Spring Revival

The Revitalizing Spring Season

Spring on the Farm is an exciting time. Farmies return from travels abroad, seedlings are beginning to sprout, and the Earth reawakens.

Wow. What a winter it was. It seems like just yesterday we were prepping the gardens for the cold and dark, and now, here we are tending to seedlings and opening our doors again. Retreat season is upon us. Weekly classes are going strong, the Farm Stand is about to open, and retreats are underway. The season of rest has us feeling excited and rejuvenated to connect with guests from near and far.

Farmies Return to the Land

Over the Winter the Farm was a little more quiet than usual. Members of our community took time to pack up and travel abroad. Adam, Aneta, and Hanna road tripped down to Mexico, stopping along the way to catch rays. David, Jen, Alex, and Rio were in South America touring the vast lands of Patagonia and sailing to Antarctica. Dani and Eryk have been up and down continent in search of swell and warmth. We’ve missed the hustle and bustle that each of them brings to this land, and having them home in time for Spring has been a blessing.

Farmies who stayed local over the Winter made regular trips off island, visiting family or going on adventures. Those of us who didn’t stray far kept the animals and plants nurtured and rode out the storms and snow inside around the fire.

Now that our team is all re-united the weekly gratitude circles and farm meetings are buzzing. The energizing light of the sun warms the land and our bodies, and we can feel the surge that is on the horizon.

Spring Equinox

As a community, we prioritize coming together to celebrate the turning of the Seasons. With our strong connection to the forests and the soil on this land, we feel the shifts and are pulled to come together to honour these times of transition. This year, we created an Altar, reflected on the balance of light and dark, sang songs and weaved. The Spring Equinox is particulaly potent for our community as it marks the beginning of a busy season, and this celebration helps us to return to service to the land, the island community, and our retreat guests from far and wide.

Crystal Palace

Over a decade ago, Lisa began to dream about a greenhouse with enough space and warmth to grow sub-tropical fruit all year long. The past Winter has seen that dream begin to take shape. The largest green house on the Farm, dubbed the Crystal Palace, is finally operational. The very first plants and seedlings have been brought in. Avocados, limes, oranges and other delicious treats are beginning to take root.

The Crystal Palace has been designed and coordinated by Milo, whose incredible work ethic, problem solving approach, and passion have been the lifeblood of this project.

The pond is full of water, and a few members of the community have been caught skinny dipping (shhh). The hydrothermal heating system is working as expected, and the south facing aspect is capturing a lot of sun. The hillside permaculture, combined with the Palace’s striking design, are a sight to behold.

Workshops

Meghan, Hannah, and Adrien have been hard at work preparing to welcome fellow gardeners and future gardeners to the land for our series of workshops this year. The first of 4 gardening workshops took place on March 25th, focused on garden and land planning, and the spring planting approach. Clear skies kept us warm, and hearty food filled our bellies.

Sharing our knowledge of the land and our approach to gardening is inspiring and so important to our community. We are constantly learning, and sharing our knowledge helps to support the broader gardening community on Salt Spring Island and afar. We also learn so much from our guests, who have different challenges, approaches and dreams that motivate our team.

We look forward to the next workshop.