Some shots of our time on Denman Island with Peter, Magdalene, Raph, and Alba at Tree Eater Farm and Nursery.
In a south facing clearing surrounded by evergreen forest, the farm is a mixed permaculturally-oriented homestead with a beautiful annuals garden, nursery, and a mixed orchard with over 160 varieties of fruits, nuts, and berries.
Being a young homestead, you can feel the energy of ongoing creation and endless projects, while the house and new orchards, a pond and other out-buildings are all under construction.
The kids loved joining Magdalene every morning in feeding the pigs and chickens, and harvesting from the garden and orchards. Fistfuls of mulberries, plums, blackberries, and raspberries, and greens, summer squash, and tomatoes were enjoyed and deeply appreciated. Eating right off the trees and from the soil is medicine.
I don't know what the future of human life on this planet looks like, and I honestly don't even feel certain that there is a future here for us for much longer. Certainly not without dramatic and courageous changes, and a re-orientation of the people in power and the masses towards things that are regenerative and sustainable.
But one thing that I do know for sure is that a healthy future for humans on this planet includes being deeply involved with and connected to our food sources, and the land that feeds our food.
I feel so much joy and hope in the garden.
It is in places like this one, on this farm, created by the dreams and visions of people who value doing-it-yourself, developing local responsibility, and working hard towards ideals of sustainability, that the future looks good. Places where food is raised and grown with awareness and careful tending, and oh my, talking about good, the taste of home-grown pork ribs and freshly picked vegetables!! Knock your socks off and never want to leave kind of good.
When I am harvesting, eating, preserving, and sharing food that is grown with re-generation and sustainability in mind, I can see the future clearly. And it is beautiful.
Because when we live as though the future is now, we do the things that make a bright future possible.
The Future/Now looks like this. And it is beautiful.
Thank you Magdalene and Peter for sharing your home so generously with us!
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Tree Eater Farm and Nursery
FB @treeeaternursery
IG @treeeaterfarmandfeast
