I’m back at Gothic Cottage after a few full days in Vancouver for work. Olympians Sara Renner (above) and Ben Rutledge were representing David Suzuki’s Play It Cool with me at the Canadian Green Building Council national conference. Ben’s gold and Sara’s silver medal drew lots of attention but they’re pretty nonchalant about their medals. Sara’s fell silently out of her luggage once at home and her husband happened to find it in their woodpile underneath the stairs. Needless to say it’s pretty scratched up.

Sara is one of the founders of our carbon neutral elite athlete program and she really walks the talk. She and her husband, former Canadian Alpine Team member Thomas Grandi, line-dry all their clothes, collect rainwater in barrels for their veggie garden, cycle through Canmore, organized a 350.org event, spread the word of climate action to school groups, and are installing a green roof on their chalet.

I learned some interesting things at the CaGBC conference about green roofs which focus on native plants - LiveRoof - and the next generation of LEED certification - Living Buildings. Exciting movement in the right direction.

And on the ground in Vancouver the corner of Burrard and Cambie has been given a major facelift with the lush and large Cambie Community Garden. Oh Vancouver, how I love thee. Greenspace and community gardens abound, even downtown.

I didn’t even realize until tonight that I miss using a pencil. I don’t think I’ve used one since the second year of my undergrad. I can still picture myself in the UNB gymnasium writing the final exam for Arts 1000, and plugging my multiple choice answers into a Scantron sheet with heavy, dark strokes of an HB so there was no margin of error. By the end of exam period I had always developed a giant, hardened callous from writing memorized material so frantically. I miss that adrenaline rush.

These days we’re studying and writing proposals for various farm courses we’re taking. Tonight we’re doing homework from a 2-day Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs course Roddy is taking - Growing Your Farm Profits. Upon completing an action plan, the Ministry will refund 50% of our costs for implementing environmentally-friendly farming practices. I won’t go into the finer details but basically we’ll get funding for courses, consulting, and making improvements to our farm.

If you’re a registered farm business in Ontario (or on your way to becoming one) check out the course. A little money from the government is a major boost to aspiring tiny farmers!

Until we moved to our farm, I never thought much about the way a house works. If I was cold, I would crank up the thermostat. If I was thirsty, I would run water from the tap and fill up a glass. I didn’t stop to ponder the source of my needs, I just flipped switches, turned knobs, and lifted levers.

In the country, however, I find myself closer to the source of my survival needs. A tank full of oil sits next to our house to keep us warm in cold weather. When it’s empty, an Arthur’s Fuel truck will come to fill it. Our well is also just outside our house. When I’ve been running water for a few minutes I can hear the pump kick in down in the basement. It’s an instant reminder to conserve. After our initial toilet nightmare, I have a new appreciation for fully functioning septic systems. I have learned an incredible amount about how a house lives and breathes like a human system.

Even more striking, has been the spike in my understanding of how a house is pieced together. Tearing down walls and ripping up flooring is like dissecting a cadaver, only better: we don’t have professors, experts or parent’s hovering over us to tell us what to do! With a little self-guided research, we can let the scalpel run wild and settle in the knowledge that anything we do to this house is an improvement (it was in need of TLC when we bought it).

We peeled away at the skin and fascia (wood paneling, lath and plaster), only to discover that our house was incomplete - it didn’t have any fat (insulation), oh my! We had to remedy the situation before winter, but we didn’t want to work with fiberglass. Roddy’s mom tipped us off to a safe alternative made from sheep’s wool which has been treated with borax (a natural cleaning agent). A little research online turned up a company in Alberta, Good Shepard Wool Insulation, and a week later our big bags arrived at the bus station in Guelph.

The long bats of wool are soft and easy to work with, making installation a joy. Ewan and Roddy worked quickly in September to pad our living room and future kitchen walls with a warm, fleece-y layer. The woolly walls have since been covered in a protective breathable vapor barrier (like a Gore Tex jacket), and finally clad with drywall which is now half complete.

Two days ago we moved our “bedroom” once again into the living room, where we began sleeping in this house. But what a change in 4 months! Last night as we were curled up watching a film my eyes scanned the room and picked up on the elements that were making me feel so good. We were surrounded by candles in coloured glass holders. Beautiful bare tree silhouettes were framed by our old sash window. We were cozy under Roddy’s aunt’s quilt, and best of all, I could see the flames from our new woodstove licking the edges of the glass and glowing bright orange and red. And anchoring this picture were our clean, new white walls.

The scene was so engrossing it made me want to keep our bed in the living room throughout the colder months. It feels like a sleepover this way; like we’ve escaped to a cabin in the woods for a romantic holiday. Our house doesn’t feel unfinished in moments like this. It feels like a promise of whats around the corner. Maybe because I understand it better now, because I know what’s inside the walls, and I know why I feel cozy and secure? Whatever the reason, it’s so wonderful to feel at home here.

Carrot Fest was an excellent excuse to get over to Everdale Farm & Environmental Learning Centre. BBQ, an abundance of carrots in big bowls on harvest tables, workshops, guided farm tours, self-guided exploration - who could ask for more on a sunny Saturday afternoon? In the spirit of the orange root vegetable, the staff placed laminated pages of the sweet kids book Carrot Soup by John Segal along a path through one of their gardens.

What a fabulous idea!

I remember when Everdale first crossed my radar three years ago. Roddy and I were living in Toronto and being exposed through our work to inspirational food security groups and the world of community gardens. I was bubbling over with enthusiasm for this newfound arm of my passion for engaged communities, sustainable agriculture, seed diversity and simply, food - thinking about food, preparing food, eating food. It’s safe to say that food has always been at or very near the forefront of my mind (and I am relieved and eternally grateful that I have a fast metabolism).

When I learned more about Everdale, the centre sat in my mind as a beacon of alternative living. From it’s web pages I learned about straw bale construction and farmer apprenticeship opportunities. I didn’t know it at the time, but Everdale was part of the inspiration for my volunteer experience at an organic farm the following summer. It was also one of the sparks in the creation of my mission to integrate community, deeper connection, and organic agriculture, which ultimately led to the development of Roddy’s and my shared dream to create an organic market garden.

I visited Everdale in person for the first time when I was back home in Ontario last September. My mom and dad were curious to get a tour of Home Alive - the farm’s green powered straw bale house - and I wanted to suss the place out. At the time, Roddy and I were toying with a grand plan of either WWOOFing our way down the west coast into South America together, or hanging onto one of our jobs (mine) and doing an intensive apprenticeship at Everdale (Roddy). Even in the rain Everdale was quite magical, but Roddy and I decided the apprenticeship and WWOOFing options weren’t right for either of us. We wanted to jump right into our own farm. A somewhat scarier option, but definately exhilarating!

Funny how things come full circle. Roddy and I never expected to return to Ontario, and now we are only a 15 minute drive from Everdale. We’re very lucky to have landed so near their experienced staff, some of whom oversee LandLINK - an initiative that connects beginning farmers with farmland owners and farming opportunities in Erin Township.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering,

See that pointed finger? No one seems to be paying attention. Shona is doing her thing, Roddy’s gaze is elsewhere, and Nancy has left the scene completely.

We were on vacation, but I wanted to work in the garden. I offered my services (I had something to prove - my baking “services” at Redburn are still the butt end of jokes). And I was happy to help, I just didn’t expect to be taken so seriously… while on holiday. So after stepping up to the plate with pick axe in hand to dig the trench, I played bench warmer the following day to document our fine group achievement.

But photos can be deceptive. Alistair is a man of action. He knows what he wants, and he knows how he wants it done. Whether it’s pruning fruit trees, prepping a bondie (bonfire for those non-Scots), or planting a beech hedge. He whipped us into shape and had the continuation of the hedge he planted with Ru and Cal done and dusted in no time.

Kudos to Al! Not only do he and Shona now have a balanced border to their beautiful Nairnshire property, but he taught Roddy and I how to plant a beech hedge:

1. Dig trench about 1 ft wide, and 2 ft deep. Be prepared to be told to dig deeper. Then prepare yourself for further instruction to dig deeper still.

2. Swing the pick axe like you mean it. No namby-pamby nonesense - let the axe do the work.

3. Remove bountiful stones while shoveling earth off to side. Brace your back against striking stones forcefully (and unintentionally) with shovel, again and again.

4. Take a break - a refreshing G&T recommended at this time.

5. Purchase spindly beech trees from friendly local nursery.

6. “Heel them in” to soil until ready to plant (this keeps the roots alive).

7. Take another break if on holiday.

8. Shovel a good layer of composted dung into the trench.

9. Plant wee beech trees a foot apart, sprinkle bone meal over roots, and fill with earth from side of trench.

10. Water in.

11. Admire your work.

I cannot write a book review. After many years devoted to university degrees, the idea of sitting down and writing something so structured is torturous.

But I also can’t keep this book to myself. It has stolen hours from my sleep over the past week. Usually when my eyelids feel like weights I give into drowsiness, slip deeper under the covers and exhale that last deep breath as I flick off the lamp switch. But Barbara Kingslover has my attention so wrapped these nights that I’ve not only fought my heavy lids, but I’ve strained to read her words by LED headlamp just to respect Roddy’s slumber.

To give you some context on what I qualify as a scintillating read, I do not read harlequin romances, Danielle Steel or any such novel that evokes women to conceal the cover in public. I did, however, recently read the scandalous and very sexually descriptive D.H. Lawrence classic Lady Chatterley’s Lover. While it was a hot page-turner, Kingslover’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle wins my heart hands down. This book is a romance novel for foodies, with passionate detail of the joys of thoughtful, purposeful consumption of whole foods. And better yet, the farm wife is reinstated as a nurturing goddess, making magic in the field and kitchen.

The Kingslover family’s year of eating within their county limits and growing their own food has at once filled me with gratitude for being raised in a household which valued preparing and sitting down to dinner together, reinstated my convictions for supporting small local organic farmers (and despising agribusiness), and reopened a closed debate about vegetarianism. It has also made me crave the good life with a new sense of urgency.

Kingslover’s book put into finer focus my need for pastoral vistas, a cozy farmhouse, a flock of hens, a pantry full of my preserves and mead, and friends gathered round a blazing fire pit. And for this, I thank her by writing this non-book review.

I’ve got some ‘splaining to do. Locavore posts have gone by the wayside, not just because it’s summer and the sun shines everyday here in Victoria but because Roddy and I have been in the midst of some pretty major future planning.

It all started with MLS – the all-consuming database of property for sale in Canada. Hours upon hours have been spent by the pair of us on this website searching vacant land everywhere from secluded Gulf Islands to the Atlantic coast. The land acquisition plan was integral to our goal of living off the land – Roddy’s burning desire to be self-sufficient mingled with my yearning to grow veggies. It didn’t take long for Roddy to discover the wonderously affordable options for acreage in Nova Scotia. But, having done my time in the east during my undergrad, the last thing I wanted to do was hit the rewind button… it just felt, well, like backtracking.

In the spring, I was tipped off to a promising option for aspiring farmers. Farm Folk City Folk, a fabulous Vancouver non-profit, has teamed up with The Land Conservancy to establish the Community Farm Program, which pairs keen young farmers with land held in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) or leased land from older farmers. New farmers procure long-term (40+ year) leases to work the land and create their own business plans. The best part: a group of people work the land together so that leisure time is valued as much as bread labour. Roddy and I are on the database of people looking to be matched up with a farm on Vancouver Island. But we’re also impatient.

So, after much arm twisting, last month I found myself suggesting that we fly out to Nova Scotia to see what we find and how we FEEL out there. The Annapolis Valley was the first stop. It’s supposed to be the agricultural zone in NS. We thought it was beautiful, open, and welcoming. But then we moved on to Cape Breton and the Valley was suddenly eclipsed. Cape Breton (above) is wild, dynamic, fresh and breathtaking. And we found a place… stay tuned!

I’m drawn to this method of planting for a simple reason: the sheer fun of lobbing tiny balls loaded with seeds absolutely anywhere! A seed ball is a form of seed distribution in which seeds are encased in a tiny ball made of clay and compost. This protects seeds from birds, wind and sun, and the balls are directly scattered on the ground rather than planted. For more info visit Andrea Bellamy’s blog: Heavy Petal.

40 Ways to Encourage More Local Food Production (from 100 Mile Diet)

This comprehensive list has some fantastic suggestions — so many that I found it painful to cut the list down:

For Local Food Growing Champions

3. Hold regular Sustainable Food Forums for networking, education and planning.
4. Organize organic year-round food growing courses and workshops, including for youth, people on low incomes, and ethnic minorities.
5. Encourage micro-market gardening in the city, and Spin Farming.
7. Establish a Farmers Cooperative to share skills, materials, and marketing.
8. Establish a Young Farmers Institute for the next generation of farmers.
9. Encourage more Brown Box and Community Supported Agriculture programs.
10. Celebrate local food through festivals, community events, and by showcasing public food-growing gardens.
11. Encourage more seed saving by organizing an annual Seedy Saturday community show.
12. Encourage Community Fruit Tree Projects to harvest unwanted fruit, and have it juiced for sale and for fundraisers.
13. Create a “Buy Local” label for use in retail food stores.

For Municipal Councils

15. Make an inventory of all available land, both city-owned and otherwise.
16. Pass a resolution stating the importance of local food cultivation, listing the many benefits of greater food self-sufficiency, and including a goal that most food consumed locally should be grown within a few hundred miles. (e.g. Berkeley Climate Action Plan). Integrate food cultivation into all municipal planning documents. The American Planning Association’s Policy Guide on Regional and Community Food Planning (May 2007) contains 26 recommendations.
17. Support the development of Farmers’ Markets and neighbourhood food stands.
18. Prioritize the use of local organic food at all city-owned events and facilities.
19. Set a goal to develop new Community Allotment Gardens every year, supported by municipal staff. (Seattle has 5.5 municipal staff who support 65 gardens). Create a Matching Grant Fund to support the development of new Gardens, and offer small grants to help with soil-building, water systems, tool sheds, deer-fencing, and improvements.
24. Permit the long-term use of temporary dwellings on farmland for agricultural workers.
25. Integrate ornamentals with edibles, bio-remediation, fiber and medicinal plants in city landscape planning.
26. Establish a community-wide composting program (as in Ladysmith, BC; Halifax, NS; San Francisco, CA).

For the Provincial Government

29. Provide financial support for apprenticeship and internship programs created by organic growers.
30. Provide grants and low interest loans to help new farmers buy land, including for the cooperative purchase of land by groups and Land Trusts.
31. Prohibit the removal of land from the Agricultural Land Reserve without replacement with equivalent quality farmland.
34. Create legislation requiring municipal councils to provide at least 15 allotments for every 1,000 households and no more than six people waiting for a plot at any one time (as in Britain).

It’s time I read this book. I’ve been on Alisa Smith and J.B MacKinnon’s 100-Mile Diet email list for about a year now and finally broke down and bought myself a copy of the book. I just started it and am extra inspired to be reading a couple of Vancouverite’s account of their one year challenge - nothing like local knowledge.

So who wants to join the first installment of the Locavore book club?