villagevibeNews and views from the heart of Fernwood

April 2012

Pole Painting Proliferates

in this issueEditorial

Food for thought page 2

Commentary

Fernwood Gazebo culturepage 3

Feature

Th e FernFood Scavenger Huntpage 4

To get the Vibe digitally, sign up at fernwoodnrg.ca

›› Mila Czemerys

W hat do Oak Bay, Sooke, South Jubilee, Oaklands, Burnside Gorge, Salt Spring Island,

Honduras, Mexico, and Fernwood have in common? Th ey all have painted telephone poles.

Last May, our little neighbourhood made national news by painting over 100 telephone poles with bright, bold, colourful designs. Th ere were loads of news stories, inquiries, discussions, and much praise for this collaborative, neighbour-driven project. Hundreds of volunteers gave their energy, time, and imagination to transform our streets. Other neighbourhoods have started to join in on the fun; painted poles are popping up everywhere.

Let’s do it again! Get your smock ready and ponder your dream design; you and your friends are invited to take part in the 2nd Fernwood Pole Painting Project, on May 26th. Since last year’s event was so much fun, how could we resist doing it all over again? Emily Grav of Th e Paint Box School of Art, Beth Th relfall—pole painter extraordinaire—and Fernwood NRG are coming together to bring you not just a day but a whole week of paint-a-pole greatness.

To start, Emily Grav of the Paint Box School of Art will be hosting a Design and Stencil Making Workshop on May 19th from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Fernwood Community Centre. She will teach you how to get the creative juices fl owing and make a stencil for your pole. It’s free and you can pick up your Pole Painting Kit at the workshop. People of all artistic abilities are encouraged to come. This year, pre-made stencils will not be provided, so this is a great opportunity to create your own.

If you can’t make it to the workshop, you can pick-up your Pole Painting Kit at the Fernwood NRG Office at 1313 Gladstone Avenue during the week of May 21st to 25th between 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Th e kit will include instructions, paint, signage, and more. Th ere will only be 100 kits available so come early so you don’t miss out. If any kits are left over, they will be available in Fernwood Square at 10:00 a.m. on May 26th.

Finally, when May 26th comes, it's the

day to paint your pole. Get up, brush your teeth, get your painting clothes on, and get all your supplies ready.Step 1: Find a pole in Fernwood – Look for a pole that has not been painted; try Stanley Avenue, Pembroke Street, Cham-bers Street, and Grant Street.Step 2: Put down your drop cloth – You can use old newspaper, or a tarp to protect the ground from splatters and splashes.Step 3: Prime your pole – Use a dark, neutral colour. Th is is important because it will give you a clean canvas and will make your colours pop. Wait until it is dry—2/3 hours! If you primed the pole earlier in the

week, you can skip this step.Step 4: Paint your pole – Be creative, have fun and remember to keep your paint afterwards for touch ups.Step 5: Clean up – You are responsible for cleaning up ALL your supplies. Take everything with you and dispose of it responsibly.

Finally, remember to meet in Fernwood Square between noon and 2:00 p.m. for a free Pole Painting BBQ Celebration. Th ink food, drinks, music, and bubbles!

If you plan on painting a pole near your house, post a sign on it on May 26th that says, “Th is pole has an artist." If you would

rather have the pole in front of your house blank, please post a sign on it on May 26th that says, “I am beautiful the way I am, please leave me blank.” Th ere will be signs available for pick-up at 1313 Gladstone Avenue during pole painting week.

In the words of Beth Threlfall, “This project brings great depth and soul to our neighbourhood.” Our goal this year is to paint an additional 100 telephone poles in Fernwood. Don’t forget to take a walk and be inspired by what other people have done. Fernwoodians paint your poles! Find more information at www.fernwoodnrg. ca.

Last May, hundreds of volunteers came out to paint telephone poles in Fernwood. Photo: Liz Rubincam

page 2 villagevibe April 2012 News and views from the heart of Fernwood

When we think of

food, what do we

think of? What’s in our

refrigerator? What’s for

lunch?

›› Lee Herrin

For most of us, most of the time, that’s it—we think about our next meal and what it will take to get it so that we can get back to more important things.

Th e chain of events from seed or egg to our plate is hidden. It’s easy to forget we are a way station in the cycle of life, and that many hands have brought our food to us, not just our own in lifting it to our mouths.

It’s also easy to forget that the length of that chain (New Zealand lamb, wine from France, salad greens from California, an avocado from Mexico) has grown very long indeed in the early part of the 21st century. Th e length of that chain, and simplicity of gathering the above ingredients, and the fact that lamb from New Zealand and wine

from Chile are cheaper than lamb from Metchosin and wine from Saanich—all this is underwritten by cheap energy.

You’ve heard of peak oil—the idea that on a finite planet, the extraction of any resource must eventually reach a peak, and then decline. Some don’t believe it, but the best international statistics indicate that the global oil production has not increased beyond the level reached in 2005 notwithstanding record high prices. We’ve always been told that high prices would bring on new supply—and it is, if you like the tarsands. But a little-discussed fact is that we’ve reached a maximum fl ow rate. Whether or not there is more oil to discover, the world has for seven years now been at a peak of extraction.

There are two important trends to consider. Firstly, the new oil (deep sea, tarsands, etc.) that is being discovered is more expensive to extract and refine, which means high fuel prices are here to stay. Secondly, the developing world uses oil much more effi ciently than we do in Canada, and has much more to gain from consuming an incremental litre of fuel. In a

world of peak oil fl ow, as our consumption declines for marginal activities (like driving to the mega-store to buy imported food), the new supply will be soaked up for effi -cient activities in other parts of the world.

I urge you to consider what this might mean for the lovely dinner we just made, with choice ingredients from around the world. Probably we have reached the peak of food as a global commodity—call it “peak supermarket” with large freezers, larger parking lots, and low prices.

Does that mean we’ll all starve? Far from it—there is already a lot of local production happening, but there will need to be much, much more in the future. And much of that production will probably need to happen no further from home than in the backyard or on the boulevard.

To learn more about what’s already going on with food in Fernwood, please see this month’s feature. And in the coming months, watch www.fernwoodnrg.ca and the Vil-lage Vibe for more information about what Fernwood NRG is going to be working on for the next several years. Here’s a hint—I know you’ll want to taste it.

declarationof principles

& values

villagevibePublished by Fernwood

Neighbourhood Resource Group

›› We are committed to creating

a socially, environmentally,

and economically sustainable

neighbourhood;

›› We are committed to ensuring

neighbourhood control or

ownership of neighbourhood

institutions and assets;

›› We are committed to using

our resources prudently

and to becoming fi nancially

self-reliant;

›› We are committed to the creation

and support of neighbourhood

employment;

›› We are committed to engaging

the dreams, resources,

and talents of our neighbours

and to fostering new links

between them;

›› We are committed to taking

action in response to

neighbourhood issues, ideas,

and initiatives;

›› We are committed to governing

our organization and serving our

neighbourhood democratically

with a maximum of openness,

inclusivity and kindness;

›› We are committed to developing

the skills, capacity, self-worth,

and excellence of our

neighbours and ourselves;

›› We are committed to focusing

on the future while preserving

our neighbourhood’s heritage

and diversity;

›› We are committed to creating

neighbourhood places that

are vibrant, beautiful, healthy,

and alive;

›› and, most of all,

We are committed to having fun!

Editorial Committee

Lee Herrin Mila Czemerys

Azelia Serjeantson Matt Takach

Founding Editor Lisa Helps

Contributors

Mila Czemerys Lee Herrin

Margaret Hantiuk Geoff Cross

Lilian Sue Stephanii Holmes

Kim Watt Kat Middleton

Art

Liz Rubincam Mila Czemerys

Axel Beth Threlfall

Creatively United for the Planet Festival

Production Mila Czemerys

Contact us

1313 Gladstone Avenue

Victoria, BC V8R 1R9

T 778.410.2497 F 250.381.1509

vibe@fernwoodnrg.ca

www.villagevibe.ca

To enquire about advertising in the Village

Vibe, please contact ads@fernwoodnrg.ca

The views expressed in the Village Vibe

do not necessarily refl ect the views of

Fernwood NRG.

editorial:

Food in Fernwood

buzz:

Mapping the ‘hood’ onlineFernwood community

map online and ready

for action

›› Margaret Hantiuk

With the help of University of Victoria’s resident Community Mapping expert Ken Josephson, the Fernwood community map is now online. Go to www.mapping. uvic.ca/fernwood and have a look. While there, you can set up an account and help build the map.

Community mapping is a new kind of mapping started by environmental and community activists in New York about 20 years ago. It has increased in popularity as people discover it as a way to build community and share what is important with their neighbourhoods. All kinds of community maps have been created and the digital world has only increased the

potential with online mapping.A group of Fernwoodians have been

getting together for the past few years to talk about mapping. With small grants from our neighbourhood associations (Fernwood NRG and FCA), they have hosted many events. Th is group has given history talks, set up stream walks to discover the old topography of this area—including Harris Stream from Harris Lake, which was on Stanley Street—and hosted ‘Old Map’ days where copies of colonial maps from the City Archives were displayed. (Th e fi rst brewery in B.C. was here near Spring Street!)

Th e Fernwood Community Mapping Project will be drawing a paper map with one side detailing contemporary Fernwood and all its great landmarks and treasures—using the online map as reference. The other side will depict historic Fernwood: the original land with First Nations and early settlers.

They have set up the online map to

be interactive using mapping icons on a Google base map. It’s like making a treasure map and it’s ready to be used to discover our neighbourhood.

Pass the site around! Check it out and feel free to add what you think should be on the map. Th ink of the possibilities: arts/artists venues; green/garden/food spots; trades people/home-based businesses; favourite walks; trees; wildlife haunts; fam-ily/pet friendly places, and more.

Th e map has a new pole painting icon so you can add your painted telephone pole location, a photograph, and a story about painting it. On May 26th, meet members of the Fernwood Community Mapping Project in Fernwood Square between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. and set-up your account so you can post about your masterpiece!

If you would like to join in on the Fernwood Mapping Group or be informed of any future events, contact dotter@ seaside.net to get the e-news.

www.fernwoodnrg.ca April 2012 villagevibe page 3

commentary:

Th e happenings at the gazebo

What’s going on at the

gazebo in Fernwood

Square? Something is

changing...

›› Geoff Cross

For a long time now the gazebo has been a site for the free exchange of goods. If you ask people in this neighbourhood if they have picked up something from the gazebo, chances are they will say yes. Th e fi rst thing I remember picking up was a bundle of green yarn two years ago. I still have some and use it regularly. I also drop things off for others such as books I have enjoyed, records I think others should check out, and so on.

Lately the gazebo has been the topic of much discussion with some neighbours referring to it as a “dumping ground.” When I drop off records or books I don’t think of it as “dumping,” and neither do most other people who drop goods off. It’s sharing, gifting, passing on items to one another. We are lucky that this type of culture exists here. It can take a long time to build this type of organic community

space but much less time to dismantle it.Th at’s what I am seeing now: a disman-

tling of this community space through a negative and unfair portrayal of how the space is used and an unwillingness to constructively engage with folks. Yes, from time to time the space gets messy. Yet at times mess is good and the clean ‘new urbanism’ aesthetic should not always trump. Yes, from time to time some people have to deal with cleaning up the unwanted goods and it is understandable that this may upset some folks. And so the response to this issue has been a decidedly unilateral, control-oriented approach: “We don’t want it—get rid of it!”

We could be having a much healthier community conversation and coming up with more inclusive and creative solutions. Th ink about it; there could be a volunteer squad who clears out goods that have been sitting for a long time which clearly no one is going to pick up. Th ere could be community gifting events... There are millions of solutions that still allow for the gifting to continue!

Th e free exchange of goods at the gazebo is a wonderful community initiative that we need to keep alive.

buzz:

Tonic refreshesPurity, health, & strong

relationships are key

to Tonic Spa-tique’s

success

›› Lilan Sue

After years of working in spa development for companies like Silk Road Tea and teaching aesthetics at Aveda, Kate Shelton decided that it was time to take the leap of faith and open her own spa.

Tonic Spa-tique was born out of Kate’s desire to develop and provide her clients with healthy, organic skincare products that a have lower amounts of ‘penetration enhancers’ that increases the amounts of chemicals that are able to soak through the skin.

Her philosophy is all about the clients and their individual needs. Kate provides every person with customized treatments right down to the ambience based on the clients’ needs for that day.

Kate has the same outlook on creating her skincare line. She creates custom blends and mixes for each client during the treatment. It’s never the same treatment twice but always a positive experience with great results.

The recent move to the new space in the Fernwood Village came out of a desire to have a positive and warm c ommunity environment and to give her two apprentices, also current clients, the opportunity to learn how the business is run, book appointments and manage social media. Th ere are also plans to start a walk-in brow bar slated to open by April 16th, 2012. Her two apprentices will manage this initiative to help them building their own clientele.

In taking on apprentices, Kate also hopes to have more fl exible spa hours. Having the spa open until 8:00 pm on weekdays to allow clients to book treatments after work and on Sundays is a priority. In the next six months, the goal is to have the retail portion of the spa off ering organic skincare products. In a year, she wants her apprentices to take over sixty percent of her clientele as well as maintaining their own.

With approximately one thousand clients from all over the city, Kate’s ultimate goal is to continue to provide her clients with not only the best personal service in a relaxing environment but to also educate them in choosing cosmetics that are better for their health.

Even the gallery of local art that Kate displays in the spa contributes to that ambience. Art is a medium that can relax or rejuvenate as well as change perception. Just like Kate’s custom treatments that are unique to every visit, the art she displays from local artists can change how you feel on a day to day basis, too.

Kate Shelton, owner of Tonic Spa-tique, has

15 years of experience in the spa industry.

She has been doing business in Fernwood

Village for the past four years. You can fi nd

her at 1294 Gladstone Avenue. Find out

more about her products and services at

tonicspatique.com.

Anyone need a new living room set? Will this scene soon be a thing of the past for Fernwood Square

where it has been a local custom to freecycle/dump previously used goods? Photo: Mila Czemerys

WWW.FERNWOODLOVELYHOMES4SALELIST.COM

Does your landlord thank you for making their mortgage payment?

You may think you can’t take on the responsibility of a mortgage, but you're likely already making the monthly payment. It just happens to be in your

landlord’s pocket! Isn’t it time that you owned the payments that you're making?

Find out how at the Home Ownership Workshop.You'll learn from a mortgage specialist, an experienced realtor, and a licensed home inspector all that you

need to know about becoming a home owner. Take the first step towards ownership. Call Jean at 250-858-7716 for details. Free recorded message-no

obligation-no cost workshop!

www.victoriahomeownerworkshop.com

volunteer@fernwoodnrg.ca

Vic High’s MAY MADNESS! MMay 12th, 2012

Come out and spend the day with the Vic High Grads! Enjoy food, games, inflatables, local music and entertainment! Don’t miss this AWESOME

family event at Vic High!

Noon to 8:00pm - Family Friendly! 8:00pm to 11:00pm - High-School & older

Funds raised go towards the 2012 Grad Dinner

For more info call: Vic High at 250-388-5456

Tonic Spa-Tique

was born out of

Kate’s desire

to develop and

provide her clients

with healthy,

organic skincare

products

page 4 villagevibe April 2012 News and views from the heart of Fernwood

feature:

Rules: One entry per person or team. You must fi nd and take a photo of all nine items above to qualify for the prizes. All of the photos must be taken in Fernwood. All of the photos must have a description attached saying when and where the photo was taken (this is to ensure the photos are legitimate photos from Fernwood). Please ask people’s permission before taking their picture or a picture of their property. Please don’t harass people if they won’t let you take a picture. Please don’t break any laws in order to take a picture. Th is is supposed to be fun—let’s keep it fun for every-one. Once submitted, all photos become property of Fernwood NRG and may be reproduced (with attribution).

Contest Entry: You must submit your completed entry by midnight, Wednesday May 16th, 2012 either physically at Fernwood NRG’s office at 1313 Gladstone Avenue or by email at scavengerhunt@fernwoodnrg.ca. If you’re submitting by email, please keep the fi le sizes of the photos small so that it all comes through. Along with the nine photos, please include a brief description of each photo stating what the photo is, when it was taken, and where it was taken. Also, please include your name or your team name and provide a contact email address and telephone number.

Prizes: All completed entries submitted by the entry deadline will be entered into a draw for a $50 Cornerstone Café Gift Card. Th e best entry (most beautiful, fun, creative, interesting, etc.) will also receive a $50 Cornerstone Café Gift Card and will be printed in the June edition of the Village Vibe. (In order to print the photos, we will need either originals or high resolution image fi les). Incomplete entries will not be eligible for a prize. Happy hunting!

The Hunt:

www.fernwoodnrg.ca April 2012 villagevibe page 5

›› Stephanii Holmes

Remember that age old saying curiosity killed the cat? Th is phrase reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. Alice allowed her curiosity to get the best of her and what happened: she fell down a hole, got herself lost and narrowly missed having her head removed (several times). On the fl ip side, she also met some very interesting charac-ters that challenged her perceptions, learned how to be independent, and explored some new territory (both fi guratively and liter-ally) which helped her to discern what was truly important to her. Her journey wasn’t always easy, but it was impressive.

I propose an amendment to the intention

of that old adage about the cat, from deter-rent to encouragement – curiosity creates our cures! I believe that curiosity is a pri-mary element in learning. It is the fi rst of many steps for individuals to make mindful movements forward. Stress and worry are precursors to feeling stuck and frustrated. When we allow curiosity to motivate us in discovering more about ourselves we open to the full spectrum of learning opportuni-ties that await our next move.

I’ve discovered that body/energy work is an amazing tool for helping to inspire curiosity about the self. It is especially empowering to work with the body (both physical and subtle), because it creates a whole internal experience that allows us

to approach ourselves with consciousness and compassion. When we consider the curious questions of why and how we came to be in the state we are in, we can use this information to choose the next step on our path with clarity.

We have all felt the profound healing power of touch: a hug, a high-fi ve, a hand-hold. We yearn for these tactile experiences because they feel good! Receiving regular bodywork helps to maintain the balance of health from a preventative standpoint by relieving tension, soothing, and creating space for expansion. It also works very much like a compass, orienting us to where we are, so we can make educated decisions about where we want to be next.

Th is kind of self-empowerment through health-empowerment creates deep healing and freedom, because when we discover what we can do to improve our situation, we are more likely to just do it, rather than worry about it.

So I challenge you to a path of self-discovery through encouraging your inquisitive inner child. Where are you and where do you wish to be? If body/energy work appeals to you as something to assist your exploration, there is (quite literally) a new kid on the block: Whole Approach is an integrative health practice which just opened up on Fernwood Road. Check out www.wholeapproach.ca, if you’re curious.

buzz:

Curiosity creates the cure…

mark your calendar:

Get your veggie startsCompost Education

Centre’s yearly Organic

Plant Sale happening

May 12th

›› Kim Watt

As the weather warms up, intrepid gardeners are hearing the soft call of the soil; craving the sight of both dirt under their fi nger-nails and vegetable seedlings sprouting up from the ground. Start your garden right this spring by fi lling it with locally grown organic seeds, heirloom vegetable starts and edible perennials that grow beauti-fully in our temperate climate. Anyone who has grown an heirloom tomato can attest to their superior taste and texture. With tempting names such as Chocolate Stripes tomatoes, Drunken Woman lettuce, Dragon carrots, Desert King fi g, and Pink Plume celery, it’s hard to resist the call of the garden!

The Greater Victor ia Compost Education Centre will be hosting their 9th annual Organic Plant Sale with ten local organic growers selling their seed-lings. Row upon row of edible, medicinal, and herbal plants will inspire any gardener. Th ere will be composting supplies at a dis-counted price, live music, and coff ee with

treats available, adding to the mini-festi-val atmosphere. Th e event will take place Saturday, May 12th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Compost Education Cen-tre’s demonstration site located at 1216 North Park Street. Admission is free with donations gratefully accepted.

Get ready for Fernwood’s Organic Plant Sale, hosted by the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre! On May 12th, the East end of North Park Street (behind Victoria High) will be transformed into a festival for food growers. Ten local farmers will be showcasing and selling their organically-grown plant starts, from annual vegetables and herbs to fruit trees and rare edible perennials. Enjoy some freshly baked goodies and listen to some olde time folk music.

page 6 villagevibe April 2012 News and views from the heart of Fernwood

›› Kat Middleton

Th e spirit of John Lennon will continue to live on this upcoming Earth Day at the First Annual Creatively United for the Planet Festival, April 20th - 22nd, 2012. A special tribute to the famed musician will be part of three-days of entertainment that seeks to raise funds and consciousness about the environment while off ering live music, dancing, performances, displays, food, prizes, art, children’s events and much more.

The festival is being overseen by international award winning photographer Frances Litman who was inspired by the spirit and philosophy of not only Lennon, but also Gandhi, who famously stated: Be the Change You Want to See.

“I decided to do something directly that supports our environmental charities because it needs to be done. Being a lover of beauty and art, not to mention our planet and the wilderness, it really concerns me that less than four per cent of all charitable giving goes towards the environment, yet it’s something we all rely on for our food, air, water and enjoyment,” Litman said.

Th e Creatively United for the Planet

Festival will have both ticketed and free events ranging from a Disco-meets-Mardi Gras all ages dance party, where costumes are encouraged, to a fund-raising art auction, lectures, a soul/funk dance band and even a fashion show of local designers’ creations. Th e event will raise the profi le of such groups as the Sierra Club BC, Dogwood Initiative, Th e Ancient Forest Alliance and WildARC amongst many others.

Highlights of the Creatively United for the Planet Festival will include a concert featuring Ann Mortifee and internationally acclaimed jazz flautist Paul Horn, plus the Gettin’ Higher Choir, photographer Garth Lenz of the International League of Conservation Photographers, and musicians Holly Arntzen and Kevin Wright.

On Earth Day, Sunday April 22, Robert Bateman will be the keynote speaker prior to the festival’s fi nale tribute to Lennon, which will showcase top notch local musicians performing their favourite Beatles and Lennon hits.

Litman hopes the event will become an annual festival: “When the day comes that environmental charities receive as much

funding as cancer agencies, we will have a much healthier and happier planet. My goal is to inspire environmental awareness and community through creativity with the hope that this shift will happen sooner rather than later.”

Th e indoor/outdoor festival will be held at St. Matthias Church, 600 Richmond

Road at Richardson in Victoria, which is on convenient bike and bus routes, and wheelchair accessible.

Advance concert tickets, a schedule of free and ticketed events plus information on the charities this festival supports can be seen at www.creativelyunitedfortheplanet.

com.

FERNWOOD’S REAL ESTATE EXPERT

For more information on buying and selling real estate

in Fernwood please visit ZamianSellsFernwood.com

250.514.1533 (direct)

Zamian Sells Fernwood

mark your calendar:

Earth Week festival connects community through creativity

Well-known local artist, Robert Bateman (above) will be a keynote speaker at the Creatively United

for the Planet Festival, this April 20th - 22nd. Photo: Creatively United for the Planet Festival

www.fernwoodnrg.ca April 2012 villagevibe page 7

garden gleanings:

Soil Additives & Compacted SoilsHorticulturalist Linda

Chalker-Scott, author of

The Informed Gardener

Blooms Again, explains

why it is vital to know

what we’re doing with

soil additives.

›› Margaret Hantiuk

When we use chemical fertilizers or household remedies such as Epsom salts, we are drastically altering soil chemistry as well as contaminating groundwater and aquatic life. A safe approach is to mimic nature: good mulches with leaf mold, wood chips and compost that improve soil (both nutritionally and structurally), suppress weeds, moderate soil temperatures, and keep soil moist. Organic mulches are enough food for ornamental plantings; don’t dig them in, apply two to three inches annually in late fall or early spring.

Th e only times that we really need to amend soil is when we are dealing with soil that has been markedly violated such as the area around new buildings. Here soil may be compacted with poor quality ‘infi ll.’ Th e natural structure may also be inverted with topsoil deposited or removed. Heavy foot

traffic from people and animals, vehicle traffi c (as well as parked cars) all compact soil. In our climate we have wet soils for half the year. Plants can suff er from ‘hypoxia,’ or drowning because there’s not enough oxygen at root level.

When planting in compacted soil, fork the soil well rather than turning over and mulch deeply. Try ‘lasagna layering’ with 10 layers of newspaper or a layer of cardboard topped with at least 6” of compost or leaf mold—fi rst fork the soil and remove all weeds. Let it sit for a couple of months and then plant into it. Linda is a big fan of wood chips as a mulch (not dug in) on paths and bare ground. Wood chips

suppress weeds well as they start to decay. Do not use material from the toxic

black walnut tree; cedar is okay. When heavy equipment must be brought into a yard cover the soil fi rst with an eight inch mulch of coarse wood chips. Trees should be mulched around their rootzones out past the dripline; do not plant intensively underneath (that means lawn, too), and arrange paths and traffi c off of this area. It’s best to not even work in your garden when the soil is very wet–unless you have mulched paths or stepping stones.

Another time that soil may need additives is when we intensively food or container garden. Some food crops need

a more alkaline soil but most ornamentals and veggies do well in the mid-range of pH, which is where most soils are. Use Dolomitic lime for liming and for lawns. If needed, use amendments that are as natural as possible: seasoil, manures, seaweed fertilizers, compost tea, and organic fertilizers which are less potent and are composed of ground rock and plant materials. Depleted soils benefit from organic mulches and fertilizers, as they continually feed the soil.

There is a huge marketing campaign to convince us to feed our plants. We can do much damage by adding chemical fertilizers and additives such as Epsom salts, gypsum, and phosphates. Healthy soil is a marvelous and delicate balance of minerals, microfungi, humous, etc. that all work together to provide the right environment for plant roots to take in water and needed micronutrients. Plants make their own food with photosynthesis. Unless we have our soil properly tested (Integrity Sales, Keating X Rd) we cannot know what and how much to add anyway. We can even add too much organic matter (ideal soil is not over 10%). Chalker Scott states that bonemeal should not be used liberally, as it is high in phosphate. Lawns do best with a light dusting of screened compost. Peat moss is not sustainably farmed and should be avoided.

Compost is one great soil additive that provides organic matter and nutrients. Photo: Mila Czemerys

creative writing circle: ages 13 -17 drama: ages 10 -13

workshops starting April 11

Luring the Creative Inner Spirit Out of Hiding

www.littlefernwoodschoolofthearts.com

Looking for local artisans, crafters, farmers, artists, made-by-hand goods makers, vintage collectors, radical recyclers, and ethical producers interested in vending at the Fernfest Artisan Market.

Saturday June 23rd, 10am to 3pm

Half table: $20Full table: $30

fernfest@fernwoodnrg.ca

For more information contact:

Fernwood Community Centre1240 Gladstone Avenue, Victoria BC, V8T 1G6

T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509info@fernwoodnrg.ca | fernwoodnrg.ca

SPECIAL EVENTSPermaculture BC Workshop: Apr 22Aviva Method Workshop: Apr 15 & 28, May 6 & 19, June 3 &16, July 8 & 21All Ages Band Shows: May 5 & 27, June 30Aviva Prenatal/Incontinence Workshop: June 30

Pole Painting Design & Stencil Workshop: May 19Fernwood Pole Painting Project: May 26FernFest: June 22 & 23Fernwood Bites: June 24Summer Fun in Fernwood (Reg): July 3 - July 27Summer Fun Meet the Teachers Session: June 23

MONDAYParent and Baby Play Group (DI) Ongoing, 9:30am - 11:30amMom & Baby Bootcamp (Reg) Mar 19th - June 18th, 1:15pm - 2:15pmPrenatal Yoga (Reg) Apr 16th - June 18th, 5:15pm - 6:30pmLifeRing Secular Recovery (DI) Ongoing, 6:45pm - 8:00pm

Nuu Chah Nulth Drumming (DI) Ongoing, 7:30pm -10:00pm

TUESDAYParent and Tot Play Group (DI) Ongoing, 9:30am - 11:30amMom & Baby Yoga (Reg) Apr 17th - June 19th, 11:00pm - 12:00pm Help I Have Kids! Parenting Information Group (DI) Ongoing, 12:00pm - 2:30pmInfant Massage (Reg) Mar 20th - June 19th, 1:00pm - 2:00pmAviva Method Practice Classes (Reg) May 1st - June 12th, 5:00pm - 6:00pmIyengar Yoga (Reg/DI) Apr 6th - May 29th, 5:30pm - 6:30pmGuitar Star (Reg) May 1st - June 19th, 6:00pm - 7:00pmFloor Hockey (DI) Ongoing, 6:45pm - 9:45pm

Adut Guitar (Reg) May 1st - June 19th, 7:15pm -8:15pm

WEDNESDAYParent & Child Mother Goose (Reg) , Apr 11th - June 20th, 10:00am - 11:00amBest Babies (Reg) Ongoing, 12:00pm - 3:00pmGood Food Box Pick Up, every other Wednesday, 1:00pm - 5:30pmMom & Baby Bootcamp (Reg) Mar 21st - June 21st, 1:15pm - 2:15pmPrenatal Yoga (Reg) Apr 18th - June 21st, 5:15pm -6:30pmOkinawan Karate (Reg) Apr 4th - Apr 25th, 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Soccer (Closed Group) Apr 4th - Apr 25th, 7:30pm - 9:00pm

THURSDAYParent & Tot Play Group (DI) Ongoing, 9:30am - 11:30amBest Babies (Reg) Ongoing, 12:00pm - 3:00pmAviva Method Practice Classes (Reg) May 1st - June 12th, 5:00pm - 6:00pmIyengar Yoga (Reg) June 7th - July 12th, 5:30pm - 6:30pmBeginner's Improvisations Theatre (Reg) May 3rd - July 5th, 7:30pm - 9:00pm

Floor Hockey (Closed Group) Apr 12th - July 26th, 7:30pm - 9:30pm

FRIDAYMom & Baby Yoga (Reg) Apr 20th - June 15th, 11:00am -12:00pmAutumn Glow (DI) Ongoing, 12:00pm - 2:00pmFriday Youth Group (DI) Ongoing, 6:30pm - 9:00pm

SUNDAYMuttley Crew Freestyle Club (Closed Group) May 6th - June 24th, 5:00pm - 8:00pm

(Reg) Registration Required (DI) Drop In

FER NWOOD NRG SPR ING/SUM MER PROGR AM SAPRIL – JULY 2012

No classes will be held on April 6th, 8th & 9th, May 21st, July 2nd

Scene in Fernwood : Painted Poles