Our Projects - Living Ways

Grace Gardens

learning how to grow, harvest, store, and prepare nutritious food

Grace Gardens provides people, especially those experiencing poverty, with the opportunity to learn how to grow, harvest, store, and prepare nutritious food, herbs, and medicinal plants. Fresh produce is shared with volunteers, donated to local food banks and partner agencies, and offered through small-scale sales to help sustain the program. Seasonal workshops in organic growing, soil care, harvesting, and composting make this learning accessible to all.

Food insecurity is a growing challenge here in Canada and worldwide. Grace Gardens is a practical, replicable response, one rooted in the belief that when people learn to grow food, herbs, and medicinal plants, they gain not just nourishment but confidence, connection, and resilience.

Beyond our site, we inspire people to do the same in their own spaces, growing food and herbs on balconies, in backyards, and in community gardens.

Looking ahead, and with the right support, we envision working alongside communities and organizations to bring hands-on growing support directly to where it is needed most, helping people establish gardens, small greenhouses, and food storage in their own spaces. This could generate revenue as a service while also creating opportunities to partner with shelters, food banks, and nonprofit housing to support those most in need. It is a vision for how the seeds planted here can take root across communities.

Every garden, however small, is an act of care for the planet.

Cherishing Our Planet

developing & sharing practical knowledge of respecting & caring for the natural systems.

This program develops and shares practical knowledge of respecting and caring for the natural systems that sustain all life. Through ecological restoration of wetlands, native habitats, and forest ecosystems, we are regenerating the land while creating meaningful opportunities for people to reconnect with nature. Native and medicinal plants grow throughout our meadows and forests, supporting a rich diversity of species, from pollinators to birds and beyond, each part of a living system where all things depend on one another.

Across our land, we are actively regenerating ecosystems through demonstration sites. A white pine grove, for instance, tells the story of the tree's profound healing properties — science now shows us that the aerosols produced by pine trees are absorbed into the body, uplifting mood and supporting the immune system. As Diana Beresford-Kroeger writes, simply walking into a forest is a holiday for the mind and soul, improving your immune system. Guided forest walks led by ecological experts bring this living knowledge to all who visit.

The knowledge developed here is being shaped into replicable resources that communities across Canada can adapt and apply.

“Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better.” -Albert Einstein

Sharing Wisdom

Wisdom sharing is not a separate stream of our work - it flows through everything we do

The teachings of Elder Vern, imparted to our founder Leslie Fell, continue to guide our work. We also gather teachings from master gardeners and permaculture experts, ecological experts and Indigenous elders. Our advisors like Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger bring world-class scientific and traditional Knowledge. Wisdom is present in all that we do and is meant to be passed on.

We have been honoured by those who have visited our flagship site and recognized its significance, affirming the rare medicinal and native plants found throughout our forests. Each visit, each teaching, each shared moment of connection with the land deepens the living knowledge we are here to nurture and share. We are growing a living archive of filmed interviews, seasonal storytelling, and digital resources, showcasing the voices of elders, Indigenous knowledge keepers, ecologists, practitioners, and advisors from diverse traditions and disciplines. This living archive will strengthen cultural connections and ensure that ecological and traditional wisdoms are accessible to learners of all ages and communities across Canada.