April issue 2014 web by Cowichan Valley Voice

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2014 APRIL ISSUE 65

COWICHAN VALLEY EVENTS I FOOD I ARTS I EASTER I EARTH DAY I COMMUNITY 1

April Events

1:30-4:30pm 1033 Nagle St duncan100@sd79.bc.ca

Until April 26 JEEVES IN BLOOM Chemainus Theatre Festival 9737 Chemainus Rd 800-565-7738

KINGSLEY HILL: MEET THE AUTHOR AND BOOK SIGNING 1-3pm Ten Old Books 102-330 Duncan St

1-30 4 NATIONS 4 DIRECTIONS ART SHOW Cowichan Theatre Lobby www.aff.cowichan.net Private showings available

DAD’S MAKE A DIFFERENCE Tuesdays thru April 6-9pm West Coast Men’s Support Society Office 80 Station St Ste 213

NUTRITIONAL SUPER SHAKES & WEIGHT MANAGEMENT W/Julie deVisser, ND 7-9pm Travelodge Silver Bridge 250-7486802 FREE MEN’S CIRCLES Wednesdays thru April 7-9pm HUB at Cowichan Station

2-24 COWICHAN VALLEY

ARTISANS GROUP SHOW M-F 10am-5pm Sat 10am-1pm PORTALS 2687 James St Duncan FREE

4-6/11/12 MY FAIR LADY 7:30pm April Cowichan Theatre 2687 James St Duncan 250-748-7529 TRADITIONAL SQUARE DANCE w/SHADY GROVE DANCE BAND 7:30pm The HUB at Cowichan Station 250-929-8226 SOUTH COWICHAN FARMERS MARKET Fridays 2-7pm/Sundays 10am-3pm 4485 Trans Canada Hwy at Koksilah Rd 250-216-5181

QI GONG 10am-2pm St. Peter’s Anglican Church Hall 5800 Church Rd Duncan $45/2 for $80 YOUTH VOICE AWARDS AUDITIONS St. John’s Anglican 163 First St. Duncan FREE ELKS GARAGE SALE & BBQ FUNDRAISER 9am-3pm Chemainus Gardens 3041 River Rd 250-246-3569 FREE LEARN TO PLAY THE UKULELE 10 -Noon Elder College $5 membersship plus $10.00 for session. BLACK TIE AWARDS & AUCTION 5:30pm Crooks Hall Brentwood College School Mill Bay 250-748-1111 $85 COWICHAN VALLEY VOLUNTEER & COMMUNITY RESOURCES FAIR 10am-2pm Duncan Mall www.volunteercowichan.bc.ca DUNCAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 100TH ANNIVERSARY

- 6 STUDIO 2000 KEEPS THE DANCE AND DRUM ALIVE! BELLY DANCE SHOW & HAFLA 7pm Mercury Theatre Duncan 250-710-8161 Adv$20/25dr RAGS TO RICHES 11am3pm Bag weaving w/recycled fabric Leola’s Studio Whippletree Junction leolawitt@gmail.com $50 INTERNATIONAL COHOUSING CAFE 2-4pm Mesachie Rm Island Savings Ctr Duncan GLOBAL ART PROJECT OPEN HOUSE W/KOKSILAH HOMELEARNERS 2-4pm The HUB at Cowichan Station 2375 Koksilah Rd sdbartram@gmail.com FULL HOUSE QUINTET 2-5pm Crofton Pub 1534 Joan Ave $10

COMMUNITY YOGA CLASS w/Brian Kroeker Mondays 5:30-6:45pm CGC 360 Duncan St brnkrkr@gmail.com By Donation

REEL PADDLING FILM FEST: DUNCAN 7-9pm VIU Cowichan 2011 University Way Duncan 250-760-0044 Adv$12/15Dr

INTRODUCTION TO CHEESEMAKING W/David Asher Rotsztain 10am-2pm CGC’s Kitchen 360 Duncan St 250-7488506 $40/35 members

-14 BIRD’S EYE VIEW AT THE BARN Works by Jeffrey 12 Birkin and Tom Faue 10-5pm Bird’s

BONSAI INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP 10am Dinter Nursery 2205 Phipps Rd Duncan FREE

&16 COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE IN 12 COBBLE HILL W/Frauke

DAY OF abunDANCE 9am4pm Lila’s Music Studio 3228A Gibbins Rd Duncan www. christygreenwood.ca $85 HERITAGE TEA & ROAD HOCKEY CHALLENGE 10am-2pm Evergreen Independent School 3515 Watson Ave Cobble Hill 250-743-2433/ Team Reg 250-743-9786 DIVAS VEGAS SHOW 8-10pm Crofton Hotel & Pub 1534 Joan Ave 604-831-4580 $20 HOW NOT TO GROW OLD 1:304:30pm Duncan United Church 246 Ingram St $15 MASTER GARDENER CLINIC 10am-3pm Dinter Nursery 2205 Phipps Rd Duncan 250-748-2023 O.U.R. ECOVILLAGE PUBLIC TOURS 9:45am-12pm 1565 Baldy Mtn Rd Shawnigan Lake 250-7433067 $15-25

Eye Cove Farm 5881 Genoa Bay Rd Duncan 250 715-8209

McCashin, LicAc 10am-4pm, ‘Youth/Pixie’ Hall 250-710-3851 Sliding scale

&19 WILD FOOD FORAGING WORKSHOPS W/CHEF BILL JONES 11am-4pm Deerholme Farm 250-748-7450

&26 SING FOR PURE JOY! 6:30-8pm The Lodge on 4th Ladysmith 250-285-3764 $10

NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE PLAYING WORKSHOP W/ Ed Peekeekoot 11:30am-3pm Lake Cowichan 250-749-6563 $40 DUNCAN SCOTIABANK MS WALK 8:30am Cowichan Sportsplex maryann.branting@ mssociety.ca 4th ANNUAL STINGING NETTLE FESTIVAL Demos, Seasonal Nettle Menu, Hayrides, music from Bopoma and more! A family friendly event Alderlea Farm & Cafe, 3390 Glenora Road 11am6pm

-12 BRENTWOOD COLLEGE PRESENTS: AND THEN THERE WERE NONE 7:30pm T Gil Bunch Ctr for Performing Arts 2735 Mt Baker Rd Mill Bay 250-743-8756 $10

TOUR MARITIME CENTRE COWICHAN BAY 2-4pm Elder College Membership $5+$10 DUNCAN SHOWROOM PRODUCTIONS PRESENT: FEARING AND WHITE 8pm Travelodge Silver Bridge 140 Trans Canada Hwy Adv$25/28Dr COMEDIC THURSDAYS 8pm River Rock Bar & Grill, Travelodge Silver Bridge Duncan $5

5RHYTHMS DANCE MEDITATION 7-9pm Chapel at Providence Farm www.shawnadevlin.com 250-709-1921 SACRED CHANT CIRCLE W/Sadie Bartram 7-8:30pm Valley Yoga 1012 Islay St Duncan 250-7482089 By donation SPIRIT JOURNEY CIRCLE 7:309:30pm Harmony Yoga Studio 201-111 Station St Duncan www. orcahealing.com $10

Valley Voice Magazine -Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

ELIZABETH MAY SPEAKS IN NANAIMO 3-5pm Beban Park Auditorium 250-746-7763 By Donation

STOLEN HEARTS TEST SCREENING Quw’utsun’ Cultural Ctr Limited Seating www.stolenhearts.ca A Ticketed Event.

ADVANCED CHEESEMAKING W/David Asher Rotsztain 10am-2pm CGC’s Kitchen 360 Duncan St 250-748-8506 $40/35 members

EARTH DAY SEEDING WORKSHOP 11am-5pm Spinning Ninny Imagination Station CowBay 788-455-4888 $5 +supplies

NICK LARIVIERE’S COMMUNITY R&B BAND DEBUT/NOT YET QUARTET 2-5pm Crofton Pub 1534 Joan Ave $10

POTPOURRI OF A HAPPY SNAPPER (PERMISSION TO ENJOY YOUR HOBBY) 7pm Hardwick Hall, High St at 3rd Ave, Ladysmith www.LadysmithCameraClub.com $5 Nonmembers

DYEING AND KNITTING WORKSHOP 11am3pm Leola’s Studio Whippletree Junction leolawitt@gmail.com $60

-19 PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN WEEK drop-in to CWAVS to paint a t-shirt Fridays til’ April 21 9:30-4pm for the Clothesline Installation. For more info 250 748-7000

17 18

SPA DAY AT HONEYMOON BAY RETREAT 10028 Park Dr 250-749-4252 $85

5RHYTHMS DANCE MEDITATION 7-9pm Art Barn Salt Spring Island www. shawnadevlin.com 250-701-1921

-21 EASTER WORKSHOP 11am-5pm Spinning Ninny Imagination Station CowBay 788-455-4888 $5 drop-in+supplies

ONE DAY RETREAT: A DAY WITH BUDDHA www.VIRetreats.com

CLASSIC BLUES: DIANA BRAITHWAITE AND CHRIS WHITELY 6-9pm Willow St Cafe 9749 Willow St Chemainus 250-246-2437 $20 EASTER BRUNCH BUFFET Satellite Bar & Grille, Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, 3515 Telegraph Rd Cobble Hill 250-743-5100 CAIRNSMORE PLACE VOLUNTEER GARDENERS’ PLANT SALE 10am-1pm 250 Cairnsmore St Duncan 250-701-4210 EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA 10am Fuller Lake Park EASTER AT BIRDS EYE COVE FARM12-5pm Bird’s Eye Cove Farm 5881 Genoa Bay Rd Duncan 250-715-8209 $3 per person

EASTER BRUNCH & FAMILY STYLE EASTER DINNER Brunch 11am-3pm/ Dinner 2-8pm Amuse on the Vineyard, 2915 Cameron Taggart Rd Cobble Hill 250-743-3667 EASTER FAMILY EVENT 1-4:50pm Cowichan Lk Sports Arena, Curling Lounge & Centennial Park 250-749-6742 FREE

WRITING WORKSHOP 6-9pm Duncan www.grasmerepublishing.com FREE/ Donations to The Ride to Conquer Cancer

-26 COWICHAN ABORIGINAL FESTIVAL OF FILM & ART Quz’utsun’ Cultural and Conference Ctr 200 Cowichan Way Duncan 250-746-7930

DINING OUT FOR LIFE Various locations www.diningoutforlife.com/ vancouverisland/restaurants SUNRISE WALDORF SCHOOL KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE 2-3pm 2148 Lakeside Rd Duncan RSVP 250-743-7253/ admissions@sunrisewaldorfschool.org

$18 2-Course Dinner Night W/$5 Wine corkage Satellite Bar & Grille, Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, 3515 Telegraph Rd Cobble Hill 250-743-5100

-27 COWICHAN VALLEY ARTISANS OPEN STUDIO TOUR Friday - Sunday 10am-5pm Various Locations www.cowichanvalleyartisans.com

PROVIDENCE FARM PLANT SALE 9am2pm 1843 Tzouhalem Rd Duncan

COWICHAN’S EARTH DAY CELEBRATION Downtown Duncan at the Charles Hoey Grounds 11- 3pm Come on out for some good, “green” family fun TEA & TANGO An evening with the sound, dance and taste of Argentina.7pm, Teafarm 8350 Richards Trail, North Cowichan www.teafarm.ca $10/person Limited space. Please call to reserve. 250 748 3811 TRASH BASH 9am Cowichan Station Neighbourhood www.cowichanstation.org YNC WILDFLOWER WALK W/VEGETATION ECOLOGIST 10am-12pm Mt Tzouhalem Duncan 250-217-0389 FREE

Holly Burke Quintet

APRIL 26 7:30pm $15 advance $20 at door

Presented by Church Mice Productions Sylvan United Church, 985 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd (Next to Frances Kelsey) Mill Bay Info 250-743-4301

COSI FAN TUTTE: THE MET LIVE IN HD 9:55am-12:55pm Cowichan Theatre 2687 James St Duncan 250748-7529 Ad$26 COWICHAN CAMERATA STRING ORCHESTRA SPRING CONCERT 7:30pm Duncan United Church 246 Ingram St $10Ad/5St/25Fam

LOCAL FOOD DINNER: MORELS AND ISLAND SEAFOOD 5-9pm Deerholme Farm 250-748-7450 $90pp HOLLY BURKE QUINTET 7:30pm Church Mice Productions Sylvan United Church 985 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd $15adv/$20dr

&27 MILL BAY RECYCLING EVENT 10am-6pm Kerry Park Arena Parking Lot

FREEDOM BOUND 26 7:30pm/27 2pm St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church 531 Herbert St Duncan 250-748-5752 Ad$15

FISH COOKING CLASS 11am-2pm Stone Soup Inn 250-749-3848 $63pp inc 4-course lunch 5RHYTHMS DANCE MEDITATION 10am-12pm Chapel at Providence Farm www.shawnadevlin. com 250-701-1921 GOJUKI BUDDHIST VOW CEREMONY Nichiren Peace Center 250-710-7594 HOLLY BURKE QUINTET 2-5pm Crofton Pub 1534 Joan Ave $10 SACRED CHANT CIRCLE 7-8:30pm Rivendell Yurt Glenora 250-748-2089 By donation NEIL OSBOURNE 8pm Travelodge Silver Bridge 140 Trans Canada Hwy Duncan longevityjohn@ shaw.ca Adv$25/30Dr

REEL ALTERNATIVES ‘LE WEEK-END’ 7pm Cowichan Theatre 2687 James St Duncan 250-748-7529 $12

-May 4 44th ANNUAL COWICHAN VALLEY FINE ART SHOW 30-7:3010pm, 1&2-10am-9pm, 3-10am-5pm, 4-11am3pm PORTALS 2687 James St Duncan $5

Please send your listings by the 15th of the month to events@cowichanvalleyvoice.com

Issue 65 April 2014

Published by Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine Editors Sheila & Richard Badman Contact us at: editor@cowichanvalleyvoice.com 250 746 9319 - 936 Arbutus Avenue, Duncan V9L 5X4 Visit us online at www.cowichanvalleyvoice.com Copy Editor Calendar Proofreader Distribution Maeve Maguire Diana Pink Linda Dirksengale Cindy Jolin Advertising Enquiries Please Call Adrienne Richards 250 510 6596 Next Ad Deadline April 15 for May ISSUE e-mail adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com *Non Profit Community Ad Rates available please enquire. COMMUNITY CALENDAR LISTINGS ARE FREE! Please upload your information through our website Please include: Date & Event Title IN SUBJECT Be advised that space is limited to up to 2 spots per business, space dependant and is prioritized by 1st sent, 1st printed. EVENTS DEADLINE April 15 for May 2014 Issue Please send Date,Time, Location, Event Title and Cost to: events@cowichanvalleyvoice.com Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine reserves the right to omit and/or edit submitted listings due to space limitations SPECIAL THANKS TO FOLLOWING VALLEY VOICES Emily Shorthouse, Danny Landsdall, Loretta Zanatta, Jenny Garlini, Sarah Cosman, Bruce Stewart, Johanthan Knight, Sheila LeClerc, Jeny Coyle, Sandra Beggs,Tessa Stiven, Alyssa Loucks, Andrea Jones, Chinook Moon, Farmer John Ehlrich, Nigel Yonge, Dn Pepitas, Rommy Verlaan, Noah Robertson, Karen Allen, Lindsay Campa, Allen McCulloch, Pat Amos, Dani Tate, Pricilla Brewer, Robert Cerins,Todd McAneeley, Sandy McPherson, Grant Waldman, Heather Ferguson, Suzan Kostiuck, Louise McMurray, Kristi Bridgemann, Sarah van Rossum, Carolyn Carr, Judith Belton,Tracey Hanson, Jeff de Jong, Rick Juliusson, Kenzie Cuthbert, Felicia Rubright, Deb Wood, Simon Pidcock, Donna Hert, Rick Dennis, Nicoletter Genier and the wonderful Community Farm Store Staff, and the fabulous Georgia Nicols.

We welcome your story ideas & photo submissions, however Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine reserves the right to omit and/or edit all submissions for space, clarity, content and style. The opinions expressed in Valley Voice Magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers or other contributors. Please send a query e-mail with your suggested topic prior to sending your article as space is limited and may not always be available. Submission deadline for May Issue, April 15.

Valley Voice Magazine is distributed through 450 + select locations throughout the Cowichan Valley- Malahat, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Cherry Point, Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Crofton, Chemainus and Salt Spring Island and to Cowichan Lake, Ladysmith,Victoria, Tofino and from the Victoria International Airport Arrivals Hall. Cover image: Todd Laidlaw. Courtesy True Grain Bread in Cowichan Bay.

OUR COMMUNITY

April Community Calendar 4-5 DBIA Shopping Local 14- 17 Earth Day Celebrations 30 Earth Friendly Business Directory 32 Duncan Elementary Turns 100! 38 Community Farm Store Pages 18, 56-57 Faxes, Mail and Verbal Lint by Rick Dennis 60 April Horoscopes with Georgia Nicols 61 OUR Ecovillage Needs Help From Their Community 58 Cowichan Valley Feature Listings 59 Cowichan Valley Directory 62-63

LOCAL FOOD AND DRINK Deerholme Farm Foraging Book 7 Spring Sours 8 Local Brunch Pairings 9 Cowichan Bay Seafood Spot Prawn Baked Casserole 9 Island Farmhouse Poultry BBQ Chicken Rub 11 The Old Fork Lavender ‘Lixir 12 Eye On Shawnigan: Shawnigan Jens Teriyaki and Sushi 13 FARM & GARDEN Is Buying Organic Worth The Expense? 18 Alderlea Farm: The CSA That Paved The Way 19 Take Your Pick! Cowichan Valley CSA’s 20-21 Flowers To Food 50 Preparing For The Gardening Season 53 HOME & DESIGN Professional Home Staging 27 Ask Allen 28 Wood Burning 29 Recyling Plastics 35 Carolyn Carr of Suzie Q Creations 48 Reno Rebate Found Money 49 LOCAL ARTS April Music News 23 Imagine That! Artisan Todd McAneeley 40 Talking Arts Laird Campbell41 Jeeves in Bloom! 44 Local Arts News 45 Words To Savour:Judith Belton 47 WOMENS FEATURES Enterprising Women:Sarah van Rossum 25 FAMILY What Would Ms Polly Do? 36 Evergreen Celebrates 100! with Family Hockey Challenge 37 New Warrior Training 38 Navigating The Adolescent Years: Reclaiming Our youth 39

Business Is Blooming! Spring Rate Cards Now Available Contact Adrienne Richards

250 510 6596

OUTDOOR RECREATION 5 Walks for People and Dogs 52 Dogs Love Grass 53 South Island Fishing Report 54 Biggs Killer Whales in The Spring 55 BODY, MIND & SOUL Therapeutic Yoga 26

adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Bill Jones trusty foragng assistant, Oliver

Chef Bill Jones Releases New Book “Bill Jones is one of those rare chef-foragers who combines the skills of an excellent chef and teacher with an extensive expertise in the foods of field and forest. This is an exceptional combination and that is why you must add this book to your library.” —Dr. Sinclair Philip, Co-Owner of Sooke Harbour House

ouchwood Editions are pleased to announce the publication of Bill’s new cookbook The Deerholme Foraging Book. It is an exploration of the wild foods of the Pacific Northwest and includes products from the forests, fields and ocean shores of the region. The book brings you into the world of the forager, drawing on 10,000 years of experience that have allowed us to evolve from the foraging society we once all belonged to. These ancient lessons are modernized to create delicious recipes and allow you to build a knowledge base, create items for the pantry and to capitalize on the delicious and health promoting foods from the wild. From the back cover: Open your door to the wild foods of the Pacific Northwest with the Deerholme Foraging

Book. In this comprehensive cookbook, award winning writer, chef and experienced forager Bill Jones shares his foraging tips and more than 110 unique and delicious recipes, each featuring a type of wild food. Global in influence, these recipes use simple techniques woven in with expert processes to create good, homemade food. Learn to identify, source, and preserve local mushrooms, edible plants, sea vegetables, and shellfish. And gain knowledge of the traditional uses for wild foods as well as future possibilities for a healthy diet, while enhancing your appreciation for the natural environment. In The Deerholme Foraging Book, food lovers will experience the joy of uncovering the bounty of the wild. For more information visit www.deerholme.com

Spring Sours

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Danny. Eats and drinks regularly and can often be found at Hudson’s On First.

welcome spring the late afternoon sun pushes our days ever longer. This cosmic rotation invites many old friends back into their seasonal rhythms. Our forests and fields begin to answer the yearly call of this great ball of fire. And the first gifts of spring begin mysteriously appearing neatly deposited in golden nests. The Egg, that oh so useful package of pure culinary delight. But what to do with all these golden orbs of goodness, we say “make Sours”. An often overlooked and underappreciated

bartender’s secret, the egg white, offers what nothing else can. The fluffy silky texture keeps people coming back for these sweet and sour silky smooth cocktails. This time of year is particularly good for making egg white Sours thanks to the plethora of fresh farm eggs. The egg white Sour has a long history but is most commonly associated with the Whiskey Sour, yet any cocktail containing a spirit, citrus, and something sweet is actually considered a Sour. Now what to do with all those yolks? PASTA!!! With all these fresh yolks it is the perfect opportunity to learn about fresh pasta. Hudson’s On First is excited to answer the call of many valley voices and offer the first in a series of cooking classes, “Cooking with Daniel Hudson”. Our first classes are just in time for spring feasting and will focus on the most famous of all spring creatures the rabbit and you guessed it, fresh pasta. Come practice your knife skills as you learn the ins and outs of preparing Cowichan Valley rabbit, fresh made pasta and uncover the delicate beauty of edible spring flowers. The evening will include Sours 101 where you will learn to prepare and enjoy Sours. Sign up for classes at Hudsonsonfirst.ca or give us a call. If you can’t make it to the classes just come and eat. Chef Dan’s confit rabbit linguini and his famous rabbit terrine will be available all month for lunch or dinner.

LIVE CRAB • FRESH FISH • LOCAL SPOT PRAWNS AND MORE!

BC Spot Prawn Baked Brunch Casserole

Amount

Ingredients

1 Lb 6 2 1/2 Cups 2 Tablespoons 3/4 Teaspoon 1/2 Teaspoon 10 Slices 1/2 Cup 2 Cups

BC Spot Prawns Eggs Milk Minced Fresh Parsley Ground Mustard Salt & Pepper Bread, Cubed (remove crusts) Panko Bread Crumbs Mixed Cheese, Shredded (Cheddar, Parmesan, Gruyere)

Egg White Whiskey Sour Recipe: 1.5oz whiskey 1oz fresh lemon juice

1oz simple syrup 1 fresh egg white

In a Boston Shaker mix all ingredients together and shake long and hard. Add your ice and shake some more. Strain into a saucer style stemmed cocktail glass and garnish with a slice of lemon peel and a Johnny Jump-up violet for spring flare.

Spring Hours Open Tuesday - Sunday 10 am to 6pm

Method Peel and roughly chop spot prawns and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, parsley, mustard and salt. In a greased 11” x 7” baking dish, layer with bread cubes, shrimp and 1/2 shredded cheese; pour egg mixture over top and add in spot prawns. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes top with remaining cheese and sprinkle panko crumbs. Return to oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Check centre for doneness. Let stand for before serving. Perfect for a special brunch.

1751 Cowichan Bay Rd, Cowichan Bay

Cowichan Bay Seafoods

250-748-0020 E-mail: info@cowichanbayseafood.com

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

b f R

local

brunch pairings Somerset Cider

With our Spinach & Tomato Breakfast Poutine, we would pair our Somerset Cider. This is the English version of champagne-style cider, dry and sparkling with balanced acids. Perfect for a special occasion, Somerset is slowly aged for more than a year to become completely dry. $15/ bottle plus taxes and deposit here at the farmhouse store. Ryan Watson, Merridale Ciderworks

Unsworth Cuvée De L’ile

2010 Cuvée De L’ile | -Traditional Sparkling Wine. Apples, citrus, and crème fraiche on the nose is followed by green apple and orange peel on the palate, adding brightness to a generous and fulsome mouthfeel. An any occasion sparkling wine, perfect for an early spring Easter Brunch. $23.90 Sarah Cosman, Unsworth Vineyards

Blue Grouse Pinot Gris

Just released, 2012 Pinot Gris! This vintage boasts aroma of white peach and honeysuckle with loads of old world minerality, fresh honeydew melon, lime, and a firm backbone of acidity on the finish. This would pair well with fresh local prawns, oysters, roasted vegetable cheese tart or fresh green salads for Easter brunch. $18.50 Jenny Garlini, Blue Grouse Estate Vineyards

Zanatta Ortega

Easter always makes me think of stinging nettle risotto, which then makes me think of Ortega wine. In Italian the stinging nettle plant is known as “Ortica” which sounds a lot like Ortega which of course is the grape that grows better in the Cowichan Valley than anywhere else in Canada. Ortega wine has a rich body with apricot and peach notes. Zanatta Ortega is dry with a lingering fruit which doesn’t overpower the risotto, but still cleanses the palate leaving you ready for your next bite. We have an abundance of stinging nettles on our farm and Jim saves me a patch in the Muscat vineyard every spring. $16.50 Waterfront Dining serving Modern-Comfort at the winery. Inspired West Coast Cuisine. Loretta Zanatta, EASTER SUNDAY BRUNCH ! COME TRY Zanatta Vineyards 11am-3pm

Kids colouring contest Enter and win a $50 family G/C!

OUR NEW MENU!

Call for Reservations 250-597-4353

LOCATED AT BLUENOSE MARINA 1765 COWICHAN BAY RD

Interview with Jonathan Knight, the founder of True Grain Bread in Cowichan Bay by current owner Bruce Stewart t is hard to believe that this IGrain month marks 10 years since True opened the doors. Jonathan, tell me what things were like for you in the days leading up to the opening? It had been a very busy month. The building was the old fish store so there was a fair amount of renovations to turn it into a bakery. I was doing everything myself with the help of my friend John who showed up, and the problem with renovations is you can just keep going on and on. Fortunately I was limited by the amount of money that was quickly dwindling from the bank account, so I worked overtime to finish things up (thank-you Rock Cod Cafe for keeping me alive those weeks!), then one Friday morning I got up at 4am, filled the bread rack, and quietly opened the front door. And what were the early days like? It was crazy at the time, but looking back I can’t imagine having an easier time in getting a business off the ground. Right from the beginning I filled the bread rack everyday, not because I seriously felt I could sell it all when nobody knew I was there, but to show the confidence I had in fresh, real bread and to give those first customers the best possible selection and first impressions. But guess what? They sold! The next day I would bake more, and again I would sell out. My biggest challenge with starting the business turned out to be the demand coming in through the front door. I can give myself all the business kudos, but really it was the bread that quickly established the bakery as the heart of the Bay. What was Cowichan Bay like? CBC’s Stuart McLean stopped by in the early days, and

announced on national radio that coming into Cowichan Bay was like ‘taking a right turn into Newfoundland’. Very eclectic, colourful, a bit of a sleepy backwater in the Cowichan Valley. That first year I lived in the back room of the bakery, and was often woken from my meagre few hours sleep by the late-night festivities outside ‘Tugboat Annie’s’, the secondhand shop next door (the Bay was full of ‘em) that later became the Mud Room. Why did you choose Cowichan Bay? Really, I felt Cowichan Bay chose me. I had been living in Cape Breton, NS the previous few years, and decided to return to the west coast to open the bakery that I had been working towards. While I was down east, my mentor Katharina who I had apprenticed under had moved to the Cowichan Valley, so I came by for a visit. At the time I was thinking of the Comox Valley for a bakery, but while Katharina was away for a few weeks I farm-sat for her. That is when I really discoverd the Cowichan Valley and it’s winding country roads, diverse farmlands, incredible rivers and coast lines. One cold, wet February day I rode my bicycle down into Cowichan Bay, the day the ‘For Rent’ sign went up in the fish shop window. When everything just feels so right, it was one of the easiest decisons I ever made. Well, we all know what happened. Why do you think so many people made a connection with True Grain Bread? Well the bread, first and last. In the middle there is the story behind the bread, and don’t we all love a good story? The village bakery goes way way back, and my hope was to make

Jonathan Knight

The History of True Grain Bread True Grain Bread the real thing for our customers. So instead of just selling a loaf off the shelf, we shared our stories and philospohies about not only the bread but also about a return to what is real and what is true that the loaf represents; to draw a connection back to our food and the farmers and the land where it comes from. Adding the flour mill in the second year allowed us to draw more direct connections, first to a single farmer and field in Saskatchewan and ultimately to reintroduced wheat fields on Vancouver Island. Tell us about the name, True Grain Bread, how did you come up with that? What does it mean? I’ve always liked to play with words, especially words with more than one meaning. The name came to me during a long winter’s walk in Cape Breton. ‘True’ for genuine and authentic, but also ‘honest, loyal and faithful’. ‘Grain’ for the seed of a cereal plant, but also ‘nature, temper and tendency’. Bread is leavened baked fermented cereal grains, but can also mean ‘a necessary food’ or ‘ones’ livelihood’. Again, this name embodies the story that I was hoping to produce with each loaf of bread and of the people (not machines!) that made it happen: the farmer, the miller, the baker, and the one who

stopped by the bakery to bring a true loaf of bread home to the table. The craft that the farmer, the miller and the baker employ ensures that that loaf, in essence, is that same cereal grain that grew in that waving wheat field, not some highly adulterated product that has come out of the industrial food system. What are you doing these days? These days, I farm. After four years, the bakery had grown to the point that I was becoming a full time manager, which is not my strong point. I was very fortunate to come across Bruce and Leslie, with the right level of skills and experience for the bakery, and with the passion and right ideal-set for what the bakery needed to competently carry it forward. So it was with an easy mind that I could head off onto my next adventure, which ultimately led me to the Kispiox Valley - a small, very unique rural community north of Hazelton, BC. I’m involved with a couple of Farmers’ Markets; Hazelton Farmers’ Market and the Bulkley Valley Farmers’ Market in the neighbouring town of Smithers, where I sell my organic vegetables and stonemilled flour from the Red Fife wheat and other grains I have grown. Stop by the market if you are ever up in the Northwest! Congratulations Bruce and Leslie!

“ m w d B h r q c

W t K b p a o G c

A fi g t u l S p

Fresh bread at True Grain

“It’s fresher from here”

Smokey BBQ’d Chicken Rub

Ashley Lee Executive Chef, Bird’s Eye Cove Farm

Happy Birthday True Grain Bread! Stewart Family Jody Gallant Photography

he Globe and Mail describe Bruce Stewart as “a champion of the slow food movement” and along with his wife Leslie and a wonderful dedicated staff, True Grain Bread in Cowichan Bay has become internationally recognized for outstanding quality, sustainability and community. Working hard to maintain the original owner Jonathon Knight’s vision for creating a bakery that would act as the pillar of the community, while also producing unrivalled organic bread products True Grain Bread has much to celebrate 365 days of the year. At this bakery customers will find an onsite mill used to grind locally grown wheat that Joerg, their head baker uses in their breads. Signature loaves such as their Red Fife Sourdough, “an epitome of patience and craftsmanship”

made with just 3 ingredients, Red Fife wheat, water and sea salt. Another favourite is Khorasan (Kamut) Pumpkinseed. It is a whole grain loaf, very healthy, and flavourful. They also craft organic French Baguettes “We are often told by European visitors that they have not had a proper baguette in Canada since leaving home until they discover True Grain. Baguettes are like a painting, anyone can make one, but to make an exceptional one requires a high set of skills.” smiles Bruce. The bakery’s best sellers? Head baker, Joerg brought the Kopenhagen, the cheddar twist and the butterfly. They are all among the best sellers. Also, handmade pretzels, multigrain bread and organic coffee. “ People really love our organic fair trade coffee.” Organic cane sugar, organic milk and organic cream are onhand for customers. “I always smile when I look outside the window and see someone sipping a coffee and gazing into the ocean in Cowichan Bay. Glad to be part of that experience for people” says Bruce. Join the Stewarts and True Grain staff for the birthday festivities April 7 -13 !

With the sun starting to peek through, we decided to showcase one of our BBQ favorites. We serve this BBQ chicken on our catering menu cooked on our grill using hickory charcoal. It also makes an appearance on our wood fired signature pizza, The Clucker.

Amount

Ingredients

*For best results use Island Farmhouse Poultry Skin on, Bone in chicken thighs, legs, and breasts 2 Tsp. Smoked Paprika 2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar 1 Tsp. Chili Powder 1 Tsp. Cumin 2 Tsp. Garlic Powder 2 Tsp. Salt 2 Tsp. Pepper 2 Tsp. Mustard Powder 2 Tsp. Cayenne 2 Tsp. Onion Powder 1 Tsp. Sage 1 Tsp. Oregano 1 Tsp. Rosemary

Method

1. Combine all dry rub ingredients in a bowl and mix. You can store your dry rub in an airtight container the entire summer for ease of grilling. 2. Rub a light coating on your raw chicken and place chicken in airtight container overnight in fridge. Leaving the rub on the chicken overnight helps it absorb the ﬂavor of the rub. 3. Take your chicken out of the fridge before grilling and let rest while warming up your grill. 4. Start your grill on high heat to get a nice sear on your chicken. Place chicken skin down on the grill, and then turn the heat down to medium. 5. Keep turning chicken until your meat thermometer reads 170 degrees Fahrenheit at the meatiest part (near the bone if using bone in). Bone in chicken will take around 30-40 minutes. Thighs will take less time than bone in breasts so move to the top rack of your BBQ to keep warm. If using boneless skinless chicken breast your grill time will be closer to the 30 minutes. The chicken will char to a nice darkened coating on the grill. *If cooking skin on, make sure you watch closely as the skin will cause light ﬂare ups.

1615 Koksilah Road Cowichan Bay BC 250-746-6163 • www.farmhousepoultry.ca Chicken available from Country Grocer, 49th Parallel, Duncan Butcher, Chemainus Foods, Crofton Foods and Thrifty Foods

Eat, Drink and Support Local

y he

Amounts

1 1/2 ounces 3/4 ounce 1/2 ounce 3 ounces Lemon wedge for garnish

Ingredients

Bombay Sapphire Gin fresh lemon juice lavender syrup club soda

Preparation:

Lavender â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lixir A delightful and refreshing cocktail that is perfect to enjoy at the beginning of spring. You can also use the lavender syrup in a glass of fresh lemonade for the kids.

Squeeze half a lemon into a tall glass, add lavender syrup and Gin. Stir and fill with ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Lavender Simple Syrup Preparation: 1 cup water 3 Tbsp fresh or dried lavender flowers 2 cups sugar

Bring water and lavender to a boil. Stir in sugar until fully dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, strain out the lavender. Pour into bottle and keep in the refrigerator. It will store well for about 1 week.

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

EYE ONShawnigan

Explore the ancient forest of Shawnigan Lake. Stop for a coffee, meal or tasty treat.

ith a love for eating healthy and a talent for Japanese food, Choonok Moon owner of Shawnigan Jen’s Sushi and Teriyaki was enthusiastic at the opportunity to share her recipes with customers. As a mother of 2, she loved to cook. Japanese and Korean foods were always her family’s requests and now also the favourites of many Shawnigan Lake families. Since taking over the restaurant in 2011, she has explored offering some new menu items for customers to try. Traditional Japanese dishes and some Korean plates too.

Enjoy 2 for 1 Appetizers with this page. *Not valid with other offers.

2744 Shawnigan Lake Rd (250) 743-1887 www.steeplesrestaurant.ca

For the love of Shawnigan

Choonook Moon immigrated to Canada from Korea in the year of the Millenium. “We used to live in Victoria and and came to Shawnigan Lake often, especially in the summer time with my family. I love the place. It is a beautiful area filled with nice and kind people. I instantly fell in love and always wanted to live here. When my children graduated from school and moved to main island, I finally had chance to move to Shawnigan lake and found this restaurant. I enjoy living in this community.” Choonok caters to a loyal lunch and dinner crowd looking for their signature Dynamite Rolls (made with crab, yam and avocado). These best selling rolls have become a favourite for locals. Since taking over the business the family has also added a new Shawnigan Roll (Salmon or tuna with green onion, avocado, lettuce topped with hot sauce)

TRY OUR BURGERS!

For those who enjoy a more traditional Bento Box meal, Combo C is the choice for the area. Delicious Spicy Chicken Teriyaki with 3 pieces of hand battered Tempura and 3 pieces of California Roll (Crab meat, mayonnaise, cucumber and avocado). Due to popular request, Choonook added a Korean favourite BiBim-Bap a popular Korean rice dish made with mixed vegetables, beef and spicy Korean sauce. On Sundays, her International student customers all come for DDuk-bok-gi, a hand made rice cake mixed with vegetables and fish topped with Korean style sweet and spicy sauce. Delicious! For many of them a little taste of home. But Choonook doesn’t stop at Japanese! As many families have different tastes Burgers, Fries and other delicious foods are also available daily. Jen’s Sushi and Teriyaki Take Out is open 6 days a week, Monday - Sunday, 11am-7pm (Closed Tuesdays) Phone ahead for pick up! 250 743-1669

OVER 2 DOZEN TO CHOOSE FROM: • FISH • CHICKEN Open Daily from 11 AM • VEGGIE Licensed • GROUND CHUCK UK Candy, ﬁsh and chips, burgers PLUS A PILE OF and more! Check them out on FB! FIXIN’S TO ADD ON. 2740 Dundas Road In the Purple Building 250 929-8886 www.villagechippery.com

2750 Shawnigan Lake Road TAKE OUT - (250) 743-1669 www.shawnigansushi.blogspot.ca

Fresh, local &/organically sourced ingredients. Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

1845 Renfrew Road (250) 743-5515

www.gathersl.com

Bounding into Spring By Jen Coyle

Pet Line by Soul Comfort Sheepskin

s we start our farewells to the passing winter months, we eagerly turn our faces to the approaching season of new beginnings. In past centuries, it was considered good luck to meet a lamb, especially at Easter time. Lambs bring to mind gorgeously soft wool, and if you’re looking to stay dry and comfortable in our upcoming showery Spring months, consider heading over to Soul Comfort Sheepskin and Sheep Wool, on the corner of Jubilee and Fourth Streets. Specializing in products for comfort and healing: Palliative Care, Personal Care, Babies,

Bedding, Footwear & Pets. 100% Canadian owned and manufactured, they have been dedicated to creating natural wool products for almost 30 years. For those looking for other fine natural fibres and blended yarns, Ingrid’s Yarn & Needlework welcomes anyone who loves to knit, crochet, felt, or stitch….or for those who have always wanted to learn. Experienced project advice, assistance and classes are available with access to extensive pattern and book selections, supplies, kits, specialty yarns, tools, accessories and organizers. Ingrid even has ‘how to videos’ on her Facebook pages! Longer and brighter days, new growth and an expectation for outdoor activity brings the anticipation levels higher when thinking of the warmer weather. Coinciding perfectly, is the brand new Re-Opening of Cycle Therapy Bicycles, previously located on Trunk Road, whom have now moved to The Station on Duncan Street, beside the Duncan Garage. Gearing up for Easter, the bakers in our downtown will be going into kneading overdrive with flour clouds and mouthwatering smells, permeating

throughout their kitchens and drifting from their shop doors. The Westfalian Bakery on Kenneth Street will have their baskets filled with European home-baked goodness, to provide your holiday tables with delicious and aromatic traditional Hot Cross Buns and Heike’s Special Easter Bread. It’s an annual product she looks forward to using every

Hot Cross Buns at the Duncan Garage Bakery & Cafe

Easter - an egg based white raisin recipe, that she’s used for years. The Station Street Café will also have their display cases overflowing with scratch made baked goods, including their much-loved cookies and muffins. Hot Cross Buns (gluten-free ones on Saturdays), Butter Buns and super cute holiday Bunny Buns will be available to order from the Duncan Garage Café. Do you prefer spelt, or need to avoid dairy? They have all sorts of Vegan Spelt or gluten free options such as their made from scratch Sweet Potato Spelt dough or their almond sweet dough, stuffed with marzipan (Toasting a slice and spreading it with butter….Pure heaven!) Any family knows that Easter morning is the time for delighted cries

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

o C g f a a b o e p F H y C o s b c y b t

T s l fi r K v p T

I t

Cycle Therapy’s new location!

of discovery from the little explorers in their back yards. Colourful woven baskets getting filled as fast as their small grasping fingers can move, and the building anticipation for chocolate smeared grins. But as we all know treats aren’t just for kids! For the matured taste buds, you’ll find amazing selections of hand crafted Belgium chocolates by Dutch Chocolatier Ernest Horvers at Rembrandt’s on Kenneth Street. New to the store, they have recently expanded their products to include fresh-made vacuum packed Specialty Foods, such as; Dutch Beef Krokets, Frikandel, Nasi Goreng, Chicken Satay, and many more. However, if you’re still thinking with your sweet tooth, you may have to walk by Sugar Connections, Duncan’s Candy Store Boutique on Craig Street, to see all of their old fashioned imported candy filled jars. Their friendly staff are more than happy to fill your goody bags with bonbons, chocolate, and childhood favourites! They even carry a line of Sugar Free Candy! For any special event you may be considering, catered ‘Sugar High Buffets’ can be customized to fit your needs, working around weather, themes and colours. These colours of Spring can be seen all along our beautiful streets of downtown, as you wander through the shops, looking to freshen up your wardrobe, while possibly finding unexpected treasures, tasting new dishes, and rediscovering the independent shops in our own backyard. Keep an eye out for the newly erected signs directing vehicles to our many perimeter parking lots, offering free parking, or paid parking lots, costing a mere Loonie or Toonie for an entire day! It’s all right here, in the heart of Cowichan - a downtown that is anything but ordinary!

Support our local artists. They make our world more beautiful to live in.

Services Offered • Rosacea • Acne • Sun Damage • Botox™ and Fillers • Photofacials • Hair Removal • Spray Tanning • Medical Microdermabrasion • Latisse™ Perscription Eyelash Growing Formula

For Consultations 250 746 6512 WWW.VIVAMEDICALAESTHETICS.COM

177 FOURTH ST #3, DOWNTOWN DUNCAN

CGC Celebrates Earth Day

fter months of sowing the seeds of change though major renovations at The Station, Cowichan Green Community is ready to celebrate the vibrancy and community blossoming at this end of town. Come join us in bringing the heart into the fringe of downtown. Cowichan’s Earth Day Celebration will be held in Charles Hoey Park on Saturday, April 26th. It will be a day of free family fun, from dancing to marimba music and eating local soup in your reusable mug, to building art with bike parts and planting your own seedlings. Help us further our green mission by bringing your old garden

tools to donate to The Garden Pantry Thrift Shop in The Station. Throughout the spring you will notice exciting changes in the landscaping around The Station as we develop a community food forest! Planted on this previously underutilized green space, fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, and edible and medicinal perennials will transform the site. Every Wednesday from 3:305:30pm, community work parties lend their hand in creating a beautiful, fruitful edible garden demonstration site. Volunteers welcome.

IS NOW OPEN ! AT 360 DUNCAN STREET (NEXT TO THE DUNCAN GARAGE)

MONDAY – SATURDAY

10am – 5:30pm

COME & VISIT US IN OUR BRAND NEW SPACE FOR BIKES SALES REPAIRS AND RENTALS

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Biker, Tessa Stiven

Basic Bike Maintenance

hen I got my first road bike, I asked David about maintenance. He listed the basic maintenance steps and I wrote them down on a piece of blue shop papertowel. I thumb-tacked it to the garage wall and, being extremely un-mechanical, referred to it constantly. One day my instructions were missing. Evidently, David had run out of cleaning rags and used my instructions to clean his chain. Sigh. I wrote it all out again and warned

him to keep his distance. He was in disbelief that I could be THAT un-mechanical. I am still mechanically challenged but thankfully we have great bike mechanics at Cycle Therapy and they, very kindly, keep my bikes in great running order. If you don’t have a bike mechanic handy…this is what they tell me you should do every time you ride your bike. Weekly road bike group rides. Meet at the store Monday or Thursday 5:45pm.

• Clean your bike frame after every ride. Rinse off any mud or road grit. Use a protective polish afterwards to protect from UV Rays as well as making it easier to clean the next time. We like Pedro’s Lust. • Lubricate your chain. Dry it first if it’s wet. You can use a dry or wet lubricant. We prefer dry lube as it cleans the chain and does not attract road grit that can wear out your chain very quickly. Dab the lube evenly along the chain. • Lubricate with dry lube or penetrating oil all the moving parts such as the cables (where the cables go into and out of the cable housing) the derailleurs and the brakes (No! Not the brake pads! Bad…stop that!) • Before you ride be sure your tires are filled to the proper PSI. • If it’s a mountain bike check all the bolts to ensure they are not loose. Sticking to this routine will keep your bikes in great working order. It’s not a bad idea to get a thorough check-up from a certified bike mechanic at least once a year. See you on the road. Submitted by Sandra Beggs.

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

The Cowichan Valley CSA That Paved The Way Alderlea Farm CSA pick up station.

On CSA Pick Up Days enjoy a farm fresh dish at Alderlea’s farm cafe!

hough I grew up in the ‘burbs’ outside NYC and Katy spent her childhood on a small farm in Ontario, we both shared a burning love for farming and the experience that it provides for children and adults alike. When you arrive on a farm, the pleasant ambience of the vegetables and fruits growing, the noises and smells from the livestock, and the serene beauty of the

farmed landscape, all heighten the senses and contribute to a general well being. We love when families come with their children and they scoop up the kale from the bins to

eat raw like ice cream. We don’t have to worry about toxic residues because we are an organic farm. As a biodynamic farm, we try to develop a ‘farm organism’ a living being that has a skin or boundary, organs that work together, like the farm animals, fruit trees, and crops, and breathing and circulatory functions that contribute to a balanced thriving farm. When people arrive at the farm they are enveloped in this warmth and held by the safety that a local farm provides. A farm develops in harmony with the community that is sustained by it. It is agriculture supported by the community, as in CSA. When we started the CSA in 2004, we had less than 2 acres and about fifty committed households. We did a lot of community building with festivals on the farm, newsletters with recipes, and workshops about nutritional food preparation. We knew that CSA was more than just about vegetables; it was also

Farmer John kisses one of his cows.

about the creation of bonding relationships with the farm and the community. This consumer-producer association is an economic ideal transcending the selfishness of market capitalism and the inefficiency and controls of state socialism. It arose simultaneously in Europe and Japan in the early 80’s. We still have about 20 of those original households supporting the farm.

Alderlea Farm

3390 Glenora Rd Duncan 250 597-3438 www.alderleafarm.com 100 CSA Shares Available 10 Months weekly pickup Mar thru December with 3 sizes of shares Farm Stand & Cafe Hours Year Round Tues, Fri, Sat, and Sun 11am-6pm What inspired you to grow food for your community? The joy from growing food in our communty inspired opening the Alderlea Cafe where we get to serve delicious meals with the same farm grown produce found in our CSA. It’s a local farm to table dream come true! We love sharing food with our community fresh from the farm to take home or home cooked in the cafe. What’s in your CSA? We grow certified organic broccoli, carrots, radish, chinese cabbage, cherry tomatoes, beets, lettuce, spinach, chard, kale, onions, parsley, mixed greens, green beans, cucumbers, basil, raspberries, zucchini, celery, tomatoes, potatoes, daikon, parsley, butternut, delicata, acorn squash, garlic, turnips, brussels sprouts and pumpkin. Farm raised beef, pork, poultry, eggs and homemade pickles, saurkraut and preserves are also available seasonally for limited purchase.

Homegrown favourites: Broccoli, raspberries, strawberries, garlic and pumpkins

Fresh Farm Grown Just For You

8 1/2 acres

6776 Somenos Rd. (at HWY 18); 10 minutes north of Duncan 250 597-4616 FB 8andahalfacres 30 CSA Shares Available 22 weeks - June 17 to November 11 Pick up at the farm on Tuesdays or Downtown Duncan on Wednesdays Farm Stand Year Round Tues- Sat 11 to 6 pm Cost $495 for season What inspired you to grow food for your community? At 8 1/2 acres our hope is to engage with our community in a meaningful way; for us this translates to growing food in a sustainable manner. Our farm motto is “We love to farm!” What’s in your CSA? We offer a huge selection of vegetables and fruit. In addition to your box your weekly stop on the farm might include visiting the chickens or browsing the fields to watch the progress of the crops. Our weekly newsletter offers recipes and health tips aimed to inspire you in the kitchen and motivate a nourishing lifestyle. We look forward to sharing our harvest with you! Our amazing free range eggs are also available for purchase.

Homegrown favourites: Melons, salad greens, eggplant, Heirloom tomatoes and snap peas

Crazy Dog Farm

3060 Mt Sicker Chemainus 250 701-9711 www.crazydogfarm.com 20 CSA Shares Available 20 weeks - Mid May to end of October Early Shares Available 6 weeks April - mid May Delivery or pick up from the farm in Chemainus What inspired you to grow food for your community? Gardening is a passion... or an obsession of mine. Started off as a hobby, then decided to make it into a life choice. What’s in your CSA? ? Arugula, basil, cilantro, mesculin, spinach, thyme, oregano, beets, beet greens lettuces - red romaine, dill fennel, kohlrabi, scallions, radish, daikon, parsnips, esmeralda, great lakes rosemary, tomatoes - over 5 varieties!, peppers - hot and sweet, pumpkins, zucchini summer squash, winter squash (12 different varieties!) kale (lancinato, westlandse and red russian) broccoli, cabbage (red and green), green onions, edible flowers - pansy, nastursium, poppy seed and potatoes.

Homegrown favourites: Unique salad mixes, tomatoes, squash

Fresh Start Edibles @ Damali 3500 Telegraph Road, Cobble Hill 250 733-2635 freshstartedibles.com 10 CSA Shares Available 24 weeks - May - mid Oct Pick up at the farm Tuesdays or Sat/Sun Cost $100 deposit, min. $20 / week for 24 weeks

What inspired you to grow food for your community? After learning that less than 6% of the food we consume on the Island is grown on the Island... that sobering fact inspired us to research growing food in natural ways using permaculture and SPIN (small plot intensive) gardening. What’s in your CSA? We grow an abundance of mixed kale, salad greens, swiss chard, collard greens, carrots, beans, peas, beets, spinach, garlic, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, broccoli, radishes, etc plus fresh seasonal herbs, lavender and more! We also have farm-fresh eggs available from time to time. We email an availability list to each customer weekly, they place their order and we reduce the overall amount by 5% of deposit each week.

Homegrown favourites: Garlic, marvelous mixed greens, kale, fresh starts, living salad bowls and farm fresh picnics

The Happy Goat

5060 McLay Road Duncan 250 701-7533 www.thehappygoat.ca 50 CSA Shares Available 24 Weeks Begins in May Weekly pick-up Eggs & Poultry Available Year Round Farm Stand Hours: Tues - Saty 11am-6pm What inspired you to grow food for your community? Being able to source our food locally is very important to us. We wanted to do our part to make sure that those who want local food can get it easily. What’s in your CSA? Uncertified organic, pastureraised Chicken and Egg CSA for the 2014 season. We rotate our poultry through our pastures, where they are free to forage in the sunshine and fresh air, and the results are incredible! Participants select the size of egg and/ or chicken share that works best for them. Payments can be made in advance or in equal monthly instalments during the course of the CSA. We offer our CSA either direct from our farm or in partnership with Alderlea Farm’s vegetable CSA program.

Homegrown favourites: Organic, pasture-raised poultry & eggs from our happy flock of chickens

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

W f I f m r e j f w

W S b o N m g b O w

F c f

Take Your Pick! Local CSA Programs

Island Shire

1967 Koksilah Road Cowichan Bay 250 597-7575 www.islandshire.com 25 CSA Shares Available 3 weeks of Eggs start May 1; 20 weeks of Vegetables June - October; 6 Broilers throughout season Pick Up Thursdays Cost: $536 for 6 months of protein and vegetables Farm Stand Hours: Mon-Sat Morning - Dusk What inspired you to grow food for your community? I love the natural diversified farm model where eggs, meat, and vegetables are raised in a chemical-free environment. I get a lot of joy from those silly birds, and from serving my community with truly local healthy food. What’s in your CSA? Starting with eggs, we add basic vegetables (see list on website) when Mother Nature allows, but not so many each week that you get overwhelmed. Then a broiler each month through October, along with a few other treats.

Lockwood Farms

3805 Cobble Hill Rd Cobble Hill 250 710-GROW www.lockwoodfarms.ca 20 CSA Shares Available 22 Weeks Pick Up 3-7pm Tuesdays Cost: $21 a week 3/4 share $15 a week Farm Stand Hours: Mon - Friy 11am-Dusk What inspired you to grow food for your community? We are the change we want to see in the world. Our Lockwood Family has been growing for over 250 years, so growing is in our blood. We always have lots of lovely leafy greens! What’s in your CSA? Carrots, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beets, turnips, parsnips, basil, cilantro, squash, rhubarb, raspberries, blueberries, brussel sprouts lettuce heads and lettuce mix, salad mix, spinach, kale, chard and much more. Delivery available to Duncan/ South Cowichan area. Eggs and chicken are also available to as optional CSA extras.

Flower bouquets, salsa and crunchy dilled beans available for purchase.

Homegrown favourites: Tomatoes, Apple Fed Pigs and Seasonal Flowers

Homegrown favourites: Kale, Chard, Rainbow Carrots and Basil

Makaria Farm

4715 Bench Road Duncan 250 597-3276 www.makariafarm.com 100 CSA Shares Available 21 Weeks - June to end of October Cost: Full Share: $425 ($20.24/week) Smaller Share: $330 ($15.71/week) Add $3/week for delivery Farm Stand Hours: 7 Days 11am - 6pm What inspired you to grow food for your community? We wanted a tangible way to have a positive impact on the world. Growing food is such a rewarding, meaningful way to make a living. Our goal is to make it easy for people to eat good food, which is why we offer delivery to homes and workplaces.

Tatlo Road Farm

7871 Tatlo Road West Crofton 250 246-2323 www.tatloroadfarm.com 20 CSA Shares Available 16 Weeks - July - October Pick Up Weds 3 – 6 pm Cost: $25 a week $400 for Season Farm Stand Hours: Wed. 3 - 6pm, July - Oct What inspired you to grow food for your community? We were inspired to farm for many reasons- environmental, social, and ethical- but in the end, we farm because we love the work. It is the perfect blend of creativity and organization, it is artistic and scientific/mathematical, physical and mental, purposeful and restorative. We also farm because we love food!

What’s in your CSA? Our members receive a bountiful share of around 8 different items each week, all grown organically. We grow strawberries, carrots, beans, potatoes, broccoli, lettuce, garlic, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, salad greens, spinach, chard, kale, zucchini, winter squash, cabbage and more.

What’s in your CSA? We grow over 40 different vegetable crops, as well as fresh herbs and strawberries. Everything from cucumbers, tomatoes and sweet corn, to carrots, beets and potatoes, to fresh basil and some specialty crops like watermelon radish! Our farm is ‘in transition’ to Certified Organic with the Island Organic Producers Association and we expect to be fully certified in June of 2014.

Homegrown favourites: Broccoli, carrots and strawberries

Homegrown favourites: Salad greens, cucumbers, herbs, and tomatoes

YOU DESERVE HEALTHY SKIN! Host a Home Facial Party this Month! Call Robin at 250-710-1276

Visit us at botanicbliss.com

My Fair Lady The South Island Musical Theatre Society has been bringing highest quality amateur musical theatre to the Cowichan Valley since 1982. This season they bring My Fair Lady. This show is no exception, showcasing outstanding local talent supported by a live orchestra, creative sets and beautiful costumes. You will be sure to be whistling on one of the many memorable tunes as you walk out the doors. The play is at once funny and touching, and features some of the most famous songs on Broadway, such as “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “On the Street Where You Live”. Show runs April 4, 5, 6, 11,12 at the Cowichan Theatre. For ticket info please call 250 748 7529.

Studio 2000 Keeps the Dance and Drum Alive! Belly Dance and Drum Workshops all weekend Master tabla percussionist Issam Houshan will instruct with Belly Dance teachers Angelina Peterson and Pamela Ball for four exciting workshops. Fore more info: angepete@shaw.caS April 5th & 6th, Mercury Theatre 7pm$20/$25Door

Dance Your Heart Out DayofABUNDANCE Embrace dynamic balance & transformation through this gently guided moving meditation

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

journey inspired by awesome beats, heart melting music, yoga, Kundalini Dance, and stillness. April 12 9-4pm, $85 Lila Music Studio, 3228A Gibbons Rd. www.christygreenwood.ca

Come Soothe The Soul Flute Playing Workshop Ed Peekeekoot, has been teaching Native American Flute Playing Workshops in the Cowichan Valley for almost 8 years. Ed is known locally for his wonderful guitar and fiddle playing as well as his song writing, having been nominated for the Aboriginal Music Awards. His flute workshops are for all ages, no experience or flute is necessary. Flutes are provided by Heart Song Flutes. The Native American Flute is easy to learn how to play. Tablature style music is written, making it easy for everyone to play well known songs without having to read music. Sunday April 13th, Lake Cowichan, 11:30am-3pm $40 To register contact Rommy at 250-749-6563 or rommy.v@hotmail.com

april

music

Sara Marreiros and Trav Short at Old Firehouse This April the well known duo of Sara Marreiros and Trav Short are bringing their musical stylings to Duncan! Using only the instruments of Voice and Standup Base, the duo work from an eclectic repertoire. Showcasing Jazz standards, interpretations of contemporary masters like Bijork and Portishead as well as original material, Marreiros and Short create an intimate musical journey not to be missed. Friday April 25th 7:30 @ the Old Firehouse Wine Bar, 40 Ingram St.

Saturday April 26 @ 7pm, Teafarm 8350 Richards Trail, North Cowichan www.teafarm.ca $10/person Limited space. Please call to reserve. 250 748-3811

Holly Burke Quintet Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley As the venerable jazz and blues bible Downbeat Magazine said about Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley “ It’s a rare and good thing when two talented performers join forces” Braithwaite was dubbed a ”national treasure” by Bluz FM radio host Danny Marks. Toronto born and raised, her ancestors traveled to Canada from Virginia, via the Underground Railroad. Saturday, April 19th Willow Street Café, 9749 Willow St, Chemainus $20/pp show only, $40/pp 3 course dinner and show

Tea & Tango Experience an evening with the sound, dance and taste of Argentina. Discover Yerba Mate served in gourds, dulce de leche and other traditional sweets. Enjoy Tango music and an alluring Tango performance. Your exotic and tasteful journey to South America awaits. Teafarm is your local destination in the Cowichan to share tea culture from around the world. www.teafarm.ca

Vancouver musician Holly Burke figures if the hat fits, wear it. A jazz flutist and singer, she leads an ace band called the Naturals. Featuring saxophonist Bill Runge, pianist Kristia Alexandrov, bassist Brent Gubbels and drummer Randall Stoll, the group moves from post-bop to fusion freely on her new album Nature Girl. When Burke isn’t playing, she is often seen onscreen in acting roles on local TV and film productions. April 26, 7:30pm Sylvan United Church, 585 Shawnigan Mill Bay Road, Tickets $15/$20door 250 743 4301 or Sunday Jazz Series, Crofton Hotel April 27, 2-5 pm

Imagine, Making Your Own Instrument

n the early days of violin making, when there were no electronic gadgets, machinery and automated short cuts, Luthiers had to rely on their personal skills, intuition and years of experimentation to perfect their instruments. Luthiers developed their own signature styles, created their own varnishes as well as making or building their own tools by hand. There were no CNCs (a computerized copying machine) to duplicate many violins. Only time, persistence and dedication of the makers, produced exceptional works.

Zak Stolk Violin Maker

25 Years Experience of Lutherie in the Italian Tradition. Making, repair and restoration of Violins, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Harp, and all manner of Stringed ALSO offering Instruments. instrument making classes.

Mandolin & Violin.

250-749-6563 zakviolins@shaw.ca www.zakviolins.com

Zak Stolk may well have been one of those living in the olden times as he works using methods in the manner of the ancient masters. Using “Tap Tones” and “Flexing” to determine proper acoustics are a couple of those methods. The wood Zak uses may not be the same as the makers of old, but he does seek out the best possible tone woods and makes sure they are air dried and seasoned for at least 10 years. Although the market for fine handmade instruments has declined in the last 5-10 years due to the economy and the influx of cheaper foreign instruments, he continues to

Zak Stolk with a studentg

pursue his craft. His love for creating has not diminished and still endeavours to make quality instruments. Aside from making instruments, he has undertaken the challenge of passing his skills on to interested students. Classes are small with lots of one on one attention. Students learn to properly use a variety of tools, and develop a keen sense for detail as well as techniques such as wood bending, carving and finishing. The satisfaction experienced from playing an instrument you made yourself can only be known by those that have done it. Commitment and dedication are needed to complete the project, however you will not only have an instrument that you have created, you have learned a few tricks and secrets of a trade that you can pursue for yourself or pass on to ones you love.

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

T h a t i m a y s r

The Cowichan Valley Artisans: a tour de force

Jo Ludwig

any people know of the term “The City of Totems”. But Duncan and her other neighbouring towns are also home to a group of talented artisans who work in a wide assortment of other media. I recently discovered an existing “art crawl” where you can dip your toe in the sizeable talent pool that exists right here in our own back

yard. The tour is mapped out under the auspices of The Cowichan Valley Artisans - a collective of talented working artisans dotted between Mill Bay and Ladysmith. It’s a bit like a gallery tour, insofar as you get to see some premier art in different media. However, there is one fundamental difference

between this tour and a typical gallery tour: you get to meet the artists in the very places where they make their magic happen. If you’re up for a day trip, you’ll be able to meet world-class woodworkers, painters, potters, winemakers and glassworkers - each with a passion for what they do. As many of the artists show in galleries across North America, much of the public is already familiar with their works. However, only if you happen to be in this neck of the woods can you interact with the artists in their studios. There’s no specific route, but I found the best way was to start at the southernmost studio near Mill Bay and wind my way up to the northernmost studio in Ladysmith. As it turns out, April 25th, 26th, 27th, is their “Open Studio Weekend”,

when from 10 to 5, you can drop by, have a chat and view their very latest. For more on the tour and The Cowichan Valley Artisans, visit www. cowichanvalleyartisans.com. Nigel Yonge is an award-winning copywriter based in the Cowichan Valley. www.nigelyonge.com

A Good Night: The Brain in Pajamas

Therapeutic Yoga

he intent of Therapeutic Yoga is to apply the principles of Yoga and Recovery based therapy in a way that can empower individuals as they progress towards improved health and wellbeing. The goals of Therapeutic Yoga include eliminating, reducing or managing symptoms that cause suffering, improving function and helping to prevent the occurrence or reoccurrence of underlying causes of illness. The world of Yoga TherapyTherapeutic Yoga is currently becoming more widely recognized by the medical community, as a means of offering supportive and alternative care for many different medical conditions. One of the most common health related complaints today is Low Back Pain.

This Therapeutic Yoga Series for Better Back Care is designed specifically for those affected by conditions such as general low back pain, disc injury, sciatica, arthritis or osteoarthritis. Using a gentle, restorative and educational approach, the aim is to offer information and tools for relief to those who are experiencing back pain. Classes offered Wednesdays in April 9, 16, 23, 30 at 9:3010:45am at Harmony Yoga Studio in Duncan. Class by Pre-registration only. Please contact: lindsay.campa@ gmail.com Lindsay Campa is a Registered Massage Therapist and Registered Yoga Teacher. www.thehealingbody.ca

ow sweet to end each day curled up in a warm bed, to effortlessly sink into a deep delicious slumber and to greet each morning with energy, delight and joy! Certainly this is how we began our early lives! Sleep is so vital to our well-being and it is the first defense in maintaining good health. But who sleeps anyway? With today’s hectic lifestyles, it can be hard to find time for basic activities— even sleep. More than 60% of North Americans say they experience a sleep problem every night or almost every night. Effective, noninvasive interventions for insomnia are needed. The common approach to treating sleep maladies is chemical, with $150 billion spent by US companies to address sleep-related issues. Use of sedatives has soared as stressed-out North Americans seek to feel more relaxed. The problem is that the underlying sleep architecture remains abnormal because of the continuing imbalance in the individual’s brainwaves. Chemicals such as sleep aids simply mask what’s really going on inside us. Due to the amount of trauma and stress as a result of the pressures of our complex modern world, the overtaxed brain becomes “stuck” in a mode for coping with challenging situations, unable to return to its normal relaxed state. For example, an overabundance of high frequency brainwave activity at the temporal lobes can make it difficult to “turn off” the mind at the end of the day.

low and high frequencies in optimal proportion to one another throughout the brain, you may find yourself sleeping well often for the first time in years. When the brain is agitated, as measured by EEG, the individual’s sleep tends to suffer. Poor sleep isn’t merely a symptom of physical and emotional health problems, but the source of many of these problems. At any age, sleep can be improved by balancing and harmonizing the brainwaves. Changing your sleep patterns by balancing brainwaves can be life-changing—like being released from shackles. Healthy Sleep Tips: Keep to a regular bedtime including weekends; avoid eating a heavy meal 2-3 hours before bed; engage in vigorous exercise on a regular basis to improve quality and quantity of sleep; avoid using electronic devices such as a laptops an hour before bed or in the middle of the night (electronic devices can make it hard to fall asleep, the particular type of light emanating from the screens is activating to the brain); keep your bedroom cool, make it a sweet sanctuary, dark and quiet; and most importantly, consider balancing and harmonizing your brainwaves with Brainwave Optimization®. Cool Brain Fact: Blind people dream. Dreams are more than just visual images, and blind people do dream. Whether or not they dream in pictures depends on if they were born blind or lost their vision later.

As the master control center, the brain drives body chemistry. When brainwave patterns are balanced left-toright and front-to-back, with

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Karen Allen, owner of Brainwave Harmonics, is a Brainwave Optimization™ technologist.

Image courtesy Kim’s Beach Interiors

Restore Your Health with

Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture & Diet Therapy

Dr. Fei Yang 250-733-2917 www.drfeiyang.ca

Professional Home Staging with Kim

imberly’s passion for design started as a little girl. Decorating her room and her Barbie’s playhouse was just the beginning. She has taken her creative passion for design into her store located in Cowichan Bay. Taking your home and making it appeal to the right demographic is all about romancing the buyer and making it feel like it could be their home. It’s about letting go of the past and looking forward to the future. She often uses redesign, which is using what the client already

owns, and deleting, decluttering and adding accessories to make it appeal to the buyer. Furniture placement, lighting, art, functionability and beauty is the key to selling the home quickly and for more money. Homes, businesses, condos, vacation and waterfront properties can all benefit from Kimberly’s staging and design services, whether your looking to buy or stay. She can take any space from blaaah to aaah. She is also certified in colour consultations,

and takes the fear out of choosing the right colour for your space. This is a simple way to transform the look of your home. It is $250 for a home staging or colour consult, where she gives a list of things to be done for making the property ready for staging, or will choose paint colours for your space. If the client prefers, Kim and her assistant will do the staging for you, and that price will vary depending on the task at hand. Any furniture and accessories that are added, whether it be rental or purchased personally for the client, will be invoiced separately. Kim can work within any budget, as she believes everyone should have a beautiful space to come home to.

She has access to the best in the contracting and renovation fields, so if you’re looking for flooring, countertops, tiling or furniture she and her team will create the perfect space. People should strongly consider hiring Kimberly because she gets a feel for her clients and what their needs are. She takes a space and makes it functional and beautiful, so whether people are looking to add re-sale value to their home, or create a more beautiful space for themselves, Kimberly is your go-to for any design project. For info contact Kimberly at kim@ kimsbeachinteriors.com, 250 709 9152 Her store, Beach Interiors, is located in Cowichan Bay. Submitted by Noah Robertson

APRIL $100 G/C GIVEAWAY! Greetings from Lynn’s Vitamin Gallery!

The product we are featuring for April is the NOW brand. We will be having a draw to to win a $100 gift certificate towards instock NOW products for the winner. The now food mission: to provide value in products and services that empower people to lead healthier lives. NOW foods is an award winning and highly respected manufacturer of vitamins, minerals, dietary supplements, and natural foods. We have NOW sprouting seeds & accessories. large selection of NOW Better Stevia which is natural,gluten free, non GMO clean, sweet taste and sugar free. food items and vitamin supplements.

Lynn’s

VITAMIN GALLERY HEALTH FOOD STORE

4-180 Central Avenue, Village Green Mall Duncan

250 748 4421

Made in Cowichan!

BOKASHI Originating from Japan, Bokashi supplies beneficial bacteria that assists fermentation to quickly speed the composting process. All you have to is sprinkle! BOKASHI CAN TO ORDER • Compost Meat and Dairy • Eliminate nasty smells and bugs 250 732 6264 • Eliminate your compost pile Use with Municipal Compost to reduce smell and flies. USE FOR COMMERCIAL OR HOUSEHOLD COMPOSTING

FARMS • RESTAURANTS • CHICKEN COOPS

Ask Allen

Allen McCulloch is a BCIT graduate, professsional renovating contractor with over 40 years experience. Ask Allen for professional tips and tricks for repairs around the home and office.

How can we prevent outdoor stairs from being slippery?

Sharon from Cobble Hill asked how to prevent her steps from being so slippery and dangerous. To prep the surface for adding a grip, wash the step or tread with a bleach solution such as a product called “30 Seconds”. This is available at our local hardware stores. Once prepped you are ready to paint a grip on. Add silica sand to some of your stair paint to give you a rough texture and add your grip. Silica sand is not as coarse as regular sand so it won’t tear the paint when walked on. The remaining paint can be used to paint the rest of the stairs....to blend in for asthetics. Another solution is to nail a roof shingle onto the step surface. This can be done anytime, but note it will not blend in colour like the paint with sand. Tip for the month: To prevent moss build up on your roof nail zinc strips to the peak of the roof under the roof cap. Don’t forget to seal the nailheads with roof gum. Have you got a question for Allen? Contact him at allen_2004@consultant.com or 250 216 5976

• Wood Doors • Wood Windows • Service to All Types of Doors & Windows

250-743-4011

Kitchen Starter Kit - $35 I Bokashi - $10/lb

www.kwdoorsandwindows.com

www.cowichancompost.com

Heritage Homes a Specialtyom

t d c 1 g 2 e c t p m a a a f s

W fi b e d o t c o e a s o h

Drawing by Erica Ritter

Wood Burning Made Healthy

hen burning wood (or any bio-mass) to generate heat within a dwelling, peak efficiency is contingent upon two factors. 1 - How thoroughly the fuel gasses are combusted and, 2 - How much of the thermal energy generated from combustion is retained within the dwelling for desired purposes. In other words, the more thoroughly we can burn a given volume of biomass, and the more we can harvest and utilize the heat… the less fuel we will consume. In short: think zero waste. With these criteria in mind, fireplaces with stone/ brick chimneys located on exterior walls are thoroughly dysfunctional because much of the heat produced by the fire is absorbed into the chimney’s mass and radiated outside of the building’s envelope. My apologies if I am offending any owners of such devices, but on matters of such primordial activity we had best be clear.

Modern metal-bodied stoves are becoming highly combustion efficient, with long slow burns and very clean exhausts. However, because their thin metal bodies are serving as both fire-box and radiator, the stove’s core temperature must remain lower than optimal so as not to overheat the metal. This evokes mediocre expansion pressures, and a consequent need to send a significant percentage of heat up the flue to create a vertical draft strong enough to pull the combustion process along. Thus, a metal stove with a fire-box temperature of 500c will often have a flue exit temperature of at least 100c. The most efficient wood-fired heaters have very high firing temperatures, and a large (earthen or liquid) mass that absorbs/harvests the heat from the exhaust gasses. For example, the refractory core of a rocket mass heater routinely operates at over 1000c. This occurs inside

a vertical heat riser which evokes a very powerful draft that can effectively push the super-heated gasses through lengthy earthen mass flues and/or hypocaust chambers. This mass absorbs the extreme heat for gradual release into the dwelling. The heat can also first be concentrated into bake ovens, griddles, water heat exchangers etc… With the rocket’s powerful draft pushing the process along, virtually all of the heat is extracted from the flue gasses before they exit the building’s envelope. Exhaust gas temperatures exiting the dwelling can therefore be kept below 40c.

Running the comparative numbers: 500c divided by 100c gives a heat retention factor of 5. Whereas 1000c divided by 40c gives a retention factor of 25. This explains how people who convert from metal-bodied stoves to rocket mass heaters are able to achieve the same heating/cooking results while consuming only 1/5th of the fuel – not to mention the bonus of being able to curl up on a nice warm bench. Patrick Amos, M.A., is an advocate and practitioner of techniques for mutually beneficial, sustainable living.

HAPPY EARTH DAY! Celebrate our region with games, storytelling, info booths and more on:

Saturday, April 26, 2014 11am-3pm Charles Hoey Park, Downtown Duncan For more information, please visit: www.jeancrowder.ca

Jean Crowder, MP jean@jeancrowder.ca 250-746-2354

WE BUILD HOMES FOR LIFE

egion-wide, local Earth Image courtesy Robert Cerins government and non-profit environmentally focussed groups have come together to plan and create a family-friendly Earth Day Celebration for the entire Cowichan Valley community. Our Regional Earth Day Planning Committee is made up of members of the CVRD Environment Commission, The City of Duncan Environment activities, environmental Committee, North Cowichan education for all ages, music, Climate Change Advisory games, and local food. Join Committee, the Town of the GREEN theme and wear Ladysmith Green Team, Cowichan Green Community, green, and bring your own mug to fill with FREE homeand many other non-profit, made soup! Great prizes to be environmentally focused won! Cowichan’s Earth Day groups. We are working hard Celebration is on Saturday, to bring a huge variety of April 26 - Downtown Duncan FREE, GREEN and LOCAL at the Charles Hoey Grounds music and entertainment, (the train station) from 11:00 education and games, food, until 3:00. Come on out for and fun to the Cowichan some good, “green” family community! We would like fun! to encourage everyone to attend ‘Cowichan’s Earth Day For more information Celebration’! contact Priscilla Brewer, Chair, Regional Earth Day Cowichan’s Earth Day Committee at 12bigthings@ Celebration is a regional gmail.com. family event that features FREE entertainment, eco-

Earth Day in the Cowichan Valley

For full design/build service, give us a call

 250.746.5372 • coulsondesign@shaw.ca • www.davidcoulsondesign.com 

t d T w C 1 s f p e t b o T h E T g w c t a T o f g w

“Raise a glass to a lass!”

Mother’s Day Concert

A Fundraiser for Ensemble Laude Cider Pairings & 3 Course Dinner

April 22 is Earth Day Isn’t Every Day an Earth Day?

ransition Cowichan is a grassroots organization that proposes that every day should be Earth Day. The roots of Earth Day were nourished by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring of 1962 and emerged as a seedling on April 22nd, 1970, further nourished by young people’s awareness that the environment is us. Since then the Earth Day tree has branched into celebrations in over 184 countries. The Transition Town network has many similarities to Earth Day in its origins. Transition Towns is a grassroots global network working to build resilient communities in response to peak oil, climate change and economic instability. Transition Cowichan, one of 475 Transition Towns, feeds into many community groups which are actively working towards a resilient

and regenerative Cowichan Valley. We work with neighbourhood groups, Cowichan Land Trust, Cowichan Green Community, Social Planning Cowichan, North Cowichan’s Climate Action and Energy Plan, One Cowichan and others. Two joint projects are to show films motivating neighbours to reduce energy use and save money, and remediation of the hospital slope to bee friendly habitat. See our website http://www. transitioncowichan.org/ for other projects. How might you celebrate the Earth every day? Five areas to think about where you can make a difference are your household energy, transportation, water, food and waste. If you want more information please contact us. info@transitioncowichan.org or contact Sandy at 748-5820 or Reed at 748-0550.

Sunday, May 11 • Drinks 5pm

$80 Tickets available at Community Farm Store 101-330 Duncan St, Duncan 250-748-6227

1230 Merridale Rd, Cobble Hill www.ensemblelaude.org

4th Annual Stinging Nettle Festival Sunday April 13 11am-6pm

Enjoy a delicious stinging nettle farm to plate menu with pizza selections from the Alderlea Farm wood fired oven, stinging nettle pesto, nettle soup, nettle quiche, ‘nettleokapita’, delightful desserts, nettle drinks and more. Dance to music by BOPOMA, go for a wild nettle walk, taste at the nettle cooking demonstration and even learn how to make stinging nettle wine. Farm fun and hayrides for the whole family! 3390 Glenora Road, Duncan www.alderleafarm.com

Ms. Katy’s Best Ever Stinging Nettle Chips • Remove the leaves and heads off the stems using gloves. • Evenly spread heads and leaves out on baking tray • Lightly rub with light oil and salt • Bake at 300 degrees or until crisp and green. Watch carefully that the chips do not brown. They taste best when green and crispy.

www.makecheese.ca

better for the earth business picks SOLAR Energy Alternatives GET Solar Solutions 250 686-0286

Natural Lawns and Gardens Ceres Edible Landscaping 250 748-8506 www.cowichangreencommunity.org/ceres Offering organic horticultural services throughout the Cowichan Valley. We provide design, installation, and maintenance services, as well as educational opportunities for those who wish to understand sustainable gardening in their landscape.

Lush Eco Lawns 250 597-0408

Cowichan, Victoria and Nanaimo www.lushecolawns.com Professional and eco-friendly lawn, garden, landscaping, weed control, new lawn installation and more. “Spring into Action... Check out our lawn programs!”

Eco Cleaning Services Clean Choice Cleaners 250 929-8381

www.cleanchoicecleaners.com Providing professional, eco-friendly cleaning services for residential and commercial properties in the South Cowichan Valley. Gift Certificates available.

Recycling Centres Island Return It Recycling Centre in Duncan 250 748-2066

6476 Norcross Rd, Duncan, BC V9L 5T3 www.islandreturnit.com Offering Free recycling for Electronics, Small Appliances, Light Bulbs, Batteries,Paint cans and so much more. We pay FULL refund on Beer Products. Open 7 days a week to serve you better.

Shawnigan Lake, BC www.getsolarsolutions.org We provide Residential solar hot-water system installations, Commercial installations of solar energy systems and Eco-friendly plumbing services. Decrease your carbon footprint while saving money making your home more energy effiicient!

Natural Mattress & Bedding Duncan Foam and Futons 250 746-0702

4485 Trans Canada Hwy Duncan 100% natural latex mattresses are made almost entirely from rubber tree milk and do not contain any synthetic rubber. Natural latex is completely renewable, sustainable, nontoxic, hypoallergenic durable and eco-friendly.

Merit Home Furnishing 250 746-5527

107 Ingram Street, Downtown Duncan www.meritduncan.ca Canadian Made wood furniture. Organic and natural latex mattresses with certified organic materials, down filled couches, and more.

Resthouse 250 597-REST (7378)

Downtown Duncan www.resthouse.ca Cowichan Valley Sleep Coaches. We curate the best tools and resources to reclaim relaxation and sleep. Personalized mattress and pillow fittings. Organic linens, meditation supplies and natural wool products. Opening June 2014.

Soul Comfort Sheepskin 250 737-1281

190 Fourth Street, Duncan www.soulcomfortsheepskin.com It’s like sleeping on a cloud when you sleep on a wool mattress overlay. - Available in sizes from twin to king. We also have wool duvets, pillows and comfort pads, baby mats and sheepskins and our NEW wool/hemp insoles.

Sustainable Seafood

Health Food & Grocery

Cowichan Bay Seafood 250 748-0020

Chemainus Health Food Store 250 246-9838

1751 Cowichan Bay Road, Cowichan Bay Proudly offering seafood that meets the criteria of the Sea Choice program, offering sustainable and local seafood products and gourmet groceries.

Michelle Rose Community Supported Fishery (CSF) 250 746-3651

Pick Up in Cowichan Bay or Victoria www.michellerosecsf.com High quality, local, sushi grade, Ocean Wise Approved sustainably harvested seafood. Join our CSF and buy directly from the fisherman. Salmon, shellfish, octopus and prawns. Large and small shares available.

Good Meat Cowichan Valley Meat Market 250 746-8732

5191 Koksilah Rd, South of Duncan Offering grain fed beef, pork, lamb and veal from Westholme Farms.. All animals are fed home grown forage with no added hormones, and no animal by-products. We’ve been farming the Valley since 1928.

The Duncan Butcher Shop 250 748-6377 430 Trans Canada Hwy, Duncan www.duncanbutchershop.com Organic beef, chicken, free run buffalo and venison, hormone free non medicated beef, pork, chicken, turkeys and house made sausage, pepperoni, ham, bacon, sausage rolls, smokies, garlic coil, meat loaf and more!

The Happy Goat 250 701-7533

5060 McLay Road, Duncan www.thehappygoat.ca Organic, pasture-raised chicken & duck eggs, organic, pasture-raised chicken & duck, and seasonally available goat meat.

Organic Tea Teafarm 250 748-3811

8350 Richards Traill, North Cowichan www.teafarm.ca We are purveyors of organic and biodynamic loose teas, artisan tea blenders, and growers of tea. Our farm teashop & gallery offers an eclectic experience of tea+art+nature.

9738 Willow Street, Chemainus Offering a full line of organic bulk, organic groceries, specialty foods, eco-friendly , natural cleaning products, natural and organic cosmetics, vitamins & supplements, homeopathy, and ecofriendly clothing.

The Duncan Garage Café & Bakery & The Community Farm Store

Located on Duncan Street, downtown Duncan Café: 250-748-6223 Store: 250-748-6227 Proudly supporting organic agriculture and offering planet friendly shopping since 1993. Here at the Duncan Garage, everyday is Earth Day!

Lynn’s Vitamin Shop 250 748-4421

4-180 Central Ave. Village Green Mall (Next to Sears) More than just vitamins! Non Toxic Candles, Salt Lamps, Fun Children’s Shower Caps, Colorful Slippers, Wool Socks from New Zealand. Organic Skin Care, Cosmetics and Fragrances. Fair Trade Chocolate, Coffee, and Tea.

Sweet Treats Next To Nature 250 748-6647

Whippletree Junction, 4705 Trans Can Hwy www.beaverhousefudge.com Featuring gifts made by home based businesses in BC and Fair Trade hand bags and wool sweaters.Come and try some of our 40 varieties of fresh, home made fudge made with certified organic cream and butter.

Happy Earth Day Cowichan Valley

Sustainable Fashion Ancient Futures Clothing 250 748-7312 5190 Bills Rd, Duncan Studio Open Sat 10 -2 www.ancientfutures.ca Conscious Clothing made with hand dyed merino wool, bamboo and organic cotton blends. Designed by Ali Bertin. Fashions for Ladies, Men and Children.

Chemainus Health Food Store 250 246-9838

9738 Willow Street, Chemainus Featuring a selection of beautiful and comfortable clothing for all ages in natural, organic and sustainable fabrics. Nomads Hempware Maha Devi Designs.

Prudence 250 597-1188

155 Craig Street, Downtown Duncan FB Prudence Natural Skincare and Cosmetics, Natural Fiber Clothing, Scarves, Jewellery, Cards, Candles, Natural Perfume, Soaps, Gifts. Offering a wide range of sizes and styles.

Beauty and Cosmetics Botanical Bliss 250 710-1276

www.botanicbliss.com Make every day Earth Day with healing products made with love and local herbs. Try our International Award-Winning rose hip face cream at the Duncan Farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market this Saturday 9am-2pm

Spa and Esthetics

e t e I s o t s W t p u a t a t R N

Spinning Ninny Boutique 778 455-4888

Ah Zen Ya Spa 250 748-6060

1725 Cowichan Bay Road, Cowichan Bay South side of Zoeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cafe www.spinningninny.ca Handmade gifts and fashions by local artisans and designers: Hand crafted Jewelry, Hand Felted Art, Mosaics, Pottery and Teas.

3221 Gibbins Road, Duncan FB AhZenya Full Esthetic spa. Natural hair removal with sugaring. Hand sugaring has been around since Egyptian Times ~ a gental alternative to waxing. Natural Canadian skin care line used in sevices.

Radway Studio & Boutique 250 746-8444

Soul Escape Esthetics 250 748-2056

P T P f c a p I c (

Consignment Clothing

P P W s d o r

#2 -1759 Cowichan Bay Road, Cowichan Bay www.radway.ca Natural Fibre Clothing & Fair Trade Gifts: featuring locally made jewelry, African baskets, handcrafted soap & baby wear. Padraig Slippers * Pyrrha Jewelry * Nomads Hemp Wear

Wool Star Naturals

Cowichan Valley www.woolstar.ca Fine quality Hocosa 100% certified organic wool and organic silk blend long johns for the whole family. Babies, Children, Mens and Ladies. Many styles and colours. Imported from Switzerland.

4 -5777 Trans Canada Hwy Duncan www.soulescape.ca Offering Certified organic skincare Eminence from Hungary, and a full range of spa treatments including Facials, Massage, Pedicures, Manicures, services for young ladies (age 4-12) and Diabetic footcare.

Eclectic Avenue 250 748-2003

132 Station Street, Downtown Duncan eclecticavenue.ca A colourful range of new and vintage clothing and accessories along with a terrific selection of quality name brands and sterling silver/stone jewellery.

P C P

e .

Salt Lamps Help Clean Our Air!

Plastic Recycling

pril 22 is Earth Day, a day to look at our environmental impact and to boost awareness for environmental causes. At Island Return It, we like to say that it shouldn’t be only one day out of a year, but that the Earth Day mentality should be year round. We think that one impediment to a successful recycling program is a lack of understanding and in the area of plastic recycling – there is much to be confused about! Where do I recycle them? Curbside or at Island Return It Recycling Centre on Norcross? Let’s find out! Plastic Code #1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) PET is used to make bottles for soft drinks, water and condiments like ketchup and salad dressings. These products can be recycled at Island Return It (beverage containers) or curbside (Ketchup bottles). Plastic Code #2 High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Windshield washer fluid, shampoo bottles, laundry detergent container and so on. These containers can be recycled at curbside. Plastic Code #3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Peanut butter containers,

some plastic lids are made out of PVC plastic. Some PVC can be recycled in the Cowichan Valley some aren’t, contact the CVRD hotline: (250) 748-2540 before putting in the curbside.

Known as “Vitamins of The Air”, the Salt Crystal lamp is Nature’s best Ioniser which provides multiple health bene�its including enhancing immunity, improving sleep and relieving migraines. These lamps are highly bene�icial to your health and well being. Place a salt crystal lamp near your computer to help reduce fatigue and EMF (electromagnetic pollution) created by all electric equipment. The salt lamp will also aid in improving your concentration. Next To Nature Trading

www.beaverhousefudge.com

250 748 6647 Whippletree Junction

Plastic Code #4 Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) LDPE could be soft plastic like film or hard plastic like plastic lids. Film like bread, produce and newspaper bags can be recycled at Island Return It. Plastic lids can be recycled at curbside. Plastic Code #5 Polypropylene (PP) Planter pots, margarine containers, bottles caps, take out containers and medication bottles are all made from this plastic. All PP products can be recycled at curbside. Plastic Code #6 Polystyrene (PS) Also known as Styrofoam. This product should never be heated as that will cause the styrene to leach out, this makes PS a terrible choice for food takeout and coffee containers. Recycle your clean, white and dry styrofoam at Bings Creek Waste Management facility. For more information you always can contact the CVRD recycling hot line: 250 746-2540 or the visit: http:// www.zerowastecowichan.ca/

recyclopedia To celebrate Earth day, Island Return It is planning a series of free community recycling events on Vancouver Island. We have one of these special events planned for the Cowichan Valley community at Kerry Park in Mill Bay on April 26th & 27th from 10-6pm. Islandreturnit.com/ recycling-event You are invited to bring any older electronics, small appliances, light bulbs,

batteries, power tools, paint cans and so much more to our temporary collection site. We will recycle it all for free. If you have any questions about our community recycling event, we invite you to visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ IslandReturnIt and post your question. Sophy Roberge is the Marketing Manager for Island Return It Recycling Centres.

What Would Ms Polly Do?

Sun, Earth, Moon

When baby looks to her primary caregiver and is received warmly and positively, a trusting bond results. A childhood of social referencing through cues of body language, or through overt and direct phrasing sent and received, garners a socially responsive habit. A child may rest, knowing she will be responded to and may have deep involved play. In turn, when the child has grown will pass on the trait to one’s own offspring. A simple glance between caregiver and babe sends a complex message. To the observer, the subtleties of a working model of attachment are delightful.

Valleyview

Centre

So much to oﬀer!

1400 Cowichan Bay Rd Books

The adult as a filter imparts that the world is safe or “I will protect you”. In the way the moon reflects sunlight to the earth at night, so the adult reflects the world to a child in infancy. The adult will reveal to the child what is good and safe and will cover a child’s eyes when inappropriate sights are on the horizon. When attachment is built in infancy a strong bond may last a lifetime. Paulette is an Educator of

Parents and Children in the Waldorf Philosophy. She

Food

Bucknuck Books 250-929-2665 Used books and Local authors

Country Grocer 250 743-5639 Bakery, Meat & Produce Healthcare

Fitness Valley Health and Fitness 250-743-0511 Full service gym/classes Spa and Wellness Reiki Wellness *New Location #13 250 743-8122 Reiki, Foot Detox, Infrared, Acupuncture, Reflexology

To travel out of the house and to have mutual delight, choose strollers and baby wraps that facilitate the ability for visual contact at every moment. A forward-facing stroller, or a baby harnessed on an adult’s chest with babe’s limbs a-dangle, is at cross-purposes to the working model of attachment. The ability to share subtle non-verbal cues is severed. If there is a perceived threat by a loud firetruck siren, or a large dog, or even by an old woman leaning in for a cheek pinch, the primary caregiver cannot act as a shield or a filter.

Cobble Hill Dental 250-743-6698 Friendly, Family Practice We Welcome New Patients!

South Cowichan Physiotherapy & Sports Rehabilitation 250-743-3833 Physiotherapy, Vestibular Rehabilitation, Acupuncture, Orthotics

lives in Victoria.

Make Family Memories Last! Capturing outdoor fun with photography and videography is a great way for families to connect with technology. Most phones and mobile devices come complete with incredibly versatile cameras that capture both still and video. Use these devices to capture a story – create a photo essay. Everyone can photograph from their prospective, providing a richer recounting of the

family adventure. Photos and video clips provide family members concrete artifacts of their day to reflect on, and retell in slide shows, eBooks, photo essays, or digital albums. Taking time as a family team to create digital albums, slide shows, or eBooks of family events is a great way to combine literacy, subject content, and personal memories in an enjoyable and lasting way.

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Evergreen Independent School, Anniversary and Hockey Challenge Thirty years ago, a small group of parents in Cobble Hill were looking for an alternative learning environment for their children. Ideas were shared, plans were made, and Evergreen Independent School was established. In the first year there were seven students in Kindergarten and Grade One. The school now enrolls 88 students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade Eight. This year marks the school’s 30th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of the Evergreen

school building, the former Cobble Hill schoolhouse. To celebrate these two milestones, Evergreen is inviting the community to its bi-annual Heritage Tea on Saturday, April 12th from 10am to 2pm. The first Heritage Tea was held at the school in October 2004 to commemorate Evergreen’s relocation to the schoolhouse. “The event is an opportunity to honour the importance of this historic building,” explains parent and board Vice-President Ich Diocee. “Students, staff, teachers, and parents will serve tea and treats

to our guests while sharing stories of our vibrant history.” To make it a true celebration of Cobble Hill’s wonderful and welcoming village, Evergreen will host its first annual Road Hockey Challenge on the same day. Here’s your chance to show your skills on the court! You can register your team to face the Kerry Park Islanders on the site of the Cobble Hill Community Pavilion at the school. “Our vision of a covered, open-air pavilion will provide the community with a versatile gathering place,” explains Chris Koehn, Evergreen parent and sports enthusiast. “Whether it is used as a sports court, a market location, or a performance stage,

the Pavilion will be an invaluable community hub in the heart of Cobble Hill.” The concrete foundation has been laid and the Road Hockey Challenge will raise funds to construct a fence around the Pavilion. Come and celebrate with Evergreen Independent School on Saturday, April 12th! Stop in for tea and goodies at the Heritage Tea, and then join the hockey festivities with delicious braised beef on a bun and refreshments. There will be fun activities and games for the kids, and Sun FM’s Community Cruiser will be on hand.

or almost exactly a century, Duncan Elementary School rang with students’ voices as generations of local children passed through its imposing front entrance and echoing hallways. Now, the twostorey heritage building’s practically an empty shell, awaiting the next chapter in its long history. But on April 5, footsteps will once again saunter along its airy corridors as the Cowichan Valley school district hosts an afternoon tea between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. to celebrate the Nagle Street school’s 100th birthday. During the afternoon, former students Duncan Mayor Phil Kent and school district

superintendent Joe Rhodes will welcome visitors during a short ceremony. Rhodes hopes many former Duncan El students can attend. “It will be an opportunity to renew and make new acquaintances and reminisce through the displays that will be set up in the school,” he said. As well, a time capsule sealed during the school’s 75th anniversary will be opened by some of the people who closed it. The celebration will also include displays of photographs and memorabilia in at least three classrooms. As visitors arrive, they’ll see a Centennial wall with more than 100 quotes from former

Image courtesy Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives

Duncan Elementary Turns 100! students (some going all the way back to 1913), principals and other people connected with the school. Designed by architect William Tuff Whiteway and built by Duncan’s Island Building Company for $31,000, the eight-room school opened for classes September 2, 1913 with 182 students. Its official opening was on December 11 of that year. At the school’s 60th anniversary in 1973, former student Ruby Savory reminisced about those early days. “Our first janitor Mr. G. W. Brookbank enlisted in

the armed forces shortly after war was declared in 1914. Before he left, there was an assembly of all the classes in the central hall,” she said. “There used to be huge stacks of five-ft. cordwood on the College Street side of the school,” she noted. In 1977, the school became home to the district assessment program. The popular French immersion program that began there a year later moved to Mt. Prevost this year. Ann Andersen is a long-time Cowichan writer and volunteer.

New Warrior Training

he New Warrior Training Adventure is a singular type of life affirming event, honoring the best in what men have to offer the planet. We are only able to recognize the powerful brilliance of men because we are willing to look at, and take full responsibility for, the pain we are also capable of creating ... and

suffering. This is the paradox of modern masculinity, and it is a lesson we are dedicated to learning and teaching. The New Warrior Training Adventure is a modern male initiation and selfexamination. We believe that this is crucial to the development of a healthy and

mature male self, no matter how old a man is. It is the “hero’s journey” of classical literature and myth that has nearly disappeared in modern culture. We ask men to stop living vicariously through movies, television, addictions and distractions and step up into their own adventure - in real time and surrounded by

other men. For more info contact West Coast Men’s Support Society 250 597-2801. Grant M Waldman is the Executive Director of Westcoast Mens Support Society.

Helping Men, Families and Community to create Full, Healthier Lives!

www.westcoastmen.org 213-80 Station St, Duncan

Navigating the Adolescent Years: Reclaiming Our Youth dependence to their peers. This is very different than becoming their own person. The challenge for our youth is to hold onto their own thoughts, ideas and values when in the company of their peers; most, however, are conforming to the crowd instead. Yes, our teens do need to separate from us, but many are not fulfilling their developmental destiny and becoming their own unique selves.

any people shudder when thinking of parenting an adolescent. Indeed it can be a rite of passage for the adults responsible as well as for the teens involved. It is our job to help them cross the bridge from childhood to adulthood, and as with any transition, this can be a confusing, challenging and turbulent ride. Unfortunately, growing up is not guaranteed. What is our role in helping them to become fully mature, responsible young adults? We have a strong cultural assumption that we need to “let go” of our adolescents, and a lot of teen behavior is excused based on this premise. The teen who never wants to spend time with their family, who eschews our values, becomes secretive or who is uncomfortable when not with their friends, is often seen as taking the necessary steps of ‘growing up.’ Yet they are likely not becoming independent, as many mistakenly claim. They may be more independent from us, but are often transferring their

Many youth are ‘parenting’ each other when their own parents have given up the job too early. They usually don’t have the maturity to guide each other through these turbulent times. At the same time, parents often celebrate this time when their child is not so dependent, and they have more freedom to get on with their own lives. The most common mistake adults make is to back off prematurely. Our challenge is not to treat them as if they were children nor to retreat from them as if they were adults. They need us and yet need not to need us. Their instincts are to resist us, and yet we are still their best bet. Adolescents enveloped in supportive adult relationships have the greatest chance of successfully negotiating this tumultuous time. Heather Ferguson is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and mother of two. heartmatters@shaw.ca

Todd McAneeley, Wood Artist

odd has been involved in making wood creations in one form or another for 20 years. He started a custom furniture business, designing and building everything from bedroom suites to bookcases, cabinets and conference tables. After ten years, Todd turned to the workshop in his back yard along with all his tools, creating artistic cremation urns for pets. He still is making and selling wooden pet urns online at www.woodpeturns.org Seeking more artistic challenge Todd began creating wood art. He makes wood art with salvaged wood from trees that have fallen in a wind storm or from trees that are removed for some other reason. He’s happy to contribute to the environment by using this salvaged wood for art instead of firewood. Creating wood art is Todd’s proudest achievement in two decades of woodworking. Using reclaimed or salvaged wood enhances his creativity for wood sculptures because of the many colors and shapes it comes in. Todd uses live edges, burl pieces, figured, spalted, and sometimes cracked wood. He enjoys the distinct aromas of the woods

while working with cedar, pine, walnut and mahogany. His artwork is unique and eye catching. Todd takes his time coming up with a new art piece and loves every minute of it. If you are interested in viewing Todd McAneeley’s wood art and carvings, go to www.woodwallart.ca A selection of Todd McAneeley’s artwork is on display from March 31 – April 26 at Imagine That! Artisans’ Designs, 251 Craig Street in downtown Duncan. Image above: Todd McAneeley, Sailboat Reflections, made from salvaged wood from Vancouver Island 20” x 42”.

Stamp River by Laird Campbell

first met Laird Campbell in the summer of 1979 at Open Space Gallery in Victoria. He befriended me and introduced me to the many artists that frequented the gallery. Laird first exhibited at Open Space in 1973, and again in 1977, when he was one of the gallery’s four Artists in Residence.

Cameron Lake by Laird Campbell

Talking Arts Laird Campbell Laird Campbell Cowichan Station

object as a rough cut or non-inlaid Studio Visits by Born in Glasgow in 1944, Laird’s marquetry relief. earliest influences were the applied Appointment Only The patina and arts, architecture, interior design 250-709-9656 texture of upand public art. He came to Victoria cycled wood in 1971 via Montreal, where he worked fragments imbues each unique artwork in exhibition and display during the with a strange familiarity like well-worn World Fair, Expo’67. By the late 60’s, pieces of a favourite puzzle reconfigured photography, glass, bronze, paper, with new meaning: texture, form and canvas, mixed media and wood were all line. With the impetus to combine midmaterials in his oeuvre. Some of these century and First Nation aesthetics, earlier works are in the Canada Council Laird’s furniture, tables, screens, boxes Art Bank. and reliefs bring together the best of both worlds. A notorious storyteller As a collector of mid-century art and with a characteristic Scot’s intensity, his artifacts, Laird’s influences saturate artworks draw one to them, first by the his artwork; the repetitive geometries eye with colour and texture, and then of Sybil Andrew’s lino-cuts, Richard curiosity, a sustaining interest for what is Ciccamarra’s drawn, psychologically happening inside the image scenario. dense interior spaces and the clean lines of mid-century design can all be Having lived and worked in Victoria’s witnessed therein. Laird shows a rare and Chinatown for twenty years, Laird deft calligraphic hand whether on paper relocated to the old mill town of Port or in the cutting and fitting together of Alberni, drawn less by the natural beauty innumerable small pieces of wood. The of the setting than to the scale of the individually cut pieces of wood are then studio/workspace he could afford there. formed into images at once figurative By Lairds account, “It held the promise and abstract. I can best describe the art of uninterrupted intimacy.” Meditation Thursdays at VIU Cowichan Campus 7 PM Rm. 210

“We live empowered with the realization the only constant is change” Nichiren Buddha Society & Peace Center Phone: 250. 710. 7594

“The studio was 20,000 sq.ft, built in 1928 of first growth Douglas Fir. I dismantled parts of the building to produce furniture, and assembled pieces of wood into compositions suggested by local landscapes, and the buildings sagging geometries.” (L.C. 2004) After moving to Cowichan Station in 2008, Laird met Grant Kernan, art photographer and print-maker, who transferred several of Laird’s images onto archival paper. Some of these beautiful reproductions are on display at the Brentwood Bay Resort. Laird’s work can also be viewed at www.lairdcampbell.com. In April 2014, Laird Campbell’s Seventh Decade exhibition will be held at his studio and residence at Cowichan Station. Private viewing by appointment only. “Lovers, critics and collectors welcome.” Dn Pettipas, Friend and Colleague from Vancouver, BC

A Day with the Buddha’s, A Day with Nichiren, Saturday 19th April Register today www.VIRetreats.com/retreats

he festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and we are reaching out to the community to make this an extra special event for everyone. Opening Ceremonies, April 23 will recognize the people far and wide that have put their time and energy into shaping this festival event over the last decade. The Festival Gallery of Artists this year reflects the theme of the 4 Nations from the 4 Directions working together. The art show will be displayed in the Cowichan Theatre Lobby from April 1-30, 2014. The circle, symbolic of the 4 Great Nations of the World, of the 4 cardinal direction, is represented through the art and the art workshops; Mandelas& Medicine Wheels. Featured artists include; Herb Rice carver, George Lewis drum maker, Tina Lewis visual artist, Maryann Thorne wool weaver, Joel Good carver, Kristi Bridgeman, visual artist, Pema Wangchen Tibetan art, Brenda Pon mixed media art, Chantey Aldridge visual artist, Sarah

Clark, mandelas, Charlene George, fabric artist. Featured films include the award winning experimental film, He Who Dreams directed by Dana Claxton, films that talk about industry impact on environment and those that are directly affected, Sacred Lands: Profit & Loss directed by Ted McLeod, Oil Sands Karaoke directed by Charles Wilkinson, documentaries looking at today’s social issues, Teen Mothers: Our Stories, Heliset Hale Marathon Runners film and workshop, films that bring to light forgotten stories of strength and survival, This is How a People Live, dramas that reflect the realities of today; Empire of Dirt, 3 women, 3 generations come together to break the cycle of their past, My Cousin Lived Next Door, how lives can take a different path. Workshops this year include; Does Your Art Tell A Story?an opportunity for artist and artisans, writers to present their work to an established producer of animation

Empire of Dirt, directed by Peter Stebbings

10th Annual Aborginal Film Festival content for films. One or two artists work will be selected for further development over the year to prepare a professional animation concept and treatment, ready for presentation at North American broadcaster trade shows. For film makers and businesses, an information workshop on the State of the Film Industry in BC and locally, with current information on tax credits for film and how to support and benefit from the film industry activity, presented by Creative BC. A star studded cast will be arriving to honour the work

that the youth have put into developing their films and their voices over the year. They will be there as part of The Youth Awards Night, April 25, and are working to prepare two days of exciting youth film, voice and performance workshops. Tickets for film screenings and events are through the Cowichan Tickets Centre. 1-250-748-7529. For more information on films, Opening Ceremonies. Gallery of Artists Reception, community events and pre- festival screenings and to register for workshops, www.aff.cowichan.net. 250746-7930.

Stolen Hearts of Cowichan - Test Screening April 21

Patti and Cowboy.

avenLight Media is hosting a test-screening event April 21st at the Quw’utsun’ Cultural and Conference Centre for its film, Stolen Hearts of Cowichan. Stolen Hearts of Cowichan is a documentary being filmed here in the Cowichan Valley. The film shares the stories of local mothers whose babies are taken from them within days of their birth, by child protection agencies. To reunite these babies with their mothers, the Ministry of Child and Family

Development is required by legislative policies to provide specific measures and court procedures. This process can take over a year or more. The traumatizing effects of this process reach far into the community, affecting us all. Producer Patricia Dawn of RavenLight Media is using social action through documentary filmmaking: “Our intent is inclusion and to host a dialogue in which all people can join. We have interviewed elders, medical professionals, retired social workers, nonprofit agency representatives and will continue to work towards offering a full-circle perspective of this issue.”

The test screening is a ticketed event with limited seating. This screening event will give the audience an opportunity to view a portion of the documentary in progress, and there will be an open-mic session where community members can take part in providing feedback on the project. “We want to share what we are learning with the community, as well as to hear what the community response is and their insights,” said Patricia. This event will also mark the launch of an online funding campaign, to help raise the funds necessary to produce the next phase of production.

Aborginal Festival of Film & Art April 23 -26

During this campaign, we will provide incentives, host a discussion online, and share discoveries. Next month, the film will enter its second phase of production, applying the feedback received at the test screening, and interviewing more experts and people who can offer a deeper understanding. This is a complex issue with many levels and many stories, there is no simple answer yet there are many alternatives. Please join the conversation on the Stolen Hearts Documentary Project Facebook page, on Twitter and at the website: www.stolen hearts.ca.

a t u M S r i a t e t t t t t T b o t o u

“ b m o T p o N f h o c o

Four Nations: An Exploration of Mandalas

n all cultures, in all areas of the world, mandalas have a powerful, permeating force that transcends basic human understanding and intuition. Mandala means “circle” in the Sanskrit language, and mandala art refers to symbols that are created in a circular form. Mandala art has been used throughout the world as a process of selfexpression, growth and spiritual transformation. The works in this exhibit have a strong relation to the visual form that explores these themes through the use of the transitory nature of mandalas. The artists come from a variety of backgrounds, from different areas of the world. Yet the pieces and the artists are still connected to one another simply by using the underlying icon of the circle. “Traditionally mandalas have been tools of meditation. Tibetan mandalas serve as idealized maps of the cosmos, within and without. The Chinese Yin-Yang holds the paradox and tension of apparent opposites in the unity of the circle. Native American medicine wheels form part of their traditional healing arts. The rose windows of European and American cathedrals bless us with rhythms of colour and light. A labyrinth,

seemingly infinite within its circle of containment, provides a path for deep meditation. Stonehenge still stands. Art within a sacred circle has appeared throughout the ages, round the world.” ~ Melanie Circle, artist “The very first lines a child creates is very often a circle overlaid with two intersecting lines. Traditional mandalas are divided into these same segments...often relating to north, south, east, and west, or to specific colours, qualities and deities associated with the spiritual beliefs of each culture. In many, the central motif represents the principal qualities of that specific mandala. Interestingly, many cultures consider the mandala a portal for spiritual transformation.” ~ Kristi Bridgeman, artist Please note: While viewing a mandala, please take the time to simply relax your stomach muscles and breath slowly and evenly, ideally from your belly. Choose a mandala that catches your eye, and take the time to notice the colours, the balance, and the qualities that drew your eye to that specific piece. Image; “Metis Memory ~ Mandala”: Inspired by the Metis beadwork and the endemic flora of Vancouver Island. Aprox 30 x 30” – wood frame. Price: $1,500

ow playing, the witty British play, Jeeves in Bloom is unveiled, along with the dramatically-renovated Playbill Dining Room, for a six-week run of full bellies and full-belly laughs. Tickets for matinee and evening shows are now available online or by calling the box office. Once more, The Festival is bringing world-class theatre to Vancouver Island with the romantic comedy called “Dry as a well-made martini and equally potent.” by the Daily Herald. Written by Margaret Raether (Jeeves Intervenes), the play features the stereotypically-charming characters of author P.G. Wodehouse, whose stories about the offbeat twosome have inspired several popular British television and stage productions since the 1960s. The play is set in the seemingly tranquil English countryside, where life turns out to be anything but quiet or peaceful. When absentminded bachelor, Bertie Wooster, arrives in town with his nerdy, tongue-tied friend Gussie, and unflappable valet,

Jeeves, a trail of mischief and mayhem soon follow. Though Bertie has come with good intentions, he is quickly mired in the schemes of a lovestruck young woman, enraged cleaver-wielding chef, and sneaky aunt planning the ultimate burglary. As everything unravels, it’s up to Jeeves to set things right, as usual. Before the laughs blossom on stage, the full Chemainus Theatre Festival experience starts in the extensivelyrenovated Playbill Dining Room. Recently undergoing the most significant update in over a decade, the changes are meant to make the theatre experience “more tasteful than ever”, says Randal Huber. “Our pre-show meal has always pleased our lunch and dinner guests, but good food just wasn’t enough. Now the artistry of a visit to the Theatre begins immediately, and is a greater escape from the daily grind.” A menu of features and favourite dishes is refreshed every few months to match the current season and show. Sitting down to the popular buffet, patrons can expect to find the dining room

For a Dramatic Break From Routine Just ask Jeeves! an equally grand and intimate feeling place to relax and enjoy time with family and friends. The restyling includes an opened layout, lowered ceiling, re-configured serving stations, new furnishings, bar and fireplace, and elegant new decor. The complete dinner-and-

a-show package can be enjoyed during evening and matinee performances to April 26 at the Chemainus Theatre Festival. Tickets, and “theatre getaway” reservations, can be made online at chemainustheatre.ca, or by calling The Chemainus Theatre Festival box office at 1-800-565-7738.

Fine Arts Show Registration April 2 - 5 10am-5pm In-person registration will take place during the “CVFAS Registration Window” held Wednesday, April 2nd to Saturday, April 5th, 2013, 10am to 5pm each day, at PORTALS – The CVAC Centre of Arts, Heritage and Culture. No mailed in registration forms will be accepted. Woven Bag with Recycled Fabric

Rags To Riches at Leola’s Studio Weave a bag with recycled fabric, rags, plastic bags, video and cassette tape (remember those?) to create a sturdy bag for shopping. It takes 32 plastic bags to weave a bag. All materials are included but feel free to bring more. Bring your lunch and your environmental enthusiasm. April 6 11-3pm, $50 at the Studio in the Whippletree Junction Courtyard To Register contact Leola at 250 597-0820 or leolawitt@gmail.com.

Ladies! Paint A Shirt for the Cowichan Clothesline Project with CWAV This year, Cowichan Women Against Violence Society is creating a made-

arts news in Cowichan clothesline project to be displayed for the Prevention of Violence Against Women Week (April 13-19) Women and young girls are invited to drop-in to CWAVS to paint a t-shirt Fridays from 9:30-4:00 to April 11th and during Prevention of Violence Against Women Week Apr. 13th – 19th. Bring your favourite T or use one of ours! Paints supplied. If you are an organization that hosts women’s support or drop-in groups feel free to schedule a t-shirt painting party as well, either at your location or CWAVS! Venues to be announced, details will be available on www.facebook.com/ CWAVSociety and www.facebook.com/ togetheragainstviolence Jeffrey Birkin

The opening reception for the exhibit is Saturday April 12 from 2-4. Please RSVP for reception jeffreybirkin@hotmail.com or 250 715 8209 Show runs April 12-14 10amam-5pm. Birds Eye Cove Farm 5881 Genoa Bay Rd, Duncan (follow Trunk Road towards Maple Bay and turn right on Genoa Bay Rd).

Learn Silversmithing and More at The Imagination Station Create in Cowichan Bay at the Spinning Ninny Imagination Station - your location for creation! Drop in and make personalized cards, collages, engage in the weekly craft or take classes. Try our colouring contests and scavenger hunts. The Imagination Station will inspire you to get creative and make something from your heart. Kids of all ages are welcome. Intro to Silversmithing April 3,10,17, 24 7pm-9pm - Spinning Ninny Imagination Station Cow Bay to sign up please call 778 455-4888 $45 + supplies Archaeology by David Marrinello

Birds Eye View at The Barn Birds Eye Cove Farm presents its first ever art exhibition of artists Jeffrey Birkin and Tom Faue entitled “Birds Eye View” at “The Barn” a traditional hand cut timber frame event facility located at 5881 Genoa Bay Road, Duncan B.C. From April 12 – 14. Birkin’s 25 new paintings take as their subject the environs of Birds Eye Cove and the farm . One of Birkin’s work in the show innovatively incorporates local Highland cattle felt. Sculptor Tom Faue of Genoa Bay’s work utilizes found objects sourced locally and abroad from his recent sojourn in Patzcuaro Mexico.

Paintings & Poetry by David Martinello On view in April is a collection of Abstract Impressionist paintings by David Martinello, tracing his recent commitment to the medium after a decade long hiatus. Works on hand demonstrate a fresh and evocative style that David’s currently developing in tandem with sculpture and in balance with his well known furniture. Old Firehouse Wine Bar, 40 Ingram St. Duncan. Opening April 25 Show runs April 1-29.

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From an early age Sarah van Rossum, was intrigued by people that created their own style. Her pursuit of Visual Arts were nurtured by creative and innovative parents. “I lived and studied in the Netherlands for 10 years and returned to the Cowichan Valley in 1996 with my husband and son.” smiles Sarah her return eventually lead her to Downtown Duncan and ownership of Eclectic Avenue. “My good friend Lisa Pharis Rush opened Eclectic Avenue in 1994 (20 years ago!) I started managing for her 8 years ago and bought the business a few years later. I always have been interested in fashion as a creative, always changing form of art. I love the process of visual merchandising which I do a lot in my window displays. I strive to keep Eclectic Avenue as Eclectic and full of passion as it started out in 1994.” This hidden Duncan gem offers a wide range of contemporary and vintage fashion for men and women. “We also like to carry jewellery, fashion and accessories from independent designers.” Notably, they are an exclusive source for merino wool fashions from designer Brenda Laine from Cowichan Station whose fashions are sought after in fine boutiques in Victoria. Sarah also carries European accessories produced by Jenneke van Bakel from Amsterdam. “We always try to offer a mix of cutting edge fashion and timeless classics.” The boutique also receives unusual items all the time. “Who wouldn’t be excited when fashion from almost a century ago comes in; such as a pair of lace up leather boots from the 1920’s. Or something as unusual as a handbag made of armadillo? We have had some beautiful pieces of jewellery from Canadian designer Robert Larin.” Larin’s vintage modernist designes of angular plated pewter and bronze pieces are sought after by collectors around the world. “A lot of our customers leave happy because they found a treasure they didn’t expect to find. And that brings them back. Performers, photographers, models come in on a regular basis looking for unusual pieces to add to their collection. “Great finds” means something different for everyone. The unique thing about our shop is that we have new stock coming in every day.” smiles Sarah A wander around Eclectic Avenue Eclectic Avenue will ensure a smile, either one of nostalgia or one for treasures 132 Station Street found. Interested in consigning? “Come and visit the shop to get an Downtown Duncan idea of items we are looking for, 250-748-2003 our staff will happily answer any eclecticavenue.ca questions you have.”

Green Living

Food Safe Shopping

We’re all well in the habit by now of reducing waste by using reusable products such as cloth shopping bags and I don’t want to discourage that in any way. However, there are a few practices worth putting in place to keep them safe especially for the ones you use for food. There is real evidence that reusable shopping bags can be contaminated with multiple types of bacteria from repeated exposure to raw meats and produce.

mist of each, does not matter in which order, and leave to dry. Both solutions are good disinfectants but they work even better in combination, do not mix together in the same bottle however.

Another really good plan it to label your bags, regardless of what they are made of. Have some set aside for meat, others for produce, some for dry and packaged goods, and have a different set of bags for gym clothes, books or other miscellaneous items. Also, consider not storing the bags in the truck of your car as it is dark and warm which can promote the growth of Reusable bags come in various bacteria. forms. The ones made of actual cloth, cotton or nylon, If you’re anything like me can and should be washed in you’ve accumulated a surplus hot soapy water and heat dried of reusable bags, in part due after each use. The ones you to my inability to remember get for a dollar at the store are to bring them into the stores typically not washable in your while I’m shopping so I buy washing machine but can be more to avoid using plastic or wiped out and then cleaned paper! So, with that surplus it with a food safe disinfectant should be easy to have them you can make yourself. Use labeled and in a rotation of the 3% hydrogen peroxide in “to be washed” and “ready to the dark brown bottle, attach use” to keep them safe. a spray nozzle directly to the bottle as it needs to be kept Tracey Hanson away from light to avoid local mompreneur and owner/operator Clean breaking down. In a separate Choice Eco-Friendly spray bottle pour straight white Cleaning Services cleanchoicecleaners. vinegar. Spray both the inside com and outside of the bag with a

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Winter Trees Those grey, lichen-crusted heaps in the churchyard – are indeed, apple trees. We have our histories: have picked round fruit from them in the past. It seems improbable – their season long over. Trunks are stiff and heaved sideways – unmoored fenceposts, weathered wood gravemarkers. Branches weep down from ancient pruning – bear nothing but twisted, wizened fingers. The ground around is iron-hard and it must be the same for the tree roots holding-fast below, through winter. Before this property was churched, it was a family place – the house kept exotic birds, peacocks among them. We would hear the murderous avian shrieks from across the river, and wonder. Sometimes the birds, wandering from their cages would perch and preen in the trees and we would think ourselves observers of a subcontinental palace garden as branches bent with staring, iridescent, bluegreengold blooms. Because of this, it could be, a spring-fresh cloak will once more fan itself over somber limbs. Tender yellow-eyed blossoms will beat their white-winged way through grey age, seducing bees. Tawny backs of deer will move at leisure through light and shadowroyals tasting fallen fruit.

Judith Belton is a Mill Bay food-lover, gardener.

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Definition of Creative Arts: Is an umbrella term describing different types of art

Knitting, Weaving and Art Workshops April 6, 13 & 27

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his definition is about as close as I can get to describe the things that I do. The main part of my homebased business is sewing alterations & repairs, but I also offer custom sewing, sewing classes, quilting, decorative (folk art) painting, sign painting, decoupage & custom artwork. I take on all sorts of projects, some include both sewing & painting, such as a hand painted chair with re-upholstered fabric, or a hand painted & hand sewn tablerunner, the list is endless. Alterations & repairs can be as simple as hems, or more challenging prom dresses or repairing sail covers, and everything in-between. Custom sewing consists of mainly decorator items such as pillows, drapery, tablerunners, tablecloths and small re-upholstered items such as chairs, cushions (indoor & out) & benches. One of the services that I don’t offer is custom clothing, I prefer to repair or re-make a

garment. I also teach beginner & refresher sewing lessons, and folk-art painting, all classes

Artist Carolyn Carr

are one-on-one and adapted to the student. I’m in Shawnigan Lake, about 1-block from Mason’s Beach, I require an appointment, alterations have about a 2 or 3 day turn-around. You can check out some of the things I’ve sewn or painted on Facebook at Suzie Q Creative Arts, or phone me at (250) 743-2858, or E-mail me at suzieqarts@shaw. ca . I’m also in a group art show all of April at Inspire in Shawnigan Lake. Submitted by Carolyn Carr

Canada’s Reno Rebate Inc. continues to spread the word about government rebates for new-home purchases, owner built homes and substantial renovations to existing homes during the tenure of the HST throughout Ontario and British Columbia. Happy clients are receiving up to $42,500, which is the upper limit a homeowner can receive for a project. Canada’s Reno Rebate Inc. has already helped homeowners apply for rebates totaling over $4 million through our Victoria office alone. With new offices in Vancouver and Toronto the number of homeowners we are helping is growing exponentially. “There is a misconception that if your home is worth more than $450,000, you are not entitled to any government rebates, but this is just not true,” says Sean. Do I qualify has to be the most frequently asked question my staff get say’s Sean Leitenberg, Manager of the Victoria Office. Each renovation or new build is not exactly the same so we have to determine that the best we can on a caseby-case basis. There are definitely some clear-cut rules though. There is a deadline of 2 years from the time you completed your major renovation or new build to apply though there are a couple exceptions to that rule too. To qualify for a major renovation you must do substantial work to the majority of the inside of your home. If your work was limited to a small portion of your home, such as a bathroom or kitchen, or you just painted or put down new floors, you would not qualify for this rebate. The end result of your renovation should be

that your home or condo is like a new home. When it comes to the expenses incurred on the outside of your home, you can only claim these amounts if you have first met the requirements on the inside of your home. If you purchased a new home or condo for yourself, the builder has probably claimed the rebate. If you purchased that property as an investment rental property, the builder could not claim the rebate and as the owner of that condo or home you may be entitled to a rental rebate for as much as $42,500 once you have signed a lease with your tenants. If your home is worth more than $450,000, you are not entitled to a federal rebate; however, you may be entitled to a provincial rebate if a portion of the construction took place during the term of HST. If your home is worth less than $450,000 you are entitled to both a federal rebate as well as a provincial rebate for the portion spent during the period of HST. A new home built or renovated for your self, or as a family members’ primary place of residence qualifies if it was completed within the last 2 years. If the home’s value is more than $450,000 then you are only entitled to a rebate for money spent between July 1, 2010 and March 31, 2013. Canada’s Reno Rebate has representatives

throughout British Columbia and Ontario who are happy to help clients with the forms that need signing and a brief questionnaire. For the areas where we do not have a representative, or if you would prefer to download the forms for signing right from our website in the comfort of your home and use our free courier service, the time involved is minimal and your rebate could be huge. There is a brief questionnaire on our website which allows you to see if you qualify for the rebate and only takes a few minutes or if you like you can give us a call and in just a few minutes we can determine if you qualify. Everyone seems to know someone who qualifies for this rebate, so if you know someone who might qualify make sure to let them know before they miss their deadline. Canada’s Reno Rebate Inc. handles all the paperwork and follows through with the government until you receive your cheque. Because Sean and his staff know the forms, the processes, and who to call, they efficiently and quickly collect the information and submit exactly what the government agencies need. The company charges no upfront fee and if you don’t receive a rebate, the application costs you nothing. So give us a call or check us out online. What have you got to lose?

David’s Veggies.

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hich came first; flowers or fruit? This question can be bantered back and forth without resolution. Those who embrace vegetable gardening do so for the rewards that their efforts produce. Ripe tomatoes, crisp carrots and sweet berries ripening in your own garden are a labour of love. Not to mention supplying tastes of intense flavor and nutritional benefits. On the other hand, a landscape which celebrates flowering plant material honours the beauty of colour, texture, scent and design. Perhaps it is time to explore the virtues of the edible garden for both nutrition and beauty. Well over 100 years ago the first immigrants to British Columbia brought seeds to sow from all over the world. Their mission was to grow flowers, fruit, herbs and most importantly vegetables for a reliable source of food. Sharing knowledge and persisting in growing plants that stretched the climatic boundaries

resulted in BC growing a wide variety of edible and an unusual variety of plants. Some years ago an incredible woman and her husband, Lois and Ted Hole inspired me. They were determined to live off the land. Straddling at first their city life and country farm, eventually this couple made the transition to their farm full time. It was the vegetables that

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Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

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they were producing which supplied them recognition and a vital cash source. More then thirty five years of horticulture in St. Albert has led the family to grow and be recognized as a leader in all matters of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Lois later in life became Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. Although she had a position of significance and prestige, it was her contact with the soil and plants that she missed. Lois said “the growing of food is a humble endeavor but can lead to superb happenings. Grow vegetables to share. We distribute food with our friends, neighbors and family. Perhaps you have room in your yard to plant a row for the less privileged.” “Sometimes I wish we lived in a less hectic world, where everyone could find time to enjoy a simple breakfast. I hate to see people going hungry. It hurts, especially when there is no need for it.” The former Honourable Dr. Lois Hole, C.M., A.O.E. Lieutenant Governor of Alberta

If you haven’t made a visit to the vegetable seed department in awhile then you are overdue. There are all sorts of seeds that can be grown that produce a new twist on old favorites. Try to grow some of the following vegetables. Not only are they unusual in color but delicious.

room for these hard working and useful plants in your landscape. “This cabbage, these carrots, these potatoes, these onions…. Will soon become me.” Mike Garofalo

Meet Jeff de Jong at the Cowichan Valley Garden Club Flower Show & Plant Sale next month. Jeff de Jong,Horticulturist and Landscape Designer and Host of Gardening 101 on C-FAX1070AM

1. Black Tuscan Kale 2. Blue potatoes 3. Bulls Blood beets (edible leaves) 4. Golden beets (non-staining) 5. Gold tomatoes 6. Pomegranate Crunch lettuce 7. Purple beans 8. Purple haze carrots 9. White Icicle radishes 10. Yellow zucchini A quick word on growing conditions for vegetables. Many of our vegetables are technically annuals. They must grow from seed, produce flowers and set seed in one growing season. Therefore, vegetables require loose rich moisture holding soil in full light and regular watering to promote healthy and vigorous growth. Vegetables are the new cool plant to grow. Start planning now to make

olar Coaster on Maple Mountain (thanks to the Cowichan Trail Stewardship Society [CTSS] for this wonderful hike!) How to get there: From Duncan, take Herd Road to Osborne Bay Road, turn left (north), past Escarpment Way, until you see yellow municipal forest gates on both sides of the road. (If you get to Crofton, you’ve gone too far.) Park in lot. Walk through yellow gate and up hill. Entrance to Solar Coaster trail is on right, with trail marker a few paces off the main forest road. Difficulty: Rated Difficult, but the loop through the Dark Forest (follow trail signs) is moderate Time commitment: Can do the 45-minute Dark Forest loop or continue on to other connecting trails Highlights: Dark Forest, great variety of mushrooms through fall. Ice flowers present during frost. Mix of arbutus, cedar, Garry oak, and salal. Good interval walk, with mix of flat spots, small hills, and a few streams to cross, including some great tree-fall bridges thanks to the CTSS. Trails are natural forest floor. Off-leash ok.

ransCanada Trail at Tansor, both ways How to get there: From Duncan, take Cowichan Lake Road to Tansor Road, and turn left. Take first right onto Cowichan Lake Road and immediate right into trail parking lot (yellow gate). If gate is closed, park in pull-out on other side of the road. Can walk trail in either direction from either parking lot. Difficulty: Easy Time commitment: According to their website, tctrail.ca, the Trans Canada Trail is one of the world’s longest multi-use trail networks, so you can walk as long as you’d like. Note that trail markers are few and far between from this location, but there’s a good trail map in the parking lot. Highlights: From the trail next to the trail map in the formal parking lot, there is a gorgeous mix of farm land and natural forest. I’ve seen full herds of elk; owls, hawks, and other raptors; every farm animal imaginable, including pregnant ewes and pigs. Lots of spots to take photos. Nice flat walk on trails of mixed crushed stone. Please leash your dog. From the other side of Lake Cowichan Road, start on another nice flat walk on trails of mixed crushed stone through forested areas. You

will eventually reach a hill before crossing a wooden bridge over Bing’s Creek. Up the hill and around the corner is another good trail map with some marked locations. The next intersection has a bridge to the left that eventually leads into Duncan. Pass through the intersection instead and stay on the main trail to continue walking through forested areas. Eventually, you will come to a highway underpass (with some gorgeous and everchanging thematic graffiti), which is a good turnaround spot to keep your walk under about 2 hours. Please leash your dog.

cInstry Park How to get there: From Duncan, take Trunk Road towards Maple Bay. Turn right at McInstry Road. Park in lot at the end of the road.Difficulty: Easy Time commitment: About a 40-minute loop, especially if you’re with your dog because there are lots of other dogs to meet and play with Highlights: Wonderful off-leash dog park, with opportunities for swimming, running across large fields, and playing hide and seek between trees. Nice flat walk on trails of mixed crushed stone.

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rails at the end of Chilco How to get there: From Duncan, take Herd Road to Osborne Bay Road, turn left (east), past Escarpment, past the yellow municipal forest gates on both sides of the road for the Solar Coaster trail, until Chilco Road. Turn right, drive to the end of the road, and park in cul de sac. Trail behind yellow gate. Difficulty: Difficult Time commitment: As one of the main accesses to Maple Mountain, there are a lot of connecting trails, so you can go as long as you’d like Highlights: From cul de sac, pass through gate, and then take left fork, and keep going left. Trails eventually wind down to an off-leash dog park at Osborne Bay. Alternatively, take the trails to the right all the way to the summit to enjoy the beautiful views of Maple Bay. Vegetation mix similar to Solar Coaster. Forest trails can be steep throughout the hike. Off-leash ok. Submitted by Felicia Rubright

t a a t s a t g d H o h h c p e w M m c

g t o n c b s t g i i s n t C P y

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find that many people have the wrong impression when their dog eats grass. It isn’t abnormal for a dog to eat grass and then vomit, but it isn’t the grass that makes the dog sick. The dog is already sick and the grass helps get rid of the offending problem. Eating grass is self medication for a dog. Healthy dogs munch on blades of grass often, daily if they have access to it. Those long hairy blades act as internal cleaners and help scrub out parasites and their eggs. Dogs eat grass to feel better and it works. Many of us are familiar with making sure that house bound cats have access to fresh

grass. It is necessary for good digestion. Our dogs are the same. And although we may take our dogs out for daily walks, your dog may not have access to the type of grass that she is craving. Those big clumps of orchard grass are not found on manicured lawns and you may need to either find a good patch to visit often or grow some especially for her. Pet stores have cat grass kits, or you can just plant a few pots of barley grass that can be rotated as they get chewed down. Bamboo seems to be an acceptable second choice around my house if the pickings have been slim. Spring is an especially great time for grass munching

Lucky Dogs... Dogs love grass

and you may notice your dog chewing heavily on her “spring tonic” as fresh shoots emerge. As long as the grass is from a clean area (not a roadside), let her eat her fill. I have found my dog’s favourite patch of grass is under the huge mossy maples in Cowichan Bay. Something in that sea soil makes the grass especially delectable. So don’t keep your pet

from eating grass for fear of vomiting, allow her access to fresh grass every day and she will be internally grateful.

Debbie Wood is currently studying animal naturopathic health and is certified through the American Council of Animal Naturopathy www. luckydogubath.ca

Preparing for Gardening Season

ith spring around the corner a lot of us have gardening on the mind. The time has come to start planning, organizing and prepping for the next growing excursion. This could be flipping through an old book for growing tips, gathering seeds, or rummaging through the tool shed for all of your gardening essentials. However, if you notice that your tool shed is barren, variety of seeds are slim, and you could use a few new tricks and tips for your green thumb, the Cowichan Green Community’s (CGC) Garden Pantry Thrift Store can support your gardening needs. The Garden Pantry Thrift Store is a specialty thrift store that sells new and used items for all of your gardening, preserving,

cooking and growing needs. Aligned with our goals for Food Security on Vancouver Island, this is the place where community members can purchase or drop-off everything from common gardening tools, seeds, books to apple corers, canning supplies and foodprocessors. We also provide a space for community resources and event announcements so it’s a great place to stop by and check out what’s happening in the Cowichan Valley. As a non-profit focused on food security and environmental awareness, all proceeds from anything sold in the Garden Pantry Thrift Store will support inclusive CGC community projects and initiatives like FruitSave, environmental & sustainable living workshops and

community garden projects. Make the Garden Pantry Thrift Store located in the new Station building at 360 Duncan Street your first stop before purchasing new to help reduce, reuse and recycle while you save money. Store hours are Tuesdays to Fridays, 10am – 4:30pm and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm.

Donations are always welcome and appreciated. Alyssa Loucks is the Food Security Coordinator at the Cowichan Green Community.

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South Island Fishing Report

fter a very cool season we are finally experiencing some warmer weather. For us river fishers this is so welcome, and possibly a bit overdue. The warmer weather will start to bring up the water temperatures, and in turn get the insects hatching, and the fry from last falls salmon spawn making their way out of the gravel into the streams and rivers. Warmer water, great insect hatches and emerging fry can = some excellent river fishing. The Steelhead season is pretty much finished and now it is trout time on the Cowichan river. For those anglers fishing the lakes, this scenario is very similar. The main difference being that the fry will be dropping down out of the creeks into the lake. We generally find that a lot of the insect hatches are also found off of the creek mouths. With this information in mind weather fishing the rivers or

lakes, anglers might like to try fly fishing with hares ears, march browns and muddlers, and for the spin fishers small lures imitating fry or small bait fish. Bass fishers should be prepared for a bit of deeper water fishing as we move trough April, and then focusing more on the rock piles, woody debris, wharfs and edges of the lakes as the water temperatures rise through May. There is a large selection of Bass lures and flies out there, it is best to check with your local fishing shop for whats hot and what’s not. For the ocean fishers typically the fishing gets better as we move from month to month. The winter Chinook fishers will be changing to targeting the larger migrating spawners. Halibut will also be retainable again this year. Stop by your local tackle shop for up to date fishing reports, regulation changes, and of course your bait and tackle needs. * Always check the Regulations for in season changes in both the salmon and Halibut fishery This report was provided by Kenzie Cuthbert with over 26 years of local guiding. www.kenzies.com Dave Keene from Seattle with a nice Cowichan river Brown trout.

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Bigg’s Killer Whales T101 and T102 (mother and son) swimming into a Georgia Strait sunset.

Bigg’s Killer Whales in the Spring

sure sign that spring has sprung is the transient killer whale’s return to the Salish Sea. While we do see mammal eating killer whales over the winter months, their numbers skyrocket in March, April and May. This return coincides with our annual herring runs. The sea lions show up in large numbers to gorge on the huge schools of herring spawning in our waters. Herds of up to a thousand pacific white-sided dolphins also take part in the Salish Sea feeding frenzy. The Bigg’s Killer Whales appear like clockwork and have their own feeding frenzy. Recently in a fourday period 49 individual Bigg’s Killer Whales (transients) were photodocumented in the Georgia Strait. Their numbers are on the rise and the sightings have increased drastically over the past five years. There are approximately 450 individual mammal eating killer whales that are dispersed between southern California and southeast Alaska. Some of the animals’ travel the whole range while others have large tracts that they tend to spend most of their days within. They are the apex predator in every ocean in the world and

are highly intelligent. They form matriarchal families with extremely tight social bonds that loosely socialize with other mammal eating killer whale families. Why are mammal eating killer whales known as transients now being called Bigg’s Killer Whales? It was discovered in 2010 that the genetic divergence between mammal eating and fishing eating killer whales was much greater than previously thought. It turns out that they were genetically split over 700 000 years ago and researchers put forward that they be distinguished as different species. The newly distinguished species was fitting called “Bigg’s Killer Whales” paying homage to the late Dr. Michael Bigg who was the forefather of Killer whale research. Bigg was from the Cowichan Valley and it was ultimately his research that led to the realization that killer whales have distinct cultures.

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HOCOSA Woolens from Switzerland www.woolens.ca

Simon Pidcock is a photographer and specialist on local whale culture.

We hope you enjoyed this month’s issue of the Cowichan Valley Voice!

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Kids House with flowers

Mileta Agricultural Co-operative

Cowichan Co-ops Go Global

ext time you pop over to Myanmar (formerly Burma), take a break from the mystical temples to visit a co-operative - you might find a Cowichan flavour. I just spent 3 months there, working with national and local co-ops to expand their vision of the power of co-ops to transform communities. While I was hired to bring a Canadian perspective, I really had to look no further than our own blessed backyard.

benefitting investors; they are built and run by the workers who want to control their own work enterprise and advance a cause they believe in (renewable energy experts and inspired artists, respectively).

I shared more creative co-operative ideas by describing OUR Ecovillage’s permaculture-based community, the new ElderCare project, the environmental work of the Cowichan Biodiesel Co-op, and the promotion of the co-op Like Canada, agricultural movement itself through co-ops are the backbone of the Cowichan Co-operative Myanmar co-op movement, but Connections. they focus very narrowly on micro-credit loans. I was able Many Canadians travel all to share the exciting ideas of the way to Emilia Romagna the nascent “Cow-op” - a group in Italy to study co-ops. of valley farms planning to Maybe it’s time to hang our work together on food security own banner, proclaiming the through joint marketing, online Cowichan Valley as The Place selling, value-added processing to come experience the and quality management - all co-operative difference. elements now incorporated into Viridian Energy: the pilot co-op in my Myanmar http://www.viridianenergy.ca/ village. OUR Ecovillage: During a lecture at their Co-op University, I showed how co-ops can be worker-owned and -managed by describing Viridian Energy Co-op and the new Cowichan Creatives Co-operative. These aren’t companies owned by and

www.ourecovillage.org Cowichan Biodiesel Co-op: http://www.smellbetter.org/ Cowichan Coop Connections: http://cowichan.coop/about/

Rick Juliusson FreeRange Consulting Sustainable funding * Effective operations * Achievable vision

OUR Ecovillage Founder, Brandy Gallagher, Fights for her Wellbeing and the Village she Loves

fter decades of providing tours, teaching, demonstrations, classes, mentorship, and lifechanging inspiration, O.U.R. [One United Resource] Ecovillage now needs the very community it has been serving for a quarter of a century. Thousands of people visit the village each year and many more interact online, but few would argue that there is a more pivotal person at the Village than Brandy Gallagher, Executive Director, founding member, devoted leader, incredible mentor, ambassador, educator, soldier of change, and example of possibility… Brandy’s vision for O.U.R. Ecovillage was to build a sustainable model community “for our children and our children’s children.” The Village and the world it envisions is the only home her 7-year-old daughter has ever known and the only home its permanent residents want to know. Brandy’s hope has always been that the Village would inspire farreaching positive change for generations to come.

The Village has been remarkably effective in realizing that goal. Teaching and utilizing natural building techniques, water recycling systems, community integration, and more, the Village has welcomed guest facilitators such as Starhawk, Jude Hobbs, Charles Williams, Patrick Hennebery, Mark Lakeman, and other luminaries of change. In response, students and residents gather from around the world to live and learn together, taking newfound knowledge and inspiration home. Students from SMUS, Brentwood College, Dwight International, Francis Kelsey, Sunrise Waldorf, and K-12 programs near and far learn ways in which their families and businesses can live more gently on the Earth. Permaculture students have gone on to open small businesses that work ethically, sustainably, and locally. Inspired by the Village, communities as far away as Spain have changed zoning, permitting, and governance structures in projects that are making a more positive continued next page

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

COWICHAN FEATURE LISTINGS Lynda Allen 250-748-0934

lyndaallentapstudio@shaw.ca Our mission is to inspire, motivate and most of all...to have fun! We offer encouraging, experienced tap dance instruction for beginners to advanced of all ages!

OUR Ecovillage Founder Brandy Gallagher

future a reality. Partnership programs have developed with the 11 Universities and Colleges, business/Corporate partners, each level of Government and a wide range of community groups. So much happens each year and the ripple effect of Village programming is so large it is nearly impossible to keep track! This year though, devastating news has rocked the Village. Brandy has been diagnosed with a very high-risk medical situation, and as the next weeks and months see her fighting for her well-being, the Village is fighting to save OUR land and legacy. There is an urgent need to raise $150,000 in order to cover the operating costs of the Village for one year.

These expenses include the monthly site operational costs, hiring a part time Executive Director to cover Brandy’s role (for which she has never accepted payment), and will allow Brandy and her family to stay on site to support her treatments. Most importantly, it protects the Village from possible development. After so much change for good over the past years, losing the Village would be a change for the catastrophic. If 125 community members commit to monthly donations of $100 (or $250 at $50 per month) for 12 months, the immediate future of The Village will be secure. Any additional funds raised will go towards ensuring the long-term viability of the Village as a global resource for education in sustainability and community building. Those who wish to undertake a substantial contribution may consider participating in the Ethical Investment Mortgage. Administered through

Want to learn how to make your own jewellery? Etc! offers a wide range of classes from introductory classes in Beading, Kumihimo and Bead Weaving to more advanced techniques and workshops. We have a fantastic range of beads and supplies as well as unique gifts. Call for prices and dates 250 324 2227 Hours Monday - Saturday 10 - 5 and Sunday 11 - 4

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Concentra Financial Trust, this low-risk investment allows for the transfer of RRSPs and other assets into a syndicated mortgage with a competitive rate of return. Visit www.ourecovillage. org to learn more about either of these opportunities

to contribute. The website has more information about Brandy’s life and legacy or the ongoing work of the Village, as well as details about upcoming events, public tours, customizable educational offerings, a CSA food box, and much more.

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Cowichan Camerata String Orchestra

WEBSITES, EMAILS AND VERBAL LINT By Rick Dennis

THREE’S COMPANY: Call them a Cowichan Valley supergroup. Tanya Gillespie, Cara Hallam (formerly Cara McCandless) and Naomi Pavan Middlemiss have all established themselves as successful solo singer/ songwriters. Together these three bright, vivacious young women are PixElle. And what is the difference between performing as a solo act and working as a group? “Performing solo is your interpretation, influences, and abilities that come across in a song,” explains Naomi. “Adding others invites each person to build onto your piece by bringing their influences, skills, and instrumentation to create something unique and special. We find old songs are renewed and new songs take a unique direction. Our strength is blending harmonies and combining styles of folk, rock and funk that come together to create the creative identity of PixElle.” A single, Red Light, is available for streaming on SoundCloud or ReverbNation. The trio plan to record their first album in the coming months “and we would like to allow for CD pre-sales. Ten dollars each or feel free to donate generously to support our project.” You can see the group in person at Solstice in Victoria April 11th and at a house concert in Mill Bay May 24th. And those are just the gigs confirmed at press time. I am sure the group’s calendar will fill up via word of mouth from previous shows. (The trio has performed for enthusiastic audiences at Old Firehouse Wine Bar and River Rock Bar and Grill - formerly Silver Bridge Inn - in Duncan and Beantime in Nanaimo) For more information on the CDIn-Progress and/or if you would like to book the trio for your own venue or house concert write to PixelleMusic@ hotmail.com and check out the group page at www.facebook.pixelleRed

The Cowichan Camerata String Orchestra was established by conductor Garth Williams, in 2006, to enable musicians of all ages and abilities to work together and provide wonderful music for the community. The Camerata, meaning small chamber orchestra, practices for two hours each Saturday morning and holds fall term and spring term concerts. Music chosen for the spring concert is usually a selection of classical, popular and show tunes. At present, the orchestra consists of 17 members who play violin, viola, cello and double bass, which is played by a young musician from Queen Margaret’s School. Mr. Williams’ wife Ruth graciously adds piano, harpsichord, and bass on the keyboard. The musicians are at various levels of expertise and the music can be customized to accommodate their playing ability. When one quite inexperienced lady joined the orchestra, she commented that it was amazing to be surrounded by and be a part of such beautiful music. In addition to the two yearly concerts, the orchestra has performed at seniors’ residences, the Farmer’s Market, Canada Day

celebrations and various community events. Orchestra is a fun and fulfilling experience and new members are always welcome. See the website for more information, www.cowichancamerata.org or contact Gill Pearce at 250-701-0748. The Cowichan Camerata will hold its Spring Concert on Saturday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. at Duncan United Church. Tickets are $10 per adult, $5 per student and $25 per family. A variety of music will be on the program, including Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto, the James Bond Skyfall, a medley of tunes from the Lion King and other familiar songs. There will be wonderful music for all tastes performed with enthusiasm. The evening will bring delight to music lovers of all types. After the performance, refreshments will be served and the draw will be made for our raffle prizes. Two beautiful quilts will be raffled as prizes; one made by a first violinist, the other made by a cellist. An additional raffle prize is a wooden cheeseboard, made by our conductor. Tickets for the raffle and the concert are available from members or at the door. Submitted by Donna Hert

Valley Voice Magazine - Your Monthly Guide to Living in the Cowichan Valley

Georgia Nicols M.A. is Canada’s most popular astrologer. A Buddhist, this Vancouver-based astrologer is featured in regional papers across Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. www.georgianicols.com

Aries (March 21-April 19) This is an empowering time! The Sun in your sign gives you a chance to recharge your batteries for the rest of the year. It also attracts important people to you as well as favourable circumstances. Be aware of this blessing and use it to your advantage. Venus will soften all relationships with friends and groups; however, your ruler fiery Mars continues to oppose you until August, creating arguments with others. Hey –it’s an opportunity to practice patience.

this month. Enjoy your increased popularity and think about how to make your dreams come true. Cancer (June 21-July 22) The Sun is now acting like a spotlight and this light is flattering. People will admire you and those in authority will give you increased responsibilities. This is the time to make your pitch or go after what you want or ask for approval or permission. Not only will authority figures give you the nod, you can benefit from the wealth and resources of others as well. Gifts and goodies will come your way. This is a favourable time except for the chaos and insanity on the home front.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Your personal year is coming to an end. How do you want your new year to be different from this year? Partnerships have been a struggle; nevertheless, you’re working hard. In addition, your optimism is strong and your hopes for the future are big. These hopes are justified because in about five to six years, you will reach a career peak or time of harvest in your life. And late this year and next year, will be an excellent time to explore real-estate opportunities. Ka-ching!

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Whether it’s a road trip or jet hop somewhere, you need a change of scenery. Adventure and the thrill of discovery! Yeah! Do something to satisfy this urge. Travel is a good choice. Or you might experience something fresh by learning anything new or you could sign up for a course. Recently, I have been discovering an unfamiliar part of a city I thought I knew and I’m fascinated! Groovy new places to eat and cool secondhand bookshops make me feel like I’m on vacation. But I’m at home.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) This is a popular month! Get out and boogie. Talk to people and meet new faces. Join classes, gyms, clubs and organizations. Not only is this a social month for you, it’s a time where you will benefit from interacting with others --people will help you! Travel for pleasure will appeal plus romance and competitive sports. Your future earnings are bound to increase this year and next, perhaps from a contact you make

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) This month will be passionate. Sex will be hot. But that’s a given. You will also passionately defend your best interests in sharing anything like an inheritance or a dispute about insurance matters or shared property. Expect to be focused on taxes, debt, bills, shared expenses, shared labour and responsibilities for others. Fortunately, everything at work is smooth and cozy. Some will get a raise or praise. Others will strike up

a work-related romance. Woo, woo! Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) The Sun is now opposite your sign, which is as far away from you as it gets all year. Because the Sun is your source of energy, you are bagged! You need more sleep. Of course Librans, more than any other sign, are prone to crazy sleep habits. Do get more rest. This will be challenging because fair Venus will create parties, social occasions and romantic adventures. And feisty Mars is in your sign until August making you energetically assertive (read bossy and pushy). Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You want to be efficient at work; and you want things running tickety-boo at home. Many of you will also work out at the gym because you want to buff your bod and get in shape. Make a list and prioritize what is really important. When you tackle something – give yourself the best equipment to do it. Take yourself seriously. Do yourself a favour. When you tackle something like a professional, the results will show. Like the pro carpenter, “Measure twice, cut once.” Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) This month is full of games, parties, schmoozing, flirtations, romantic getaways, vacations, games, sports events, musical performances, the arts, movies and just plain fun. Express your creative talents. Enjoy playful times with children. Take a vacation. The arts, the entertainment world and the hospitality industry will flourish. You can make money from writing and talking. Wealth will continue to come your way. How sweet it is!

April Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Now your attention turns to home and family. Some of you will want to cocoon more at home or hide. Or you might check out how to modify your home or make basic changes that please you. Partners and close friends are helpful; and you are ready to part with your hard-earned dough to buy beautiful goodies for yourself and others. Incidentally, there is a chance you can get a raise or a better job. (Be aware of this.) Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You’ve got things to do, places to go, people to see. Because you’re keen to enlighten them about your views and ideas, this is a strong month for those who sell, teach, act or write. You also want to travel, study and explore beyond your sandbox. Buy wardrobe goodies. Relations with others will be smooth because Venus will help you to be diplomatic and charming. This promotes your chance to improve your current job or get a better one. Perfect time for short trips. Zoom, zoom. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Money, cash flow, earnings, debt, major purchases and shopping sprees are on the menus now. You’re concerned with earnings and how to boost them. (This is a good time to get a job in the arts, movies, the entertainment world, the game industry, the hospitality industry and anything to do with working with children.) You express yourself well now because Mercury is in your sign. Take some time to think about your values and what really matters. What motivates you? www.georgianicols.com