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GardenerslearningtoforageforfoodNorthof60EnvironmentWildFood7TuesdayJuly82014SUMMERTENNISNeedLessonsFreewithmembershipor5dropin.STARTINGJULY21.Mon.Wed.andFri.115p.m.-230p.m.Youthages7-14Thurs.615p.m.-730p.m.BeginneradultsMembershipYouth2000Adult2500Family4500CONTACTJoanat867-872-2899or867-872-2582ByDALICARMICHAELHorticulturalenthusiastsstrivingtospreadinformationaboutsimpleeco-friendlyag-riculturalpracticesthrough-outtheNorthwestTerritoriesheadedoutinaconvoylastweektoidentifyandforageforlocalindigenousedibles.OnthemuggyeveningofJune30asmallgroupofFortSmithgardenersarmedonlywithbugsprayandabookonborealforestshoppedintheirvehiclesandheadeddownPineLakeroadstop-pingshortofWoodBuffaloNationalParkonamissiontolearnaboutwhichnaturalfoodstheycanforage.WecanbeapartofthissystemthatteachespeopleintheNorthhowtocreatesustainablefoodsystemsandthatsareallyexcitingpros-pectformesaidChaseSell-woodaFortSmithgardenerandleaderoftheconvoy.Sellwoodisalsoastu-dentwiththeNorthernFarmTrainingInstituteNFTIaneducationalprogrambasedinHayRiverteachinggarden-ingbasicsandbestpracticestopeoplelivinginNorthernclimates.Somemajorwork-shopthemesincludeforagingforfoodtogetatruetasteoftheNorthanddesigningdi-verseecosystemsthatusebo-realpermaculturestofosterlow-impactself-sustaininggardens.UsingpermacultureisawayofsettingupapropertysothatyouputintheleastamountofenergyforthemostamountofwhatyouregettingoutofitsaidKimRapitiaprogramcoordinatorwithNFTI.Ithasalottodowithharvestingstuffthatsgrowingjustintheforestnaturallyandalsoplantingthingsthattakecareofthem-selveslikeberrybushesandothercropsthatdowellherejustbythemselves.BringinglessonshomeOnemandateoftheNFTIprogramisencouragingstu-dentstobecomecommu-nityleadersbysharingwhattheyvelearnedatworkshopswithlocalhorticulturists.Sellwoodandagroupofherfellowstudentshavetakenthemandatetoheartbyes-tablishingtheThebachaGar-densFoodandSustainabil-itySocietyTGFStohostinformationalsessionsinFortSmith.ItwasTGFSthatorga-nizedtheconvoyfromFortSmith.Participantsspenttheirexcursionidentifyingroadsideedibleplantsanddiscussingrecipestheyhadmadewiththeirforagedfareofweedsandtreebuds.Theyevensampledsomecattailspeelingtheplanttogettoitssweetandcrispycore.OneofthethingsthatIjustndsoinspiringisjustwhateveryoneelsebringstothetableSellwoodsaidoftheNFTIworkshops.Im-promptuconversationsques-tionsknowledgethatevery-onefromallofourdifferentregionsbringsupduringtheworkshopintheevening.ShehopestheTGFSinfosessionscanfosterasimilarlearningexperience.Theressomuchthatwehaveaccesstoanditsjustamatterofgettingpeoplein-volvedSellwoodsaidGreenhousesspringingupinFortSimpsonEnvironmentGardeningByKARENMcCOLLLocallygrownproducemaybeshowinguponthedinnerplatesofFortSimp-sonresidentsmoreoftennextyearwithtwocommercialgreenhouseprojectsbreak-inggroundinthecommunity.LocalbusinessconsultantEarlBrowningrecentlyac-quired43acresofpropertyneartheairportwhereheplanstobuildtwocommer-cialgreenhouses.Inthecombinedspaceofmorethan750squaremetres8000squarefeetheandhispartnerDeniseGaudetwillgrowvegetablesandherbstoselllocally.Browningsayshehopestostartclearingthelandinthefallandhavethegreenhouseoperationalnextspring.Browningplanstoyield2500kilogramseachoftoma-toeslettuceandcucumbersand250kilogramsofherbsintherstyearbasedonasix-monthgrowingseason.Hisgoalistodoubleproductioninthesecondyearbygrow-ing12monthsayear.MeanwhileMarkGilland-ersandShelleyEmpeywhomovedtoFortSimpsonjustoverayearagoarealsobusyclearinglandfortwoseasonalgreenhousesandoneyear-roundwood-heatedgreen-housetheywanttohaveupandrunningthisfall.Inadditiontotomatoescu-cumbersandlettuceEmpeysaidtheymaygrowkaleaswellashotandsweetpeppervarieties.AlthoughshedoesnthavemuchexperiencegrowingingreenhousesEmpeysaidshehaslearnedalotfromwork-shopstakenwiththeNorth-ernFarmTrainingInstituteinHayRiver.SheandGillandersre-ceivedfundingfromIndus-tryTourismandInvestmenttobuyatractorandasolargreenhouseforthisproject.Empeysaidtheywillusepermaculturegrowingtechniquesanincreasinglypopularmethodofsustain-ablegrowingthatinvolvesworkingwithnaturebyin-terminglingplantsandusingbenecialinsects.InwhatGillandersreferstoasdifferentgrowingexperi-mentsthecouplealsoplantouseshtankstocirculatenutrientstotheplants.Oneincentiveforthegreen-houseEmpeysaidissoev-eryonewillbeabletoeatgoodfoodandbeabletoaffordit.SeanWhellymayorofFortSimpsonsaidthesearetherstcommercialgreenhouseprojectsforthevillageandhopestheywillcontributetohealthierlivingandhelpreplacehigherpricedstore-boughtfoods.ThecostoflivinghereisgoinguphesaidespeciallywhenyoulookatthepriceoffoodintheNorthernStore.AfterspendingdaysorweeksontruckstogettoFortSimpsontheproduceisoftenofpoorerqualityaswellWhellysaid.EmpeywhoalongwithGillandershasalsolivedinCambridgeBayNunavutandNormanWellssecondsthat.EverythingiscomingoutoftheUnitedStates.Shelamentshavingtopayalmost6forthreetomatoesinFortSimpson.BrowningwhowasraisedonafarmatTroutRiverseesthisprojectasbusinessopportunitythatcanservecommunitiesbeyondFortSimpsonincludingWrigleyJeanMarieRiverTroutLakeFortLiardandperhapsworkcampsinthearea.Ithinkitwouldprobablybebenecialhesaid.FortSimpsonalsohasacommunitygardenwithmorethan30memberswhohavetendedtheircropsnearthePapalGroundsforthepastthreeyearsandinsmallerareasaroundthecommunitypreviously.FortSmithgardenerssamplewildcattailswhilelearningaboutforaging.FromleftAndrewNadwodnyMary-LynnBertonandChaseSellwoodndedibleplantsalongthePineLakeRoad.SandraDonohuehelpsherdaughter-in-lawwaterplantsatFortSimpsonscommunitygarden.PhotosDaliCarmichaelPhotoKarenMcColl