Regional District of Central Kootenay Emergency Operations Centre said in a media release late Tuesday, the evacuation order area for the Kaslo landslide has been reduced after a site inspection and consultation with geotechnical experts. The RDCK EOC said that residents that have been removed from the evacuation order area...

The “Cabbage of Choice” I’m not sure if it’s just our growing area, but Ladner has what I would describe as an abundantly healthy population of Small White butterflies. So many so, that most years I don’t even bother growing Brassicas. The butterfly (Pieris rapae), lays a single tiny yellow egg on the underside of a Brassica...

Organic gardeners share one challenge that has many faces – how to nurse newly emerged seedlings along to the point when they are strong enough to defend themselves. Because seedlings are so tender and tasty, and low to the ground, they are easy pickings for a host of animals, from the very tiny to the enormous. Everything ...

The second half of May heralds the blooms of Columbine here in south coastal BC. The flowers only appear for a couple of weeks, but it’s so worth the wait. Take a walk through the UBC Botanical Gardens at this time of year, and you’ll see many variations on the theme, although only a sampling of the 70 or so species that...

If there’s one thing to take away from the recent election’s loss of a voice for the rainforest, it’s that protecting the largest temperate rainforest in the world is still possible–with or without politics and money being pushed into the controversial oil sands expansion that would potentially devastate this rare and critical...

Mid-May is an excellent time of year to plant drying bean seeds like red kidney beans, orca beans, or black turtle beans. These are all very productive crops, and the seeds are easy to extract and dry for use later in the year. Last year I planted an 8 foot row of kidney beans in one of the beds at Kirkland House in Ladner....

Okay, I confess to having made more or less the same post previously, but it is wholly warranted by the exquisite beauty to be found at Select Roses in Langley, BC. My friend Brad Jalbert has dedicated his life to raising and breeding roses. He has authored a book on keeping roses, and he’s traveled the world touring famous...

One of your readers stated that the Liberals couldn't be trusted and gave several examples. On balance can we trust the NDP? Lets look at them over their last tenure in office and forward. Eight consecutive deficit budgets with 3 credit rating downgrades. 8 leaders including an interim leader and a palace revolt. Shades of ...

I have written frequently about the results I get in my veggie beds from using the All Purpose Complete Organic 4-4-4 Fertilizer from Gaia Green. I love this product, and I use it with nearly all my vegetable plantings. The idea of a “complete” organic balanced fertilizer has been around for many moons – at least since Steve...

Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez have talked a big game over the past few months. Each one has insisted that, because of a mutual distrust for judges and how bouts are scored, they will aim to knock the other out this Saturday. It’s not going to happen. We’ve seen Pacquiao and Marquez do battle for 36 rounds. We’ve seen...