Wednesday Wander - November 19

Today I cancelled a group hike because there was a heavy snowfall and the roads were not ploughed. However when my four kids came home from school, they dropped their backpacks and declared that they were heading outside to play. I observed them playing outside for a few minutes and then felt ridiculous for not wanting to take them for the wander in the woods. They saw the beautiful, white, freshly fallen snow and wanted to be in it. 

So, we got bundled up and headed for the woods. They spent 45 minutes running, rolling down hills, making snow angels, and throwing snow. The forest was breathtaking and peaceful with the freshly fallen snow. I was filled with not only calm but wonder. I learned a valuable lesson from the kids: a heavy snowfall is the absolute best time for a wander in the woods!

To join us on future wanders, check out our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wednesdaywanders/

Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind

I just got a new tattoo - my 13th or 14th. All my tattoos have personal meaning to me and some also hold deep political meaning. This tattoo is still in development but the first part of it is an image of Nausicaa a character from the 1984 Miyazaki film, Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind. The film is an eco-feminist tale about a society that is at war with nature, and with other human settlements. In the film, there is a prophecy that a man will become a great leader and stop the war and pollution. (SPOILER) It turns out that the prophet is a girl - Nausicaa - and she ends the war of humans against nature and each other by showing how humans need to restore their relationship to the Earth. She helps people to see that what they thought was bad and harmful in nature was actually working to heal the toxins and pollution that hundreds of years of human war and pollution had caused.

This film is a fantasy/science fiction, made up by the great filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. However, it is a powerful allegory for our society. The first time I saw this film, I was struck by the deep eco-feminist ethics present in it. The second time I watched the film, I was struck at how the main ideas within permaculture permeated the film so beautifully. 

I believe that myths, legends, fables, and religious stories within all cultures and religions operate as powerful stories that teach us important lessons about how to live an ethical life and sometimes lead us to societal change, renewal, and/or restoration. They are not meant to be taken literally. In this sense, Nausicaa has important lessons to teach us about why and how we need to change and who we need to look to as leaders in that change. To me, it is one of the most deeply spiruatal stories I have encountered which is the impetus for getting the tattoo.

Nausicaa teaches that violence and exploitation against other humans and violence against nature are one and the same. We cannot have a peaceful society when we wage war against nature - destroying natural systems and killing biodiversity. We will not have an environmentally regenerate society if we continue to commit acts of violence towards each other - violence ranging from state vs state warfare to violence against oppressed people to violence against animals with whom we share our lives.  Any movement that does not oppose all violence and exploitation is not going to make substantial changes within our society.

In Nausicaa humans are fearful of the giant insects and never step foot in the toxic forests. However, she discovers that the forests are actually working to clean human-caused toxins out of the air, water, and soil. The giant insects defend the functioning of the forests so that the Earth can continue to support life. In our world, the animals and plants labeled as pests are, more often, important elements in restoring natural ecosystems. Many of the most hated weeds, for example, are actually working to repair soil damaged by humans. This is so close to the role of plants and insects in Nausicaa's world and it's obvious that Miysaki has deep and intimate knowledge of ecosystems.  Dandelions, stinging nettle, burdock, thistles, and plantain, are some of the weeds that are immensely helpful in restoring healthy soil and yet we try to eradicate them with highly toxic chemicals. All insects have an important role to play in ecosystem health (although some are more helpful than others perhaps) and yet we also blast them with toxic chemicals and utterly destroy the habitats that allows them to thrive. Not only are we destroying ecosystems and causing a potentially catastrophic mass extinction of species but we are directly harming ourselves: we are also part of nature and those killer chemicals also harm us and destabilize our ability to feed ourselves. 

One of the best aspects of Nausicaa is that although her society is waiting for a male prophet who will be their saviour, they find that their saviour is actually a young women.  We also routinely look to men as the legitamate leaders, especially men that are in positions of power. But, I believe that it is young women who will do much of the leading in the future. They will be fierce and furious because they are continuously underestimated, disrespected, and targets of violence and harassment. Don't get me wrong, I think there is a place for enlightened, pro-feminist men as well but I believe the next generation of activists will be lead by young women - especially young women of colour. 

The main lesson I take from Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind is that humans must restore our relationship to the Earth: we are meant to live co-operatively within nature and to develop societies that are based on co-operation, respect, and reverence. The role of those of us who, like Nausicaa, know that we need to drastically change our society is to do all we can to restore our relationship to Earth - and to each other - and to inspire other people to do the same. This includes opposing war and exploitation against other humans as well. Change is not only possible but it is inevitable and can result in the creation of a much better society in all respects. Our actions, although they seem small, may be the catalyst for the broader change we so urgently need to happen. 

I highly recommend watching this important, even prophetic, film and also reading This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein, which uses meticulous research to make similar points about our society and the urgent need for change. Then I recommend that you act, in some way, to help build a better society for all. 

15 things you can do RIGHT NOW to combat Climate Chaos

If you have been paying attention at all to the world around you, you know that climate change is a disaster for humanity. Many scientists agree that within about thirty years the world may be largely inhabitable for humans - and many other species as well. THIRTY YEARS! How old will you be in thirty years? How old will your children be?

We have an urgent task. We have about 5-10 years to drastically change our society so that we can continue to exist on Earth. We must build a better society - one that is in balance with the Earth. This is not an arbitrary timeline imposed by activists, this is a real timeline imposed by the disastrous effects of human-caused climate change.

It's easy to despair - I have been an activist of one kind or another since the tender age of 11 and I regularly despair about climate change. But the Earth and the future of most species who live here cannot wait for us to grieve. There is also no time for us all to make tiny lifestyle changes like recycling more.  It is time to act: to raise your voice for the Earth and to put your hands to work building a better society.

One of the biggest letdowns I have felt as an environmentalist was at the end of The Inconvenient Truth. I had no illusions in Al Gore, who is very much a part of the status quo in the United States. But after presenting so many important scientific facts on the reality of climate change, the list of suggestions for individuals at the end of the film were pathetic.  Every time the discussion of climate change comes up, we are presented with terrifying, mind-numbing facts and yet left with very little suggestions about what we can do. Naomi Klein's wonderful and important book This Changes Everything is different - it gives concrete things we can do, the main thing being build a mass social movement. But how do we do that? Most of us under the age of sixty do not have experiences with mass social movements. The first step is accepting the reality of the situation; the second step is jumping in feet first, ready to act.

Here's the hard truth: Our society is based on corporate greed. That's what capitalism is in a nutshell. And this has led to a society addicted to oil, coal, and gas. This addiction has caused climate change which will make the world inhabitable to most life on Earth. The only thing that will prevent this mass destruction is a social movement involving millions - even billions - of people. This movement needs to be made up of people who want to create a society that is in balance with nature and needs to involve all struggles for social and environmental justice.

Here's a short, no bullshit list of things you can do right now to be a part of this change.

Fifteen Things You Can Do IMMEDIATELY to combat climate change

1. Educate yourself. Stop looking away. Read that article you have been avoiding - the one about how climate change is happening faster than predicted. Read This Changes Everything. If you are Canadian, accept that your country is a climate villain and read A Line In The Tar Sands. Don't hide your head in the sand any longer

2. Join an activist group but beware of big environmental groups that have corporate ties. Find an organization that actually lets you be an activist. Council of Canadians is consistently progressive and has local chapters. Give your support to activists.

3. Get off your computer and go to a protest. Make your own sign, Chant, yell, sing. Be heard. Few things are more empowering than joining in protest with others who feel the same way that you do. Bring your kids: you are fighting for them.

4. Do not vote for the status quo. Enough said.

5. If there is a co-op in your city, join it. In London there is a food co-op, a skateboard co-op, Mountain Equipment Co-op, and the Co-operators Insurance. Switch from your bank to a credit union. Many credit unions and co-ops also need a push to the left so make sure they know you support them because they are democratic, co-operative organizations.

6. Avoid industrial agriculture as much as possible. Go beyond organic. Join a community-supported agriculture program of which London has quite a few - for example Triple Cord and Wake Robin Farm. Join the London Co-op Store. Go to the Farmer's Market and talk to a real farmer. Then buy something from her. If you must eat meat, dairy and eggs make it organic and local. If you consume corn, soy, canola make it organic and GMO-free.

7. Speak up. If a co-worker complains about a First Nations blockade of a pipeline project, say something. If your aunt tells you climate change is a myth, say something. If a friend makes fun of environmental activists, say something. Every time we use our voice we are planting the seeds for the mass social movement our species desperately needs. Don't listen to people who blame unions, immigrants, refugees, feminists, women, poor people, people in other countries, young people, or old people for their problems: corporate greed is the problem.

8. Get on your bike and pedal. Or on your feet and move them. Or on a bus and sit your ass down. If you have a car, leave it in your driveway as much as possible. If you have a second car, sell it. Join a cyclist group, or a public transit user union. Be seen by your friends, family, neighbours, and co-workers walking or biking or on the city bus.

9. Support public institutions. They have the potential to be accountable and democratic. Increasing corporate control in our society will push us further to disaster. We must stop and reverse privatization.  Right now struggles are going on for Canada Post, public health care, and more. Support increased funding for libraries, schools, and public transportation. Raise that voice of yours. Green capitalism will not save us. We need public institutions that are accountable and democratic. Low taxes won't help us if we can't breathe the air, eat the food, or drink the water. We must push for the energy sector to be under public control.

10. Grow something other than grass. Grow food wherever you can. Grow flowers and herbs. Make sure they are organic. Support heirloom seed companies such as Urban Harvest, Hawthorn Farm, and Cottage Gardener. Make outdoor spaces for wild animals and insects - it's as simple as leaving a pile of sticks or a patch of dirt. Bio-diversity is the most important thing for balanced eco-systems and is the thing that suffers the first and biggest blow.

11. Support independent artists and musicians. Be part of a cultural shift away from corporate entertainment to a vibrant culture of change. Support festivals such as Mantis Arts & Eco Festival that reject corporate sponsorship and build community. Find your voice and sing. Even if you're a little off-tune. A new society can be way more fun, vibrant, participatory and creative than a society characterized by corporate greed.

12. Tell an activist you appreciate them. Activists are maligned and mocked by the media and sometimes targeted by the government. Yet they are doing work that is critically important. It's easy to burn out and feel demoralized as an activist so give them love (but not in a creepy way!)

13. Do not use artificial fertilizer or pesticides. Ever. Soil is rich and full of life. Artificial fertilizers burn and damage the life in soil - the fungi, the micro-organisms, the beneficial bacteria, and the critters. Pesticides and herbicides do damage far beyond their intended target. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies are in dramatic decline. Without them, we will not be able to grow most fruit and vegetables. So stop. Now.

14. Wander in nature. if you have kids take them with you. Nature awareness and connection is crucial in helping us re-build our relationship with the Earth. Wander in nature on a regular basis, every day if possible. Try to have fox feet and owl eyes so you notice the small things. Let the beauty of nature wash over you. You are part of it. This is you.

15. Support struggles for freedom and justice. Act in solidarity with other people who are also struggling against oppression and corporate greed. Support feminism, anti-racism, queer rights, worker's rights, the peace movement, etc. This means speaking up, educating yourself, going to events and protests, and changing some of your previous assumptions and behaviours. A society that rejects oppression and exploitation is a society that rejects corporate greed.

Pick something from this list you can do and do it. Start tomorrow. Rejoice at your effort and then pick something else from the list. Make your own list.

Think of your future grandchildren (or metaphorical grandchildren if you don't intend on having your own). Will they look at you with accusing eyes - silently asking why you didn't do anything - or eyes of admiration and thanks?  The choice is yours. 

Nature Connection

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to see Jon Young speak in Guelph, an event put on by Transition Guelph and the Guelph Forest School. Jon Young is a co-author of The Coyote Guide to Connecting with Nature and the founder of the Wilderness Awareness School. The talk was inspiring and has pushed me further down a path I have been travelling down for a few years. For many years I have been exploring my passion for nature, mainly through organic gardening and permaculture. It was been exciting, meaningful, and engaging.

But one thing has been missing for me and Jon nailed it in his talk when he discussed four necessary modalities for being a nature connected person (who can then go on to mentor others). I have the first two modalities down pat: I have ample knowledge and skills and I enjoy being in nature. It was the third point where I realized I have a problem: timeless wandering in nature. That is, regularly being in nature without a strict timeframe, a particular destination or purpose other than to wander and observe. I am a busy person. I have four kids, two jobs, and regularly do permaculture and community work on the side, both paid and unpaid. I am always rushing from one place to another, or at least I feel like I am constantly in a hurry. I am a passionate advocate of nature connection yet I don't give myself time to wander in the woods, climb a tree, observe an ant colony, or just lie amongst wildflowers and watch clouds drift by. I rarely even give myself time for a brisk walk. In a rush to get my tasks done including the biggest task of all - saving the world - I have forgotten to stop and learn from the most important teacher I have: nature.

As I listened to the rest of Jon's talk I realized that this is the most important and urgent step for me to take right now in my growth as a teacher, a permaculturalist, and an activist. I need to have regular timeless wanderings in nature. Not only that but I need to intimately know the natural spaces where I live. I can navigate around most parts of my city with ease and confidence, especially the neighbourhoods in which I have lived. I need to be able to navigate the natural spaces in my city (and beyond) with the same ease and confidence. So, I am going back to school in a sense. My classroom is the woods and the river; my teachers are trees and mushrooms, and insects, and other critters and plants; my textbooks are my hands, my ears, my eyes, my taste buds, and my heart. I have attended this school before, as a child. I spent hours every week wandering around the pasture while the cows lazily munched on the grass; playing in the river, annoying crayfish; even jumping around the junk pile behind the barn on the edge of the field. But something happened, I dropped out. Or maybe I decided it was just a place for children not for serious and busy adults. Now I realize I am in this school for life. There will never be an end to the things I can and need to learn from nature.

Maybe I'll see you there?

No till gardening

No-till gardening is a great way to build healthy, living soil filled with micro-organisms and other critters that will help your garden flourish. Although tilling the ground - by machine or hand - is the conventional thing to do it kills micro-organism as well as helpful soil-dwelling critters such as worms and can actually spread weeds especially the ones that propagate with runners.

This Spring I am creating a Learning Garden in my backyard where I will hold workshops on permaculture. In order to do that, I have created a sheet-mulched garden bed on top of what was formerly lawn. 

Here are some pictures of the sheet-mulching process!  This took place on Earth Day 2014.

The order I sheet mulched was:

1. Laying down cardboard with the tape removed and no glossy pictures. This is the weed barrier. I got it nice and wet before beginning. Note: My first layer should have been some kelp meal or other soil amendment and a bit of manure but the cardboard got rained on and so I just left it in place. 

2. Next, I added a 1 inch layer of composted manure.

3. The third layer is 8 inches of straw because straw is so carbon heavy, I added some compost to it to help it break down. 

4. The topsoil layer is next. I put on 1 inch of top soil and about a ½ inch of composted manure. You could skip both and add nice rich, black compost. My compost has not broken down enough to add to this layer. 

5. The very top layer will be more much. Cedar mulch is the prettiest in my opinion but straw is cheaper and I have it in abundance!

The ground before we began. 

Straw makes a great mulch for vegetable gardens. 

Sean posing with the 1350 pounds of straw we picked up from a local farmer!

Wetting the cardboard layer of the sheet mulch. 

Getting some kitchen compost out to add to the garden.  

After the cardboard layer, there is a composted manure layer. 

Sprinkling some kitchen compost on the straw layer

More straw!

After the straw layer I added some topsoil and topped it of with a bit more manure. 

Finished it off with a cedar mulch path. I'll also add some more straw for mulch. 

Garden signs made by Sean! Check out his artist page Lunch Thief. 

Clover

Someone asked me recently what I think of lawns and the answer is, not much. I do have soccer-playing children so I know it's important to have a place for kids to play sports (although children also need trees for climbing and forests for exploring).  However, grass does little to promote biodiversity, mainly because it neither flowers nor seeds. We cut it with our, most often gas -powered, lawn mowers before it can get to those stages. I am an advocate of turning lawns into garden beds. In places where this is not possible, I think people should try to grow ground covers that flower.

One of my favourite plants for this purpose is white Dutch clover. It grows to about 8 inches and then flowers - so it doesn't need to be cut. It attracts pollinators - mainly bees. It is also pretty and your kids can spend hours looking for four leaf clovers. It is not native to south-western Ontario but neither is grass the way we grow it and at least clover plays a positive function in a backyard ecosystem. It is a perennial and is fairly slow to spread (which is a good thing!).

One part of my (former) lawn was dug up in the building of a garden shed last year so I am sowing tons of clover in that area. In the other lawn area, I am trying to promote the growth of clover in amongst the grass. Of course, much of the lawn is in the process of being converted to garden beds. Clover is also useful as a cover crop because when you do eventually cut it, it releases nitrogen into the soil as it decays.

You can get organic clover seeds from Richters Herbs and less expensive non-organic but open-pollinated seeds from Westcoast Seeds. I'll post pictures as my clover lawn grows!

Sheet mulching

Sheet mulching is a great, no-dig way to create a new garden bed. It builds healthy soil that is rich with nutrients and micro-organisms. Roto-tilling and even just  digging up a garden bed kills micro-organisms and other critters. These living beings are critical in creating rich, healthy soil. The best time to sheet mulch is mid to late Autumn so that all the elements of the sheet mulch have had time to break down over Winter before Spring. However, you can sheet mulch in early Spring - or any time - and just cut or dig through the layers to plant if they haven't broken down.

This is a great article about how to sheet mulch: http://www.patternliteracy.com/books/gaias-garden/how-to-the-ultimate-bomb-proof-sheet-mulch. It's written by the author of Gaia's Garden, a book I highly recommend for anyone interested in creating a permaculture-inspired backyard. 

This year, I am extending one of my garden beds using sheet mulching methods for vegetable gardening. I am also creating a naturalized woodland garden bed in my shady front yard, also using sheet-mulching. I will be posting pictures as I create the garden beds so that folks can see the steps involved and the finished product!

Sheet-mulching is relatively easy to do yourself. As Hemenway points out, as long as you have enough cardboard and organic material you can create excellent soil. Cardboard is generally free and abundant on garbage pick-up days (I just found tons of it this morning with a quick drive around my neighbourhood). When using cardboard make sure you take off all tape as well as any glossy coloured stickers.

The city of London has a compost day during which they sell compost at very reasonable prices. This year it is going to be held on Saturday, May 3, 2014. I'll post the details as the date approaches.

If you want help creating a sheet-mulched garden bed email me at earth magic.london@gmail.com.

Hello Spring!

After a long, cold winter, Spring is finally in her way. This is a great time to start helping your garden to wake up. You can prune some of your trees and bushes, pick up garbage or debris that made it's way into your space over the Winter, and get serious about planning what you are going to grow this year. Instead of getting rid of branches and logs, it's a great idea to pile them in a corner of your yard. They will become a habitat (and hiding space) for a wide variety of animals.

Much of the time, when discussing lawn care and gardening, people are focused on keeping wild animals away. However, bio-diveristy is an essential (maybe THE essential) element in living sustainably with the Earth and in turning your backyard into a healthy ecosystem. Creating shelter and hiding spaces for wildlife is an important way to help heal the Earth. It will also help your gardens to flourish. After all, toads love slugs, birds love grubs and insects, snakes love mice, spiders love insects of all kinds, and bats love mosquitos. Work with nature not against it!

Generally, the more wildlife that visit your natural spaces the better. It is a great idea to also give them some sort of water source and even create a patch of dirt for the dust baths that are enjoyed by many animals.

Our task as humans at this point in our existence is to figure out how to live with nature - as an harmonious part of ecosystems. It's not just a task - it's an urgent need. There are many things you can do to help work towards this in your own life - beginning with your garden!

Spring is on its way!

Believe it or not Spring is on its way. It's time to start thinking about what you want to do with your backyard or outdoor space. It's a great idea to start keeping a journal and observe your space: where is the sun shining at different times of the day? What birds, insects and other animals are visiting? This is also the time you can start planning out what you want to grow and where.

Earth Magic Permaculture has a series of great gardening workshops this Spring. We can also provide you with ecological landscaping, design, and maintenance. Contact us for more details - 519-694-0534 or earthmagic.london@gmail.com.