Vibe_Mar2007 v3

villagevibeMarch 2007 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood

in this issueRescuing food, reducing hunger Page 2

Feature: Creating a food community Page 4

>> by Julia Adam

Food is a basic necessity for our

survival, a reason to bring people together,

intrinsically connected to climate change,

and available free of charge right here in Fernwood.

Our neighbourhood has a public access

green space that is a leader in practical and local

responses to climate change, and it provides food

for us all. Spring Ridge Commons (located at

Chambers Street and Gladstone Avenue) has gone

through many changes over the past 120 years. It

began as the site of Spring Ridge School, Victoria’s

fi rst elementary schoolhouse. Th en, for many years

it was a vacant gravel causeway, a passive landscape

with little to off er the community. In 1999, work

began to transform Spring Ridge Commons

into an organic food forest, designed as a human

produced ecosystem, which mirrors the ecological

processes of the natural environment.

Last June a resolution was passed at the

Fernwood Community Association (FCA)

Annual General Meeting that “places the FCA on

record supporting the Spring Ridge Commons

as a freely accessible permaculture garden.” With

other similar projects – like Bamfi eld Commons

in Esquimalt – starting to emerge in the area,

Spring Ridge Commons is a leading example

of transforming a passive urban space into a

public-access food forest. It is a local example of

practically applying sustainable growing practices,

while acting as a leader in local solutions to climate

change. Go Fernwood!

But what does a Fernwood food forest have

to do with climate change? Th e drastic weather

patterns occurring in California off er a clear

example of how vulnerable we are to the impacts

of climate change. So much of our food comes

from off the island (California, Florida, South

Africa, Mexico, etc.) that we cannot continue

chowing down without seriously considering the

impact this is having on our planet. Th e 1500 km

process from seed to plate that much of our food

goes through and the industrial, non-organic

>> by Mara Moon

Karma is the sum total of all that an individual has done,

is doing, and will do. Th e eff ects of all deeds actively

create past, present, and future experiences, thus making

one responsible for one’s own life, and the pain and joy

that it brings to others.

Nourishing our bodies with food is a necessary life

sustaining process. We make choices regarding what

we feed our bodies every day. Or do we? I’ve come to

question who actually controls what, when, how, and

why we eat? If we have unknowingly given this power

The karmaof food

– continued on page 7

– continued on page 4

Chowing down onclimate change

New Hours Mon 7am – 8pm Tues 7am – 8pm Wed 7am – 8pm Thurs 7am – 11pm Fri 7am – 11pm Sat 8am – 11pm Sun 9am – 5pm Proudly owned and operated by Fernwood NRG

Drop in between 7 and 8:30 am Monday

to Friday and enjoy a freshly brewed cup of

Discovery coffee for half price

Join us Friday nights for Live Music, Saturday nights

for the Bohemian Open Stage and every second

Thursday for Poetry Night Coming soon… Celtic

open stage, Kids story time and Games night

F O O D S E C U R I T Y I S S U E

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Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | March 2007 VillageVibe

Some hae meat and canna eat,

And some would eat that want it;

But we hae meat, and we can eat,

Sae let the Lord be thankit.

The Selkirk Grace, penned in the 1790s by

the Scots’ bard, Robbie Burns, is a precious vestige of

my childhood that remains amazingly relevant to my

life today. Th ough I rarely think meat when I think

food these days, the sentiment that we are fortunate

in our relative abundance is a fi tting place to begin

any discussion about

food. It’s a sentiment

that is refl ected in

many of the food

sustainability initiatives

featured in this special issue of the Village Vibe. Th e

Good Food Box Program, Food not Bombs, and

the Community Food Project are all expressions

of our appreciation of just how fortunate we are.

Knowing our good fortune, we seek to share it.

For me, the other fundamental fact about food

is that food and family, friends, and community are

inextricably linked. When we ‘break bread’, we do it

best in company. Reading about these initiatives, I was

struck by the deep sense of community that underlies

all of them. It is the spirit of the edible food garden of

Spring Ridge Commons, the Sharing Backyards Program,

and the Pocket Market Program. Even choosing to

garden in a sustainable manner, as our Garden Gleanings

contributor advocates, refl ects concern about the

impact of our actions on others and on the Earth.

Geoff Johnson’s work is an eloquent expression of that.

Food Sustainability, like climate change, is on the

minds of many these days. It’s part of a package, our

connection to the planet and our connection to each

other. While it is now being recognized at the federal,

provincial, and municipal levels, Fernwood, with its

own initiatives and its close ties to others like Lifecycles

Project and the Compost Education Centre (to name

a few) has long been on the cutting edge of this issue.

Clearly, people in our neighbourhood are strongly

committed to and are taking action on food

sustainability. And … we sense that we could do more.

In that spirit, Fernwood

NRG will host a luncheon

gathering on ‘Food Sustain-

ability in Fernwood’ on

Saturday, March 31, 11:00

am to 3:00 pm, at 1240 Gladstone. Come and

break bread with your neighbours and share your

concerns, your passions, and your visions.

editorial : Breaking bread together

declaration of principles and valuesWe are committed to creating a socially,

environmentally, and economically

sustainable neighbourhood;

We are committed to ensuring

neighbourhood control or ownership of

neighbourhood institutions and assets;

We are committed to using our resources

prudently and to becoming fi nancially

self-reliant;

We are committed to the creation and

support of neighbourhood employment;

We are committed to engaging the dreams,

resources, and talents of our neighbours

and to fostering new links between them;

We are committed to taking action in

response to neighbourhood issues, ideas,

and initiatives;

We are committed to governing

our organization and serving our

neighbourhood democratically with

a maximum of openness, inclusivity

and kindness;

We are committed to developing the skills,

capacity, self-worth, and excellence of our

neighbours and ourselves;

We are committed to focusing on the future

while preserving our neighbourhood’s

heritage and diversity;

We are committed to creating

neighbourhood places that are vibrant,

beautiful, healthy, and alive;

and, most of all,

We are committed to having fun!

Rescuing food, reducing hunger>> by Tracy James

Standing on the freight dock at a warehouse

that handles 700,000 pounds of food a day for Vancouver

Island, Jennifer Hawes realized she was looking at a

tremendous opportunity. She saw a substantial volume

of healthy food that was destined for the landfi ll, the

casualty of accidental freight damage, mislabeling, or

overproduction. A long career in the non-profi t sector

meant Jennifer knew much about the hunger problem in

Victoria, and the Community Food Project that she has

run since 2004 out of ColdStar Freight Systems was born.

Food rescue and redistribution is one small piece of

the puzzle we call food security, ensuring that everyone has

access to healthy, nutritious, safe and culturally acceptable

food. As the Toronto-based food organization Second

Harvest puts it, “Th ere is enough food for everyone to have

what she or he needs. Th e problem is distribution.”

And redistribution is exactly what happens at two

innovative Victoria-based programs – one championed

by a community-minded private business, the other an

enterprising program of one of the regions prominent

food security non-profi t organizations.

Working with their clients – the food producers

themselves – ColdStar gets permission to divert healthy,

safe food that would be otherwise dumped into the

landfi ll into the Community Food Project instead. Th is

food is delivered to eight Neighbourhood Houses in

Victoria, including to the Fernwood community centre,

for use in their programming. Th e community agencies

turn this rescued food into 1500-2000 healthy meals

and 2000 healthy snacks to children and families in

Victoria every month. Th e savings to the Neighbourhood

Houses amounts to more than $60,000 a year, money

that goes a long way to supporting valued programs in

our communities. Equally impressive is the contribution

that food rescue and redistribution makes to diverting a

portion of the 340,000 tonnes of food waste that gets sent

to Hartland Landfi ll annually, thereby cutting harmful

greenhouse gases.

Across Victoria over the past nine years, the Fruit

Tree Project has harvested over 100,000 pounds of surplus

fruit from private trees that would otherwise go to waste.

Operated by Lifecycles, the project employs a coordinator

and a team of over 80 volunteers who pick fruit starting in

early summer with cherries and lasting well into

November with late-harvest apples. Each year, one third

of the fruit is distributed to food banks, community

kitchens and other organizations, and one third of the

harvest is divided between volunteers and homeowners.

Th e remaining third is turned into juice or other value-

added products, produced through partnerships with

socially-minded local businesses. Sale of these products

supports the Fruit Tree Project’s operating costs and has

the added benefi t of creating local employment. Th e Fruit

Tree Project also collaborates with organizations like

Fernwood NRG to plant fruit trees and educate fruit tree

owners about local food production.

Th e theme of corporate social responsibility surfaces

as Jennifer Hawes talks about the joys and challenges of

rescuing and redistributing food in the tough business of

food production. “You have to fi nd the right person who

believes in what you do,” she says when asked to identify

the key to the success of the Community Food Project.

Th e project garnered Coldstar an ‘Ethics in Action Award’

two years ago. While Jennifer admits there have been

more than a few hurdles and mindsets to change about

the “dump versus donate” issue, she is committed to food

redistribution. Th at is especially true now that B.C. has

legislation that encourages food donations and lift s many

previous liability barriers.

“It can be so hard to make ends meet in Victoria” and

“if we all just give a little bit of what we do best, we could

solve the hunger problem,” Jennifer says. Employees of the

Lifecycles Fruit Tree Project add, “What began with the

idea of connecting people with fruit has become a project

about connecting people with people.” Th e passion for

sharing continues to grow.

To volunteer your fr uit tree, your time, or simply fi nd out

how you can get involved in food rescue and redistribution

in Victoria, please contact the Village Vibe.

It’s part of a package, our connection to the planet and our connection to each other.

Photo: Susi Porter-Bopp

>> by Kasper

Let’s face it, the delicious hot coffee,

charmingly warm baristas, cool paintings, and eco-friendly

geo-thermal heating at the new Cornerstone Café at

Fernwood and Gladstone is already plenty to entice you

in the door. But now there’s one more reason to stop by …

live music. As of January 26th, the Cornerstone offi cially

became Victoria’s newest acoustic music venue. Every

Friday features a local or touring musician to entertain

you, free of charge. And every Saturday is the Bohemian

Open Stage, open to musicians, poets, comedians, and

performance artists of all kinds.

Buzz Review So far, the café has hosted such talented

Fernwood artists as: acoustic latin guitarists Los Gringos

Locos, angsty alt-country duo David Chenery and Chelsea

Wakelyn, edgy folk singer-songwriter Shade Tree, and

engaging songstress SianElen. Other special guests have

included: acoustic gypsy jazz trio Twango, dynamic young

singer-songwriter Nate Ripley, jazz-infused progressive folk

rock artist Mike Luno, and Island Music Awards Female

Songwriter of the Year, Melisa Devost.

Buzz Preview Don’t miss the exciting shows that are

coming up in March: March 2–Toronto’s Tom Glenne and

Victoria’s Steve Sturgess, March 9–Victoria’s Jay Dunphy &

Hayden Kee, March 16–Victoria’s Darlene Hixson, March

23–Caroline Spence, March 30–Toronto’s Kyra & Tully.

Shows Fridays and Saturdays begin at 8:00pm and

run until 10:45pm. If you are a performer and would

like to be considered for a Friday night showcase, e-mail

[email protected]. If you are a musician,

poet, comedian, or just want to come out and watch, the

Saturday open stage is a lot of fun and is quickly gaining

popularity. With such high calibre performers bringing

their craft to the café, the Cornerstone is sure to become,

over the next few months, one of the hottest acoustic music

venues in town. Hope to see you there!

bohemian buzz Café hosts live music

VillageVibe March 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3

views from the street : What is your favourite comfort food?

For peace: food not bombs

I just love food and eating in general, so its tough for me

to say one specifi c thing is my comfort food. Still, I’ll go

with good chocolate. Chocolate with nuts and caramel!

If I needed comfort, I would sit down and eat a lot of it,

slowly. I would savor it!

A Roast Beef dinner with all the trimmings; Yorkshire

pudding, roasted potatoes, broccoli and carrots and lots

of gravy. Th e works! Actually, I would like to come home

aft er a long day and have that dinner waiting for me. And

my children to clean up aft er the meal!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus! If I came

home aft er a bad day, would I whip myself up this

combination? Absolutely! It would remind me of when

I was a child. I would feast on it and then I would take a

nap, remote control in hand, under a blanket!

Eric Bannerman Boumedienne ‘Ali’ Hanni Cindy Powley

>> by Morgan Obendorfer

Pass by the intersection at Pandora and

Vancouver Street on any given Sunday aft ernoon

at 3:00pm and you are bound to observe a small

congregation of people sharing hot vegetarian

meals. Th e food is prepared by volunteers affi liated

with a worldwide grassroots movement called Food

Not Bombs.

In our modern world there is in fact enough food

for everyone, yet according to the United Nations

World Food Programme a child dies from malnutrition

approximately every eight seconds. Every day more than

800 million people know what it is to go to bed hungry.

Food Not Bombs works to end hunger by recovering

food that would otherwise be thrown out and preparing

fresh, hot vegetarian meals. Th e meals are distributed in

outside public spaces to anyone who wants them.

Since its inception in 1980, when the fi rst group

was formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts by anti-

nuclear activists, Food Not Bombs has actively gained

momentum. It has now spread throughout the Americas,

Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.

Food Not Bombs is oft en the fi rst to provide food and

supplies to the survivors of natural disasters and terrorist

attacks such as the Asian Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina,

and the September 11th World Trade Center attacks.

Th e organization has no formal leaders and strives to

include everyone in decision-making. Each group is self-

governing and functions independently. Th e groups

are bound by a dedication

to nonviolent social

change through

selfl ess service and

peaceful direct

action.

Th ink for a

moment about

all the healthy

food that goes

to waste every day in

this city from supermarkets,

restaurants, and food distributors. Consider

the amount of food that rots in locked dumpsters, never

satisfying anyone’s appetite. Now, imagine all this food

gathered in one place. On any given day, the mountain

of food would be enormous. It would be far too much to

be distributed by a handful of volunteers. Yet every little

morsel of food that reaches a hungry mouth makes a

tremendous impact.

I have spoken with many people who have

confi rmed that in our city it is possible to eat three fully

organic meals per day solely on food scavenged from

the dumpsters of various wholesale food distributors.

Clearly, we have a tremendous amount of wasted

resources. Meanwhile, around the planet tens of

thousands are starving.

Another point to contemplate: how much money

is spent each day on the weapons of war? Certainly we

could feed the entire population of the world many

times over should we decide to throw down our arms.

In my view, most people don’t consider the magnitude of

our current state of imbalance. It seems larger than life,

something so insurmountable as to feel defeated before

we begin to take action. Yet when we begin to act, it

soon becomes apparent how much we can actually do to

make a positive impact. Th e Indian poet Rabindranath

Tagore said, “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke

and found that life was service. I acted and behold,

service was joy!” May all the Earth’s children be fed! Rob Fleming, MLAVictoria - Hillside

1020 Hillside AvenuePhone: 250 360 [email protected]

Serving Our Community

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Page 4 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | March 2007 VillageVibe

>> by Susan Tychie

A long time ago I was traveling in Greece.

Aft er a wild bus ride on narrow mountain

road, I ended up in a very tiny village – a

village too small to have a hotel or B&B. I waited for

hours in the central square while my Greek friend

arranged a place to stay the night. Th e locals gathered

at dusk and a shepherd held up a side of lamb for all

to view. Th ough I couldn’t understand the language I

could see what was happening. Th e shepherd would

point to part of the meat and someone would shout

out a response. Th ey would go forward and take their

cut of meat. Th is continued until there was only the

shepherd’s portion left . At the time I thought, “Ah

this is how they do without refrigeration.” Th inking

back, I now see, “Ah, this is a community sharing

food.” Knowing who grows your food, knowing it

is fresh and nutritious and that it is available to all.

Food security!

While I could not see this exact scenario occurring

in the Fernwood Square outside the Belfry, I can

envision a market place fi lled with fresh local food:

a farmers’ table piled high with local fruit and

vegetables; a community table overfl owing with

the surplus local fruit from home gardens and

vegetables from allotment gardens; wild food from

the Fernwood Commons with information on how

to use your own backyard wild food; jams, pickles

and relish from small processors using the local

harvest! Wooden spoons, pottery bowls from your

local artisans! A food economy not hooked into

agribusiness, international trade or the conventional

food systems. Gathering food and community to

support and nurture each other and to have fun!

FoodRoots Distributors Co-op (www.footroots.ca)

will be bringing local farm products to Fernwood’s

Tuesday market this spring; currently the local

produce from Fernwood’s urban farms sells out

within the fi rst half-hour. FoodRoots provides

educational resources around food and agriculture

issues, and helps you create community and food

security in your own neighbourhood. FoodRoots

gathers naturally grown fruit and vegetables from

local farms and mainland organic producers, and

distributes the food through small scale community

focused markets we call ‘Pocket Markets’. Th e Vic

West Pocket Market has been running since August

2005 and is open during the winter in the Vic West

Y. (Check it out on Wednesday 3:00pm to 7:00pm

inside the Y at 521 Craigfl ower). FoodRoots also

operates weekly Pocket Markets at UVic and

Camosun Lansdowne.

Why is it so important to support organic growing practices?Sustainable food is grown naturally in our

local region. It is grown in a way that enhances

the soil. Productive soil is an extremely

important resource. Organic farming sets a

high value on nurturing the soil to produce

consecutive crops. It is our future food!

But naturally grown food is more nutritious because

of the good soil. Seed is chosen for its ability to

prosper in the local climate and for its taste. Genetic

diversity in seeds is encouraged. As our environment

heats up, the chance for successful future crops is

enhanced by this bio diversity. In contrast, seeds from

agribusiness are chosen for their longer shelf life and

consistency in sizing and appearance. Th e variety of

any type of vegetables you fi nd in the conventional

supermarket is therefore extremely limited.

Sustainable food is grown without the use of

pesticides and herbicides, limiting chemical residues

on your food and in the local ecosystem.

Why is local so important?> Local food is fresher, more nutritious, and more

sustainable because it does not travel great

distances.

> Imported food carries with it the transportation

cost to the environment of its CO2 emissions.

Th is cost is not included in the price you pay at the

supermarket.

> A food-secure community is based on a strong

sustainable food system that ensures access to

nutritious foods for its members.

> Th e economy in our community is also supported

when we purchase locally. Food dollars stay in

the area.

> Farmers are recognized and valued members of

the community.

> Neighbours are encouraged to grow food crops

and form buying groups.

> Community members share knowledge of food

production, preparation and preserving.

> Opportunities are created for distributing local

food within the community.

As you can see, there are many advantages to

choosing local food. When comparing cost,

remember to factor in the cost to the Earth and the

increased nutritional value of fresh foods.

Why is local food hard to fi nd? Farmers are not valued in the early twenty-fi rst

century. Th ey do not receive a reasonable fi nancial

return for their eff orts on our behalf and are left to

farm as a ‘lifestyle’ not a livelihood. Th ere is therefore

not a lot of local production compared to 50 years

ago (before industrial agriculture). We want cheap

food and lots of it. We are used to this scenario and

expect all types of food to be available all year.

Th e large-scale industrial food system cannot

interface easily with small producers. Th e large

companies require delivery of huge quantities of

product to distribute to their retail outlets. Small

producers fi nd very little space in this system.

Until recently, there has been no one in our region

working solely on the distribution of regional

foods. Meeting farmers at markets and knowing

who is growing your food is the best. However,

farmers cannot be at markets in every community,

every day of the week. FoodRoots Distributors

Co-op is working to recreate the middle ground

in our local food distribution system. Working

with farmers, processors, and retail members,

Commons | fr om page 1

growing methods are key contributors to climate change.

Consider how much of what you eat is not grown locally.

How does it get here? Is the food organic?

Fernwood was responding to climate change long

before the sense of public urgency recently sprung up.

Spring Ridge Commons is full of over 40 species of

organic plants and trees within walking distance of

your house. An informative map and display board is

being introduced to help us all make better use of the

Commons. Soon, you will be able to visit Spring Ridge

Commons and have a series of pictures with information

about each plant and tree and know what, how, and

when to harvest the food.

Spring Ridge Commons has played a quieter role

in Fernwood in recent months, and is headed towards

an exciting spring and summer with volunteer work

parties, school workshops, and plentiful harvesting

opportunities. With the new addition of the display

board to the Commons, there are so many new

opportunities to learn about the plants and trees that

compose the landscape, and how we can interact with

this incredible space. Th ere are people all over the world

in offi ce chairs and on the ground trying to deal with the

daunting task of initiating practical solutions to climate

change. With seven years under its belt, Spring Ridge

Commons is ahead of its game and producing more food

and environmental education than ever before. Check

out the display board at the site, join in on work parties,

or take time to visit the Commons and reap the benefi ts

of its plentiful food production.

feature : Creating a food

Harvest at the Commons in March> Black Bamboo – harvest shoots when 5cm in diameter,

8 cm above ground> Miners Lettuce – harvested for soups and teas> Rosemary – harvest all year, fl owers March-October> Willow stocks> Witch hazel – branches or twigs harvested for bark

VillageVibe March 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5

FoodRoots will undertake crop planning with

farmers, provide delivery and storage facilities, and

work to maximize our local food production by

distributing local foods to communities through

Pocket Markets and by providing produce for

small scale food processors. Farmers growing for

the markets are encouraged to attend during the

season. If farmers do attend a market, FoodRoots

works with the farmers and off ers products that

compliment what the farmers bring to sell.

FoodRoots connects city folk to the farm and

to sustainability issues through Sustainable

Feasts, held the fi rst Saturday of each month. Th e

Sustainable Feast is a celebration of local food and

is a great place to meet other people interested

in food, agriculture, and sustainability issues.

FoodRoots also undertakes education eff orts at

the markets.

What can you do?> Help kick start the market in Fernwood Square.

Make it a place where you meet your neighbours

to celebrate food and community.

> Buy local products wherever you can. From

Moss Street and James Bay Market, FoodRoots

Pocket Markets or box programs like Saanich

Organics (818-5807) and Share Organics (www.

shareorganics.bc.ca), and Fernwood NRG’s own

Good Food Box Program

> Ask at your supermarket where the food is

coming from and what they mean by local.

> Refuse to buy blueberries from Argentina in

January. Indulge yourself in Island blueberries in

August! Freeze a few bags for a winter treat.

> Support your local farmers by seeing the true

value of what they do and buying their produce

at a fair price.

> Grow food in your backyard and balcony. Share

your harvest with your neighbours.

> Have a potluck using food grown in your area.

> Share your knowledge of canning and

preserving.

Come to a FoodRoots Sustainable Feast on

March 3rd, 6pm Garry Oak Room, Fairfi eld

Community Place. Tickets for this family friendly

event are $25 for adults, half price for under

10 years old and free under 5 years old. Tickets

available from Shift in Fernwood Square!

Carole James, MLAVictoria - Beacon Hill

Our Office is Open to Serve YouCommunity Office1084 Fort Street, VictoriaP: (250) 952-4211F: (250) [email protected] about our monthly specials!

Denise Savoie, MP

A Voice for Victoriain Ottawa

970 Blanshard Street363-3600www.denisesavoie.ca

FoodRoots connects city folk to the farm and to sustainability issues through Sustainable Feasts

There is a way to link people who want to grow food but don’t have garden space > Th e initiative, called Sharing Backyards,

provides an online map through which people

create this kind of partnership. Individuals

register, browse a map for a match and then

make the contact themselves. Check it out at

www.lifecyclesproject.ca.

community

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Call (250) 382-2022

1284 Gladstone Avenue, Victoria, BC V8T 1G6

In Fernwood Square across from the Belfry

Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | March 2007 VillageVibe

>> by Margaret Hantiuk

Growing veggies, like all plants, is easy as long

as you meet their requirements: lots of sun, good soil, good

seeds (or plants), and constant care. Th is is why the city

food gardener is now called the ‘urban farmer’– gardening

is a commitment. Th e rewards are many. Your food is

wholesome, fresh, inexpensive, and organically gown.

You help reduce greenhouse gases because your food is

not trucked, fl own, or fl oated to your door. Your children

get to help and enjoy the wonders of being outdoors and

witnessing the miracle of growing plants from seed.

I mentally separate veggies into three groups. Cool

weather veggies can be grown from early spring through

late fall. Th ese include greens, peas, onion and leeks, garlic,

fava (broad) beans, and the cabbage family (includes kales,

chard, caulifl ower and broccoli). Warm weather crops

include roots such as carrots, beets, turnips, and grains. Hot

weather crops originate in the south and include peppers,

eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, cukes, squashes, corn, beans,

and melons. Herbs run the gamut, from the mints, which

can take cool weather to the Mediterranean herbs such as

basil, which is tender. All veggies need at least six hours of

sun a day to thrive, and the hotties need even more.

All vegetables can be grown from seed. But most

hotties are best started in your house on the fridge or

windowsill if you don’t have a greenhouse. Or you can

purchase plants. Beans and squash may be grown from

seed. Th e French say don’t seed the beans till you can sit

your bare bottom in the soil and feel it’s warm! Usually this

is late May, but do check it out! Planting these southern

veggies earlier won’t work unless you have a particularly

protected and sunny spot and use little ‘cloches’ (hats sold

in garden stores) to protect them from our cool spring

nights. On the other hand, the cool weather veggies prefer

the cool days and nights and may bolt or wither in hot

weather. Th ey should be planted either early (March) or

late (early July) for the fall in the coolest part of your yard.

Good soil means lots of compost. Compost helps

heavy clay soils by improving drainage and sandy soils by

aiding water retention. Good drainage is key. If your soil is

heavy or your yard is cool, you may fi nd raising your beds

helpful. Diff erent veggies like sandier loam (carrots) and

others like richer soil (greens and onions). Some veggies

like a little lime added. Others will thrive best in rich soil to

which manure added. It’s worth it to do a little research.

Good seed means that it shouldn’t be too old. If you

have kept it yourself, make sure it’s not moldy. Growing on

the west coast is more successful with varieties that prefer

cool nights and moist air. I like the West Coast Seeds

(formerly Territorial) and also Salt Spring Seeds. Check

around at the garden shops, or talk to your neighbours.

Because our summers have been so warm and dry

lately, be prepared to water your garden almost daily,

depending on how much sun your yard gets and your soil.

Don’t plant near large trees or hedges because of the shade

factor and invasive roots. Keep your garden weeded and

fenced if you have pests (pets, raccoons, deer, etc.) If you

watch your garden daily you can pick off some of the bad

bugs and if you care for your garden (especially watering)

and have good soil, it will be strong enough to withstand

most attacks. Please don’t use toxic chemicals, as you will

kill good bugs, butterfl ies, birds and the millions of good

bacteria that are in healthy soil. Remember to enjoy your

thinnings. Plants need room as they start to grow. Tall

plants should be staked and planted at the back, on the

north side of your garden.

Th ere are many ways to lay out a garden in your yard.

When planning remember that gardens don’t have to be

planted in straight lines. Many varieties of greens are so

pretty that they are now grown among fl owers in beds.

In medieval gardens, the ‘potage’ or kitchen garden was

a mixture of veggies, culinary and medicinal herbs, and

berry and fruit trees, all mixed in with fl owers. Th at way,

bees pollinated everything (and provided honey) and the

fragrant herbs and fl owers hid the veggies from many bad

bugs. It was convenient and a delight to all senses. If you are

going to attempt a garden with a medieval fl are put a bench

in so you can enjoy it!

Salt Spring Seeds www.saltspringseeds.com West Coast Seeds www.westcoastseeds.com

Both of these have catalogues and West Coast has very helpful growing advice.

garden gleanings : Growing food is easy

Good foodbox programgets local>> by Jennifer Freeman

The Good Food Box Program offers five

diff erent box options. Th ere are three sizes in our regular

Fruit and Veggie Boxes: $5.00, $10.00 and $15.00

boxes. Th ese boxes contain mixed fruit and vegetables.

Th ere are always staples like potatoes, onions, and

carrots, which come from local farms throughout most

of the year. Th en there are the seasonal local delicacies.

Depending on what time of year it is, your box could

contain a cabbage, a squash, some broccoli or caulifl ower,

some beets or parsnips, kiwis, leeks or Brussels sprouts

on the stalk. In the summer, we get local tomatoes,

green beans, cucumbers, and peppers. In June, there

are always local strawberries. Th e $12.00 All Fruit Box

contains an assortment of fruit. Th ere is also a $15.00

All Natural/Organic Box. Th is box contains mixed fruit

and vegetables. Th e local items in this box are usually

from non-certifi ed farms and anything from off -island is

certifi ed organic. All boxes are excellent deals.

To fi nd out more about the Good Food Box Program,

how you can make a donation or volunteer your time

please contact the Coordinator, Jennifer Freeman, via

email: [email protected] or leave

a message at 381-1552 ext. 33. Or check out our website

at www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca/goodfoodbox.html

The French say don’t seed the beans till you can sit your bare bottom in the soil and feel it’s warm!

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>> by Susan Salvati

If the black cloud of global warming is

weighing you down, what you need is to spend some

time with Geoff Johnson. With his expertise and passion

for permaculture, Geoff is an inspiration to anyone who

wants to reduce their carbon footprint by focusing on

local food.

What is permaculture? It is a holistic system of design

that aims to create ecologically sustainable human habitat

by accounting for basic needs (such as food, water, shelter,

energy, etc) while conserving and recycling resources

(such as water, organic matter, etc). Geoff ’s interest in

permaculture runs deep. Even in his teens, Geoff had a

concern for global climate change. Growing up in the

suburbs of Vancouver, Geoff was attracted to Victoria

because of its scale. He saw how the bikeability of the city

lends itself to a sustainable lifestyle and so he moved here

in 1994. Geoff has lived in or near Fernwood ever since.

He was also attracted by Victoria’s thriving urban

agricultural scene. Geoff took Environmental Studies at

the University of Victoria and became more involved with

permaculture, which for him is part of “a local solution to

the global ecological crisis.” For many years Geoff headed

the team of volunteers that created the community

permaculture garden on Spring Ridge Commons at the

corner of Gladstone and Chambers.

One of the key themes of permaculture is

the selection of plants for their utility. Plants in a

permaculture system allow an individual to grow

food closer to home, as close as the backyard!

Permaculture also stresses ecological sustainability.

Plants are selected for both of these criteria. Th ere

are plants that feed and heal us, attract pollinators,

and host benefi cial insects that eliminate the need for

pesticides. Ultimately, the permaculture food garden,

or food forest as it is otherwise known, aims to create

a perennial poli-culture, an ecology that highlights

long-term food bearers. It makes simple ecological

sense to grow fruit-bearing trees, shrubs, and vines.

To this end, Geoff has created Cornucopia, a

permaculture micro-nursery that focuses on useful

plants for human habitat. Geoff is a graduate of the

LifeCycles Youth Entrepreneur Program, which helps

individuals develop small, ecologically sustainable

businesses. Th rough his nursery, Geoff propagates

organic plants and sells them at Moss Street Market,

transporting them by bike trailer. “All my operations are

organic, not certifi ed, but based on organic principals.”

Geoff also grows veggie starts for Lifecycles’ school

program in addition to selling his plants at the Greater

Victoria Compost Education Centre’s annual sale.

“One of my biggest limitations is that I can’t sell plants

from my house. Th us the bike trailer concept.”

Geoff wants the focus of the nursery to be on under-

utilized, perennial food-bearing plants. He describes

how he oft en hears people say they don’t have time

to grow their own food because of family and work

responsibilities. Geoff has a solution: “Th e kind of

plants I’m really interested in are easy to establish, low-

maintenance and high-bearing over time.” Eventually,

Cornucopia will also off er on-site consultations. Geoff ’s

aim is ultimately to “be supported by Fernwood residents

and help empower them to grow their own food.”

Geoff ’s approach to dealing with global climate

change may seem simplistic, but the bottom line is that

trees are what the planet needs right now. Trees are carbon

sinks, they prevent erosion and they are important in the

hydrological cycle. “When you’re feeling disempowered,

go plant a hearty, food-bearing tree somewhere and care

for it,” says Geoff . He describes this action as one that

empowers, brings beauty to one’s surrounding and will be

a testament of hope for the children of tomorrow.

Geoff talks of the view people take of ethnobotany

– the relationship between plants and people – as

something exotic or far off . In fact, says Geoff , “to make

a transition to a more sustainable way of life we need to

develop a contemporary ethnobotany.” For Geoff , there’s

a whole other dimension to food-bearing plants besides

their utility. “Th ere’s a real sense of connection to the

Earth when you can forage for food in your backyard or

your local food park.” Maybe that connection is what we

really need most of all.

Geoff Johnson can be reached at respectyouralders@

yahoo.com or 595-6465. He hopes to have a website for

Cornucopia up and running this spring including an

inventory of the nursery’s plants. In the meantime, watch

for him at the Moss Street Market. Geoff is also teaching

a workshop entitled “Key Permaculture Plants for our

Region” at the Greater Victoria Compost Education

Centre on Saturday, March 3rd, from 2:00pm to

4:00pm. Call 386-9676.

VillageVibe March 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7

faces of fernwood : Cornucopia

Thank you Fernwood! At February’s Total Plastic Recycling day, over

$480.00 was collected in donations! This is well

above our average. 20% of your donations each

month go directly into Fernwood NRG’s programs.

So as you recycle your waste, you are contributing

to the neighbourhood. Thank you goes also to the

four new volunteers who have committed their

time to help out with this important program. With

their help, we hope soon to increase the hours of

operation of our monthly depot. If you are interested

in volunteering, please e-mail Susan at: villagevibe@

fernwoodneighbourhood.ca.

Advertise HereYour ad could be here! $5.00 for three lines.

$1/additional line. Send an email to marketplace@

fernwoodneighbourhood.ca. Ads due the 10th

of the month for the following month’s issue.

fernwood marketplace

away, how can we now take it back, in light of the dawning

awareness of our collective and individual heavy ecological

footprints?

McDonalds, Kraft , Nestlé, Coca-Cola, and Starbucks,

for example, amass billions of dollars each year, ‘feeding’

us toxic, genetically modifi ed, factory farmed, highly

processed, over packaged, people-and-planet-exploiting

non-food. Advertising seduces and psychologically

manipulates us into agreeing to equate buying products

with feeling special, entitled, and comfortable, or even just

being okay or normal.

Oft en we eat strictly based on habit and merely to

gratify our senses. Emotional eating is a vain attempt to fi ll

up our inner emptiness, to counter or displace any fears of

our current reality and responsibility towards the future

that we are creating through our karma.

Th e average North American household watches

40,000 TV commercials a year, many for fast food,

carbonated drinks, grocery products, digestive aids, diet

pills, and various other fads. Aside from sleep and work,

watching TV is North America’s number one pastime.

How does one enlighten oneself about these issues when

materialism seems to have won? When I was in elementary

school, I remember learning about the four food groups,

with emphasis on dairy products and meat. As an adult,

it has been a gradual process confronting and opening my

eyes to some of the hard realities regarding food issues and

the impact on the Earth of our consumerist culture. I give

deep thanks for having inspirational friends and mentors

who have modeled conscious food habits and awareness.

Materialistic consumption on a fi nite planet is suicide.

Th e Amazon Rainforest is being destroyed to raise cattle.

Up to 100,000 species of life become extinct every 24

hours. Forty-three percent of the land in the US is used to

raise cattle or grow feed for livestock. A meat diet uses up

to fi ft y times more land than a vegetarian diet and meat’s

impact on the environment is second only to automobiles.

Much of the ‘food’ available in grocery stores is factory

farmed and genetically modifi ed. It requires processing

facilities, packaging and shipping, leaving a trail of waste

and pollution. Th e fossil fuels expended to import and

export all this so-called food makes a few rich while fueling

the global climate crisis.

In Radical Simplicity, author Jim Merkel asks us to

imagine we are fi rst in line at a potluck buff et. How much

will we take? Th e potluck spread includes not just food and

water, but also the materials needed for shelter, clothing,

healthcare, and education. Six billion others wait in line

behind us. “If you landed on an island paradise with three

friends, the answer of how much to take would be intuitive

enough, similar to sitting around a large pizza on Friday

night – a no-brainer. But the scale of this buff et is too big to

wrap your mind around our plate becomes a shopping cart,

becomes a pickup truck – fi lling our home, attic, basement,

garage, and maybe even a rented storage unit with nature

transformed into things.”

It feels like it would take a huge leap to escape the

throngs of our consumerist culture. We rationalize. Th is is

how it is. Th is is how it’s always been.

Why do we feel such a profound resistance to taming

our appetites? Th is is a spiritual, social, psychological,

and emotional question we must start asking ourselves.

For life on this planet to continue, we must make a very

brave journey into a completely new – or perhaps very old

– sustainable way of life.

Karma | fr om page 1

Trees are what the planet needs right now.

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what’s on in Fernwood

Music, Art, Theatre, and EntertainmentLive Music @ The Cornerstone Café

Every 2nd Thursday: Poetry Night,

8 – 11pm. Fridays, 8-11pm: Showcases

of local and touring performers – March

2: Toronto’s Tom Glenne and Victoria’s

Steve Sturgess, March 9: Victoria’s

Jay Dunphy and Hayden Kee. March

16: Victoria’s Darlene Hixson. March

23: Victoria’s Caroline Spence. March

30: Toronto’s Kyra & Tully. Saturdays,

8-11pm: Open Stage, hosted by James

Kasper.

Victoria Bluegrass Assoc. Jam Ongoing Tuesdays Orange Hall, 7:30

– 10:30pm, $2 to play, free to listen.

(Last Tuesday of month is open stage/

feature night; cost varies).

Live Music at J.K. Do Forno Café

in Fernwood Square. free! Call for info:

386-8446.

Live Music at Logan’sFor listings, www.loganspub.com.

Belfry Festival 07

Through March with performances of

Skydive: February 27 - March 4; [storm]:

March 13 - 17; Bigger than Jesus:

March 20- 25; and Belfry 101 Live:

March 25, 2007; and culminating in a

week of one woman shows by Puente

Theatre, The Puente Meli Festival:

March 26 - April 1. For more information

check: Belfry Online at www.belfry.bc.ca

or call the Box Offi ce at 385-6815.

Theatre InconnuHarold Pinter’s The Caretaker: February

21 - March 10. 8 pm. 1923 Fernwood

Road. For more information check: www.

theatreinconnu.com or call: 360-0234

Our Place FundraiserSt. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

7:30pm, March 14. The 33-voice College

of New Jersey Chorale from Ewing, NJ,

will perform sacred and secular works.

For information, please call 384-5734

Positively Africa Benefi t: Shylock7:30, March 16 & 17, Alix Goolden Hall.

Performance by David Berner, directed

by Peter Bardon. In support of grass-

roots AIDS projects in Africa

Kids & FamiliesParent & Tot PlaygroupOngoing Tuesdays & Thursdays. FNRG

Gym, 9:30am - 11:30am, $1 per family,

snacks/crafts/circle time.

Rhythm Circle TimeDrop-in – 10 Weeks per session

Tuesdays 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the

FNRG Multi-Purpose Room. Free!

Mother GoosePre-register-10 weeks per session.

Tuesdays (Call 381-1552 Ext.22 to

register and for info) FNRG Multi-

Purpose Room, 1:00pm - 2:30pm,

Songs, rhymes & stories-Free!

($2 for songbook)

Community Day ParentFernwood NRG invites families to come

and get involved in Community Day. Our

upcoming forecast of events includes;

Self Care (Massage, Neuropath,

Esthetics), Drum Making, Spring Herb

Garden and for Stone Soup...Thai

Vegetarian Spring Rolls! MMMMMM!

Mondays, 9:30am – 11:30am.

FNRG Gym, Free!

Youth, Adults & SeniorsIndoor SoccerDrop-in Co-ed Adult (18+) – Ongoing

Mondays, 8:45 – 9:45pm, $2 per person.

Free Internet and Computer Access:

Complete your one-time registration and

then get online through the Community

Access Program. FNRG Community

Room, 9:15am to 8:30pm, Monday to

Friday. Free!

Drop-in FloorhockeyCo-ed Adult (18+), all equipment

provided. Ongoing Tuesdays and

Thursdays, 7:00pm – 9:30pm, and

NEW: Saturdays, 2 – 4:30pm. $4, or

get a punchcard: $40/11 sessions. No

wooden sticks. FNRG Gym.

FREE Yoga! (Vinyasa Flow)Tuesdays, 10:30am – 12:00pm, in the

FNRG Multi-purpose room.

Holistic Health & HealingHealing meditation based on Chinese

Five Elements: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water,

Wood, plus discussion of topics chosen

by group. Ongoing Mondays, FNRG,

10:00–11:30am, Free!

Falun GongPeaceful meditation practice. Ongoing

Wednesdays, FNRG, 5:00pm – 7:00pm,

everyone welcome, Free!

Fernwood Autumn Glow (55+)Gentle exercise, lunch & activities;

Ongoing Fridays, FNRG, 11:00am,

$5.50 for lunch.

Through Burnout to Balance and Beyond will be presented by Corrine

Tench at the Fernwood NRG on

March 9th, 2007 from 12 pm to 2 pm a

presentation to the Fernwood autumn

Glow Seniors luncheon group

Special EventsGreen DrinksAn inclusive gathering of the

sustainability minded for refreshments

conversation and inspiration. Queen

Mother Waterside Café, 407 Swift S.

Tuesday, March 13. Youth event at

3:00pm, General event 5:00 – 7:00pm

Village VibeJoin us to brainstorm the April VIBE.

Thursday, March 22 Cornerstone Café,

7:00 – 9:00

Victoria: Vibrant City, Vibrant NeighborhoodsNeighbourhood Workshop Series 2007.

Community Connection and Creativity:

Land Marks Lecture Series on Public

Art: Hear jill p. weaving on community

based public art. Glen Anderson, mosaic

artist, will demonstrate his community

based approach. Wednesday, March

14, 7 pm to 9 pm Cedar Hill Golf Course

Clubhouse 1400 Derby Road

Make Yer Neighbourhood NicerTotal Plastics Recycling DaySat, Mar 10th, Back of FNRG 10am -

Noon. (2nd Sat of every Month) Recycle

clean plastics of all kinds (styrofoam

packing, soft plastics, egg cartons, and

all hard plastics) plus old electronics.

By donation.

Food Sustainability in FernwoodFernwood NRG Luncheon Gathering,

Saturday, March 31, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

1240 Gladstone

Th F S S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

March 2007

Page 8 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | March 2007 VillageVibe

Published by Fernwood NRG (Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group)

1240 Gladstone StreetVictoria, BC V8T 1G6T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509villagevibe@fernwood neighbourhood.cawww.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca

Editor: Lisa HelpsGuest Editor: Trish RichardsPhotographer: Veronique da Silva

Contributors:Julia AdamJennifer FreemanMargaret HantiukTracy JamesKasperMara MoonMorgan ObendorferSusi Porter-BoppTrish RichardsSusan SalvatiSusan Tychie

The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily refl ect the views of the Fernwood NRG.

villagevibe

For submission guidelines

and for more info, go to

www.fernwoodneighbourhood.

ca/events

Food security begins at home Learn how by checking

out some great workshops offered by the

Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre.

Composting Basics Workshops

Saturdays 11 am-1pm, Free!

Workshop Series Saturdays 2 – 4 pm

Compost Club Members: Receive your fi rst

6 workshops free! Additional workshops

$13.50 Non-members: $15

March 3 Key Permaculture Plants

March 17 Cane Fruit Production

April 14 Anyone Can Grow Greens

April 21 Edible Landscaping

May 26 No Dig Veggie Gardening

June 9 Planning your Veggie Garden: Part 2

July 7 Waterwise Gardening

June 23 Introduction to Cob Building

July 14 Building Healthy Soils

Sept 22 Seed Saving

Oct 13 Rainwater Harvesting

Oct 20 Mason Bees

Nov 24 Native Plants

TUESDAYS!

Beer and Burger – 100% Ground

prime rib burger or nutburger and a

Pint $7.95

1302 Gladstone 412-2001