This episode is an interview with Kerry Wilhelm, the owner of an e-bike business in St. Martins, New Brunswick. Kerry talks about his background, the reason for selecting St. Martins as the location for his business, some of the challenges of starting a business, and future opportunities that he is hoping can be accomplished.

Kerry started by building his own e-bike, then converting bikes for friends and that grew into a business. He then began repairing e-bikes and later began doing rentals in both the St. Martins area, and on the Fundy Trail Parkway. His next step is providing guide tours both on the Fundy Trail Parkway, and also on Deer Island.

His website is www.2ndwindcycle.com and his shop is located at 2551 NB-111 in St Martins.

In this episode I discuss the upcoming Fundy Sea Shanty Festival with Gary Caines, its artistic director. Gary explains the historical significance of sea shanties, their role in maritime culture and how appropriate to have it annually in St. Martins. We also talked about the Festival, program, highlighting its diverse activities and the importance of partnerships and sponsorships. Gary expressed his interest in expanding it and appreciated the unique friendliness of New Brunswickers. The festival will be held in St. Martins August 9-11. For more information and their schedule, go to their website at https://www.fundyseashantyfest.com/schedule-1

Interview with Elizabeth Case, the owner of Sweetums Artisan Patisserie, which was opened in April, 2024. Elizabeth shares her journey as a pastry chef from working with a high end restaurant on Vancouver Island to returning to New Brunswick and opening he own shop. There is good advice for individuals that would want to open their own business. The bakery is located at 83 Hampton Road in Rothesay.

In this episode I discuss the rich history of Partridge Island, a site significant for navigation aids, quarantine stations, military fortifications, and lighthouses. I highlight the role of lighthouse keepers and their duties, including the use of foghorns and the invention of the steam-powered fog alarm. I also shed light on the island's quarantine station, its use as a burial ground, and its importance in controlling the spread of diseases during the 19th century.

Information for this podcast is Linda Hersey, Harold Wright and others that have contributed to seven different webpages which are listed below:

ihttps://www.saltscapes.com/roots-folks/3024-partridge-island.html

https://legionmagazine.com/the-sad-story-of-partridge-island/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/partridge-island-quarantine-site

https://newirelandnb.ca/quarantine-stations/partridge-island

https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=191

https://maritimemac.com/2018/01/22/the-quest-of-saint-john/

https://mynewbrunswick.ca/partridge-island/

Interview with Saint John poet and playwright Clyde Wray about upcoming fundraising production titled ”Tell it on the Mountain” which will be on December 14 at 4 PM at the Old Stone Church in Saint John. It is the backstory to the Nativity and will feature local singer Debbie Ashley.

Clyde shares his journey to Saint John, where he moved to be closer to his wife's family. He explained how the local community's warmth and willingness to speak surprised him, coming from a fast-paced city like New York. Clyde's artistic focus on black identity and history in Saint John was inspired by the lack of representation in the photographs he saw at the Pompadour Cafe. He advises young poets and playwrights to persevere and remain dedicated to their craft, sharing his own experiences of sacrificing for his art.

This episode talks about fiddleheads and their popularity in New Brunswick. The village of Tide Head New Brunswick bills itself as the Fiddlehead Capital of the World. Perhaps it is, but Saint John has the only Fiddlehead sculpture. It was made by Jim Boyd of Sussex and sits in front of the Arts Centre.

The predominant type of fiddlehead in Canada is the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris). These are bright green, with tightly coiled heads, sometimes with bits of the forest floor still clinging to them. With a flavor slightly reminiscent of asparagus, but somehow also nutty and pleasantly bitter, they are a short-lived but delicious reminder that the doldrums of winter are finally over.

I refer to an article by Raymond Plourde entitled “Fiddlehead Season” in Saltscapes Magazine for some of the information found on the podcast.

https://www.saltscapes.com/kitchen-party/1068-fiddlehead-season.html

To learn more about harvesting opera fiddleheads, this video might be helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBfG6yyPtAg

Information about freezing or pickling fiddleheads

https://foragegirl.com/en/

This week I am interviewing Andrew McClean, who tells about the backyard history of interesting things from the Maritimes. Our particular focus in this episode is on the prominence of rum in the life of people who live in New Brunswick during the early part of the 20th century. Rum was a part of the salary of some of the workers and it was common for them to take a “rum break” instead of a “coffee break”.

For more information about Andrew McClean, go to his website https://backyardhistory.ca/