It was “an ugly little strip of nothing” that had bugged Karen Skadsheim ever since Townsite Brewing Ltd. opened its doors.
Now Skadsheim, who calls herself the instigator of the brewery, is transforming the space by not only planting a few seeds in her new garden, but also in the minds of her neighbours.
After being approached about helping fund a trip to Cuba for students to learn about permaculture, Skadsheim had an idea.
“They wanted to learn about permaculture and we wanted a permaculture garden,” she said.
Students from Coast Mountain Academy, School District 47’s senior youth leadership program offered at Brooks Secondary School, would learn about permaculture hands-on and Townsite Brewing would aid in that by asking a local permaculture expert to design a garden and lead the students through the project. It would be a win-win for everyone.
Permaculture is a design system that encompasses both “permanent agriculture” and “permanent culture.” Its goal is to create systems that become both increasingly diverse and self-sustaining in the same way an ecosystem functions.
Each month the brewery donates $1 from the sale of every growler, a refillable 1.89-litre beer jug, to a local charity or non-profit organization. This month the money will go to the students’ Cuba trip.
“This is leading by example,” said Skadsheim, who hopes that the garden will further help the historic neighbourhood transform itself into a place that draws visitors.
The strip of land being developed runs between the brewery’s driveway and the parking lot of the building next door. It was full of “construction carnage.” Chunks of broken concrete and garbage were mixed into the soil from when the old Federal Building on Ash Avenue was renovated to become the brewery.
“If we want to attract tourists we have to give them something to see and do and a reason to talk about Powell River,” said Chloe Smith, brewery manager. “Hopefully this will encourage that and get people coming back.”
A plan is being developed to build an outdoor site, in the lot behind the brewery, for patrons to enjoy the sun and their beverages.
The first phase of the plan was drawn up by Rin Innes who is trained in and teaches permaculture design principles.
“We’re going to be building these rounded terraces around the side with different grasses, barley patches and stabilizing shrubs,” said Innes.
Like almost all things permaculture, the garden is not only aesthetically pleasing, it is also functional.
“With a square terrace, run-off water puts pressure on it and will push it out, but with a rounded terrace, run-off can hit it and it’s much more stable,” she said.
She used permaculture concepts of growing native plants and zero irrigation to make it easy to take care of. The design also includes beer bottle cap stepping stones and a natural water filtration system which relies on mushrooms.
“I like the idea of low maintenance,” said Skadsheim. “We’re not gardeners. We’re making beer. We don’t have time to be out here weeding.”
Last week 12 students from Coast Mountain Academy, their teacher Ryan Barfoot and some friends of the brewery, started work preparing the strip of land. First order of the day was to turn the soil over and dig out large stones.
“I’m used to grunt dirt work, but permaculture is new to me,” said Konane Laureta, one of the students working on the project.
Anika Watson, who is from Vancouver but came to Powell River specifically for Coast Mountain Academy, was one of a few students who were removing seed pods from Scotch Broom. The broom, an invasive species, had been uprooted from the ground and after seeds were removed, the stems would be used as a woven wall in the garden’s terraces.
“I like the idea of working with nature,” said Watson. “It’s a metaphor for our lives—to work with things instead of against them.”
After a short noon break students started building the rounded terraces. They pounded stakes into the ground where the rocks would be piled and the broom set to retain the soil. Students formed a line along the strip and passed the heavy rocks along to place where the retaining wall was to be.
By the end of the day they had finished preparing the site. The next stage of the process will be to plant mushrooms along the driveway. Grasses and barley will be planted in the spring.
Barfoot said this project is largely about providing opportunities for students. “These kids are getting this advanced experience in working with the land,” he said. “I think this is great for the big picture of humanity and also as an employability skill. In five years there’ll be a demand for people who have this experience.”
Academy students will spend two weeks in Cuba from April 8 to 22 on a service learning trip. They will be led by Urban Farmer Ron Berezan who, over the years, has taken 12 groups of Canadian farmers, gardeners and permaculture practitioners for eco-tourism educational trips to the semi-isolated Caribbean island.
“It will be hands-on and they’ll get some great skills,” said Berezan. “It’ll be a good cultural exchange and another dimension to a great program they have here in Powell River.”
Students will learn about ecology and sustainable agriculture as they plant trees in an edible food forest on land over top of a large cave system that has recently been set aside by the Cuban government. They will also learn how to build structures using natural materials.
