Life in the Northern Sun Farm

I didn't know what to expect. Stacey just told me to expect the unexpected. And I concede to the fact that it's much better to have no expectations at all, rather, be surprised with the experience and the people.

A few months ago I signed up for WWOOFing in Canada. The first 2 weeks with the Winnipeg Hostel and a week with the Northern Sun farm Co Op.

As far as I knew back then, Northern Sun Farm Co Op comprised of several families in a community who have adopted sustainable living  lifestyle. I've always been interested to see how this was done in Canada, not that I've seen it in New Zealand. But I guess the curiosity to see the lifestyle in a different country was enticing for me. So I made sure I'd have a taste of it as part of my Canada trip. I wanted to learn and perhaps take with me some knowledge that I might adopt myself once I settle back in.

Dawn's house

Dawn picked me up at exactly 12:30 pm on a Friday, 10th of May 2013. She had bright striking eyes, silver-gray hair and a shining smile. She gave me a hug at the door. It was cute how she had to bend a little bit because she was so much taller than me. I said goodbye to Bill and we went on our way.

We dropped by a few places to pick up a few things. On the way, we had so many discussions about Manitoba, Winnipeg and the farm. The highway stretched in front of us and I couldn't help but be amazed. It's been a while since I've been in a car and so I felt I was on a road trip. We passed through Steinbach and eventually got to Sarto, Manitoba.

The house was made by hand….by Dawn, Gearheart and Tim. Members of the community. It was so cute how they made it and the story behind the materials and all. The Oak trees nestled it as I passed through the hanging seemed to be Tibetan flags. On the left was a cute veggie patch as well as Garlic sprouting, soon ready for harvest. I loved how they've made it so organized inside, but most especially the wood….everything was made of wood. Poplar Trees surrounded the 240+ hectare of land and 7-8 families were part of the community.

    

   The Northern Sun Farm started back in the 70's when a few people got into the idea of having a  

Hoop house

community on a land in Manitoba. They heard about the one in Sarto and decided to stay there. As far as I remember, Mike and Gearheart were a few of those who spearheaded it. Eventually, some started their own families until it grew to be a Co Op. There was a suggestion to start introducing Hydro but a few members didn't like the idea and wanted things to be natural. So those who disagreed left the farm and those who stayed continued on with the sustainable living lifestyle. Eventually they picked up the name Northern Sun, adopted from one of the nuclear activist groups in North America (as per Gearheart's explanation).

Now on to Dawn's family and the people I've met in the farm.

Mitch,Dawn,Noble

Dawn's partner is Mitch, tall bloke with a moustache and was working with at a construction site. He had his own shack at the back where hanging wheels was the first thing I've noticed. His fixations are mushrooms and spirals. :) All around the place were hanging artworks of his spirals. As far as I know, he built the greenhouse were a bunch of plants were kept to start blooming before they were taken outside for further growth. He can play the guitar so pretty well and he also taught me about putting up a composting pile. He had a funny sense of humour but also inquisitive in a way. They've been together for 6 years now.

 I also met Noble, Dawn's second son. A 14-year old with bright striking eyes too, very much a teenager with a charming a smile and smart retorts when it comes to school issues. :) He didn't like school, so sometimes he'd declare a day as a day-off. His skills were crafting knives, hunting, fishing and he also knows a lot about the gardens and plants. But of course as a teenager, he'd rather spend much time with his friends, i.e. Orion. He's been living  in a red trailer just adjacent to his father's house (Gearheart, Dawn's second husband). He'd sometimes pass by the house to have lunch or dinner. In June, he's scheduled to go on a summer trip to the Yukon and learn more on hunting, fishing and horse back riding.

hay & straw

 A few days earlier before the farm, I had the opportunity to meet Sam, Dawn's eldest son. He's been living in Winnipeg for 2 years now and sharing a house with his partner Stace (who I met even earlier) and Craig, Dawn's first partner. They had me over for dinner and I stayed I think for 4 hours, just having a chat with them. Their house was so cute, lit by the sunset's rays, splurging into the yellow painted lounge area. Stacey prepared dinner for us that night. She carried this very light and amazing aura around her, with such positivity and energy. Her eyes always popped up with enthusiasm every time she'd think of something brilliant or even when she starts singing. Both her and Sam are in their 19's/20's, a young couple so much in love. They were cute together. We chatted the night away, talking about so many things, even to the extent of country music and Canadian music too. And they gave me some tips about Newfoundland as well.

 As for the members of the farm, I had the opportunity to meet Catherine & Alex, Tim, Mitch & Vanessa (and 1st born Leon), Ray & Candice, Murray & Correen.

The term "sustainable living" was something that I slowly had a better understanding and appreciation of.

The fundamentals of living was something that I learned to embrace once again in the week that I stayed there. Everything made sense to me.

garlic bed

Power and energy were all extracted from the sun and wind. Majority were 12Volts DC batteries that helped the community in a few gadgets for their daily consumption. Solar panels (mainly with 32 cells except I think for Gearheart's), were all setup in different locations. Inverters were also installed so some appliances can be charged from an AC source. I had an hour's session with Gearheart, just him explaining to me how he setup the Solar System in the Farm. Apparently, he'd be giving a talk in Winnipeg a week from now. All of these were introduced in the farm back in the 80's.

 Eventually they used this setup to pump water. Just a few feet below is pristine and drinkable water. I actually found it really amazing how a pipe system did not exist in the houses. Dishwashing was done by filling up a white round basin with water. Taps and sinks were not used at all. 2 buckets were filled with water on the side, 1 blue "fridge" bottle for drinking water and washing the hands and an empty bucket was always filled up with the dirty water. This was then emptied into the compost pile at the back of the house. I felt humbled by this setup because I am guilty of sometimes over using water when it's just flowing from the tap or from the shower. I knew they had unlimited supply of water. But for me, practicing water usage that way, was more of giving respect to Mother Nature's abundance.

 Another thing I couldn't get my eyes off was the big black wood stove, designed and made by the Amish.   Once the whole thing heats up, the whole house gets warm too. It's a multi purpose equipment for sure.

cow farm

There in the middle of the kitchen was this big black thing that for me was the center of almost everything in the house. Wood was essential to provide heat. Not just for cooking but for heating the house as well. This wood stove had a main slot, allowing wood, paper and air to combust. This then heats the whole panel above, allowing you to cook with your pots and even toast your bread on it. Another addition is a square container on the right side where hot water can be extracted, for washing dishes and for filling up your bucket in case you decide to have a "wash".

 Composting definitely played a major part in Dawn's garden. They don't use chemical fertilizer, instead the utilize the fundamentals of using compost items (like food scraps) and of course...manure. And this did not just involve cow manure but also human manure. And so this goes without saying that we dump our own body waste after a comforting session in the outhouse :) I learned the way of going back to water instead of a tissue roll. A toilet seat was installed in the outhouse and of course a bucket with dried leaves went along with it. Beside the outhouse was a huge wooden dump where we would throw our waste. Of course, anyone who uses the bucket should remember to fill it up with dried leaves before putting it back.

Showers were non-existent as far as I know. I would just fill up a bucket with warm water and go to the garden for a wash. Mitch would have his using the hose, right in front of the garlic beds. Dawn would have it just in front of the house. I found everything liberating. Nudity wasn't an issue at all and Dawn assured me there were no perverts :). She was aware that I was conscious washing naked in the hoop house. On my second time, it didn't bother me anymore. Momma, the cat was watching. And I'd normally do it at the end of the day around sunset.

 I quickly learned and adopted the ways in Dawn's farm. I would sleep to the sunset from the small window pane of my room. And of course wake up to the beautiful sunrise and chirping of the yellow finch birds. Before 8 am I'd usually get ready and slip into  my work clothes. Dawn would usually be downstairs having a sip of her morning tea. I would usually get 2 eggs ( from Gearheart's hens collection) for breakfast and toast a bread. Conversations about the day's tasks at hand would be exchanged and a few seconds of morning silence would be shared.

 The garden was all waiting for us. The hoop house already had the healthy bokchoy's and cabbage in place. Beds of garlic sprouting were all planted last fall, so harvesting will happen in 2 months from now.

Since Spring was on its way, the clock was ticking for seeding. We prepared the beds for peas, carrots, arugullas and onions. A hoop had to be installed for the peas to allow the vines to thrive up. Beds were a little bit tricky to prepare. Because of the recent winter, we had to reform them. It had to be weeded even the surrounding  frame. Then once Mitch has formed the shape, compost had to be added on top of it and then we had to shovel and mix it with the soil. Once all of that's done, Mitch would rake it and prepare rows for us to place the seeds. As for the seeds, we chose to plant them with our bare hands. Then put enough soil on top. I'd usually whisper , "babies grow ok". Dawn would usually say "Goodluck". After all o f these, Mitch would water the beds. It was something he really enjoyed doing most especially it was only till last fall that they've had pressurized water, thus using hoses. It was really handy. Imagine years ago, using watering cans was the way to go.

On my last night, I went up the wind turbine and watched the sunset. They were having a gathering for Candice's birthday but I decided to be on my own and walk around for the photos.

 The life in the farm grew on me. The 1 week I was there made me understand so much more but also, made me appreciate what Mother Earth can offer us, and how we should in turn learn to respect whatever it shares with us. The necessity of living is there, along side with coexisting …. With almost everything around us that grows and that lives. 

Postscript:
After a few months, I started writing a song as part of my Canada experience. Needless to say, the desire to include "Northern Sun" in my lyrics was something I deemed necessary. I started writing "Freeing My Mind" when I left Sarto, Manitoba. On my way to Toronto, whilst on the greyhound Bus and stopping in the middle of nowhere for coffee breaks in the wee hours of the morning, I'd sit outside the cafe and continued to build up the song. I eventually finished it in Montreal. And this was the outcome. (recorded in Quebec). Enjoy!

Back on the Road

And so, I find myself this morning sitting in once again my fave cheap places... Time Hurton's. Value for money.

This morning I arrived in Toronto, Ontario. Woozy, dizzy or whatever "izzy" you may call it, I've just got off a 2-day bus trip from Winnipeg to Toronto. Yeah. Stinks. I stink. haha. that's the greyhound way ;) At least they haven't been late on my books. Not as delinquent as the train system or as the other reviews have said.

I've got 1 massive backlog on this blog. A write up on my 1-week WWOOFing experience in the Northern Sun Farm Co Op. As soon as I get a proper shut eye, I'd be able to focus on the writing again. I'd definitely want to blog everything about it coz it was worth the experience.

That's it for me now. I've just uploaded the photos of the farm if you guys want to check it out.

Open Mic nights in Winnipeg

Gordie's Coffeehouse (Thursday)

 

Gordie's Coffehouse

Last Thursday I decided to go out for a walk in the afternoon. Although my left knee has been hurting I forced myself to gear up and sweat a little bit. By the time I got to Corydon Village, I said "It's time to check out some open mic". So I googled a thursday night open mic and found a "Gordie's coffeehouse open mic night". I rang the lady Lexx and booked a slot. 

 

Paul & Eli

I walked back quickly to the hostel, changed, had dinner and found myself boarding the bus 20 along Sherbrook Street right in front of the Salvation Army. I wasn't really sure which bus top I'd need to get off. All I knew was I had to get off somewhere near Johnson Blvd. Go figure. Well as expected, I missed my bus stop. It was cold, but good thing it wasn't snowing, so I didn't complain. Luckily it was just a few blocks away. :)

 

Lexx

I walked along Cobourg Street and noticed it was more residential than "happenin" for me. Then I saw an Anglican Church. Realized, the open mic was happening there. I went up the steps and found this little chapel that was converted to a music room. An in house piano with a small stage, couch around and a few quirky stuff hanging on the wall. the crowd was quiet and the feature artists "Mountain Prairies" were performing. I liked the vibe.

 

I appreciate smaller venues. It makes it more intimate and you know for a fact that these places would have muso audiences who would really listen to your materials. Everyone was local and I was the youngest. I felt safe. There was no alcohol served, just free coffee and tea. :) But that was good enough.

 

I finally met Lexx, who was this lovely lady wearing glasses and been organizing this open mic for years now. She was the host for the night and her husband Tom was the main sounds engineer :).

 



Big Dave

I was the fourth person to perform that night. Played 3 of my songs and found myself sitting in the front couch so I had better opportunity to take photos of the artists and listen to their songs. Eli was the talented Harmonica and Saxophone player of the night. He jammed with a few musicians. He played with Paul and then with Carrie. Big Dave was one of the highlights of the night. Apparently, Lexx told me he won one of the Winnipeg Blues festivals. That explained it. His voice, his stage presence and confidence.....full package workin' out the blues. Awesome stuff!

 

I also met Carrie who had a great jazz voice and played jazz piano too. She performed along with Eli. There was also Scott who played the guitar. He approached me after a while, and gave me a card. apparently he was running another open mic which was on a Saturday. So I said yes to that and had a chat with him.

 

At the end of the night when I was about to leave (catching a ride with Carrie), I realized Tom recorded my music. Man! eeek! I'd be able to get a copy this week :) woot woot! :)

 

Happy Mike's Open Mic (Saturday)

 

Eli, Paul & Jim

I was supposed to go on my own but Greg (from Nova Scotia) and Nir decided to join me for a bit. It was more convenient coz Greg had a car so we all headed down to Portage Avenue.

 

Happy Mike's was also the same concept as Gordie's. It was also in an Anglican Church. When we got there the feature artist was already done and the first open mic act started. I found Carrie and Eli at the door and introduced the guys.

 

Carrie & Eli

Jim was hosting the night, a friend of Scott's. Also a singer songwriter with a twist of sense of humour, one of his sons made it to the charts in Dunedin, New Zealand.

 

I got to borrow Jim's guitar, the Martin. I played my usual 3 songs and got off the stage. It was honestly intimidating to be on that huge stage, which was higher than the audience. I felt I can connect more with people if I was on the same level as theirs rather than on a huge stage. But anyway, the response was good. It was really funny when Jim introduced me as touring the world. It sounded like I was this musician promoting my album.

 

Carrie and Eli were the second to the last to perform that night. It was good to hear one of Carrie's old songs, Hush. I took a video as a remembrance. I bumped into Lexx and Tom that night too. And a couple more musicians who I met at Gordie's.

Part of the Community

For the last 2 Sundays in Winnipeg, I've chosen to hear mass at the Kateri Tekakwitha Aboriginal Catholic Parish along Ellice Street, at the West End of Winnipeg.

As what has been written "The Parish exists in response to the expressed need of the Catholic Aboriginal people of Winnipeg for a church of their own - a church not only in the sense of a place to attend mass and celebrate the sacraments, but a church as the central place in the development of an Aboriginal Christian community. This ministry of social justice provides liaison and assistance to individuals and families attempting to obtain services from the various social agencies in the city, and support and help to individuals and families in crisis. Church Mass: Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m."

 

Everyone seemed to knew each other. Elders would go around the room shaking hands with people and welcoming new comers too. At the end of the room was a platform for the choir. To the left of the altar was a small teepee on a table, on the side a small candle that lit up its corners.  The pillars had hanging artworks with inspirations from the locals. Lovely paintings.

 

I found myself shaking the hands of some of the locals, on my first Sunday there. It was part of me that wanted to see the community of the natives. Not the typical Cathedral style, but I thought, this was far more better experience for me. I wanted to see how the celebrated mass and how the church looked like, and even more how they were to each other on a Sunday morning.

 

Excerpt from google:

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, baptised as Catherine Tekakwitha^[2][3] and informally known as Lily of the Mohawks (1656 – April 17, 1680), is a Roman Catholic saint, who was an Algonquin–Mohawk virgin and religious laywoman. Born in present-day New York, she survived smallpox and was orphaned as a child, then baptized as a Roman Catholic and settled for the last years of her life at the Jesuit mission village of Kahnawake, south of Montreal in New France, now Canada.
Tekakwitha professed a vow of virginity until her death at the age of 24. Known for her virtue of chastity and corporal mortification of the flesh, as well as being shunned by her tribe for her religious conversion to Catholicism, she is the fourth Native American to be venerated in the Roman Catholic Church (after Juan Diego, the Mexican Indian of the Virgin of Guadalupe apparitions, and two other Oaxacan Indians).^[4] She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter's Basilica on October 21, 2012.^[4][5] Various miracles and supernatural events are attributed to her intercession. 

Last Weekend in Winnipeg

The Forks Market

It was my last weekend and I had almost the whole day to myself. So I decided to do a little bit of photography again and walk a different street this time.


In my first week in Winnipeg I honestly had a different impression of the place. I came here with no expectations but I still found myself a little bit unimpressed. I found it so flat, gray, dry and nothin' happening. Even the group from France found it dead. I can't blame them.

As the days passed by I learned that Maryland street wasn't the safest hood to be in. This explained my uneasy feeling when I went home late at night on my first day of exploration. A few people actually teased that Winnipeg has been known to be crime central of Canada.. I haven't really looked into statistics..didn't bother.

There were a lot of things I didn't understand so I tried to indulge myself that weekend to read more and perhaps feel and hear better.

Winnipeg has the known "The Forks" which was named due to the 2 Rivers that combines its waters, i.e. Red River and Assiniboine River. Because of this, years ago before the Europeans found this region, the aboriginal people used this location as a trading post. It gave the different tribes a linkage across North and South. Because of the water supply, a lot of the natives used the area for farming, fishing, hunting, camping and tool making. With this history, that made me understand why I've seen a lot of the locals with the features of the First Nations people. Just the same as Alaska, they also roamed the streets and have gone through the changes of time.

Intersection at Osborne village

St. Boniface across
the Red River

I decided to walk the east side of the this time. I followed the street until I found myself in Osborne Village. It's a quite urban funky town across the Red River where a café scene is one of the highlights people go to. There are also shops which I found a little bit expensive. I found myself hanging out at the Second Cup café (in the photo) and stayed there for a few hours. I had a pocket atlas in my hands and tried to figure out things. It was a little bit relaxing for me, since I was out of the hostel and I was just another stranger/traveler roaming the streets. I was also told by the guy in the counter that Canada now will not be accepting pennies. So there's a concept of rounding off if there's a decimal value to the price.

 Around 1 pm I decided to move on and cross towards the  city. I found another way and followed the River Trail. Red River was still a little bit flooded so the River Trail itself was closed. The whole of Winnipeg has been going through a few road constructions and cleaning, which apparently happens in preparation for summer. The name Winnipeg originates from a Cree word winipek which means "muddy waters".

The Meeting place at the Forks

I saw the area of the Forks where they had a small section for people to perform in public. The sun was up and the temperature was screaming summer. Everybody was out that weekend and appreciating the heat. There was a guy with 4 dog cages, prepping up for the afternoon's show. I lingered for a while and took a few photos of the place.


I then decided to check out the Forks market and see what they had to offer. There were a lot of food, clothes, fruits, wine and souvenir stalls. In the middle of the market was a stage for the buskers. May 3 and 4 was the Buskers Festival and those artists who registered would be given a 10 minute opportunity to showcase their talents. There were 3 lady judges and a few crew members around. It was fun watching and listening. A crowd listened to the performers and clapped as well. I found the sound system didn't give justice to the musicians most especially those were singing, but still, it was good enough to be heard. 

Oodena Circle

I walked along the Promenade and found myself exploring the Oodena Circle. It is the celebration circle found just beside the Forks. Surrounding the circle are a few artsy metal structures, that actually points certain locations of constellations. Oodena Circle is a monument to the cultural and natural forces that have drawn the native people to the forks for a thousand of years.

I was happy when I went home. I saw a few of the things I wanted to see and I also had a better appreciation of Winnipeg. It's not a perfect city to be in, but I guess what made me appreciate it is the fact that it was once the centre of trade for majority of the tribes in the First Nations. And I was able to imagine that.... from years ago.

 

Excerpt from Google:

The First Nations are the various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis.^[2] There are currently over 630^[3] recognized First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia.^[4] The total population is nearly 700,000 people. Under the Employment Equity Act, First Nations are a "designated group", along with women, visible minorities, and persons with physical or mental disabilities.^[5] First Nations are not defined as a visible minority under the Act or by the criteria of Statistics Canada.^[6]
Within Canada, "First Nations" (most often used in the plural) has come into general use—replacing the deprecated term "Indians"—for the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Individuals using the term outside Canada include supporters Cascadian independent movement as well as American tribes within the Pacific Northwest. The singular, commonly used on culturally politicized reserves, is the term First Nations person (when gender-specific, First Nations man or First Nations woman). A more recent trend is for members of various nations to refer to themselves by their tribal or national identity only, e.g., "I'm Haida," or "We're Kwantlens," in recognition of the distinctiveness of First Nations ethnicities.^[7]
North American indigenous peoples have cultures spanning thousands of years. Some of their oral traditions accurately describe historical events, such as the Cascadia Earthquake of 1700 and the 18th century Tseax Cone eruption. Written records began with the arrival of European explorers and colonists during the Age of Discovery, beginning in the late 15th century.^[8][9] European accounts by trappers, traders, explorers, and missionaries give important evidence of early contact culture.^[10] In addition, archeological and anthropological research, as well as linguistics, have helped scholars piece together understanding of ancient cultures and historic peoples.
Although not without conflict or slavery, Euro-Canadians' early interactions with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit populations were relatively non-combative compared to the often violent battles between colonists and native peoples in the United States. Combined with later economic development, this relatively non-combative history has allowed First Nations peoples to have an influence on the national culture, while preserving their own identities.^[11]

Winnipeg, the Gateway to the West

Today marks my first week in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I feel like I've been here for a month already. I guess that's what happens when you work in a hostel and so many people pass by, some for a night, some for a few days. But mostly, people just really pass through Winnipeg, seems to be the stepping stone to the next destination.

A lot of people asked me "Why Winnipeg?". Translates to "There's nothing there".

The story is, I initially planned to go to Churchill, Manitoba. A remote place that not often people would go to. But before I left NZ, I saw this photo with Polar bears and the possibilities of volunteering in a science center. Of course, there would be fees to be paid which I found quite expensive. So the alternative to that was to look for WWOOFing place. 1 in a hostel and 1 in a farm. I wanted to experience it, so I thought that was the best way for me to do so. Try to live like a local and feel like I have a base even just for a few weeks.

I think Winnipeg can offer a few more things to look at and check out once the full blast of summer arrives. The other day it was snowing and the wind was so cold. Not everyone would be enticed to go outdoors and explore. At this point, I'm so fed up with the cold. So I tend to stay inside and put aside any exploration if I don't see the sun.

Winnipeg is almost on the coordinates of the center of the North America. It is called the Gateway to the West, as it is on the East of the Canadian Prairies. It was once the main trading point of the Natives, considering too that it had the Red River passing through. There are a lot of music festivals in the summer season and of course the whole city would look vibrant in that time of year. Right now, it's dry, dusty and gray.

I've been helping out the past week. Nir, from Israel, has also been assisting with household chores. Usually he'd take the morning shift before going to his driver training. Bill, bought this house a few years ago. Apparently, the villa was once a place for single mothers.

okay this is to be continued. just havin' a headache right now.

Wacky weather in Winnipeg

We all woke up to the cold and Rain....forecast was..SNOW..maybe today or tomorrow.

A guy named Tobias checked in yesterday, from Netherlands. A big smile on his face, with his smashed but working guitar, he was chatty and had a lot of positive aura. He's been hitchhikin' around Canada and also camping out. Liked his outlook in life.

We all had breakfast this morning, and I helped him prepare his new cardboard, with 2 sides saying Keno and Thunder. haha. cute.

The Frenchies woke up early, and Annou and Batou went out to buy a cheap guitar. hehe. I think our jam session the other day was enough inspiration to have them going about lookin' for one. :)

It's been raining and cold.. But I'm lovin' it so far.... :) Here at BIlls.

by the way, Randy's sounds in the basement has been booming! :D