New Brunswick Traveler

The theme of this podcast is “out of the ashes”.  In the case of a murder in 1935 in the Moncton area, the ashes revealed evidence that resulted in two brothers being convicted of murder and hanging, along with their mother being charged with kidnapping – the first in New Brunswick to be charged with that.  In the second fire, rising out of the ashes of the Covered Bridge Potato Chip factory in Hartland is a continuation of a great product with the promise of a new facility being built right on the same site. Covered Bridge Potato Chips Maritime Murder by Steve Vernon Buy Mark a Coffee

This interview with local historian Harold Wright deals with the military history of Partridge Island and the other sites around Saint John. Harold offers insights and humour as he shares about the establishment of a military defense in the 1790s, the War of 1812, and the wars in the 20th century.

Wild blueberries are native to Canada and grown mostly in coastal areas that have moderate temperatures and not as much possibility of frost. The majority of wild blueberry production is in Northeastern NB, but about 20% is in Southern New Brunswick where I live. Currently there are over 300 wild blueberry producers and with good crop management over 4,000 pounds of berries are harvested per acre. The farm gate value is about 20 million dollars and the blueberry industry has contributed $81 million to the provincial GDP. Only five percent of the crop is sold fresh. Most is frozen and the largest markets are industrial, hospitality and institutional. But for the New Brunswicker, there is nothing better than going to a local producer and purchasing them fresh. Or even better, buying the muffins and pies that they have available at those farm stands. In season, McKay's Blueberries sells 300 pies a day. And I buy one any time I am in the Pennfield area!

Today I am interviewing Greg Marquis, the co-host of a brand new podcast about Saint John history. Greg is a local university professor and president of the New Brunswick Historical Society. His co-host is Mark Allan Greene, an Alberta university professor and the author of The Great Saint John Fire of 1877. The podcast launches on September 17 and will be produced every two weeks. Link to the podcast is https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/saint-john-nothing-happened-here/id1766391411

This episode primarily talks about some of the history of lobster fishing in New Brunswick and the value of the lobster industry to the province.  Until the development of a canning process for lobster meat in the mid 19th century, there was really no commercial value, rather lobsters were just harvested for feeding individuals and their families.  By the 20th century, the sale of live lobsters and the processing of lobster meat made it a significant commercial product.  Lobster is Canada’s most valuable seafood export, contributing as much as $1 billion in export sales, and is one of the exports most closely associated with Canada. Live lobsters can be purchased from: Collins Lobster Shop https://collinslobster.com/ Misty Harbour Seafood https://www.mistyharbourseafood.com/ A cup of coffee can be purchased for me at https://buymeacoffee.com/marks5

Today I interviewed Loretta Landry and Maggie Bryson, co-owners of Jeremiah’s Deli and Catering located in the Saint John City Market.  Maggie says that Loretta keeps to-do-lists, and that she doesn’t, which makes for a very balanced partnership.  They have recently started Charlotte Street Bakery in a space next to their business at the market.  In the interview, they talk about the challenges and rewards of being small business owners, the challenges of expanding into an additional business and the benefits of not working for someone else. Now I can once again enjoy Portuguese tarts! Deli website - https://www.jeremiahsdeli.ca/

In this episode, I interview Laura Weil, who has established a fiberglass door manufacturing company, perhaps the first one in the Maritimes.  Laura shares her journey of establishing a business in Saint John, a city known for its doors. She discusses the hurdles she encountered in securing a suitable location and suppliers, and her efforts in transforming a vacant space into a functional showroom and workshop. Laura also highlights her collaborations with a local artist and a contractor, and her plans to connect with builders, developers, and contractors in the area. She talks about her unique fiberglass doors, which offer a stylish and customizable alternative to the standard steel doors commonly found in the region. Despite the geographical challenges of the Maritimes, Laura expressed her determination to expand her business across the region.  The company website is https://www.hatchparley.com/

In this episode, Mark Greene shared the inspiration behind his book The Great Saint John Fire of 1877, which began with his childhood fascination with the event. He explained that Saint John was a significant port city, founded by Loyalists in 1783, and had grown to become the third-largest city in Canada by the mid-1800s. Despite being prone to fires due to its rapid construction and lack of fire prevention, the city was rebuilt each time after the 13 previous major fires, continuing to ignore practices that were needed for fire prevention. The fire of 1877 was a catastrophic event that destroyed much of the city's wooden infrastructure and left 14,000 homeless. The fire, which started in a warehouse district, was exacerbated by a deflation explosion and spread quickly due to strong winds. The city's lack of building codes and fire prevention measures at the time were cited as contributing factors. In the aftermath of the fire, the city rebuilt under new building codes, prioritizing fire prevention and resulting in a more resilient and rebuilt city. Despite its significance, the Great Saint John Fire is not as widely known as other urban fires of the era. You can purchase the book The Great Saint John Fire of 1877 by Mark Allan Greene from your local bookseller, or wherever books are sold.

An interview with David Goss who has spent over 45 years sharing about the wonders of Saint John and the surrounding area through his walk and talks, and his books. In this episode, I talk to him about his new book on Fernhill Cemetery co-authored with Harold E. Wright, and on walks he is doing on New River Beach. The book launch will be at a huge celebration at Fernhill cemetery on August 26 in the morning. Walk and talks on New River Beach will be on August 23-24 and September 14-15.

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/

I have always been intrigued by drive-in theatres. There are three of them that still operate in New Brunswick and in this episode, I interview Don Monahan, the owner of the Sussex Drive-in and Campground.  We look at the place of the drive-in in the current time.  We also talk about Fundy Fest which will be held on July 19 and 20 with headliners Julian Austin and Tim Hicks.  Information about Fundy Fest can be found at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sussex-fundy-fest-2024-tickets-781532624117

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/

In this episode I am talking with Jenna Morton, the Executive Director of the Greater Moncton Scottish Association.  Specifically, we are talking about the upcoming Greater Moncton Highland Games and Scottish Festival that will be happening on June 13 to 17.  More information about obtaining tickets for the event can be found on their website at https://monctonhighlandgames.com/

In this episode,  Danielle Timmons, a member of the leadership team of Aquilla – The Centre or Cruise Excellence discusses some of the 35 year history of Cruise in Saint john. Danielle noted that 2022 was a restart year after the Covid-19 pandemic, and 2023 was a successful season with the industry operating at near maximum capacity. For 2024, Aquila expects 88 ship day visits, since 12 of the 74 ships scheduled to visit Saint John will be staying overnight. There was a listing of popular tours that passengers take and a discussion on the logistics of working with a large volume of passengers on a day when three ships visit at the same time. Danielle highlighted that over 60 businesses in Southern New Brunswick work with Aquila and benefit from the tours that are provided. She also mentioned that about 50% of passengers explore on their own, benefiting the city's shops and restaurants. Aquila – The Centre for Cruise Excellence. Port of Saint John 2024 Cruise Ship Schedule.

This episode highlights the June opening of Place Fort La Tour for the 2024 tourist season. Don LeBlanc, a historical reenactor at the fort, give information about the days and hours that the facility is open, and things that a visitor can expect to see.  Visitors will observe interactive cooking and listen to the story of Charles La Tour and his young bride, who is infamously known as the Lioness of Acadia as presented by reenactors in costume of that era. These is also a discussion on the challenges of raising the money to maintain such a wonderful facility since it is only open four to five months of the year.  In addition to individual tourists that visit the fort, there are cruise passenger tour groups and bus tour groups.  This summer there will be a production of Hamlet right in the open space in the middle of the fort. Place Fort La Tour website