The Orchard Garden

Connection to Food, the Land, and Each Other

Solare, Joey, Jen, Steph, and I started our morning at 10am where we met for a morning of coffee and conversation at a quaint little coffee shop in the middle of Commercial area surrounded by sunflowers, lavender, and the lovely sounds of gardening machinery. We then took a tour led by Solare toward Trout Lake through Collingwood Community Garden, Copley Community Orchard, and stood at the fence of the most amazingly organized personal garden this year (in the front yard!). 

Near the end of the garden tour we passed actual green space, actual real life, uninhabited, undeveloped land with no garden, no playground, no garbage, no parking lot – it took your breath away so I had to take a picture so people would believe us. 

Actual Green Space in Vancouver

Then the sign at the Copley Orchard really stuck with me. It read: “connection to food, the land, and each other.” This not only resonated with me as a future gardener and outdoor education teacher, I realized that it also made sense that we were on route to celebrate International Indigenous Day, and the fact that we as a CFE group have been introduced to a wonderful community collaboration of like-minded people who care for the earth, its inhabitants and children - it makes me hopeful. 

When we got to Trout Lake, we continued our nice leisurely pace (as mothers in the absence of children will do), strolled the park and took in the multitude of plants we now somewhat recognized, what we could weave and make rope out of, and how much we now see nature and plants in a whole new light. We ate salmon and coleslaw on bannock (delicious!), greeted the day with drumming, a prayer song to a “creator” led by a Squamish chief, touched the earth, and were invited to dance to the Eagle Song. While there was a small part of me that wanted to partake, my adult and shy self-consciousness side suppressed the urge but was impressed by the number of children (of all ages and nationalities) with no such inhibition that eagerly ran up to join in. 

Children Dancing to Drumming

Like I did, the chief noticed that it was all children who volunteered and he let it be known that this is exactly why we all gathered today, “Hope for our children.”

Handprints on a Teepee

 I finished the afternoon with my first smudging and left feeling calm, hopeful, energized, and grateful.

My First Smudging

And this one of a Sasquatch – just because… Happy International Indigenous Day and Summer Solstice!!