I grew up watching my grandmother can and freeze whatever she could, and my mom had us doing the same for some years. We raised rabbits, made fruit leather, canned peaches and tomatoes, among other food storage activities. As an adult and parent concerned about the nutrition and taste of food I have been learning as much as I can over the years and appreciate the work ethic and skills involved in the work my grandmother and mother did.

I heard a permaculturist speak and felt a resonating in my spirit; here was the lexicon and language to express the ideas and feelings I had about taking care of the earth, and the people. I found a Permaculture Design Certification Course and signed up within weeks of my first introduction.

I have plans to create an edible landscape in my urban yard, and to show others in town how to follow my lead. I also will continue my involvment with communtiy gardens and with groups advocating social justice.

Teaching university students about local food and Permaculture

I am working with another woman to teach 10-12 students about local food. We meet for 2 hrs once a week during the four month course. Last night we introduced them to the concept of permaculture and also had them help at St. Mary's Community Garden wher

Introducing Permaculture to 25 middle school students

As part of my volunteer activities at the Fredericton food bank, I had the opportunity to speak to 25 middle-school students this morning about what permaculture is, and how we will be using permaculture design at the new location.

Mint under the apple tree

A neighbour was kind enough to pass along some mint for my garden. I put it under the apple tree. I am also waiting for some comfrey from someone else that I know and will put comfrey under each of the three fruit trees.

St. Mary's Garden Raised Beds

Am co-ordinating with the head gardener at St. Mary's to use hugelkulture on their new raised beds. We will innoculate new logs before we put them in the beds, and thus cultivate mushrooms as well as veggies. Work will be done May 27th. I will take pho

Driveway-to-hugelkulture raised bed conversion

Confiscated half the gravel driveway for my garden. Have created four raised-bed circles around a six foot circle. The raised beds will be dug out 30 cm and then hugelkultured. I've put the newspapers, cardboard, and logs in one, and am waiting on comp

Hazelnut Tree

Natasha gave me a nut tree when I visited her a few weeks ago, and I finally got it in the ground today. Step one to creation of an edible urban landscape. I also took the compost from the bottom of the composter and spread it over newspaper under m

Planting nut trees

Went to visit Natasha and she had some nut trees she wanted planted inbetween her apple trees. We planted 3 trees together.