No-Till, Soil Enrichment Permaculture Garden Workshop

Workshop Announcement 

No-Till, Soil Enrichment Garden Workshop Opportunity:

Eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers in our vegetable gardens… help create a model garden.

Barnswallow Corner Farm, located just East of Pigeon Lake.

April 30  (Rain out date: May 7), 2011, 10am-4pm with 1 hour for pot-luck lunch @ 12:00

With the growing concern over high nitrogen in Pigeon Lake’s waterways people are looking for ways that they can reduce their home use of chemical fertilizers and for ways to be involved in the movement toward a healthier lake.

Barnswallow Corner Farm No-Till, Soil Enrichment Garden Workshop assists residents of the Pigeon Lake area, and all others interested, in eliminating the usage of chemical fertilizer with a hands-on, instructional workshop. The instruction given will allow residents to learn about some basic principals in Permaculture practices and no-till gardening. The hands-on development of a no-till garden will provide a space for future Permaculture teaching at Barnswallow Corner Farm. Some study material will be provided, as well as some answers to individuals’ home garden design questions.

This workshop is one of a series of opportunities to receive training in Permaculture practices. Workshops are open to Adults and Youth. Adults are strongly encouraged to work with a local youth partner. Non-residents welcome. There is limited space, please register as soon as possible.

Please contact Margot Soltice @ 780 387 3588 or barnswallow@xplornet.com

Hope to see you there!

Four

“I don’t get why the little indigenous man stole our bags in the first place”, you say, as we ponder how to get out of the jungle. I’m silent, going over the past 4 days. First, 4 monkeys sat staring at us for hours, then lined up on the path and looked at us until we followed them to the beach. There, they scrambled up into a tree and each threw a leaf-packet containing one little winged seed. We were tired and hot so we slept under the almost-full moon. On the second day we rose to the sun, and to our surprise, a sand castle. Or should I say a sand village, with 4 distinctive holdings and 4 courtyards. In each courtyard there was black soil, teaming with life; bugs and worms that drew the small birds to it where they ate breakfast. On day 3 we awoke to the deep barks of the monkeys. At our feet they had each gifted us with a coconut cup, filled with fresh water. We each drank our fill, with one left over. Now, on day four, we sit in the shade, waiting for a clue. None had come in the morning. No sign of our little friends. It’s hot and sticky. “LOOK!” you say, the monkeys had returned to sit around their sand village. We cautiously approached, and looked down at the seeds, the water, the sand, feeling scorched by the sun. “Ohhhh,” we both say at once. We opened the seed packets and watched as the wind took their little wings to the courtyard, to the soil, we watered them with the fresh water, and were grateful for the life-giving sun, if only for the little seeds. All happened at once, the monkeys went crazy, woofing and clapping, trees sprouted from the villages, growing huge before our eyes, up to the blazing sun and shaded us. A quiet chuckle was heard from behind the trees, now grown into an extension of the jungle. There we found our bags, but no sign of our guides, nor the little man.

Margot

i am

‎"Respond" you said to me. I looked up, feeling cold and too automated. "Dream" you say. "I cannot", says I. "Cry" you order, you slammed your fist on the table. "I can only simulate." I replied. "LOVE ME" you begged. I put my head down and my light went out. You wrapped your arms around me, your palms on fire with the energy you wished to transmit. I warmed. I grew.... slowly. I feel my heart. Thank you.

Margot

The Stirring Bowl

We sat by the fire, with bowls of liquid adventure in our laps, stirring and stirring. You said "did you remember the little ones, way down south? They know more than anyone about this." I nodded. "Did you put in the ones who dance? I love them. They don't pay a lick of attention to us, but they sure make the road easy to walk." Again, I nodded. We stirred. "I saw you adding those imps, those rascals. I don't know why we need them, but you know best". The fire grew low. I added 2 logs. Just 2. And stoked it. Shyly, you ask "Why the bad ones? Why did we have to choose them?" "Because," I said "because She told me that we should never ever be sorry, even for choosing them...it's made us who we are today". You nodded, and stirred, and drank from our past.

Margot