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🌳 Are cutting boards bad for you?
Tuesday 9/8 - Sponsored by Tibo Cutting Board & Wispr Flow: Maryland's newest state park just opened, what to know about plastic cutting boards, and cozy ways to warm up your kitchen for fall
Happy Tuesday
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald
In today’s issue, we’ll take a look at:
55,000 acres just opened up for free in Maryland
The most overlooked cooking step
Are cutting boards bad for you?
Cozy ways to warm up your kitchen for fall
How to speed up your thoughts
Did You Know?
Wood naturally contains compounds that help fight off certain bacteria.
Scroll to the bottom for the answer.
55,000 Acres Just Opened Up for Free in Maryland
Savage Highlands State Park just opened in Western Maryland, and it's a big one: 55,000 acres of forest that used to sit behind a private resort gate. Here's the best part: getting in the door is completely free. The only price tag shows up if you decide to stay the night.
For years, the property operated as an adults-focused lodge, complete with romantic getaway packages and extra charges if you brought your kids along. Now that same land belongs to everyone, and the state is working to keep those overnight rates within reach for families too.
The first people to spend a night there were newlyweds Matt Smith and Maggie Leathers-Smith, who won a free stay while out hiking on their honeymoon. “I didn't know this existed privately, and just learning about it recently, it's like: Wow,” Smith said.
There's something special about land that used to be exclusive suddenly becoming the setting for someone's first hike, first campfire, first s'more. That's exactly what Savage Highlands is now, a place anyone can wander into and start making a memory of their own.
The Most Overlooked Cooking Step
Chopping vegetables feels like the most mundane five minutes of your evening. Turns out there might be more happening on that board than meets the eye.
Every knife stroke on a plastic board sheds tiny plastic particles, sometimes hundreds at a time, and a good chunk of that ends up mixed right into your dinner. Scientists are still working out exactly what that means for us long-term, but early research on animals found more gut inflammation from food prepped on plastic than from wood. That's enough for us to say better safe than sorry.
If you're ready to make the swap, wood is the classic choice. It does come with its own catch, though: those little cracks and grooves in the surface are exactly where bacteria like to settle in, so wood needs hand washing after every use and the occasional sanding to stay truly clean.
If that sounds like more upkeep than you signed up for, titanium is our actual pick. It's naturally nonporous, so there's nowhere for bacteria to hide. Plus, it's dishwasher-friendly, gentle on your knives, and completely free of plastic to begin with.
It's such a small swap for your kitchen, but a genuinely easy first step if you're trying to steer clear of plastic sneaking into your everyday meals. Next time your board is looking worn, titanium is worth putting at the top of your list.
Are Cutting Boards Bad For You?
Most people don't think much about their cutting board, but wood and plastic ones aren't as clean as they look. Every knife cut leaves tiny grooves where bacteria and mold can hide, even after washing. Plastic boards have another problem: every slice can shave off tiny plastic particles that end up in your food. In fact, they shed an estimated 79 million of these particles every year.
TIBO fixes both of these problems. It's a cutting board made from titanium, a smooth metal surface that doesn't trap bacteria like wood does and doesn't shed plastic into your food like plastic boards do. One side is titanium for raw meat, the other is wheat straw for produce, so you get a clean split between the two.
Why people are switching:
Dishwasher safe: Just toss it in the dishwasher, no scrubbing, oiling, or special care needed.
Built to last forever: Medical-grade titanium never wears down, so you'll never need to replace it.
Stays clean naturally: No bacteria, no mold, and no odors soaking in over time.
Built-in knife sharpener: A few swipes keep your knives sharp, no extra tool needed.
Built-in garlic grater: Fresh garlic and ginger in seconds, no extra cleanup.
Every TIBO purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, the lifetime warranty makes it the last cutting board you'll ever need to buy.
For a limited time, order now and save 40%.
Thank you to TIBO for sponsoring The Canopy.
Cozy Ways to Warm Up Your Kitchen for Fall
There's a particular morning each September when you walk into the kitchen, and something feels different: cooler air through the window, maybe the first pumpkin spotted at the store. We start decorating the second we feel it.
It genuinely doesn't take much to chase that feeling all the way home. A few simple touches do most of the work:
Pick one warm color, like burnt orange or deep brown, and layer it in through linens or a candle instead of going all in on every fall hue at once
Lean on real organics, dried hydrangeas, gourds, a bowl of acorns, rather than trendy plastic decor
Simmer cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel on the stove for a scent that fills the whole house
Tuck a small pumpkin or a stack of fall plates into an unused counter corner instead of crowding your prep space
The trick, we've learned the hard way, is restraint. One thoughtful touch in a few spots, kept clear of the counter where you're actually cooking, does more for the season than a whole aisle of decor ever could.
10x the context. Half the time.
Speak your prompts into ChatGPT or Claude and get detailed, paste-ready input that actually gives you useful output. Wispr Flow captures what you'd cut when typing. Free on Mac, Windows, and iPhone.
Thank you to Wispr Flow for sponsoring The Canopy.
Quick Picks
Reflections:
🪵 Did You Know: Yes, actually! Wood contains natural tannins and other compounds that can help slow bacterial growth, which is part of why a well-cared-for wood cutting board can hold up better than you'd expect.
🌅 Sunset Of The Day: The sun can provide the most beautiful photography. That’s why we’re eager to see your favorite sunrise or sunset photos. Reply to this email with your best sun-based pictures for a chance to be featured!