Laurie Hysuick, the owner of Mitny Refillery and pioneer behind the upcoming ‘Swing into Spring’ initiative is once again flexing her entrepreneurial muscle with the idea of organizing a series of ‘Back to Basics’ classes to teach skills that seem to be lost or undervalued in today’s world.
The proposed classes are not established yet, but Hysuick is currently testing the idea of hosting locally instructed courses that range from home cooking to crafting, gardening, nutrition, and foraging.
“(From) communicating with my customers, we were talking about some of the basic things that were missing from Moose Jaw,” she explained.
“I didn’t realize how many people are interested in doing those programs and (learning how) to can, make dandelion teas or salves… or (how many just have) nutritional questions.”
Although friends and customers who know Hysuick may argue in good humour that her motivation largely comes from the potential to sample some delicious home cooking, she revealed that her inspiration came after the friend of a friend stopped by her shop and asked if anyone taught traditional Italian cooking in the city.
It was then through talking with her customers that she realized how many people don’t know how to do canning, or other similar basic skills that can prove to be cost effective, healthy, and practical.
“So… my idea… was, why don’t we create a community and have locals that know this stuff (teach classes so) that it can be accessed,” she said.
Many basic skills from sewing to gardening have been lost due to the advent of new technologies and as a consequence of the rapid pace of societal change. Today, most people have shifted their focus to immediately applicable skills including the use of smartphones, social media, and learning to use cutting-edge technology.
Society is also facing an escalating cost of living, and many goods that would have simply been repaired are now discarded and replaced with a newly manufactured item. Heavily processed foods and chronic disease are similar hallmarks of today’s societal norm.
Much of Hysuick’s focus is on local applications. A couple examples she gave were foraging in Wakamow Valley and learning to cook lentils sourced locally from Simpson seeds. Even dandelions – commonly viewed as a noxious weed – are edible and provide several herbal and nutritional benefits.
“We have so much around here that we can utilize to help people,” she said. “And I mean, there’s tons of recipes, it’s nutritional, it’s cost effective – and it’s local stuff, so it’s pretty amazing.”
If there’s enough interest in the idea, Hysuick plans to go ahead and hopes for it to gain traction and become a regular program and perhaps even a local non-profit organization one day.
Although no specific venue has been established yet, Hysuick said she’s searching for suitable locations and, aside from cooking classes that require a kitchen, her storefront could host many of the classes.
“It would be neat to see these (back to basics classes) in our community,” she said, noting that Regina and Saskatoon already have similar programs that are proving to be successful.
Hysuick would like to extend her offer to any local businesses, non-profits, or individuals who may be willing and able to provide a kitchen facility, home economics room, or other spaces that would make the idea possible.
As well, the offer is extended to anyone in the community who has knowledge in areas like canning, cooking or baking, arts and crafts, gardening, or almost any other skillset that would be considered “back to the basics.”
If you are interested in applying to teach classes in the upcoming Back to Basics program, Laurie Hysuick can be reached at 306-694-6330 or by visiting Mitny Refillery at 5 Manitoba Street East.
For more information about Mitny Refillery, visit MitnyRefillery.ca.
