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Home economists spread the word

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Published: January 8, 2004

The need for basic facts on food, sewing and household management hasn’t gone away, even if the formal career of home economist has.

“People are doing without that information now,” said Millie Reynolds, a member of the Association of Saskatchewan Home Economists’ Saskatoon branch.

Sometimes nutritionists, public health nurses or teachers will dispense this life skills advice, but there are gaps.

“Corporations have gone away from having consumer information and so have governments,” Reynolds said.

“That’s one of the results of cost cutting.”

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That’s why she and her fellow home economists in Saskatoon and Regina are involved in projects that provide household wisdom. The hints are contained in a book and on a website, and both are proving popular.

The website, homefamily.net, was getting 29,649 contacts in April 2002 and by October 2003, the numbers were up to 128,727 a month.

The book, called Living Simply, sold out its first printing of 1,000 copies within 10 months and now is selling from a second run of 1,000.

A knowledge of home economics allows families to be proactive rather than reactive, Reynolds said. With the information, a family can buy a new fridge, stove or washer that uses less energy. A widower can learn how to cook for himself and a university student can learn how to live within a limited budget.

The website, which the home ec branch says is unique to Canada, draws articles not only from provincial home economists but also health districts, schools, a legal education group, an energy company and governments.

“Basically we go wherever we can find information pertinent to consumers.”

The information is updated monthly and seasonally by a volunteer, Kim Kennett, so that the website project cost only $1,000 in its most recent year of operation. It is funded from individual donations and corporate sponsors in the name of Emmie Oddie, a home economist who for almost 50 years wrote a weekly advice column in The Western Producer.

The book resulted from discussions with the Saskatoon Council on Aging that noted a lot of seniors needed help with various areas of their household once their spouse died. Reynolds said the information and recipes in the book were tested on focus groups such as the men’s cooking club at a local hospital.

“We have three pages on the many ways of cooking potatoes. We wondered if that was too much,” Reynolds said.

It turned out the book’s appeal was wider than just seniors. Its practical advice was also helpful to empty nesters, newly separated people and immigrants.

Reynolds said the book has an accompanying facilitator’s handbook for people who want to do workshops based on the book’s content. She said the home ec branch in Saskatoon had organized some of those workshops and would probably deliver it in rural areas if asked.

To buy Living Simply, phone 306-652-2255 or 0775, or e-mail admin@scoa.ca.

About the author

Diane Rogers

Saskatoon newsroom

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