Birdseye 2012 page 5

Birdseye 2012 page 5 by ric gustafson


At this time in Clarence's life, the people of Labrador were suffering because of poor dieting. Fruits and vegetables had to come from Newfoundland. He also had to find a way to preserve food to feed his foxes. He began to ponder how he could keep fresh food frozen during the very cold Labrador winter. Clarence learned that the science of crystallization was a key to preserving food. He learned that freezing needed small crystals. Clarence observed that frozen food had a grainy texture and leaked juice.
Clarence decided to experiment first with vegetables. He took a barrel when the weather was really cold and put an inch of seawater at the bottom. Then he would put in the bottom a thin layer of cabbage. Then seawater again and then another layer of cabbage. He repeated it until he had a full barrel of cabbage. When he wanted some cabbage, he would take an axe and cut some of it out. It tasted like cooked fresh cabbage.
In April 1917, Clarence went back to the US after it entered the first World War. In 1918, their second child, Ruth was born.


research help: ' Birdseye' by Mark Kurlansky


Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric