7-11-10

HORTICULTURE CENTER OF THE PACIFIC

BRIDGE OVER "TRANQUIL" WATERS

ZEN GARDEN TEA HOUSE

THE SIRENS

DRAGONFLY

SHANE PHILLIPS

After checking out of the hostel and breakfasting at Lady Marmalade in downtown Victoria, we headed to Glendale Gardens for day 2 of the Organic Islands Festival. Glendale Gardens is designated as a conservation park devoted to the preservation of the native flora and fauna. There is a winter garden, a Zen garden, a children's garden, a rhododendron garden, an herb garden, and a demonstration garden, just to name a few. The landscape is magnificently manicured and is teeming not just with flowers but also with edible plants. Even if there hadn't been an organic festival, visiting these grounds would have been a treat but the combination was something really special.

On the main stage today were some terrific musical performances, as well as a raw food forum. Four panelists and an additional moderator spoke about the raw food movement. It is our personal belief that eating local while simultaneously eating a raw diet is extremely challenging, unless one lives in a tropical climate. Many people have different items on their agenda when it comes to what is most important about food, and we've noticed most people who follow a strict raw diet have local food way down on their list of importance. For a simple example, avocados and bananas are two raw food staples, and these fruits haven't been growing anywhere we've visited. Marrying the local food movement with the raw food diet seems awfully imposing, unless you are willing to eat a very limited diet.

After the festival, we met up with Carolyn and her husband Guy, and drove to their home just down the road. Along with two of their friends, we all went swimming in a nearby crystal clear lake just before sunset, and it was invigoratingly intoxicating. With wet behinds, we stopped at a local farm store for some produce and whipped up a delicious dinner. We are stoked about this upcoming week, spending time with Carolyn in her garden, eating her berries, and learning from her as much as we possibly can.