June 2020 Issue 139

owichan

2020 JUNE ISSUE 139 HAPPY FATHER’S DAY I LOCAL GARDENS I SEASONAL RECIPES I SUMMER CAMPS 1

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June 2020 Issue 139 Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine Publisher Richard Badman Editor Sheila Badman Contact us at: editor@cowichanvalleyvoice.com 250 746 9319 6514 Wicks Rd, Duncan BC V9L 5V2 Visit us online at www.cowichanvalleyvoice.com Distribution Proofreader Calendar Richard Badman Diana Pink Angela Sheppard Advertising Enquiries Please Contact Adrienne Richards 250 510 6596 e-mail adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com Next Ad Deadline June 15 for July 2020 Issue 140 *Non Profit Community Ad Rates available please enquire.

Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine reserves the right to, omit and/or edit submitted listings due to space limitations SPECIAL THANKS TO FOLLOWING VALLEY VOICES Mika Leblanc, Gabrielle Pask, Celeste Bourjeau, Jim Halvorson MD, Dr. Gordon Levin, Craig Spence, Miyo Stevens, Jessica Schacht, Bill Jones, Mark Holford, Brad Boisvert, Christina Hamill, Barnes and Maracle, Neil and Arzeena Turner, Debbie Wood, Monica Dockerty, Nora Dowsett, Tracey Hanson, Amanda Vance, Grant Easterbrook, Dr. Lyn Pascoe, Veronica Scott, Rupert Koyote, Greg Perry, David Suzuki, Donna Shaw, Joanne Sales, David Nichols, Lesley Young, Kathy White, Rommy Verlaan, Alistair MacGregor, Icel Jane Dobel, Jan Thompson, Larry Pynn, Cate Scally, Chris Istace,, Emma Barrett, Down Howlett, Guy Johnston, Laura BoydClowes, Anyes deLaat, Alyssa Krawchuk, Amy Clinton-Baker, Claire Friedrich, Nancy Hamilton and the lovely Georgia Nicols.

We welcome your story ideas and photo submissions, however Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine reserves the right to omit and/ or edit all submissions for space, clarity, content and style. The opinions expressed in Valley Voice Magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers or other contributors. Please send a query e-mail with your suggested topic prior to sending your article as space is limited and may not always be available.

OUR COMMUNITY Help Kelsey Students Celebrate Their Graduation 5 Pivots and Goats: Phase 2 Covid Response 6-7 A Return to Dental Services 8-9 10 Unique Father’s Day Gifts in Downtown Duncan 32 Imagine That Artisans Designs Father’s Day Gifts 38 For the Fathers! 39 Sunrise Waldorf Grade 8 Projects 48-49 Directory of Local Services 56-57 Reimagining Canadian Food Systems 60 June Forecasts 61 LOCAL FOOD & DRINK Rockfish and Black bean Sauce 12 Father’s Day Cocktail 13 Asparagus Feasting 14 Grilled Asparagus with Vino Cotto 14 The Perfect Pour for Father’s Day 15 Local Winemaker’s Picks for Papa 16-17 The Art of Tea Blending 19 Father’s Day is for BBQs! 20 Spicy Chicken Wings for Dad 23 Keep it Local! CSA Programs in the Region 24-25 Flatbread Pizza with Prosciutto and Olive Station Balsamic Reduction 34 HOME, FARM & GARDEN Growing (eating) grapes at home 19 Family Matters Gratitude for My Dad’s Love of Gardening 21-22 Sharing Our Solar Story 26 The Low Maintenance Garden 28 CFLA Cowichan Garden Stories 29-30 10-Point Disinfection During COVID-19 31 Hungry for Local? 40 LOCAL ARTS Forum Initiative to Celebrate Chemainus Valley Writers 11 Cartoonist Greg Perry 21 Calling Native American Flute Players and Enthusiasts 59

Valley Voice Magazine is distributed through select locations throughout the Cowichan Valley- Malahat, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Cherry Point, Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Crofton, Chemainus and Salt Spring Island and to Cowichan Lake and Ladysmith.

BODY, MIND & SOUL Why We Should Read Why Indigenous Literatures Matter 10 Family Matters: Gratitude For My Dad’s Love of Gardening 21 Social Connection - It Matters 35 Tackling Stress-Related Insomnia 36-37 Therapeutic Wool 41 Healthy Ways to Work from Home 43 Heaven or Hell: Which One Are You Living in Right Now? 54 Help Raise Awareness by Painting Messages of Strength 54 Practicing yoga at home 55 Love Letters 62

OPEN FOR BUSINESS?

PETS, RECREATION & NATURE Lucky Dog Finding a reputable breeder 27 Giving nature a chance improves our chances of well-being 42 Summer Camp Fun in Cowichan 44-47 Broom in June 52 Getting You Back on The Water 53 Consultation About the Forests 62 Public Engagement in North Cowichan 64

LET LOCAL READERS KNOW! FOR SUMMER AD SPECIALS CONTACT ADRIENNE RICHARDS 250 510 6596 adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com 4

REIKI WELLNESS

Gabrielle Pask, Celeste Bourjeau and Mika Leblanc

250-743-8122 Debbie Shkuratoff Reiki Master-Teacher-All Levels Usui-Karuna-Komyo-Seichim

SARA TILLIE ACUPUNCTURE 250-812-9813 Sara Tillie Registered Acupuncturist Traditional Chinese Medicine

Reiki Therapy & Classes - Detox Foot Spas Acupuncture - Amethyst Mat - YL Essential Oils Daytime • Evening •Weekend • By Appointment Only #13- Upper Level • Valleyview Centre • Cobble Hill www.reikiwellness.ca • reiki-wellness@shaw.ca

Help Kelsey Students Celebrate Their Gradution - Sign the Petition

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raduation. Although it seems like the tiniest blip in life to a lot of people, no one can argue that it isn’t a memorable occasion, except for the Grad class of 2020.

As a graduating student, it was incredibly frustrating to see that my school was shut down and all ceremonies are planned to either be postponed indefinitely or virtualized. It is my hope that our school, our district, and our island community will reconsider putting on the proper graduation ceremonies for all the students who have worked tirelessly to get to this milestone in their lives.

By the end of last month, there was only one reported case of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, with the patient now hospitalized.

With infection rates continuously plummeting, we are on track to get to Phase 3 of BC’s Restart Plan, a phase that potentially allows for graduation ceremonies.

However, we need the help of our community to better aid us in getting a graduation ceremony. Currently, there is legislation that holds social gathering sizes to 50 people. The parent groups and administrators tasked with planning our graduation ceremonies are being shut

down by these laws. We understand the severity of this pandemic, but when movie theatres are set to open in June or July, it is somewhat bewildering from the student perspective. Movie theatres that house up to one thousand people normally, will be mandated to pare down to sixty-percent capacity, or 600 people. This is puzzling as at Frances Kelsey the graduating class of 177 people is being told that their red carpet, banquet and prom, as well as cap-and-gown events must be postponed indefinitely by law.

This is why Mika Leblanc, Celeste Borjeau and myself, Gabby Pask, urge you to support the Kelsey class of 2020 by filling out your name on the on-line petition we have put together to send to Dr Bonnie Henry to reassess the mandate regarding our long-awaited graduation.

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To sign the petition go to www.change.org and search Vancouver Island Grads.

Click on the link and you will have an opportunity to support the Kelsey class of 2020 and sign the petition. www.change.org

250 715 6174 5

OLD FOREST CAMPGROUND

ON THE EDGE OF TOWN

SALT SPRING ISLAND Where the Cowichan Valley meets the Salish Sea!

Large Park • Trails • Seaside Walk • Awesome Destination Gallery/Gift Shop • Hardy Plant Nursery • Variety of Campsites

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STAY 2 NIGHTS - GET A 3RD ONE FREE! FOR RESIDENTS OF VANCOUVER ISLAND AND THE GULF ISLANDS

To Reserve call Shayne or Shirley 250-537-4346 gardenfaire@saltspring.com

www.gardenfaire.ca

Pivots and Goats: Phase 2 Covid Response Submitted by Jim Halvorson, MD

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s most of us tentatively rise up from seclusion, I marvel at those less timid. The initial lockdown was rather surreal in your local ED, with markedly decreased numbers of nastiness (trauma, heart attacks, strokes) and very few of the more minor afflictions. ’Tis a distant memory now unfortunately. Normal returned with a spike of MVAs, impaired drivers and increasing mental health and substance issues.

We are blessed with little residual virus on the Island at this moment. That can change.

Seclusion does odd things to each of us. My wife, not content with one old goat in the house, bought 5 more for the backyard. They ate my hammock. Granted, that did cause me to get up and do some of the chores, which perhaps was the point. Regular exercise and sleep, communing in nature be it with sun or yet more rain, and socializing, even if only virtually while isolating, does help to ground us all.

We are social animals. Isolation has been particularly cruel to those vulnerable elderly who have been unable to be with or visit with their loved ones. As Dr Henry--with such empathy--tells us, they are the keepers of our history and culture. Loneliness is another pandemic in our culture. Some of our loved ones indeed come to require supports beyond our means. However, despite all the current attention on care, I have yet to hear a discussion of why we now have so very many of our elderly in care homes rather

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than our homes.

We are now pivoting into phase 2 of the Covid Pandemic response. Selective reopening of our economy and social lives while maintaining health care capacity and outbreak detection, isolation and tracing.

Credit card and phone data has been helpful for such contact tracing in other jurisdictions.

Being mindful of privacy issues, similar apps are being explored for use here.

Fundamental to our resurgence, is the need for each of us to self isolate if sick - do not go out or to work with cough, runny nose, sore throat, vomiting/ diarrhea, fevers, or when feeling unwell. If isolating in a house with others, wear a mask, avoid shared items and try to avoid their space. Get a covid swab - phone your GP or call 811 for direction to a testing location. If your swab is negative, continue to self isolate until all symptoms are gone. If your swab is + continue to self isolate until symptoms resolve and 10 days have passed since their onset.

Elective surgeries have started, chipping away at a daunting backlog. Whilst our OR was idling, the ER just naturally flowed seamlessly out across their recovery ward, extra space which the OR sadly remembered and clawed back again. Various commercial retail and service industries are now up and running. WCB has Covid 19 Safety Plans designed to assist businesses refigure their workplace and protocols. They involve various strategies - signage, occupancy limits, distancing, mask or barrier requirements where distancing is not practical, cleaning of high touch areas, hygiene, having cohorts of employees working together thru all their shifts, and others continuing to work virtually

from home. Schools have instituted smaller classes, staggered days of attendance, one teacher all day for the child’s classes, and some restrictions on mingling of kids.

This experience through June will inform September school classes and structure. Airlines have implemented temperature testing and mandatory masks.

Masks are advised for all over 2 years old when in any public spaces where distancing is difficult.

The border is scheduled to open June 21. Its closure, I suspect, has caused many to reflect on enhancing self sufficiency, local sustainable industry, infrastructure and food, as we grow forward. Though I clearly understand little of my own finances, let alone the world’s, it strikes me that we are accumulating a generational debt, with few voiced plans for subduing it. It also is a generational opportunity to pivot our economy to goals

of community, sustainability, inclusion and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities.

Social distance and/or mask, sanitizer or 20 sec soap and water, avoid touching your face, cover coughs, wash contact surfaces and items.

Covid 19 symptoms, like fever or cough, are nonspecific.

Viral testing is specific but the sensitivity varies considerably depending on your particular risks, and the duration of your symptoms. All of these measures are helpful, evolving and imperfect. The myriad of ongoing research worldwide, and observations on the effectiveness of the various measures that have been taken will help inform our ongoing public health response. To date we have been listening and are being well served.

We will find a new semblance of normalcy this summer.

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RE OPENING JUNE 1ST! • Occupancy limit: 1 person • No walk-ins - By appointment only • To pre book appointments for: Pedicures, Waxing, Tinting (no facials or massage yet) and for all product purchases Call and leave your: Name, Phone # request at: 250 748-2056 Calls will be returned by 5pm.

• Please go to www.soulescape.ca to read our BC Health & Safety Plan and guidelines put forth by WCB

JUNE SPECIAL! All Uashmama All washable bags, purses 40% off in June!

Soul Escape Organic Spa & Boutique 109-2673 Beverly St., Duncan (Thrifty’s Plaza)

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A Return To Dental Services Dr. Levin is a general dentist with special interest in Orofacial Pain and Sleep dentistry

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he Province of BC has suggested the return of Dental Service as one of the first for BC residents.

A possible timeline suggested by the BC Dental Association is mid to late May depending on several factors including of course the rate of infection of Covid 19 in the province.

I offer my observations NOT as a spokesperson for any organization but as a general dentist with over 30 years experience.

The dental profession in Canada has always responded to medical scientific information regarding infectious disease . Early in

my career we dealt with the emergence of HIV/AIDS and Hep C. As dentists managing dental clinics we had to increase surface disinfection, single use disposable materials , and sterilization of non disposable instruments. Personal protective equipment: gloves, masks, eye shields became mandatory.

Now we suddenly need to add novel corona virus 2019 or

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Covid 19 to the list of infectious and contagious disease we must avoid transmitting. A very highly contagious virus.

One of the necessary things will be enhanced personal protective equipment. Also there will be a much greater effort needed in surface disinfection.

This is how your experience may look upon returning to your dentist’s office.

The earliest patients will have urgent care needs and will be the only person in the office. That is one client at a time and no one waiting. Over time that may become 1 or 2 people widely separated in the reception area.

There will be a plexiglass shield separating you from the receptionist Once in a treatment room your dentist/hygienist/assistant will wear a full face shield above and below the face . Caps covering heads and gowns covering the professionals body much like in

an operating room.

Behind the face shield and over the mouth and nose of the staff an N95 or equivalent respirator possibly under another procedure mask. Of course the ever present single use gloves over the hands.

Your experience will not look the same as it did before the onset of this pandemic.You can rest assured though that the same level of care and delivery of service will be behind all that equipment.

It is my strong belief that the “new normal “ of completely safe dental service will return to the BC public under the excellent stewardship of our BC dental association and our college along with the BC health authority that has done an amazing job for everyone to date.

I look forward to being part of the effort. www.valleydentalclinic.ca

VALLEY DENTAL CLINIC Dr. Gordon Levin DMD Dentist Detailed screening for sleep apnea with dental appointments Qualified Dentist American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine

# 101-321 Festubert St Duncan, British Columbia V9L 3T1 250-746-9697

reception@valleydentalclinic.ca Sands Funeral Chapel

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of kinship to possibilities beyond human biological relatives, including kin that are “otherthan-human”. These expansions help the reader leap beyond restrictive bounds of “family relationship” into a space where one can grasp the significance of interconnectedness, an imaginative sphere of the past, present, and future.

Why We Should Read: Daniel Heath Justice “We can’t possibly live otherwise until we first imagine otherwise.”, says Daniel Heath Justice. He describes relationships as threads of existence that weave together to give us meaning. He draws on an abundance of Indigenous writers and their writings to examine relationships: what it means to be human, a good relative, a good ancestor -- and asks, “how do we learn to live together?”

Colonial attempts of erasure of Indigenous peoples, and distortion of their beliefs systems do not bring about a viable future; they never have.

To learn to live together, the euro-western outlook needs to be re-examined. The author makes it clear - being uncomfortable is an agent of growth. Imagine any relationship. Discomfort “challenges us to think and do better.” The work is not over; the transformative Calls to Action of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission represent the beginning, not an end.

JOANE MORAN 10

250-743-1901 joanemoran.ca open by appointment smoran@shaw.ca

Being able to understand a multiplicity of stories instils social responsibility, enables us to learn to live well together.

Indigenous literatures matter for many reasons; one - Indigenous writers understand transformative change. They expand the concept

Daniel Heath Justice’s insights better inform us than if we had read newspapers or listened to political commentaries. His words and those of a wealth of Indigenous writers bring promise. This book is full; impossible to relate with few words. The appendix, index, and bibliographic essay are a bonus.

VIRL eBooks, downloadable audiobooks - June 2020 -- Why Indigenous Literatures Matter, Daniel Heath Justice; You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir, Sherman Alexie; #Not Your Princess: A Voice of Native American Woman, edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale; Me Funny, edited by Drew Hayden Taylor; The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative, Thomas King; My Home As I Remember, Lee Maracle and Sandra Laronde, editors; Memory Serves: Oratories, Lee Maracle, edited by Smaro Kamboureli; Custer Died For Your Sins, Vine Deloria, Jr.; Ceremony, Leslie Marmon Silko; In My Own Moccasins: A Memoir of Resilience, Helen Knott.

The Warmland Book and Film Collective: a response to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada – explores, celebrates, and learns from Indigenous authors and filmmakers – meets the 2nd Wednesday/each month.

Next meeting is June 10, 2020, discussing the Alanis Obomsawin film Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance, https://www. nfb.ca/film/kanehsatake_270_ years_of_resistance/. Questions? warmlandcollective@gmail.com.

Submitted by Miyo Stevens

Forum Initiative To Celebrate Chemainus Valley Writers Chemainus Valley authors are invited to comment on a writers’ forum initiative under consideration by the Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society

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he Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society is looking for ways to bring writers together to share and celebrate their work. Its Writers’ Forum initiative looks to channel collaborative energy by creating a forum where works can be shared, critiqued, rewarded, and published in innovative ways.

“Writers in the 21st Century have to do more than adapt to the changing environment they find themselves in, they have to embrace their world, write about it, and look for opportunities to get their stories into the places where all stories come to life – in the minds of readers,” says a

proposal received by the CVCAS Board.

One of the main goals is inclusivity. The initiative is being designed to encourage a broad range of genres, including song lyrics, poems, ‘post card’ stories, short stories, novellas, novels, plays, screenplays. Under consideration is a diverse listing of activities, including: READINGS – Face-to-face and online reading circles could be established, where authors can share works and exchange ideas.

SHARING – Each member of the forum could have a page on a forum site at CVCAS.ca to post bios, samples of their material, and links to their own pages.

JUNE 5 - 30

VIRTUAL YOUTH ART SHOW

COWICHANVALLEYARTSCOUNCIL.CA

Image; Landa Yang

AWARDS – Juried entries submitted by CVCAS members (for free) and Island writers (for a fee) could be awarded prizes in youth and adult categories of fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry.

PRODUCTIONS – Awarded authors and poets could be featured in short videos, reading

from their works. The videos would be shared on the CVCAS.ca website and social media in the weeks following the awards.

PUBLICATIONS – Selected works from the annual awards could be included in Writers’ Forum booklets, made available to authors and the public online in PDF format for free, and at an author’s rate in print.

MENTORING – A listing of mentors could be provided, and published on the Writers’ Forum section of the CVCAS.ca website. The Writers’ Forum would seek local mentors who are prepared to work with fellow writers.

COLLABORATIONS – A collaboration page is planned for the CVCAS.ca website, and writers will be welcome to explore the possibilities of creative partnerships with artists from other disciplines – photographers, artists, actors, musicians, to name a few.

If you are interested in this initiative, and want to participate, please go to cvcas. com/writers, where you can find out more and make suggestions.

CraigSpenceWriter.ca 11

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Ol’ MacDonald Farm spinach, salad mix, arugula, mustard mix, baby kale, radishes, turnips, parsley and free range GMO free eggs delicious local food grown with love

Visit us on Saturdays at the downtown Duncan Farmers Market.

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hen we are trolling salmon we try and spread our harvest over a number of species. We use our coho hoochies( lures) but troll in some different spots where we are more likely to run into rockfish as well as coho. This is important to us for a number of reasons, we

are able to fish in areas away from the main fleet fishing some small runs by our selves as we are not solely relying on salmon to fill the boat.

This spreads our harvest over multiple species and healthy but smaller runs that don’t normally get harvested. We can offer different species of fish that are very popular in a variety of ethnic groups. I would like to share a recipe for Chinese style rock fish that a First Nations fishermen first introduced me to back in the 80s.

Submitted by Guy Johnston

Rockfish And Blackbean Sauce Recipe courtesy Michelle Rose, Community Supported Fishery

(original recipe from Linda and Ian Campbell) Ingredients Green Onions, sliced 1 Jar Black Bean Sauce Red Pepper Flakes Soya Sauce Salt & Pepper 1/2 Cup Sesame Oil, toasted Water Ginger, sliced

Flat pan Rectangle Roasting Pan Metal Rack to fit in Roasting Pan Method 1. Defrost the rockfish overnight in the fridge.

2. Once defrosted scale the fish by scrapping a knife from tail to head until all scales are off fish.

3.Gut the fish and cut off the fins and tail and put aside.

4. Mix together black bean sauce, soya sauce, red pepper flakes in a bowl and set aside.

5. Cut rockfish diagonally across body and rub in some salt and pepper.

6. Rub in mixture of black bean sauce, soya and red pepper flakes all over the body of the fish 7. Place fish on a pan and top fish with sliced ginger and green onions.

8. Place a rack into a turkey roasting pan and set pan with fish upon the rack inside the roasting pan.

9. Pour 1” of water into the roasting pan and steam for 15-20 minutes on stove top. Add more water if it begins to dry out.

10. Heat 1/2 cup of high temperature oil in a separate pot until smokey while fish is cooking.

10. When the fish is almost cooked and flesh flakes apart easily pour the hot high temperature oil pour over the fish just before serving for crispy skin.

Serve immediately while hot and enjoy.

Vodka Espresso

Recipe courtesy Jessica Schacht, Ampersand Gin 1.5 oz Per Se Vodka 1.5 oz of freshly made espresso ½ oz simple syrup 3 coffee beans to garnish Method Add ingredients to an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with 3 coffee beans. Don’t skip the simple syrup, it’s what gives this drink it’s gorgeous frothy top. Fun fact, this drink is also great with the Per Se Vodka subbed for Ampersand Gin or Nocino!

Father’s Day Cocktail Jessica Schacht Ampersand Distilling Co. ampersanddistilling. com

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s I’ve recently learned, becoming a parent is an experience where things change daily. Just when you think you’ve got the hang of this little human, they are on to something new. One thing that has remained constant as Jeremy and I have embarked on the journey of parenthood is our morning coffee.

Regardless of how sleepless the night was, or what our day will hold, we start with two americanos. With Father’s Day around the corner, I’m thinking about how this year will be extra special because it marks Jeremy’s first.

Between our 5-month-old son and the current state of the world, we aren’t out much (ok, at all) but we’ll still take the time to commemorate the event. I’m thinking about that morning coffee, and the perfect cocktail comes to

mind – the Vodka Espresso.

Known to some as an Espresso Martini (back when everything was a martini), this drink came to fame in the 80’s and was created by Dick Bradsell when a soon-to-befamous supermodel asked him for a wake up drink.

With an espresso machine on the bar, he of course reached

for coffee and the drink was soon-to-be-famous as well. Whether it’s brunch or cocktail hour, I’ll be making this delicious take on the Vodka Espresso to celebrate, made with our very own Per Se Vodka. After all, what new dad couldn’t use a little caffeine?

& OU T ERY E K V TA D E LI BLE I LA AL C A V O L LA RS! OH O ORD E C L H A WIT

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Visit our facebook page for Take Out Menu and details 13

be found on a few of the tributaries and ditches of the bay area.

Upcoming EVENTS June 6 & 13 Wild Food Outdoor Foraging Workshops Please visit website for most up to date information or call to book.

For full details visit www.deerholme.com

BY RESERVATION ONLY *events Pending

4830 Stelfox Rd, Duncan

For ReservationS 250 748 7450 Grilled Asparagus with Vino Cotto

Recipe courtesy Bill Jones, Deerholme Farm

Vino cotto is literally cooked wine. I make mine by cooking and reducing 1 cup (250 mL) red wine, sweetened with a 1 tsp (5 mL) maple syrup or honey. It will cook down into a syrup that will coat the back of a spoon when ready. When the liquid is thick (usually Âź of the original volume) add a splash of vinegar (apple cider or white wine) and cool. The reduction will last months in the fridge in a covered jar.

Ingredients

1 lb (454 g) fresh asparagus 1 tsp (5 mL) fresh garlic, chopped 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil 2 Tbsp (30 mL) vino cotto (or balsamic vinegar) Parmesan shavings for garnish (optional) Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Trim ends off of the asparagus. This dish is probably better with thicker stalks. Trim a little of the skin off the base of the large asparagus to ensure they are tender. Place the asparagus on a plate and drizzle with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place spears on a hot grill and cook on one side for 2-3 minutes. Flip over the spears carefully and cook the second side for an additional 2-3 minutes. A good tip is to place the asparagus across (perpendicular) to bars of the grill, this helps keep them from falling through the gaps. Cook until just tender, a little charring on the tips is Ok for this dish.

Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with the vino cotto (or balsamic). If you can, get a nice chunk of real parmesan cheese and use you vegetable peeler to shave off chunks to garnish the plate. In Italy they would probably add a finishing drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm with some fresh bread to mop up the sauce.

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Asparagus Feasting

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here are a few foods that I will wait all year for, local strawberries are high on the list along with peaches and cream corn and fat mid season cherries. Food always seems to taste so much better when it is in season and picked as soon as ripe. That is something worth waiting for.

For me, asparagus is probably near the top of my list. The difference in picking and eating a stalk from the garden and eating asparagus that was picked thousands of miles away is truly astonishing.

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) has been with us for a very long time, at least 5000 years of cultivation. It is native to Europe and Asia but has spread all around the planet. The Cowichan valley use to have large asparagus farms down around the Cowichan River delta and a few wild plants still can

When just picked the spears have a pronounced sweetness.

Natural sugars in the plant are slowly converted to starches as the plant ages. Three main types of asparagus are commercially available, the typical green, new varieties of purple and specialty white asparagus. Purple asparagus are beautiful and typically higher is sugars than green varieties. White asparagus is a product that has been blanched (in this case covered with sand, tarps or hay) and grow without any sunlight.

This produces a stalk that is mild and nutty and usually very expensive. All three are excellent when boiled, steamed, grilled or stir fried.

Just be sure not to overcook the delicate stems, they will turn a shade of brown green and the interior mushy. This is kind of a nightmare result for many of us who were exposed to canned asparagus as children (I still shudder when I think of this). Lightly cook until they are transformed into something truly wonderful.

There are several farms growing asparagus in the valley, some farms may be closed to the public due to our present situation, it is best to call in advance for updates. You can purchase BC asparagus at the farmers markets or at local stores that feature BC products. The season is fleeting, look for them through the month of June.

Bill Jones is an author, chef and food consultant Deerholme.com

The Perfect Pour for Father’s Day

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f your Dad is like us, he wants his craft beer fresh from the taps at his favourite breweries.

He wants to take it home fresh.

He probably tried glass growlers that go warm in the car, go flat once they are open, let air in and generally only keep your precious libation in its prime for a few hours. Maybe he even had this misfortune of a growler slipping from his hands in a parking lot and smashing to the ground!

This is where Portland Oregon’s Growlerwerks stepped in and designed a solution to all those problems. The uKeg is a versatile vessel with durable double walled stainless to keep your beverages cold and breakage free. It features a regulator cap that holds a CO2 cartridge which dispenses into the beer as you pour it.

All styles feature a locking tap that prevents accidental beer dispensing should the u-keg fall over in your car on the way home. The tap means that you never open the uKeg

until it is empty – fresher beer with every pour. You say Dad doesn’t drink beer: this may still be the product for you. The system works equally well for dispensing chilled and bubbly soda, cocktails and kombucha.

Growlerwerks even makes a model specifically for cold brewed Nitro coffee.

Oh, and they are stylish! The uKeg Go is the introductory model, reminiscent of a double walled thermos. The uKeg 64 and 128 have the additional features of a pressure gauge (you can serve from 0-15 PSI), a sight glass which lets you know how much of your beverage is still in the keg, and they are available in a variety of finishes. Whether you like matte black, chrome, stainless or copper, there is one that can compliment any Dad’s man cave.

Sustainably Harvested Seafood

from Michelle Rose CSF

Michelle Rose Community Supported Fishery

www.michellerosecsf.com

Drop by Small Block Brewery at 5301 Chaster Road in Duncan to check out the latest uKegs and get your craft beverage travelling safe, cool, and fresh.

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Perfect Picks Valley Cider Company Gingerella

Handcrafted cider blended with the aromatics of fresh ginger, cardamom and peppermint finished with a touch of caramelized apple juice is just what dad needs to sit back and remember this is his day.

Pair it with grilled sausage or roast chicken to complete his Kingdom. $4.99

Rocky Creek Winery On The Mark This is our BBQ wine. It was designed by the winemaker and a dad who loves his BBQ foods. If you want a juicy hamburger for the BBQ, put some of the wine in with the ground beef before making the patties and it’s a great flavour. This wine is easy drinking with the smokiness matching the BBQ flavours. It’s great with a good steak or even try it with grilled eggplant or zucchini. Has notes of currant and spiced coffee. This is our rare Tempranillo blend. $25

Small Block Brewery Green Goblin Irish Red Ale Featuring an approachable hop bitterness which rests on the palate, this ambercoloured ale has a medium, candy-like caramel malt sweetness. When it comes to the BBQ, Irish Red pairs excellently with roast or grilled poultry and pork, grilled sausages and caramel cheesecake. $3.50 /473ml can

Zanatta Winery Pinot Nero 2017 This wine is sure to satisfy a Dad who likes complex flavours! It has a medium-light and elegant body with notes of cherry and raspberry. Our Pinot Nero has been aged in French oak barrels for 1 year adding further to the complexity. Our Pinot Nero pairs well with BBQ salmon and beef.

Also try it with rich cheeses such as Tickler Cheddar cheese. $27 taxes included

Help Fight Child Hunger in our Community WWW.NOURISHCOWICHAN.CA I 250 597-7760 16

For Local Dads Blue Grouse Winery 2018 Quill Pinot Noir This wine starts on the nose with red plum, vanilla and cranberries followed by flavours of cherry pie and warm spices in the mouth. It is a perfect accompaniment to grilled wild sockeye salmon, trout or even pizza on the BBQ! $27.99

Unsworth Vineyards Unsworth Rosé

Dry and fruit forward, this 100% Pinot Noir Rosé is great for Dads too! Kick back on the deck and enjoy with local spot prawns or any Mediterranean inspired fare! $22.00 taxes and bottle deposit included.

Emandare Vineyard Rosé Real men drink pink wine gimme a good bottle of Rosé and BBQ hot dog with all the fixings, that’s my happy place $25

Thank you for your support and patience over the last couple months as our world changed, as well as the way we all do things...

WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU! Lulu, Sherry and Sonja Come in for great natural products, organic produce and so much more!

9738 Willow St, Chemainus 250-246-9838 Hours Mon-Sat 10-4 • Closed Sun & Stat holidays 17

Musings From The Vines Growing (eating) grapes at home

Mark Holford, owner, winemaker Rocky Creek Winery Cowichan’s most award winning winery.

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o in our current climate of “stay at home”, many are looking to increase their internal food production through gardening.

If you’re thinking of growing some grapes to eat, you’ll be happy to know that it’s not that hard, and a lot more forgiving then growing grapes commercially for wine. The only downside is it might be a few years before you have a significant crop to harvest.

So where would you plant grapes? Well, they need a lot of sun and heat. They also are a vine and need support, so a south facing wall, a pergola, arbour, or fence all can work as a support structure for your vine(s).

As long as it’s sunny, warm and preferably well drained soil, it should be suitable for growing grapes.

So, what variety should you plant?

Well this gets a little more involved. In actual fact it really depends on what you want to do with the grapes you pick. Different varietals of grapes are good at different things. One of the biggest differences is between seedless and seeded grapes. Seedless grapes are focussed on table (eating) grapes. Some of the most popular varieties are Niagara, Himrod & Interlaken (white varieties) Vanessa & Canadice (red varieties), and Coronation & Glenora (blue varietal). While these are predominantly focussed on eating, they can also be used for freezing, canning and even winemaking (although not optimal). Seeded grapes - Most of the more traditional grape varieties have seeds. Concord grapes are popular for juice, jams and eating. Practically every wine grape has seeds. One fun fact, wine grapes also taste amazing, so if you don’t

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mind seeds they also make great table grapes. If you were looking for a grape varietal that tasted amazing, but also would potentially be useful for winemaking the some of the early ripening German varietals would suit (Siegerrebe is one popular option) or look for a disease resistant variety like Marechal Foch.

Grape vines are best planted in Spring or early Fall – so that the vines don’t struggle to get established during the heat of summer.

Did I mention disease? Yes grapes are quite susceptible to powdery mildew (which also affects roses). There are many options to keep powdery mildew at bay – planting resistant varieties is a great one, but if you plant a variety that is prone to powdery mildew then you will likely have to apply a fungicide a few times during the summer to prevent powdery mildew from taking over and destroying the grapes right before you are ready to pick them. However if you plant Marechal Foch, spraying isn’t needed at all.

Depending on what you plan to do with your harvest, you may need more or less 8446 8/8/2011 3:23:00 PM

pruning to keep the vine under control. For eating, juice and jam the pressure to get the grapes to optimal ripeness will be a lot less, so you can grow the grapes a little more carefree without carefully managing how many bunches are growing on each plant. If you intend to turn those tasty grapes into wine then you have to be very careful not to overcrop, to ensure the plant can adequately ripen the grapes so that the acid and sugar are in balance before being picked.

Bottom line, growing grapes can be a very rewarding activity. One plant located in the right spot can yield a large quantity of tasty fruit. They can also be quite pretty, growing up an arbour or pergola, and provide shade, as well as a tasty crop. You can eat them fresh, juice them, freeze/can them and obviously make them into many different types of wines. They do need pruning every winter, and a little maintenance during the summer, but overall can yield a lot of pleasure for a modest amount of effort. www.rockycreekwinery.ca

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The Art of Tea Blending

think I can speak for the whole team when I say that the announcement of a new tea blend is an exciting occasion at Westholme. The most recent blend this month is certainly no exception, and carried with it a bit of extra significanceCowichan Breakfast is Westholme’s answer to the traditional English breakfast tea we are accustomed to having in our cupboards, but made instead with the mindfulness for excellence and environmental integrity that the brand has become known for. Margit Nellemann, the co-founder of Westholme Tea Company and an accomplished ceramicist, is also the inventor of each unique, high-quality organic tea blend that we carry here, among many other hats that she wears as a small business owner with her partner Victor Vesely.

Though we love the selection of pure organic teas that we carry, the excitement about a new blend is well-earned. These creations are a lengthy procedure for Margit: analyzing flavour profiles, taste-testing, research, and creativity in combination.

We do not have a lab. It is

Margit’s palate alone that must discern if a delicate floral black tea from Yunnan would flourish beside the strong malt of a black tea from Assam, or how a broken leaf grade might affect the astringency of the steep in relation to other combinations.

The options are nearly endless, and involve negotiating between two or more complex individual flavours, and encouraging them to highlight the best aspects of the other in the cup.

As employees here, we’re lucky to be a part of this process. Our meetings often involve several pots of tea, measured and steeped with precision, and a row of Margit’s ceramic cups. We sip, smell, savour and deliberate over each potential union, taking flavour notes and giving our feedback. No matter how much work has gone into a new blend, only a fraction of them make Margit’s extremely high bar of excellence and proceed to our shelves and our customers.

And yet, despite my familiarity with Margit, Victor and their business, and the beginning of my second season of employment here, there are still many mysteries to me about her process of developing a tea recipe. When I ask her about it, she is modest and practical when telling me about her upbringing on a family farm, schooling as a chef, working in the culinary world, or her years of trial and error on the subject of tea. I don’t mean to take away the significance of the lifetime of hard work that got her, and Westholme, to this point. But at morning meetings I sometimes catch a glimpse of her quiet, contented smile over a composition that worked, or her

humble delight as she gets to see us come together to enjoy one of her creations, and realize that perhaps there secret ingredient is something we all love and recognize, but could never replicate: pure Margit.

We hope you enjoy Cowichan Breakfast as much as we do.

Emma Barrett is an employee at Westholme Tea Company, a writer, and a tea fiend in the Cowichan Valley.

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Father’s Day is for Barbecuing Chef Brad Boisvert, Cure Artisan Meat and Cheese

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hat a better way to kick off the summer season but around the barbeque enjoying tasty grilled meats.

The time with dad is truly the most important par, but there are many other factors to consider to ensure a perfect meal. Are you a hardwood, charcoal or gas barbeque kind of person? With hardwood you get more flavour from the

wood and a nice smokiness to your food. If you choose charcoal, a lighter smoke and not so much wood flavour but probably that nostalgic BBQ smell you were used to as a child.

A gas barbeque no added flavour or smells just the food, but a bit more control on the heat for cooking.

Whether hard wood or char coal or gas it is all a matter of personal preference.

The next choice you have to make is the meat. To me besides spending the time with dad, choosing the meat is the most important part.

Pork is a great choice for the barbeque (classis southern BBQ). Ribs, brisket, pork

Mole Rub

Recipe courtesy Brad Boisvert, Cure Artisan Meat and Cheese, Valley View Centre This is a great rub for pork, beef or chicken

Ingredients

1 teaspoon brown sugar 2 teaspoons cocoa powder 2 teaspoon allspice 2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon cumin

3 teaspoon ground coffee 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon chili powder Pinch cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

1. Mix it. rub it. enjoy it. (I like to mix them all in a jar shake to mix) 2. Mix with a few tablespoon olive oil for a wet rub or leave dry and coat meat for a dry rub.

Father’s Day Barbeque Box From smoked ribs and burgers, to pulled pork and sausage and so much more.

Order by email or phone in.

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shoulder for the famous pulled pork.

All super delicious and made for the barbeque as well.

Some times over looked but a great cut of pork for the barbeque is the pork tenderloin, tenderloin also needs much less preparation then previous cuts of meat mention. A quick rub or even just some salt and pepper and when finished with your favour BBQ sauce and the tenderloin is going to be tasty. The number one rule with pork is do not over cook.

While the classic cuts like the shoulder and the ribs are a low and slow cooking, the tenderloin is a lot quicker as it is lower in fat and will be dry if not treated properly.

You are going to want to cook over a medium high heat for about 15-20 minutes until brown on all over- remember to turn as each side brown until an internal temperature of 135 degree is met. Let rest for 8 minutes before slicing.

Many people over cook pork thinking it needs to be cooked all the way thru. In Canada we no longer have trichinosis in our pork and we can eat

pork cooked medium rare.

Well that is a lot about pork, there are many other meats for the BBQ, chicken, and of course beef. If trying beef, I recommend talking with your butcher. Many people go for tenderloin or ribeye which are great cuts but if you talk with a chef or your butcher you will be amazed at what cuts they may offer up. Lastly your butcher- charcuterie maker can have many prerubbed or marinated meats or even sausages and sauces.

This Father’s Day make the barbeque time spent with dad more about spending that time and less about preparations for cooking.

Family Matters Gratitude for My Dad’s Love of Gardening

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t the beginning of life outside the womb, children learn primarily through mirroring. The opportunities to grow emotionally and be guided healthfully occur every time a parent is fully present with their child and able to model actions and gestures worthy of imitation. When parents and their children spend meaningful time together, an invitation to bond, learn, and engage with their environment unfolds into experiences that contribute to secure attachment and a healthy

sense of self.

Every time I go to a nursery or work in my garden, I’m flooded with delightful childhood memories of quality time spent with my dad and my siblings.

On weekends in spring time, he would take my older brother, twin sister and me to the gardening nursery to shop for the things we needed to get the season’s outdoor projects done.

I remember the three of us trailing behind our dad with the hard to steer flatbed carts and helping to load and stack the bags of soil and manure.

We observed his friendly interactions with the nursery staff when he needed help loading the large, heavy and awkward bags of peat moss.

When my brother, sister and I wandered off to look at other

wondrous things, we’d soon be called back by our dad’s familiar cheerful whistle.

I remember the smell of dirt and the floral fragrances, as well as the smile on my father’s face and his enthusiasm, as we walked the aisles selecting the flower starters for each of the projects. It was the perfect time for him to pause and tell us a story about our botanist grandfather and the garden they had when our dad was growing up in Australia. It was also the opportune moment for teaching us the names of multiple flowers and his plans for the ones that would come home with us.

My father equipped each of us with a pair of gardening gloves and the same 3 basic hand tools as him: a weeder, a spade, and a trowel, all so that we could copy everything he demonstrated. We learned about worms, insects, and birds Family Matters continued on page 23

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FARMSHIP GROWERS COOPERATIVE 3 SEASONS CSA - SPRING/SUMMER/FALL

FRESH FOOD • MAY - DECEMBER

More information, recipes and things that inspire us at www.farmship.ca

Family Matters Gratitude For My Dad... continued from page 21

too and again, he’d gladly share stories about the creatures that lived back in his native land of Australia.

We learned what my grandfather taught our father and we repeated putting these skills to use for years to follow.

The older we got, the more responsibilities we were given with helping to look after the garden and the yard, including mowing the lawn and clipping the grass edges. He wasn’t fussy about things being perfect, he was more interested in us feeling supported when we needed help and experiencing the satisfaction about a job well done together.

I realize that my dad consciously chose to cultivate in us an appreciation and respect for nature starting with our own garden. We learned how projects are often done as

CELEBRATING

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a team and best succeed when they have a coherent sequence from beginning to end.

These memories make me recognize that at the nursery and in the garden, while I was watching, listening, following, and doing, I was learning many practical life skills, all the while, enjoying my time and feeling nurtured by my family bond.

Along with a love of nature blooming inside me, I experienced my emotional and physical human capacities expanding, all of which have contributed to my healthy sense of self—thanks Dad! Christina Hamill RCST®Registered Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist

Spicy Chicken Wings for Dad Recipe courtesy Barnes and Maracle

Barnes and Maracle specialize in creating delicious food with bold flavours and attention to detail.

Enough wings for you and your dad …. and maybe a sibling or two. Double the batch if you are a hungry bunch.

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken wings 2 Tbsp peanut oil or any high heat tolerant oil ½ Cup Sriracha 2 cloves garlic minced 1 birds eye chili (optional) for extra super spicy ½ Cup Organic Apple Cider vinegar 2 Tbsp. brown sugar 1/4 low sodium soy sauce 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp water Small bunch chives for garnish Salt to taste

CSA shares available in 15 or 30 week options CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLES & MEAT rupert@shawlfarm.ca

For Dip

1/2 Cup Gorgonzola 2 Cups Sour Cream Juice of one Lemon

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Rinse wings and dry well with paper towel and season with a pinch of salt.

Heat a large frying pan on high heat, add oil and cook wings meat side down until browned for about 2-3 min. Do not over crowd the pan as wings will not get crispy. Transfer wings to a cookie sheet and finish in preheated oven. They will be nice in crispy in 20 about minutes.

6476 Norcross Rd, Duncan I Islandreturnit.com I

In the same pan the wings were browned in, sauté minced garlic and finely diced chilis on med/high heat, add sugar, sriracha, vinegar and soy and bring to a boil. Set aside for when wings are done.

In a small bowl add 2 cups sour cream, ½ cup gorgonzola, juice of 1 lemon and a pinch of salt mix together and transfer to serving bowl.

Serve hot.

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Keep it Local ! CSA Summer 13 weeks and Fall 13 weeks. Cost varies by season (number of weeks) and by size of box ordered (small box $23 weekly and large box $30 weekly). www.Farmship.ca

Farmship Growers Co-op FARMERS: Isabelle Morris & Wyndlow family & friends

Farmship is a group of farmers growing cooperatively on a 50 acre family farm in Yellow Point.

We use growing methods that respect the land, the water, our pollinators and other beneficial beings. Good soil, compost, water and sunshine are the main ingredients we use, if our plants need extra nutrition we use only OMRI compliant supplements in our fields. We offer safe, clean, locally grown food for your household. The Farmship team praises itself for the quality and variety of fruits and vegetables found in our boxes. We grow over 70 different crops from Asparagus to Zucchini. We also have the longest CSA season of any of the farms in the region i.e. May to December! Free pick-up options or delivery to your door (for a fee). Our CSA is 9 months separated into 3 seasons: Spring 7 weeks,

Boots ‘n’ Roots Permaculture Farm

FARMER: Kelly Raye Boots ‘n’ Roots works really hard at building healthy, vibrant soil with lots of beneficial microbes, resulting in some of the most nutritious food in the Valley. Healthy soil results in healthy plants and healthy people. BNR is one of the few organic market garden farms in the Cowichan Valley that practices true Permaculture techniques. This is a step up from traditional organic, and is the most sustainable way to grow our food! We never use tractors or other heavy machinery, and practice a ‘no till’ method, where a lot of effort is put into creating a healthy soil food web - loaded with beneficial micro-organisms, fungi, and minerals. We make all our compost and fertilizers from scratch right here on

Boots ‘n’ Roots Permaculture We offer a ‘You choose CSA’ with pick up at the Duncan Market or at our farmgate stand in Glenora

Includes eggs and roasting chickens too!

www.bootsnrootsfarm.com

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the farm. We grow over 50 different veggies, herbs and berries Our CSA program is 27 weeks from May November. However, you can purchase just 9 weeks at a time if you would like to try it out. CSA program reflects what is in season and will vary from week to week. You Choose CSA program that works like a preloaded card.

Can be used for veggies, eggs and roasting chickens. www.bootsnrootsfarm.com

MICHELLE ROSE CSF

and fish and fish by trap for prawns and shrimp: all low impact fishing methods.

As a CSF member you will connect directly with the local fishing community and have healthy and sustainable seafood year around. For more information and to sign up for a 2020 share visit our website or contact us by email mrfishing@telus.net. www.michellerosecsf.com

SHAWL FARM ORGANICS

FISHERMAN: Guy Johnston

FARMER: Rupert Koyote

Do you want to eat tasty, locally and sustainably caught seafood and help support local fishermen involved in sustainable fisheries?

Become a member in the Michelle Rose Community Supported Fishery (CSF). A community supported fishery is direct fair trade between fisherman and consumer. As a member of a CSF you get the West Coast’s highest quality seafood at prices fair to both members and fishermen.

My name is Guy Johnston.

I have been a fisherman for over 40 years. I use hook and line to catch salmon

Shawl Farm is a family run, mixed-farm exploring hybrid “horse-drawn” and machinepowered permaculture in the unceded Territory of the Cowichan people: operated by the Koyote family since 2002. When you subscribe to Shawl Farm Organics box programs, you vote with your dollars--accessing and supporting local, humanely raised meat, seasonal fruit and vegetables. Hybrid “Horsepowered” cultivation and certified organic CSA produce as well as complete season CSA combos including meat and vegetables. Like or follow us on FB so you can

LOOKING FOR MICROGREENS?

We grow plenty of them!

A&S MICROGREENS t.250-710-6135 www.asmicrogreens.com

Programs in The Region check on the development of your 2020 crops: pastured chicken, pork, turkey, lamb, and other CSA offerings. Our CSA runs 15 to 30 weeks, 15 weeks from June 20 to September 22 or 30 weeks: June 20 to December 21st.

Weekly CSA share options available - $30/small, $45/ large, $65/Full Family. Add on options include eggs, chickens, pork and lamb. For more information contact rupert@shawlfarm.ca cell: 250 709-5495

other. OUR team has created a Safe Food Farm - 100% ‘no contact farm’ Food Box “Drive Through” for slow food (not Fast Food!). Cooperative local Foods and producers for over 63 varieties of tree/berry fruits, 12 year old ‘Food Forests’, livestock/poultry, and plenty of crafted goodies, plants, herbs, canning, gift certificates, and much much more! Specialties: 12 year old ‘Food Forest’ Heritage/ Rare 62 varieties trees/berries, canning, value-added products, plant starts, eggs, meats/poultry (if wish), herbs, wild foods.... you design. Veggie and Lifestyle Boxes come in 10 and 20 week memberships. Cost: various and payment plans. www.ourecovillage.org/our-csabox 250 743-3067

OUR ECOVILLAGE

FARMERS: Felipe Cervantes, Lee Gates, Brandy Gallagher, Trent Berg, Vitor Mialichi OUR Ecovillage is the North American model of “Lawful Permaculture” and demonstrates a learning centre with 25 acres of ‘field to fork’ integrated/ wholistic food systems design.

With love and almost 50 years of farming in the Cowichan this is a special CSA unlike any

A&S Microgreens FARMERS: Sharlene and Alexandru Ionescu

A&S Microgreens Membership/CSA programs are a great opportunity to have local fresh produce year-round. Become a member and save on

nutritious microgreens! It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Select a membership plan: Weekly, Bi-Weekly or Monthly 2. Choose between 180g of Cut Microgreens in Compostable Clamshells or 6 - 4-inch Potted Plants/Live Microgreens.

3. Pick your favourite microgreens. We currently offer 40+ microgreen products.

In addition to free delivery, A&S Microgreens CSA members have the opportunity to create their own Micro Custom Mix. Because A&S Microgreens offers fresh local produce year-round, CSA members get to select the length of the CSA membership service.

Weekly Plan - Available every Friday $90/month Bi-Weekly Plan - Available on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the Month $48/month Monthly Plan - Available on the 1st Friday of the Month $27/Month 250 710-6135 www.asmicrogreens.com

Green Fire Farm FARMERS: DeLisa Lewis and Jana Kotaska

Here at Green Fire Farm, we are busy with all of our regular activities for the season: preparing and planting fields, planting seeds and seedlings, setting up irrigation, and taking care of the livestock.

This year we are also thinking about the security of our regional food systems and how important the community supported agriculture (CSA) model will be as part of the changes we are facing as we strive to sell and distribute our healthy certified organic produce.

We are offering a classic, farmer-choice CSA with 4-7 vegetables from our harvest during peak season. More information/sign-up: www.greenfirefarm.ca

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Sharing Our Solar Story

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long with my wife Arzeena, our two daughters and my parents we farm a 26 acre piece of Canadian paradise in the Comox Valley, on beautiful Vancouver Island. Our farm is a market garden vegetable farm with mixed fruits and nuts. We have been farming here since 2010 and have turned the farm into a certified organic farm with environmental and sustainable principles, applied where practicable.

Our farm was one of the founding two members of Merville Organics COOP and so we valued the ethics and principles of COOPs. We found out about Viridian when we decided to consider a solar installation. We did some searching around for a local company that did good work at a fair price.

From my first call and interaction with Kuan I felt like I was talking to a friend

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who was welcoming me to the solar family. No question went unanswered and no pressure was ever put on me to go big or go home.

Cost was obviously a factor and options that would be cost effective yet provide us with a reliable system was always front of mind and confirmed by Kuan.

Within 4 days of my first call with Kuan was able to provide us with the initial estimate. A detailed design and quote came just a week later. Payment installments negotiated and contract signed two weeks later with installation soon after and the system up and running the same day of installation!

We installed a 10.54 KW system with the hope of generating 20,000 kwh or more per year. The entire system came with a 25 year warranty. Look no further for a local company with a proven track record, run by people committed to bringing and maintaining solar energy on Vancouver Island.

Neil and Arzeena Owners of Amara Farm, a certified organic farm with dreams of sustainability

LUCKY DOG Finding a reputable breeder

Debbie Wood is a certified Small Animal Naturopath and can be reached at 250-597-7DOG.

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hen shopping for a puppy, we are told by Google to find a reputable breeder, but not what that means. Let me help.

Reputable breeders love their breed and show their dogs.

Dog shows aren’t just beauty pageants, they are a showcase of the best conformation and temperaments of the recognized breeds. Good breeders have evidence of lineage and perform health checks. Good breeders take generations to perfect their line.

The opposite is the Back Yard Breeder (BYB). These business people may work as hard as show breeders at proving lineage and doing health checks and it’s a good idea to insist on seeing this paperwork if you are buying from one, but most BYBs breed for popularity and not for health, conformation, or temperament.

Insist on seeing the sire (father) or get information and contact the sire’s owner. Ask for photos at the least.

I’m not slamming casual breeders of being puppy mills, I’m being honest about the problems that come with BYBs. Reputable breeders will have you sign a contract that may insist the dog be returned to the breeder if your situation changes and the dog may not be rehomed without the breeder’s consent.

The dog’s breeding capabilities will certainly be in this contract; either your dog is show quality and the breeder may show/breed your dog with your involvement

or the dog may be “pet quality” and will need to be spayed or neutered ASAP. These are breeders that care about their lines.

BYBs typically won’t back up any health claims and if you find yourself looking at a Vet bill for thousands of dollars because of a genetic defect, your phone calls go unanswered. If dogs were televisions, people would stop buying from that manufacturer, but people want puppies. And many people don’t know where to look. Pound puppies are nearly non-existent because we’ve been so good with spay and neuter programs.

BYBs also like to breed for rare colours and charge a lot for the novelty. There are good reasons these colours are rare as they may affect the dog’s health.

Check on the Canadian Kennel Clubs website to see if the colour you’re desiring is part of the breed “standard”. If it isn’t, there is probably a good reason, remember I said dog shows weren’t just about beauty? An example is the popular and very expensive “blue/lilac” French Bulldog. The gene that creates this coat colour can also cause serious skin conditions and/or vision problems. Also, breeding for a rare colour may require in-breeding (breeding within the family) or breeding for recessive genes which will concentrate any unhealthy flaws. Some rare colours are nothing more than cross breeding. “Silver” labs are perfectly nice Labrador retrievers bred with a hunting hound, the Weimaraner for the unique shade and a unique personality. They are not purebred.

There are some very good BYBs that don’t show because they don’t have a recognized breed.

Take doodles for instance. They are not a purebred dog; even if their parents were each purebred.

Some reputable purebred breeders have started breeding doodles using their knowledge and experience to make some lovely dogs. These breeders will require more information from you than you will require from them. If a breeder is asking you lots of personal questions, it’s a good sign. If they want to see

LUCKY DOG Celebrating 7 Years!!!

Thank you to all our clients!

U Bath or WE Bath

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!

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the cash and nothing else, keep shopping; no matter how cute the puppy is. (They’re all cute).

I hope this short tutorial is helpful. Finding a great dog is better than finding one to match your furniture. When dog shows

Just north of Pots & Paraphanelia

are up and running again, go to one. Ask questions. People love to talk about their dogs. Also, when shopping for a specific breed, start with the CKC website. They have loads of good breeders that must meet CKC standards.

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The Low Maintenance Garden

GARDENING?

www.dinternursery.ca

We have the plants and supplies to create your special place.

Edibles Colour Privacy Shade Native Plants Fruit Trees Water Features Let us enhance your living space It is yours to create Serving local gardeners since 1973

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Monica Dockerty, Dockerty Gardens horticulturist and Dinter Nursery employee.

W

ith all the extra time people have spent at home this Spring, gardening has been in the spotlight.

Gardens are great therapy and play, but they can also be a lot of work. The level of maintenance and work a garden requires can vary substantially, and if low maintenance is a priority here are some Mulch guidelines to help get you Where there is bare soil, there is an opportunity for there. weed seeds to germinate and weeds to establish. When selecting mulch for reduced maintenance, use a coarse Plant Shrubs bark mulch. Coarser mulch takes a longer time to break Perennials can require staking, down and decompose, which means you do not need to dividing, and cutting back. If mulch as frequently. Coarser mulch also contains less a shrub is planted in the right readily available nutrients than a mulch like fish compost place, with the room it needs or fine bark mulch, so weeds are less likely to establish to grow, it will require little to in it. no maintenance. Aim to plant shrubs that do not need regular Green Mulch/ Groundcovers pruning such as mop-head When it comes to weed suppression, plants are by far hydrangea, viburnum and the best option. Groundcovers like creeping thyme or weigela.

Lithodora ‘Grace Ward’ are beautiful and act as a green mulch, suppressing weeds and preventing moisture Install Irrigation from evaporating from the soil surface. It’s important to A well-installed irrigation note that, there are no shortcuts when it comes to weed system is good for the health of suppression in the garden (though one could attempt to plants. It is a more efficient use argue on behalf of pesticides). Be careful to not plant of water than hand-watering, shrubs too close together. They may shade out the ground but for the low-maintenance temporarily, but when plants mature their health will garden, it most importantly decline and removal of plants will be necessary. saves you time.

Right Plant, Right Place For the healthiest plants, that require the least care put plants where they want to grow. The best gardening rule out there is right plant, right place, and slowing down to take the time to learn about your growing environment is the best way to ensure success in the future.

Many of us want a beautiful English garden or a huge vegetable garden, but it is important to be realistic about time constraints and the amount of work you want to put into the garden.

A well-maintained and simple garden can be as equally beautiful as the most theatrical and labor-intensive garden, so do yourself a favour and don’t overdo it. You’ll thank yourself later!

H

aving inherited the “gardening bug” from my mother, there’s nothing I enjoy more than visiting other people’s beautiful gardens to get both inspiration and ideas. Four years ago I was asked to be part of the annual Cowichan Family Life Association Garden Tour. The tour is an important fundraiser for the non profit community organization to raise much needed funds to help support families and individuals. The rush was on to make sure the garden would be at its best for the tour. We’d had an early Spring that year, and I was so worried that many of my beautiful Spring/early Summer bloomers would be finished before the the big day. My roses, which I love for their fragrance, were about two weeks early as were my peonies which add so much colour to the garden.

But luck was with us and everything turned out perfect.

It was such a satisfying experience to have other garden lovers visit.

My husband and I have done all the work in our garden ourselves and, I can tell you, there’s been a lot of trial and error! I quickly learned that if a plant is described in the garden centre as “fast growing” or “robust” this is often code for invasive! It pays to do your research before you buy. Also, as gardens grow and mature,

Peonies in the sunny garden. My favourite is the lighter pink one, Bowl of Beauty.

CFLA Cowichan Garden Stories what was once a sunny area can become shady and vice versa, so plants must be moved. We’ve been transforming the yard since 2003 and the garden has been an evolution where we tackled one big project a year.

The first year we carved out a section of the sunniest area of the back yard for a garden with a pergola, which my husband designed and built.

We have grapes, clematis and roses climbing on the pergola to add height to the garden as well as provide shade under the pergola. My favourite sun loving plants in this area are echinacea, phlox and lilies. The trick is to have plants that bloom at different stages of the season so that

Backyard in 2003. A dry creek bed added behind the house in 2005.

you have interest for as long as possible. Then came our shade garden behind the house where we took out all the lawn, planted trees, created a dry creek bed and added pathways. This is the perfect place for hostas, ferns and astilbe. Shade gardens are often different beautiful shades of green but astilbe add a pop of colour. In all our gardens I’ve planted both shrubs and perennials.

Shrubs fill space, are relatively low maintenance and many have lovely blooms such as rhododendrons. My favourite shrubs for sun are peegee hydrangeas for their gorgeous late season blooms and deciduous azaleas for their early season colour.

After the shade garden we put in the pond that I had always wanted. We did a lot of research on how to build a pond and, except for a friend with a little backhoe who dug out the deepest part for us, we did all the work ourselves, including dumpster diving for old pieces of carpet at local flooring stores! Once the pond was dug out in the shape we wanted, including shelves on the edges for plants and rocks, we lined the ground with carpet which would protect the rubber liner from sharp rocks that might surface. Then the rubber liner goes in. I wanted the pond to look as natural as possible with a shallow (beach) area as well as a deeper part for the pump and fish to hide from predators. Large rocks edge the pond, hiding the liner, but it was going to be hard to hide the liner in the deepest part.

Our solution was to build a deck that overhangs the pond there. It gives us a great place to sit and relax, as well as being a great place for the fish to hide from predators like heron and racoons. The pump CFLA Garden Stories... continued from page 30

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CFLA Garden Stories... continued from page 29

is also located under the deck and it pumps the water from there into the adjoining bog garden, which is our natural filter that keeps the pond water crystal clear. The bog is 18 inches deep and full of plants and the water runs from there over a small falls back into the main pond.

Ponds are actually very low maintenance and we keep it running all year long and the fish hibernate in the deep end in the winter.

The most recent project has been tiered gardens and steps on the far side of the house where the property has a steep slope. There have also been many smaller projects between these bigger endeavours but now we have much more time to just relax and enjoy the garden.

Our pond today.

This is a big year for CFLA as its their 50th anniversary of providing much needed counselling services to the community. They have served individuals and families in our community since 1970 with a vision of nurturing a thriving community of strong and happy individuals.

Visit their website www. cowichanfamilylife.org to find out more about how you may be able to help.

Nora Dowsett, Retired Financial Planner, Passionate Rotarian and Avid Gardener

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10-Point Disinfection During COVID-19

W

hether it’s because you’ve got more time at home these days or if you’re being extra cautious to ensure you’re keeping yourself and your family safe. Cleaning around your home is likely more of a priority now than it has ever been before.

The first thing to consider is the cleaning product that you are using. You can check Heath Canada’s website to see if the product you have has a registered DIN number to be effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 here, https://www.canada.ca/en/healthcanada/services/drugs-healthproducts/disinfectants/covid-19/ products-accepted-under-interimmeasure.html The other really important factor is to read the label on your product and follow the directions with respect to “dwell time”.

This is the amount of time the product needs to stay in contact with the surface to be effective.

Some products require up to 10 minutes dwell time so be sure not to just spray and wipe without allowing it to remain on the surface for the required amount of time. Also be sure to use a new, clean cloth for each job to avoid cross-contamination.

Good old soap and water is effective but what I’ve learned is that it requires agitation, simply putting soap on a surface will not kill the virus. The shape of the soap molecule has a pointy tail and when rubbed/agitated it will pierce the virus structure.

That’s why you must wash your

hands for 20 seconds, it is the rubbing/agitation of the soap in the water that kills the virus.

As professional cleaners, we always take care of the “high touch” surfaces when we clean. To help make it easier for clients to understand what the important surfaces are we created the 10-Point Disinfection list. This is what we promise with every clean and are the same “high touch” surfaces you should consider paying special attention to in your home.

10-POINT DISINFECTION:

1. Light Switches 2. Doorknobs 3. Cabinet Handles 4. Counters 5. Faucets 6. Sinks 7. Appliances 8. Toilet handles 9. Tables 10. Railings

250-929-8381 tracey@ cleanchoicecleaners.com

We’re in this together!

Clean Choice hopes that everyone is keeping healthy and safe. During these ever-changing times, we have been busy monitoring recommendations issued by Health Canada and have updated our products, equipment and services accordingly.

In order to provide the most safe and effective cleaning, new policies have been put in place that include 10-Point Disinfection with every clean, PPE for staff, equipment saintized after every clean, committed to keeping staff home if they show any signs of illness.

Call to find out more about our all-surface, wholeroom disinfection service for home or office.

Totally green, health Canada registered disinfectant. www.cIeanchoicecIeaners.com

Depending on your personal “bubble”, the amount of activity out of the home, interactions with others in the community, the vulnerability of the people in your bubble etc., will determine how often you should be cleaning and disinfecting the “high touch” surfaces in your home.

If you’re having difficulty finding a product that you’re comfortable using, I have secured a totally green, registered disinfectant called Vital Oxide. It is an amazing product that you can trust to be effective as well as 100% safe for you and your family.

If you’re interested in using the product please contact me at tracey@cleanchoicecleaners. com

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31

10 Unique Father’s Day Gifts in Downtown Duncan

By Amanda Vance Images Ian Locke

F

ather’s Day is an opportunity to gift your dad with something uniquely tailored to his personality. Whether your pops is into fashion, food or fun experiences, downtown Duncan offers a range of options that will help you celebrate your special connection! Read on for some ideas to shop local and support your community while also making dad’s day extra special.

Ignition Motorsports For the passionate motorcyclist, why not

purchase a track day at the VIMC on June 21 or 22 through Ignition Motorsports?

Purchase yourself a pit pass and watch from the sidelines as your dad does laps. For an extra $30, you can have lunch together on site as well. Call 250.510.8844 for more details and if not, get him a new Shoei helmet or Alpinestars jacket!

Bucky’s Sport Shop

out the perfect pair of jeans and socks for himself.

Area 51

Outlooks Menswear From Du/Er denim to colourful, patterned Dion socks, Outlooks Menswear has distinguished but laid back fashion for men. Find the right outfit for your dad or buy a gift card so he can pick Outlooks Menswear

Does your father love skateboarding? How about Vans and Volcom shoes and streetwear? Area 51 has the largest online skate shop in Canada, so head on over to www.a51.ca/skateshop and pick out anything from an Enjoi board to a cool pair of Globe runners.

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Does your dad enjoy fishing or archery? Bucky’s will find the right hook or make custom strings for bows as well. Stop by their shop today for the father who is an ardent adventurer.

Cycle Therapy

Area 51

Gifts for Dads, Grads, Birthday, Thanks, Get Well & More!

Open Tues - Sat 10 - 4 Contact by phone or Facebook

Bucky’s Sport Shop

If you enjoy cycling with your father, why not pick him up a mountain bike or commuter?

Maybe a new helmet, or a gift card for some long needed repairs? Once you’ve gotten that taken care of enjoy the time spent together on Mount Tzouhalem or the Kinsol Trestle!

Westcoastees Find the perfect Pacific coast inspired graphic t-shirt at Westcoastees for the easygoing and hip papa. From pine trees to an elk on a quad, you can find a cool look on www.westcoastees.com

Cardino Shoes

Cardino Shoes

Westcoastees

Victory Barber & Brand North Aside from purchasing your dad a gift card for a future hair cut, you can pick up a Field Kit containing all three signature hair products including claymore, pomade, and super-dry in a vintage military green heritage dopp kit. You can also pick up a nice lightweight mug or, for something truly unique, a Straight Razor stout by Riot Brewing in collaboration with Victory!

Visit Cardino Shoes for a comfy pair of Birkenstocks or Bludstones for the man who likes to look and feel great. You can order online at www.shopcardinoshoes.com, or stop by the shop Monday through Saturday 11am to 3pm. If you are wearing a mask, you can get $10 off your purchase.

DONʻT FORGET DESSERT! Order DAD a fresh organic fruit pie for this year’s Father’s Day dessert!

Authentic Pizza A taste of Italy? Oceanic delight? Have a family movie night and enjoy some good old fashioned pizza with all your favourite toppings. For delivery call 250.701.0717.

Craig Street Brew Pub

r by O rde AY F R ID t h!

19 Ju ne

How about picking up a glass growler with a classic Cowichan Bay lager or Prevost porter? Or a smaller crowler with Arbutus ale or Shawnigan Irish ale? Cheers to time spent together with dad!

COME ON IN!

WEʻRE OPEN!

Victory Barber & Brand North

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Flatbread Pizza with Prosciutto and Olive Station Balsamic Reduction

Recipe courtesy Grant Easterbrook, The Olive Station 225 Canada Avenue, Downtown Duncan Makes 4 6-8” pizzas

Ingredients:

For the Naan bread: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp dry active yeast 1/2 tsp table salt pinch of white sugar 3/4 cup warm water 3 tablespoons Garlic Olive Oil, plus more for cooking.

Method:

For the toppings: 6-8 slices of prosciutto, cut into ribbons.

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese 16 or so cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters 1 avocado, cubed into bite sizes 1/2 cup Mission Fig Balsamic vinegar.

1. In a bowl combine flour, salt and sugar.

2. In a separate small bowl or using a liquid measure cup, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Let stand for until the yeast is completely absorbed and bubbly.

3. Pour water/yeast and oil into flour mixture.

4. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook, and mix until you have an elastic dough. If you are mixing by hand, mix in the water and oil using a fork until the dough is chunky and starting to stick together, then using your hands bring the dough together until the sides of the bowl are clean. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is elastic.

5. Place in a bowl, cover with a slightly damp tea towel and let rise for 20 minutes.

6. Once risen, punch it down and divide into 4 even parts, roll each one out using either your hands or a rolling pin until they are ovalshaped and about 1/4” thick.

7. In a hot skillet or cast iron pan drizzle garlic olive oil, once the oil is hot place one of your breads into the pan to cook. It should form some good air bubbles! Flip once it is nice and golden, with darker spots where the bubbles are. Cook all remaining naan breads and set aside.

Prepare the pizzas: 1. Top the naan breads with sliced ribbons of prosciutto, cubes of avocado, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese.

2. Place pizzas onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes have started to shrivel.

3. While they are in the oven you can prepare your balsamic reduction. In a small saucepan heat 1/2 cup of Mission Fig Balsamic Vinegar at a low to medium temperature until it becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Thats how you can tell it’s ready! Be careful not to over cook it as it will turn into delicious glue…If that does happen you can add a tiny bit of water to thin it out again.

4. Once your pizzas are out of the oven and your reduction is ready, top them with a generous handful of fresh baby arugula and drizzle them with your balsamic reduction.

Enjoy your Fathers Day!

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Social Connection - It Matters Dr. Lyn Pascoe Viva Medical Aesthetics

W

ith the recent upheaval to our world, I have been thinking a lot about the importance of social connection in our lives.

Dr Vivek Murthy, a recent Surgeon General of the USA, has just released a timely book called, Together:The Healing Power of Human Connection.

Dr. Murthy discusses the 3 levels of human connection: intimate (partner or spouse), relational (circle of friends), and collective (community).

These connections are all important to maintain in order to avoid loneliness. Studies show that loneliness and lack of social connection have the negative health effects equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

COMMUNITY connections are vital. There is something deeply ingrained in us that wants to be part of a shared

identity. This stems from our early ancestors where living together in a tribe was vital for survival. Sharing duties such as hunting for food, child care, and supporting the home environment proved to be much more efficient than a sole member trying to do it all alone on the tundra. Whether we live in a smaller community such as the Cowichan Valley or in a larger city, we all tend to value the connections we make with our local independent retail stores, baristas, hair stylists, and favourite restaurants.

Many of us are concerned that the physical distancing we are being asked to observe, combined with the fear that many people are experiencing right now, will deepen the separation amongst people in the future. That separation could contribute to a social recession that is just as important as the economic recession we will be facing.

Social separation, however, doesn’t have to be the path we follow. I believe this is the time to take stock of how we want our lives to look. Let’s look at how can we deepen the relationships that are important to our well-being.

I strongly believe we have to look to our local community for social connection.

We need to support the local businesses and local institutions that give our community depth, vitality and personality. By supporting local and continuing to enjoy those relationships, we will indeed be supporting our own, and our neighbour’s health.

Many of our small local businesses have worked hard in the last 2 months to change the way they operate in order to give us more choices. The strength of the human spirit to overcome challenges never ceases to amaze me! I think we can use this opportunity to choose a different way forward, to build a peoplecentered life and society. In a people-centered life, we prioritize our relationships and choose where we put our time, attention, and energy.

So, let’s choose local. Let’s help our businesses flourish.

It will be good for all of us!

Viva Medical Aesthetics #4-177 Fourth Street Downtown Duncan 250 746-6512

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I

’ve been struggling with getting my sleep more than ever lately; with difficulty drifting off even though I am tired, as well as waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep. While searching for a solution to curb my sleeplessness, I was surprised to learn that I have actually been suffering from insomnia.

You see, insomnia isn’t just the inability to fall asleep, it actually encompasses sleep disturbances of many kinds.

These include:

keep these three elements in mind when creating your relaxing bedroom space. A quiet, cool, completely dark room nurtures high-quality, rejuvenating sleep.

-Inability to fall asleep even if tired -Frequently waking up throughout the night -Difficulty falling back asleep after stirring -Waking too early -Feeling fatigued and drowsy during the day -Difficulty concentrating or focusing due to lack of proper sleep

3. Keeping a journal to write down our thoughts and worries from the day is an effective outlet to express and release them. If there are stressful thoughts holding you back from sleep, write them down, and let go of them for the night. You can always revisit things in the morning after a healing snooze.

As we all have been navigating these uncertain times, we may also have been experiencing an increase in stress induced insomnia for reasons such as: -Health concerns -Uncertain future -Financial instability -Social challenges -Heightened emotions One of the main reasons stress has such an impact

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2. Form a bedtime ritual by indulging in calming activities an hour or two before bed to help you unwind and relieve your mind of the day’s worries. Switch off the screens and try running a hot bath, reading a book, listening to an audiobook or podcast, or writing in a journal.

Tackling Stress-Related Insomnia on our sleep is its effect on our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing, all of which under strain can have a negative influence on our ability to get a good night’s rest. Heightened stress can also stack up and become challenging to rectify.

If you are experiencing stress-related insomnia, you are not alone. Luckily there are resources on ways we can turn our sleeplessness around.

With some forethought and dedication, we can decrease anxiety and stress-induced insomnia. Sleep these days is more precious than ever, providing respite, rest and healing, when we need it most.

We can start simply by preparing ourselves for a good night of sleep throughout the day. Think of your ideal slumber as something that you begin getting ready for from the moment you make your bed in the morning. We have the power through many small decisions to positively influence our quality of sleep.

Here are some useful techniques to help alleviate stress and ensure a better slumber: 1. Perfect your bedroom environment. Noise, temperature and light affect our ability to fall asleep and our quality of slumber once we do. It’s essential to

4. Sharing and communicating our woes with loved ones will remind us that we are not alone. This can be a powerful opportunity to discover surprising sources of support and solutions. These days this can be done both in person or virtually.

5. Try guided relaxation techniques. They can help to ground us and release the stress that builds up during the day. Meditation before bed can also be advantageous.

Try this practice instead of late night TV watching or scrolling through our devices.

6. Utilizing herbal remedies can help us to decompress and soothe us into

relaxation. Chamomile and Passionflower can be used in both tincture or tea form, and have all been widely recognized to calm nerves and initiate sleep. Lion’s Mane and Wild Mushroom tinctures are natural sleep regulators and have been known to support our brains’ performance while asleep.

approaches. If you have a spiritual path, follow its teachings and readings. They can keep you in a positive frame of mind with a broader perspective and calming messages of hope.

7. Stick to a lights out schedule. Timetables may be very loose right now, but it is good to remember to stick to a regular bedtime routine.

This helps to balance our circadian rhythm sleep cycle, making it much more likely to have consistent, higher quality sleep.

Dealing with stress is a part of life. At times, it can be overwhelming and feel like it will never go away. Knowing what tools work for you and how to use them to your advantage can give you an upper hand in clearing stress induced insomnia before it sets in. You have the power to transform these challenging emotional states and ensure they don’t hijack your precious sleep.

8. Lean into your spiritual practices. These can bring a level of stability that is often not found in secular

Resthouse Sleep Solutions 126 Station St, Downtown Duncan 250-597-7378

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Chantel and Dawn enjoy collaborating on blogs that help people sleep better.

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NOW OPEN Tuesday – Friday 11 am to 4 pm Saturday 10 am to 2 pm

Imagine That Artisans Designs Offers Finely Crafted Father’s Day Gifts

Imagine That! Artisans’ Designs 251 Craig St., Downtown Duncan

imaginethatartisans.com I 250-748-6776

I

magine That Artisans Designs has re-opened and we are looking forward to seeing our customers. Please drop by and see what we’ve been up to.

Looking for a Father’s Day gift?

Here are a few one-of-a-kind Father’s Day suggestions. All are made by local artisans.

Made With Wood: All of our wood products are crafted from local trees. The end result is an affordable selection of silky smooth boxes, chopping boards, bowls and spoons, sculptures, and mirror frames.

Wood workers include: Ken Broadland, Robert Andrews, Antho Santarossa, Ralph Erikson and Tod MacAneeley.

Coffee Mugs: How about a large, manly coffee mug? Sandi Madsen is known for her exquisite blue glazes while Hilary Huntley captures the deep greens and browns of the forest. Both are expert potters.

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DUNCAN

250 510 8700

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Bird Houses: While Dad sips his coffee he can watch the birds in their new bird house courtesy of Bonnie Hayward. Bonnie’s birdhouses

combine her carpentry skills and knowledge of birds with humour and panache.

Paintings: Michael Dean and Lynn Bisette’s paintings capture island life intimately and uniquely.

Michael’s subject matter includes detailed images of working marine vessels, logging trucks, and sea side vistas.

Lynn’s vibrant paintings capture local bays, boat houses and colourful tugs and sailboats.

Rugs: Katie Daniel’s rag rugs are a favourite gift choice. Attractive and washable, they suit just about any decor including a man cave.

Something Small: For the man who enjoys reading, consider an enamel on copper book mark by Margot Page. Or, perhaps a decorative bird or frog by metal artist Renae Lehmann.

Since hand washing is a must, how about a bar of handmade soap by Sarah Burdet (think ocean and forests). We also have a wide range of original art cards on hand, perfect for a Happy Father’s Day greeting.

Imagine That! Artisans’ Designs Cooperative, 251 Craig St, Duncan 250 748-6776 Submitted by Veronica Scott

H

For the Fathers!

appy June everyone, and a very Happy Father’s Day to all: from the whitehaired “grand-pappies” to the new and soon-to-be “first-time Dads.” Wishing you peace and happiness and the joy of family throughout the month of June.

And if the latter is you….a first-time Dad—well, you’re in for what I characterize as a “world-shaker,” and in the context of COVID-19, the complexities and anxieties are likely compounding…

Asked to write for this issue I wasn’t sure I had much to offer.

Yes, as a committed father of five I accept that I qualify to comment on Fatherhood: as an accessory and support worker to my wife Kate Koyote’s vocation as a Registered Midwife, and as the manager of the Matraea Centre—home to the Valley’s Matraea Midwives--I’m peripherally aware of a steady stream of new arrivals and the celebrations of many of the valley’s new families, but I do try to compartmentalize all that.

After all, for all the wonder of birth, the truth is that births are disruptive to normal life. My life’s been in a state of disruption for 23 years, and now that my eldest has eclipsed me as a career success, well…thankfully for the average Canadian that “disruption” is only visited on us with about the frequency of a mass pandemic… (The birth rate in Canada was 1.5 births per woman in 2017: so at that rate most Canadians will only have direct experience with birth once or twice in their lifetime…)

As the parenting element of

Fatherhood is certainly more of a marathon than it is a sprint--enduring for 20 or 30 years depending on how you frame it—the first-time Fathers contending with having new babies right now are definitely sorting out some compounding stresses, though a little bird told me that it doesn’t appear that this is discouraging “practicing” for Fatherhood, as judging by the boost in pre-natal bookings for December and January there seems to be a lot of “Watching NetFlix” going on during these COVID days…

Back to the Fatherhood: On top of the inevitable financial strains—whether a father has had to reduce work or not— there are additional challenges that may affect how it feels to be a new dad right now. Right off the top, for instance, socialdistancing recommendations have created new policies in prenatal care, wherein Father’s who would previously be encouraged and welcomed to attend prenatal visits with mom’s are now asked not to attend in order to minimize social contact and the potential spread of infection.

Pre-natal classes have gone online as well, and these factors together may increase a Father’s feeling of distance from the whole process…of feeling leftout, and in some cases perhaps even jealous and resentful of the attention the mom and baby are getting….It’s a pretty special moment to share as parents: hearing the Doppler amplified heart-beat that so underscores the magic of new life growing inside a mother’s beautiful,

round belly.

For those families fortunate enough to have extended family nearby, the support of grandparents can continue in some capacity—maybe contactless meal drop-offs, and/ or plans can be built around minimizing broader family contacts to reduce the anxiety around infant Coronavirus infection…however for those without relatives living nearby the current limitations to travel create a unique set of challenges, as the support system of grandparents who might come and visit to support a new family for the first several weeks is effectively eliminated . . . thus isolating the new parents and adding to the pressure on both the new mom and the new dad.

This is the time to lean on your community of friends and to access and organize delivery services from Grocers and local community groups like the Cowichan Green Community’s “Cow-op” If you are expecting, here’s a quick list of a few simple things you can do as a couple to prepare for the days ahead.

1. Consider Homebirth: interest is up, and if you’ve never thought about it before, there are more reasons than ever to look into it—not just the potential exposure to infection at the hospital–discuss this with your midwife and/or make an infection exposure reduction plan with your Family Physician.

If homebirth is not an option for you…write your MLA and the Minister of Health, Adrian Dix, and lobby for a free-standing Birth Centre in the Cowichan as an alternative to Hospital Delivery.

2. Seek Support from a Dadfriend: new dads are now less likely than ever to be able to tap into their social support networks…there’ll be no heading to the smoking room to share a cigar with your mates in these time--so it’s important to reach out. Try talking with a friend who has kids of their own, or seek out your friends when you can, and friends: Remember the new Dads you know and reach out to them—they may be whirling with the new reality and humdinger of it all…

3. Check out “The Early Days”

by Old Man Luedecke….it pretty much sums it all up…

Matraea Centre 170 Craig St, Downtown Duncan 250 597-0085 Rupert Koyote is the managing partner of the Matraea Centre and local organic producer, operating Shawl Farm.

Embracing wellness, family and community.

170 Craig St, Duncan • 1-844-MATRAEA www.matraea.com

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Hungry For Local?

Find food & drink produced near you with the newest Cowichan Grown Farm Map! Submitted by Laura Boyd-Clowes

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or eleven years, the annual Cowichan Grown Farm Map has helped visitors and local residents source Cowichangrown vegetables, fruits, meat, drink, and specialty products throughout our beautiful Valley, from Shawnigan Lake to south of Nanaimo.

www.theainslie.ca 161 Kenneth St., Duncan 250-597-3695

With Canada’s only MaritimeMediterranean climatic zone, the Cowichan continues to draw attention for its unique terroir, fertile soils and distinctive landscape. This is a region capable of producing a wonderfully diverse range of high-quality farm-fresh produce, artisanal foods, and beverages.

The Cowichan Grown Farm Map showcases this bounty, and the talented and hard-working producers behind it - this year, 55 unique farms and agri-businesses, all with something distinctive, fresh, and delicious to offer.

From seasonal fruits, veggies, ethically-raised meat and eggs, to wine, cider, honey, tea, syrups, seafood, nuts and wool, alllocal products can be found by browsing listings on the map or using the online component at cowichangreencommunity.org/ foodmap. Colorful print maps are available at Cowichan Green Community’s storefront at 360 Duncan Street in Duncan.

IMPORTANT: Some farms have temporarily closed to the public due to Covid-19. Please do not visit farms without pre-authorization, to avoid putting any of our community members at risk. Many roadside farmstands are still open, and some are now accepting e-transfers instead of cash. If a farm does not have a roadside stand, refer to their map listing for other ways to purchase from them (such as Cow-op.ca) Better yet, call ahead to directly

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arrange contactless pick-up - the farmer will be grateful for your business!

Cowichan-Grown newcomers: This year we are excited to feature several young up-andcoming farmers, a new local mushroom-grower, and, for the first time, a selection of farms on Salt Spring Island: Flora and Fungi Farm (Cobble Hill) – Flowers, vegetables and mushrooms!

Golden Greens Farm (Chemainus)– Grown without chemicals on beautiful Mt. Sicker Rd. Garlic, melons, cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, peas, tomatoes, peppers, squash, leafy greens and more.

Lavender and Black (Salt Spring Island) - Organic lavender and helichrysum farm offering tours and essential oil distilling workshops.

Celebrate 11 years of local food loving with Cowichan Green Community! Learn more about these and other amazing producers by picking up a free copy of the map at 360 Duncan St., or visiting: www. cowichangreencommunity.org/ foodmap. Phone 250-748-8506 for other pick-up locations near you.

Cowichan Green Community 360 Duncan Street Downtown Duncan 250-748-8506

Therapeutic Wool Submitted by Anyes deLaat

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n recent years wool has had a great surge in popularity. Not only is it an environmentally friendly and renewable resource, the material is durable, naturally therapeutic and ideal for footwear. This is because wool acts as a natural insulator, keeping your feet warm in winter, and cool in the summer. Wool fibres have a crimped shape, which results in air pockets that regulate temperature, and absorb more moisture than any other fibre-- 30-40%, allowing skin to remain dry, healthy, and odour free. Wool is naturally bacteria, mould, and fungus resistant.

Nearly all footwear is manufactured using synthetic material and substances that provide little to no breathability and airflow. Moisture from the body accumulates in your shoes, and results in a negative environment for your feet.

Bacteria thrive in moisture and darkness, and this can result in uncomfortable, smelly, and unhealthy conditions. Conditions such as Athlete’s Foot, which are caused by a foot fungus, thrive in these materials. Wool socks and wool insoles are the perfect remedy to combat these issues.

If you are diabetic, it is most important to wear breathable footwear, wool socks and insoles-- especially if you have neopay. If you have the sores on your toes and redness between them, weave loose wool between your toes to absorb the moisture and watch your sores diminish in record time. The little wool fibres create a micro massage which signals to the body for the nutrients to come to the problematic area. Wool fibre is predominantly made of keratin which is a protein that is present in our own hair and skin. Ceramides present in the wool are very similar in composition to those found on the corneal layer of the human skin tissue. For example: if the loose wool becomes part of the scab it will falls away with the scab. The body is a phenomenal piece of mechanics and the body heals itself if given the right conditions. Mother nature has absolutely everything for us if only we know what to use.

Soul Comfort is a local company that understands the many benefits of wool and how to use the versatile material to best suit

Happy Hour Daily 3-5pm featuring a weekly cocktail $7.50

JOIN US FOR DINNER

OPEN Tuesday to Saturday

look for our daily specials on 40 Ingram Street

www.theoldfirehouse.ca your needs. Owned and operated by the crafter and entrepreneur Anyes de Laat, wool has been the natural answer for over 35 years. Starting out as a slipper company, designing warm and fuzzy slippers to keep her family’s feet protected, Anyes quickly leaned the need for specialized wool footwear. Give wool a try. We custom fit, we take foot castings for special needs and design to your taste.

There is also a diagram on our website if coming in is an issue.

We guarantee your feet will never be happier!

Downtown Duncan

(250) 597-3473

Don’t be sheepish, please come to our factory store for some free information and advice. Under regular circumstances we are open 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Friday. Due to the current pandemic, please phone for a personalized appointment, where we can address your particular needs.

Mention this article and receive 10 percent off.

Soul Comfort Sheepskin Wool 190 Fourth Street Downtown Duncan 250-737-1281 41

ecosystem to a wilder state by reintroducing species that had been driven away or wiped out.

It goes further than conservation, which is protecting and restoring habitats without necessarily reintroducing native plants and animals.

Giving nature a chance improves our chances of well-being

I

n early 1995, eight grey wolves

were transferred from Jasper National Park in Alberta to Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. Within two years, 23 more were brought in. The last wolves in Yellowstone had been killed in the 1920s.

What happened next was remarkable. Over time, the wolves not only reduced rapidly increasing elk populations, but also caused elk and deer to move away from valley bottoms and riverbanks where they were easy prey. Deer and elk populations levelled off, new growth came in along rivers and valleys — attracting a wide variety of wildlife — and rivers even changed as new, healthier vegetation stabilized slopes and banks. The wolves now number about 94 in eight packs.

This is one example of “rewilding,” trying to restore an

Rewilding comes in many forms, and it’s something almost anyone can become involved in.

The David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project is a simple, successful effort to reintroduce native plants that support a range of pollinators, including monarch and other butterflies. The intent is to create a habitat network that can support critters as they feed, breed and migrate.

On a bigger scale, restoring and protecting habitat corridors for animals like caribou and grizzly bears that require large ranges ensures that they and the many species under their “umbrella” are able to survive and hopefully thrive. (“Umbrella” species are those whose conservation also protects numerous other species that share their range; they are often indicators of ecosystem health.)

Whether it’s conservation or rewilding, we know that when we give nature a chance, it bounces back. Because we’re part of nature and rely on everything it provides, that’s to our benefit.

We can’t change the planet back to a wild paradise, but we can take steps to reverse some of the damage we’ve done. As the Butterflyway Project shows,

Zak Stolk Violin Maker

25 Years Experience of Lutherie in the Italian Tradition.

Making, repair and restoration of Violins, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Harp, and all manner of Stringed Instruments.

250-749-6563 zakviolins@shaw.ca www.zakviolins.com 42

efforts can start small, on your block or in your neighbourhood.

But don’t be surprised if people want to join in. (Keep in mind physical distancing and other health rules and recommendations.)

The idea has been spreading as fast as milkweed in southern Ontario!

There are so many opportunities to bring nature back, from the many lawns that rarely get used to forests and wetlands taken over by resource development. Lawns could be “rewilded” or used to grow food. Cleaning up the many abandoned and orphaned oil wells and the roads and clearings around them would bring ecosystems and habitat back to health while providing good jobs.

A growing number of economists, ecologists, scientists and planners are recognizing the value of “natural assets” — the many services and functions nature provides that often cost less and are more efficient than built infrastructure.

Research by the David Suzuki Foundation and the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative, in collaboration with a number of towns and cities in B.C., New Brunswick and Ontario, found protecting or restoring ecosystems offers immense value in terms of water purity, flood control, storm protection and more — without the expensive maintenance and limited shelf life of built infrastructure that provides similar services.

Beyond their local benefits, healthy, intact ecosystems do so much, from sequestering carbon to providing food. They can even prevent or at least reduce the number of deadly diseases that jump from animals to humans — 60 per cent of new or re-emerging diseases since 1940, including HIV, Ebola, Zika and a number of

coronaviruses came from animals, wild and domestic, in part because of forest and habitat destruction.

We know when we give nature a chance to recover, it will, and when we work to restore it, amazing things can happen.

We’re showing now that we’re capable of doing what’s needed to keep ourselves and each other safe and healthy. It’s a difficult time for so many people around the world. But we’ve come together, and we’ve slowed down.

Let’s imagine a world where we recognize our interdependence with nature — that what we do to it, we do to ourselves.

Let’s give nature a chance and, in doing so, give our species a better chance for happier, healthier ways to live.

Learn more at davidsuzuki.org

David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation.

Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Senior Editor and Writer Ian Hanington.

Healthy Ways to Work From Home

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irst; set the space.

Second; set the pace.

Using a space in your home that’s designated solely for work will help your body and mind separate the professional from the personal. Once you’ve decided on a space you can work on optimizing the space for health and productivity.

Use wooden furniture wherever possible. Studies show that solid wood work surfaces reduce stress and increase productivity because of their warm and natural look and feel.

Investing in an adjustable height desk can allow you to choose the most comfortable position. A standing working position can Increase energy levels, productivity and reduce back pain.

Whilst sitting, an ergonomic chair will keep you properly aligned throughout the day.

The Ergo sit/stand desk made from solid Cowichan Maple with automatic, adjustable steel base.

If you don’t have an unused guest room or a powered garden shed, use curtains, room screens or your own creative solution to help define and section off your space from the rest of the house.

You have free reign over your home office so create space for soothing elements such as artwork, views, music or scents.

Setting the pace is all about great scheduling. Start well by showering and dressing as if you are going into the office. Set a realistic schedule for your day and stick to it.

Schedule your breaks, get up every hour and get outside at least once a day. Schedule regular meetings with your team, if only, to just check in.

Schedule meetings with other telecommuter community members, there’s a large percentage of folks who have been working this way for a while.

Find out more about Live Edge Design at www.liveedgedesign.com.

Donna Shaw is a WFH mom, who helps clients bring nature into their homes.

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SUMMER CAMP

CAMP PRINGLE SHAWNIGAN LAKE Camp Pringle is a United Church camp located on a 22-acre property in Shawnigan Lake. After careful consideration we have made the difficult decision to cancel our overnight summer camps.

We are grieving the loss of these overnight programs but we are thrilled to announce we will remain open for day camps!

Our day camp program is open to children of all abilities & identities. For the summer of 2020 we have increased our day camp age range to 6-13 to accommodate older campers who would typically attend overnight programs.

Our outdoor adventure-based camps feature low-contact activities including archery, kayaking, hiking, paddle

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boarding, orienteering & more! Staff members have been carefully trained on provincial sanitation requirements to ensure equipment is thoroughly sanitized between each use and physical distancing will be in place during all activities. Please visit our website for a complete list of covid-19 safety protocols in place at our facility.

Day camps are $260.00/week for children ages 6-10 and $290.00/week for children ages 11-13. Camp hours are 8:30am-5:00pm but parents should allow for extra time to accommodate physical distance protocols during daily drop off and pick up.

Registration is online at www.camppringle.com. For more information on summer programs email info@ camppringle.com.

FUN IN COWICHAN

KINPARK KIDS CAMP From July 6th to September 4th, KinPark Kid’s Camp is a great opportunity for children ages 6 – 10 to learn about gardening, nature and food while making lasting memories and friendships at KinPark Youth Urban Farm downtown Duncan. Each day focuses on a different theme that is reflected in the day’s activities, discussions, and games. Our goal is to teach children how to grow, harvest, and cook healthy food in a fun, hands-on, and engaging way, and provide them with opportunities to expand their physical, social and practical skills in order to live sustainably. Aside from gardening, planting seeds, harvesting crops, and cooking, other activities include yoga, sports, crafts, skill-building, leadership-taking, and team building.

frequent hand-washing, sanitizing, and social distancing as much as possible. To review our COVID-19 protocol, please visit our website www. cowichangreencommunity.org/ project/kinpark-kids-camp-2/.

Registration costs are $150/ week ($120 for August long-weekend). Register at our reFRESH Store on 360 Duncan Street, or go online for our registration form at www. cowichangreencommunity.org/ project/kinpark-kids-camp-2/ and submit via email to camp@ cowichangreencommunity. org. For more information please call 250-7488506 or email camp@ cowichangreencommunity.org.

Trial By Fire Pottery Studio 4-6 Week Wheel Classes

Hilary Huntley

www.trialbyfirepottery.ca I 250-710-8758 www.trialbyfirepottery.ca

Your child(ren)’s health and safety is our top priority.

In response to COVID-19, our KinPark Kid’s Camp staff and counsellors are following strict protocol to keep campers healthy and safe by implementing 45

Wilderness Kayaking

SUMMER CAMP

LESSONS • TOURS • RENTALS • SALES

www.wilderness-kayaking.com

Summer Youth Programs From Maple Bay • KAYAK KIDS - INTRODUCTION TO SEA KAYAKING July 6-9; July 20-23; Aug 10-13 Sessions Monday - Thursday 9am - 1pm • YOUTH TOUR N’ LEARN - GULF ISLANDS 3 DAY OVERNIGHT TRIP July 13-15; Aug 17-19 AGES 13-16 • YOUTH DAY TRIP ADVENTURES - LEAD BY EXPERIENCED GUIDES - July 10, July 24, Aug 14 Fridays 9am - 3pm

ALSO OFFERING: family paddles, sup rentals, harbour tours, moonlight paddles, birthday parties, day tours, multi day tours, double kayaks, single kayaks, rentals, sales, lessons and more.

Call for more info or to reserve.

6683 Beaumont Ave, Maple Bay 250 746-0151 Cell: 250 715 7482

info@wilderness-kayaking.com

The Clay Hub Collective

We miss our Clay Community please see website for ongoing updates.

Stay safe everyone.

www.theclayhubcollective.weebly.com

Client Centred, Client Focused

FAIZAL CHARANIA

Licensed Real Estate Consultant RE/MAX of Duncan - Mill Bay 472 Trans Canada Highway Office: 250.748.7200 www.faizal.charania.remax.ca • Residential • Agri Business • Strata I mobile (250) 732.5250 46

WILDERNESS KAYAKING SUMMER YOUTH CAMPS MAPLE BAY Bring your friends to Maple Bay and try Sea Kayaking, Stand up Paddle Boarding or join in on a Youth kayaking day trip.

All camps and rentals will follow guidelines for reducing the risk of COVID. Should the need arise to cancel or postpone a camp then full refunds will be offered.

Kayak Kids camp ages 6-12 - an introduction to kayaking $135+tax July 6-9; 20-23; Aug 10-13. Learn

kayak skills and safety, basic weather interpretation, on water games and more…

Youth Tour ‘N’ Learn kayak tour ages 12+ - this 3 day/ 2 night trip combines all the basic sea kayaking skills, trip planning and preparation while paddling to a local Gulf Island for the overnight adventure. $225 +tax For more information call 250746-0151 or email info@ wilderness-kayaking.com

FUN IN COWICHAN ensure the health and safety of children and staff using BC Ministry of Health, Worksafe BC and CVRD guidelines.

COWICHAN ESTUARY NATURE CENTRE COWICHAN BAY We’re offering our Estuary Nature & Science Day Camps again this July and August! Being outdoors with appropriate distancing is one of the healthiest places to be these days, and we’re developing protocols to

In our 5-day camps small groups ages 5-7 and 7-9 will explore the clam beds, eelgrass meadows and mudflats of beautiful Cowichan Bay, and learn about pollinators, shoreline plants, inter-tidal species and coastal birds. They’ll practice their discovery skills through creative play, while learning gratitude and respect for self and others.

learning package, including their own bucket and shovel to discover who lives on the beach. Using fun ageappropriate approaches, we’ll encourage hand-washing, focus on “no contact/low contact” activities, and ensure participants and staff are healthy and symptom-free each day.

Registration Details Timing: 9am - 3pm Mon-Fri. Fee: $225 /child.

Bursaries available application and registration link on our website: http://www.cowichanestuary. ca/programs/camps/ or contact camps@ cowichanestuary.ca.

Health and Safety The fun and learning will all be within required Covid-19 physical distancing and safety protocols. There’ll be shade/ rain canopies so we can be outside most of the time. Each camper will have their own

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Where Wonder Walks, a Learning Soul Rejoices Sunrise Waldorf School (SWS) is an independent school located in the Cowichan Valley. At it’s core, Waldorf education is developmentally appropriate, experiential, and academically rigorous. Waldorf education aims to inspire a love for learning in students, and to enable them to fully develop their unique capacities. The school is proud to share the top spot Fraser Institute ranking of 1/955 BC Schools this year.

Clay Sculpture I became interested in pottery because I was first interested in mud art. Mud art is created with mud instead of paint, and instead of brushes, the artist uses their hands.

The oldest clay sculpture in China appeared in the neolithic age, about 3000 BC. It developed continuously from 202 BC to 220 AD, when it became a most impressive art form.

The most famous clay sculpture artist is Yang Huizhi, known to create vivid facial expressions, precisely proportioned figures, standing or sitting in fascinating stances, each telling a wonderous story without words. He was often called the God of Sculpture.

Teresa really likes making sculptures with clay or ceramics.

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Raising Chickens When raising chickens you have to decide if you want to start with chickens or chicks.

We started with around 9 chicks, and now have 18 full grown chickens. We raise our birds for egg production and we feed them layer pellets every third day. One of the advantages to starting a flock with chicks, is that you get to know the individuals and so can take better care of them.

For most breeds of chickens, egg production goes up in the summer and down in the winter, however this differs for each breed. You should keep this in mind when choosing your flock.

Alyra really wants to own some land with remote cabins and have a pilot’s license.

Graffiti Art Graffiti is a type of art that is very controversial in our society. Two of my favourite graffiti artists are Banksy and Cartoon. Cartoon’s real name is Mark Machado and he is commonly known for doing tattoos on celebrities.

Mr. Cartoon currently lives in California.

Banksy is an anonymous British street artist who is quite famous. He has been an artist and political activist since the late 80s. I am a new artist and have been inspired by both their works and style of art. I hope to inspire the world one day just as Banksy and Cartoon inspired me.

Joe has a passion for fine art and animation.

The Secret Language of Codes I chose codes for my grade eight project because it is like a secret language. A code or a cipher is like a virtual pad lock. The strongest ciphers are the most random ones, which provide one-time padperfect secrecy. Ciphers are typically used by the Armed Forces, bankers and spies to disguise communications.

Codes are also the backbone of our banking security today.

The Caesar cipher invented

by Julius Caesar is the root of modern coding. I learned that codes and ciphers have shaped our world and we wouldn’t have computers or credit cards if it weren’t for Julius Caesar.

Nora has a bright future, definitely involving math and creative problem solving.

Sunrise Waldorf School Grade 8 As part of this graduating year from Sunrise Waldorf School, Class 8 students found numerous ways to demonstrate their learning through their passions. The following are but brief exposés, small snapshots, of their wondrous interests and capacities. Félicitations, Grade 8 Grads! From Bard to Borrowed Time, you are an outstanding class!

- Mme. Alexander

Raptors Are Remarkable Species I chose raptors for my Grade 8 Project, and my mentor is Tina Hein, a wildlife biologist who works at Pacific Northwest Raptors. I’ve been interested in raptors since the age of 10 when I did my first summer camp at Raptors and learned many incredible facts. Did you know that Barn Owls hear a mouse’s heartbeat under snow... from forty feet up in a tree, or that Turkey Vultures float on thermal currents for seven hours without once flapping their wings?

Living on Vancouver Island, we can witness daily this remarkable species of birds. Whether it’s bald eagles perched on a tree during the salmon run, turkey vultures soaring in the heat of a summer’s day, or red-tailed hawks watching for prey from a telephone pole beside the highway, we can count ourselves lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest!

Rufus enjoys playing softball and doing drone photography.

Everything Theater Social Change and Music “A song is just a song, but who knows what future souls will be strengthened by these songs?”

Pete Seeger I am studying the connection between music and social movements. I have always been interested in politics and how they work. I am also fascinated by what music does to the brain. Recently, I have started to see a connection between the two.

Through my studies, I have learned how music can fuel hearts, minds, and actual revolutions. A song you hear on the radio could be just another tune, or it could be the start of a thought that changes the world. With music you can expose any wronged political power with something everyone wants to hear. A song.

Cosmo loves reading and writing and has a fondness for poetry.

I was introduced to acting in Grade 2 at Sunrise Waldorf School and loved it ever since. Besides our yearly plays, I also started acting outside of school. Choosing this topic as my Grade 8 project was only logical.

Theatre has taught me many lessons that I can not only use in the theatre but in life as well. “Start small and work your way up” is a phrase I always remember. Overall I think one of the reasons I love theatre is not only being on stage, but also the friends you make along the way.

Fenna enjoys baking and acting and hopes to pursue one of them in the future.

Human Resilience Human resilience seems very relevant as the world faces a pandemic. Resilience is a potential in everyone, it helps you survive adverse, stressful situations… and thrive! I learned that our greatest need is relationship and greatest stressor is facing separation.

I discovered we adapt and become resilient through feeling our emotions and expressing them, especially uncomfortable ones like sadness. Crying is good for you! Play, like music, art, writing, and dance helps you access your feelings and move through those tough emotions so you can find happiness and joy!

Resilience helps you live a healthy and balanced life!

Thank you, Heather Ferguson (clinical counsellor) for your mentorship!

Jade is a passionate Irish dancer, artist, sister, and animal lover, and is community minded.

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• All things natural and beautiful for you and your children • Beautiful and inspiring books for all ages and levels of interest • Wonderful organic merino/silk, wool clothing from age 0 - adult • Wooden toys, puzzles, games, silks, dolls, cards, calendars, prints • Birthday rings, craft kits, musical • nstruments and much more.

• Painting, drawing, knitting wool, felting, beeswax, craft & lots handwork books & supplies

Beautiful selection of “moving” cards Proudly carrying a full line of school and art supplies from Mercurius along with quality organic clothing lines for the whole family; A great selection of wooden toys, puzzles, play cloths and games from Sarah’s Silks, Londji, Grimms, Ostheimer, Camden Rose and more. Amazing ointments and Home Remedies from Uriel; Beautiful cards and hundreds of book titles for children and adults from Wynstone Press, Floris Books, Steiner Press, Hawthorn, Lindisfarne, Temple Lodge and much more. The Freya-Sophia Waldorf Store is here to nurture the gentle unfolding of childhood through the seasons. An intentional alternative to our high-tech world.

Located next to the Community Farm Store — Something for all ages and stages of life!

BOOKS, SUPPLIES AND RESOURCES FOR PARENTS, EDUCATORS, HOMESCHOOLERS, CARERS AND ALL STUDENTS OF LIFE (SOL)

250-597-4763

Here at the Freya-Sophia Waldorf store we are inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner and committed to meeting the soul needs of our children and our community by providing books, toys, supplies, resources, classes, workshops, instruction, support and conversation to those who visit us. We are here to help and to support.

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June is water month!

Here are a few of the amazing books we carry to help us appreciate, explore and understand the miraculous and mysterious qualities of water.

Amongst our many titles are the books by Thomas Cowan M.D. including his newest book, Cancer and the new biology of Water; a groundbreaking look at the role of water in living organisms that ultimately brings us closer to answering the riddle of the etiology of, and therapy and treatment for, cancer.

Other titles we carry by Thomas Cowan offer revolutionary insights on childhood illness and the human heart. For those with a longing to learn, you will love our store!

Rudolf Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, playwright and artist who lived between 1861 and 1925. The influence of Steiner’s multifaceted genius has led to innovative and holistic approaches in medicine, education, philosophy, religious renewal, movement, speech, drama, agriculture (biodynamics), beekeeping and the arts. We carry a vast selection of titles on these subjects and much more.

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S

cotch broom overwhelm! It happens every year. May shows us of how extensively broom has spread in our community. Now it’s June and the flowers are turning to seed.

The best time to cut broom is in full bloom (April – May) because the plant’s energy is above ground producing flowers. If cut at ground level, in bloom, the stressed plant will die in summer’s dry heat.

Broom seeds love bare soil and sunlight; they will not germinate

Broom in June in deep shade. So, don’t disturb the soil, protect your ground cover, and preserve and plant trees.

What can you do in June?

Broom plants cut in June and early July will still die – especially in dry heat. But ask yourself - How can I keep these seeds from spreading?

On your own property, in farm fields, under powerlines and large infestations, broom can be piled on top of infested areas, far away from traffic and pedestrians. Cut into smaller lengths to shrink faster. Burn next fall when rains return.

Sometimes with a small amount of broom, you can “Cut and Drop” or stash in the brush.

Seed pods still turn into seeds but will not spread to new areas.

And that broom plant is gone.

• Permaculture Design + Food Forests • Lawn Care / Pruning / Hedging / Irrigation • Gabion Systems • Flagstone Pathways & Patios • Erosion Control / Habitat Restoration • Therapeutic Medicinal Plant & Zen Gardens • Fungal / Herbal Medicine Products & Consultation • Compost & Soil Fertility Management

Eco + Ornamental Design 52

There were more volunteers all over Vancouver Island this year! The isolation has made us more aware of the land close to home and inspired a desire to protect it. Invasive species are the second greatest threat to biodiversity globally, second only to development.

But we humans can definitely control Scotch broom. Cutting properly works. Working together works. We can do this!

Thank you to all who cut broom anywhere! If you missed the window, be ready for next April. “Cut Broom in Bloom!”

www.broombusters.org

Submitted by Joanne Sales

Kurtis Howes 250-210-1705

To understand how to get rid of broom, it helps to understand the plant. How does broom spread so quickly and densely?

The SEEDS! Broom does not spread from the roots, like blackberry or knotweed.

Broom roots die easily, which is why you don’t need to pull them. But seeds are prolific and remain viable for years.

F

our months ago no one could have predicted the effect this pandemic would have on us all and how it has changed our lives, the challenges posed and the devastating consequences to many small businesses.

So, with reducing the spread of COVID 19 and the safety of our customers and staff our number one priority it was difficult to decide when and how to re-open our business.

Although influenced by the stark reality that to “stay in business you have to be in business” there was a bigger incentive.

For six years our business has a leader in sea kayak and paddle board instruction; our mission is to make paddling an accessible recreational activity for all levels of paddlers through innovative instruction & training programs with safety and enjoyment at the heart of everything we do. Getting back to business we will ensure we are able to

Getting You Back on The Water provide that valuable training once again.

The next step was how to achieve this goal safely and the protocols we would need in place before opening. We designed a customer questionnaire for all participants to complete prior to their visit with us and added extra preventative measures to mitigate the risk from COVID 19, including enhanced payment procedures and increased cleaning of equipment and sanitation.

To address the need to promote social distancing despite being out side in the fresh air we are reducing group numbers and offering more courses and tours to accommodate. However, kayak safety training includes rescuing your buddy and getting them back into their kayak – an assisted rescue. This posed the biggest challenge as the standard T rescue, we would usually use encroaches on the social distancing guidelines. To overcome this we are introducing additional rescues where we can maintain distance. Another solution

is encouraging participants to come as a couple, bring a family member or someone in their social bubble.

To encourage this we are introducing a 2 for 1 deal allowing customers to invite a friend or family member at no additional cost. For folks looking for a relaxing paddle with their family, throughout June we are offering “children under 12 come free” on all wildlife and sunset tours.

Finally we needed to decide on a date, we choose Saturday May 30th – over the last few weeks we have been working closely with our awesome landlords The Mill Bay Marina Group and our amazing team of instructors. We are ready to go and looking forward to paddling with you this season.

www.bluedogkayaking.com

David Nichols Owner, Director Blue Dog Kayaking paddle@ bluedogkayaking.com 250 710 7693

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Heaven or Hell: Which One Are You Living in Right Now?

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Lesley Young is an Advanced Neuroptimal Neurofeedback practitioner offering transformative sessions locally.

s I sit here in self-isolation, I am enjoying what is being offered to me right now: a pause from the rigors of a daily schedule, more quality time with my family, and much needed selfcare. Consequently, my heart is flooded with a sense of gratitude and joy. In fact, I almost forget there is a pandemic going on until I have to leave my sanctuary and venture out to shop for groceries.

Once out into the world I am astounded by the fear and anxiety that some people appear to be experiencing. Why, during this pandemic, are some people experiencing heaven on earth and others a living hell?

Now I certainly acknowledge the suffering of those who have been directly affected by the virus and those who have lost their income.

But what about the rest of us?

Why would this forced “time out” be felt as a welcoming gift by some and a prison by others?

In his book Everything is Here to Help You, Matt Kahn claims that in order to heal our emotional density within (i.e. deep-rooted

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anxiety, fear, sadness, anger) we need to give ourselves “the gift of space”—a break from our daily routines and distractions.

According to Matt Kahn, our hearts require these moments of spaciousness and rest to heal and align.

Those who meditate or take regular time outs from life’s routines and distractions know this gift of space and its benefits well. In my observation, these people tend to be the ones enjoying this forced isolation.

However, for those who rarely take time to slow down and go within, this gift of space may be perceived as a nightmare as it triggers unconscious emotional density; overwhelming the person with anxiety, fear, and anger.

None of us are completely immune to the effects of this prolonged time out. Between moments of bliss, I have certainly experienced fear and anxiety around homeschooling my nine-year-old daughter.

Initially I felt angry and inconvenienced. However, a deeper look within revealed the root cause and with compassion,

self-love and patience I was able to transform this anxiety into an opportunity to create a greater connection with my daughter.

If you do feel overwhelmed with emotion and cannot find relief, neurofeedback can help.

Neurofeedback can help you to quickly move through all the emotional density that is being triggered by this pandemic. I saw this played out in one of my clients. The first time she came for a session she was wearing what looked like a gas mask and her eyes were filled with fear.

After a few sessions her anxiety lessened, and she was able to go out in the world without her gas mask. She reported that she felt calmer and more relaxed than she has felt in a long time and yet the world events had not changed!

If Matt Kahn is right and everything is a here to help us, then maybe this unprecedented time is an opportunity for healing—healing ourselves, our families, and Mother Earth.

If you are finding it challenging to sustain a healthy mind and lifestyle during these unprecedented times remember that you are not alone. Support is available.

Help Raise Awareness

By Painting Messages of Strength During times of isolation, restricted access to services, economic downturn and increased stress occurrences of violence against women escalate - intimate partner violence, family violence, sexual assault. Help raise awareness by painting rocks with messages of strength, courage and self-love. On the back, write our message “Domestic Violence... women are NOT ‘Safer At Home’ COVID-19” #sharethelovecovid19 . “Share the Love” and generate a sense of community during these socially challenging times by using sanitized hands to leave your rock in a public place. www.warmlandwomen.org fb/warmlandwomen Instagram warmlandwomen

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s we are slowly emerging from quarantine, we are still encouraged to stay at home as much as possible. Practicing your exercise routine at home is one aspect of life that Valley Voice readers have had to adapt to in this Covid-19 world we live in.

Practicing yoga@home

For some, if you were regularly attending a yoga studio for class you may have found it hard to keep up your own practice at home. Or you may be new to yoga and home) and you just never had a chance to start.

I often say that everyone can do yoga. And it’s true. Everyone can do yoga at anytime. Right now you can practice. Let’s do yoga together.

First, notice where you are sitting or lying down to read this article.

Feel the sensations of your skin touching clothing or furniture.

Feel how gravity is working on your body. Notice your hands, if they are touching this paper, or resting on a surface, feel your eyes as they move across the words. Then, become aware of your emotions, are you feeling sad, happy, rejected, ecstatic, depressed, lonely, joyful, irritated? Become aware of whatever you are feeling and simply allow yourself to feel.

Next, notice any thoughts you are having. They may be thoughts about the past or the future. The images in your mind could be distracting you, just notice.

Now, bring your attention to your breath. Notice your how you are inhaling and exhaling. Bring the light of your awareness into your breathing, into this moment now.

Be curious.

How does it feel to join with yourself in this way? Stay curious, and don’t think there is a correct way to be. There is simply this now. And you are joining it. You are in a deeper connection with everything that is arising inside of you.

It’s that simple.

There, we just did yoga. Read the paragraph above again more slowly and do some more yoga.

True yoga means there is no need to do anything special with your body. Yoga translated means joining, union, connecting. It is about staying present with yourself. It is about meeting your body and your mind, your emotions and thoughts, and so connecting to your whole self.

The only thing you need to practice yoga is yourself and your present moment awareness.

You can practice yoga lying in your bed, walking your dog, standing doing the dishes, kneeling while gardening, playing with your kids or grandkids. Anytime you bring yourself back to this moment now to notice and fully connect to what you are doing and what you are feeling, you are practicing yoga.

A formal yoga class will show you how to use the light of your awareness in a guided and very deliberate way in different poses.

This is the “practice”. Then after the practice comes the real yoga, the moment you get off your mat and move about your daily life. Notice if you can continue to experience the beauty and the wonder of the world from a body and mind that work together, that are connected.

Yoga teaches you to live from an open heart that beats only in this moment now. That’s yoga@ home. www.kathywhiteyoga.com Kathy White, yoga teacher, art therapist and certified facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie. Her yoga studio is in Crofton. She teaches Kaiut Yoga in her studio and currently all classes are online on Zoom.

Traditional Chinese Exercise for Health Wild Goose Qigong (Chi Gong) Gentle movement Calms your mind Heals internal organs Develops flexibility Mondays 9~10:15am (Rivendell) Wednesdays 10:15am-11:30am Thursdays 8:45am-10am (HUB) Fridays 10am-11:15am (Victoria) Northern Shaolin Chun Yuen Quan Dynamic movement Improves posture Increases energy Strengthens bones Tuesdays 6pm-7:15pm Wednesdays 9am-10:15am

250 748 4060 rivendellrhythm@shaw.ca

www.WildGooseQigongCentre.com

Diana Pink I 250 597-2102 I afreshstart@shaw.ca 55

DIRECTORY OF LOCAL SERVICES

A great way to discover local services and businesses. 2 sizes of ad space are available to suit every business message and budget. Affordable, stylish and straight to the point.

Directory Size A - 1 logo + 8-12 word listing Full Colour 1 X $63 6X $53 12X $43 Black & White 1 X $52 6X $42 12X $32 Contact Adrienne Richards for more info 250 510 6596 or by phone to adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com Deadline for July 2020 Issue 140 - June 18

Acupuncture

Artist Studio

A practice focused on health solutions through Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Online booking & direct billing.

Clearwater Studio, on Clearwater Farm Open By Appointment or Sundays, 11am to 4 pm, June through September.

Visit clearwaterstudio.ca

Dr. Kevin Ianson, Dr.TCM (R.Ac)

3915 Clearwater Road, Cobble Hill

4705 Trans Canada Hwy I 250-889-9066 I www.pestleandpins.com

Ayurveda

Clay

Trial By Fire Pottery Studio

Ayurvedic Life Transformations

Uniquely Tailored Explorations Into The Self

4-6 Week Wheel Classes

Coaching, Counselling, Yoga Therapies & Bodywork

Asrael 250 597 3973 www.ayurvedicbliss.com

Hilary Huntley

www.trialbyfirepottery.ca I 250-710-8758 www.trialbyfirepottery.ca Natural Beauty

End of Life Care

Prudence

Let us help you with: •advance care plans •celebration of life •legacy projects

•downsizing •support networks •family meetings

Natural Skincare & Cosmetics

Sunday 12-4pm, Monday 10-4pm Tuesday to Thursday 10-4pm, Friday 10-5:30pm • 155 Craig Street, Downtown Duncan

250 732 6452

www.greatcircleplanning.ca

www.prudencenaturalbeauty.ca

Wise Words

THE PROFESSIONAL MOBILE SPA THAT COMES TO YOU!

Lexington Spa

• MANICURES Cindy Beam, Owner • PEDICURES • REFLEXOLOGY 250 514-1380 lexingtonspa@shaw.ca I www.lexingtonspa.ca

My father used to say that it’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said, ‘You never know what you can accomplish until you try.’

Discussion Group on 5G

Michael Jordan, NBA Star

A concerned group of citizens in the Cowichan Valley are looking for a moratorium on 5G until proven safe for our communtiy. If you are interested in more discussion on this topic with others please contact dorotheasiegler@gmail.com

Food More than a Meat Shop Gluten Free/Organic Pasta’s, Organic Meat, Homemade Sausage, International Foods.

The Duncan Butcher 430 Trans Canada Hwy 250 748 -6377 56

CSA shares available in 15 or 30 week options CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLES & MEAT rupert@shawlfarm.ca

Health and Healing Customizable Organic Mattresses, Pillows, Linens Locally made Platform Beds and Furniture 126 Station St. 250-597-REST (7378) www.resthouse.ca

Hidden Gem Reiki Studio

Judy Johnstone, Reiki Master 250-661-0192 www.hiddengemreiki.com

Bioenergetic Balancing with Magnets & Energy Healing

* Boost the immune system *

Prevent illness & fatigue * Feel healthier

Kathryn Lowther - Biomagnetism & HUE Energy Healer 250-891-5138 www.biomagcanada.ca

Reflexology I Indian Head Massage Lymphatic Release Technique Enabling your body to heal itself, naturally.

naturalheelingreflexology.com Call Helga 250-732-7988

Restore your digestive system with Colon Hydrotherapy.

Your health is the only wealth that matters!

Michelle Bird Colon Hydrotherapist

250-510-3540 Sol Centre 5380 Trans Canada Hwy, Duncan I www.thecleansingroom.com

Reflexology by Joy

What’s your story around body image/ food/health?

Did you know?

It’s not so much WHAT you eat that affects you, but what’s EATING YOU! Lifestyle Mentor I Certified Eating Psychology Coach

AMANDA CHARTRAND

778 678 1705 I mbodympowermbrace@outlook.com

The good news is that Eating Psychology can help you understand.

Relax and rejuvenate each and every part of your body, including the glands and organs. specializing in toes•calves•lower legs• knees jstalinski@shaw.ca I 250 246 1401

ISLANDROLFING.COM

Restoring Fascia Health and Wellbeing

Advanced Rolfer™ Visceral Manipulation Practitioner

BRETT HOLLAND I 250.920.8818

Violet Reynolds, RMT, CASE, RDYT500 Classes: Somatics and Somatic Yoga Individual Appointments:Clinical Somatics

www.duncanwellnesscentre.com

250 748-6600

Psychic

Pet Care & Grooming

Modern Day Oracle * Spiritual Mediumship * Energy Healing

* Card Readings * Empowerment Sessions

Call Sacred Silence 250-710-5287 www.sacredsilence.net or facebook: Sacred Silence

Lucky Dog U-Bath, Duncan Now accepting new grooming clients.

Book online www.luckydogubath.ca Or call 250-597-7364

Valley Voice Directory Advertising

SEE and BE SEEN! Target over 25,000 local readers to your business.

Contact Adrienne Richards 250 510 6596 adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com 57

June is Water Month at The Community Farm Store; join us in celebrating and learning more about this powerful life force. Water is essential to our health and vitality. How can we do our best to care for and conserve water and the world that lives beneath the surface? We are committed to protecting our World’s water and supporting sustainable choices for seafood, sea vegetables, salts, water vessels, purification systems, and reusables to keep plastic waste out of our rivers, lakes and oceans. We always strive to bring you the most sustainable and durable options.

Appointments available: Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am-12pm.

To book please email: cfsforthesoul@gmail.com or message us on our Facebook page “CFS for the Soul”

Celebrate the magic of gem water with 25% off our full VitaJuwel water bottle collection at CFS for the Soul for the entire month of June (in stock items only).

The Community Farm Store

Organic Health & Whole Food Market www.communityfarmstore.ca

2-5380 Hwy 1, Duncan BC V9L 6W4 250-748-622

CFS Hours

Father’s Day is June 21st! Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad. - Anne Geddes

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Monday-Saturday 10-6 Closed Sunday

Open July 1st 10-6

Please follow our Facebook Page for the latest information

Thank you to our wonderful customers and community.

We appreciate everything you are doing to help us and each other.

Island Hellerwork & Somatic Counselling ALIGN - CONNECT - EMBODY

Calling Native American Flute Players and Enthusiasts

H

ealing with sound has been around for thousands of years. There have been many instruments used for healing, including, didgeridoos from Australia, Tibetan Singing bowls, Tuning Forks, Native Drums, Rattles, voice in sound vibration and chanting, and of course my favourite…….. the Native American Flute.

The sound of the Native American Flute is an ancient sound. There are a number of cultures around the world that have flutes with a similar sound to the Native American Flute. Flutes from Peru, South America, in Europe, flutes from Ireland and even China to name a few.

I have been creating Heart Song Native American Style Flutes for 15 years, and have created close to 1000 flutes that are being played locally, throughout Canada, and around the globe.

During this time of self-isolation, I have come to realize, it’s not really the flute that I am creating...but the ability to create their sound.

It is a sound that I believe, affects us on a cellular level, and lives in our DNA. Having sold these flutes at markets and festivals for a long time, I have heard many people say they feel the vibration of the sound, in their bellies, or in their hearts.

Many people have just broken out in tears, just hearing the sound for the first time.

Heal Trauma Increase Vitality Improve Posture & Alignment Freedom From Chronic Pain & Injury Improve Movement & Flexibility Heal Anxiety & Depression Better Sports Performance

islandhellerwork.com I 250-661-1687

People who have purchased these flutes have done so when they were going through a rough time, a time of grieving or separation.

People have purchased them for loved ones, to bring calm and healing. Some say different tones bring healing to specific chakras of the body.

These flutes have also been purchased by some just to connect, to that soulful part of themselves.

These flutes are created from nature and are best played outside in nature. Many times they are played reflecting the sounds of our natural environment.

Chirps and barks, to mimic birds and animals, breathy sounds, reflecting the sound of the wind.

I would like to invite Native American Flute players and enthusiasts to join me for an event. This is not a gathering, and social distancing, will be asked to be respected to all who participate, and the number of people will be limited. It is my hope, should

this event be successful, that we can continue a similar event in various locations on Vancouver Island, and maybe even farther abroad, in the future.

our imagination can carry it.

Pack a snack and play your favourite song, play your Heart Song, or play whatever happens to reveal itself.

Join me, and let’s find our own personal spot among the trees, or by the waters edge, in one of our amazing parks here in the Cowichan Valley, on Sunday June 21st from 11-1.

If you would like find out more information about how to participate, and the specific location for this event, please contact: Rommy Verlaan (creator of Heart Song Flutes) at: rommyflutes@shaw.ca.

Let’s celebrate the Summer Solstice, and Father’s day, and play our flutes for ourselves, for our loved ones, for the trees, the birds and all creatures, to the Earth, and let’s together send healing vibrations as far out as

Heart Song Native American Flutes is celebrating 15 years and 1000 flutes!

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Valleyview

Centre

So much to offer!

Reimagining Canadian Food Systems Alistair MacGregor is the MP for Cowichan-MalahatLangford and the federal NDP’s Critic for Agriculture

1400 Cowichan Bay Rd Wellness Reiki Wellness 250 743-8122 Reiki, Foot Detox, Infrared, Acupuncture, Reflexology Flourish Hypnosis 250-929-0202 Stop Smoking, Lose Weight, Remove Fears, Boost Confidence

Healthcare Cobble Hill Dental 250-743-6698 Friendly, Family Practice

We Welcome New Patients!

Food Country Grocer 250 743-5639 Bakery, Meat, Seafood, Produce, Deli & Floral, Supplements

Cure Artisan Meat & Cheese 250 929-2873 Charcuterie, Cheese House Made Pates

Fitness Valley Health and Fitness 250-743-0511 Full service gym/classes

Release trapped emotions Resolve sleep problems Manage stress and pain Achieve self-confidence 250-597-3686

First appointment free!

David Yaeger

Certified Emotion Code Practitioner davidyaeger650@gmail.com https://discoverhealing.com/practitioner-map/ (find me just north of Duncan)

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C

urrently, only 5-10 per cent of food on Vancouver Island is produced locally. While food supply chains remain relatively secure, meaning that there is no need to hoard food due to COVID-19, a crisis such as an earthquake or other natural disaster could leave us facing a precarious lack of supplies.

Food production and supply chains aren’t a particularly glamorous policy issue but are critical to the fundamental well-being of our communities.

COVID-19 has offered us an opportunity reconsider what our food production looks like.

In terms on tangible changes, we can provide direct financial support to small-scale local food producers and invest in initiatives such as farmer’s markets to ensure that food is distributed directly within the community. As we hear stories about mountains of uneaten potatoes and thousands of wasted liters of milk, we can also explore food waste reduction; my NDP colleagues and I have long been the proponent of a national food waste strategy, which could be implemented in tandem with local initiatives. For example, the Cowichan Green Community has successfully implemented a food recovery project and redistributed to the community through their ReFresh marketplace. Initiatives like this could benefit greatly from federal support and could be expanded into other regions where both food insecurity and food waste remain

problematic. In connecting the dots between food waste and food insecurity, we can work together support vulnerable community members, reduce the environmental impact of wasted food, and build community resilience.

Going further, we can also step back and examine the role of food banks within our community. While mass donations to food banks during COVID-19 have been tremendously beneficial, the reality remains that food banks are a band aid on top of a critical systemic issue.

The current federal donation towards food banks, totaling $100 million, puts the onus on food bank employees and volunteers to supply the community, and forces people to depend upon charity-style social services. Instead, we should be supporting food banks while also providing money directly to those in need, so that people can address their own needs in times of crisis instead of spending hours waiting on already-strained social services.

In strengthening government support systems, we can reduce reliance on local charities, and create more resilient communities where individuals and families can feel secure in having their basic needs met.

Farmers, food producers, food banks, families, and individuals have all stepped up to keep our community fed and supported.

It is time for the federal government to step up as well.

We can choose to prioritize local food production and sustainable agricultural practices. We can choose to reduce food waste, support community gardens, and help people to help themselves.

We can choose to create communities that no longer need food banks, where chronic food insecurity has been addressed by systemic changes, and not simply by band aid solutions.

Georgia Nicols M.A. Georgia’s book, You and Your Future is a best seller with international printings in 3 languages. georgianicols.com

Aries (March 21-April 19) The everyday pace of your life is accelerating! Plus, your interest in the world around is increasing. You want to schmooze. You will want to travel or take short trips if you can. Enjoy “distance” interactions with neighbours, siblings and relatives, especially with someone whom you haven’t seen for a while. This is an excellent time to study and learn new things. Your honesty and forthrightness will command the respect of others. It generally always does – but hey, not always, right?

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You’re the financial wizard of the zodiac. (Many of you work in financial institutions.) You know how to make money in your own backyard! Small wonder that you’re focused on money, cash flow and earnings this month with three planets sitting in your Money House: The Sun, Mercury and retrograde Venus. However, in addition to thinking about what you own, you will also be thinking about what it is that you value in life. It’s valuable to know what is important to you, so you can make wiser decisions in the future.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Ta da! For the first time in almost a year, this month, the Sun now moves into your sign.

This will boost your energy and enthusiasm for life! You will be more interested in the world around you and will attract people and fortunate circumstances to you. You’ll have a strong urge to get out and travel because you have a desire to relate to others.

This combo of Venus and the Sun will attract people to you.

Meanwhile, Mars is sitting at the top of your chart arousing your ambition. It’s all systems go for Gemini!

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Your birthday is a month away, which means your personal year is coming to an end.

Therefore, set aside some quiet time this month to think about what you want your new year ahead to be all about. How do you want it to be different from last year? What are four things you would like to see happen? The next few weeks are excellent for research and working behind the scenes.

In fact, Mars will give you the energy for creative, intellectual work. Mars will make you identify with your ideas and really believe in them. Yes! Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) This month brings a shift for Leos. Suddenly, you’re popular! Enjoy the company of younger people as well as creative, artistic types. Some of you will become more involved in clubs, groups and classes. You have had time to think about the role that friendships play in your life and now you have a better idea of what this means to you. This month is about goalsetting. Meanwhile, disputes about shared property and debts might occur. (Oops, how could I forget to mention that your sex drive will be amped?) Woot!

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Once a year, for four weeks, the Sun sits at the top of your chart shining a spotlight down on you and this light is flattering. When this happens, people admire you, especially bosses, parents and VIPs. (You don’t have to do anything special. Chalk it up to good lighting.) This wonderful time has arrived, which means that this month is the best time of the year to make your pitch and do what you can to advance your agenda because doors will open for you! Your turn to shine!!

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) This month, you’re drawn to intellectual ideas, the media, people from other cultures, plus, exploring opportunities in publishing, the law and medicine. You want to explore the world of ideas! Romance with someone “different” might begin. If you don’t travel, you will dream about doing so and make plans for the future. But all will not be dazzling conversations because fiery Mars will make you work to get better organized, and work hard at your job. (Pick up your shovels! Let’s sing another chorus of The Volga Boatmen.)

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) This is a passionate month, and your passion will express itself in many ways (and yes, certainly that); but for starters, you will reflect upon deep psychological truths about yourself. You will do a lot of self-scrutiny, which in turn, might affect someone else.

Romance that begins now will be wild and intense! Mars makes your desire nature strong, plus, you want to be free to express yourself in any way possible. “I am!” This is a good time to seek out a loan or attract money to you through your spouse or your business partner.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) This month, the Sun is opposite your sign. (Happens only once a year.) Because the Sun represents energy, and in your chart, the Sun is now as far away from you as it can get all year, this means your energy will be flagging and you will need more sleep.

However, both Mercury and retrograde Venus will also be opposite your sign. (This is the best position for relationships

for Venus!) This is why it will be easy to express your affection to others and easy for others to love you. Mercury will make you talkative. Enjoy fascinating conversations!

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) This month you will work hard, plus you will look for ways to best manage your life. You want to know what duties and responsibilities are a priority. Something else will occur in the next few weeks and it is this: very likely, you will have to work for the benefit of someone else.

However, the placement of Venus indicates that coworkers will admire you and your relations with them will be smooth and harmonious.

Furthermore, your ability to express yourself in a clear, direct manner will be strong during this time. “Ten-shun!”

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) This month, you will do your own thing. You feel lighter and more playful!. You’ll have a greater concern with kids and be more interested in social pleasures and romantic enjoyment. This is the one time of year when you can really be yourself! Creative activities are favoured. Romance will be fun-loving. Although you will work hard to earn money, you will also spend it freely. You’ can sense there is no need to pretend to be what you are not.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) With Mars in your sign until July, you will be a force to contend with because Mars makes you energetic, confident and more of a fighter for your own rights. This higher energy level will also make you more active. Meanwhile, your focus on home and family will be strong, especially with a parent. Many of you will use this time to redecorate and tackle home repairs. Family discussions will be important; nevertheless, you will welcome time to be by yourself and reflect upon your life, the existential angst in the world and what summer shoes you should buy. www.georgianicols.com

1-778-554-5434 I tarynogormandesigns.com 61

Image Chris Istace

Consultation About The Forests: We Don’t Take The Math Exam Before We Learn To Add And Subtract

T

he pivotal moment has come for each and every one of the hundreds of people who have been asking for an enlightened new way to caretake our Six Mountains Forest to take action.

Public consultation, paused because of Covid, is about to start up again, but not in the way many of us hoped for. Rather than debate with diverse experts on the forests, consultation is going online with virtual tours. The process is going to happen fast—first stage ends in September—yet, there are many questions that need to be addressed: We wouldn’t take a math test before learning the subject, so why is consultation beginning with a survey? Where in the consultation budget is education? Who will teach us the important lessons we need to know about the forests?

How will citizens be made to feel comfortable expressing their opinions? Can there be guarantees of anonymity so people can speak and answer surveys frankly and freely?

What we need now, it seems to me, before surveys, first and foremost is information 62

and education from forest experts knowledgeable about the diverse vales and systems that make up our forests— above all, how they survive and die. Then, we can engage and answer surveys in an informed way.

Can this happen online? It remains to be seen. At this point all we can do is pay attention, be informed and participate.

To cover the process and ask the tough questions of those running it, we are fortunate to have one of the top investigative, multiple-awardwinning journalists in the province living here, Larry Pynn.

WDWS will continue to link to Larry’s important sixmountains.ca articles.

WDWS will continue to give updates and warn what is coming. We are close to a thousand subscribers—if every subscriber reminded twenty friends to sign on, who reminded twenty friends…

This, my friends, is what it’s going to take.

Submitted by Icel Jane Dobell

Love Letters

T

he pandemic has changed more than our lives – it has changed our deaths.

Hospital visiting rules keep us from physically being with loved ones as they die; social distancing rules keep grieving family and friends apart. Funerals are live cast; rituals around death have been altered.

We often think of the deathbed as the location of a final meaningful exchange between people. Popular culture has strengthened this idea, with movies highlighting the deathbed scene and the forgiveness and healing that occurs after a lifetime of adversity. We look at lists of ‘famous last words’ as the last chance for a person to leave their mark on the world. In reality, these expectations are often left unfulfilled, but many still wait until the end to say all those things that have been left unsaid.

What if we decided to say those things long before death is imminent? Recently, more people are choosing to have their memorial services or celebrations of life while they are still alive. This gives them one last chance to see

everyone they love and for those meaningful exchanges to take place.

These types of gatherings cannot happen at present, but maybe we can try to connect with those we love in whatever way we can. Phone calls, video calls, letters, emails – these may not be ideal means of communication, but they are something. This might be a time to reflect on the nature of our relationships to reminisce and remember, perhaps to forgive. Keep in mind that some relationships are complex and may be too difficult to mend. Start with what is comfortable, what is easy. Even just saying ‘thank you’ is a powerful start. Try writing a love letter to a friend, a family member, or yourself.

This is a good reminder for all of us. Don’t wait for ‘when this is over’ – try to do and say what you can now. It’s never too early to start.

If you want more information on how to start, or for assistance on any issue related to end of life planning, please call us at 250-732-6452 or send us an email info@ greatcircleplanning.ca – we’re here to help!

Submitted by Jan Thompson

Public Engagement On North Cowichan’s Municipal Forest Reserve Under Scrutiny

P

ublic consultation should be an open and transparent process.

But it’s been a constant struggle to get details about the consultation process into an interim management plan for the 5,000-hectare Municipal Forest Reserve.

When I couldn’t get answers from North Cowichan or Lees & Associates consultants, I went directly to council for clarification on Wednesday, May 20.

The next day I received an update from Megan Jordan, the municipality’s communications and public engagement manager.

She informed me that PlaceSpeak will continue to be used for the public consultation process into interim management of the forest reserve (despite several members of council raising concerns about the on-line platform).

But it won’t be necessary for the pubic to register for PlaceSpeak in order to fill out a questionnaire about the future of the forests.

“We will have the survey link on our webpage, as well as in PlaceSpeak to reduce barriers to access,” Jordan said. “This means everyone does not have to register for PlaceSpeak to fill out the survey and provide feedback.”

expressed concerns either about PlaceSpeak being a confusing platform or fears that a strictly on-line consultation process might exclude a portion of the citizenry.

The first draft included four options for continued logging during the interim, but no option for “no logging.”

A citizens’ Working Group has asked that the question be removed.

She added that individual names won’t be included with a summary of the questionnaire results. “Instead, it will be more high level; for example, it would state 60% of residents feel it is important to be able to access recreational trails” in the forest reserve.

“I live on-line, I registered, I created an account with PlaceSpeak….” Siebring said. “I have never ever been into PlaceSpeak to do some consultation or to engage in something where I’ve completed the process because ever single time I walked away frustrated because the platform drives me crazy.”

Jordan also said there will be an opportunity for written submissions — though it may limited.

He added: “My head just explodes. I look at that platform and I go, ‘no.’ We’ve got to find a better way to do it.”

A total of 20 stakeholders will be interviewed by the consultants, but, until now, we’ve been kept in the dark on who they might be.

“While Lees is ideally predicting 10 500-word email submissions, the fact is they have budgeted for collating 5,000 words of free-form submissions within the project cost. Anything above and beyond this threshold would cost extra for their time….

Consultant Erik Lees countered: “On a good day, we get 10 per cent of the community that will attend in person” for a publicengagement meeting compared with perhaps 70 to 80 per cent who are on-line. “I actually think we can extend our reach.”

The municipality provided me with a table detailing a crosssection of 16 stakeholders ranging from forestry to conservation groups who had been contacted by Lees.

“This is so because PlaceSpeak has algorithms and software within the platform that make the process of collating free-form submissions quicker, easier, and less manual.”

Jordan commented that the benefits of PlaceSpeak are that it is Canadian and the data stored on Canadian servers, it is used by the other jurisdictions, including Cowichan Valley Regional District, and it verifies that comments are coming from citizens of North Cowichan.

At the previous council meeting, on May 6, Mayor Al Siebring, and councillors Rob Douglas, Tek Manhas and Christopher Justice, to varying degrees,

Ultimately, council did not specifically vote to reject PlaceSpeak. That’s why I went to council to seek clarification on its future use.

B.C.’s Ministry of Forests told me it has conducted several recent public consultations on forest issues without using PlaceSpeak.

Everyone is waiting to see what Lees rolls out next on the public engagement.

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The exact wording of the public on-line questionnaire will be critical.

On a related matter, I filed a freedom-of-information request — my second to date — to North Cowichan for more information on stakeholders.

Another four will be added shortly, bringing the total to 20.

The 16 to make the cut so far are as follows (presented exactly as listed on the table): Chemainus Residential Association; Maple Bay Community Association; Quamichan Residential Association; Crofton Community Centre - residents association; Chamber of Commerce Duncan; Tourism Cowichan; Six Mountains Ecological Society; Cowichan Valley Naturalists/Mt Tzouhalem Ecological Reserve/ Natures Trust BC/Cowichan Stewards; Cowichan Land Trust; Nature Conservancy of Canada; BC Community Forest Association; Catalyst Paper Mill; Mosaic Log Sort - Crofton and Chemainus; Local Forestry Union United Steelworkers?; Cowichan Works; Cowichan Trail Stewardship Society.

Let’s hope this consultation meets the high public expectations for engagement on the critical forestry issue.

Submitted by Larry Pynn

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