April 2011

April Newsletter

Submitted by Merchantman on Wed, 2011-03-30 13:49

Welcome

Spring has sprung, well at least we all hope so. The snow has taken quite a whallop - hopefully April showers will bring May flowers!!!

April 1st is the Annual PEI Easter Beef Show and Sale. It starts on the 31st of March for viewing and the sale is at 1:00 p.m. on the 1st at the Charlottetown Civic Centre. This is the 60th year and there are 79 beef annimals entered this year. This will be the Pub's 7th year buying Easter Beef from a local farmer. Chef Shirleen and her nephew Isaac Kemp attend every year and this year is no exception!!!! There will be some photos posted in an album on the website. For more details check out the Civic Centre website at http://www.civiccentre.pe.ca/event.php?event=486.

April is also the month of the ECMAs. April 13th to 17th will be an exciting time in Charlottetown as many new artists along with old favorites are here to perform. For a schedule of events go to www.ecma.com.

The Easter Bunny will make his appearance this month and the Pub will be closed on Good Friday, April 22nd and Easter Monday, April 25th.

This month will be our last month of Prime Rib Nights on Wednesday nights. April 27th will be the last night and it will be the night we serve our Easter Beef!!!

Lastly, congrats to Kay Atkinson who was March's Trivia Winner. She knew that pemmican is dried meat, usually bison, pounded into powder and mixed with an equal amount of melted fat and occasionally Saskatoon berries. Cooled and sewn into bison-hide bags in 41 kg lots, it was obtained for fur traders from the Chipewyans in the Athabasca region and also from the Plains Indians and Metis.

Kitchen Spotlight

Nicole Sheppard is our beautiful baker, actually she has many talents - but she certainly can bake some tasty treats!!! Nicole has been at the Pub for 5 years. This Montague-ian is an avid curler, has been active in synchronized swimming (in her younger years) and has played volleyball. She is in the process of getting her new house ready with her "true love" Dave and they will be welcoming the bun that is now in the oven in September. Nicole is always a source of smart-a** jokes and comments and has an infectious laugh that you can hear throughout the kitchen.

Local Supplier Spotlight

This month's Supplier Spotlight is on KJL Select Meats, found in the Riverview Country Mart on Riverside Drive. KJL specializes in Island meat products - Beef, Pork, Chicken, Lamb, Smoked Bacon and Hams, and Sausages - all made on site. Their meat is grown with no antibiotics , no growth hormones and no animal bi-products.

KJL is an acronym for 3 local farmers - Kenny and Ann Mutch, John and Aukje Annema, Lamert and Sharon Wolters.

Kenny and Ann Mutch's family farm in Earnscliffe is called Top Line Swine Inc. Their market hogs contain no antibiotics and no growth hormones and they use a purebred Duroc line known for extra flavour and tender meat.

John and Aukje Annema emigrated from Holland and bought a farm in Oyster Bed Bridge. Starting with 50 sows in 1981 they ended up with 180 by 2007. With the hog market declining, they renovated their barns and started raising beef, which is available at Riverview Country Mart.

Lammert and Sharon Wolters produce meats for KJL. The Wolters' farm is located in Millcove and has grown from 70 to 150 sows. They also raise chickens to supply the meat shop.

At the Pub, we have used many different cuts and types of meat from KJL Select Meats. A lot of us also buy the meat we serve at home at KJL because of their quality and the taste of their meat.

Did You Know?

Supporting local producers, farmers, fishermen, store owners selling locally grown foods and farmers markets is important to us at the Pub and should be to all Islanders.

Did you know....

..... that after last year's Easter Beef Show and Sale, CBC News reported the following numbers?

..... prices were just about the same as 20 years ago - below the cost of production?

..... that about 100 Island beef farmers had gone out of business the previous year?

..... in past years there have been well over 100 steers auctioned off and in 2010 there were 70?

..... that the industry is half the size it was 5 years ago?

You can read the full report at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2010/03/15/pei-easter-beef-show-584.html

Silent Auction

Friday, April 1st, 2011 there is a silent auction at the Atlantic Veterinary College to raise money to sponsor the Josh Project.

In 1994, Randy Lange DVM took his nine year old daughter, Jessica, to the hospital for a tonsillectomy. Dr. Lange knew she was very nervous and decided to write a book that would "tackle the mountain of uncertainty and fear" that children face going to the hospital.  As a veterinarian, Dr. Lange knew the importance of the strong human-animal bond and illustrated the parallels between what an animal feels during a hospital visit to a human's comparable fears and uncertainties.   The final product was a book, "I'll Be O.K." that follows Josh (a dog) during a visit to a veterinary hospital.  Every time Josh gets scared or worried he remembers that he will be o.k. due to the support of his family and friends and the quality of medicine he is receiving.

Josh and Friends, an organization inspired by Dr. Lange's book, has partnered with the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Children's Miracle Network to help place Josh Kits at hospitals for children.  A Josh Kit consists of the "I'll Be O.K." book, and a plush "Josh" toy, which provides comfort and companionship during hospital stays.  Here on Prince Edward Island, the Atlantic Veterinary College has partnered with IWK Health Centre Foundation and Children's Miracle Network to provide Josh Kits to children in the Maritimes.  The IWK Health Centre Foundation works to provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help kids overcome diseases and injuries through charitable donations.

We have donated a private dinner in Gooner's for 6 people - a 3 course meal prepared by Chef Shirleen and wines to accompany. If you would like more information about this great cause contact Caitlin LeClair with the Atlantic Veterinary College SCAVMA Executive Committee at caleclairatupei [dot] ca.

Trivia Question

This month's trivia question turns back the hands of time!!! As everyone knows, our Head Chef here at the Pub is none other than Chef Shirleen Peardon. She does a wonderful job and has been at the Pub for almost a decade....

Who was the first Head Chef at The Merchantman Pub?

You may have to ask around - some of our seasoned veterans will know the answer - some may not!!!

Print this off and drop it off at the pub or e-mail your answer before April 30th, 2011 to infoatmerchantmanpub [dot] com. The first 10 people to correctly answer the question will be in the draw to WIN!!!! The winner will receive a FREE dinner valued up to $17.95.

Please include your name, address, phone number and e-mail along with your answer.