The second day began at the Compost Education Centre (CEC) with the kids making journals, and then we headed over to the Springridge Commons (sc.conscious-choices.ca). Springridge Commons is a public permaculture garden (also known as a ‘food forest’) located in Fernwood. It has a wide variety of edible plants (plum trees, Oregon grape, mulberry bushes, miner’s lettuce, fennel, Rosehip, numerous herbs, and a few commonly-tended garden beds growing kale and cabbages). We discussed the various edible things found at Springridge, what they are commonly used for, and then let the kids try any they wanted.
We then headed off on a field trip to Knockan Hill Park (knockanhillpark.ca). Located on the View Royal Saanich border, Knockan Hill Park was a place of import to the Coast Salish People’s, being the focus of a Salish fable, as well as containing two Camas fields. We ate lunch in one of the fields and I told the kids about the aboriginal practice of cultivating, harvesting, preparing, storing, and eating Camas flower bulbs. While it was too early for any blooms to be showing, the field was covered in tender green Camas shoots, enough so that the kids could see just how many Camas bulbs could be found beneath the ground.
After lunch we walked around the forest in groups seeing if any of the plants found in Springridge Commons were growing wild in Knockan Hill. The kids located Oregon grape, Rosehip, and Miner’s lettuce. I also showed them licorice root ferns and lets those who wanted to taste them. Overall they definitely enjoyed the field trip, and seemed to really be grasping the idea of permaculture.
Back at the CEC we wrapped up the day with a story about Orchard Mason bees (more info here) in front of the CEC’s Mason bee boxes, and were even graced with a lone Mason bee relaxing on one of the boxes, despite the cool weather!
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