Reclaiming Joy – Love’s Sacrifice for Love

Here I am almost 70 and still the healing from childhood isn’t finished. Not that I ever expected it to, but it shows me the depths of healing that is needed in this dysfunctional industrial culture. In the beautiful world that is coming children will not have to deal with society-invoked traumas. That will be something of the past and incomprehensible actually.  In the meantime this is the work that my and younger generations have been gifted with as we move through what Joanna Macy calls – The Great Turning. And I am serious when I say ‘gifted’. To be called to do this deep inner work of transforming the generational patterns that are inherited or passed on by culture or trauma so that future generations no longer have to deal with this is for me, a privilege that I take seriously. There is not one phobia that I have worked with in myself or with thousands of clients and students that does not stem from the culture we have created. Therefore, when I heal myself, it’s a drop in the collective consciousness that supports the healing of others and the transformation to a more beautiful world.   I share this story … Read more

Why Choose Veganic? From a Farmer’s or Gardener’s Perspective

Written by GoVeganic.net There are a wide variety of reasons why farmers choose veganic techniques, including ethical and environmental considerations, consumer demand, and the availability of fertilizers. Many of these reasons will also apply to gardeners. Protecting animals For farmers and gardeners who are interested in animal protection, veganic growing is a perfect way to combine your ethics with your agriculture, since this system of growing food does not use any pesticides or animal products. continue> Higher level of self-sufficiency By reducing inputs and producing your own sources of fertility, it’s possible to live more self-sufficiently from your own land. continue> Save time and land Compared to farms that produce their own fertilizer by using animals, maintaining fertility through plant-based techniques can save time and increase the amount of usable land. continue> A lower ecological footprint Veganic agriculture encourages techniques that are environmentally sustainable, and that reduce CO2 emissions. continue> Improving soil life and fertility By adding organic plant-based materials to the soil, the microorganisms within the soil can flourish, and enhance the soil structure and fertility of your land. continue> Respond to a new consumer market For farmers, growing veganically responds to an emerging market of consumers who desire completely organic, plant-based produce. continue> Biodiversity … Read more

Starting a Herb Garden

“The best thing for ordinary folks would be to keep a small garden near the house and work in it for a few hours every day.”  — Mahatma Gandhi Spring is in the air, or at least it’s the season to be dreaming of the aromatic, colourful, abundant garden that you’ve always wanted or wanted to expand. Gardening is a living art, a masterpiece that you create and it just keeps on changing with each passing day, week and season. Gardening is one of the most powerful forms of medicine that we have. It keeps us connected to nature and the changing seasons. If you are planning a small background culinary or tea garden you need to find a location that will suit your needs. Near the back door is great, it’s handy and convenient especially if the backdoor is close to the kitchen. A small garden plot of 10×10 is a good size to begin with. You can grow a lot of varieties of herbs in a small area. There are five important aspects of creating a garden full of medicinal and culinary plants. EARTH/ SOIL – Working the soil is a very grounding and stabilizing healing experience. The … Read more

Introduction to Veganics

Written by GoVeganic.net Veganic agriculture is an approach to growing food that encompasses a respect for animals, the environment, and human health. Also known as “stockfree”, “vegan organic”, and “plant-based,” this is a form of agriculture that goes further than organic standards, by eliminating the use of products that are derived from confined animals and by encouraging the presence of wild native animals on the farmland. Organic farmers are currently permitted to use animal products as fertilizers, such as manure, blood meal, bone meal, feather meal, and fish emulsion, but these animal products are often obtained from intensive farms and slaughterhouses. Not only does large-scale animal farming have a heavy impact on the environment, most modern farm animals are kept in highly confined conditions and are exposed to a variety of contaminants. Veganic agriculture breaks the link between livestock operations and the production of organic plant-foods by maintaining fertility using plant-based techniques. Like organic agriculture, veganic doesn’t use the following products:  No pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides)  No chemical fertilizers  No genetically modified organisms (GMO) In addition, veganic agriculture doesn’t permit the killing of animals, nor the use of products derived from confined animals:  No blood meal, bone meal, feather … Read more

Forest Garden Permaculture Walk-Abouts, Consultation & Design

Walk-Abouts & Ecological Design Services What is a Forest Gardening Walk-About? During the initial session, Shantree Kacera Permaculture Educator and Forest Gardener explores with the property owner(s) how to take advantage of the abundant natural resources surrounding their home or property (such as the sun, rain, wind, climate and soil). The goal is to assists the homeowner in exploring what elements they would most benefit from by implementing a forest gardening permaculture design for their home and/or lot. This is a verbal assessment of the property.  There are Three Package Options: Walk-About Package Consulting & Design Package Customization Services 1) Walk-About Package ($380 plus Mileage & hst) This package would be for 4 hours @ $95 per hour plus at 50 cents per km plus hst. Now, there are two ways you can organize an event such as this, for a half day workshop of let’s say $50 per person. And if 12 individuals come out that’s $600, which would cover my costs, and you attend for free then. And, if you decide to organized a one-day workshop at $120 per day and perhaps $95 for early bird special. Let’s say you got 12 individuals at $95 each that’s $1140. If I am … Read more

Carolinian Canada Forest Garden Guild

Promoting Forest Gardening Education, Networking & Support The Carolinian Canada Forest Garden Guild encourages and promotes Forest Gardening, a system of conscious, sustainable, ecological design for growing food, fuel, fibre, fertilizer, fodder and ‘farmaceuticals’ as well as fun in Carolinian Canada. We are a group of people already trained in, or experienced with, Forest Gardens and/or Permaculture.   Six times a year, we gather to exchange ideas, network and support each other’s projects and endeavours. At these convergences, engaging speakers bring their own expertise and experience to informative skill-buildingsessions in topics ranging from tree grafting, pruning techniques, propagation practices, seed collecting, wild food and medicinal plant foraging to mushroom propagation, and everything in between! Public outreach through classes, workshops, and other activities are an important part of our vision. In addition to forest gardening techniques, we explore topics such as building soil fertility, creating microclimates, water catchment systems, ponds and greywater systems, and other aspects of agroforestry or Permaculture. We also provide networking information about other local groups that you can contact for more information about these topics. We form partnerships with other organizations to promote sustainability education and implementation in our region, and welcome inquiries from any group with similar … Read more

Artemisia’s Forest Garden Nursery

Our mission is to share a growing variety of edible, medicinal, and useful trees, shrubs, vines, and plants, especially suited for Forest Gardens in southwestern Ontario. About Forest Gardening Forest Gardening is a low-maintenance, sustainable, plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables which have yields directly useful to humans. Making use of companion planting, these can be intermixed to grow in a succession of layers, to build a woodland habitat. More from Wikipedia. We see forest gardening as one of humanity’s greatest prospects for establishing a flourishing future, by providing for our most important needs, where and when we need them. For more information on Forest Gardening in Southwestern Ontario: Carolinian Canada Forest Garden Guild The most important book on Forest Gardening for Northeastern North America is the two-volume Edible Forest Gardens by Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier. Martin Crawford’s books are also an excellent introduction to the field, though more focused on the climate of the UK. Gaia’s Garden, by Toby Hemenway, is also a great introductory volume, though a bit more suited to Western North American growing conditions. Small, Local, Regenerative Artemisia’s Forest Garden Nursery is intentionally small in scale … Read more

The Underlying Cause of All Our Problems

A few days ago Shantree and I saw the movie, Selma. It chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. We were both very impacted by the movie and it led me to question, as I often do, what the underlying ’cause’ is that would allow a person to see another being as less than oneself, and treat that being with disdain, disrespect and even hatred as though their life didn’t really matter. All of this is so poignantly portrayed in the movie. While this is a complex question in some ways, in others it is simple. Here’s my take on it. My belief is that the root cause of all of our problems is that we have come to believe in the illusion that we are separate and superior to this Earth. Let me explain how this ties into prejudice. For most of human history, we walked in union with nature, perhaps even seeing all aspects of nature as ‘kin’ in some sense. Certainly, an Earth that humans were a part of and dependent upon.   Archeological studies reveal that our … Read more

Rekindling Your Digestive Fire

“A faulty fire leads to improper functioning of the tissues which in turn, creates Ama in the gastro-intestinal tract and leading to poor synthesis of tissues.”   — Charaka Ayurvedic herbalism, which originates from India and is the oldest recorded form of herbal shamanic medicine, has lots to say about restoring the health of our digestive system. Ayurvedic philosophy speaks of one main cause of all diseases. The cause is rooted in the impairment of the body’s main fire, called Agni, the fire of digestion. Ayurveda views the health of the body as the functioning of a biological, fire-governing metabolism. If this essential part is functioning effectively, the whole body will be nourished, full of life and vibrancy. Agni can metaphorically mean the fires within a wood-burning stove. Another term, Ama, can refer to the black cresol build-up in the pipes and chimney. The more efficiently the wood burns in the wood stove, the more heat (energy) that is produced, and the less cresol (toxin) that is created. This metaphor symbolizes very well what happens in our digestive system, depending on the health of this bodily system. Agni and Ama are opposite in properties. Agni is hot, dry, light, clear and … Read more

Nutrition

Ayurvedic Living Nutrition Ayurvedic Live-Food Nutrition is based on the fact that there is no one diet for everyone.  Each of us is unique with different constitutions, and therefore, different nutritional needs. Ayurveda is a holistic health-care system that recognizes that every action we take in life has a reaction. Thus it is a science of bringing awareness to all of our actions: how and what we eat, how we live, what we think, how we relate intimately with others and ourselves. Ayurveda is a compassionate journey of self-discovery, providing you with the tools to becoming your own best doctor. Ayurveda teaches that foods are carriers and balancers of Prana, the Vital Life Force. Each food has its own unique characteristics of energy and flavour through which it produces a specific effect on our bodies, minds and emotions. Ayurveda means “Knowledge of Life” and it embodies the art of living consciously. Raw and Living Foods The Live-Food diet is proving to be the healthiest, most common sense diet on the planet. Why? Because when we eat our foods in their natural state, we receive maximum nutrition and therefore maximum health. At The Living Centre, we feel that the mysteries of nature cannot … Read more