Product of Newfoundland

Product of Newfoundland is a blog about Newfoundland stories, trivia and culture.

About Newfoundland

Newfoundland is perched at the easternmost edge of North America and is the island portion of the Canadian province Newfoundland and Labrador.

The island boasts a tangled history, steeped in codfish, colonial clashes, and an unshakable spirit of independence. Its culture is a delightful patchwork of customs, folklore, and a one-of-a-kind dialect you won’t find anywhere else.

Newfoundland’s quirks make it endlessly fascinating and occasionally maddening. It’s a place where the sense of community is as strong as the winds off the Atlantic, and where the saying “stay where you’re to ‘til I comes where you’re at” somehow makes perfect sense. Living here isn’t for the faint of heart, but for those who embrace the weird and wonderful, it’s a place like no other.

About The Blogger

My name is Robert Hiscock and I’m a product of Newfoundland. I grew up in a small Bonavista Bay community called Happy Adventure. People said it was named by pirates. So, like any good child of the 80s, I spent my time imagining I was a Goonie.

I Ieft Happy Adventure to attend Memorial University in St. John's. When I was done there, I began working in communities all around the island.

My first ‘real job’ had me teaching elementary school science in a tiny island community with no cars. It was, I think, the best job I ever had — I got to make kids say 'Wow!' on a daily basis!

At about the same time I started teaching, I began writing Product of Newfoundland. It became a bigger deal than I’d ever anticipated. When it started to swallow my life, I retired the project.

But, obviously, I’ve decided to return.

Like many bloggers, I’m no expert on the things I write about. I ask questions, read a lot and share what I’ve learned. Sometimes you’ll probably disagree with things I say, or think I haven’t got it quite right, and you may be correct. Feel free to offer constructive criticism and alternate takes whenever you like.

I’m almost always working to a soundtrack of local music. So, along the way, I post notes about some of my favourites in the Best Kind page of the blog.

These days I’m based in Gander, NL and when I'm not writing, you might find me sharing photos (Instagram) or, maybe, getting another tattoo.

While I’m the voice of Product of Newfoundland and the Strange Truths & Tall Tales podcast, I certainly don’t do it alone. I’m supported by a great team, including my husband, an enthusiastically cuddly black lab named Murphy and a charming chocolate lab named Tucker. I’m thankful for my parents, siblings, extended family and friends who always try their best to answer my strange Newfoundland culture questions and let me share pieces of their stories here.

Thanks for checking out Product of Newfoundland — one of the best things about writing this blog is getting to meet other people who get as excited about this place as I do. It’s a fantastic community.