Sustainable

Beautiful Handmade Bilums (bags) of Papua New Guinea

bilum and sweet peas

Click here to buy a unique handmade bilum on www.artfire.com now! Limited number available.

The last time I spent more than a couple days in Papua New Guinea I learned how to make a bilum from a wonderful highland woman by the name of Kapaim. She was very patient with me–I was determined to finish before I had to leave to begin culinary school. I worked day and night, stubbornly insisting on rolling most of the string myself. I finished the job in time–I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to figure out how to finish if I didn’t get it done. Even then it took me at least three weeks and this is a small bilum! Unfortunately I didn’t manage to remember how to start a new one and haven’t been able to make another one since. I have just discovered these great detailed instructions for making a bilum on The Papua New Guinea Bilum facebook page.

The Cutest Hand-Cranked Washing Machine

The Cutest Hand-Cranked Washing Machine

Wonder Wash from The Laundry Alternative. Laundry day no longer fills me with dread as it used to. We live in a small apartment with no washing machine and I used to have to go to the local laundromat whenever it was time to do laundry. I am extremely hypersensitive to chemicals and a day at ...

Cherry Glazed Pork Loin, Asparagus and Cilantro Kraut from Trout Lake Farmers Market

Cherry Glazed Pork Loin, Asparagus and Cilantro Kraut from Trout Lake Farmers Market

Another fantastic farmers market at Trout Lake this weekend we were lucky the rain held off until Sunday. I was in a bit of a hurry this week as I was doing biodynamic craniosacral therapy taster sessions at our local community garden, but I managed to fill my bilum (beautiful, highly expandable han ...

First Trout Lake Farmers Market of 2012

First Trout Lake Farmers Market of 2012

We just love having the farmer's market back at Trout Lake! Yesterday was the first market of 2012 the weather was fine and the crowds were bustling. We got our weekly supply of free range eggs, 3kg tub of local honey from Jane's Honey Bees, a lovely pair of earrings for mother's day from Ragged ...

Sacred Economics

Sacred Economics

Sacred Economics with Charles Eisenstein - A Short Film from Ian MacKenzie on Vimeo. Directed by Ian MacKenzie Produced by Velcrow Ripper, Gregg Hill, Ian MacKenzie Sacred Economics traces the history of money from ancient gift economies to modern capitalism, revealing how the money system ha ...

Lost in the System: LA County Jail Tortures Local Dairy Farmer!

Lost in the System: LA County Jail Tortures Local Dairy Farmer!

This is just in over the weekend from www.NaturalNews.com. This is really crazy. But you know what the sad thing is? This is the sort of thing that happens every day to minorities and poor people who have no one to stand up for them. Now it is starting to bleed into more upper-class, white-bred ...

Food, Energy and Transitioning to Resilient Communities

Food, Energy and Transitioning to Resilient Communities

The transition town movement in Vancouver, via Village Vancouver is hosting the event From Here to There (Part Two): Food, Energy and Transitioning to Resilient Communities. The first part I missed in early December last year, but which had a large turnout. I am looking forward to this event esp ...

Ancient Food Forests: Morocco and Vietnam

Ancient Food Forests: Morocco and Vietnam

One of my favorite and most long-term friends on twitter is pdjmoo who tweets about all things wild, non-GMO and beautiful. Not only does she have a fantastic and informative twitter account that I highly recommend for staying on top of the latest news, but she also curates a few very informativ ...

In Transition 2.0 – The Movie

In Transition 2.0 – The Movie

Hopefully we'll get some screenings here in Canada too! "In Transition 2.0 is an inspirational immersion in the Transition movement, gathering stories from around the world of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. You'll hear about communities printing their own money, growing food eve ...

Holy Creamline Baby!

Holy Creamline Baby!

Check out that amazingly fat creamline on local milk from our community dairy. With all the rain we have had this year the grass is growing fast and luscious and our cows are just lovin' it. Is this the big secret Big Dairy is working so hard to keep under wraps? Informed consumers are harder to ...