Who We Are
We are parents, sustainable mini-farmers, natural builders, and environmentalists. We’re on a journey to become as self-reliant as possible, and to transition towards a more sustainable lifestyle; maximizing our time together as a family and minimizing our environmental footprint as top priorities.
We have been blessed with many relationships and experiences that have helped us discover the true meaning of sustainability along the way.
We studied as interns at Ecology Action under Master Gardener and Author John Jeavons - learning how to grow a complete and nutritious diet, soil sciences and research techniques; and also how to bring sustainable agriculture back to our communities as trained teachers ourselves.
Our path towards food security and sustainability inevitably led us to Natural Building. We were blessed to meet and learn from pioneers like Micheal G. Smith of StrawClayWood, Kirk (Donkey) Mobert from the Sundog School of Natural Building, and Amanda Fischer of Muddy Hands.
All of our experiences have led us back to what's most important to us: to lead by example and to share what we’ve learned so we can help build a strong, healthy and vibrant community of localized and sustainable living.
Sharon Coombs
Sharon grew up in rural Ontario Canada, surrounded by GMO mono-culture and feedlots, which seemed like the norm. She became very passionate about health and wellness after struggling with her own in her early 20's.
Through her training to become a yoga teacher and registered massage therapist, her level of understanding about how food nourishes our body and mind grew as well. She learned the benefits of eating an organic, plant based diet, and discovered there was a simple way to provide herself with a bounty of healthy food, GROW BIOINTENSIVE®.
She loves to have her hands in the dirt, observe seeds growing into plants and plants blossoming into flowers.
She loves cooking and preserving the gardens bounty, so her family has vegetables and fruits year round.
As a new mother, Sharon wants to provide only the best food for her Son Lincoln, and wants to show other moms how they too can provide healthy and organic food for their family, in a very small area!
She wants to encourage and empower more women to take back control of where their food comes from. To teach how to grow healthy organic foods in their own back yards, and teach children about soil and where their food comes from.
James Christie-Fougere
James grew up in Halifax Nova-Scotia, and lived a typical city life. Never stopping to question where his food was coming from, not looking beyond the next stop to the grocery store.
James stumbled upon documentaries focusing on preparedness skills, and learned that our current agricultural system is fragile, toxic, and unsustainable. But there was an answer to the problem, a recommendation to purchase a book written by John Jeavons - How to Grow More Vegetables.
What started out as a desire to become self-reliant, grew into a new desire to help others gain food security in a uncertain world.
James strongly believes in empowering people to know they too can grow much, or even all of their own nutritious food. Locally, and sustainably.
Lincoln Madrone
Lincoln was born June 2nd 2017. He keeps Sharon and James busy, and they're working hard to ensure he'll inherit a future with abundant forests, clean streams and fresh air. Lincoln will grow up playing in the dirt, learning about ecosystems and the magic of how a seed can turn in to a delicious meal.
Bella
Bella is the farm sidekick, always on the hunt for ground squirrels. She's a Border Collie and has been training to herd sheep. Sharon and James adopted her from W.A.G in Whistler BC, where she had been surrendered from a farm. She likes long walks....anywhere.
Finn
The newest member of our family, Finn the Border Collie! He loves hanging out in the gardens and follows Bella everywhere she goes. He's quickly learned to stay on the garden paths and looks forward to herding sheep in the future!