Transformative Learning in the Orchard Gardens!

 We had a wonderful time visiting with Susan in March as part of our graduate course on the Theory & Practice of Transformative Learning & Education! Students were invited to write haikus and contribute photos as part of their experience; as you'll see below, we were all able to see differently, see more, and reimagine education and learning in this special space.

Bare fig branches wait,
Wishes tied into the wood -
Greens begin again.

Farewell honey bees
Embracing what comes and goes
Welcome buttercups

Within orchard field

Sprouts I knew only on plates

I wish to know more

Dew drops on dead leaves
They sparkle underneath green
Brown green brown green leaves

    

Green tips push through sleep

Drinking gentle rain in March

A quiet spring starts

  Garden of Eden
  Brigid births the orchard green
  Her warp and her weave

 

Itty bitty vine

I wrap around the tree trunk 

Up and up I go

  Memories of sun
  Summer days, now winter reigns
  Frozen fruit remains

Hidden gates, I pause.

Grass suggest unfamiliar paths.

Leaves teach me their names

                                 Look at my branches

          It may look like nothing is there              

My roots tell my tale

Leafless silver limb

                     Pressed together in the cold  

               Frosted wind slips through the grove

                 

    Dry stems, brittle leaves.
   In the elderberry buds
   spring gathers its breath

 

The TELL-3C cohort of teacher candidates visits the Orchard Garden

The tents, buckets and sit pads on our soggy Friday

 On a cold, rainy Friday last week, the UBC TELL-3C (Teaching English Language Learners) cohort of
elementary and middle years teacher candidates visited the Orchard Garden, with their instructors Michelle Blown and George Whitehead. The weather didn't dampen our spirits! We had an introduction to the garden (and each other), a garden tour, an introduction to Hemachandra/ Fibonacci numbers and Fib poetry and to the idea of sit spots. Then everyone found a sit spot that called to them, and gave attention to their sensory observations from their chosen spot -- and wrote a Hemachandra/ Fib poem. Back under the tents, we shared the poems as a group. Finally, the TELL-3C group planted their generous gift to the garden of four berry plants. Long may they and we grow, learn and find joy in the out-of-doors in our school gardens! 

Another gift that the class gave to the Orchard Garden: their lovely photos and reflections on the day, that you can read here. Thanks again to Michelle, George and everyone in the cohort for your inspiring and thoughtful work!

Spring Approaches in the Orchard Garden

Wowww a lot has happened in the garden since my last post. Here's an attempt to get caught up on what's growing on now that it's starting to feel like spring outside...

The garlic we planted in October is doing amazing!! There's still lots of growing to do before harvest time is here but I'm already looking for ways to use the scapes. The fava beans are also coming up, they're not thriving as well as the garlic but they should pull through. We also planted a whack of tulip bulbs in the fall that are popping up all over the place!

We had a visit from the TELL-3C teacher candidate class last week and they gifted us with two currant and blueberry bushes that we planted together. It was a cold and rainy day, but spirits were high and it's great to have some more berry bushes in the food forest!

Spring planting began last week with corn salad (a super cool leafy green that has nothing to do with corn), and today I seeded the first of our indoor starts in our new greenhouse tent! It may be small but it's very cozy in there and so great to have a greenhouse right on site. We currently have two trays of lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, and some back-up beans in case the favas don't make it. Tray seeding can be tedious, but I find it very relaxing :)

There's lots of work to do in the next few months as it warms up and everything starts GROWING, so I'm very glad to have such an awesome team of volunteers helping out in the garden. I couldn't do it without them! 

Recently: corn salad bed prep, greenhouse seeding, red elderberry leaf flush, and baby garlic 🧄

Wassailing Apple (and Pear) Trees with the Tiddley Cove Morris Dancers

 This past weekend we held our second Saturday workshop of 2026. We were joined by members of the Tiddley Cove Morris team, who taught and demonstrated Morris songs and dances before leading us in a procession through the garden to "wassail" the apple trees, wishing them good health and an abundant harvest. We hung tags on the trees with encouraging wishes and I wanted to share some of the thoughtful messages that were written! 

Our second 2026 workshop: Wassailing the apple trees, with guests Tiddley Cove Morris Dancers & Musicians!

 

Our first 2026 workshop: Sprucing up the garden signs, printing leaves & making *anthotypes*!

At our first workshop of the season, we'll be doing some sprucing up of the Orchard Garden signs and standing blackboard -- and then printing, making rubbings, and making *anthotype photos* with plants!

First layer of four of cucumber peel emulsion

Here's a link to a great, free book from the first World Anthotype Day: https://sites.evergreen.edu/expphoto/wp-content/uploads/sites/293/2023/06/Anthotype-Emulsions-Volume-1.pdf

Anthotype comes from the Greek words for 'flower' and 'print'. It's one of the earliest forms of photography, from the early 19th century, where plant juices  were used as the emulsion for creating a monoprint photo. For example, you could coat a piece of watercolour paper with the juice from a cucumber peel, then place objects (like leaves, petals and stems) on the paper and expose it to the sun for many hours (or often, days). The bleaching power of the sun will eventually lighten the background, and the part that was covered up will retain its more intense colour, creating a contrast print.

Anthotypes are not stable or longlasting, and I don't think there's a way to fix them (fixatives were developed later in the 19th century with the chemistry for silver-based and other analogue photographic films and prints). So if we want to keep a more permanent image of them, we have to take a more conventional modern digital or analogue photo! They are very cool though, in allowing for experimentation with different plant materials and thinners (water, alcohol, ...), and with variations. For example, did you know that a turmeric mixture will change from deep yellow to pinkish red if baking soda or soda water is added to it?

Here are process photos for my 'technique' in making the cucumber peel emulsion we'll use today: peel, chop, blend, strain, and then paint onto watercolour (fairly absorbent) paper, in several laters. Each experimental emulsion works a little differently, but this is a basic method. Looking forward to seeing how our prints come out!

And here are a few photos of a quick experiment with the powerful technique of leaf rubbings -- and a similar technique used for a famous New Yorker cover!