Back in June 2015, the first seeds in the soil of Butler Urban Farm (at the corner of Clapperton & Wilson, Kamloops, BC, Canada) were sown by Barbara Lundstrom and me. Responding to inquiries asking “What happened back then?” I offer the following…
Now, 7 years later (see the picture above) here’s what I remember best: Glenn Hilke arranged the land and site prep — both really big, vital jobs. Then he was called back east, on a family matter, right when backs needed to be bent. Barb Lundstrom and I, with a few hours from a couple other volunteers, made sure that more than weeds would grow in the 13 raised rows the man on the big red tractor had carefully created. I had plans so, after planting was done, Barb stepped up: weeding, harvesting, and managing volunteers! Before I left again, we had the first harvest: we took a beautiful bunch of bounty over to the Food Bank for a presentation/photo shoot with Mrs. Butler, etc. (FaceBook has pictures; I’m sure! But who knows how to get at them?!)
What an adventure it was, diving back into my past to recover the actual at-the-time experience behind the memories. In my old WordPress blog, I wrote a post on the day before planting started—AND this one. 2 weeks later, I posted this, and finally, in November of 2015, I mentioned (what we then called) the “Red Garden”. Here’s Barb, a volunteer, and the red tractor seeming small beside the Garden it ploughed.
I heard from Barb that, that first year, the harvest was great! Record-keeping isn’t a high priority when weeds prevail and harvesting beckons; who knows the final figures? —perhaps the Kamloops Food Policy Council. The next year’s harvest was not so good; the weeds won. Then, in 2017, Kevin Pankowich was hired as Farm Manager and during his first year he was joined by Caitlin Quist as a volunteer. Now, they’re a great team, doing what’s needed, when needed (including celebration!), seeking volunteers, opportunities for improvement, experimentation and expansion!
After being 7 months gone this time, Kevin and Caitlin greeted me like I was expected, and my heart warmed. It’s good to be home.
It’s a feeling Everyone should have, repeatedly! It’s a feeling most often generated in places where we gather with loved ones – it’s an unfamiliar feeling to too many people. ‘Refugees’ line our streets; fall-outs from a System that has taken more responsibility than it can honour—taking our sovereignty and making us dependent—sucking the life out of us and (uncaring as a System is) kicking us to the curb…
Glenn Hilke has been inspired by people in such circumstances. I honour him for the work he’s done for the people in Kamloops who need shelter; an advocate willing to speak for them as a group. I wish we had more people like him—and truly, we do! NGOs, government staff — and City Councillors do what they can. They’re busy negotiating, administering, promoting, consulting… Floods, droughts, maintenance and money management kept them hopping; then Covid shut us all down, and their job became even more complex. Like my 89yo mother, Kathy McArthur, recipient of a 2022 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal for Volunteering, volunteers are vital—and inspiring!
Trying to inspire people from afar isn’t easy; offering the Our Heart Gardens business plan for Transformation of Human Society for others to take forward hasn’t worked as well as I’ve hoped. Back in Kamloops now, I imagine OhGs sprouting well, rooted at the Butler Urban Farm! It would be delightful to ground the dream for the first time in my very own home town…
Food and fuel prices, plastics and emissions—small examples of the huge catalysts in our world sparking the need for Our Heart Gardens. Butler Urban Farm, and the Stir (Kamloops’ new food hub) are examples of how Humanity can respond in a good way. There is so much potential here! Choosing to go forward synergistically, feeling our way together, we make our way faster and better, and heal in the process.
An introduction of Our Heart Gardens, Humanity Rising and OtherNetworks (organizations I’ve been working with since the lockdown) was made at World Unity Week – you’ll see that in another post! It was fun, and there’s more coming…
With love from the traditional lands of the Secwepemc people
now known as Kamloops BC Canada,
Shannon McArthur, aka SonLight Sparkling on the Waters
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