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Accept and Embrace it: this Apple Cider is now Apple Cider Vinegar
For a good while after last apple season, I enjoyed drinking a sweet, tangy glass of fresh apple cider on many a quiet midafternoon. Most of the cider got boiled and bottled, but there were a few...
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Duck Prosciutto v.1.0
Duck prosciutto is gaining some notoriety as an easy first foray into curing whole-cut meat. Is it really prosciutto? If you mean “is it pork leg lovingly dry-cured over many months or years” then no....
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About as All-Natural As You Can Get Soap
When I described this project to me mum some weeks ago, she brightly exclaimed “Oh! We tried that when you were a little kid and it was a MISERABLE failure!” So I guess this post chronicles my second...
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RIP little fellas, I’ll remember you as Fish Soup
I’m not going to say where I got these deceased fish, but with a little sleuthing our informed readers will probably guess. They died before their time, and it was a bummer. But that’s nature, and in...
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Cleaning Mason Bees with Brian Campbell
Here’s a little up-close look at end-of-season mason bee cocoon handling. You start with some cute little houses, like these ones we offer for sale. You can also build your own – all you need is some...
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Mushroom Cultivation – a Workshop in Photos and Its Aftermath
It’s often difficult to express to people just how great Scott’s workshops are, so I made a point of taking some photos this time around. I didn’t get photos of everything, but this should give an...
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Micro-scale Aquaponics
Aquaponics is a portmanteau of aquaculture (the controversial, frequently highly impactful mass cultivation of fish) and hydroponics (the controversial, often chemical and energy-intensive soil-less...
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Natural Solar Dyeing with Caitlin Ffrench
Back in November we had a solar dyeing workshop with fiber artist Caitlin Ffrench. It was my first experience doing any kind of natural dyeing, and I found it surprisingly accessible. Our project was...
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Blue Paneer and the Great Mold Race
At last weekend’s edition of Cheesemaking Open House I promised attendees a write-up and photos documenting the cheese we made and what became of it after everyone went home for the day. I’ll start...
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Carrots are Picky Eaters
I end up using a basic 4-4-4 organic fertilizer for all kinds of stuff, but it’s not always ideal. In particular, root vegetables, especially carrots, tend to be phosphorus-hungry and nitrogen...
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Bees just around the corner
With all the beekeeping workshops we host, we are often asked if we have a beehive on the roof or in the back parking lot. No, but they’re very close! Our neighbors Bruce Carscadden Architect...
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Langstroth hive construction and foundation
For all you new beekeepers out there, here’s a handy guide to constructing frames and hive boxes! Note that there are lots of ways to do this – some people glue, staple, or use fewer nails. If you have...
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Touring an urban oasis
A few weeks ago I visited my friend James Sztyler at his Kitsilano garden. It’s such a gem I wanted to share some photos – a great example of what is possible on a small urban lot. Rows of pots...
View ArticleBackyard Permaculture: Stacking Functions vs. Companion Planting
When people first encounter Permaculture, they often get the impression that it refers to off-grid homestead sites of 40 acres or more. While many Permaculture design consultants do work with such...
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The Birds and the Bees, Plant-Style
In my last blog post and gardening workshop I talked a lot about corn, squash, and beans–the Three Sisters, so called because they form a classic companion planting trio. Plants have a mind of their...
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Summer Gardening Workshops
If you haven’t made it out to one of our summer gardening workshops, you’re missing out! A share for the DTES Neighborhood House Last week everyone got to go home with a bag of mixed-variety tomatoes,...
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Saving Tomato Seeds
A few years ago I was a volunteer with the Vancouver Farmer’s Market. When the market held its annual Tomato Festival, I manned the sampling table where customers could see and taste some of the more...
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Easy Homemade Applesauce!
There’s nothing like homemade applesauce: you can add cinnamon and sweeten it just the way you like–or not at all. It’s the perfect solution for all those half-rotten wind-fall apples that nobody’s...
View ArticleGuest Contribution: Composting your Pee
Follow guest contributor Dylan Rawlyk at his blog, http://tothrowforward.blogspot.ca. For the past while I’ve been composting my pee as a way to increase nutrients for my garden, to reduce my water...
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One Year on: 2013 Mason Bee “harvest”
It’s late February, and here in Vancouver that means spring blossoms are starting to appear! If you’re planning to set up with mason bees in your garden this year, that means now to a month from now...
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