The Set-Up.

Seeds have been added to organic soil in egg cartons we saved from our food share.  Food shares are an awesome way to eat great food and support local organic farming.  Our share is made up from local only foods and therefore encourages us to eat seasonally.  This is not always easy, I mean I love tomatoes, but should I really be eating them in the dead of winter? (We'll be canning tomatoes from the garden for sure)

The seeds we've planted so far include:  Basil (Italian Large Leaf), Chamomile, Cucumber (Straight Eight),  Cucumber (Pickling), Forget-Me-Not, Onion (Barletta), Onion (Red of Florence), Red Pepper (Valencia Hybrid), Squash (Delicata), Squash (Mystery - we can't remember what we saved!), Thyme, Tomato (Green Zebra), Tomato (Grightmire's Pride)

Some of the seeds we've planted are old and come from a selection that Tracie had saved, up to 4 years ago...  A friend told her not to expect much from seeds that are 3+ years old - but we're seeing some growth already!  A lamp is aiding us in keeping the little seeds bathed in light, and we threw in a Chia Cat too, just for fun.  Eventually we hope to use our own compost from our indoor vermaculture compost bin to supplement the soil for seedlings as well as other house plants.

Someday I'll be a farmer

And I will

Humble Beginnings.

We are Tracie and Ian, and food has always been important to us. 

Tracie loves food and is accomplished both in preparation and in production.  Having worked on organic farms both in British Columbia and in Ontario, she has had hands-on experience in cultivation and care of plants, fruit and nut trees, and livestock.    A deep thirst for knowledge of how the food production industry works has led her to do much personal research into what she eats and has influenced her diet accordingly.  Her desire to grow what she eats, and make what she consumes has resulted in successful kombucha batches, sprouting, bread baking, and an unmatched level of creativity in the kitchen.

As for me (Ian), I didn't know much about food.  For years I ate what I liked or what I wanted and gave it little thought.  I had had some weight issues and a few minor dietary restrictions but generally just ate without much care.  In the past year and a half I’ve been much more conscious about what I put into my body, and that means asking the question "where does this come from?”  Having never really been inquisitive in terms of the origins of my meals, I was surprised and shocked to learn about the state of food production in North America.  Not just fast foods, and processed foods, but even what I generally perceived to be 'healthy' or 'nutritious' like fruit and vegetables.  Modern factory farming, pesticide use, GMO, and the general practices of conventional food production opened my eyes and made me think twice about what and how I eat.  This has been a huge change in my life and lifestyle, and has been greatly influenced by my partner Tracie; her knowledge and know-how are truly inspiring.  A few months ago we were informed that we could have full use of a nice patch of land (in my parents new back yard) to grow whatever we wanted - and the proverbial seed was planted. 

Our experiment is to grow a garden with permaculture principles and basically see what happens!

It's just warm enough to start digging and shaping out the zones for the garden.




Careful planning means a well thought out home for flowers and vegetables.  Happy plants
intermingling will be the focus of this permaculture inspired garden.



Things are taking shape as the zones become defined.  Each zone will include flowers, vegetables, and herbs that like to grow together. 



I'm not an expert at gardening by any means, in fact I'm totally new to gardening to be honest.  Tracie is the expert and I'm learning a ton of stuff from her experience and wisdom.



Straw to cover and keep the clover and wildflower seeds warm.  As I'm typing this, we are experiencing a late march snow storm the day after doing most of this work - hopefully everything is well insulated!





After a hard day's work, it's time to play.