Category: Info

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Winter 2024 Newsletter

Happy New Year’s greetings from us at Shibagau Creek.
We hope 2024 is a great year for you all.

It’s a sunny day here today, and as the days get longer and the sun reflects off the ice and snow, we are happy to bring you an update on our plans for the upcoming 2024 season. So please read on…

First, we have to thank those of you who participated and helped us last year. Our photography weekends and the mid-summer Bioblitz brought life and energy to our first year of offerings. Thanks to Scott Russell the barn has undergone another transformation with a newly accessible loft level and tool workshop. With volunteer help, we built another outhouse – at the barn (thanks Rob and Steve) and cleared the field around the house (thanks Walter).

As we write this, we are preparing for our travels to Japan to visit ancient forests, where Victoria will also complete her training in Nara as a Shinrin Yoku guide. This is knowledge that she will bring back to share as “forest bathing” aka “forest therapy” walks in our forest at Shibagau Creek. We return early in April to open the season at SCFF.

Think about what you would be interested in joining us for.
Let us know your interests to help us plan and subscribe to our mailing list if you are not already receiving emails.

Spring Preparations and Land Care
In April and May, we will be continuing our renovations of the farmhouse to create additional sleeping quarters. Trails need to be groomed, the barn work spaces set up, and the caravan exterior painted with sunflowers.

Four weekends are open for volunteers to stay, or day trip, to lend a hand in a communal atmosphere. If a weekend doesn’t suit you, please propose a time during the week. We will be there, and we’d really appreciate extra help. As a bonus you can enjoy the countryside, breathe the fresh air and experience the amazing lilac season in May. As a thank you for your physical efforts, share in a ShinRin Yoku (forest bathing) guided walk with Victoria.

An Initial Workshop and Event Schedule

April
20 & 21 Volunteer Weekend (Sunday 21st – Shinrin Yoku 1-3pm)

27 & 28 Volunteer Weekend (Sunday 28th – Shinrin Yoku 1-3pm)

10-28th Spring bird count (let us know if you would come out and we will confirm the date)

May
11 & 12 Volunteer weekend (Sunday 12th – Shinrin Yoku 1-3pm)

18,19 & 20 May long weekend)

Volunteer weekend (Sunday 19th – Shinrin Yoku 1-3pm)

June
Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography Members’ weekend

July
Special Events at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning, Kingston
4 – 9        The Abstraction is not the Reality, Exhibition of photographs by Peter Sramek
July 4 Opening event 5-8pm
July 6 Introduction to Basic Hand Bookbinding workshop with Peter Sramek
July 7 Linkstitch and Album Binding Structures workshop with Peter Sramek

19 – 21 Presence and Light: Black and White Photography Workshop with Peter Sramek

August
3 – 4 Annual Nature Conservancy Canada Backyard Bioblitz
                     (we assume this will be the long weekend again)

10 – 11 Handbound Artists’ Books introductory workshop with Peter Sramek

23 – 25 Creative Engagements in Nature: Photography & Site Interventions with Walter Bergmoser and Peter Sramek

September
27 – 29 Stillness Centre Men’s Retreat led by Greg De Koker

October
4, 5, 6 Visioning Weekend Retreat led by Zan Chandler

We’re so proud of all that we accomplished last year, and we can’t wait to see you this year.  We have many other ideas/workshops in the planning, and we’d love you to come and visit. If you know anyone who is looking for somewhere in the country to rent for time away, a venue to host their workshops, retreats or events, or someone who might want to participate in our workshops, please forward our information.

For those wishing to book an independent stay, SCFF is listed on AirBnb at:
https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/43969886

Thank you for your support, sharing and being a part of our incredible community.

Victoria and Peter

Tell us your interests and sign-up to be kept informed of upcoming programs.

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Kitchen Deck Construction Progress

This spring we completed construction of a new deck and outdoor kitchen. The 12’x12′ kitchen includes repurposed cabinets someone removed from their cottage purchase, a sink connected to the rain barrels and a roof that provides shelter from sun and rain. The deck extends around the water pump, giving new steps up to the front entrance porch. We worked together over a few months, having begun construction during a February thaw and now we are seeing the improvements as we have guests staying for the workshops.

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Planting Celeste

The farm has had great importance in Peter’s family. His parents, Rudy and Hana purchased the land as a haven from the city where they could garden, build and connect with the earth. Weekends and summers were spent renovating and innovating, watering vegetables and stripping furniture from farm auctions. We endured mosquitoes and hot summer afternoons. We skied in for winter weekends.

Peter’s father Rudy put down roots here in his 30s and remained in love with the farm as a spiritual home although they would end up living fulltime in the nearby village of Camden East and then in Kingston. In Rudy’s memory, we planted an oak tree on the height of land overlooking the valley. A sitting rock accompanies Celeste who will grow into a majestic tree, standing proudly on the hill, shading those who come to rest and reflect for years to come.

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Volunteer Opportunities:

We are always looking for volunteers who are eager to be active outside and in nature to help us with renovations and to cut trails, clear brush, prune trees and build dead hedges with the brush, as well as other ongoing work on the land and buildings.

With our building projects in mind for this summer, we welcome stays of various lengths in exchange for volunteer work. Combine a longer stay with one of our weekend workshops.


For the forest work, commitment can be an easy 3-4hrs on weekends, Mondays or Fridays. Car and outdoor clothing is a must and we’ll provide the tools. There are 100 acres, most of it new forest, so you can work solo or work with us as we create forest bathing areas and open walking trails. Please in get in touch.

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The Sleeping Loft

This week, with the help of Rob and Steve, we were able to move up the beds and storage trunks. Victoria then dressed the space and it feels wonderful with the new paint and refinished floors.

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Land Acknowledgement

The Shibagau Forest Farmstead is situated within the traditional territories of the Mississaugas, Anishinabewaki (ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ) and Wendake-Nionwentsïo peoples who are the original owners and custodians of these lands on which we are honoured to gather. As part of the Upper Canada Land Surrenders, under the Crawford Purchase of 1784, no treaty was ever signed.

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