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Photo: Michael Hewison Photo: Veronique da Silva Photos: Adam WarringtonTRANSCRIPT
villagevibeJune 2007 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood
>> by Lisa Helps
The machine is oiled by the blood of
the workers,” Adam Warrington of
Fernwood’s own Strongback Labourers
says to me, surrounded by his crew in Fernwood
Square aft er a day’s work. “Karl Marx?” I ask. “It’s
what the back of our new t-shirts say,” he tells me
laughing.
Adam and business partner Rick Th omas
started Strongback Labourers seven years ago
when, as Adam says, they were both in the
construction trade and got “tired of being worked
90 hours a week in jobs that were ungratifying.”
Th ey run their company in a diff erent kind of way.
Each worker is a sub-contractor in his own right
and signs up for the jobs he wants on the days he
wants. “Adam is the king of fl exibility,” one worker
joked.
From laying interlocking paving stone – at
which they are ICPI certifi ed – to stone masonry,
to conceptual yard design and landscaping, these
guys do it all. And they’re busy. In the last two
years they haven’t done any advertising. “One job
turns into the next,” Rick says. Adam adds, “People
don’t ask us to bid [on jobs] they just ask us to get
there.” And, they’ve almost stopped getting calls
asking for a couple of strong backs to remove old
furniture or TV sets.
Michael Peck Senior and his two sons
Michael and Jared all work for Strongback.
Michael Senior’s done a variety of jobs all over
North America from mining to journalism. As I’m
talking with him someone pipes up, “He forgets
more than most people know.” He’s been working
for Strongback for about a year. I ask when he’ll be
off on another work venture. “I’m going to stick
with these guys,” he tells me, “I enjoy this kind
of work more than any other.” Michael adds that
he’s lived in Fernwood for 14 years. “It’s really all
about Fernwood,” he says to me. Almost all of the
workers live in the neighbourhood.
Michael Junior runs Veridian Landscapes and
has worked with Strongback for three years. Zak
Smith joined the crew when Strongback did his
mom’s backyard about a year ago. He needed a job
and Adam took him on. Tom Wise is the newest
strongback, at it for about a week. Like the rest of
them he says he really likes this type of work and,
he adds, “Adam treats me so good.”
Th is seems to be the general sentiment in the
square. As aft ernoon sunlight fi lters through the
smoke of post-work cigarettes and the guys joke
and jostle, Adam is complementary of everyone.
He points out their skills, affi rms their talents.
And he doesn’t need to micromanage, he says, the
guys are totally self-suffi cient. Th ey own their own
tools, team up to get jobs done on time, and he
even pays them for all their time when a project
gets done ahead of schedule.
Most of the Strongback Labourers are also
artists, which comes through in their dedication
to and pride in their work. In June Strongback
is opening a “yard art” gallery at 2200 Fernwood
Road right next to the She Said Gallery. Th eir
stonework, concrete and sandblast sculptures and
paving stone work will be showcased. And, the rest
of the neighbourhood can take advantage of these
artists in residence, as they’ll be taking custom
orders for stone yard ornaments, address plaques,
planters, and much more.
Strongback of the neighbourhood
Cornerstonewins award>> by Trish Richards
Congratulations Fernwood! Victoria’s Hallmark
Society has acknowledged your volunteer eff orts.
Th e Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group
recently received the Hallmark President’s Award for the
‘Rescue and Adaptive Reuse of the Cornerstone Building in
the Heart of Fernwood’.
Th e Hallmark Society has been working to preserve
historic buildings in Victoria for some 30 years. Th eir Annual
Awards recognize outstanding achievements in heritage
restoration and reclamation. Fernwood NRG was honoured
to be among the award recipients at the Society’s 2007
awards night on May 1st. Hallmark Society Administrative
Director, Helen Edwards, a Vic High alumnus, nominated
the Cornerstone Building for an award.
During his presentation of the President’s Award, current
Hallmark Society president, Nicholas Russell, applauded
Fernwood NRG for its work and acknowledged the
importance of the Cornerstone revitalization in bringing new
life to the centre of Fernwood. Members of Fernwood NRG
in this issue Green lunches launch at the Inn Page 3
Feature: Fernwood’s home-based businesses Page 4
FrequenSea: Eating fi sh food Page 6
– continued on page 7
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Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2007 VillageVibe
We 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!
>> compiled by the Creative Writing
Class, Central Middle School
What words do parents hear too oft en during the summer?
“I’m bored.” Or, “What can I do?” Th e usual answer is, “Go
clean your room!” But once that is done, what’s next? Well,
here are some summer fun ideas that will entertain during the
long summer, ensure lots of fr esh air and keep everyone amused
for hours. Th e Creative Writing students at Central Middle
School put their heads together and came up with so many
ideas, that we can only list some of them. Stay tuned to the July
issue of the Village Vibe for more summer fun.
Kids can cookOlder kids can do this themselves. Younger ones will
need some assistance from their parents. Get your friends
together and take over the kitchen!
Do You Like Pizza? Make your own. All you
need are English muffi ns or hamburger buns. Split
them open and add your toppings such as tomato sauce,
cheese (cut up), chopped bacon or ham, pineapple,
mushrooms or whatever you happen to want on them.
Place them on a baking sheet in the over at 350 degrees
F. for at least 5 to 8 minutes. Wait a few minutes
for it to cool down and it’s time to chow down.
People Sandwiches Th is is a fun lunch when you are
having friends over. You can pretend you are cannibals. You
will need a gingerbread man cookie cutter for this, as well
as: peanut butter or cream cheese, raisins, chocolate chips,
M&M’s or whatever you want to use to decorate the people.
Using the cookie cutter, press gingerbread men shapes out
of the soft part of the bread. Spread on the peanut butter
or cream cheese and decorate with raisins, chocolate chips,
M&M’s, etc. to make a face and buttons. Shredded coconut
makes great “hair”.
Aquariums 1 pkg of blue jelly powder; 1 cup boiling
water; 2 cups ice cubes; Coloured gummy fi sh or sharks.
Dissolve jelly powder in boiling water. Add ice cubes,
stirring until jelly thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove
any unmelted ice. Spoon jelly into clear bowls or clear plastic
cups. Poke 5 or 6 gummy fi sh into each dish of slightly
thickened jelly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or more to set.
Salmon in the River Celery stalks; Cream cheese (may
be tinted blue or green); Goldfi sh crackers. Wash celery, and
fi ll with cream cheese. Stick goldfi sh crackers on top of the
cream cheese. A fun yet healthy snack for everyone. A fun
treat at class parties.
Bugs on a Log Celery stalks; Peanut butter; Chocolate
chips or raisins. Fill center of celery with peanut butter. Place
chocolate chips or raisins on top of the ‘log’. Th is also works
great with cream cheese for anyone that’s allergic to peanuts.
Make some money Have A Garage Sale. Got a bunch of toys that you no
long play with? Books that you have read? Old board games?
Clothes that you’ve outgrown? What a better way to get
your room cleared out and make some money too! Get your
parents to give you help with the pricing. If you live in an
apartment, ask the manager if you can hold it on the front
lawn. Always get permission fi rst. If you are not allowed,
take all your stuff to a friend’s house and hold it there. A
couple of days before your sale, make large signs showing the
date and address. Print large, so that people driving by can
read the date, time and place. Put the signs up around your
neighbourhood on poles.
A Lemonade Stand is always a big hit with folks out
walking on a hot day. Bake some cookies and sell them too.
A lot of people are out walking their dogs, so have a bowl
of cool water set out for the dogs. Buy a box of small dog
biscuits and sell them for 10 cents each. Who can resist
treating their doggy?
Dog Walking is a great way to earn money. Off er to
walk your neighbour’s dog every day at a specifi c time, for $5
a week, Monday to Friday. Th at gives you the weekends free.
Make up fl yers about your dog walking, and include your
phone number. Place them on poles, or hand them out door-
to-door by tucking them in mailboxes.
Car Washing is best done on weekends when everyone
is home. Get a pail, sponges, soap, and dry rags. Knock on
doors and ask if people would like their car washed for $5.
Once they hook up the hose, you’re in business. Fill the pail
with soap and water and sponge the suds all over the car
(don’t forget to wash the wheels!). Hose the car down and
rinse off all the soap.!
declaration of principles and values
Summer fun
Triple bottom line sustainability
is all the rage these days – social, economic,
and environmental sustainability, a
veritable catch phrase. Th ere’s something,
however, that might be overlooked by
this tripartite solution to the world’s
problems: personal health. Now, health
is an aspect of the social to be sure, and
also the environmental, and yes, even the
economic. But this most basic aspect of
sustainability – arguably human life itself
– doesn’t get much airtime. Yes there is
talk of ‘the health care system’ as a worthy
investment of government funds. Yet does
this system serve? Does it lead to improved
health? Is it sustainable?
A group of concerned Victoria
residents are proposing an alternative.
In early May, traditional and alternative
health practitioners and members of
relevant non-profi t societies held an initial
meeting to discuss the formation of a
health-care cooperative in Victoria.
And, headquarters may even land right
here in Fernwood.
While the health care co-op model is
not widespread in Canada, all provinces
(with the exception of New Brunswick
and the territories) have such co-ops.
Glen Fitzpatrick, Managing Director of
Newfoundland-Labrador Federation of
Co-operatives, has said that with health
co-ops, “we’re talking about a situation
where we’re getting people proactively
involved in their own situations and their
own well-being. Th is kind of cooperative
model, where a health care co-op is owned
and controlled by the people who access
their services, is the very type of model
that can give people back some sense of
control of their community and their lives.”
Sounds like a sustainable model to me.
In the meantime, right here at Fernwood
NRG we’re increasing our health off erings.
In addition to Best Babies, Falun Gong,
and free yoga, Christina Chan, a student
at the Canadian College of Acupuncture
and Oriental Medicine, is off ering low-cost
acupuncture treatments at the Fernwood
Community Centre, Tuesdays from 2:00-
4:00pm. For more, watch for September’s
‘Health Issue’ of the Village Vibe.
editorial : Proposing a health care co-operative
Correction In April’s Village Vibe
the ‘Fresh in Fernwood’ article failed to
mention Mom’s Market owner’s fi ft h
daughter, Colleen.
It can give people back some sense of control
Green lunches launch at the Inn>> by Beth Gibson
Yet another good thing has hit Fernwood.
Th is time it is a monthly happening at our very own
village pub. Here, passionate and caring individuals
converge over a fabulous three-course lunch to chat,
debate, mutually support, connect, socialize, and network
over issues of the environment, social responsibility, and
sustainability. It is called Green Lunches.
Having attended several Green Drinks, (a sister
organization that provides a networking opportunity
for those passionate about sustainability to gather over
drinks every second Tuesday of the month at the Queen
Mother Waterside Café, 5pm - 7pm) I received an e-mail
invitation to the April 25th inaugural Green Lunch. Th e
invitation included the line: “A Focus on Local: We
especially encourage local ‘Fernwoodians’ to attend.”
I was in. Having rented on Chambers Street for 11
years, I was curious about who else from the ‘hood might
be there. So on that sunny Wednesday, no surprise when
on my way to this fi rst event that on Gladstone I meet
my friend and neighbour also en route. Arriving at the
beautiful corner entrance at 11:45 pm we are welcomed
by Roger Colwill – the Fernwood Inn’s Community
Liaison and Green Drinks and Green Lunches organizer.
Milling around pre-lunch, while the buzz increased in the
room, my friend and I split up and I easily fi nd some new
friendly faces to introduce myself to and we laugh as we
get right to the point as to why we fi nd ourselves there.
Soon aft er, I take a seat at the ‘local community issues’
table and I meet a colourfully dressed local author, and
my fi rst plain-clothed Raging Granny, who I discover
lives just around the corner from my house (I should have
guessed from the bumper stickers plastered all over the
VW van parked outside). Who knew we would have so
much to talk about!
Other participants choose tables that centered
discussions on such topics as green business, green
buildings, sustainable energy, socially responsible
investment, sustainable forestry, and community
development in the third world. And new topics will be
added.
Th e next Green Lunch takes place at the Fernwood
Inn on Wednesday June 27th at noon, and every fourth
Wednesday of the month thereaft er. $20.00 gets you a
three-course lunch, including locally grown organic food.
Th ere is a no host bar.
“Although very similar to Green Drinks in intent,”
says Colwill, “with the opportunity to sit down over
lunch, I was fascinated to see the additional focused
meaningful conversations, the depth of conversation, and
the establishment of new relationships. It wasn’t until 4:30
in the aft ernoon that the last participants left .”
To get yourself onto the Green Lunch e-mail listserve
contact [email protected].
VillageVibe June 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3
>> by Susan Salvati
The green thumbs were out in Fernwood
on Saturday, May 12th for the Compost Education
Centre’s annual organic plant sale. Wheeling on
bikes, pushing carts, and pulling wagons, people
were out looking for a new addition to their gardens:
tomatoes, chocolate mint, raspberries, or sorrel. So
many delicious decisions to make. Th e Compost Ed
centre also hosted tours of the ever-inspiring site, sold
seeds and profi led their new composting program,
‘Black Gold.’ All in all, it was a great way to spend a
beautiful spring day.
views from the street : At the organic plant sale... Tell us about these plants of yours.
I rent so I don’t have a garden, so I have patio plants that
I can watch grow and enjoy through the summer. I enjoy
the green and I also enjoy the butterfl ies and bees the
plants attract.
I bought basil and tomatoes because they are so delicious
together. I buy them here because they are both tender
plants that need special care in starting and the plants at
the sale are good, strong plants and, best of all, organic.
I look forward to enjoying them later this summer.
Th ese are veggies for our new veggie garden that we just
fi lled with compost and manure. Our aft ernoon plan is
to plant these. Our garden is waiting for these plants,
especially this lovely Bush Pickle.
James Hope and Nathalie Dechain James, Spencer, and Eileen Quayle Nancy Macgregor
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I was fascinated to see the depth of conversation
Compost Education Centre organic plant sale
Page 4 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2007 VillageVibe
>> by Trish Richards
Basing a business at home is nothing new. In fact, there was a time when
this was the norm, when most people worked where they lived. In
many places in the world this is still the case. As the affl uent west has
developed, home-based businesses have become less common. In recent years,
however, more and more people right here in Fernwood have been taking their
businesses home.
When I went looking for home-based businesses in the neighbourhood,
I found a plethora while only scratching the surface. I talked to Fernwood
residents who off er an eclectic range of services. Th ey run the gamut from
those who are just starting in their chosen careers to those who have been in
business for thirty years. Some have never been conventional nine-to-fi vers
while others have worked for years in large offi ce situations. I also discovered
that they get out sometimes – the Cornerstone Café has become somewhat of
a home-based business haven. Many morning regulars are home-based business
folks who, armed with their laptops, are hard at work right in the centre of their
neighbourhood.
The Fernwood home-based business sampler Meet Veronique da Silva, Photographer; Marianne Unger, Graphic Designer;
Jennifer Roberts, Florist; Sandra Ollsin, Funeral Celebrant; Don Ollsin, Herbal
Practitioner; Rob (Lucky) Budd, Oral Historian; and Angela Granzberg, Art
Th erapist.
Amidst all of this diversity, there is one common characteristic: each of them
is amazingly passionate about their work, their vision, and their business.
Why home-based?Th e decision to become home-based refl ects a number of needs. An important
one is the desire to establish a better balance between work, home, and family.
For Veronique and Marianne, both mothers of young children, the ability to be
more fl exible with their work hours is critical. For Sandra and Don, who run
separate businesses from their family home, that fl exibility means that they can
have more time together. As Sandra pointed out, with their busy schedules and
distinctly diff erent work hours, they would otherwise be basically passing each
other on the way to and from their offi ces.
Greater control over time is also important for those like Lucky who feels
that the work he does in compiling and editing family memoirs is ideally suited
to being home based. He can sit at his computer writing until dawn if the
inspiration is there. Similarly as Jennifer – who has been known to work through
the night fi nishing fl oral arrangements for a funeral – says, “the ability to chose
my working hours is important to the fl ow of my work.”
On a more fundamental level there is also a sense that some people are
suited to working from their homes. Susan termed her home-based choice a
‘calling’. She referred to the inclination to work on her own, for herself. Lucky
also spoke of his conscious choice. “I prefer to work on my own. I feel suited to
it,” he said. Don, for his part, has always worked for himself. “I’d never choose to
do otherwise,” he tells me.
The benefi ts being home-based?Th ere is a strong sense that being home-based allows for greater creativity and
enables people to off er a more personalized service. In comparing her earlier
years in a fl oral shop with the past fi ft een working from home, Jennifer says “I
am able to put more of myself into my work and provide a more personalized
service.” She talked about occasions where she went to the family home to
advise on fl oral arrangements for a funeral and became an integral part of that
important process.
feature : At home to workFernwood’s home-based businesses
Fernwood Village
Night Market(Fernwood @ Gladstone)
Tuesday Evenings 5:30-9:30
Local Organic Produce, Baked Goods,
Artisans, and Entertainment
May 29 – September 18
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Rob (Lucky) BudOral Historian
Memories to Memoirs
Compiling, editing and
preserving life stories
www.memoriestomemoirs.ca
686-8008
Don OllsinRegistered Herbal Practitioner
Pathways to Healing
Guide to Herbs, Ayurveda, Dreambody
and Shamianism
www.herbalhealingpathway.com
592-7523
Angela GranzbergRegistered Art Therapist
Offering individual sessions
and groups using art as a tool
for personal exploration and
healing
516-2829
VillageVibe June 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5
Marianne also contrasted her work now with her earlier career in a large design
studio. “It’s important to me to conduct business in the way that I’d like to see it
done,” she says. Working directly with her clients allows Marianne to establish a
closer relationship and attain a clearer exchange of ideas. Th is, in turn enables her to
connect with her client’s vision in a way that sparks her creativity and is essential to
good design work.
Veronique spoke similarly about her portrait work. Being home-based enables
a closer, more personal relationship with her clients, which, she says, allows “me to
really see the person I am photographing.”
For Sandra, the ability to develop a close personal connection is critical to her
work in assisting the recently bereaved. With each client, her intent is to design a
unique funeral service that honours both the deceased and their families in a manner
that is particularly appropriate to them. Her work demands a very special type of
intimacy with her clients.
Being home based also allows for a more varied work life. Don is perhaps the
best example of that. He teaches a variety of herbal and ayurvedic medicine classes
of his own, and also off ers them at Camosun College. His latest project is an online
store off ering edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms.
When starting out, being home-based can allow you to get your feet wet slowly.
Andrea, who works at a fulltime job to support her dream, talked about how
running her art therapy practice is “a great stepping out point” for her career. For
Veronique it has enabled transition back into the work force aft er time out with her
daughter. Being home based has allowed her to rebuild her business at pace that
works for her.
The challenges of being home-based?Time management can be a major challenge in working from home. Without the
structure provided by working for others, or leaving home at the same time every
morning for the offi ce or shop, you have to create that structure yourself. It takes a
particular type of discipline and a strong self-reliant nature to make it work.
Veronique and Marianne both recognize the need to create clear boundaries
around their work requirements, so that the demands of home and family do not
continually take precedence. Lucky provides a new twist on the time management
question. “For me it’s not that
I have to take care to make
suffi cient time for my work,” he
lets on. Rather, he has to actively
carve out time away from work
in order to maintain a balanced life.
A second challenge is that home-based business folks have to do it all,
from securing clientele, to providing a service, to related administrative tasks.
When letter writing and bookkeeping are not your forte, this can be a bit
overwhelming. And, simply getting the word out can be a signifi cant challenge
in the early days; marketing can be diffi cult. Th e relative ease of reaching people
through the Internet helps. As does living and working in a community like
Fernwood where word of mouth is a big factor. But, as Veronique points out,
“you have to be really good at selling yourself when you are building up your
business and that in itself can be a challenge.”
Another major challenge are fi nances. Even in established home businesses,
fi nancial concerns remain signifi cant. Th ere is no safety net in the home-based
world, unless you create it. Disability provisions and pension plans are not
necessarily there to cover off tomorrow. Again, it comes down to the need for self-
reliance and the willingness to live with risk. Although Don speaks of the luxury
of dental and pension plans, “I wouldn’t trade these for the freedom of working for
myself,” he tells me.
Finally, there is an element of isolation, both professional and personal.
Marianne misses the collegial nature of the offi ce and notices the absence of others
with whom to share ideas. Both Sandra and Don noted that working alone all
the time can be wearing. Th ey are consciously supportive of each other’s eff orts,
but acknowledge the need for a larger community at times. For his part, Lucky
recognizes that he can get seriously isolated in his work and has taken up going to
the gym regularly to off set that tendency.
Why Fernwood? Besides the obvious fact that all of these people live in neighbourhood and so have
their home-based business here, is there something about Fernwood that has an
impact on their businesses? Fernwood is a community and increasingly operates as
such; it is a supportive place to do business.
Sandra speaks of Fernwood as a community of interesting and resourceful
people who share common values and care about “the big things of life.” As she
says, “It’s always been Fernwood for me!” Andrea likewise says Fernwood is
“her community.” Lucky sees Fernwood as a great community, fi lled with like-
minded, motivated people, and says it is a stimulating and supportive environment
in which to work.
Fernwood Business NetworkCan Fernwood be more supportive of our home-based business people? Yes!
We are delighted to announce the new Fernwood Business Network. By virtue
of his interest in the Fernwood Inn and his passion for our community,
honourary Fernwoodian, Roger Colwill, is starting a network for businesses
in the neighbourhood, home-based and otherwise. Roger’s vision is to create an
inclusive, respectful forum for brainstorming and problem solving among
Fernwood business people on a monthly basis. Along with this networking
forum, Roger envisages compiling an inventory of Fernwood businesses
detailing products and services in a Fernwood Business Directory and
related website. Roger plans to launch the Fernwood Business Network in
mid-September. Stay tuned to the Village Vibe or contact Roger at 598-0077
Carole James, MLAVictoria - Beacon Hill
Our Office is Open to Serve YouCommunity Office1084 Fort Street, VictoriaP: (250) 952-4211F: (250) [email protected]
Denise Savoie, MP
A Voice for Victoria inOttawa
970 Blanshard Street363-3600www.denisesavoie.ca
Sandra OllsinCertifi ed Funeral Celebrant
Providing personalized funeral,
memorial or celebration-of–life
services
www.funeral-celebrant.com
592-7544
Marianne UngerGraphic Designer
Mud Studio
www.mudstudio.ca
813-2338
Jennifer RobertsFlorist
Traditional and Contemporary
fl oral design, Teacher and 3rd
Master, Ohara School Ikebana
598-7478
Veronique da SilvaPhotographer
Portrait and Lifestyle
Photography
514-9544
Every one of them is amazingly passionate about their work, their vision, and their business.
Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2007 VillageVibe
>> by Margaret Hantiuk
Container planting has become quite
fashionable in the last few years for various reasons. As the
weather fi nally warms up, we want to spend more time
outside in our outdoor living rooms: our decks, patios,
and balconies. Potted plants make these places so much
more lovely and luxurious. We can create a Mediterranean
ambience with large pots and bright geraniums. Front
doorways and steps are inviting with potted plants. Pots of
various sizes can be placed throughout a garden to create
focal points and niches. Larger, glazed pots can be fi lled
with water, aquatic plants and fi sh, and even a little pump
to create wonderful water features. I grow tomatoes and
herbs in pots on my deck as it’s south facing and because
of its elevation, it is warmer and catches more sun. I can
nip out quickly while cooking to cut a bit of chives, thyme,
rosemary, basil, etc.
If you don’t have a yard, but you do have a balcony or
small patio, a lush garden can be created in clay pots. I have
a friend in Toronto who gardens in pots on her fi re escape
landing. She has created a little paradise of fl owering plants
and vines that cover the stairs and walls. She says that all
who pass by her building love it and oft en call up to her
as she waters – she is making her community better as she
enjoys herself and beautifi es her entrance and the views out
of her kitchen windows. She feels like a goddess in the city!
What kind of containers can be used? Just about anything
that holds soil. Metal rusts quickly. Glazed pots are the
best. Left outside with soil in them, unglazed pots can
crack and break in the winter as they freeze and thaw.
Unless you’re working on a water feature, use glazed
pots with drain holes and then raise them an inch with
little feet, tiles, pieces of wood, etc. Unglazed terracotta
pots can be used for geraniums, succulents and herbs
(all of which need sharp drainage). Th ey should be
moved under shelter, an eave or a porch for our winters
so that they don’t fi ll with water and freeze. Sometimes
these plants will last over the winters as long as they’re
sheltered, watered occasionally, and have enough light.
Other perennials can over winter outside in large glazed
pots if raised. While potted plants are a little more
vulnerable to sub-zero temperatures, most perennials
will do fi ne as they are usually hardier than annuals.
Buy a good potting soil. It should be sterilized, free of
bugs and diseases and mixed for nutrients and porosity.
Th ere are various types of potting soil – some are a general
mix, some are specifi c for various kinds of plants. I fi ll
the bottom few inches of my pots with large pebbles
to increase drainage. I also leave an inch at the top for
watering. Potted plants need to be watered more oft en
than those in the garden. In hot weather and when sitting
in the sun all day, they will need to be watered at least daily.
I add a fertilizer to the water frequently and top dress with
compost every spring. Bonemeal can be added.
We can create gorgeous little gardens in large pots if
we choose the plants carefully. First we must decide where
the pot will sit – in a sunny spot or a shady one. Th ere are
lovely plants for either. Try to have a few dramatic plants, a
few fi llers and a few trailers. You can have a theme: woodsy,
English cottage, Mediterranean, cool, hot, edible. Certain
shrubs will grow well for years in large pots, too. Try to
match the plants to the pot: color, style and scale, as it will
be more pleasing to the eye. Enjoy!
garden gleanings : Container planting
>> by Bonnie Segger
“The future of nutrition is found in the ocean”
– Jacques Cousteau
A very unique story is unfolding on our planet,
initiated at a sea farm on the east coast of Vancouver
Island. A man by the name of Tom Harper took eight
years to develop the technology to grow and harvest
marine phytoplankton as food for his shellfi sh, which are,
amazingly, growing between four and fi ve times larger than
his commercially fed control group.
Diagnosed with a rare and terminal form of lung
cancer, Mr. Harper decided to partake of the ocean
cornucopia and, found that by eating the ‘fi sh food’, he felt
better. Everyone, including the oncologists, was surprised,
when a biopsy in Victoria revealed that all 11 tumour sites
in his diseased lungs were benign. Not only that, but he
was able to quit taking the 88 units of insulin his body had
required for years. His daughter, who originally didn’t want
him to eat the marine phytoplankton, lost 40 pounds in
three months once she started ingesting it.
As a result of the discovery, exclusive rights to market
the microscopic algae were given to a company from Utah
called ForeverGreen. Th ey combined the over 200 species
of marine phytoplankton with other plants that have
tremendous healing properties – aloe vera, frankincense,
astaxanthin, roses, ginger, blueberries, cranberries, nutmeg,
rosemary, and others, to create a delicious and power-
packed whole-food tonic called FrequenSea.
As news of the discovery spreads throughout the
world, testimonies of healing continue to grow. Th e
stories are as diverse as the population that is consuming
FrequenSea. Reports of increased and more restful sleep,
improved skin, hair and nails, more energy, absence
of ‘brain fog’, dissipated depression, lowered insulin
requirements, and reduced joint pain are common.
FrequenSea users experience enhanced immune systems,
FrequenSea
Ph
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She says she feels like a goddess in the city!
– continued on page 7
VillageVibe June 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7
>> by Morgan Obendorfer
Our Deep Ecology workshop at Oak and
Orca Bioregional School has become a catalyst for
transformation in my life and in the lives of the children
who participate. Here the children are encouraged to
think for themselves, to be conscious, and to live from
deep convictions. In recent months we have found
ourselves engaged in many heated discussions on topics
such as nuclear proliferation, human rights, and global
politics. We attended a powerful talk by David Suzuki,
one of Canada’s foremost proponents of Deep Ecology.
We watched and discussed Al Gore’s climate change fi lm,
‘An Inconvenient Truth.’ We attracted the attention of the
Globe and Mail and the Times Colonist, who published
feature articles about our workshops.
Recently, several children have become ignited with a
sense of purpose to take positive action. From publishing
letters to the editor to establishing their own organization
called S.P.E.A.C. (Students Protecting Every Animal from
Cruelty), these children are discovering the great potential
within themselves to make a real diff erence in the world.
Recently, our group did an exercise from Joanna Macy’s
book, Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our
Lives, Our World. In this exercise, the children were
guided to close their eyes and envision themselves
transported thirty years into the future. Th ey were asked
to imagine a time when the major crises that threaten
life on Earth had been averted, weapons of war had
been dismantled, and technologies and institutions that
pollute and decimate life had been eliminated. From this
vantage point, they were encouraged to look back at our
present time. Th ey were guided to imagine a young girl
approaching and asking the following questions: “Is it
true what they say about life back then? Were there really
millions and millions of sick and hungry people? And
bombs that could blow up whole cities? Could that be
so? What was it like for you to live in a world like that?
Weren’t you sad and scared all the time? Where did you
and your friends fi nd the strength to do what you did?
How did you keep on going?”
Each one of us must fi nd the courage to clearly
observe the big picture of what is happening here on Earth
and to process the feelings that arise as a result. We are at a
tipping point in consciousness, a great turning of the tides.
It is up to us what we choose to make of the great crisis/
opportunity facing our world. To ensure a positive future
for our children and for all life, we must wake up to the
urgency of our situation and fi nd the resolution to act for
positive change. Th is is the essence of Deep Ecology.
@
stabilized blood pressure, less frequent ‘frequent
urination’, and improved eyesight. Food cravings either
lessen or disappear altogether. Th e list goes on as people
notice that their bodies seem to come alive once they
begin drinking FrequenSea. Even animals such as dogs,
cats and horses can to benefi t from the tonic.
What is causing the improved health? Is
FrequenSea really that magic elixir, the much sought
aft er panacea? It is believed people are having such
amazing results the full range of nutrients in FrequenSea
are 100% water-soluble and instantly available to the
body. Th e plants are broken down without heat or
chemicals and are put into a compression chamber
and broken down with CO2. Th e health benefi ts of
the plants are completely retained, impressing even
raw-food enthusiasts. Th e full range of vitamins,
minerals, amino acids, fatty acids and proteins are able
to penetrate into virtually every cell of the body. Once
the body receives superior nutrition, it immediately goes
to work, deconstructing cells that may have been made
with inferior material and reconstructing with superior.
Th is rebuilding process allows the cells to produce more
energy, which, in turn, allows the body to begin to
repair and regenerate. It is both simple and profound.
Th e research into marine phytoplankton has been
stepped up as a result of this discovery. A double-
blind study is currently underway involving the
phytoplankton and diabetes. Studies in other areas have
also been initiated.
And… great news for environmentalists!
Th e process used to harvest the marine
phytoplankton actually releases more to the ocean
than is removed. Th is supports an amazingly
diverse ecosystem near the farm.
FrequenSea with marine phytoplankton is unlike any
other food source, because of the diversity and bio-
availability of the nutrients. To fi nd out more about
this extraordinary whole food tonic, please call Bonnie
Segger at (250) 384-0067 or go online to www.
lovingspoonfulenergetics.com
faces of fernwood : Terracobba
>> by Susan Salvati
Out of functional structures rise whimsical
creatures. In Vic West, a playful otter, a starfi sh, a tree that
grows many kinds of fruit. In James Bay a salmon swims
among kelp. Stephanie Enevoldsen is an artist, and her
medium is cob.
Earth cob is a natural building material composed of
clay and sand interwoven with straw, which is mixed with
water. On the west coast cob building is enjoying a revival.
On the coast it is oft en used for internal walls due to our
high rainfall, but in Vic West and James Bay, Stephanie
was commissioned to build outdoor benches. Th is is
possible if the structures are covered.
Stephanie is attracted to cob for a number of reasons.
“It’s really beautiful because you can sculpt it,” she says.
She is also inspired by the fact that cob has low embodied
energy in comparison to a material like concrete. She
explains that although cob can of course be created using
machines, a manual method of production is generally
preferred amongst those who work in the medium. All
materials are put on a tarp. Th en, the clay and sand are
stepped on to compress the materials while the tarp is
simultaneously rocked back and forth.
Th is method of production is appealing to Stephanie
because of its intrinsic human scale and the community
that it requires. She explains that cob is “for the people, by
the people. People come out and it’s completely diff erent
when they help create.” She oft en gets asked if the
sculptures get vandalized and she explains that they don’t
because when people help create they take ownership.
Stephanie’s journey with cob building has taken her
from Alberta to the Gulf Islands and Oregon. In Portland
she has been able to observe amazing cob structures as
part of a phenomenon known as the City Repair Project.
Essentially, the City Repair Project aims to take back
public space, such as an intersection, and transform it
into a place of encounter and human connectedness.
Th is happens because a beautiful space is created. In
Portland, cob building is one element of this repair and
can incorporate such structures as a pizza oven on the
street corner, a beautiful bench to rest on, or a sculpture of
signifi cance to the neighbourhood.
For Stephanie, this is all a source of passion. She
describes how “you know when you’re in a place that feels
good. Villages feel good. I love cob building because it
makes me feels like a villager; it is a medium for people to
get out and create. I have felt harmonious when working
with cob and when in an intersection that’s been repaired.
It’s the place to be.”
Lucky for us, Stephanie’s goal is to bring more
cob building to the city. Extra lucky for us, she lives
in Fernwood. Keep your eye out for future projects in
the ‘hood. In the meantime, you can take part in an
introductory cob workshop on Saturday, June 23rd from
2-4 p.m. at the Victoria Compost Education Centre.
Stephanie can also be reached for private consultation at
[email protected] or check out her website
at www.hobbithomes.ca/terracobba. Ideas for your own
backyard cob project abound. Happy cobbing!
Award | fr om page 1
FrequenSea | fr om page 6
Deep ecology: empowering
staff and board were present to accept the Award.
Outgoing board chair, Lee Herrin, spoke for us all
when he expressed his profound appreciation both to
the Hallmark Society for honouring Fernwood NRG
and the Cornerstone and to the amazing people of our
neighbourhood whose wholehearted eff orts made the
Cornerstone dream into a reality.
Once again Fernwood, we applaud you and we
thank you!
Page 8 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2007 VillageVibe
what’s on in Fernwood
Art, Theatre, and EntertainmentLive Entertainment at the
Cornerstone Cafe
Every Friday (rotating Irish nights, poetry
nights, and local/touring performers),
8-10pm.
and Saturday (Bohemian Open Mic),
8-11pm. Check in at the Cafe for details.
1301 Gladstone Ave.
Art Exhibit: Dominic Fetherston,
Now You See It
June 2 to July 4. Fernwood Gallery, 1923
Fernwood Road. To see a preview, go
to: http://www.geocities.com/dominic_
new_art/fernwoodgallery.html
Call for Submissions from Fernwood
musicians and poets to be featured
on our third Fernwood CD! e-mail:
Victoria Bluegrass Assoc. Jam
Ongoing Tuesdays, 7:30 - 10:30pm.
Orange Hall, Fernwood Road. $2 to play,
free to listen. (Last Tuesday of month is
open stage/feature night; cost varies).
Live Music at J.K. Do Forno Cafe
Fernwood Square. Free! Mondays: Bill
Cino, 6:30 to 9pm. Seeking musicians
for other days. Call for info: 386-8446.
Live Music at Fernwood Inn
5 nights per week, including an open
mike on Thursdays, 8:30-11:30pm. 1302
Gladstone Ave.
Live Music at Logan’s Pub
1821 Cook St. For listings, check out
www.loganspub.com.
Belfry Theatre
2007-08 Season Announced! For info.
check: http://www.belfry.bc.ca or call
Belfry Box Offi ce - 385-6815
Intrepid Theatre
Presents the 10th Annual Uno Festival
of Solo Performance, May 24 – June 4.
Up to 3 shows nightly. For info. check:
http://www.intrepidtheatre.com or call
383-2663
Kids & FamiliesCommunity Family Day
Fernwood NRG invites families to get
involved in Community Day family-
directed and facilitated programming.
Mondays, 9:30am - 11:30am. Fernwood
Community Center Gym, Free!
Parent & Tot Playgroup
Snacks/Crafts/Circle Time. Ongoing
Tuesdays & Thursdays. 9:30am -
11:30am, Fernwood Community Center
Gym, $1 per family.
Rhythm Circle Time
Drop-in: 10 Weeks per session.
Tuesdays 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm,
Fernwood Community Center Multi-
Purpose Room. Free!
Mother Goose
Songs, rhymes & stories. Tuesdays.
1:00pm - 2:30pm, Fernwood Community
Center Multi-Purpose Room. Pre-
register - 10 weeks per session. Free!
($2 for songbook) Call 381-1552 Ext.22
to register and for info.
Youth, Adults & SeniorsNEW! YOUTH Sports Drop-in (Floor
Hockey, Soccer, Badminton)
Ages 6 to 12, Rotating Sports. Ongoing
Sundays, Noon to 2pm. Fernwood
Community Center Gym. $3 per child,
Parent please accompany child, no fee
for parent,
NEW! Badminton
Drop-in Co-ed Adult (18+) Ongoing
Sundays, 6:30 - 8:30pm, Fernwood
Community Center Gym. $3 per person
NEW! Indoor Volleyball
Drop-in Co-ed Adult (18+) Ongoing
Sundays, 8:30 - 10:30pm. Fernwood
Community Center Gym. $3 per person.
Indoor Soccer
Drop-in Co-ed Adult (18+) Ongoing
Mondays, 8:45 - 10:45pm, Fernwood
Community Center Gym. $3 per person.
Drop-in Floorhockey
Drop-in Co-ed Adult (18+), the only
tri-weekly year-round fl oor hockey in
town! all equipment provided. Ongoing
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:00pm
- 9:30pm, and Saturdays, 2 - 4:30pm.
Fernwood Community Center Gym. $4,
or get a punchcard; $40/11 sessions.
No wooden sticks.
Free Internet and Computer Access
Complete your one-time registration and
then get online through the Community
Access Program. 9:30am to 5:30pm,
Monday to Friday. Fernwood Community
Center Community Room. Free!
FREE Yoga
Tuesdays, 10:30am - 12:00pm.
Fernwood Community Center MPR
Room.
Holistic Health & Healing
Healing meditation based on Chinese
Five Elements: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water,
Wood, plus discussion of topics
chosen by group. Ongoing Mondays,
10:00-11:30am. Fernwood Community
Center MPR Room. Free!
Falun Gong
Peaceful meditation practice. Ongoing
Wednesdays, 5:00pm - 7:00pm.
Fernwood Community Center MPR
Room. Everyone welcome, Free!
Fernwood Autumn Glow (55+)
Gentle exercise, lunch & activities.
Ongoing Fridays, 11:00am. Fernwood
Community Center MPR Room. $5.50
for lunch.
Special EventsFern Fest 2007!
Labour Day Weekend Outdoor Concert
of the Year! August 31, Sept 1 & 2.
Stephenson Park. We are looking for
volunteers & children’s entertainers! Call
James @ 381-1552 Ext. 22.
Father’s Day Breakfast
Sunday, June 17th, 9:00am. Fernwood
Community Center Gym. Bring Dad out
and spoil him with breakfast and other
nice surprises. Admission by donation to
cover costs.
Fernwood Photographer Veronique
da Silva exhibits’ “Primavera”
Opens Thursday, June 14th, Paradiso
di Stelle, 10 Bastion Square, Wharf St.
Green Drinks
An inclusive gathering of the
sustainability minded for refreshments
conversation and inspiration. Tuesday,
June 12th. Youth event at 3:00pm,
General event 5:00-7:00pm. Queen
Mother Waterside Cafe, 407 Swift St.
Green Lunch
Green Drinks is now expanding its
program to include regular Green
Lunches. Meet, chat and connect
with like-minded people over lunch.
Wednesday, June 27th. 12 noon-
2:00pm. Fernwood Inn, 1302 Gladstone
Ave. Reservations Recommended.
June 2007
Published by Fernwood NRG (Fernwood
Neighbourhood Resource Group)
1240 Gladstone Street
Victoria, BC V8T 1G6
T 250.381.1552
F 250.381.1509
villagevibe@fernwood neighbourhood.ca
www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca
Editor: Lisa Helps
Photographer: Veronique da Silva
Contributors:
Central Middle School
Beth Gibson
Margaret Hantiuk
Michael Hewison
Morgan Obendorfer
Trish Richards
Susan Salvati
Bonnie Segger
The views expressed in the Village Vibe
do not necessarily refl ect the views of
Fernwood NRG.
villagevibe
TUESDAYS!
Beer and Burger – 100% Ground
prime rib burger or nutburger and a
Pint $7.95
1302 Gladstone 412-2001
Village Vibe Meetings
(4th Thursday of every Month)
Join us to brainstorm the May Vibe.
Thursday, June 21, 7:00 - 9:00pm,
Cornerstone Cafe.
Total Plastics Recycling Day
(2nd Saturday of every Month)
Saturday, June 9, 10am - Noon, Back of
Fernwood Community Center. Recycle
plastics of all kinds. Styrofoam packing,
soft plastics and bags, and ALL hard/
rigid plastics plus old electronics. By
donation to cover transportation.
20/20/20 Benefi t Concert for
Women’s Sexual Assault Centre
July 20th, Cornerstone Cafe, 20
wonderful performers over the course
of the day (10am to 8pm), 20 minutes
each. Admission by donation. All
donations go to WSAC.
Under new ownership!
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