CHEX TV airdate: Sept. 4th, 5-6pm Click here to watch this episode online. 
Sue Chan is an expert on bees. Her life is buzzing all the time! Sue works for a variety of organizations including Farms at Work. (http://www.farmsatwork.ca/about-us) ?It was with that organization that she wrote a booklet about bees called A Landowner’s Guide to Conserving Native Pollinators.(Available at The Avant-Garden Shop for just $10.00) ? On this episode of The Garden Gate , we talked about why bees are so important, how they are affected by neonicotinoids, and also what types of plants they like. We carry bee houses at the shop as well which we also talked about. ?These bee houses are made locally and are meant for mason bees to lay eggs in. ?Putting up a variety of “houses” for the bees will help them to increase in numbers and pollinate your plants!
Avant-Garden Blog
Garden Gate: Episode 70 – A visit to Horling’s Garden Centre (A member of Garden Route)
CHEX TV airdate: August 21st, 5-6pm Click link to watch this episode 
Horling’s Garden Centre is located just outside of Lakefield on Lakefield Highway (formerly Hwy #28). They have been in business in the same location for 40+ years! I remember going there as a kid when it was a butcher shop! At the time they also sold a few plants, but the business is totally transformed now. They offer quality plants as well as full landscaping services.They have a large selection of trees and shrubs including many native plants. The Hydrangeas were blooming when we were there in late July! I visited with Ian Nichols, the greenhouse manager. We talked about Garden Route and their involvement in this cooperative group of garden related businesses in Peterborough area. (www.gardenroute.ca) In addition Ian highlighted a new stonework service they are offering. It was a hot day! I hope you’ll tune in to watch us sweat!
Garden Gate: Episode 69-Quality suet, with Mark Bennett from Millcreek seed
CHEX TV airdate: August 7th, 2015 Click link to watch this episode. You might think that there is no difference in our suet vs. box store suet. ?Well there is! ?A BIG difference. Mark Bennett from Wildbird Trading and Millcreek seed shares his vast knowledge of suet with us on this episode of The Garden Gate. His suet is made with peanut meal instead of corn meal. ?Box stores mostly use corn meal. ?Corn meal goes moldy and birds don’t like it. They prefer nut meal. I’d prefer nuts over dry corn any day! In addition they have studied closely what nutrition birds need and what they love. ?Millcreek seed has devised many different varieties of suet for a wide variety of birds. ?For example the Fruit and Nut suet is an Oriole favourite in the spring. ?The Baby birthday suet is specially formulated for parent birds to feed to their babies. FULL of nutrition. They devour this one. There is also a Summer Nut suet which is very dense and won’t melt in the warm days of summer! ?Many other varieties to choose from. 
Tune in, then drop by to see the wide varieties of suet available.
Garden Gate: Episode 68 – Quality bird food with guest Mark Bennett
CHEX TV airdate: July 24th 5-6pm Click link to watch this episode. 
I’ve talked about it before. I’ve talked about it with my customers. We’ll talk about it again! ?This time with my bird food supplier. What is different between our bird food (Millcreek seed) and box store brands? The short answer is A LOT! Box store food is usually stale and old. ?Birds don’t like to eat stale bird food any more than you like to eat stale crackers or bread. It smells funny and has little nutrition. In the case of Nyger or peanuts it can even be rancid. Box store bird food can also be years old. ?Often it is “Old crop.” ?This means the seed is from previous years crops. Box store bird food can also contain wheat (which birds don’t eat), way too much corn, tiny sunflower seeds, and other fillers that just end up getting tossed on the ground and causing a big mess. ?Look at the label and see what the ingredients are. Often in poor grade seed you’ll see on the label that it contains oil to suppress dust. Birds don’t like either! Who would!? Our bird food is the freshest you can get. It is “New Crop.” It contains no dust or oil. There are numerous varieties of big plump seeds used throughout the year to offer the best seasonal mixes possible. Top quality – and you’ll know it! 
Tune in to CHEX TV on Friday July 24th between 5 & 6pm for my interview with Mark Bennett from Wild bird trading and Millcreek seed. Read more here.
Garden Gate: Episode 67 – Neonicotinoids – What are they and why are they bad? Guest Mark Bennett
CHEX TV airdate: Friday July 10th, 5-6pm
Click link to watch this episode online.
We’ve been hearing a lot in the news about Neonicotinoids (Neonics).
This relatively new class of insecticide affects the central nervous system of insects, resulting in paralysis and death. ?Plants that have been grown using Neonics are harmful to bees, butterfly’s and birds because they ingest the nectar or pollen and the insecticide along with it.
My guest, Mark Bennett from Wild Bird Trading and Millcreek seed, discusses Neonics with me on this episode of The Garden Gate.
All of our Millcreek bird food is Neonic FREE! ?So you can be rest assured that when you feed our Millcreek brand of bird food to your birds you are not harming any birds, bees or butterfly’s!
Garden Gate: Episode 66 – Recycled plastic furniture and carpets
CHEX TV airdate: June 26th, 2015 5-6pm
Click here to watch this episode online.
In 1983 I visited my uncle in Holland. ?At the time he was working for a company that recycled waste into new products. ?He showed me something he was working on in his spare time. ?He handed me this brown piece of plastic and told me that it was made from recycled margarine tubs, plastic bags, ropes etc. ?He didn’t know exactly what it could be used for but suggested poles to place around the harbours to tie the boats to. ?They were very durable and being plastic, waterproof! ?He gave me a little sample to take home which I still have!
Brook Taylor from Taylor’s recycled plastic in Bailieboro was my guest for this episode of The Garden Gate. ?He using sheets of plastic lumber to create wonderful, colourful and very durable furniture! ?I love the idea that you don’t have to paint or stain this furniture EVER! ?If it gets dirty, you can just hose it off! They are also UV protected so won’t fade. ?There are 13 colours to choose from…..I can’t decide which colour….but when I do I will be getting some chairs from him!
We carry another product that is also made from recycled plastic. The outdoor carpet that you’ll see in this episode. ?These carpets are wonderful. ?Durable, UV protected and easy to clean. ?They add interest and colour to your deck or patio. ?We also have customers who use them when camping, going to the beach or for their trailers. ?Keeps the sand out of the tent!
Our Garden Gate segments are just 3 minutes long and are uploaded to our YouTube channel after airing on CHEX TV.
Garden Gate: Episode 65 – Father’s Day gift ideas
CHEX TV airdate: June 12th 5-6pm Click link to watch this episode online. ? Men can be difficult to buy gifts for! ?But they work hard and deserve a little something on Father’s Day. ?On this episode of The Garden Gate, I do a quick run through of items that we have found to be popular in the shop. 
Tilley hats, thermometers, Rain Gauges, fun 
Beer glasses or Beer soap! If he has a vegetable garden, our Telescoping weeder is perfect. ?Throw in a pair of gloves and you’re set! 
Or if he’d rather have something fun to place in the garden, we have some metal Moose, Beavers and Bears! ?These pre-rusted pieces are made in BC and add fun and humour to the garden. Our Garden Gate segments are just 3 minutes long and are uploaded to our YouTube channel after airing on CHEX TV.
Garden Gate: Episode 64 – Keeping mind and body active!
CHEX TV airdate: May 29th, 2015 On this episode of The Garden Gate I speak with Diana Primavesi from the Alzheimer’s Society. Over the years I have sold many bird feeders! ?People love to sit and watch the birds and see what new little guys will show up each year. ?I’ll get phone calls about new and exciting birds that are dropping in to resident backyards. ?My husband and I often sit on our back deck and can easily be amused for an hour by this bird in the tree, another on the feeder or something flitting about further back in the garden. It’s amazing how time flies when you watch these little movements. As people ag
e and they are less active, I often get customers?coming in to help amuse either themselves or a spouse/partner who is having health issues or even suffering from the early stages of dementia. ?It’s great to see a caring person?come in to set up a bird feeder to help occupy others who must?spend time either in bed or sitting at a window. ?The birds can keep your eyes and mind active. Which is a good thing! Diana will share some ideas and tips on staying active both in the garden or by the window watching the birds. ? Photos by Fred Jennings, Longlac
Garden Gate: Episode 63 – Providing water for the birds and butterfly’s
CHEX TV airdate: May 15th, 2015
Click link to watch this 3 minute video online.
Bi
rds and Butterfly’s both need water either for drinking or for bathing. ?On this episode of The Garden Gate I show you a few options available, from bird baths, bird waterers and also butterfly feeders and baths.
We especially love the hand made pottery bird baths made by Quebec artist Marie-Joel Turgeon. ?Th
ese stunning works of art will look great either in your garden, on the lawn or in a large container garden.
The birds love them because they aren’t too deep as many other baths can be. Also very easy to clean.
The bird waterer is also a popular item. It can be hung on a shepherds hook, set on a stump or table or affixed to a 4X4 post.
Birds can either drink from the cups or jump right in and have a bath. ?It automatically refills from the blue coloured container to keep the cups full. The blue colour also helps to reduce algae growth. Customers (and birds) love this item!
Then we also have a few special items for the butterfly’s. ?We rarely have puddles in our yards for the butterfly’s anymore, so we need to find ways to provide water for them as well. We have butterfly drinkers, feeders and also houses!
Garden Gate: Episode 62 – Wind chimes
CHEX TV airdate: May 1st, 2015 Click link to watch this episode online. We carry some wonderful wind chimes from Woodstock Wind chimes. The owner of Woodstock chimes, Gary Kvistad is a highly trained musician with a number of music degrees. ?Read more about Gary on the Woodstock chimes website. ?These chimes are tuned by … Read more