising as well as cash. If you
like people and can bargain for us, contact
Bruce Becker 294-1896.
CIRCULATION MANAGER needed for the
Ploughshare. Applicant must have own veh-
icle. Ploughshare needs to be in the hands of
everyone interested in crafts, community
and country life. Contact Bruce Becker at
294-1896.
SEWERS are needed to make children's
clothing for a Children's store in Toronto.
Call Abby 649-5636.
CRAFT TEACHERS are needed for the
Claremont School of Crafts. Do you do
anything well and like people? That makes
you a teacher. Call Abby 649-5636.
REAL ESTATE
WANTED: 5-10 acres of rolling hills, with
stream; with or without house, in the Stou-
ffville-Uxbridge area. Contact Robert G.
Mitchell RR1 Goodwood, 640-5320 after
8:00 p.m.
WANTED: empty buildings, houses or rooms
we could use for our School. Contact
Claremont School of Crafts, RR3, Claremont
Ontario 649-5636.
WANTED: a building or house in a rural
setting to be used as an Inn for the
Claremont School of Crafts. Phone 649-5636.
BULLETIN BOARD
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The Clareont S of all kinds,
ontributions to fire wood
needs coney to old yarn thing
from m ust about any
to probablhat isn't needed Give us
you have e'll pick it up.
a callandw
649-5636
PLOUGHSHARE welcomes all articles of
community interest. If you know of an
interesting event or person or idea, and can't
write it up yourself, drop us a line and we'll
come out and lend a hand!
Ploughshare, Stouffville, Ontario.
And he shall
judge among the
nations, and
shall rebuke many
people: and
they shall beat
their swords
into ploughshares,
and their spears
into pruninghooks:
nation shall not
lift up sword against
nation, neither
shall they learn war
anymore.
Isaiah 2:4