All Blog Posts (381)

I am growing 12 varieties of tomatoes on my patio this year. I promise myself, less is better next year. It's already September 16 and we've had few tomatoes so far -- all larger patio tomatoes have had blossom end rot -- the Sweet Million cherry tomatoes are perfect, sweet and plentiful -- like candy.

Did a pruning on the tomatoes today and am picking partially ripe tomatoes and finishing them in sealed paper bags. Fruit naturally produces ethylene gas which helps stimulate…

There's a compelling short animation on the limits of growth and the current economic system. It's not all doom and gloom as the outcome will in part be determined by whatever course of action we choose to take:

http://theautomaticearth.com/Finance/what-the-economic-crisis-really-means-animation.html

Nicole Foss toured Australia after her visit to Vancouver in…

Check out this link : http://www.mayapedal.org/

Wondering if anyone in Vancouver is doing this? If so, please post the info on this site.
Cylia

I just joined and am seeking to make contact with fellow residents in the south Burnaby area.

Hello, We are going travelling for 7 months and need to find a home for some chickens. One, Mathilda is a good layer, easy going. An Astralorp, another, Ophelia is a dear old Orpington.. a beautiful chicken but doesn;t lay often. The other two, Beatrice -the Head chick.. quite a character, quite dominant.. a reasonable layer is a Barred Rock.. and the last one Brucie another Astrolorp, but doesn;t often lay. Anyway.. Let me know.. I have a big sack of organic layers mash too. Mary…

By Eric Doherty, July 30, 2012

TransLink’s plan to replace the four-lane Pattullo Bridge with a new six-lane bridge at an estimated cost of up to $1 billion has not attracted much attention, with the exception of some concerned residents in New Westminster and Surrey.

But the constantly evolving movement against tar-sands expansion is set to make this and other roadway expansion projects a new front in the battle over pipelines and tankers.

See full article and comments…

By Andrew Cuthbert

It is by no means a new idea that car travel and dependency is bad for the environment, health and a host of other derivatives. But as life goes on and the pace of change seems to only move at a crawl, it can be hard to find alternative transport methods and hang up your keys. Finding alternatives is what Transportation Transformations: Building Complete Communities and a Zero Emission Transportation System is all about. As part of the Canadian Centre for Policy…

Liking this. Thought others might too.

Just for the Love of It - The Free Economy Community

From kitchen renovations available at West 5th & Blenheim St. ( Kitsilano). The pile is approx. 4 x 3 x 3 feet.

Please phone ASAP as will disposed of soon. Charlotte 604-737-9909 or Charlie & Joanne 604-731-1707.

Hi,

I'm a very new beekeeper. I took a 2 day course on bees in May, and on June 10th installed the bees. So far I'm enjoying myself very much with them and am looking forward to learning more about them. I hope to learn more about beekeeping and gardening in Vancouver, as well as emergency preparedness.

Thanks,

Heather

A new currency hit the streets of Nelson Wednesday, one with more bang for its buck than the sinking Euro.

Columbia Community Dollars, a community initiative two years in the making, represents a growing trend of communities finding their own solutions to ailing economies. 



"Creating community currencies is perfectly legal," said Michael Sheely, coordinator for the community dollars said in a written email release.

"Probably because it seems too good to be true is why…

Hi all,

We're going to do a smallish community village (3 or 4 tents) at the Khatsalano street fest on Saturday, and need help with everything from setting up (around 9:30-11am), tabling (noon-8pm), and breaking down (8-9pm). Chickens, seed library, displays, etc.

On 4th, between Larch and Trafalgar, in the Kits Neighbourhood House area.

Please contact Ross at ross@villagevancouver.ca if you can help for a couple/few hours.

The relationship between food and the weather is one of the topics to be reflected upon at the next Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre, in Turin, Italy from October 25-29,2012. Think globally and act locally. Join Slow Food members from around the world at this biennial event. Open to non-members as well.

Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre, in Turin, Italy from October 25-29,2012

Nice and informative teaser for the longer upcoming conversation between Bill Moyers and Vandana Shiva on the food system.

Vandana Shiva talks with Bill Moyers about the food system [VIDEO]

Hi,

Carly asked me at the potlach about a recipe for poppyseed roll bread. This link below takes you to the recipe that I used. First you make the leavened bread. I didn't measure anything. I just activated some yeast in milk and sugar with some potato peelings (which seems to help the yeast multiply) and added it to flour which had some baking powder in it and a little bit of sugar. Then I worked it until it looked right and covered it to rise.

I used a mix of rye, barley,…

Hi all,

Every year I buy a bunch of tickets from the Rogue Folk Club at a member discount and make them available at cost to friends and fellow music lovers.

This year tickets are $122. (Early bird passes thru the Folk Fest were $135 thru June 11, and are currently $150.) Naturally, my supply is limited, so 1st come, 1st serve.

If you're interested. please contact me at "folk fest tix" ross@villagevancouver.ca.

Cheers,

Ross

P.S. Anyone who's interested…

Only a couple of days left to register for my short workshops at Langara College:

July 9th - Intro to Bioremedial Ecoart practice. An intensive half-day intro to Bioremedial practices. Learn about pragmatic arts-based practices of rehabbing damaged sites, wetlands, and waterways.

July 11th - Wild in the City. Gain in-depth knowledge of local flora and fauna through this daylong journaling workshop in Stanley Park. Based on early Naturalist observation and journaling. With a…

EcoSex Symposium! (Portland)

Click for Symposium info

"More than 21 workshops on sexecology, sensual & sustainable living, the pleasure of permaculture, EcoMagicks, bees, mycelium/mushrooms, stardust, polyamory, ecoactivism, herbal aphrodisiacs, culture, sexual liberation, plant medicines, embodiment, & more.

More than the Opening Ceremony on Friday, the EcoBall on Saturday Night, or Sunday's Closing…

An article from BBC Scotland about the movement to free up unused public land for market gardens is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18405257

This issue is crucial to us in a City regulating itself and its residents to death, or at least into homelessness and malnutrition. In my book, homelessness and malnutrition are tantamount to death,…