Stories

The trip up to Attawapiskat was amazing. The winter up here is really winter! The ice road is broad and smooth, better than a lot of the roads in Toronto!  I’m sorry to report that the living conditions here are worse than what I have seen in China. Managing to get some good one-on-one interviews and video footage, as well as this amazing shot of the Northern Lights. There were five MPPs up here yesterday. They were all rea... Continue Reading

Our regular routine is to measure out a pot of Muskoka Maple ground coffee in our coffee machine, ready to brew first thing in the morning. Imagine being woken from a sound sleep at 6 am by a loud bang as the screen covering the kitchen window smashed to the ground. When we ran to investigate, we saw the face of a large black bear, ready to climb in for his first cup of the day! We slid the window closed in his face, but he wasn't giving up t... Continue Reading

When green (unroasted) coffee arrives at the Muskoka Roastery, it comes in jute bags containing 60-70kg of beans. But, that is far from the beginning, or even the end of the journey for the jute. Jute is a natural vegetable fibre grown primarily in the warm, wet monsoon climates of Bangladesh and parts of India. It has the advantage of being eco-friendly versus non-biodegradable polybags made from petroleum, or paperbags which require large q... Continue Reading

They say, when you lose one of your senses, the remaining become more acute. Truer words have never been uttered as I sit here with large Tibetan prayer wheels spinning lazily behind me and an almost medieval scene playing out before me - complete with wandering chickens, stray wild dogs, lumbering yaks and women in long, dresses & aprons and wearing colourful head coverings. In fact, the only luxury in this remote Western Sichuan village... Continue Reading