Eco-Sense

Chickens heading into their pasture.

The fall season for our nursery keeps chugging along with lots of people coming and going during open house days.  Some people come to buy plants, but many come simply to walk around and check out some of the things we have going on at Eco-Sense…things like chickens, our guard duck, rain water harvesting, living roofs, tiny homes (our nursery office), earthen architecture (our MUD house), composting toilets, grey water systems, solar energy, food systems, and our incredible amount of food growing in a seemingly chaotic fashion on our rocky knoll here in the Highlands.

Passive solar feature on the west side of house – HARDY KIWI. Highly productive food producing vine grows well in half sun.

OPEN HOUSE DATES: farm gate sales (3295 Compton Road, East Highlands, Victoria)

Saturday Oct 17th from 10am-2pm

Sunday Oct 25th from 10am-2pm

We continue to expand our knowledge and activities in ways that contribute to our community, and in ways that we can make a living.  This is at the heart of resilience…investing in our community and in our own skills.  Our new tag line for Eco-Sense is more reflective of what we do.

Regenerative Design:  Food, Water, Energy, Lifestyle

Gord has just completed a series of rain water harvesting courses…both teaching others and learning himself.  Gord now has the ARCSA professional certification and has completed and submitted 5 full systems he has designed and installed.  Gord thinks he may be the first accredited professional after the Merger between CANARM and ARCSA.  Bring on the rain – Gord is ready.  (He also just got some new rubber boots after years of boots with holes – no more complaining of wet feet).  It’s a great time to contact Gord if you would like to explore a rainwater system for your house or other out building.  

Other things we have been up to:

• Ranting about the elections –  Get your ass out there and VOTE if for no other reason than it gives you ranting rights.
• Ann gave a “No Farting Around” food workshop which sold out with 8 people – a small group the way Ann likes it.  Was an amazing success and everyone raved about the yummy food.  Many people left and got started right away fermenting veggies, fermenting alcoholic ginger beer, and making cheese.  Lots crammed into a 6 hour day but it flowed well.  We may (will) do another one – so stay tuned.  (Ann had Gord act as the time keeper with a flowchart broken into 15 minute section… Gord was amazed).
• Gord is planning a beer making workshop.  For those who have had the pleasure of sampling his beer, you know how good it is.  The date is still pending, and it’s expected to fill up right away.  Best to sign up to the blog to make sure you don’t miss out on any of our workshops.
• More ranting about politics – Municipal, regional, provincial, federal, global.  (ranting is OK…but turning rants into action is even more fun)
• We participated in the Highlands Grand Opening Event for our new Community Hall.  It was a fabulous event where lots of new people came out to see their new community hall and to meet some of their neighbours.  There was food and music all day and lots of people set up tables showing what they are interested in or do.  Gord and I (along with a neighbour) set up 3 tables sharing info on composting toilets, grey water reuse systems, rain water harvesting, and local food systems.  Our tables really should have been in a circle.  Great day, with the final event being the FREE concert up on stage with VALDY.  This new hall and stage is now available for the public to rent…music, events, weddings, etc.  http://www.highlands.bc.ca/228/Community-Hall
• Food harvesting, food processing, and food eating.  WE LOVE OUR FOOD and feel so much gratitude for our amazing food.  But just to be clear, living this way takes a great deal of time.  We have estimated that it takes 1 person almost full time to provide for the food for two people.  (Growing, harvesting, processing, storing, and cooking year round).
• More ranting…especially about our culture…collapsing ecosystems…the ocean – OMG our poor oceans…the melting arctic… sea level rise…human suffering (war, poverty, inequity, racism, etc)…population (There’s too many of us)…the crappy western diet…sugar…the gut microbiome…glyphosate (and other pesticides)…and of course fragrances.  Ann is happy to report that no one in our food workshop was wearing fragrances.  WOOHOO!

Thanks for reading,

Ann and Gord