Orchard Garden CFE Day 13: Paint, Prep, Print, Ponder, Practice

 A Salute to the Skies!

Starting the day off right in the garden, we took a look at the signs which were dried off from yesterday’s coating of Varathane. Cutting and adding some posts to the back of the Guerilla gardening signs, we got them ready for planting in the garden beside Scarfe!  Next, we harvested the sun and good weather, using it to help our paint dry! Nicole worked on prepping little legacy sign for the garden, following what the 2019 Orchard Garden team left, by painting a brick. We wanted to leave a love letter in physical form to hold things down in future. The team then finished up the Geurilla signs with another coat of Varathane, and letting it bake in the sun for ultimate protection from the elements. In that waiting period, practice braiding for the workshop was done; I made a flower crown (super cute, right?)!!

 

 

 

Don’t be a Bug… Okay Maybe Bee One, That’s Cool!

 

Although the team would consider Dr. Susan Gerofsky, and Madi the foundation on which the garden rests, we decided to lay a brick down. We went for garden themed (duh!) with 4 bugs representing the CFE students, and 3 plants representing our knowledge keepers and teachers! The Lady Bug is Lorilie, the Snail is Nicole, the Bee is Sally, and the Butterfly is Me B). The Chive flower, Pea Flower, and Nootka Rose are Susan, Madi, and Nicolás (guess which one is which, we’ll never tell)! Around the sides of the brick we painted our names, just so no one forgets. We all shared the duty of painting, so our Picassos and Rembrandts could share the canvas. We are bugs because we are simply visitors passing by, helping grow the garden but ultimately fleeting. Susan, Madi, and Nicolás are plants, as they are rooted in the garden (pun totally intended). We also opted to do some weeding, as the morning glory was choking out some of our food forest plants!

 

                        

Stabbing Wooden Stakes (sans Count Dracula)

 

After painting we had lunch and headed off to the Scarfe building. Our next task was transporting the signs to the Guerilla garden. We found a space to put the signs but didn’t have hammers, and so we tried our water bottles. What worked instead was simply sitting on the signs, as our weight was enough to sink them into the garden bed. I have said multiple times a saying which is used often as a joke in Tech and Trades work, “anything is a hammer if you try hard enough”. Today, anything truly was a hammer, as we used ourselves as hammers. Often this can be a safety hazard (please do not thing anything like glass can be used to strike surfaces, not everything is a hammer), but, in this scenario it was simply resourceful! To commemorate this rare opportunity, I wrote a poem:

 

We found a spot to plot our plans in our plot 

Planted the stakes in the soil. 

 

The two signs met the earthen bed

Ready to meet their earthly role .

 

The hammers were missing, egads, oh no!

Our canteens went toe-to-toe,

 

But it turns our butts were the hammer in stead

Quickly easing this mortal coil.

 

-       Poem by [redacted], AKA Ian Jackart

 

Multi-line Meandering and Border Budgeting with The Serif Sheriffs!

 

In Scarfe, working on the printable material for Saturday’s workshop. Yesterday’s test print wasn’t fully successful, and so we had to adjust the formatting and margins on our handout. Lorilie then prepped and cut out lists of garden plants which could be possible sign options, intended to be handed out to workshop learners. The team printed out a colour copy and then black and white copies of the workshop handout, and we were done for the day!

 

A Soliloquy on our Sunshine

 

I think it’s often forgotten how much can be one in life with something that is free. Although it can take more time, harnessing every ounce of what you can squeeze from the world around you (in non-destructive ways) is a positive mindset. As teachers we often have to do this, making our opus out of thoughts, sweat, and community. The use of the sun today, and the group work we were able to do in unison really highlights this resourcefulness. I need to remember in my practice to not always take the easier route, it takes more thought, but much of the world around us is full of wonder and energy. In my experience, outdoor educators are often the main proponents of this style of pedagogy in one way or another. Harnessing that to reach our goals is key, as budget is continually working against us. 

 

 

(Nootka Rose and Teeny Tiny Baby Snail for your viewing pleasure)

            As this is my final solo blog post, I am saddened to say this is 3^rd and final week at the Garden. I could have easily done 10 weeks here! Alas, we come to an endpoint, ushering in the arrival of the Elementary/Middle years cohort, and our upcoming Saturday workshop. It is interesting to feel this feeling again, as in my long practicum it felt so abrupt, to leave so many students who I have built connections with through teaching. The learning environment feels the same, and I’m sure as a teacher I will feel this many more times as I move along with my career and students graduate. All you can do is your best, and hope that you have made an impact. That the people and places you leave an impression on take what parts of you which you shared and use them as tools to better their and other’s futures. 

I noticed Nicole shared a quote in the last post, so I will share one that resonates with me, regarding the elements:

    "May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks"

        - Gandalf to the Eagles (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit)

Orchard Garden CFE Day 12: Back in the Garden! Prepping and Planting

Yesterday afternoon, the team took great advantage of our online meeting and collaborated on a shared Google doc which included a To-Do List of things to prepare for the Workshop throughout the rest of the week, a reference list of the signs we plan to paint in the workshop for the garden, a plan for the workshop's agenda, and a plan B in case it rains!

Today, we put the To-Do list into action!

To begin, we applied a Varathane coating to the signs we had made last week for the guerrilla garden. As Sally previously mentioned, on Friday we discovered that they unfortunately didn't hold up too well in the rain over Thursday night. To explain, the acrylic paint we applied still stayed intact. However, due to the blackboard-like layer beneath the acrylic paint, the paint began to bubble over it when it became quite wet. If left unfixed, the poor paint on the signs might slip right off the blackboard layer on another rainy day. Fortunately, we saved them just in time and allowed them to re-dry over the weekend. The bubbly texture remained, but that just added some character! Shoutout to Ian for bringing in the can of Varathane, which we applied to each sign in hopes of sealing the paint to the wood. Fingers crossed everything holds together when we plant these signs in the guerrilla garden!

Next on the list, was preparing more signs! In our workshop, we plan to host a sign-painting activity where we discuss the importance, intention, and presence of signs, and then continue to prepare signs for the Orchard Garden and Food Forest. On Monday, we sawed the wood needed for each sign, and today we nailed the wood pieces together to ensure they're ready for painting! Another shoutout to Ian for bringing in the necessary nails for this, too (what would we do without you?!)!

We carefully applied Ian's previous woodwork teachings and safety considerations when nailing the pieces together and conducting any additional sawing that was necessary. We felt so proud of what we achieved! :) I will also add that we worked very efficiently and productively. There were only 2 hammers available to use at one time, so we took turns, and also provided support otherwise with finding the appropriate nails to use, prepping pieces, sawing lengths, and cleaning the finished signs. We've become a well-oiled machine and we work so happily together!

We prepared a variety of signs: 2 large signs to represent the Orchard Garden and Food Forest overall, and many smaller signs of various heights to use for labeling each plant and tree within them.

Pre...

...and Post (pun-intended)!

The next item on our list was preparing/gathering all materials needed for the workshop activities so that they are easily accessible and grouped together. We used buckets in the shed to collect all the materials we needed for the sign painting activity and for the dandelion braiding. Check!

While we were in the shed, we retrieved the chalkboard signs for our next To-Do: writing out the agenda for the workshop and writing out the list of names for each plant sign.

We have become very good at dividing and conquering; we simultaneously prepared the writing on both chalkboards and also applied a second layer of Varathane to the guerrilla garden signs so there's (hopefully) no chance the rain will get to them!

Overall, we were so impressed with our productive morning. We were able to cross off many things on our To-Do list, and felt great about where we were in preparation for Saturday!

We topped off the morning by having lunch together outside in the garden and chatting about how grateful we are for this CFE, what we've learned, how comfortable and supported we feel in our little team, and our appreciation for Susan, Madi, Nicolás and the Orchard Garden overall. It has been such a remarkable experience spending time learning and growing (pun also intended) together in the garden, and we are all saddened by the thought that it will soon end. The memories and learning we have shared together will be forever planted (yes, again) in our hearts. And we all feel certain that the garden will not see the last of us! :)

After lunch, we met Madi in the greenhouse to collect the tomato and cucumber plants that have grown so beautifully! Our plan was to plant them all in the garden, in one of the beds we previously weeded and prepared. While in the greenhouse, we were fortunate enough to have a visit with Lola the keeper of the greenhouse! She welcomed us with a playful meow and a plop to expose her belly for pets. She showed us her monstera home and her playful nature. We were SO pleased to spend time with her, we couldn't help but capture her cuteness on camera!

Alas, it was time to resume work, so we headed back to the garden to plant the tomatoes and cucumbers. It felt great to get the garden gloves back on and dig through the dirt again. We used the hoe to prepare trenches for the rows of plants and all participated in planting them all. We learned that at the base of the tomato plant stems, the fuzziness on the stem will also turn into roots, so we ensured to plant not only the roots, but part of that fuzziness, so that they could develop within the soil, too. We also learned that the tomato root systems like lots of space, so we ensured to keep them about a foot apart. We strategically planted the cucumbers closer to the peas (who were starting to bear fruit!!), because they resemble squash, and applying our knowledge of the Three Sisters planting technique, they are happy companions together.

Before

After

View from the left side of the bed

The peas!!

During my commute home today, I reflected in gratitude about how much I have learned throughout this CFE. My favourite part about this learning process is that there is no traditional "classroom" involved (which makes my brain very happy!!). Each activity we undertake, each discussion we lead, each passing of knowledge from Susan, Madi, Nicolás, Sally, Ian, or Lorilie which may seem small, has been so significant to me. Even when things feel like they are just in passing, like when Susan shares personal anecdotes and stories sparked from something someone has seen or said in the garden, I come away from the experience having learned and gained something. At the beginning of the CFE, I recall Susan warning that we would not necessarily learn "how to garden", however, at this point I would argue that in fact, we have. Perhaps, not in a traditional way of what you do first, second, third, with notes and specific instructions and demonstration, but in a more valuable and experiential format, where we have inquired on our own, explored nature, experimented, created memories to look back on, and shared moments of laughter and connection.

There are no amount of words to truly describe how appreciative I am of this whole experience. I tried my best, but I don't think it does the feeling I have in my heart justice. Whole-heartedly, I have fallen in love with the Orchard Garden and am so grateful for everyone and everything in it!

I close with another quote that I resonate with very deeply. This one by Saadi, "A garden is a delight to the eye and a solace for the soul." Oh yes, indeed. 💚

~Nicole Y.

Orchard Garden CFE Day 10: Rainy Day Planning!

Today it was raining cats and dogs outside (Raincouver am I right?), so the group decided to meet online to work on our workshop planning.

Reminds me a bit of "Zoom University"...

With guidance from Susan, we made a lot of changes to our handout (which you can see if you attend the workshop this Saturday, June 1st!) and had a lot of fun playing around with Canva.

Preview of our handout

A lot of research went into creating this handout. While I was researching about dandelions and its uses, I was reminded of the time my mom went out into the backyard one summer when the dandelions were taking over our lawn, to pick some dandelions to use as tea. My family has a history with dandelions as they would take over our lawns and flower beds, preventing my grandma from growing any vegetables or fruits. We would view them as weeds and every year would try to find some kind of weedicide to get rid of them. However, one year, my mom found this article online and decided to uproot some dandelions from our backyard to use for tea. Everyone in my family thought she was crazy, but as they say, mother's are always right... She boiled a handful of dandelions in some water and got us to drink it. It was slightly bitter because the ones she picked were quite old, but with a dash of honey, it was very warm and delicious. I remember her mentioning that instead of having to buy dandelion leaves which were being sold at various grocery stories for an insane price, we have it "for free outside!". 

Dandelion Tea: Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation

This change in perspective made me think: "What is a weed exactly?". Although dandelions do match with the definition of a weed, "a plant that is growing where it is not wanted", it has it has many uses to the point that a lot of various cultures and scientists consider dandelions to be an herb instead of a weed! Pg. 18 of this Indigenous Booklet by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe has some good information on other uses of dandelions: https://www.jamestowntribe.org/history/Tze-whit-zen%20village%20site.pdf 

After gathering all the information, we spent most of the time making the handout look aesthetically pleasing and included our own little flare here and there! A lot of problem solving was done to create borders using various images (cropping, rotating images, etc.), as well as the question every so often, "will we be able to print in colour...?".

I'm very excited to share our knowledge with everyone attending the workshop on Saturday! There's so many things we've learned along the way, not only just knowledge on Permaculture, Dandelions and Weaving, but ideas and themes of reciprocity and thankfulness. We shared a lot of perspectives and various skills with each other throughout this process.

Orchard Garden Day 10: Posters, Signs, and Dandelion Braids

Today was the first day of workshop planning, and we made some great progress! 

We spent the morning in Scarfe putting together the poster and handout for our activities, laying out some of the information we will share with participants about food forests vs. conventional gardens, the purposes of signs, culinary and medicinal uses of dandelions, and the significance of braiding. Not quite our usual lovely outdoor atmosphere, but we got some good work done nonetheless. 

After lunch, we checked in on our guerilla garden outside Scarfe and enjoyed our newly heightened awareness of everything that is around us: we are all spending much more time observing the details of plants, insects, and life around us.

(We might have seen a new sprout?)

Mason bee house spotted!

We headed to the garden to take stock of our materials and prepare the wood we have for signs. Much sawing was accomplished (with very helpful guidance from Ian!) and we spent some time identifying plants around the garden that may benefit from having signage, compiling a list to guide our sign painting on Saturday. I found a completely free app for plant identification (it's called PlantNet - thanks to my mom for that one!) that seems quite effective, and it was very helpful in this task.

Finally, we turned our attention to the dandelion stems we harvested in our first week to try our hand at multi-strand braiding: we can’t exactly lead the activity if we don’t know how to do it ourselves. After lots of reading WikiHow, rewatching instructional videos, and coaching each other through the different steps, we successfully made 4, 5, and 6-strand braids with our dandelion stems. 

The colour variations and different textures in our finished braids were beautiful and I’m really looking forward to sharing these techniques. It was a great experience highlighting the reciprocity of braiding, as mentioned by Robin Wall Kimmerer in Braiding Sweetgrass: one person holds the strands while the other braids. We also experienced the reciprocity of teaching and learning, helping each other to accomplish something which none of us had done before, but to which we all brought different techniques and perspectives. I'm looking forward to sharing some of these same learnings at our workshop on Saturday!