The Green Gazette - June/July/August 2018 by TheGreenGazette

6/ Eco-friendly Camping: How Green Can you Go? With a little forethought and planning, there are many things you can do going into the woods and beyond to make the world a little greener while you soak up the nature-inspired happiness. - by Jessica Kirby 9/ Every Day is Aboriginal Day - Aboriginal Day is an opportunity for all Canadians to embrace reconciliation, so we can move forward as one nation, supporting the rights of Indigenous peoples across our country and throughout the world. - by Sage Birchwater 16/ Northern Naturals Healing - Wayne Padgett is an author and passionate believer in the herbal healing found in nature and in the vital importance of protecting the environment. In 1986, Padgett and his wife Sie started Northern Naturals Health Products Ltd. - by LeRae Haynes 21/ How to Have a Waste-Less Summer - Planning ahead for a waste-less shopping trip should only take minutes. Above all else, take a deep breath in, then exhale it out and bask in the glory that is summertime in BC. - by Ryan Elizabeth Cope 24/ Tiny Home Villages - If we can have legally zoned trailer parks, why not tiny homes villages? So, let the present fade away, and imagine. - by Guy Dauncey 32/ Maiden Voyage of the Little People’s Caravan This is the base and launch pad for the Little People‘s Caravan. We are a motley crew of people, come to community to create a unique lifestyle and theatre that packs into three wagons and runs on horsepower. Indeed, on magnificent horsepower, whose warm breath tickles and smells of sweet hay. - by Michelle Carriere

Publisher / Editor-in-Chief Lisa Bland Senior Editor Jessica Kirby Contributors David Suzuki, LeRae Haynes, Jessica Kirby, Terri Smith, Lisa Bland, Guy Dauncey, Bill Irwin, Venta Rutkauskas, Sage Birchwater, Ryan Elizabeth Cope, Oliver Berger, Tera Grady, Sandra K. Klassen, Jasmin Schellenberg, Bernie Littlejohn, Angela Gutzer, Mary Forbes, Diane Dunaway, Stefanie Hendrickson, Shawn Lewis, Debbie Irvine, Michelle Carriere, Julie Fowler, Nicola Finch, Layna Chelsea, Katie DeGroot, Tim Van Horn Advertising Lisa Bland Creative Directors Lisa Bland / Rebecca Patenaude Ad Design Jill Schick Published by Earthwild Consulting Printing Black Press Ltd. Cover: Kids jumping into the river during a camping trip Photo: Shutterstock Image by GROGL Index: New life springs up from the ashes. Photo: Venta Rutkauskas

www.thegreengazette.ca info@thegreengazette.ca TheGreenGazette is published by Earthwild Consulting. To subscribe email info@thegreengazette.ca or visit our website at www.thegreengazette.ca © 2018 all rights reserved. Opinions and perspectives expressed in the magazine are those of authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the ownership or management. Reproduction in whole or part without the publisher‘s consent is strictly prohibited.

12/ 1001 Recipes for Ashes - Community Arts Council collaborates with poet Sonya Littlejohn on creative workshops focusing on wildfire experiences. - by Venta Rutkauskas

5/ Publisher‘s Letter: Get into the Wild - by Lisa Bland 5/ Recipes - by Ryan Elizabeth Cope 6/ Groups applaud feds‘ fisheries announcement, renew call for killer whale emergency order 7/ Arts on the Fly 2018 Festival 8/ Federal government‘s purchase of Kinder Morgan pipeline a major misstep for Canada 8/ Esk'etemc Celebration and Ceremony: One for the books - by Layna Chelsea 10/ The Canadian Mosaic Project: Uniting Canada one person at a time - by Tim Van Horn 11/ Mining Companies Must Do Better: First Nations-led stand for water kicks off in Williams Lake 13/ Confessions of a Farmer: Of Fiction, Fairies, and Farming - by Terri Smith 13/ Raising Amadeus - by Terri Smith 15/ Waste Wise: Other Flexible Plastic Packaging - by Tera Grady 15/ Performances in the Park 2018 18/ Green Business Feature: Tidy Nest - by LeRae Haynes 18/ No Time Left to Waste: WLACL WORKS - by Oliver Berger 19/ The Mediterranean Diet - by Dr Katie DeGroot, ND 23/ ―Making Your Writing Fly‖ with acclaimed writer Betsy Warland - by Julie Fowler

23/ Celebrate Multiculturalism June 27 and Every Day - by Jessica Kirby 24/ Looking Back at Scout Island, Williams Lake – A Child‘s Paradise - by Sandra K. Klassen 25/ Science Matters: Reports emphasize urgent need to reverse biodiversity decline - by David Suzuki 25/ Domestic Bees Suffer from Wildfires, while Native Bees Thrive - by Diane Dunaway 26/ Book Review: Voice in the Wild: A memoir 26/ Downtown Businesses Say Thank You for Shopping Locally - by Stefanie Hendrickson 26/ Williams Lake Cycling Club - by Shawn Lewis 28/ Big Bear Ranch: From healthy animals to healthy meat - by LeRae Haynes 29/ What is Your Connection to the Food You Eat? - by Debbie Irvine 30/ Green Business: Touch Wood Memorial Rings - by Nicola Finch 31/ After Death Communication - by Angela Gutzer 31/ Skywatch with Bill Irwin 33/ Conservation Conversation: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles - by Mary Forbes 33/ Slower is Greener - by Bernie Littlejohn 35/ Nourishing our Children - by Jasmin Schellenberg

By Ryan Elizabeth Cope

uick to whip up on a hot, summer day, this noodle salad is refreshing and packed with amazing flavour. Look for packagefree noodles at your nearest bulk foods store, and find fresh produce at the farmer‘s market. Serves 4 For the salad: ½ pound rice noodles ¼ cup red or orange pepper, thinly sliced (use a mandolin for easier slicing) ¼ cup carrots, shredded or thinly sliced ¼ cup fresh spinach or Swiss chard, chopped 1 pinch sesame seeds Salt to taste

Sunrise on the west coast of Haida Gwaii. Photo: Lisa Bland

Lisa Bland Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief

t‘s officially summer again and it seems that we just left an incredibly long winter behind. Gardens are planted and plans for the summer are taking shape. It's always time of year whenI take pause with the projects I have in motion and ask myself—what do I want to do? What is my body saying? If I can, I try to plan for less time indoors and more time outside. In my work, I enjoy working with details and bringing ideas into tangible form, but summer is a time when my body rebels and says no to being inside. This summer I'm heading into the wilderness—first to Haida Gwaii for a field course in ethnobotany and ethnoecology, and again in August for a 26-day journey down the Fraser River from the headwaters to the sea with the Rivershed Society of BCs Sustainable Living Leadership Program. Days outdoors filled with forest walks, plant studies, and ocean breezes, watching the river rush by, laughter and

immersion with others outside, and sleeping under the stars along the river banks will become the new normal. It might sound like a great escape, but I see it more as a coming home and back to centre. It is through a relationship with wilderness that I understand vitality, and my body‘s genetic programming communicates with the elements and finds meaning beyond a quantified existence. The memories made in these times of immersion keep my spirit healthy when it‘s time to go inside for prolonged periods. It‘s my wish that we all can take a time out this summer. We have so much beauty in our back yard, and we‘re lucky for the wilderness that BC offers. There is much at stake this summer as well, and whether we‘re concerned about pipelines, wildfires, or the health of wild species on the brink of extinction, we need to get connected to our wild places to find the fuel to fight and advocate for them. Happy adventuring!

For the dressing: 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for tossing the noodles 1 Tbsp sesame oil 2 tsp peanut (or almond) butter 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup) 1 tsp rice wine vinegar Juice of 1 lime 1 clove garlic, minced ½ tsp ginger, minced, or more to taste Salt, to taste Method: 1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add noodles. Stir, then turn off heat and allow

Photo: Ryan Elizabeth Cope

noodles to soak in hot water for 5 minutes; drain. Toss with a bit of olive oil and put them in the fridge to cool. 2. In a large bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together, adding salt to taste. Once the noodles have chilled, add them to the bowl along with the veggies and toss to combine. Top with sesame seeds and serve. Note: This salad is excellent, if not better, the next day, after it has had a chance to chill and the flavours have been allowed to mingle.

By Ryan Elizabeth Cope

his dish is perfect for late summer, when farmer‘s markets are bursting at the seams with fresh, nutrient-filled produce and our backyard gardens are pouring forth abundant tomatoes and basil. Look for pasta in the bulk section of your grocery store and capers packed in glass jars for a delicious zero-waste meal. Serves 4 with leftovers! Ingredients: For the bruschetta: 1 1/2 pounds eggplant (~1.5 eggplants) cut into 3/4- to 1-inch slices 2 Tbsp olive oil For the topping: 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced 4 tomatoes, seeded and diced (Romas work well for this but anything fresh out of the garden will do in a pinch) 3 Tbsp minced, fresh basil 2 Tbsp capers, drained 4 tsp olive oil 2 tsp red wine vinegar Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Method: 1. Preheat BBQ with a medium-flame. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle salt and pepper on all slices, turning slices over to coat both sides. Grill for 10-15 minutes or grill marks appear, but before the slices char. Flip and repeat.

Photo: Ryan Elizabeth Cope

2. While the eggplant is grilling, mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl. Add salt to taste. 3. Remove the eggplant from the grill, let cool slightly and top with the tomato mixture. Serve with fresh, garden salad and pasta for a complete, whole-foods, plantbased meal. Ryan Elizabeth Cope is a Kelowna, BCbased advocate for plastic-less, healthful living. She blogs at Seven in the Ocean (https://sevenintheocean.com/) where she marries her love of food with her disdain for plastic-wrapped garbage.

professional how to make a small, safe, backwoods fire (Pro tip: YouTube is not an accredited professional). Never bring in your own firewood, because with it can travel bugs, seeds, or micro-organisms that can harm species native to where you are camping. Check out amazing ways to cook on your fire in foil or a Dutch oven—those pressurized propane cylinders are tricky to recycle. And for serious, put it out each night ... with water! 5. Pack it in; pack it out. The trick to minimizing waste on a camping trip is staying organized. Pack your own garbage, recycling, and compost bags, sort your waste as you create it, and pack out what you bring in. It is much easier to commit to this if the waste is already organized when you get home.

There are also big-picture steps you can take to greening your camping trips—steps that will continue to help long after you've hung up the tent pegs. Beyond the woods: 1. Use pedal power. Bring a bike camping and keep your vehicles parked. Exercise: check. Mental well-being: check. Environmental protection: check, check. 2. Limit water use. Fewer showers means protecting and preserving our waterways. Swim to remove dirt and odour and when you do shower camping, consider going two (or more if you have children) at a time. 3. Buy and eat local. Bring your staples, but consider seeking out farmers' markets and local food producers, especially in remote and rural communities. You are greening your food choices while supporting local economies. 4. Shop smart for gear. If you aren't a big camper, there is no need to dump a pile of money on spiffy new gear. Borrow, shop used, and trade with friends. If you are a keener and need your own stuff, take your time and shop for recyclable or made with recycled materials items and support wilderness co-ops with solid sustainability policies such as Mountain Equipment Coop. 5. Protect the land. I know I don't have to say it, but I am going to say it anyway. Nature is not ours to take; it is borrowed from our future generations. Be kind, tread light, and leave the Earth in better shape then when you arrived. Do you really need those stick and rock souvenirs? I think not. Take only memories and a firm commitment to protect our planet every day of every year. See you in the trees!

needed safeguards,‖ said Young. ―We need to protect key foraging areas the government missed and ensure a minimum number of Chinook salmon return to spawn.‖ In January, Ecojustice, on behalf of David Suzuki Foundation, Georgia Strait Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, and World Wildlife Fund Canada, petitioned the ministers for emergency protection for the whales under the federal Species at Risk Act. The announcement responds to that request. It also means the ministers are now legally obligated to recommend that the federal Cabinet issue emergency protections for the whales, the groups say. Dyna Tuytel, lawyer at Ecojustice, said the ministers‘ declaration points to a clear legal framework. ―[They] have officially declared threats to the Southern Resident Killer Whales‘ recovery ‗imminent,‘ and so the law is black and white,‖ said Tuytel. ―The Species at Risk Act requires that the ministers recommend an emergency order to protect these endangered whales.‖ Under Section 80 of the Species at Risk Act, emergency orders empower the government to take a broad range of actions to protect a species and its habitat when it faces imminent threats to its survival or recovery. While the measures announced partially address concerns over orca prey availability, further action is still required to fully protect the orcas against the three main

threats they face: reduced availability of Chinook salmon, acoustic and physical disturbance from vessels, which interferes with their ability to hunt and communicate, and pollution. For example, the groups say whale watching should be restricted in key orca foraging areas. ―The recognition of the urgent critical state of this population is a long overdue step in finally getting the needed and urgent protection these whales require to remain an important part of the Salish Sea for generations to come,‖ said Christianne Wilhelmson, executive director of Georgia Strait Alliance. ―We look forward to hearing more from the government related to other threats to this species.‖ Only 76 members of the SRKW population remain, and no successful births have been documented since 2015. Lacking protective safeguards, the likelihood of the Southern Residents becoming extinct is high because their population size is small and their critical habitat in the Salish Sea has been degraded. ―The Trudeau government has finally acknowledged that multiple human caused threats to Canada‘s endangered Southern Resident killer whales place the whale population in imminent danger, seriously jeopardizing their continuing survival and recovery,‖ said Dr. Paul Paquet, senior scientist, Raincoast Conservation Foundation. ―We now expect that comprehensive and effective regulatory actions to protect the whales will be immediately forthcoming.‖

By Jessica Kirby, Senior Editor of TheGreenGazette

ou have choices when you plan your vacations. The world is a big place and there are a million roads, but what about getting off the roads, at least those well travelled? Connecting with nature has myriad benefits for your physical, emotional, and mental health and using your well-earned vacation time to strengthen that connection is an invaluable investment in yourself and the environment. Let's talk about camping: whether you are pitching a tent, wheeling a motorhome, or renting a cabin in the woods, you've already made a commitment to the environment by heading into the trees instead of into the city. But you can always do more. With a little forethought and planning, there are many things you can do going into the woods and beyond to make the world a little greener while you soak up the natureinspired happiness. Into the woods: 1. Tent when you can. Tents take fewer resources to produce and are easier to recycle than RVs, so if you can manage, take the simpler route. That said, if the RV is the only thing that keeps you from 100 percent city-bound vacations, keep the rig and keep it small, but maybe explore the possibility of the occasional tenting trip. There is nothing like it! 2. Stay on the beaten path—sort of. Exploring the wilderness is, of course, the

Photo Copyright: www.123rf.com/profile_varunalight Andrey Kryuchkov

point of camping but be sure to set up camp in designated or previously used spots. Plants are your friends, so don't squish them! 3. Bring reusable and chemical-free supplies. Yes, paper plates and plastic cups are easy to toss, but that is where convenience ends considering these items take 30750 years to break down in the landfill. And DEET bug spray works like a hot-damn, at the expense of your respiratory health and the environment. Collapsible, reusable dishes; chemical-free soaps and sprays; and, items made of recyclable materials are easy changes to make with a huge resulting impact. 4. Practice fire safety. Always use designated fire rings, or learn from an accredited

onservation groups are applauding an announcement from Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Dominic LeBlanc and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna declaring endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) face ―imminent threats‖ to their survival and recovery. Southern Resident killer whales are a genetically and culturally-distinct population of salmon-eating orca whales who hunt, socialize, and raise their young in the Salish Sea, a region that includes the Juan de Fuca Strait, Georgia Strait, and Puget Sound. Prompted by this assessment, the ministers also announced immediate fisheries closures in key Southern Resident foraging areas. Environmental representatives, including Megan Leslie, president and CEO of WWF-Canada, applaud the declaration, but recognize fisheries closures are only one step in what must become a multi-faceted plan. ―The announcement of fisheries closures in areas where the whales feed will help, but we strongly urge the government to implement further restrictions on recreational and whale-watching vessels in these foraging areas,‖ said Leslie. ―The benefits of these fisheries closures will be limited unless disturbance from all vessels is reduced.‖ Michael Jasny, director of marine mammal protection at Natural Resources De-

Photo: www.flickr.com/photos/cmichel67

fense Council agreed more action is required. ―This revered and iconic population of whales is threatened six ways to Sunday, and establishing fishing closures – while an important step – won‘t be enough to bring them back. Now that it has acknowledged the threat, it‘s time for the government to issue an emergency order to address shipping noise, contaminants, and the other problems that are driving the whales to extinction.‖ Faced with declining populations of Chinook salmon, their primary source of food, the Southern Residents are suffering nutritional stress and are at serious risk of malnutrition and starvation. Jeffery Young, senior science and policy analyst at the David Suzuki Foundation said protecting the Chinook salmon foraging areas Southern Resident killer whales depend on is critical. ―After years of inaction, I look forward to expanding the desperately

Arts on the Fly festival 2018, July 13-14, Horsefly, BC. Photo: Freedom Road Portraits

ickets are on sale now for Arts on the Fly‘s 2018 summer festival, set to erupt July 13-14 in beautiful Horsefly, BC. Get them while t hey ‘re hot from www.artsonthefly.com. The lineup this year features BC‘s finest in bluegrass, folk, soul, cumbia (that‘s right, BC has a cumbia scene), blues, experimental, and more. In the realm of folk, we are pleased to host the likes of Pharis and Jason Romero, Sarah Jane Scouten, Lydia Hol, Kym Gouchie, Leathan Milne, Colin Easthope, Rowan Dolighan, Malcolm Jack, Big Fancy, Saltwater Hank, M Lund, and more. In the general direction of blues, we have Marin Patenaude, This Way North, The Cole Patenaude Band, Wooden Horsemen, and Red Monkey Black King.

For some straight up rock and roll, Vancouver‘s indie cool kids Ponytails will hold it down, along with Cariboo punkers One Below. On the jazzier side we are extremely excited to have The Ladies of Company B Jazz Band, as well as Pugs and Crows returning to Arts on the Fly. Sitting firmly in the ―other‖ category are acts like Wallgrin (operatic violin-vocal music for space-birds), Uschi Tala (dark and twisted electro-acoustic hip-hop), Blocktreat (groovy lo-fi shoegaze and indie -electronic), Mngwa (dancie-as-heck cumbia and hip-hop), and Torsten Muller (improvised virtuosic electric bass). More artists are being announced weekly—keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Tickets are on sale now via www.artsonthefly.com.

Project puts Canada’s climate and biodiversity goals, long-term economic prosperity, and Indigenous reconciliation efforts at risk

he federal government‘s decision today to purchase Kinder Morgan‘s Trans Mountain pipeline project for $4.5 billion ignores major risks to the long-term wellbeing of everyone in Canada. The government announced plans to purchase the existing pipeline infrastructure and build the pipeline expansion, then sell it later, assuming it can find a buyer. ―Regardless of who builds it, the environmental, economic, climate, and Indigenous rights risks remain the same,‖ David Suzuki Foundation CEO Steve Cornish said. ―We have an opportunity to diversify from fossil fuels into a clean energy economy, but this decision jeopardizes our success. It‘s a risky time to spend public dollars on carbon-intensive energy when the rest of the world is prioritizing cleaner energy sources.‖ Major cities, universities, pension funds, and financial institutions have divested more than $6 trillion globally from fossil fuels, to be reinvested in renewable energy, clean technologies, and other sectors that create more jobs per dollar invested. ―These sectors will drive the future economy and can create well-paid jobs everywhere in Canada,‖ Foundation director-general for Quebec and Atlantic Canada Karel Mayrand said. ―As we choose where to invest, we must look to the future, not the past.‖

Rally against Kinder Morgan oil pipeline on Burnaby Mountain, November 2014. Photo: Mark Klotz / flickr.com

The project also puts Canada‘s international Paris Climate Accord commitments at risk. To expand oil and gas production via the pipeline and meet greenhouse gas reduction targets would require the rest of Canada‘s economy to reduce emissions by 49 per cent by 2030 and 85 per cent by 2040, a feat almost certainly impossible in the available timeframe. ―Canada can have a stronger future, but only if we transition into a just and sustainable clean energy economy together,‖ Foundation science and policy director Ian Bruce said. ―We need to invest in future generations of skilled workers by modernizing our economy and seizing Canada‘s unparalleled opportunity to be a global leader in renewable energy.‖

The National Energy Board‘s (NEB) project review did not assess the effects of a sevenfold increase in tanker traffic on the region‘s 76 remaining critically endangered orcas. The Salish Sea‘s Southern Resident orcas are endangered under Canada‘s Species at Risk Act, and the tanker route transects critical habitat they need to survive and recover. The pipeline would cross more than 500 streams in the Fraser River watershed, one of the world‘s greatest salmon-producing rivers, threatening already depleted salmon stocks, including Chinook, which are critically important for orcas. ―Sound science is the best driver of smart policy,‖ Foundation director-general

By Layna Chelsea

n May 8, 2017, the community of Esk'etemc held a Declaration of Title and Rights ceremony for its Band members. The event was a large-scale gathering with attendees from several other First Nations Bands and their communities. May 8 had introduced the Yucwimentem re Tmicws re Esk'etemc, ―Looking After the Land of the Alkali People.‖ Family Representatives, Hereditary Chiefs, and Headmen are intended to collaborate with elected Chief and Council in order to gain self-reliance and sustainability within their lands and resources. Heather Johnson, Amanda Dan, and I were given an opportunity to be involved in a photobook project to capture the Declaration of Title and Rights event. On March 5, 2018 Bettina Johnson offered us the chance to collaborate with Casey Bennett, the photographer who had captured the Esk'etemc Declaration of Title ceremony. As a mentor, Casey had a lot of experience with his craft as well as the various software we could utilize in the project. Heather Johnson brought knowledge of the Yucwimentem as well as firsthand experience from attending the event. Amanda Dan brought familiarity of Esk'et history as well as understanding of the Shuswap language. Sadly, I was unaware that the Declaration of Title and Rights Ceremony had taken place since I live off reserve, though

From left to right, Heather Johnson, Amanda Dan, and Layna Chelsea displaying the completed photobooks. Photo: Bettina Johnson

I learned a great deal and provided a slightly different perspective to the photobook project . The concept of Yucwimentem is complex to explain, but luckily Heather walked me through it numerous times with all the patience of a Family Representative. The task of creating the photobook began with initial hesitation because the project could be considered the first of its kind, and the Declaration of Title ceremony had made a large impact on Esk'etemc Band members. There were 600

photographs to choose from, and for a 40page photobook it was not easy as we weren‘t certain about what we wanted to display. After some thought, the selection of the photos was chosen based on their relevance to the Declaration of Title and Rights ceremony day itself and the enthusiasm of those who were enjoying the ceremony. Photos of the children were also greatly encouraged as they are considered future leaders of the community. For a greater idea of what the Declaration of Title entailed, we spoke to those

for BC and Western Canada Jay Ritchlin said.―Unfortunately, this project was never based on sound science.‖ Scientific reviews also highlight serious knowledge gaps around the effects of bitumen in the marine environment. British Columbians are concerned the risk to the coast from oil spills is far too high and would bring environmental devastation and unacceptable economic losses to tourism and other marine industries. The best responses remove just 10 to 15 per cent of spilled oil. Several Indigenous nations have taken the government to court, arguing the NEB approval process did not consult them as required by Canadian law, a claim that has been recently corroborated by Canadian media. First Nations would endure the project‘s worst environmental impacts, including possible bitumen spills. Of the more than 130 First Nations that could be affected, just 43 have signed benefit agreements. ―Given that Indigenous reconciliation is crucial to Canada‘s future and the engagement process has been flawed at best, this ill-advised decision violates the spirit of Canada‘s duty to consult in good faith and falls afoul of recently ratified UN standards,‖ Ritchlin said. ―We can only remain optimistic that with all the current court cases still open, this project remains far from certain.‖

who had been learning their history as well as those who were well-versed in their heritage. We were also given an opportunity to speak to Esk'etemc Hereditary Chief, Francis Johnson Jr. His mentor was Arthur Dick, one of the driving forces in land claims, so Francis was very knowledgeable in what the Declaration of Title means for Esk'et. The photobook is meant to showcase an historic moment for the Esk'etemc community, and to invite others to celebrate the event as well. It is a day of aspirations and accomplishment. There are those still reeling from the implications of "Declaration Day," and to see their pride in being Esk'etemc is gratifying. While working on this project, we learned that there's so much history and so many stories within the community and among its members. It is our hope that the photobook can prompt more projects to be developed, as Esk'etemc always have stories to tell. To be able to preserve them in something physical would be a great thing for future generations. Layna Chelsea was born and raised in Esk’et but currently resides in Williams Lake, and has aspirations of becoming a writer while also enjoying photography and dabbling in videography. The photobook discussed is titled “Celebration & Ceremony” and it is available on the webs i t e ( ww w. b l u r b . c om / b/ 86 2 94 4 1celebration-ceremony).

By Sage Birchwater

aybe it‘s just a coincidence, but the 26th day of the month is significant in the historical narrative of the Tŝilhqot‘in nation. It began on October 26, 1864 when five Tsilhqot‘in war chiefs were hanged at Quesnelle mouth on the banks of the Fraser River. The warriors led by Chief Lha Tŝ‘aŝʔin were tricked into putting down their arms to attend peace talks to end the conflict known as the Chilcotin War, only to be captured, tried, and convicted as murderers for defending their territory. In modern times the Tsilhqot‘in nation declared the 26th of October an annual national holiday known as Lha Tŝ‘aŝʔin Memorial Day, commemorating the martyrdom of the five heroic leaders who were wrongfully put to death by the colony of British Columbia in 1864, and a sixth in 1865. Then on the 26th of June 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada unanimously awarded the Tsilhqot‘in nation title to 2,100 square kilometres of their traditional territory near Nemiah Valley. This was the first time in Canadian history that land title was designated to an Indigenous nation outside the federal reserve system. More recently, on the 26th of March 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau officially exonerated the six Tŝilhqot‘in war chiefs Lha Tŝ‘aŝʔin, Biyil, Tahpitt, Telad, Chayses, and Ahan of any wrong doing in the Chilcotin War of 1864. This statement of innocence was unanimously adopted by all parties in the House of Commons, who rose in unison to give the Tsilhqot‘in representatives a standing ovation. Twenty-year-old Peyal Francis Laceese was part of the Tŝilhqot‘in delegation and got to play a significant role in the exoneration ceremony. He joined the six elected Tŝilhqot‘in chiefs on the floor of the House of Commons. These included his dad, Chief Francis Laceese of Tl‘esqox, Chief Russ Myers Ross of Yunesit‘in, Chief Jimmy Lulua of XeniGwet‘in, Chief Otis Guichon Sr. of TsiDeldel, Chief Roy Stump of ʔEsdilagh, and Tribal Chair Chief Joe Alphonse of Tl‘etinqox. After the prime minister and opposition party leaders gave their exoneration statements, Peyal stepped onto the floor of the House in full regalia. The six chiefs stood and took off their black vests symbolic of

Peyal Francis Laceese in his Tsilhqot'in pow wow regalia that he wore in the House of Commons celebrating the exoneration of six Tsilhqot'in war chiefs. Photo: Jeremy Williams

mourning the martyred war chiefs and reversed them to reveal a bright red colour symbolic of reconciliation. Peyal performed a drum song he received in a dream the night before. The song contained the names of the six martyred Tsilhqot‘in warriors. ―As I was singing each of their names I envisioned who they were,‖ he says. Then he presented the drum to the prime minister, and the two exchanged a big hug. Asked if he was nervous stepping into the limelight of Canada‘s biggest political stage, Peyal shrugs it off. ―I do a lot of pow wow dancing, so I‘m used to performing in front of people.‖ Being involved in the pow wow circuit is something Peyal has done since he was a toddler. His travels have taken him to Indigenous communities across North America. In the process he learned to identify similarities between the various Aboriginal traditions and to accept their differences. ―There‘s no wrong way to learn a dance or perform a song,‖ he says. ―In our Tsilhqot‘in culture we have stories that go back to the creation of Mother Earth, the

sun, and the stars. Everything has a story behind it.‖ Peyal says blazing a trail to Ottawa for the exoneration will be helpful to other First Nations. As far as he knows it‘s the first time an Indigenous nation was invited to perform their culture on the floor of the House of Commons. Peyal describes the eagle staff he carried and the regalia he wore in Ottawa. Speaking in parables he says if you go to the ocean you bring your gumboots; if you go to the mountains you bring a coat; if you go to a hot place you bring a hat and sunglasses. ―If I go to a pow wow I bring a war club. That‘s what I dance with to protect myself spiritually and emotionally from whatever‘s out there. When I dance it makes me feel positive.‖ He says the eagle staff he inherited from his grandparents represents wisdom. ―If I do business I bring my wisdom. The physical object that represents wisdom is the eagle staff. It has been handed down generation by generation, representing the good medicine we carry in our family. It

reflects the strength we hold not only as a family, but as a nation.‖ Other parts of his regalia have meaning, too. ―Around my neck is a medallion from my grandparents. It‘s covered with the beadwork of three generations. Inside the medallion I carry medicines and stones to keep me close to home.‖ His shirt made by his mother represents his colours. ―Green represents the grasslands where I was raised. Purple represents the wisdom and wealth of knowledge that I am honored to borrow from my ancestors.‖ Lastly, the moccasins on his feet were made from the last moose hide his great aunt ever tanned. They were sewn by both his grandmother and mother. ―They literally sew their prayer into the hide for protection,‖ says Peval. He says he can go anywhere in North America and other Indigenous people will recognize his Tsilhqot'in identity by the way his moccasins are sewn. ―Tsilhqot'in moccasins are recognized for our unique design and pattern,‖ he says. In ancient days the Tŝilhqot‘in would trade furs, oil, fish, and meat to their Indigenous neighbours. ―Nowadays we trade words and knowledge. If we want to grow in economic development we‘re going to meet with a nation in the city who is high on economic development. But they might be low on title and rights. We have our strengths and differences, too. We can exchange that and balance it out.‖ He says it took 25 years for the Tŝilhqot‘in to obtain Aboriginal rights and title. ―We can role-model and show others what we‘re doing so they can do it, too. We leave big footprints so that other first nations can follow.‖ Aboriginal Day is June 21, but for Peyal every day is Aboriginal Day. ―Every day we practice our title.‖ Aboriginal Day is an opportunity for all Canadians to embrace reconciliation, so we can move forward as one nation, supporting the rights of Indigenous peoples across our country and throughout the world. Sage Birchwater moved to the CaribooChilcotin in 1973. He spends his time freelancing, authoring books, and with Caterina, hanging out with their dog and cat, gardening, & being part of the rich cultural life of the Cariboo-Chilcotin Coast.

Photos (L to R): 1. Tim Van Horn and his dog, Scout, and the Canadian Mosaic van in the Northwest Territories. 2. A small mosaic sample of the 60,000 portraits in the Canadian Mosaic Project. 3. Dave and Amanda McEachern and their family pose for a photo in Fred Henne Territorial campground in the Northwest Territories. 4. A woman in Yellowknife who spotted her friend, now deceased, in the mosaic. 5. (Below) Tim Van Horn with a birds eye view from the Kitwanga bell tower in Kitwanga, BC. Photos submitted by Tim Van Horn

By Tim Van Horn

t age five, I had already taken my first photograph and decided I wanted to be a ‗cameraman.' Growing up and travelling around Canada with my family in the Canadian Air Force, I developed a sense of duty to the people and fell in love with cultural experience in my everchanging surroundings. Maybe it was my great, great, great uncle, William Cornelius Van Horne, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, that gave me my entrepreneurial, think big spirit with a Canadian twist. Many people dream of a road trip across Canada, but not many embark on this pilgrimage bound to the essence of citizenship. I waited 40 years before starting my journey across Canada from my home in Red Deer, Alberta. I began in a camperized, full-sized van and headed east into the heart of Canada. What started out as a well-intentioned one-year journey to capture a photographic ‗Day in the Life‘ look at Canada, gave way to a decade-long, life-changing, creative tour-of-duty or quest to unite the authentic multifaceted face of Canada. Ten years, one wife, two dogs, three vans, and five trips across Canada later, I have compiled an incredible 60,000 photographic portraits from 1,300 Canadian communities. The Canadian Mosaic Project is the largest portrait of Canadians ever amassed in Canadian history. From the time I set out in 2008, a new adventure beckoned around every bend in the road, and the weeks flowed into months, and months turned into years. I journeyed across the nation connecting with people of every age and nationality, respectfully challenging each person to believe in a complete stranger‘s aspiration to unite the nation by having their photographic portrait taken. I was welcomed wholeheartedly into a menagerie of life scenarios. Standing on city street corners, in parks, at the front door of people‘s homes, or in their places of work, I was overwhelmingly greeted with trust, support, and curiosity. After nine years of travelling by van, documenting everyday Canadians in remote fishing villages, small prairie towns, and metropolitan centres, it was time to bring the Canadian Mosaic Project to the next level to create a product to share with Canadians. I sought collaborations and sponsorships for Canada‘s 150th birthday in 2017 with the Canada Council for the

Arts - Canada 150 grants, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the Heritage Canada 150 Fund. My vision was to create a multimedia Canada bus—a mobile interactive pavilion on wheels steeped in innovative learning and inspiration. A Heritage Canada 150 grants assistant I had met earlier in Ottawa in 2015 at a conference for the Community Fund for Canada‘s 150 - Alliance 150 told me, ―Apply! We will find money for you—we love your project!‖ Normally Herit age Canada funding was open to organizations or those with community partnerships, but 150 projects were open to everyone. My hesitant response was, ―But…I‘m just one guy with a dream to unite Canada. I don‘t have a boardroom table or a team of people working with me.‖ Up to that point the Canadian Mosaic Project had been rolling along by donations or on my own dollar. I decided to apply. Believing I had something unique to offer both the public and the Canada 150 celebrations, I spent three months writing grant applications to the Canadian Council for the Arts - Canada 150 grants, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the potentially large funding possibility through Heritage Canada that could bring my vision into reality. I submitted my proposal/ concept for creating a 37-foot multimedia bus that would travel across Canada to 150 communities. The surface of the Canada bus would be adorned in a living mosaic including 60,000 portraits of people interwoven with educational text ribbons. Engaging audio stories would play while people viewed the mosaic, along with a photo book to flip through, and two goodwill ambassadors engaging with the public. The Canada bus would weave its way across the country stopping in a diverse crosssection of venues connecting with Canadians of all generations. To my disappointment, all of the grant proposals were rejected. I vividly recall the moment I received the denial email from Heritage Canada 150. It was mid-October 2016 and I was out walking my dog in a field on the edge of town. I read the word

―unfortunately‖ and my legs buckled beneath me. I collapsed motionlessly into the tall grass and laid there staring blankly into the passing puffy clouds. It was a turning point. I was self-funded and living on donations and had worked independently for nine years creating and crafting a monolithic portrait to share during Canada's 150th celebrations and without securing any of the grants, namely that of Heritage Canada 150, (accounting for 50 percent of my budget), it wasn‘t likely I would be able to engage any other government agencies or potential sponsors. The idea of the Canada bus literally slammed into a concrete roadblock. The Heritage Canada agent I spoke to about my failed application, told me my project was clearly a Canada 150 project, but lacked any public engagement. I was floored. There were multiple ways to engage with the Canada bus: Studying the 60,000 faces from 1,300 Canadian communities. Educational text interweaving with the portraits wrapping around the bus. A Canada guest book for handwritten thoughts about Canada for the rest of Canada to read. A 'To Canada with Love' photographic book to view the project. Two goodwill ambassadors engaging the public with entertainment and stories. Free, on the spot photo shoots. Audio interviews. Stories about Canada and media coverage documenting Canada in its 150th year. Later, after a long period of reflection, it came to me that the Canadian Mosaic Project was never intended to be associated with the government or any single source. The storyline could have read ‗The Canadian Mosaic Project is about the people, for the people, and powered by the people.‖ I pose this question: what do you remember visually that represented Canada for the 150th year? Take, for example, the Canada 150 flag, which was perplexing as to the colour scheme and ambiguous, futuristic design, and later unceremoniously filled discount bins at local Canadian Tire stores, destined for the landfill. The government did fund a six-storey-tall, 13,600-

kilogram yellow duck and inflated it on Toronto‘s harbor front. I‘m not sure of the public engagement aspect of this, considering the price tag of $200,000. And who could forget the $8.5 million hockey rink on parliament hill for two months, to the tune of $141,666 per day. The reality is, the Canadian Mosaic Project continues to grow one person at a time and remains the largest, most contemporary portrait of the Canadian people ever collected. In these ever-changing times, I believe we need a visual representation inclusive of all groups and ethnicities, and one that speaks volumes about Canada‘s one-of-akind cultural identity, while broadly defining our collective humanity. Canada needs continuous dialogue to keep Canadian values healthy, strong, and free, and to weather any possible fracturing in our foundation from outside forces. We also need a tribute to the hard-working people of Canada, and to welcome new comers and connect with the traditions of old school Canadians. Essentially, we need to keep Canada… Canada, strong and free for you and me! Despite everything, I can say that having a camera and a solid, honourable purpose behind the camera lens has allowed me to transform, flow, and be taken in many directions. I see this as a gift and my calling. As for my dream of touring in a multimedia bus educating and inspiring Canadians, no, it did not happen for Canada‘s 150th, but it will. I am stronger from the experience, with many lessons learned in the 10 years since I started the Canadian Mosaic Project. I am forging ahead and have picked up where I left off over a year ago. This year, I‘ll be living in one place long enough to make money to make it to my next destination. Each stop I will be shooting portraits, writing stories, conducting video/audio interviews, and dissecting/ deciphering the public‘s sentiment, all of which will be condensed, refined, and formatted into a contemporary mobile travelling pavilion on wheels that will tour the nation stopping in communities across Canada starting in 2021. Stay tuned as I report to you from the open road in the most beautiful of gypsy caravans with tales of our one-of-a-kind Canadian identity and awesome country we share and call Canada! To follow my journey, visit Canadian Mosaic on facebook or canadianmosaic.ca.

Left: Jacinda Mack. Middle: Hazeltine Creek after the Imperial Metals Mt. Polley Mine disaster. Right upper: Drying salmon. Right lower: soapberries. Photos courtesy of Stand for Water

ocal, provincial, and national groups joined Williams Lake on May 17 for the launch of the Stand for Water tour spearheaded by First Nations Women Advocating Responsible Mining (FNWARM) in British Columbia. Stand for Water is a movement to raise awareness of the threats mining operations pose to waterways throughout BC and across borders, and to incorporate free, prior, and informed consent principles under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in all phases of mining.

The movement builds on the Tulalip Water Protection Declaration signed recently by over 20 Indigenous communities and regional associations in BC, Yukon, and Alaska with the aim to protect transboundary water ecosystems. In the words of Jacinda Mack, co-founder of Stand for Water, â&#x20AC;&#x2022;Mining is a fact of life in BC, but current practices are threatening clean water necessary for sustaining life. Stand for Water is

about changing outdated mining practices that harm the environment, while respecting Indigenous and impacted communities.â&#x20AC;&#x2013; The tour, which incorporates a new 35minute documentary film Uprivers by filmmaker Jackson Matthew, will be visiting a dozen communities in BC and neighbouring States over the coming weeks and months, including Williams Lake (May 17), Smithers (May 29), Hazelton (May

30), Terrace (May 31), Tofino (June), Nelson (June), Kamloops (Fall), Vancouver (Fall), Victoria (Fall), Seattle, WA (Fall), and Washington, D.C. (Fall). The groups present for the launch of the Stand for Water campaign in Williams Lake included Amnesty International Canada, BC Environmental Network, Concerned Citizens of Quesnel Lake, Forest Protection Allies, Mining Watch Canada, Northern Confluence, Salmon Beyond Borders, and Quesnel River Watershed Alliance. For information, contact Jenn Wesanko, Stand For Water standforwater.org/, at (604) 347-5988.

By Venta Rutkauskas Community Arts Council collaborates with poet Sonya Littlejohn on creative workshops focusing on wildfire experiences.

et me tell you a story. Since the wildfires, I have been searching. Pulled by a will to feel centred, to record and understand, I have turned to my notebook, composing to match the visions of ash, upheaval, and renewal that marked me. I listened intently, to the ground, the smoke, the nerves, the voices of my friends. Out of these poured streams of emotion and colour, needing a place to settle and call home.

New life springs up from the ashes. Photo: By Venta Rutkauskas

When you least expect it, the collective consciousness responds and brings together the elements in such a way as to create the fulfillment of desire. One afternoon I invited poet Sonya Littlejohn to meet me at the Community Arts Council office. She came and delivered the idea I‘d been searching for, just like that… A Fire Anthology. A soul-knowing ‗yes‘ lit up my heart, setting in motion a chain of events that lead us to this point. It begins like this: Throughout June, with Sonya as our guide, our first series of three workshops, entitled 1001 Recipes for Ashes, will gather the stories that emerged from a summer of fire. We will create a welcoming space in which you can share. Why? Perhaps filmmaker Sarah Polley says it best: ―Stories are our way of coping, of creating shape out of the mess.‖ Our goal is to create a beautiful book, an embodiment of recovery and a document filled with diverse perspectives, teachings, longings, and a rainbow of emotion. Sonya‘s passion for teaching and facilitating the writing process evolved with WordPlay, a Vancouver Poetry House initiative where, ―Contemporary active poets give relevance and immediacy to poetry in

the classroom.‖Sonya empowered young writers through WordPlay‘s focus on experimentation and self-expression. Sonya explains, ―The work with WordPlay solidified my role as a writer by owning the ability to perform and teach.‖ The craft came to Sonya at an early age, inked like the first clicks of a new typewriter on a fresh page. Blessed by a mother‘s keen guidance, she quickly began reading and before long was writing. She shares visions of writing stories that paired with her early drawings. ―In my mind, the stories were epic,‖ says Sonya, ―but probably they were only a few words.‖ In grade 7, she encountered Loyd Csizmadia‘s vivid and energetic teaching style. ―He gave a liveliness to language that other teachers who were more serious didn‘t,‖ Sonya remembers. She would have him for English several times throughout high school. Mr. Csizmadia had an irreverent way of working with the curriculum, she explains, and he opened his students‘ eyes to the creative potential in language and grammar. Eventually, Sonya moved on to study Canadian Anthropology at UBC, and then remained in Vancouver, carving out a life as a poet and spoken word artist. Sonya has now returned to the Cariboo. She, too, listened intently to the community around her, eliciting the desire to compile the impacts wildfires have had. Our

work here is an experiment. What happens when thousands of people face a collective experience like this? Maybe something beautiful, Sonya explains: ―The community spirit of supportiveness and care many saw triggered during the fires and evacuations was something hopeful I experienced. It stretched from the center of the fires out as far as the rest of the world.‖ This series of workshops will centre on vivid imagery. ―I intend to guide the participants with imagery of the home and our natural sur-

roundings, to explore the ideas of safety, support, and stewardship as we move forward recognizing what we passed through and what may be on the other side.‖ So here we are, the editors of the anthology. We are seeking reflective essays, poetry, art, and photographs. We want your stories, experiences, and reflections of community care and co-operation, resilience, mental journeys, physical journeys. Tell us of loss, challenges to status quo, fears, threats, promises, and plans for future seasons. ―This is all grounds for poetry,‖ Sonya points out. Whether or not you are a writer, we want to ensure you we can hear your story. We seek to offer these workshops to writers, storytellers, oral historians, lyricists, and visual artists who were affected, and who wish to connect in community around this common experience. Get in touch with us. Come to the workshops, held at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre on Saturday, June 2, Wednesday, June 13, and Saturday, June 23. We are grateful for the support of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District via the Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society, the BC Arts Council, and the Province of BC. It is my honour to walk this path in partnership with Sonya. It will be my honour to witness you and the unfolding of your story. Venta Rutkauskas is the co-ordinator for the Community Arts Council of Williams Lake (CACWL). See williamslakecommunityartscouncil.com to learn more about CACWL & local artists.

By Terri Smith

n my workshops I keep telling people that one of the most important things you can do for your garden is have it be a place that you love to spend time. If you enjoy hanging out in your garden, you are more likely to be in your garden more, which means you are more likely to do more in your garden. I have been telling this to lovely groups of people at least once a week for a few months now, and then I come home, do the bare minimum of chores, and fall asleep reading on the couch. It‘s hard to live so far out of town and keep a balance between work, social, and farm life and still have time to rest. I don‘t really have what many would think of as a proper ―job‖ at the moment, and yet for the last six months I have gone to work at least five days each week. Some days I even drive for two hours to work in Williams Lake just for the fun of it! Right now, I‘m doing a terrible job of finding balance, so, not surprisingly, I caught a cold. I hate being sick at any time of the year, but gardening season is one of the worst. So much outside is changing so fast and I‘m missing it. This is the time of year when weeds can take over in a day and different flowers bloom and are done in the blink of an eye. It‘s also filling me with anxiety because, wow, is that quack grass ever growing fast! And those raspberry bushes I planned to set into orderly rows are still a jungle, and my old compost has still not been turned my new compost pile is not built… and the list goes on. I‘m trying to listen to what I tell my classes: slow down; gardening should be pleasant. Start small. Things want to grow even without your constant interference. If you mess it up, just rake it out and plant again with whatever comes next. And then I walk outside, get flustered and wonder what it was I had

By Terri Smith

madeus‘ sixth birthday was the 23rd of April. This also happens to be Shakespeare‘s birthday, and I can‘t believe it took me six years to realize that my favourite goat and my favourite author have the same birthday! Interestingly, we named all our baby goats except Amadeus after characters from Shakespeare. I really should have named him ―Hamlet.‖ Since birth he has been constantly debating whether he wants ―to be or not to be...‖ We celebrated Amadeus‘ birthday with a trip to the vet. I have been writing about my struggle to rid Amadeus of his possible mite problem for an embarrassingly long time now. I finally decided Ivomec was worth the risk and I visited one of the local clinics. I hadn‘t realized that Ivomec is not a simple, over-the-counter drug anymore. I won‘t bother describing my experience, but I left feeling drained and stupid. I also learned that there are two types of mites that must be reported, and if they couldn‘t be cleared up euthanasia would be required. Amadeus had an appointment for

A bit of silliness can help with the weeding. Photos: Terri Smith

planned to do when I first opened the door. I feel I am getting behind. I did start a lot of seedlings, though! I started more seedlings than I could fit in front of our windows. I have a vague memory of deciding last winter that I wouldn‘t plant so many seedlings this year. Specifically, I was not going to worry about planting peppers or onions; but rather, I was going to buy more locally. So, what‘s with this tray of several hundred onion seedlings and five each of five varieties of peppers?! Do I really need over 200 basil plants? Well, yes, obviously I do need this much basil. But perhaps 135 tomatoes are a few too many. And here‘s my biggest fear, my secret confession, the thing that keeps me awake at night: I‘m scared that I might just be lazy and that‘s why I‘m getting behind. I have a reading addiction that is even stronger than my farming addiction. I didn‘t know this back when I was a full-time

quired. Amadeus had an appointment for the following Tuesday, April 24 and I couldn‘t help but remember that Shakespeare was supposed to have died on or around his own birthday and I hoped that Amadeus might stop having so much in common with the bard. The next morning, I did what I always do when something is wrong with Amadeus: I called my mom. Mom understands. Her immediate response was, ―Why don‘t we call Doug?‖ Dr. Doug Magnowski has been our family‘s vet for years and has been Amadeus‘ doctor from the beginning. We trust him, and he knows Amadeus. We made an appointment in Williams Lake for the same Tuesday and I cancelled his appointment here. Dr. Magnowski‘s reassuring manner and the trust we have in him made me feel immediately at ease and I was happy I had chosen to take Amadeus for the two-hour drive to see him. We all laughed that any vet who sees Amadeus better do a great job or everyone will be reading about it in my next article. As always, I have only good things to say about our visit to Dr. Magnowski. He‘s kind of my hero, really! After

farmer. Sure, there were those moments that I would pretend to be dealing with very important paperwork when I would just shut myself up in my office to finish a particularly engrossing novel; but overall, I managed alright. I was a high-functioning bibliophile who was not a danger to myself or others. But now, I read at all the usual times, like in bed and in the bath and in the goat pen, but I also find myself reading at more unusual times. I read while I‘m setting the table. I read while watering the seedlings. I keep reading as I get up and walk into the dining room when Mark calls me for supper. It‘s becoming a problem, really. I walk into more walls and stub more toes than most people would find acceptable. I am pretty sure it‘s the WASPish work-ethic I was raised with that is causing me so much angst. If I were employed as an editor I wouldn‘t be worried that I was lazy because I read so much. I‘d be doing a fantastic job! But I‘m an erst-

while farmer (I just looked up ‗erstwhile,‘ because, as an avid reader I recognized that it sounded like the right word, but I wasn‘t really sure I actually knew its meaning: it means ‗former,‘ perfect!) and reading does not leave me with anything tangible to show for it other than overflowing bookcases. So now that the growing season is upon us, I have told myself that I am allowed to read so long as I only read farming and gardening books from now till August.(Did you spot the loophole? I didn‘t say they had to be non-fiction!) I am also going to create an even cozier reading area in my garden. I will find a way to balance my farming habit with my reading habit. I do so love my little garden. It really is true that when you make your garden into a place you want to visit you visit it more often. The fairy herb garden I pretend to have created for my nieces fills me with delight every time I am near it. Consequently, it is the most well-weeded and cared for section of the whole garden. My little greenhouse is a close second as it is right beside the fairy garden with a lovely path of beautiful stones leading to its door. Inside, I have a few antique garden tools and other oddities that make me happy. It isn‘t silly to add these small unnecessary treasures that bring us joy anywhere in our lives. Dostoevsky said, ―Beauty can save the world,‖ and humans have been debating this idea ever since. But when I see how much better my garden grows for me when I find it beautiful, and how much better we eat as a consequence, I believe him. Terri Smith is a non-certified organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo. She is passionate about writing, art, goats, and feeding good food to good people. She believes in following your heart, living your dreams, and taking care of the planet.

Amadeus resting and eating after a birthday trip to the clinic. Photo: Lea Dumont

doing a skin scraping, we were all surprised that he found no evidence of mites. We are still waiting on the results of a few tests, but it‘s quite likely that the problem is a type of invisible louse, which can be treated with regular delousing powder— still a chemical solution, but one that I know Amadeus can handle because I‘ve used it on him before. ―Invisible lice?‖ Mark asked with a laugh when I got home. ―And did he sell you some imaginary powder to treat him with?‖ Despite his teasing, I could see that Mark was relieved too, for my sake. Yes-

terday I gave Amadeus his second round of what we‘ve started referring to as ―the imaginary powder,‖ and it seems to be working. So, all‘s well that ends well, and in case you were wondering, yes, I do realize that this comedy of errors, is really all just much ado about nothing. Terri Smith is a non-certified organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo. She is passionate about writing, art, goats, and feeding good food to good people. She believes in following your heart, living your

By Tera Grady

hile China is cracking down on the amount of contamination it receives with recyclables, many parts of North America are finding it harder and harder to market their recyclables. However, Recycle BC is launching a pilot for a new category of packaging to collect. Starting June 1, all Cariboo Regional District recycling depots will accept packaging like bubble wrap; nylon weaved rice and dog food bags; cereal bags; zipper lock bags (including Ziplocs!); stand up pouches; potato chip bags; cellophane; and many others. This new category type ―other flexible plastic packaging‖ encompasses many packages that are not currently recyclable for a variety of reasons. If it is not recyclable, why collect it at recycling depots? These packages will be used in research and development to work towards technology that will enable recycling of some, if not all, of these packages. Any material not capable of being recycled will be recovered and produced into engineered fuel. This fuel will then be marketed as an alternative to coal or other more carbon intensive fuels.

erformances in the Park is the place to be on a Thursday night. From July 5 to August 23, 2018, the Gwen Ringwood Theatre in Boitanio Park will light up each Thursday evening with awesome musical performances from 6–8 p.m., along with food vendors, face painting, and children‘s activities. Arty the Artwalker and ArtWalk 2018 will be part of the event starting August 9. Performances in the Park is a true community event. It is presented by the Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society in partnership with the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District, and is supported and sponsored by business and media partners. Each concert night sees between 500 and 600 spectators, rain or shine, who bring their lawn chairs and blankets or umbrellas and tarps (we are tough in the Cariboo), to enjoy the summer evenings and fantastic acts by talented local, national, and international performers. Despite last year‘s fires, we set up five out of eight times. The team behind Performances in the Park gets into high gear in November to assure a fun-packed, family-friendly series the following summer. Angela Sommer of Angelkeys Music Studio, Performances in the Park co-ordinator, is co-ordinating the event, but she couldn‘t do it without the help of staff and volunteers of the Central

Why is an engineered fuel better than coal fuel? Engineered fuel is a cleaner burning fuel source when compared to coal, because of its low sulphur and chlorine content. It also has a higher BTU value than coal. With help from BC residents to provide a clean (non-contaminated) stream of ―other flexible plastic packaging,‖ new strides can be made in recycling technology to manage these packaging materials and divert them away from our landfills. The image to the right from Recycle BC shows some examples of materials that will be accepted at DEPOT locations only; these packages should never be disposed of in curbside programs. For more information, please visit recyclebc.ca/flexiblepackaging/. We all need to take responsibility for the waste we produce. Please consider this when purchasing items. Learn more by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/caribooregion, visiting us online at cariboord.ca, or looking for our waste wise articles in your local paper. For more information on the Waste Wise Program, call (250) 398-7929. You can also find more details on Waste Wise activities and events at ccconserv.org.

Cariboo Arts and Culture Society. The business community in Williams Lake has once again been more than generous in sponsoring the performances. We couldn‘t do it without them, so please take note of our wonderful sponsors and be sure to thank them for their support. Our 2018 Gold Sponsors for Performances in the Park are Lake City Ford, Collision and Auto Glass, United Concrete and Gravel, and the West Fraser Tuckers. Silver sponsors are the Rotary Club Williams Lake, Williams Lake Optometry, Monster Industries Ltd., and PMT Chartered Professional Accountants LLP. Bronze Sponsors are Chaps Fix Auto, Arty the Artwalker, Johnston Meier Insurance, Atlantic Power, Retirement Concepts, West Fraser Mills, Tolko Industries, Investor‘s Group, and Love Williams Lake. The Goat/Cariboo Country radio stations are our proud radio sponsors, the Williams Lake Tribune is providing weekly updates in print, The Stew Magazine and TheGreenGazette will feature articles and a schedule that can be put up on the fridge. Caribooradio.com will update online. Come out and enjoy the great music, fun atmosphere, tasty local food from Taylor Make Cakes and Sweets, Cody‘s Bannock, and the Fennel Cup, and children‘s activities by the Community Arts Council on Thursday nights in July and August. And, don‘t forget to bring your friends!

By LeRae Haynes

ayne Padgett is an author and passionate believer in the herbal healing found in nature and in the vital importance of protecting the environment. In 1986, Padgett and his wife Sie started Northern Naturals Health Products Ltd. They create salves and ointments to treat a huge range of ailments and conditions: some for horses, some for people, and some for both. Their newest line is a salve made from non-narcotic hemp oil. ―We like this oil because it has amino acids that our bodies can use but can‘t make,‖ said Padgett. ―Wheat germ oil is the highest in vitamin E and this hemp oil is second. It‘s also antibacterial.‖ Northern Naturals hit a high point in the early 1970s when the salve caught the attention of Tommy Craig, head trainer for the Toronto Blue Jays. ―I got the notion to send him a sample of the product we made at the time: a plain salve with 10 herbs,‖ said Padgett. ―Three years later he called me and said ‗I like your product. I want you to make me a hot salve. I‘m from Texas and I like it hot.‘‖ We used the hottest cayenne pepper you can get. ―It was great to meet him. He‘d give me free tickets to exhibition games in Vancouver, and I got to meet the whole team,‖ said Padgett.―It was a real highlight in my life.‖ Padgett comes from a family background in First Nations natural healing. ―When I was 10 years old I almost died of asthma and had to sleep sitting up, using a ventilator,‖ he said. ―My grandfather, who was half Cherokee, said ‗I‘m going to show you how to get rid of your asthma.‘ He took me out to get sassafras roots and we made tea. I drank that tea for three years and became one of the best runners on our school team.‖ He said traditionally in the southern US and even places in Canada, only the boys would be trained in herbal medicine. ―I got trained in it and was one of the only ones who took it seriously,‖ he noted. He took it even further after he got out of university, where he received a degree in history. He ended up teaching school in Vancouver for a year, where he met his wife, Sie. He found that city life wasn‘t for him, and knew he wanted out. ―I wanted to go back to family roots and study herbal medi-

Above: Family portrait of Wayne Padgett with his children in Atnarko, BC, where they lived for 15 years. Photo: Sie Padgett Top right: Two types of Natraway hemp salves including hand-picked herbs for wound healing, and Mulleinade oi for instant pain relief and wound healing are available at Sta-Well Health Foods in Williams Lake. Double Heart Brand Equine Salves are available at Beaver Valley Feeds in Williams Lake and can be used on horses, dogs, and cats. Photo: Lisa Bland

cine; my wife said ‗I‘m with you. Let's go.‘‖ The two set off across Canada to Nova Scotia in 1970 to buy cheap land. Along the way, they sold copies of his first book everywhere they possibly could, to make gas money. They came to Wawa, Ontario, which he describes as an old mining town gone bust, with a huge goose statue on the side of the road. ―We were just about out of money,‖ he said. ―We were just a couple of longhaired hippies and found our way into a Legion bar. Everybody was speaking French, and we thought we wouldn‘t sell a single book.‖ He laid his books out on the table, and when the other patrons discovered it was a book of poetry, they started buying. ―We sold piles of books there,‖ he said. ―We made more money in that Legion than we had the whole trip.‖ In the end they decided to return to BC. ―We travelled a bit, looked around, and saw Bella Coola on a map,‖ he continued. ―I remember stopping at the top of the Bella Coola hill, looking down into the valley and saying, ‗This is paradise.‘‖ Padgett got a job as a builder with longtime resident, followed by work building a campground, and caretaking at Tweedsmuir Provincial Park.

One look at the Atnarko area, however, and he fell in love and knew that‘s where he truly wanted to be. ―I really wanted to horse farm,‖ he explained.―I had done it with my dad and grandfather. ―We got hold of the owner of a log house along the Atnarko River at the base of the mountain and arranged to rent it. We stayed there 15 years. We were hippie farmers and we loved it. We had immaculate hayfields, horses, and gardens. Our kids were born there.‖ Eventually, the family settled on seven acres in the Bella Coola Valley, and turned it into an herb farm. ―We started making salve for our horses and for us—the Double Heart brand equine salve still sold at Beaver Valley Feeds in Williams Lake,‖ he said. They continued to make salves and ointments and the business grew. Sie studied herbs and how they work together and designed the ointments. Padgett said they went to Australia with their products in 1999, where it only took a month to get them registered and start selling, as opposed to that process taking a year and a half here. ―We sold our horse salve to a guy who supplied it to ranchers in Northwest Australia. They loved it, and used it on humans and horses alike,‖ said Padgett. ―They felt that if it was good enough for the horses, it was good enough for them.‖ Another good seller is the Natraway Sports Jels. The Sports Jel #1 and #2 is sold at Sta-Well in Williams Lake, as is Mulleinade. ―I go into the mountains and pick the green buds from the Mullein plants,‖ said Padgett, adding that the product‘s herbal application is in cosmetic form. ―It‘s great for the skin, hair, and lungs, and for treating colds. It‘s good for treating insect bites, burns, and scrapes, and is traditionally known for treating acne and skin problems,‖ he added. Passionate about protecting the environment and avoiding noxious poisonous herbicide sprays, Padgett has gone to bat for the environment more than a few times: it‘s a way of life for him.

―Herbs grow wild in our yard; we go in the wilderness and pick them pure,‖ he explains. ―We can‘t poison the Earth—there‘s only so much left.‖ This matters to Padgett on a very personal level. He has seen first-hand what herbs will do and feels very fortunate that he had the opportunity to learn about them. ―Residential schools went a long way toward wiping out their whole culture,‖ he said. ―The older people couldn‘t practice herbal medicine anymore. I think that‘s why it‘s important now to get this back with the young people. When I was young I thought my Cherokee grandfather was crazy until he healed me of asthma.‖ He said it‘s so important to do what we can to preserve this knowledge. ―I have dedicated my life to learning about herbal healing and offering it to others, as well as protecting the environment,‖ he said. He feels connected to the Earth and dedicated to the art of healing. Compassionate, visionary, and practical, he describes himself as highly imperfect. ―I‘ve made mistakes in my life,‖ he said, ―and I‘m trying to make it right.‖ He added that some of the plants they use in their healing salves and ointments are made from plants that people call noxious and spray them with noxious poisons. ―They have the power to heal you: they‘re sacred and we have to protect them or we‘ll lose them. And if we do that, we‘re done,‖ he said. ―When our Earth was created our medicines were created. They‘re a gift from the Creator.‖ For more information about Northern Natural Health Products Ltd, phone (250) 982-2326. LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer, song writer, community co-ordinator for Success by 6, member of Perfect Match dance band, and instigator of music with kids.

These Cariboo locations are cutting down on their waste by composting or donating their food scraps:

These locations and business are helping the strawless campaign in the Cariboo by only serving straws upon request:

Contact the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society to jump on board. Who are we missing? Give us a call and show us how your business is helping tackle the worldwide waste problem. Or â&#x20AC;Śtell us how you would like to learn how to help.

By LeRae Haynes

aving more time to spend time with your family, time to relax after a long day at work, or time to pursue a hobby than can enrich your life, can be as easy as a call to Tidy Nest Cleaning and Errands. Owner Shalene Ostrom and her team do residential house cleaning, move-out cleaning, deep cleaning, window washing, and errand running, providing professional, exceptional customer service. ―We do things for people that they‘re too busy to do themselves, or unable to do,‖ Ostrom explained. ―Sometimes we help seniors stay in their own homes longer and make it easier for people to come home after work and relax with their families. ―We say, ‗do what you love and let us do the rest.‘‖ Tidy Nest got its beginning when Ostrom saw a real need in the community— one that was close to home. ―My mom had knee surgery and needed someone to do things like get groceries, lift the heavy water bottles, move things around the house, and clean the litter box,‖ said Ostrom. ―She tried to find someone to help but couldn‘t.‖ She stepped in to help her mom and realized that there was a need for these services in the community. After conversations with her husband and her mother, Ostrom went to Community Futures to get her business started.

The staff at Tidy Nest. Photo: Rick Magnell / Northern Development Initiative Trust

Community Futures was a huge asset for her, as was her education (degree in biology and psychology) and background. Another benefit was finding the right people to hire.―I really lucked out,‖ she said. A great piece of advice Ostrom got along the way was in a psychology presentation from Harvard. ―One professor said, ‗When you‘re trying to decide what to do, ask yourself what you‘re good at, what do you love, and how do you give back. Put your stuff together, and where they cross over, that‘s where you end up,‘‖ she said. Ostrom took on her first client in February 2017 and has grown to five employees. ―It grew really fast. People are very happy with us, and say they love coming home to a clean house,‖ she continued.

By Oliver Berger

iterally it seems that way lately: we have no time left to waste. With all the plastic pollution confronting our society, our unnecessary packaging, and our one-time -use items, we are beginning to be surrounded by our leftovers. Frankly, it is overwhelming. However, to be honest I have been waiting for this. As humans we usually only really react to serious problems when we really need to. It is that time. This issue I want to bring to light is a dedicated group helping our community in a particularly special way. Do you remember when there was someone working at our local Share Shed every day of the week? There were usually two people, one was a person with a mental or physical disability or illness, also referred to as the worker. The other was their job coach or supervisor or patiently-kind work partner, whichever term you prefer to use. It was the Williams Lake Association for Community Living (WLACL). Together they kept the Share Shed organized. Items were neatly displayed, recyclables were sorted out, and it was functioning as a beautiful circle of incoming and outgoing items. What happened? WLACL restructured their philosophies on integrating workers into the community and the Share Shed was consuming a lot of their resources. They had to move along. It was an unfortunate loss; however, with every closed door, another opens.

Tyler has a role in the community processing business documents through the WLACL WORKS paper shredding program. Photo: WLACL WORKS

Since then, the WLACL has been building a very successful recycling business right here in Williams Lake. Working together with local businesses that are looking to get rid of their recyclable waste properly, the WLACL has filled a void with confidential shredding. It is part of a program called WLACL WORKS. The team of two, one coach and one worker, do rounds around the lake city collecting business documents destined for disposal. Box by box, they go head-to-head

―It‘s has a social aspect to it, too, making positive connections and relationships with seniors who may live alone.‖ Within three months of starting the business, Tidy Nest was fully booked with a waiting list. ―It‘s hard work, but satisfying, and our team has fun,‖ she said, adding that a sense of humour is a huge asset. Treating both clients and employees with kindness is important to Ostrom. ―I had a wonderful boss myself for 10 years and wanted to be a wonderful boss, too,‖ she said. At Tidy Nest they work around family schedules for employees. Another important focus at Tidy Nest is safe, natural cleaning products that are kind to the environment, but still get the job done. ―We‘re very careful,‖ she contin-

with the shredder and get to work. They fill big reusable fabric bags with this valuable shredded paper and then deliver it to the transfer station for proper recycling. ―The employees are fully bonded and are good at their job,‖ said Tammy Fisher, program co-ordinator at WLACL. Along with collecting all that unwanted shredded paper they have absorbed other tasks as well. They have a contract with the Cariboo Regional District to collect all the refundable beverage containers from local and outlying transfer stations as well as from the businesses they service. The money collected from this waste stream helps fund part of their program. If the businesses have more than just shredded paper or pop cans, they will also assist in the removal of excess cardboard or any additional items that can be recycled. The workers are very knowledgeable of our local recycling programs, as they have been an active part of it for many years now. From sorting recyclables at the old facility in North End Industrial Park and the time spent at the Share Shed, they have more sorting experience than I do. Their brochure reads: ‗This program is designed to support adults affected with intellectual disabilities to succeed as independent workers. Along with the additional income, having a rewarding job reduces loneliness and increases social networks, community awareness, and self esteem.‘ ―It‘s a great program,‖ said Fisher. ―The community gets to meet and interact with the people we work with. They do real work and make real money.‖

ued.―We breathe it, we touch it, and we use it in people‘s bathtubs: it needs to be green. It matters in my own home, and it matters in others‘. ―We also recycle all our bottles, clean and re-use spray bottles, and use cloth, washable rags—I treat your house like I treat my own.‖ She said she likes working with people and helping people. ―They thank us profusely; it feels really good to know you‘ve made a difference,‖ she explained. ―We take stress off people—give them one less thing they have to do. A ‗busy mom clean‘ is different than a ‗clean.‘‖ She said they also take on people on a temporary basis, for example, after they‘ve had surgery. The team at Tidy Nest looks after things until they‘re back on their feet. They also have move-out cleaning and residential window openings available without a waiting list. Customer service is everything at Tidy Nest, and being friendly, efficient, and trustworthy is top of their list. ―At the end of your day,‖ Ostrom said, ―we can make your house clean and peaceful and ready to welcome you home.‖ For more information about Tidy Nest Cleaning and Errands, v is it www.tidynest.ca, phone (250) 302-1244, email info@tidynest.ca, or find them on Facebook and Instagram. LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer, song writer, community co-ordinator for Success by 6, member of Perfect Match dance band, and instigator of music with kids.

I would seriously consider WLACL for your commercial recycling needs. They are local, they are reliable, and they support more than just our global cause for bettering our waste stream. They also give people with life challenges who might not necessarily fit into the regular job system a sense of purpose. Is that not what we all really strive for in life, simply a sense of purpose? Oliver has a 35-year degree in life, starting out in the Spokin Lake area, spending adolescence in Williams Lake, and then venturing throughout the world on a quest of always learning new things. His priorities include dedication to and education about waste management.

Photo: pixabay.com

By Dr Katie DeGroot, ND

ave you heard of the Mediterranean Diet or how it was discovered? Or have you noticed how popular it is lately, and wondered why is so often recommended by doctors and nutritionists for any number of health conditions? In the mid-1950s, a group of American scientists noticed that people living around the Mediterranean Sea were healthier and lived longer than the average American. After much study, they concluded this was almost entirely due to differences indiet and exercise. From this work the Mediterranean Diet was first described nearly 70 years ago. Now, the Mediterranean Diet is highly recommended for both health promotion and disease prevention—it has been extensively researched and found to prevent or improve outcomes in many conditions, including high blood pressure, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and stroke. Following the Mediterranean Diet is quite simple; there is no magic formula or restrictive menu plan. Rather, it is a general guide to healthy eating. Key foods to eat every day include vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, olive oil, and nuts and seeds. Every week, it is recommended people consume two or more servings of fish or seafood, and one or two servings each of poultry, eggs, and/or dairy prod-

ucts. Red meat is recommended in moderation, perhaps one serving every week or two. Water should be consumed every day, with red wine on occasion. Ideally, processed foods should be avoided—food products that are commercially made or contain multiple ingredients. Such foods include sugar-sweetened beverages (such as soda or juice), refined grain products (like white bread or pastries), and processed meats (including bacon and luncheon meats). Finally, exercise and social connections are important—it‘s recommended to be physically active every day and to eat meals in company. Choosing to follow a Mediterranean Diet can be as simple as shopping at your local farmer‘s market, choosing whole foods at the grocery store, or changing portion sizes or how frequently you eat certain foods. It is not so much that the foods you eat are Mediterranean in origin, but rather, that they are real foods enjoyed together with family or friends. Dr. Katie DeGroot is a naturopathic doctor who also holds a Master’s of Science in Nutrition. She works at Integrated Elements Wellness Clinic in both Williams Lake and 100 Mile House and is currently accepting new patients at both clinic locations.

By Ryan Elizabeth Cope

ometimes in life, you just have to jump in the car and go where the wind blows you. Never is that truer than in the summertime… and this is where we get into trouble. Wait, trouble? Whaddyamean? Having adventures, being spontaneous, isn‘t that the penultimate goal of summer?! Well, it is… except when we forget to pack enough food and water for our road trip and the only available options are gas station snacks, we have nothing to drink out of at the beach meet-up we decided to go to last-minute, and we‘re left trying to slice our freshly barbecued dinner with a plastic butter knife we found in our emergency camping stash from forever ago.

Sprinkle in a few accidentally scattered cigarette butts in whatever pocket of BC you find yourself in, and our day of dreamy summer fun quickly turns into an environmentalist‘s nightmare. Now, let me be clear: I am all about adventure and I think it‘s entirely possible to be spontaneous while also being sustainable. But sometimes we get bogged down in the details. As environmentalists, it often feels like we‘re David and society is Goliath in the fight towards a simpler, waste-less lifestyle. The Goliaths of this world say, ―it‘s complicated to camp plastic-free‖ or ―my homemade travel snacks don‘t look as nice as that one I saw on Instagram‖ or ―planning ahead is so complicated!‖ and the Davids are left holding the reusable tote bags, the lists, and the plan, muttering, ―But… but… just give it a chance!‖ We (the collective group of enviro nme nt a lly- mind e d- yet -t o t a llyspontaneous-adventurers) get it! The average person just wants to have a good time but is often left feeling inadequate, confused, and overwhelmed, assuming their actions couldn‘t possibly add up to anything significant and that planning ahead ruins the fun of a bright, cheery summer day. My idea of a perfect summer is one where preparation meets up with spontaneity and says, ―I saw you coming and I am so ready for this spur-of-the-moment hiking trip to Lillooet!‖ So, without further ado, let‘s dive into some practical ways to make our summer adventures more sustainable...and have a killer time while doing it! - Stash some non-perishable, non-melty snacks in your car for those last-minute road trips. When I had a car, I always kept a bag of GORP in my glove box. Extra points for packing snacks in something reusable. After all, if they‘re going to sit around in your car for a while, do you really want them baking in a plastic bag?

Planning ahead for a waste-less shopping trip should only take minutes. Bags pack light in hiking backpacks, and jars are convenient for road trip snack attacks. Abundance awaits at your nearest farm stand. Locally grown food will give you an energy and nutrient boost for whatever adventure awaits! Above all else, take a deep breath in, then exhale it out and bask in the glory that is summertime in BC. Photos: Ryan Elizabeth Cope

- While you‘re stashing things in your car, why not throw in some kind of reusable drinking vessel? Think about the number of times you‘ve arrived to a summer potluck, bonfire, or boat trip and all that‘s available to you are plastic Solo cups; with a reusable you can skip the plastic and never lose track of which cup is yours. - Hit up the local farmer‘s market for fresh goodies before heading out on your camping and/or road trip. Veggies, eggs, grillable meats, and pre-made snacks are all possibilities. Bonus: living in BC means you will never be without some form of farm stand, market, or farm store, virtually anywhere. At peak season I‘d be willing to bet you could make it from the coast to the Alberta border and never set foot in an actual grocery store. Tip: come prepared with bags for produce and containers for meat and snacks. This sounds like a lot of work but if you‘re already going on a road/ camping trip, you‘ve already had to plan and prepare. Trust me: it is so satisfying to arrive at a vendor‘s station and whip out your bag/jar/box. It will make you feel like a superhero. - Dust off the good ‗ole reusable water bottle. People, it is the year 2018. Why are we still buying bottled water? If you haven‘t seen or read the myriad information telling us that most bottled water is just tap water repurposed, do yourself a favour and visit Google for some knowledge. Then, grab the nearest bottle and never let it leave your side. This does not – I repeat – does not mean going out and dropping $45 on a shiny, new, Swell water bottle. Nothing against Swell, and if you‘re in the market for a new bottle then for sure, invest in a durable, high-quality vessel. It‘s just that we have this tendency as humans to jump on a bandwagon and feel like we need to

buy all kinds of stuff. Whatever you currently have kicking around the backseat of your car will likely do. Here in the Okanagan and well into the Cariboo, there is some stunning hiking to be had, but it is an arid climate and dehydration is a real thing. Breathe life into your water bottle and get excited about all the hydration possibilities. - Make life less of a beach and clean up after your beach or bonfire party. I lose track of the number of bottle caps, straws, wrappers, cans, kids toys, and cigarette butts I pick up because someone else got careless and it drives me and everyone else mental. It‘s easy to let these things blow away, so the easier solution is to not bring them in the first place. Now that you‘ve got your farmer‘s market treats, a stainless steel straw, and a reusable bottle to carry your favorite beverage, there should be no mess, right?

Word to the wise? R-e-l-a-x. Here in BC, we live in paradise. Our access to nature is amazing and the amount of adventures we‘re able to get up to on any given day, near or far, is staggering. Summers are for fun, friends, and memories and with these few tips, it will be all the easier to have, find, and create more of all three. Ryan Elizabeth Cope is a Kelowna, BCbased advocate for plastic-less, healthful living. She has lived and worked in several places on the coasts of both the Atlantic and the Pacific, from Hawaii to Maine. She blogs at Seven in the Ocean (https:// sevenintheocean.com/) where she marries her love of food with her disdain for plastic -wrapped garbage. When not ranting ad nauseum about plastic, she can be found playing with her chickens, or concocting fresh juices in her kitchen.

By Julie Fowler, executive and artistic director of Island Mountain Arts and the ArtsWells Festival

sland Mountain Arts (IMA) is pleased to welcome awardwinning writer Betsy Warland to Wells this summer to teach and is offering a full scholarship for a central/ northern writer to attend. ―Making Your Writing Fly,‖ which runs July 7–10, is geared towards writers who want to hone their craft and sharpen their editing skills. ―Whether you have a few strong pieces, or a portion of or a full manuscript, you will gain the skills and even pleasure of self-editing in this unique workshop,‖ says Warland. ―Working from micro to macro, you will improve your writing first on the sentence level up to the whole piece.‖ Betsy Warland has 12 books of poetry, creative nonfiction, and lyric prose. She is among the leading lyric prose writers in Canada, and her collection of essays on writing, Breathing the Page—Reading the Act of Writing (2010) became a bestseller. In 2016, her book, Oscar of Between— A Memoir of Identity and Ideas, was published by Caitlin Press. Reviews of Oscar of Between in the US, Germany, and Canada have called it ―an achievement,‖ ―a roman a clef,‖ ―truly luminous,‖ and a ―tour de force.‖ That same year Warland

Above: Award-winning writer Betsy Warland. Photo courtesy of Island Mountain Arts Right: Aerial view of Wells, BC. Photo: Nelson Mouellic

received the Mayor‘s Literary Arts Award in Vancouver. A professional creative writing teacher and manuscript consultant/editor for over 30 years, Warland co-founded the crossCanada Creative Writers Nonfiction Collective and founded and continues to mentor in the six-month Vancouver Manuscript Intensive program. She is also a frequent workshop instructor across Canada and at The Poetry School in London, England. Island Mountain Arts is honoured to host this celebrated writer and teacher as part of it‘s 41st Summer School of the Arts

where writing and art workshops have been running since 1977. From Robin Skelton to Susan Musgrave and Patrick Lane, IMA has always endeavored to offer high quality writing instruction for the central and northern interior, a region that has many fine local writers within its bounds. For beginning writers, Island Mountain Arts is also offering ―Writing About Place‖ with writer and journalist, Heather Ramsay, June 23–24. And for those of you who would just like to come out and enjoy the work of these two exemplary writers, Ramsay will be doing a public reading on

By Jessica Kirby

e know Canada has a rich cultural fabric; in fact, most of us pride ourselves on it. As a country we welcome around 300,000 new Canadians each year, and as individuals most of us help keep our communities united with welcoming attitudes and open hearts. We stitch Canadian flags to our packs when we travel because we know the world has us pegged as easy going, friendly, and overly polite northerners with a penchant for cold and a passion for hockey—there are worse stereotypes, that is for certain. Canada‘s multicultural history is as old as time, with 636 Indigenous groups speaking 52 distinct languages first inhabiting this vast land. Over the years, settlers have immigrated from every corner of the world, helping create the cultural patchwork that makes Canada amazing. In 2002, the Canadian government designated June 27 of each year Canadian Multiculturalism Day and marked it as an opportunity to celebrate diversity and our commitment to democracy, equality, and mutual respect and to appreciate the contributions multicultural groups make to Canadian society. If ever there were a special day designated for a cause that should be celebrated every day, this is it. Like any issue requiring rectification, racism and inequality will only be eradicated when society adjusts to change its bigger picture definition and social paradigm to include

Copyright: www.123rf.com/ profile_shooarts' 123RF Stock Photo all people. We all have parts to play in getting our communities closer to that day—here are some ideas. Explore multiculturalism while expanding your sense of community and get your friends, neighbours, or co-workers in on the fun. Host a summer party or potluck and ask everyone to bring a dish from their country of origin, or that represents their ancestry. This is a light and friendly way to recognize and celebrate our diverse histories. Bring stories, legends, and cultural objects and make time to show these off and celebrate your roots. One of the most important things we can do to celebrate multiculturalism is educate ourselves. We can read up on things like residential school, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, hijaab, Chinese New Year, interna-

tional history and politics, and world travel. We can commit to trying food and music from a different country each month and sharing our experiences with our children and families. We can read books, watch movies, and visit theatre produced to represent cultures other than our own so we can learn, understand, and desensitize our sense of ―other-ness‖. The more we know, the more we understand and the less foreign things outside of our own cultures will feel. Our worlds are greatly shaped by the media we consume. When we hear the CNN version of international events, we can take a moment to consult other media sources before committing to our opinions. We can chat with others and keep a bird‘s eye view of political activity—virtually no action or event is free of historical or po-

June 23 and Warland on July 9, both starting at 7 p.m. at the IMA Gallery. To apply for the scholarship, simply send a one-page letter to info@imarts.com by the deadline of June 12 stating why you would like to attend the workshop with Warland. Interested writers can find more information on the workshops and the scholarship at imarts.com or by contacting Island Mountain Arts at 1-800-442-2787 or info@imarts.com. Support for this program is made possible by the Canada Council for the Arts Public Outreach Program.

litical context. Most importantly, consider the global community and wonder how we can reach out to ask ―why‖ before placing blame or making assumptions. Make multiculturalism a part of every day life. Families with children can make a point of having books representing a rainbow of individuals, and of stocking the toy bin with items from all around the world. We can stop identifying our friends and loved ones by their ethnicity when it is irrelevant to the conversation (ie; ―I‘m going to the movies with Sandy, my Indian friend.‖) And we can keep our language in check, ensuring we are not holding our own culture on a pedestal of ―normalcy‖ (ie; Arabic texts read ―backwards‖ or Inuit ―take forever‖ to answer a question.) Above all else, be kind. The bottom line is kindness will show us the way. While most of us know to behave with empathy, generosity, and joy for others, it never hurts to remind us how far acts of kindness can go. Reach out to everyone, regardless of culture, race, or gender, and watch out for one another. If you see someone being treated unfairly, be brave enough to stand with that person, even if you stand alone. There really is strength in numbers and when we stand together for injustice, we weaken its hold in all respects.

By Guy Dauncey ―All I want is a village somewhere, far away from the housing scare, With friends and family, Oh, wouldn't it be loverly? Little homes where we all can live, A lovely garden so we all can eat, Shared hearts, shared love, shared hopes, Oh, wouldn’t it be loverly.‖

n May 2018 the average price of a home in BC was $750,000. In Victoria, the average price of a condo was $500,000. They call it the spillover effect—the reality that if you own a house in Vancouver you can sell it for $2 million, buy a place on Vancouver Island for $500,000, put $1.5 million in the bank, and retire at age 50. Why wouldn‘t you? Nothing can stop people from exercising their right to do so. The result, however, for tens of thousands of people who are struggling to find a home, is the impossibility of ever owning a home, rising rents, and rental vacancy rates near zero that give landlords the ability to pick and choose who they want to rent to based on looks, race, and personal preference. Children? Pets? I‘m sorry… So, the thought of owning a tiny home, or even better, a tiny home that is part of a village community, becomes very enticing, at least for single people and couples without children who have learned to get on with each other in what is, nobody‘s denying, a rather confined space. If we can have legally zoned trailer parks, why not tiny homes villages? So, let the present fade away, and imagine… A wandering footpath that runs alongside a creek … a community orchard, full of fruit trees … a wood-fired sauna built by the villagers … a shared workshop with space to work on projects … a parking space off to one side allowing the rest of the village to be car-free … children playing safely through the village with everyone knowing who they are … shared cars … power direct from the grid or from wind, solar, and micro-hydro with battery storage … a gathering space with a fire-pit and a

By Sandra K. Klassen

s children in the 60s and 70s, my sister and I were members of the Blue Fin Swim Club. These were pre-swanky swimming pool days: our team trained at Scout Island. Our training took place within the confines of a set of square docks and we swam rain or shine. Practices wound up with 80 laps made up of four different strokes: butterfly, backstroke, crawl, and breaststroke. One day I complained to my mom, who was pacing along the docks as we swam our ―cool-down‖ 80 laps, that the cold-water lapping against my forehead with every stroke was giving me a headache. She told me to keep swimming! I did. And I continued to ―cool down,‖ no doubt. Exciting family events took place at Scout Island, as well. We had watermelon races where children were grouped accord-

A 12 by 20' 'under construction' tiny home built by Janice Holdershaw in Queen Charlotte, BC. It includes a 7 x 12' sleeping loft built over an open concept living space below and will have full plumbing and electric as back-up to wood heat. The inside features a clawfoot tub, wood interior, round logs, live edge beams, and full stairs with storage. Minimal simplicity. Photos: Janice Holdershaw

play area … a central building that serves as a meeting place, kitchen, dining room, a space for dances and feasts, laundry, recycling centre, daycare centre, visiting nurse‘s health clinic, library, a place for storage, a spare room for visitors, and an evening movie theatre. And 20 tiny homes, ranging from 300 to 900 square feet on permanent foundations, designed so that you can start off with a tiny space and expand as your budget allows or your family grows. Regular toilets if the houses are on sewage, composting toilets if not, coupled with greywater treatment beds. Great insulation, great ventilation, and a heat pump to keep you warm in winter. And ownership, liberating you from the worries of eviction or rising rent, enabling you to put down roots. For the tiny home, allow $80,000. For the land, on the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island a five-acre lot with space for a clustered village and room to grow food might sell for $500,000, or $25,000 per unit. Elsewhere, much cheaper. The community house could start out as a yurt, costing $15,000 from Pacific Yurts, or $750 per unit. Add $60,000 for development costs, at $3,000 per unit. Call it$110,000 total, or $550 a month on a 25year 3.5% mortgage.

If the land is owned privately as a strata -title, however, the village could be swept up in the Vancouver tidal price wave, and before you know it a tiny home would be selling for $200,000. The solution is for the land to be owned by a Community Land Trust. A partnership of government and community buys the land and takes it off the market forever. The homes can still be bought, sold, and inherited, but not the land, guaranteeing long-term affordability. At Bluegrass Meadows, 10 minutes outside Terrace, 15 people are already enjoying just such a life, and another 12 spaces are opening up this summer. And in various places in America landowners have developed tiny homes communities where you can rent your home, just as you do in a trailer park. Tiny homes villages have also been created for homeless people in the Occupy Madison Village in Wisconsin; the Boneyard Studios in Washington D.C.; Community First in Austin, Texas; Quixote Village in Olympia, Washington; Opportunity Village in Eugene, Oregon; Dignity Village in Portland, Oregon; and other places. So, what‘s holding up progress? Why are people still hiding tiny homes at the bottom of private acreages, away from the bylaw officer‘s eyes? What‘s stopping mu-

ing to age then a huge watermelon was tossed into the water about 10 metres from the beach. Each group took turns lining up on the beach and when the whistle went it was a mad scramble to first find the watermelon then wrench it out of the arms of others. The beautiful clearness of the water made spotting the watermelon easy. The next feat was to find a way to shore then dashing, with the watermelon bobbing around in our skinny short arms, to the finish line. Tripping with the watermelon was avoided. Not much fun flat on one‘s face in the sand with a smashed watermelon seeping into your swimsuit. A second event, including adult swimmers, was a cross-lake swim. Swimmers started the swim at a little beach on South Lakeside and the finish was Scout Island. Boaters bobbed alongside us, a safety measure I, as a 10-year-old, found reassuring. The distance was over a mile. Participants staggered onto shore at Scout Island, feeling at one with the lake.

Back then, our family lived on Gibbon Road in the Dog Creek Road area. On a sunny morning, we children would pack our swim bags and a lunch and walk the 4.5 km cross-country route down to Scout Island for the day. We picked up friends along the way. Part of the pilgrimage to Scout Island was through a cow pasture where the present-day Terra Ridge housing complex sits. Back then, the sleepy cows seemed unsurprised at our troupe of Scout Island enthusiasts. We continued across the field where Wholesale Foods and Canadian Tire are located today. Our first body of water on our trek to Scout Island was the Williams Lake River, where the bird sanctuary is today. Our group spent a fair bit of time swimming in the river, slipping off the grassy banks into the refreshing water, feeling our feet against the sandy and pebbly bottom. Eventually, we placed our swim bags on our heads and waded across the river and carried onto Scout Island.

nicipal councils from eliminating minimum home-size requirements and planners from creating model zoning by-laws? Just simple conservatism, combined with the daily pressure of life in the office. Nothing more. Nothing that could not be solved by a grant from a foundation to develop a set of model bylaws, or a group of village visionaries willing to sit down with the planners and patiently work through the various issues to do with fire protection, roads, water, sewage, setbacks, allowed occupations, and so on. This is just one of many possible solutions to the housing crisis but judging from friends who vary in age from their 20s to their 50s it‘s a desirable solution many people wish could happen. For it‘s not just a home that most people want. For millions of years, we have lived in small clans and villages; the love of community runs deep in our bones. Tiny homes are just one way. We can also do it in urban villages, pocket neighbourhoods, and co-operative and cohousing developments. Love of home, love of community, love of nature, love of land to grow food, love of meaningful, purposeful work. Combine with good social skills and the ability to manage everyday conflicts, and simmer for 20 years. Put these things together, and we‘ll be well on our way to paradise. Guy Dauncey is author of Journey to the Future: A Better World is Possible. He lives on Vancouver Island. See www.thepracticalutopian.ca

With our swim bags hastily dropped on the beach, we raced into the lake, diving and splashing, in and out of the water a hundred times. Eventually, someone would get hungry and we sat on our towels and lunched together, enjoying the beauty of the pristine lake before us, and the fellowship of swimmers. Around 3:00, my mom would arrive in the big family station wagon and all of us would pile in for the sleepy, pleasurably exhausted trip home. We all went to bed those nights dreaming and hoping of the next sunny trip to a child‘s paradise: Scout Island. Sandra, a Laker, wishes she was a lot smarter, better looking, and that she had become a private investigator. She has many interests and loves to write about them. Overall, she is high on life in the Cariboo and credits that to the great locals and beautiful landscape that surrounds us.

Science Matters: By David Suzuki

ur health, well-being, food security, energy, and economic progress depend on healthy, diverse nature. Clean water and air are essential to human life and health. Nutrient-rich soils are necessary to grow food. Diversity makes the ecosystems on which human life depends resilient. But, as more than 550 experts from over 100 countries recently warned, ―Biodiversity – the essential variety of life forms on Earth – continues to decline in every region of the world, significantly reducing nature‘s capacity to contribute to people‘s well-being.‖ On March 22 in Medellín, Colombia, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services‘ (IPBES) 129 member states approved the experts‘ four extensively peerreviewed regional reports. Researchers examined more than 10,000 studies over three years to assess the state of biodiversity and to determine the causes and solutions for declines in Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Central Asia. IPBES chair Sir Robert Watson said, ―The best available evidence, gathered by the world‘s leading experts, points us now to a single conclusion: we must act to halt and reverse the unsustainable use of nature—or risk not only the future we want, but even the lives we currently lead. Fortunately, the evidence also shows that we know how to protect and partially restore our vital natural assets.‖

Above: Snow Geese. Right: Common Loons. Photos: Glen Bagshaw

The reports conclude that ―biodiversity and nature‘s capacity to contribute to people are being degraded, reduced, and lost due to a number of common pressures— habitat stress; overexploitation and unsustainable use of natural resources; air, land, and water pollution; increasing numbers and impact of invasive alien species; and c limat e c ha ng e , among others.‖ According to the University College London‘s Tim Newbold, lead researcher for a 2016 study the reports reference, ―For 58.1 percent of the world‘s land surface, which is home to 71.4 percent of the global population, the level of biodiversity loss is substantial enough to question the ability of ecosystems to support human societies.‖ Biodiversity of plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms is important. Each species plays a unique ecosystem role. Diverse nature offers numerous ecosystem services, including ensuring we have access to a variety of foods and medicines. It

By Diane Dunaway

eports of honey bee losses are high this spring in the BC Interior. Many suffered after a tough summer and fall, followed by an old-fashioned winter and a l o n g , c o o l s p r i n g . Anecdotally, the bees had limited flying conditions for several weeks starting in early July of last year when the wildfire smoke was most severe. This caused them to stay inside their hives and consume their limited honey and pollen stores. Limited, because July is typically when honey bees are geared to fill their pantries. It‘s also when their population inside the hive is at its highest at 50,000 plus bees. A strong work force, at five times the number of hungry mouths to feed when compared to the colony size of 10,000 to 15,000 bees in the spring and fall. It‘s fair to say that nutrition was compromised due to these factors. This prolonged dearth period, a beekeeper term for lack of available forage, happened at the worst imaginable time, when in late summer bees transition to winter mode. This is a phenomenon where emerging young workers change their

Bumblebee and native honey bee on apricot blossom. Photo: Diane Dunaway

physiology to that of ―fat bees‖ that can live for three to five months, instead of the shorter lifespan of four to six weeks in the spring and summer. Many of us tried to make up for this shortfall in the fall with extra supplemental feeding. And some beekeepers had success by feeding out early in August. However, to give you an idea of the bees‘ duress, in the Quesnel area there are accounts of bees absconding from their hives in search of better habitat—self-preservation in action. At our farm, we did not harvest any honey for the first time in 20 years of beekeeping. Whatever they managed to collect was best allocated for the bees‘ own needs.

also creates resilience—a variety of species ensures that some will continue to function if others fail. In the Americas, species populations are on average 31 percent lower than when European settlement began. With increasing climate change impacts, that‘s expected to rise to at least 40 percent by 2050. The report notes that Indigenous peoples and local communities have slowed or reversed declines in some areas through ―a diversity of polyculture and agroforestry systems,‖ but warns that Indigenous local knowledge and languages, and the cultures associated with them, are also threatened or dying. The economic consequences alone are staggering. Researchers estimate that landbased natural systems contribute services worth about $24.3 trillion a year to people in the Americas – equivalent to the region‘s gross domestic product – and about $3.6 trillion in Canada. As one example of the costs of addressing the problems, the

Our region reported record low honey y i e l d s i n 2 0 1 7 . Many farmers in the Cariboo-Chilcotin experienced poor crop growth, attributed to the wildfire smoke that caused ultraviolet light blockage. This limited available forage for bees, livestock, and other wildlife. To compound matters further, we were besieged by drought conditions. Perhaps as the effects of climate change and subsequent mega-wildfires become more of a common occurrence, there will be better scientific research directed towards the effects on domestic bees. This coupled with the co-operation of local authorities may enable emergency bee feeding. Permits were not readily available for some beekeepers to get across roadblocks last summer when they needed to reach their apiaries. On a happier note, a two-year study completed in 2017 by Sara M. Galbraith, a post-doctoral researcher in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University, suggests that moderate and severe forest fires create conditions that can lead to greater abundance and diversity of wild bees. ―Such studies are important,‖ Galbraith said, ―because the early stages of forest development – what researchers call early

report shows the ―annual cost of managing the impacts of invasive alien zebra mussels on infrastructure for power, water supply, and transportation in the Great Lakes‖ is more than $500 million. Although many solutions lie in government policy, individuals can also help. Watson told National Geographic that eating less meat, wasting less food, using water more efficiently, reducing toxic chemical use, and shifting from fossil fuels are all necessary. He also said Indigenous and local knowledge are invaluable to helping us learn how to live better with nature, and that cross-border collaboration is essential because nature doesn‘t recognize human boundaries. Emma Archer, co-chair of the African assessment, said citizen engagement is also needed: ―As citizens, we need to vote and lobby for political leaders and policies that support these choices.‖ As a Desmog Blog article points out, ―Many of the solutions for stemming the loss of species would have simultaneous benefits for the climate, such as protecting and restoring ecosystems (which can store more carbon), cleaning up energy sources (fewer greenhouse gas emissions), and practising more sustainable and diverse agriculture (lowering emissions, storing carbon).‖ As with climate change, we have ample evidence that we‘re facing a biodiversity crisis, we know what‘s causing it, and we have numerous solutions. It‘s time to act. Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org. David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation senior editor Ian Hanington.

seral forests – have become less common. This research adds to the evidence that there is high biodiversity in early seral forests relative to older stands, and moving forward, this could have an impact on services like pollination in the landscape overall. Without this fundamental information, we can't be sure of the best management actions to conserve pollinator populations within managed forests.‖ Read more at: www.phys.org/news/2017-08-wild-bees -severe-forest.html#jCp So, there we have it. Hope and room for improvement. A nice reminder as we walk through our gardens and orchards and listen to both domestic and wild bees buzzing in gleeful abandonment. Pollination. Go bees! Diane Dunaway has kept honey bees for over 20 years. A bee master since 2001, and provincial apiary inspector since 2015, she teaches beekeeping and does extension work for the Ministry of Agriculture. Diane’s run up to 100 colonies from her Bee Happy Honey farm in the Soda Creek Valley. When not chasing swarms around the countryside, she can be found at home with her husband Dave and their menagerie of animals.

By Laurie Sarkadi

fter plans to live in Africa shatter, young journalist Laurie Sarkadi moves to the Subarctic city of Yellowknife seeking wilderness and adventure. She covers the changing socio-political worlds of Dene and Inuit in the late 80s – catching glimpses of their traditional, animaldependent ways – before settling into her own off-grid existence in the boreal forest. There, she experiences motherhood and its remarkable synchronicities with the lives of caribou, dragonflies, and other creatures. As a mother and as a journalist, Sarkadi speaks up for abused women and children, creating controversies that entangle her in long, legal battles. When she looks to animals and the natural world for solace, she encounters magic. Lessons from the natural world arrive weekly, if not daily: black bears roam her dreams, as well as her deck, teaching introspection; wolves inspire her to persevere. This evocative memoir explores a more than two-decade long physical and spiritual journey into the wild spaces of northern Canada, around the globe and deep within. Marie Wilson Commissioner, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada 2009-2015, said about Voice in the Wild, ―This is a fascinating juxtaposition of scientific precision, professional challenges, and intimate personal memoir. Underlying it all, and somehow blanketing it, is the story of a kindred relationship with the

Author, Laurie Sarkadi. Photo: Angela Gzowski

natural world, with its infinite power to fascinate a child, define a place, shape a life, and teach anyone who is able to watch and listen closely…‖ Toronto Foundation named Voice in the Wild to its curated list of 10 non-fiction books that reflect on what it means to be Canadian and how we can make this country a better place. Further praise for the memoir can be found on CBC Books, Edmonton Journal, and Uphere Magazine. Previously, Sarkadi worked briefly as a policy analyst for the territorial Department of Aboriginal Affairs at the BeaufortDelta and Deline self-government negotiating tables, then began a 16-year career with CBC North radio and television. As producer of the all-Inuktitut daily news

show ―Igalaaq,‖ she earned a CBC English Television Award for ―Living Hope,‖ a ground-breaking live, interactive special on suicide prevention in Nunavut. She‘s written and produced for CBC‘s ―The National‖ and ―The Current‖ and was production manager in Canada for ZED‘s featurelength documentary Ice Diamonds, by Paris-based director Jean Queyrat. Nowadays, she edits the hyper-local Yellowknife magazine EDGE YK and fronts the dance band Wake Up Hazel. Her non-fiction has appeared in Canadian Geographic, The Globe and Mail, thewalrus.ca, and the anthologies, Dropped Threads 3 and Kitchen Talk. She lives off-grid in the Northwest Territories with her husband and has three sons.

By Stefanie Hendrickson

By Shawn Lewis

wo big words used to describe one very simple thing: volunteering on your own for the better of all. Williams Lake is blessed with more than 150 mountain bike trails and nearly all of them have been built by volunteers. This is the Shangri La of the mountain bike world. The Williams Lake Cycling Club (WLCC) is tasked with the maintenance of this expansive network, and we, too, rely on volunteers to help get this done. Our trails are legal and as such are protected. So, when the topic of land use comes up at various levels of government and when industry needs to do their harvesting, we have protection. However, this legal status is not granted without a cost. The WLCC must demonstrate the ability to maintain these trails. Over the years, 13 and counting, the WLCC has held numerous trail maintenance days to help get the networks into shape. Sometimes we have specific projects; other times our task is less focused and more encompassing as we try to clear an entire network of trails. Ultimately, the amount of work that gets done depends on the number of volunteers we have on these days. Some days have been wildly successful, and we have cleared the entire Fox Mountain network. Other days are less so,

ere at Downtown Williams Lake, planning is underway for this year‘s Four Directions Festival (formerly Stampede Street Party) that will take place on Saturday, June 30 from noon to 5 p.m. (following the parade). Downtown Williams Lake is a not-forprofit business improvement association that is established through the Community Charter and funded by a levy collected from commercial property owners within a set boundary. Our members are these commercial property owners and the businesses that are tenants in their buildings. As such, it is important this is event is about our members but for the enjoyment of the entire community and beyond. The Four Directions Festival is an opportunity for Downtown Williams Lake members to say ―Thank You!‖ to our community for shopping locally and supporting downtown business. Economic development professionals have consistently shown that a strong, vibrant downtown at the heart of any city enhances the image and economy of the entire community. Downtown Williams Lake has always been a reflection of our unique, colourful Cariboo culture, so this event gives people the chance to rediscover who we are as a city.

This year we are focusing on a fun event that includes four theme areas with lots of free interactive festival activities: Kids, Sports, Arts, and Celebrating First Nations. We will also have one big stage with loads of fun and a place to unwind with lots of shade. Our downtown restaurants are excited about offering the community all sorts of specials that day and we will have a list of those specials just for you, the festival-goer. Our members put their heart and soul into the downtown to offer unique sales and services. Come downtown on June 30 to celebrate the businesses and not-forprofit organizations that sustain our community. Come downtown to shop local. Come downtown to participate in a fun, all -ages street party. We can‘t wait to see you! For more information, contact the Downtown Williams Lake Business Improvement Association at (250) 398-5717 or info@downtownwilliamslake.com.

Readers of Voice in the Wild can expect a fascinating follow-along of Sarkadi‘s life as she transitions from various roles in her life—roles that are shared by many of us all over Canada and the world. As a friend, parent, and a support to her community, she witnesses Planet Earth style occasions of natural wonder only to relay these episodes to the reader before weaving them in and out of the experiences of those around her. Dreamlike instances of migrating caribou, a wandering mother bear, even swarming bees are all lessons waiting to be unpacked and passed along. This is a book to be read and re-read, lent out to a friend and then re-bought as your own keepsake.

but every time we get people out, I find it rewarding. I understand that people are not always available to help out on a given day with life being so busy for most. I also know that many people still want to help in their own way. So, what can you do? You can volunteer in different ways. Even the simplest of tasks, like raking or clearing a trail, is greatly beneficial. There is not much better than ripping along a freshly cleared and raked trail. So, are you interested in such an undertaking? Does being an autonomous volunteer sound like something you could be? If your answer is yes to either of these questions, and you want to learn more about what you can do to help us, then contact the Williams Lake Cycling Club at puddlebike@gmail.com and we will gladly get you on the path to autonomous volunteerism. Ride bikes, build trail, have fun… Thanks in advance, Shawn Lewis, President, Williams Lake Cycling Club

By LeRae Haynes

nimals are raised with great care at Big Bear Ranch, where a high standard of animal welfare has been in place for decades. What the animals eat, how they live, and how they‘re treated recently resulted in another successful inspection by Animal Welfare Approved (AWA), and a growing list of customers who love the food and the way it was raised. Big Bear Ranch, raising sheep, pigs, and cattle, is owned and run by Rainer Krumsiek, his daughter Inga, his son Florian, and his daughter-in-law, Stefanie. Since March 2016 the 1,100-acre ranch with its mixture of pasture and forest has been animal welfare approved and grass fed certified by AWA. All the food that goes into Big Bear animals is 100% organic. Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World is a food label for meat and dairy products that come from farm animals raised to the highest animal welfare and environmental standards. The program was founded as a market-based solution to the growing consumer demand for meat, eggs, and dairy products from animals treated with high welfare and managed with the environment in mind. Krumsiek said Big Bear used to be certified organic but explained he wasn‘t happy with what happened to that whole movement. ―The certification process was taken over by big corporations and they make the rules, which are watered down,‖ he said. ―For example, you can buy hydroponic veggies as certified organic, and I didn‘t agree with that.‖ He didn‘t grow up around animals, but always had an interest in the natural world. ―The only animals I had as a child in Germany were tadpoles in a jar in springtime,‖ he noted. The journey from his younger years in Germany to a becoming a rancher in Horsefly was a long and interesting one. ―When I was in school, I wanted to become a forester. In Germany, someone questions you and recommends a profession, and I remember the guy who talked to me,‖ Krumsiek added. ―He asked me a couple of funny questions, including how many teeth a sheep has, and told me I should get into trades.‖ So, he took an apprenticeship and learned welding, metal work, and mechanics. After a detour into microeconomics with the idea of working with his father, Krumsiek looked again at becoming a forester, only to be told there was a three-year wait for the schooling. ―The guy said, given what I told him about my interests, I should study land-

Top (L): Little future rancher Finnegan Krumsiek caught herding cows by his mom, Stefanie Krumsiek at Big Bear Ranch. Photo: Rainer Krumsiek Top (R): Ewes with two-week-old lambs out on fresh dandelion pasture in May. Photo: Stefanie Krumsiek. Bottom (R): Tamworth piglets exploring their pasture. Photo submitted by Rainer Krumsiek

scape ecology—learning about plants, climate, soil, design, and more,‖ he continued. ―When I got my degree, I worked with a famous landscape engineer. I got to specialize in high-end, private gardens and built my own company.‖ Krumsiek was finally able to have animals: dogs and Icelandic horses, which he really liked. He said he learned to train dogs and horses the natural way: training

them, not breaking them. ―When we immigrated from Germany to [Kelowna] BC in 1993, we bought the horses and boarded them until we found a ranch of our own. When we did, the place where we boarded them gave us five old geldings, and we started our herd here at Big Bear Ranch with 10 animals,‖ he said. ―Icelandic horses are very sturdy, strong horses that are great to ride, can pull a carriage, and be used for logging. They were my wife‘s hobby before she passed away, and we still enjoy them today.‖ Cattle came next, representing an enormous learning curve at Big Bear. ―We boarded cattle here first, and then bought our own herd of 106 animals, and built it to 250 cow-calf pairs. In the first years we fertilized the fields according to soil tests and still needed 3.5 tonnes of hay to get a dry cow through the winter,‖ he said. ―In spring, the cows looked awful and next winter we started to feed grain to get them through. ―After learning that commercial fertilizers create funny proteins, which are more a burden than nourishment for living organisms, we stopped with the fertilizers and applied management intensive grazing. Our cows are contained in part of a field using electric fencing, where they graze what they are supposed to eat for one day.

The next day they are moved to another section, and then another.‖ This way the grass has only one day of disturbance, said Krumsiek, and then needs two to four months of recovery time. It takes that long for the roots to recover. He said in one day grass can show one to two inches of growth, and because cows love that fresh new grass the best, they will always go back to it. He explained that all your good grasses will be eliminated in two to five years. ―Knowledge of the growth of grass is the basis and electric fencing the tool,‖ he said. ―For years my recovery period for the forage was way too short.‖ They also changed the calving season from February to May. ―Calving in February and March should be forbidden by the SPCA because it is cruelty to animals. A calf born in February or March has the same coat as a calf born in May and is much more vulnerable to the cold,‖ he continued. ―The summer calves are a bit smaller, so the birth is easier. The last five years I‘ve never had to pull a calf, and we have never had one case of Scours.‖ At Big Bear they take a humane approach to weaning, too, letting the calves stay with their mothers up to 11 months. ―The most humane way to separate them is with electric fence,‖ Rainer said. ―When a calf wants to get to its mother, it will wiggle through barbed wire. It won‘t go through an electric fence: there are far fewer injuries.‖

He added that when they are weaned more naturally, there is very little bawling from the calves. Big Bear‘s commitment to animal welfare is the same for sheep and pigs, too. From birth to butcher, it‘s done right. Even the inspected butcher facility is approved by AWA. How animals are treated means everything to Krumsiek, who added that more and more people are aware of the correlation between a healthy animal and healthy meat. ―They care about the quality of the food,‖ he said, ―but when I ask a new customer why they choose to buy from us, the number one answer is because we treat the animals right.‖ For more information about Big Bear Ranch, visit www.bigbearranch.com, email info@bigbearranch.com, or phone (250) 620-3353. LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer, song writer, community co-ordinator for Success by 6, member of Perfect Match dance band, and instigator of music with kids.

By Debbie Irvine B.Sc.(Agr.) RHN

am a local producer of organically grown produce and grass-fed beef. Sometimes folks comment about the price of locally produced produce and meat, labelling it ‗so expensive‘. To me this begs the other side of that comment: ‗why is conventional produce and meat so cheap?‘ I think we all know that goods are cheaper when they are massed produced and especially if using foreign labour. Mass production of food includes monocultures (grains, corn, and other field crops); factory farms (poultry, swine, dairy); feedlots (beef cattle); and fish farms. So, when a consumer is in the grocery store and choosing a package of meat what are they considering? Price would be one factor. What about where the animal was raised? What it was fed? Was it in its natural animal friendly environment, or was it raised in confinement? Was it from a factory farm or feedlot? How was the animal slaughtered? Where was it kept prior to being slaughtered? Will their food dollar stay in the community? Does their food dollar contribute to food security in their community? When a package of meat says, ‗no antibiotics‘ this imparts one piece of information about what the animal was not fed. However, it does not give information on the whole picture of how the animal was fed and raised. Even though the animal was not fed antibiotics, were there GMOs in the

Debbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens and Grass Fed-Finished Beef with three of her steers July 2017. Photo: LeRae Haynes

feed? Was the feed organic? Was the animal in a confined, indoor housing arrangement, or were they outside? Is your food dollar paying a local producer, or a producer outside of the province? Conversely, a consumer can purchase from the producer directly or from a local market such as Cariboo Growers in Williams Lake. The above questions can be answered. For a conscientious consumer these answers should be important. Knowing the animal had a good, naturally fed, well-cared for life and a respectful slaughtering should impart a good spiritual connection to the healthier food that is consumed. Knowing that their food dollar goes

to local producers and therefore stays in the community should impart a good emotional feeling of connection to the community. The same would pertain to plant goods. Were the plants grown in depleted soil, bolstered only by chemical fertilizers? Or were they grown in soil nourished by compost and cover crops, and on a rotational basis? Was there a reliance on herbicides to control weeds and insecticides and fungicides to control pests and diseases? Or were there organic controls used for weeds, pests, and diseases? How far did the ‘fresh‘ produce travel to reach you? How old is it? What do you think is healthier to consume for your mind and body?

Nowadays there seems to be a disconnect between reality and how people perceive their food. Ads for food seem to dominate TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers. Flavour and price drive these ads. Animal welfare is hardly mentioned. When folks are raving about a meal do they consider the way in which the food was produced? Do they give thanks to the animal whose life was taken so that they could be fed? Do they give thanks to the farmer who protects and nourishes the land they use? Do they give thanks that local producers hire local folks and contribute to the community both monetarily and by providing food security? Or are they just happy to have a cheap tasty meal? Is consuming locally, healthier produced animal and plant products not worth more money to you? What is your connection to the food you eat? An interesting website to visit is https:// www.westonaprice.org. A large range of topics is covered including traditional diets and farming practices from around the world, confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the science behind chronic illnesses and the typical North American diet and much, much more. In the next issue of TheGreenGazette, LeRae Haynes will be covering the topic of animal welfare at the time of slaughter. Debbie Irvine raises her grass-fed beef and market garden in the Springhouse area of Williams Lake.

By Nicola Finch

ow many of us have the ashes of a loved one in an urn, on a mantle, or packed away in a cupboard? Cremation has overtaken burial as the disposition of choice in British Columbia, so there is a lot of interest in doing something special with the ashes. Some families will scatter most of the ashes at a special location and save a little bit for each family member to keep. Most of us have seen the more common keepsake jewelry that holds a tiny bit of ashes. These are typically metal, mass-produced hearts or cylinders or dog paws worn as pendants; they have openings for a smidgen of ash and seal tight with tiny screw tops. Glass makers, potters, traditional jewelers, even tattoo artists are finding ways to incorporate ashes into mementos. It stems from a desire to keep a little bit of our loved one with us for the small comfort it provides. Since 2002, on our 48 acres in the Chilcotin Forest, off-grid and online, David and I have created commissioned, custom wooden jewelry for clients all over the world. Owners and partners in Touch Wood Rings Inc., David creates the commissioned wooden rings, pins, and pendants while I (Nicola) market and handle communications with clients, and I manage our websites and social media. Credited with starting a revolution in a jewelry industry, David is the pioneer of the steam-bentwood ring. David‘s original steam-bent style of crafting a wood ring came into being after he was injured on the job (steel fabricating), and then recovering from extensive spinal surgery. Never one to sit idly, he started fiddling with what was in front of him: chunks of firewood, pieces of wood too interesting to put on the fire. From this period in David's life came an eclectic and beautiful collection of hand carved wooden spoons, bowls, backscratchers, keepsake containers, and most notably, our wooden rings. From their humble beginnings as a therapeutic activity, David's meticulously crafted and naturally beautiful wood rings became our primary focus. For the first few years, we were working with clients who wanted wooden engagement and wedding rings almost exclu-

Top left and middle: David and Nicola Finch. Top right: Evening at home. Sunset over Mackin Creek. Photo: David Finch Bottom left: Memorial Ring created by David Finch for the father of a daughter who died tragically. Apple wood with a woven Birch bark braid bordered by Emily‘s ashes. Photo: Nicola Finch sively. Some told us they had always dreamed of having a wooden ring, but none existed until ours. Engagement, wedding, and anniversary rings are still 90 per cent of our business. David inlays his rings with contrasting woods, and with crushed stone and shell, and other natural materials like dried flower petals, sage, and sweet grass. Sometime in 2004, I asked David if he could make me a ring with an inlay of some of my mom and dad‘s ashes. And so it began. David knew and loved my family, too, so it was a very personal and tender undertaking for him. We began offering Touch Wood Memorial Rings in 2005. It‘s not a separate business, but it is a branch of our work that is close to our hearts. I have cremated three close family members. My beloved brother Michael took his own life in 1984; he was 29. My mom died young; just 58 years old, and my dad also at 72. I was intimately involved with the farewell for my brother and in the dying times of my mom and my dad. I have a background in theatre as a visual and performing artist. I‘ve worked in healthcare and non-profit management and as a freelance website designer working with elementary schools, small businesses, and artisans. As an avid genealogist, my ongoing labour of love is researching and

writing the story of my Great Uncle Charley Bailey from his WW1 letters home. See https://charleybailey.blogspot.ca/. My other passion is advocacy work with green burial in BC. am active in community deathcaring, with a special interest in death literacy, and I recently competed a death doula certificate course through Douglas College. I want people to talk about death, the same easy way we talk about the other milestones in our lives. I love talking with our memorial ring clients, learning a bit about them and their loved one, and finding a way to incorporate some of those memories into their memorial ring. A wooden ring is now a pretty commonplace Green alternative to precious metals and gemstones. The quality and beauty of David's work, however, is anything but commonplace. Recognizing the care, skill, and love that goes into everything David creates—people are often deeply affected when they see and handle his work. Touch Wood Memorial Rings are wearable works of art reminiscent of the Victorian era when mourning jewelry was popular. Memorial rings, pins, and pendants are inlaid with cremated ash and can be made in memory of a person or a companion animal. Every memorial piece is

created with deepest respect for the life being honoured. For more information about Touch Wood Memorial Rings, visit our website www. memor ialr ings.ca email nic o l a @ m e m o r i a l r i n g s . c a , F o l lo w @memorialrings on Facebook, or visit www.touchwoodrings.com. Nicola Finch lives off-grid in a remote area west of Williams Lake. She and her husband are co-owners of Touch Wood Rings. Nicola's passion is holistic end-oflife care, from death doulas to Green burials.

By Angela Gutzer “There is no death. Only a change of worlds.” ~ Chief Seattle

ave you grieved the loss of someone and felt you wished you could go back in time and change things with them? Perhaps if you were more available? Made more trips to visit them? Wished you hadn‘t done or said certain things? In our ongoing journey to connect after a loved one has passed on, we are often drawn to the dream world for answers or searching for signs that they are still with us. No one really knows what the great mystery holds beyond death, and it is a highly personal journey for everyone in how we approach the experience of losing someone we love. This is my personal story about connecting with my mother's presence after she died. My mother used to phone me excessively. This is how I felt at the time. I used to not answer the phone knowing it was her. The reason I would avoid it is she had no time limit for these phone calls. I knew I would have to invest at least an hour, if not longer. Even if I said I was busy she would continue to talk pretending I hadn‘t spoken those words at all. And even trickier, when I was close to getting off the phone she had the perfect strategy to keep the conversation going: ―Soooooo, how are the dogs?‖ It worked every time. She knew my weakness and used it to her advantage. When she died, the most devastating loss for me was that of communication. The most heart-wrenching was to reach for the phone and realize she wouldn‘t answer. After she transitioned into spirit I thought this might be a difficult part of her journey, as well. In the book, The After Death Chronicles, Annie Mattingley relays countless stories of communication with loved ones

his article covers June, July, and August. It‘s about time, astronomy is totally married to it, the positions and motions of the heavenly bodies are the hands of a great cosmic clock. Hence the great seasonal variations. You get a sense of it being out under the stars. The dark times shrivel up around June solstice. At our latitude, 52 degrees north, it doesn‘t get completely dark. One a.m. is the darkest time on daylight saving time and the north horizon looks like dawn. South, you lose a magnitude, so the number of visible stars is nearly half what it would be if the sun were 18 degrees or more below the horizon, for a true astronomical dark. If you were up that late and the moon was not interfering, you could still see the hazy outline of the Milky Way overhead. The planets, being bright, are not affected by the lack of dark. Venus is the big show in the west after sunset. It is the brightest natural object after the sun and moon, with the exception

Can you spot the dime? Photo: Eric Schlitt

beyond the veil. After death communication (coined ADC by Bill and Judy Guggenheim) is said to occur through many means: olfaction (smell), vision, physical sensations (touch, tingles), dreams, auditory, unlikely encounters in nature, and electrical disturbances. For one woman, she smells her uncle‘s cigars. For another, she sees hundreds of butterflies at a place and time that was seemingly impossible. The author has graced the pages of her book with her own stories of communication shared with her deceased daughter. Her daughter was able to send her thought messages, which her mother was able to receive in the hypnopompic (the state right after sleep) period. Because her daughter committed suicide, the communication helped to relieve her mother of the heavy burden of emotions that often cause a mother to crumble with the weight. The communication also drew Mattingley

to write her first book thus giving the readers solace that their loved ones are near. When reading this you may ask, ―Why am I not receiving these ADCs?‖ And according to Mattingley the answer to this question is complex. There are a few examples in the book that suggest the spirit cannot get their communication through to their earthly loved one if the veil of grief is too thick. Or others where the means of communication isn‘t clear enough for the earthly soul because they were just not noticing. Also, having an ADC can precipitate deeper grief. The spirit may know it will not assist for your greater good. Mattingley asks us to be alert enough to see, and if we want communication, just ask and be patient. My whole family has been visited by our mother through dreams. The dreams have brought solace to us and we update each other if we‘ve had one. I feel this is

of an occasional bright meteor. Since its orbit is inside the Earth‘s, it moves faster around the sun and is catching up to us as it swings toward inferior conjunction between us and the sun. Since it is coming close, its size will grow, but as it gets closer to being directly in line with us and the sun, we will be increasingly looking at its dark backside and the lit portion becomes a slender crescent. This is one of the great evidences that the Earth is not in the centre of the solar system. Meanwhile, Jupiter dominates the southeastern sky having passed being opposite the sun in the sky. If you have good binoculars or a spotting scope, you could make out the moons and see that their positions change nightly. Another of the great evidences that things go around things out there. Saturn passes opposition mid-June and comes after Jupiter, low down in the southeast sky in the constellation Sagittarius with its prominent ―teapot‖ asterism. You can even see the steam coming out of it, one of the great star clouds in the direction

of the Milky Way‘s centre. Even though it‘s low and our murky atmosphere obscures the details, seeing the rings is one of the great thrills of visual astronomy. You‘ve seen it on TV or in a magazine, but you didn‘t fully realize it actually had rings until you really see it for the first time. There you are, standing on the ground, on a planet that is rotating and revolving around the sun and watching other planets catching up and at once you know where things are. I‘m getting excited just writing about it, because to top it off, Mars reaches opposition in mid-July. We talked about that in the last Skywatch. So, despite the bright nights, this is a banner summer for planets. By the time late July rolls around and then into August, we enter prime time for most casual skygazers. Nights are still warm and the perseid meteor shower peaks around August 11. The Mt Kobau star party is from August 4–12 this year. If we escape a disastrous fire season this year, it would be the premier event for anybody interested. Up

our mother keeping us together as she was the pillar of the family. For me, I find dimes and I know she is near. And relating to the overzealous phone calls, she did not disappoint through dimes. I found them everywhere, and at the beginning of the grieving process, all the time. The most poignant was when we were cleaning the home after her death. All that was on her bedside table were two dimes. One Canadian dime and one German 10 pfennig piece (her ancestry was German). Another memory is when I asked my mother if she could show up during an important family phone discussion. I asked specifically for a yes sign. I also asked specifically for an animal sign that was clear. The family discussion was moved to another day and I had forgotten about the request. That day a bird hit the window and I was completely immersed in the family talk so I gently wrapped the bird loosely in a T-shirt and placed it onto my lap checking in on it now and again. Then it hit me! ―Mom says she wants us to do this!‖ The most glorious feeling was later releasing the bird with tears of gratitude. As this topic is close to my heart it comes up in conversation. So many stories of feathers found in odd places, rare bird sightings, butterflies in large numbers or circling around an event or person. Each story gives me solace as it strengthens my belief that our loved ones are with us. With love and peace. Angela Angela’s focus in the next year will be to transition from the veterinary world into the death doula services she hopes to provide. A special interest to her is home funerals, and Green burials with respect to both animals and people. The Cariboo Community Deathcaring circle has been created in the hopes that the community finds a place to address any of their needs relating to the dying.

a t 6,000 ft on spectacular Kobau Mountain near Osoyoos, a whole week of around 50 astronomers with all different kinds of telescopes, lectures, talks, and door prizes. No line-ups or charges to see things. Take the plunge, leave Skywatch in the past, find the inner astronomer, get eaten by different bugs! If there is enough interest, we can do something here in the Cariboo as well, in early September, when the moon isn‘t watching. We have sufficient space here at Bells Lake. The observatory location is surrounded by a campsite and there are places to park a camper or RV. Give me some feedback and it can happen. I learned a lot watching the clock in grade school. Okay—class dismissed.

By Michelle Carriere

icture this: Yankee Flats, a wide ridge above the Salmon River Rd. On either side of the long gravel road are fields, farms, and woods. Mid-way, you come upon a large, old farmhouse that stands out in its field. There are a few rickety out buildings and a noble, old barn. This is the base and launch pad for the Little People‘s Caravan. We are a motley crew of people, come to community to create a unique lifestyle and theatre that packs into three wagons and runs on horsepower. Indeed, on magnificent horsepower, whose warm breath tickles and smells of sweet hay. Picture this: There are already some draft and riding horses on the farm. One late afternoon, we all gather to welcome the new comers. What a sight, as five beautiful Clydesdales stomp off the loading ramp. They have a good run around the farmhouse. Manes, tails, and horse feathers kicking up dust. On the other side of the fence the resident horses gallop and neigh in greeting. Over the next few days the herd sorts itself out. Now for the training. The teamsters start with ground driving, then hitch to a stone boat, then hitch to a wagon. There is much to learn. Each of us is assigned a draft horse to care for. This a new experience for me, as I have never been even close to a horse before setting foot on the farm. So, along with everyone else, I learn to feed, water, clean hooves, and brush coats. In all circumstances, the horse comes first. My horse is Joy. She is the matriarch of the herd. She calls the shots. She and Bonnie pull the Vardo. Joy is a big, wide-girth mama of at least 1,500 lbs. That‘s what it feels like, when she slightly leans into me, as I hold up her foot to clean and hoof goop. Oh, she loves to do that. I hover at a 100 lbs at the time. I am trained to be an outrider. That means I ride a horse, wearing a fluorescent vest and carry a STOP sign. My job is to keep the traffic in behind at a safe distance from the caravan. I direct the vehicles around the wagons on the signal from the front outriders. My horse is a taciturn palomino, Geronimo. I care for him, too. We hold up the rear for many a mile. People power. There are many forces at play here. Energy fields, star alignments, fate, luck, dreams, visions, and passions, all conspire to attract some 20 souls. We bond together to embark on a wondrous, challenging life experience. Our main goal is to get this show on the road. So, for three weeks, we are to ―discover our inner clown,‖ in an intense clown workshop. As there is no rehearsal space on the farm, we rent the Silver Creek Community Hall. It is down below Yankee Flats, next to the Silver Creek General Store and across from the school. It is also known as the bright shiny buckle of the local Bible belt. Now, for a company so rich in horsepower, we are very poor in the motor vehicle department. This means we ferry the troupe in a couple of commandeered personal cars. There is always a debate about whether it is better for the car to drive fast or slow over the endless washboard. This was a moot point, as we always had to race to get there on time. We were never early.

Caravan on the road “Jallin' the dram,” as the Gypsies say. Photo: Melody Anderson

Picture this: A bunch of artsy-fartsy hippies, horse and garlic smelling gypsies clowning around. We are madly rehearsing not one, but three shows. Our main production is Bill Moore and the Dragon (an adaptation of a medieval tale). Then there is the Clown Extravaganza and the Punch and Judy Show. That hall is witness to many a crazy clown turn (skit), music, and storytelling. Oh, the laughter and tears. But to this day, I think the locals consider their buckle quite tarnished after we left the premises. It would be one of many times the caravan would challenge the status quo. Along with our ―inner clown,‖ we develop our ―outer gypsy.‖ We learn to pack our life, work, and play into three wagons. There are a bunch of bench boxes in the Vardo and Sally wagon for our personal belongings. The set, poles, banners, costumes, props, ropes, and bedding are packed into the Medicine wagon. Staples, such as rice, beans, millet, lotsa coffee, etc. are packed in the Vardo and Sally. We have cast iron pots and pans, tin cups and plates, and a big blue enamel coffee pot. The great grate (our road hearth and home) hangs under the Vardo. Bales of hay ride on the roof of the Sally. There are two goats, Cayenne and Celeste, to provide fresh milk. In exchange for their valuable contribution, the girls get to ride on a bed of hay, on the back stoop of the Vardo. That hay is a good incentive for the Sally team. They would nudge up to the back and nibble on the hay snacks (much to the goats‘ consternation). As with all gypsies, we live in close harmony with nature and the elements. We sleep in and under wagons, or under tarps and in tents. We know how to harness up, hitch up, saddle up, drive, and ride. We know how

to pound stakes, set up banners and stage. It has finally all come together, and we are ready to hit the road, or as the Gypsies say, ―Jallin‘ the dram.‖ Picture this: The day of the launch. The air is electric. Even the horses‘ hair seems to stand on end. The wagons and teams are in order. The outriders in position. I tingle with excitement and trepidation as I mount Geronimo. Holding onto the reins, foot in stirrup, I swing my leg over the saddle, skim it, and keep going, right under Geronimo‘s neck. I land upright on the other side, right where I started from. I‘m not hurt but dazed and confused. Geronimo doesn‘t seem to notice. So, I get back on my horse and there I stay. We ride out to join the Caravan as it crosses the threshold of driveway to roadway. We leave nothing behind and will not return. All goes relatively well on this initial stretch. Until, on the way down to Salmon River Rd., the Sally gets a flat tire. Our first breakdown and we haven‘t gone 15 miles! But it‘s under the best of circumstances, as the road is quiet and safe for us to pull over. The wagon shotgun driver jumps off and places heavy wooden blocks under the back wheels of each wagon. This is done every time we stop, and we don't move until the blocks are out. Soon the tire is fixed. Each shotgun yells, ―Blocks out! Wagons Ho!‖ Finally, back on the road but with a late start, we won‘t reach our pre-arranged campsite before dark. We are a stranded band of gypsies. Now, to my hazy, dazy recollection, this is what happens: somehow, someone finds us refuge at a BC Hydro camp, on the way to Falkland. They have a field for the horses and our campsite and they have hot showers. Oh, joy! As we come onto Highway 97, we are met with smiles and

friendly waves, irritation and confusion from our fellow road travellers. We arrive intact to the camp as the sun begins to set. The crew welcomes us with bemusement and amusement, as they watch us roll in among their trucks and Atco buildings. In the twilight, we set up our first campsite. The wagons are positioned on level ground. Weunharness, water, and feed the horses before they are set out to field for a much-deserved rest. The cook takes down the great grate, pots, and pans and sets about to make our first meal on the road. We find our sleeping spots. We gather around our first campfire, the finest meal on full plates in hand. Weariness and exhilaration. We celebrate our successful maiden voyage with happy hearts and music and (the cherry on top) hot showers! The following day, we are told that we are to perform that evening for the crew and a few locals. We unload the Medicine, then we reposition the wagons into a circle with the burlap and canvas banners for the world premiere of the Clown Extravaganza. It is more of a dress rehearsal than a premiere opening. By twilight, the audience enters our magic circle. They sit on blankets and a few straw bales. Let the show begin. Now, our lighting system is as rudimentary as the burlap banners. Tiki torches light up the stage area. As darkness descends, it is apparent that this is insufficient. When out of that same descending darkness, we hear motorbikes roar through the gates and down into the field where we are situated.―What the…? Are they here to rumble with a bunch of clowns?‖ Well, they came to see the show and when they saw that they couldn‘t see, they lined up their hogs and shone their mighty bike beams at an open-air stage of red nosed clowns. The show goes on. Success! The audience and bikers leave happy and well-entertained. We are ecstatic. Now, for another hot shower and celebration around the campfire. The next morning, however, it‘s a different story. The absentee camp supervisor arrives on site. He had not authorized our stay. We are trespassing and must leave within the hour. We were planning to leave that morning, but it would take us at least a couple of hours to load up, harness, and hitch up. He is not amused. The next thing we know, the RCMP are on site to make sure we leave and not abscond with any valuables (can‘t trust those gypsies). This the first of many encounters with various authorities that would pock mark our journey. Under the vigilant eye of the law, we scramble to make our ungracious exit. Onto Highway 97, outriders, horses, and wagons roll down the road to our next destination, the Falkland Rodeo Grounds. And so, with help from the unlikeliest of sources and under our own combined power and energy, this raggle-taggle, gypsy, circus family of horse drawn magic, The Little People‘s Caravan, embarks on its voyage down the road. Blocks out! Wagons Ho! Now picture that. * This article originally published in Lived Experience 16, republished with permission. Copies of LE are available at The Station House Gallery and The Open Book in Williams Lake.

By Mary Forbes, Waste Educator, CCCS

Plastic, non-reusable cups are the norm for the airline industry. In 2010 airlines in the US went through one million cups every six hours.

have been teaching Waste Wise for 10 years now and have seen many positive changes in recycling policy and increasing public participation but there is still one place I just experienced that seems to be operating in a vacuum, (or pressurized cabin!). I recently flew to Regina for a Zero Waste Conference (yes, there is some irony). On the smaller plane I asked our stewardess if the clear plastic cups get recycled. She responded, ―not on the small flights, but the big mainline flights do recycle everything.‖ So once on the big plane, I asked again if the plastic cups get recycled, and according to the flight attendant the answer was ―no,‖ but apparently ―everything else does‖. More probing uncovered that ―everything‖ meant all the drink containers, but nothing else (napkins, coffee bags, etc.). I later checked the airline‘s website, which states that onboard recycling occurs at eight out of nine major Canadian airports for domestic flights but doesn‘t list exactly what gets recycled. I remember an image Chris Jordan, an art trash photographer, created in 2010 of how many plastic cups airlines go through in the US each day—one million cups every six hours. That was nearly 10 years ago. I wonder what the number is now? How much oil does it take to make that one

Photo: Pong Handsome Shutterstock.com

million (or more) plastic cups we drink out of for just a few minutes? How many cups are used worldwide on flights every six hours? The captain mentioned offhandedly before we taxied for take-off that we needed to take on seven tons of fuel, making me wonder idly how many flights could be fuelled by the oil used to make all those plastic cups. Watching the drinks cart travel down the aisle in a plane with 27 rows and four seats in each row, I am pretty sure I am the only one who used a reusable cup. That‘s 107 cups used. They then collect the cups in a trash bag, most with a nested paper napkin inside (making both cup and napkin unrecyclable). I expect there will be another drink offer before landing in Regina, and probably another 107 cups be thrown away. I can see into business class, where breakfast comes on a glass plate with cloth napkins, so am assuming they are reused. Is there no workable way to provide reus-

able tableware to all the passengers? On a ‗big picture‘ scale, this would save money on landfills world-wide, and on the upfront purchase of single use cups to the airlines. I recognize that issues around recycling programs are complicated and it takes time and effort to come up with solutions. The airline explains some of these issues on its site. Last week I had a question from a teacher: is a WD40 container recyclable? So, I called the BC recycling hotline and the agent said not if it is empty (as with all industrial lubricants); if it still has product in it, it can go into the hazardous waste collection. Then I asked the BC Used Oil Management Association (BUCOMA) if they had a solution. They said no. I tried the Product Care Association, a non-profit that helps with household waste disposal. Again no, but they suggested (as with bear spray canisters) contacting an independent hazardous waste company and pay to have it recycled. Next, I called WD40‘s head

By Bernie Littlejohn

e seem to have current desires to travel faster and faster, and further and further, both for business and pleasure. For most people this is due to wishing to save time. The time of our limited lives, that is. But for those of us who care about our planet, travelling faster means causing more pollution. It has also means using valuable land around cities to accommodate faster aircraft and achieve these timely desires. So, if some organization decided to offer a more efficient but slower method of travel, many would consider it somewhat retro. And for many, no doubt it is retro. But for those of us who really do care enough about pollution, global warming, and the waste of valuable land, we might consider giving up more of our time and slowing down. Particularly if it had some enhancements built into it. What I am leading up to is that just such travel alternatives are on the horizon once more. Airships are again being built by Hybrid Air Vehicles in Britain, Lockheed Martin in the USA, and several other companies around the world. So, it is clear that an airship industry is heating up once more, after a long gap in time. The reason it is heating up is that most of these new airship designs can fly with about a tenth

Hybrid Air Vehicles HAV 304 Airlander 10 over Sandy, Bedfordshire. Photo: Flickr.com, Orangeaurochs

of the energy and costs of current winged aircraft. They are also cheaper to build. This makes moving passengers and heavy air freight considerably more attractive and profitable. These new aircraft use some of the features of current aircraft, but without the long wings. They instead use ―lifting bodies‖ and propellers that provide thrust in alternative directions, including lift similar to a helicopter. But they only use helium for a proportion of their lift. For this reason, they are being called, hybrid airships. Included in their advantages are not requiring a large ground crew to handle them, as the old airships did. Instead they use the propellers thrusting downwards to keep them on the ground until a mobile mooring mast is attached. And I hear one company

is considering air cruises with the British Airlander 10, to be built by Hybrid Air Vehicles. So, we might see passengers walking and sitting around casually while in flight, just as they did in the German Hindenburg Zeppelin back in 1937. But since helium will be the lifting gas, they will be without the dangers inherent in the Hindenburg with hydrogen. So, contemplating the transport cost-toweight ratios at one-tenth of current values, it is quite clear the difference this can make in the way we transport freight in the years ahead. One company is proposing shipping mining concentrate from Quebec already. And freight trucks could diminish considerably from our highways. At these costs, the new air vehicles might even compete with pipelines. Clearly this major

office in the States; the cans can be recycled in the States, but not here in BC. I am a motivated waste educator with a decade of experience buttrying to find out how to recycle a used can of WD40 takes me an hour of research and then hits a disappointing dead end. No wonder individuals, municipalities, and businesses can take some time to find workable solutions to their waste issues. As all these thoughts are circulating, my plane starts the approach to Regina. The Zero Waste Conference will be an opportunity to share ideas and solutions to these problems as society inches forward along the path to reducing our garbage and plastics production. I thought of changes my friends and I are making to help reduce our personal impacts on the planet; for instance, one family has chosen to be vegetarian unless they catch or shoot their own meat. The delicious venison lasagne I ate at their place has motivated me to add only eating humane protein to my personal goals, on top of some of the changes I‘ve already made (such as no new clothes, no coffee, no alcohol, no soft drinks, and no store-bought bread). The winds of change are gently blowing at higher levels too; for instance, the UK is actually currently considering banning all single use plastics. I land, hopeful that increasing pressure from populations to address these issues is starting to have results, and that airlines are aware of this pressure and will, with time, find solutions to their own waste issues. Mary Forbes is an archaeologist turned waste educator for the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society and naturalist for Scout Island Nature Centre. change in the way some bulk freight is shipped will require new ways of loading and unloading these new aircraft that have not been required before. And if it is not done properly, without local pollution, by using money-saving shortcuts, we could see opposition to them as we currently see to tankers and pipelines. So hopefully this will be dealt with from the start. Many people are contemplating the difference that electric cars can make in saving our planet, as they are starting to appear on our highways. And no doubt some people will be considering whether it is possible that hybrid air vehicles could be scaled down to family vehicles, perhaps even self-navigating ones. Currently I have seen no hint of this being proposed on an industrial scale, although I believe DIY home builders have been building experimental models already. The profit margin would almost certainly be lower on small, mass produced air vehicles. But the advantage of not requiring pavement and travelling at a variety of altitudes could be very appealing to local governments who have the nagging job of building and maintaining them. Bernie Littlejohn was born and grew up in London, UK. He attended the Borough Polytechnic Institute to earn a national certificate in mechanical engineering during the WWII blitz years. He served in the Royal Air Force, emigrated to Canada in 1954 to work in the paper industry, and later retired in Williams Lake.

Your Green Shopping Directory

Distribution Details

Green Locations TheGreenGazette can be found in print at the fine locations below, as well as online at www.thegreengazette.ca or by subscription .

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Bean Counter Bistro & Coffee Bar, (250) 305-2326 180B 3rd Ave. North, Williams Lake Organic Coffee, Fair Trade, Local Foods

The Gecko Tree (250) 398-8983 54 N. MacKenzie Ave. Williams Lake Serving healthy, local foods

Big Bear Ranch (250) 620-3353 Steffi, Florian, and Rainer Krumsiek Grass fed & grass finished beef and lamb, pasture raised heritage pork. Animal Welfare Approved. www.bigbearranch.com

The Hobbit House (250) 392-7599 71 First Ave. South, Williams Lake Juice Bar, Natural Products, Essential Oils, Teas, Crystals, Gemstones, and more.

Canadian Tire (250) 392-3303 1050 South Lakeside Dr., Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives, Renewable Energy Solutions, and Organic Cleaning Products.

KiNiKiNiK Restaurant, Gift shop, Store & Accommodations (250) 394-6000 Redstone BC. Serving all organic meals with Demeter certified organic Pasture to Plate meats. kinikinik@pasturetoplate.ca

Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society (250) 398-7929 Unit 102-197 2nd Ave. North, Williams Lake Programs include Water Wise, Waste Wise, Sustainable Living, and Watershed Health. ccentre@ccconserv.org, www.ccconserv.org

New Paradigm Teas (250) 267-3468 Four Nourishing blends of locally, organically grown and wildcrafted herbal teas. newparadigmteas@gmail.com

Cariboo Growers Coop (778) 412-2667 3rd & Oliver St., Williams Lake. 100% Natural & Organic Foods, Non-Profit Farmer’s Coop

Potato House Sustainable Community Society (250) 855-8443 The Potato House Project is a friendly bastion of doing, sharing, learning and playing.

Springhouse Gardens and Grass Fed-Finished Beef Debbie Irvine B.Sc. (Agr.) RHN (250) 392-9418 Organically grown market garden veggies; Grass fed/ finished beef - no hormones, no GMOs. springhousedebbie@gmail.com

Scout Island Nature Centre & Williams Lake Field Naturalists (250) 398-8532 Nature on the city’s doorstep. Bird sanctuary, trails, Nature House, natural history programs for kids. www.scoutislandnaturecentre.ca www.williamslakefieldnaturalists.ca

earthRight Solar 1 (877) 925-2929 3rd & Borland, Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions, Eco-Friendly Products, Composting Toilets Flying Coyote Ranch (250) 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef. No shots, no hormones, organic fertilizer. By the quarter or side, hamburger.

Sta-Well Health Foods (250) 392-7022 79D 3rd Ave. North, Williams Lake Organic Foods, Water Distillers, Natural Medicines, Emergency Freeze Dried Foods. Touch Wood Rings and Touch Wood Memorial Rings Custom handcrafted wooden rings since 2002. nicola@touchwoodrings.com www.touchwoodrings.com www.memorialrings.ca

100 Mile House Donex Visitors Centre Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat. Foods KFC Nuthatch Books Rise & Grind Coffee House Safeway Save-On-Foods A&W 108 Mile House 108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket 150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall Husky Station Marshall‘s 150 Mile Store Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading Mclean Trading Bella Coola Coast Mountain Lodge Kopas Store Valley Inn & Restaurant Big Lake Big Lake General Store Clinton Clinton Coffee House Dog Creek Mount View Handy Mart Red Dog Pub/Liquor Store Hanceville Lee‘s Corner Store Horsefly Clarke‘s General Store Post Office Horsefly Hardware Horsefly Service Station LacLaHache Race Trac Gas Lac La Hache Bakery Red Crow Cafe

Williams Lake Food Policy Council (250) 302-5010 Building a strong local food economy and promoting a healthy and sustainable community. www.facebook.com/WLFPC foodpolicycouncil@hotmail.com

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station The Oasis Motel Cafe

Windy Creek Farm (250) 296-3256 Miocene, BC Grass Fed Beef. No hormones, antibiotics or vaccines. www.grassfedbeefbc.ca

Prince George Books and Co. University of Northern BC College of New Caledonia

Nimpo Lake Nimpo Lake General Store

Quesnel The Green Tree Barkerville Brewing Bliss Cafe Booster Juice Carryall Books Holistic Health Care Clinic Karin‘s European Deli Granville‘s Coffee Shop Quesnel Bakery Quiznos Safeway Save On Foods Tourism Info Center Redstone Kinikinik

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All-ways Travel Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mtn. Bikes Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds Blocks R Us Body Connection by Joe CanWest Propane Cariboo Growers Co-op Cariboo Ski Community Futures Concrete Fitness Conservation Society CJ‘s Restaurant CRD Library Creative Scissor Dairy Queen Dog & Suds earthRight 4 Sure Bistro Friendship Centre Greyhound Bus Stop Handi-Mart Joey‘s Grill KFC Halls Organics Integrated Elements Clinic The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamia‘s Donairs Kornak & Hamm Pharmacy The Laughing Loon The Legion Margetts Meats McDonalds Mt. Timothy Ski Area New World Coffee Oliver‘s Bar & Grill South 2nd Deli Red Shred‘s Bike & Board Shed Rona Home Centre Safeway Save-on-Foods SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center Senior Citizens Center Shopper‘s Drug Mart Spa Bella Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods Subway Taylor Made Cakes The Gecko Tree The Open Book Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe Thompson Rivers Univ. Tsilhqot'in National Gov`t Walmart WL Acupuncture Clinic Williams Lake Physio WL Seniors Village WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water Factory *please note that we are in the process of revamping our distribution process to better serve our clients. If TheGreenGazette is not being displayed at any of the above locations please contact us so that we may rectify the situation.

By Jasmin Schellenberg HEALTHY SNACKS AND WHY Power Smoothie Enjoy as an afternoon drink or for breakfast Ingredients 2 Tbsp whipping cream 2 Tbsp kefir 1 whole egg 1 Tbsp raw honey 1 c. frozen berries Method Start by putting the cream, kefir, egg, and honey in the blender. Drop in the frozen berries a few at a time. Blend until smooth and serve immediately. This way it will have a consistency similar to soft ice cream and with frozen berries you won't taste the egg and kefir. Super-power the recipe by adding 1 tsp collagen powder before blending. This is a great way to get your kids to eat high quality protein and minerals. Enjoy! NUTRIENT DENSE MEAL Beefsteak Tartar (serves 4) A perfect summer meal. Ingredients 500 grams organic ground burger 1 Tbsp capers 1 small can anchovies, chopped 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped 2 squirts ketchup 2 large pickles, finely chopped 1 whole egg

2 teaspoons good quality sea salt 3 Tbsp brandy, rum, or whisky or 1 glass of red wine Method Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Knead with both hands until well mixed and transfer to ceramic bowl. Cover for 1 hour at room temp and enjoy on buttered toast or leave in fridge overnight and enjoy the next day. What goes well with tartar is a mixed salad. Enjoy! MYTHS UNVEILED Grumpy equals picky eaters. Anxiety in kids and teenagers is more and more common. They often are unhappy, have low physical or mental energy, can be depressed, and are easily stressed. Bad mood problems have increased at rates similar to violence in schools. Many kids are on antidepressants and other medication to deal with emotional distress. However, there are other and very easy to follow steps to bring joy back into your kids. The book, The Mood Cure by Julia Ross, proposes that much of our emotional distress stems from easily correctable malfunctions in our brain and body chemistry— malfunctions that are the results of critical unmet nutritional needs. There are four emotion generators in our brains called

neurotransmitters: serotonin, catecholamines, GABA, and endorphin, each having a different effect on our mood depending on the availability of its particular amino acid. If you are high in serotonin you are positive and easy going but if you are low in serotonin you tend to become negative and worried. If you are high in catecholamines you are energized and upbeat, but if you are lacking in catecholamines you feel lethargic. If you are high in GABA you‘re relaxed, but if too low you are easily stressed and overwhelmed. If you‘re high in endorphins you feel cozy and euphoric, but when depleted of endorphins you feel overly sensitive and cry easily. There are 21 amino acids, 9 essential ones that cannot be produced by our body. Julia Ross has solutions on how to incorporate supplements for a short period of time to help you get back your good mood. She gives nutritional advice on how to get the amino acids from your food. It‘s most important to have three meals a day that include plenty of protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and cheese. Our four neurotransmitters can only be made of amino acids found in high-protein foods. Animal fats and mineral-and-vitamin-rich food are needed to activate mood-boosting amino fuels. Vegetables are very low in amino acids and would have to be consumed in huge amounts to meet needs. Soy is marketed as a ―perfect protein‖ because it contains all the essential amino acids, but ―contains all‖ is not the same as contains optimum – and usable – levels and ratios. Soy is an inferior protein because its cys-

teine content is tied up and largely made unavailable by protease inhibitors. Soy is mostly genetically modified and contains lots of herbicides and pesticides. Commercial and highly processed food is stripped of vital nutrients needed to make and operate your brain‘s neurotransmitters. Don‘t be afraid to eat real food. The closer to nature, the better it is for you. Choose foods in their whole state. Do your best to avoid processed, prepackaged foods, especially those that are reduced-fat products. Exercise is an important part of a healthy brain function. Make time and go for walks with your children. Be a role model; if you eat healthy so will your children. Listen to ―How to convert a picky eater to eat healthy,‖ podcast 131 at westonaprise.org. A WALK THROUGH YOUR PANTRY: GET RID OF: Processed, prepackaged foods. They are low in amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. REPLACE WITH: Protein rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and cheese. Organic food is higher in mineral content and vitamins and it‘s healthier for you and the planet. Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg Inspired by and resourced from the book The Mood Cure by Julia Rossand westonaprice.org podcast. For “Nourishing our Children” newsletters of the past visit www.thegreengazette.ca.