ABOUT US

WHAT IS WITHYWINDLE?

Like many people the COVID-19 pandemic shifted us into re-evaluating our life path. We began to examine what it was that brought us joy, how we could better steward the one planet we have, and how we could invite others into our journey. So we pivoted! We sold our apartment in North Vancouver and found a place that needed a lot of work, in coastal town we loved, and in May 2021 packed our bags for the .34 of an acre that is Withywindle.

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We're located in Sooke, BC and while it is not a bustling metropolis it's definitely an urban property. In the midst of lawns and laurel hedges, we're a property with gardens full of food and flowers everywhere. Or at least, as of summer 2022 we're well on the way to that dream as we tear down the junk and rebuild something beautiful. If you're joining us later than that, scroll waaaaaay back in the instagram feed to see where we started!

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Our goal is to incorporate permaculture practices to our food production, restore native plantings where we can to encourage biodiversity in this patch of the planet we are responsible for, and offer produce and herbs to our community. We love the idea that original medicines were plants, but you'll still find us taking an advil and vaccine along with some herbal remedies. Our hope is to help others grow what they can, where they can! 

We believe humans and nature should be working together in harmony and that there is much to learn from the indigenous peoples who were the first stewards of the land. The guiding principles we try to live by are 'do no harm, love always, and seek balance in all things.' As Tom Bombadil says to Old Man Willow in the Fellowship of the Ring, by J. R. R. Tolkien, "Eat earth! Dig deep! Drink water!"

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My name is Elise, and I'm the one doing most of the social media stuff. I went to school for English/History first, then into the Health Sciences for a second round, and I cannot live far away from the Pacific Ocean. If you message us, chances are it'll be me replying! I now work in healthcare and that is part of what lead to my passion for plants as medicine. My first garden was a tiny container garden in almost full shade, but even still I managed to eke out cherry tomatoes, lettuce, peas, and some baby peppers out of that little space. I had no idea what I was doing, but I loved doing it! 

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Matt here! I do a little of the social media stuff, but I'm mostly in the background - speaking of which, my background is in engineering; I got my degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of British Columbia and have been working for an environmental consulting firm since 2013, mostly in the field of soil and groundwater remediation.  I love working with the soil, and getting the healthiest plants out of it! I'm certainly not the best at gardening, but my skills will only grow (ha, pun intended)! 

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And that's us! We're definitely not perfect gardeners, and we don't strive to be. Our goal with Withywindle is to minimize dependency on grocery stores and the international supply chain, relearn methods of living that minimize our carbon footprint, have fun and bring those of you who are willing along for the journey! 

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"The greener the setting, the more the relief." - Richard Louv