arbutus REDISCOVER COWICHAN
The Man Behind the Music:
Longevity John Falkner
In this issue: UP THE GARDEN PATH | GROVE HALL FARMS
VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 4 • SUMMER 2019
arbutus
OUT & ABOUT
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1. Red Arrow Brewing’s Travis Peterson and Jeremy Horgan are looking forward to brewing a special brand, HarbourCats Ball Park Blonde, for the Victoria baseball team. 2. Bill Dumont (right), a long-time supporter and volunteer at the BC Forest Discovery Centre chats with Gerry Burch at the official opening of the Centre’s Forest Forever exhibit. 3 Kindry Mercer from Western Forest Products and Bob Beard, a board member of the BC Forest Discovery Centre attended the official opening of the Forest Forever exhibit. 4. Alf Carter (right) President of the BC Forest Discovery Centre board and Domenico Lannidinardo from Mosaic Forest Management participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Forest Forever exhibit in April. 5. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh dropped by the Duncan Market one Saturday morning along with MP Alistair MacGregor and met supporter Linda Hall along the way
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arbutus
Volume 4 • Issue 4 • Summer 2019
Photo: Lisa Marie
Publisher & Editor
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Darin Lashman Vi Moffatt Lauri Meanley Christian McKnight Contributing Writers
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251 Jubilee St., Duncan BC V9L 1W8 General Inquiries
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arbutus REDISCOVER COWICHAN
The Man Behind the Music:
Longevity John Falkner
Cover Long John Falkner enjoying life in front of the Showroom. Photographer
In this issue: UP THE GARDEN PATH | GROVE HILL FARMS
VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 4 • SUMMER 2019
Zoe Lauckner
arbutus magazine // Summer 2019
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A Note from the Publisher Yes, it’s probably true. Look up the word eclectic in the dictionary and you’ll likely find a picture of Longevity John Falkner. He of the half-beard, shoulder length hair disciplined by a leather headband, wearing a trademark Hawaiian shirt. Eclectic and controversial. It’s no secret that Long John – the godfather of live music in the Cowichan Valley – has his detractors amongst his fans in these parts. John has had his struggles, and life continues to have its challenges, but the man who brings us the annual 39 Days of July usually tells it like it is. He’s open about his past life as a boozer and offers encouragement to others seeking the path to sobriety. When the financial squeeze is on, which seems to be a perpetual state, Long John bares his soul in an effort to keep the doors of his beloved Duncan Showroom open in downtown Duncan. Music is his life and we should all be grateful that he has invited us to share his passion for live performances. For this issue of Arbutus, freelance contributor Zoe Luckner jumped at the chance to get to know Long John Falkner a little better and share the story with our readers.
by Warren Goulding
Truth is, Zoe shares some of Long John’s eclecticism and given her own musical background and appreciation for what it takes to sustain live music, she is a natural to tell John’s story. Zoe did a great job. Another easy assignment choice was recruiting award-winning Cowichan Valley Citizen editor Andrea Rondeau to pen the story about Maple Bay gardener Elisabeth Ovesen. Not only does Andrea edit the publication that was recently named the second best overall newspaper in Canada in its circulation category, and an opinion piece she wrote was judged the second best national editorial of 2018, she’s on the road to becoming a master gardener herself. This issue also features stories about two couples who are making names for themselves in the food services and agriculture industries. George Gates and Evelyn Koops of The Farm Table Inn told their story of commitment to using local products in their business to Citizen writer Lexi Bainas. And our regular contributor Cathie Hamilton, who makes ‘The Case for Shopping Locally’ every edition, introduced us to Carlo and Laura Brizzi and family, who own and operate Grove Hall Farm on the outskirts of Duncan.
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in this issue Summer 2019 the stories the Garden Path 08 Up An avid gardener herself, Andrea Rondeau paid a visit to Elisabeth Ovesen, a Maple Bay woman who has a passion for gardening and is carving out her own personal piece of paradise.
Behind the Music 13 Man He’s colourful and controversial and Long John Falkner is a lifelong music fan and the man who brings the annual 39 Days of July to the Cowichan Valley.
the features Table Inn 20 Farm George Gates and Evelyn Koops opened the Farm Table Inn with a simple mission statement: We’re going to be a farm to table restaurant. They’ve stayed true to that objective and folks are loving their Lake Cowichan lodge-style restaurant.
and About 02 Out Our regular selection of photos from important events taking place around the Cowichan Valley!
Case for 30 The Shopping Locally Feature 24 Home Two beautiful homes, one in Chemainus and the other in Shawnigan Lake. Both are spectacular with their own unique features. And both are on the market!
Cathie Hamilton spent some time with Carlo and Laura Brizzi and discovered an amazing operation that features a farm that supplies the products for Grove Hall Farm’s Italian Kitchen & Deli.
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LET’S CONNECT at Cowichan Brain Injury (CBIS) . . . A place I can be ME! Peers Teaching Peers WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER!
At Cowichan Brain Injury (CBIS), ‘Let’s Connect’ is a place where everyone can be themselves. ‘Let’s Connect’ is an innovative post-rehabilitation and community-based peer support initiative. It provides a welcoming environment to connect, contribute and learn. It’s all about Peers teaching Peers. Together they are stronger. Peer supporters listen, provide emotional support and inspire HOPE. The program emphasizes health and wellness and empowering survivors to occupation or meaning after injury. The focus is on who we are as people – spirit, mind and body. Survivors come to build friendships, receive support, link up with valuable community resources, and explore life interests. Brain injuries make no appointments, nor does it matter what age you are, race, ethnicity, gender or care whether you have money. A brain injury will take anyone, anytime of the day or night. They happen suddenly and within seconds life can change dramatically. Imagine driving on the Malahat, having the RCMP corralling what they think is a drunk driver; only to discover it was June MacCulloch having a stroke while driving. Their first question was “Have you had anything to drink?” An ambulance was summoned immediately and June taken to Victoria General where she spent 7 weeks for inpatient rehabilitation. She made the news that night on TV and the next day one of the RCMP officers even came to check to see how she was doing. That second took away June’s career and her license suspended. She has learned to appreciate each and every day as it comes because you never know when it can be taken away from you permanently. Primary causes of acquired brain injury are tumors, trauma, stroke, hypoxia/anoxia, alcohol related & other toxins, infection and degenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis & Huntington’s). The brain controls everything we think, feel and do, as well as how we move, what we smell and what we see. Everything about us is controlled by our brain. Studies show the brain is capable of changing through neuroplasticity; the natural ability of the brain to reorganize and rewire functions over to new, healthy parts of the brain after injury. New neurons require support from other neurons to survive. More practice and repetition helps to strengthen the connection. Neuroplasticity is nothing without meaningful engagement, focus on specific tasks, and your hard work. There is no quick fix, but what it does mean is that it doesn’t matter if it’s been two months or two decades since your brain injury: practice can spark new changes in your brain and improvements in function. Recovery is usually life-long requiring hard work and lots of commitment. It will not be easy and will probably be the hardest thing you will ever do. CBIS is on a campaign to raise awareness and funds to support community-based brain injury programs for the Cowichan area.
Cowichan Brain Injury (CBIS) 5814 Banks Rd. (Clements Sundrop Centre) 6 arbutusmag.com
Dro p Frid -in Mo ay 1 n 1am day to - 1p m
We want everyone to know there is LIFE AFTER BRAIN INJURY. After all, if you don’t know a brain injury survivor yourself, then you probably know someone who loves one. CBIS ‘Let’s Carve’ and ‘Let’s Do Art’ programs are peer led by Master Carver Rupert Scow. Rupert Scow was born in 1957 in Alert Bay. The Scow family, known as “The people of the Bear” is Kwicksuitaineuk from the village of Gwayasdums on Gilford Island, and is part of the Bear and Gwayasdym’s crest of the Sisiutl, or double headed sea serpent, are family crests. Rupert comes from a long line of carvers and respected elders, including his great grandfather Mungo Martin and great grandfather Chief Johnny Scow. This wealth of culture instilled a strong sense of heritage in Rupert and his five brothers, all of whom are exceptional carvers. Under the guidance of Wayne Alfred, Vince Shaughnessy, and Shawn Karpes, Rupert began carving cedar in 1991, creating masks, rattles, bowls, poles and transformation masks. Having learned the art of woodcarving, Rupert completed the Native Education Center’s jewelry course in 2008, and now volunteers his time teaching First Nations carving at CBIS. The goal of both programs is to decrease anxiety, depression and stress while building friendships and increasing toleration for social interaction. Respect for cultural diversity is an aspect of Canadian society that is of great appeal to people from other countries who want to move here. In BC alone there is an amazing diversity of First Nation culture and language. There are over 200 First Nation communities in the province - each with its own unique culture, traditions and history. Cultural practices, symbols, and belief systems are influenced by each Nation’s unique experience on the land and with each other, and are always connected with the Spirit world. Our peer support program, Let’s Connect, has evolved in its own diverse culture as a result of the shared lived experience of a brain injury in an environment where everyone grieves their loss before starting their journey of hope. If you are interested in being a sponsor (Friend) or volunteer for any of our programs, please contact by email letsconnect@volunteercowichan.bc.ca or by telephone 250-748-2133 Extension 0. Help us improve life after brain injury!
250-748-2133 Extension 0 letsconnect@volunteercowichan.bc.ca
Become a Friend of Cowichan Brain Injury Society to Support Therapeutic Programs for Community Rehabilitation Red Cedar Friend $1,200.
Yellow Cedar Friend $900.
Maple Friend $600.
Let’s Carve Program
Let’s Do Art Program
Let’s Talk (Aphasia) Program
Douglas Fir Friend $300.
Let’s Move Program
Alder Friend $120.
Be our Friend: √ Support CBIS in meeting the unique and diverse needs of persons living with an acquired brain injury in the Cowichan area. √ Your sponsor dollars gives HOPE for life after brain injury. Every Friend will be listed on our Wall of HOPE and Friends on our website. √ Your sponsor dollars provide cognitively stimulating activities to challenge memory, retention, abstraction, and problem-solving. √ Your sponsor dollars will provide the practical skills, competencies, and knowledge for emotional support and recovery.
Let’s Connect (Peer Support) arbutus magazine // Summer 2019
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By Andrea Rondeau
“
It’s also a kind of an organic process,” she said. “Creating the spaces and the flow and hiding some bits from other bits so you don’t see it all at once. You’re creating a little mystery, where you get surprises as you go around the corner..”
After I ring the doorbell at Elisabeth Ovesen’s Maple Bay home, she leans over the second-floor railing to the left of the front door and calls to me to come around through the side gate. Ovesen, it seems, is already outside in her garden, though at 9 a.m. the heat of the day is still hours away, especially under the canopy of trees that provide a cool oasis for many of her hundreds of plants. But I’m getting ahead of myself. To get to the house, I walked up a tree-lined driveway, and to the left, past a garden bed crammed with plants I couldn’t wait to get a closer look at. I headed around the right hand side of the house, past first, a greenhouse, then, beyond the gate, a vegetable garden in tiered beds lining
the fence. Already kale and what Ovesen later tells me is an amazing arugula, along with lettuce and other hints of green are visible. Ovesen, barefoot, greets me as I come up the stone path, as does Newman, the partSiamese cat that is never more than a metre away and looking to be petted and told he’s beautiful (which he is). The double doors at the back of the house are flung wide already, making the garden an extension of the home. Over the threshold, Redford, an orange cat, eyes me before heading deeper into the house.
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We sit down in the living room to talk about the history of the garden before I take a proper tour of the alluring greens and brilliant pinks, blues and purples calling from outside. Over a cup of coffee, Ovesen tells me that her first foray into gardening was nothing glamorous, and can be laid at the feet of a colleague who offered her cuttings of some perennials from her garden. Even though she was only in a rental property at that time, Ovesen accepted. She was immediately hooked. Ovesen started looking up names
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and getting books on plants and gardening. It was “plant lust”, she jokes. “I’m just fascinated by plant life” From the beginning, it was the unusual and exotic varieties that appealed to her. “It couldn’t be something plain and ordinary from Home Depot, oh no, it had to be the one from the book that nobody else had.” This dovetails with how she looks at gardening. For some it is an escape from a busy, stressful job, but Ovesen says she’s never identified herself by her profession. When people ask her what she does, she tells them she’s a gardener, though this has never been her nine to five. She laughs that gardening is her obsession. For her, sitting in the garden she has created is not a moment of serenity, it is “intoxicating”. Ovesen says a garden should be a place of calm, but should also fill the senses with colour and scent. The hunt for new and unusual species sends her regularly to nurseries both local and further afield. “I’m on a first-name basis with a lot of nurseries,” Ovesen says, naming Art’s Nursery in Langley, Danica Nursery
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in Victoria, Rainforest Nursery, Dinter Nursery, Fraser’s Thimble Nursery, Russell Nursery, and Phoenix Perennials as oft-visited spots. She’s found it frustrating that many of the varieties she’s looking for are often not available in Canada, like a carpinus japonica tree that she had at one garden she started but had to leave behind. It took years of searching to replace it. She muses that propagating old and unusual varieties doesn’t seem to be a priority for most of the regional garden centres. Even when she goes on vacation to exotic locales the purpose is to view the plant and animal life — she is, she says, not that interested in cities, with one caveat: “unless they have a big botanical garden, so you can go see all the crazy things they’ve got.” This garden in Maple Bay, which boasts a stunning view of Quamichan Lake from that second-floor patio she beckoned me from, is the fifth she’s built from scratch over the last 26 years. Looking at the size of the plants and how vigourously they are growing, it is almost impossible to believe that this garden was started only two years ago in 2017.
So what’s her secret? She takes as many pieces as she can from the gardens she leaves behind, and she isn’t afraid to accept gifts from people looking to get rid of mature plants, such as the new (old) red and blue rhododendrons she shows me that measure taller than my head. (Rhododendrons have roots in a wide mat, she advises, but they’re not that deep. So it’s possible to cut a wide circle around even a large rhododendron and with some muscle and perseverance transplant it to a new home.) “My biggest moving truck was plants,” she says of her most recent relocation to the Cowichan Valley. Even so, she regretted leaving some of her favourites behind in Vancouver, favourites that she discovered were not as easy to find anew as she’d expected. Not to be stymied, Ovesen has been back to her old house, and with the consent of the new owner, took cuttings from these rare varieties, including a black-flowered rhododendron. The riot of plants outside in the still, warm spring air, with the sound of the birds and the fountain gently spilling water, is a creation of mere months. “Before” pictures on Ovesen’s iPad show some lawn and a lone stone pathway. There’s now not a stitch of lawn to be seen. Just layers of plants. It’s surreal, like watching something grow in a time-lapse video.
gargoyle that protects the pond, to a second burbling fountain, to pops of colour from unexpected sources, like the clematis that are planted to climb up and through each and every shrub. “It’s also a kind of an organic process,” she said. “Creating the spaces and the flow and hiding some bits from other bits so you don’t see it all at once. You’re creating a little mystery, where you get surprises as you go around the corner.”
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“There are lots of people that could just breeze through here and say ‘oh, it’s very nice’, but for people who like to contemplate the patterns, the contrasts in leaf size, shape, colour, so you’re creating something that has year-round interest.” Japanese irises turn their frilly white petals to the dappled sun. An unusual pasque flower in dark purple with double petals is a splash of burgundy against light green foliage. Rhododendrons are starting to fill the garden with a rainbow of colour, and tiny pink cyclamen peak out from beneath. Far in the back, a handkerchief tree with its startling white petals stands out. A blue anemone, her favourite colour, (and true blue is the rarest colour for flowers) nods on its stem. An odd panhandle of land in front of her neighbour’s house along the driveway is also hers, she discovered, and she quickly filled it with fruit trees and berries.
Ovesen planned the new garden herself, with not a bit of space unused, though it doesn’t feel crowded, with places to sit and enjoy the ambience interspersed with the flower beds that are done in tiers up to the back fence. All the rock was brought in, as were yards and yards of soil. Ovesen herself manned the backhoe briefly, and supervised the team of strong backs that helped put it all in place. Also added was the sunroom that looks out on the garden and, in winter, is packed with Ovesen’s more tropical species that won’t stand the Cowichan winter outdoors.
In summer, the view changes, Ovesen says, with roses taking over from rhododendrons and lilies coming into their own. She’s not sure if there are plants that still trace their lineage back to those first cuttings she got from her friend, but she wouldn’t be surprised.
She created the garden so that you can’t see the whole thing from just one angle. You have to go out and walk around it, sit in the different locations offered, to see all of the surprises, from art pieces and a
She’s always on the hunt for what she calls “ephemerals”, like trout lilies which now come in a host of unusual variations. A nursery in Langley, she says, has them all.
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Ovesen is still working on year-round interest in the garden, she says, and she believes that if you can see bare ground, there’s room for something new. “Nothing exceeds like excess,” she jokes, when asked about her philosophy of gardening.
At the side of the house, below the
MARTIN’S 33 Station St. Downtown Duncan arbutus magazine // Summer 2019
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Maple Bay gardener Elisabeth Ovesen patio, there’s a space she calls her plant nursery, which is filled with pots of plants of different varieties, waiting to go into the ground. While she loves gardening, she can’t, she acknowledges, keep it all in shape by herself. To this end, she’s hired Erin Godfrey of Hemlock Horticultural Services to help her out. “She’s extremely skilled,” Ovesen said. Asked if she feels like there’s anything missing from her garden, she responds it’s the tropical flowers
e v o L
she’d love to have that it’s just not possible to grow here. Ovesen says she lost a lot of zone 8 plants last year and she’s learned her lesson on that score. (A typical map will show you political boundaries, but gardeners know that the maps that matter have superimposed a rainbow of plant hardiness zones over the terrain, to let you know what is likely to survive in your area. A quick internet search will bring one up.) But she does have a Meyer lemon tree of of which she hopes to get some, and she plants coleus (an annual here), to fill in
spaces through the heat of summer. She also has a passion for passion flowers that she’s indulged, boasting a number of varieties. But as she surveys her garden, it’s not with dissatisfaction. “I think this is the best one yet,” she says, eyes seeing what’s in front of her, and the labours of the 26 years that came before. As she sees me off, Ovesen picks me a handful of that beautiful arugula, while Newman stretches out contentedly at her feet.
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sThe Man
Behind the
»
By Zoe Lauckner
LONGEVITY JOHN FALKNER If you’ve spent any time in downtown Duncan, you’ve likely encountered the famous Longevity John Falkner. Or, is it infamous? Sporting sandals, drawing upon his extensive collection of Hawaiian style shirts, and, most recently, a halfbeard preserved from his Halloween costume in 2017, John is a sight to behold.
Though the long hair and leather headband that are part of the persona of this 68-year-old music aficionado may suggest the stereotype of a ‘lazy hippy,’ anyone who knows him knows this eclectic character is anything but lazy. On any given Saturday you’re sure to see Falkner scootering around the Downtown Farmer’s Market handing out flyers for upcoming shows and promoting Canada’s
longest music festival, the 39 Days of July, which he spearheaded eight years ago. His current live music venue, the Duncan Showroom located on Station Street, has live performances every night of the week, drawing in exceptional national and international talent. Do a quick Google search of the name Longevity John Falkner and you’re sure to find hundreds of stories arbutus magazine // Summer 2019
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about his twenty-five plus years of promoting Canadian music in the Cowichan Valley. But while many people are familiar with the colourful chapters of Long John’s story since his arrival in the Valley, his life leading up to moving West hasn’t been all popcorn and nose flutes. Born in Smiths Falls, Ontario in 1950, Falkner is prepared to share very little about his biological father other than he was involved in a life of crime and left the family when John was only two and-a-half. With help from his grandparents, John was raised by his mother, Jean, who he describes with adoration as a “vivacious, hard worker.” In 1960, Jean remarried to a local radio announcer. The family moved to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and shortly after, to Montreal where they had children of their own, Paul and Mark. “He became one of Canada’s finest radio announcers,” John recalls of his stepfather. “Anyone in Montreal in the ‘60s would have known ‘Bill Falkner, CKGM News.’ So it was kind of neat because there was somewhat of a celebrity thing going on.”
John with his daughters a few years ago.
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At 18 years old, while living with Bill and Jean in Montreal, John was apprehended by police and charged, along with two of his friends, with possession of 11 joints of cannabis. After a lengthy court battle he was found guilty and sentenced to one hour in jail. “It read as a charge of possession of a narcotic and that I served time; so much for entering the U. S. of A.,” Falkner shrugs. What a drag. When John’s stepfather picked him up from the police station he marched the malcontent teenager to the local barber. Against his will, John was given a military-style buzz cut in a sort of my house, my rules act. Another drag. “I decided not to have a haircut for 50 years now. I remember my stepdad wouldn’t walk up the street with me afterwards, he was too embarrassed after realizing what he’d done.” With a tender smile, Falkner recounts visiting his family back east in Windsor years later, noticing the length of his pre-teen brother’s hair being “longer than mine had ever been.” When the family picked up and
moved to Windsor, Falkner chose to move to downtown Montreal. Finding comfort in a local bar, John pinpoints this time in his life as the beginning of a long struggle with alcohol. It was at this time where he met Skipper Davies, who John describes as “an old Montreal hippy who had gone to San Francisco and came back and had hair halfway to his waist and a big beard.” Skipper was a skilled leather worker and John began to shadow him and learn his craft. Falkner isn’t anxious to provide many details of his life through his twenties and thirties, other than he travelled a lot, often living on the streets or staying in hotels, drinking and getting by doing his own leatherwork. He had three children and a stepdaughter (and eventually a grandchild), and while he was mostly absent, the relationships with his families remained constant, open and positive. After a nearly two-decade long turbulent relationship with alcohol, Falkner came to the realization that he wasn’t really in control of his life, although he may have thought so. It was time for a change. He remembers picking up the phone and calling the
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John with Tim, Trevor and young musician Malakai.
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local detox centre to inquire for a “friend” of his and how he might get help. “The guy on the other end of the line knew it was me asking for myself and said I just needed to come to their door. I did just that and it is now 33 years later, collected one day at a time.” With his new-found sobriety and an unclear path ahead, Falkner happened to rekindle a friendship with someone he’d met during his time in London Ontario, a musician by the name of Willie P. Bennet. When they first met in 1974, Willie P. was just breaking into the Canadian Folk music scene and by 1986 when they reconnected, he had made his way to the status of ‘Canadian Folk Royalty.’ When the opportunity arose to be Willie’s driver
Photo courtesy of Lisa Marie
for a West Coast tour, John couldn’t resist. His experience witnessing Willie P.’s performances has shaped his passion for presenting live music in a way that encourages – at times demands – an attentive audience. If you’ve attended a show at the Showroom, you may have seen John ‘shushing’ talkative audience members or handing them a small piece of paper that reads: “It appears you haven’t noticed everyone else in the room is supplying their undivided attention to the performance at hand ... it sure would be nice if you joined them in their endeavours. Thank you.” This edict was born from Falkner’s years of witnessing stellar talent having to compete with bar TVs and noisy patrons.
“I moved to the West Coast to make sure we could find a network of gigs for him and other artists to perform at. The Showroom experience was designed for Willie P., to honour his great songwriting and performances in a space where peeps would listen,” Falker explains. Settled on the West Coast and having fallen in love with the Cowichan Valley, John found sanctuary in a small house and surrounding three acres on Gibbins Road and for the first time in his life, he felt at home. “The rent was $75 a month, and even then I was behind, but I was sober!” Yearning to remain involved in the music scene, Falkner hosted concerts in local eateries, first at the Brigantine and the Grapevine in Maple Bay and then a concentrated effort at local Vimy Hall for about a year until that endeavour eventually came to an end. Synchronicity is a theme in Falkner’s life and he doesn’t take the concept lightly. When he found himself sitting in the iconic Arbutus Cafe in downtown Duncan, mourning his time at Vimy Hall, he picked up the Times Colonist and happened upon a classified ad for 150 theatre seats. “I had nowhere to put them, no plan. But I went to see them at the Jehovah’s Witnesses Hall and on December 26, with my one-ton cube van on its last legs, I made two trips and got them home.” The ambitious entrepreneur was now in possession of a wheel and began looking for a car to fit it. The Duncan Garage Showroom was born. It wasn’t long before word got around that there was an incredibly unique new venue in town. After just over a year of bringing quality music to the community, the community brought him something in return: Georgia. Georgia recalls her first experience at the Showroom, how after one show she was hooked.
John and Malakai played crib outside the showroom in downtown Duncan.
Photo courtesy of Lisa Marie
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“I like his dedication to nonconformity, it’s something I admire.” A local girl with a steady job, Georgia likely had no idea what she was in for, and it wasn’t long before Long John had Georgia on his mind. Among John’s many unique qualities is his, now former, herd of
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Electric trains are one of Long John’s passions, one he shares with ten-year-old Malakai.
Photo courtesy of Devon Gillot Pomeranian-shitzu dogs, thirteen to be exact. “Georgia didn’t like dogs at first,” John said laughing. “But she does now.” The couple has been together for fourteen years, and Georgia has been alongside John for what she calls the hamster wheel that is the rhythm of the Showroom. Outside of the regular and diverse musical talent that comes through, the venue hosts a number of
community events from Tango Milonga’s to youth programming for teens only. The room is known far and wide for its quality sound, which Long John credits to his good friends Tim and Trevor, the dream tech team (and head-banded as well). Like LJ’s crew, some people who experience John and the Showroom end up having a much more unique relationship than others. Among the youth of the community who have benefitted from this
all-ages venue is Malakai, a ten-yearold local ‘veteran’ entertainer, fast becoming a star in his own right, who attends so many shows there, he has his very own seat. “Since I was seven years old the Showroom has been one of the best parts of my life,” Malakai shared, noting, “if it closed down or became a 19+ venue, my life would not be as fun and exciting as it is now.” Malakai’s experience is one of many
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less visible ways that the Cowichan Valley benefits from the presence of Long John and the Showroom. John agrees the way the venue – now in its second location in Duncan – keeps going and the way it contributes may be unorthodox.
But as much as the Showroom asks from the community, it strives to give back in double. Undoubtedly, the venue is a one of a kind place, curated by a one of a kind ring master. One must experience it for themselves.
“If there was a magnifying glass on my life, not everyone would be able
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19
YEAR-RO
NG NI
OCAL L D DI N U
» “Savour the Experience”: that’s the slogan of the folks at The Farm Table Inn. And when you drive along leafy Cowichan Lake Road to their location, just east of Skutz Falls Road, and then turn in amid the trees, past the farm garden, and even the free-range chickens, to the charming lodge-style restaurant where Evelyn Koops and George Gates rule the roost, you’ll recognize there will be plenty of experience to savour. She looks after the hospitality side 20 arbutusmag.com
of things while he answers to ‘Chef’ in the kitchen. Right off the bat, we asked them, “How do you run a successful place off the beaten path?” Gates replied first. “You have to have a mission and a goal. We have said from the beginning that we were going to be a farm-totable restaurant. We were going to grow, and raise, and produce as much of the product as we could on our three acres. Otherwise, we were then going to source as locally as possible. We don’t grow pineapples. I like to
By Lexi Bainas
use pineapples. I’ll go see my friend, Lorne, at the Old Farm Market and buy them from him. So, at least, the people that he’s employing live locally in our community and are reaping the benefits of that. I just want to have the whole thing here. “When it comes to our success, people know that. Then, we live by that mission faithfully and then we yell at everybody to come!” Koops adds, “I think, by being off the beaten path, we are creating a new experience for people. When people
“
In the winter months we do rely heavily on locals who want to come for dinner”
come, they know it’s going to be leisurely. We take time for dinner, it’s not going to be rushed. It’s all about the experience here. I think people are starting to realize that.” Timing is also right. Lifestyles are changing. The farmers markets are booming. Every big grocery store has its organic section now, its selection of locally produced items, even its big selection of fresh flowers. Quality of life has obviously become of major importance to many people, and knowing where your food arbutus magazine // Summer 2019
21
Evelyn Koops and George Gates are thriving as farmers and restaurant owners. comes from is right on the crest of that wave. They both nodded at these ideas. “We did buy and renovate the place at the right time. Tourism was increasing,” Gates said. Koops said, “Lake Cowichan has always been a sleepy little area but with Sunfest there now, I think it’s going to be developed. When we were looking for a place to live that’s kind of why this was appealing to me, too.” Gates said, “Other than the development, there’s also the changing attitudes about what we are as the Cowichan Valley, too.” What’s so different? He listed the recent efforts of Tourism 22 arbutusmag.com
Cowichan, which, he said, “has done a 180 as to how it is run and their mandate”; Victoria Tourism, which now wants to offer a wider range of options to visitors landing on the Island; and the work of the Chambers of Commerce and Visitors Centres, who have made “huge improvements” in promoting the area to tourists. Gates said it all boils down to “a change from: let’s not tell anyone we’re here to: this is what we have to offer. Social media has really enabled us to get into the Cowichan-as-anasset thing and a lot of people from Victoria and Nanaimo are driving up here for dinners. Special dinners. Like last night: we had a Winemakers Dinner, a high end dinner, paired with a winery who were here to talk about their wines. We did a five course meal.
One couple took a [B&B] room for two nights and another couple just showed up and said, ‘We want to come for dinner and we want to take a room. So they did. It worked out really well for us.” But there are aspects of the restaurants operation that “have become famous with the locals,” Gates said. “Things like our Sunday brunch: that’s completely different from everything we do but it’s geared towards locals and their families who can get away for brunch. It’s great, and it’s huge, and it’s popular.” However, there is one point that must become better known, Koops said. The Farm Table Inn is open year-round. “I think a lot of locals think we are
January right after New Year’s for a
Gates said that brief vacation break should not push the Farm Table Inn into the seasonal business category.
two-week personal break.”
Koops said that “in the winter months
only seasonal, but we’re not. We only shut down for a couple of weeks in
we do rely heavily on locals who want to come for dinner. We’re looking at other ways to promote us as an experience, maybe as part of fly fishing packages.”
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24 arbutusmag.com
Home Feature
arbutus
Home Feature
Rear view of 10067 Daniel Street in Chemainus. Cowichan Valley realtor Brian Danyliw of The Agency has two outstanding properties on the market at this time and both have impressive water access and views. One is located in Chemainus and is a stunning waterfront home where the ocean meets the shore. Built in 2017, this spectacular executive home features 12-foot ceilings and an abundance of windows that maximize the light and embrace the view of the ocean. The kitchen is stunning and practical and is outfitted with top quality appliances. Among the features are a builtin sound system, heated floors, a large ocean view deck with a builtin outdoor kitchen. The master bedroom and ensuite, with a walkin shower and soaker tub, are the epitome of luxury.
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The finest finishings carry on to the lower level offering a media room, gym, two additional bedrooms and a four-piece bathroom. This Daniel Street home offers some of the most coveted land, situated on
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arbutus magazine // Summer 2019
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arbutus
Home Feature
This Chemainus home features a fabulous kitchen and dining area.
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a.71 acre park-like setting complete with a bridge crossing Askew Creek. This elegant and sophisticated home has all the amenities for the ultimate in Vancouver Island living.
26 arbutusmag.com
arbutus
Home Feature
1890 Flicker Road in Shawnigan Lake is a spectacular lakefront home.
At the south end of the Cowichan Valley lies a treasure that speaks of the owner’s passion for gardening and a commitment to a superb quality renovation. After purchasing the Shawnigan Lake property a dozen years ago, the work – mostly a labour of love – began in
earnest. The owner describes the home on this 1.8 acre lakefront estate as “a beautiful blank canvas”, but one that was ripe for a major overhaul. The house had suffered through a “really bad reno” and was ready for someone who arbutus magazine // Spring 2019
27
arbutus An extensive renovation turned this Shawnigan Lake sleeper into a vibrant and relaxing home, ideal for entertaining or quiet times.
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Home Feature
appreciated the surroundings and would revive the home, reflecting the environment that featured a beautiful wooded area perched above beautiful Shawnigan Lake. After months of intense alterations – the kitchen and living room were moved up one, floor, the master bedroom that had been at the top of the house came down to the lower level to be closer to the water – the radical transformation was complete. “Nothing ostentatious, it was really just about the quality materials that were used and a lot of attention to details.” Working with interior designer, Sandy Nygaard, the owner changed the former “ugly duckling” into a beautiful home. Using cherry and quartercut maple, Nygaard designed all the millwork, including custom built-in closets and storage areas. Kitchen countertops are Caesarstone. The garden is another story. Years and years of tending to a vision and patiently enhancing the pristine piece of paradise on the lake have resulted in a glorious garden. The natural and organic elements of the home speak to the lavish garden, merging an expression of unparalleled serenity. Japanese Maples show best in late summer and fall and put on a colourful show from the middle of September until December. You’ll want to experience the mystery of this 3,192 sq ft home as you meander along the stepping stone pathway, under the stone archway, pass the creek and through the lush grounds. The thoughtful design of the kitchen blends luxury with convenience. The view is magical from the master bedroom with a beautiful built-in chest, which divides two small sets of stairs that lead to the sleeping level. The impressive boathouse provides accommodations, giving friends and family a taste of the good life. If you would like more information or would like to view these homes, call Brian Danyliw at The Agency, 250-710-8779. Or email brian.danyliw@TheAgencyRE.com
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THE CASE FOR
By Cathie Hamilton
shopping locally while staying with the families on the old farms, they decided to create Grove Hall Farm’s Italian Kitchen & Deli. Their goal was to create sustainable farming practices for their new community. Using seeds harvested from the family farm back in Italy, they started to grow and harvest vegetables that they use and sell at their store. They also serve and sell ethically raised lamb, poultry, free range eggs, and honey.
Cathie Hamilton spent some time with Carlo and Laura Brizzi and discovered an amazing operation that features a farm that supplies the products for Grove Hall Farm’s Italian Kitchen & Deli.
A
fter moving to Vancouver Island nearly four years ago, Carlo and Laura Brizzi had a dream to start a new business, going back to the way of our past generations, of living off the land and having a more healthy and natural lifestyle. With their son, Matthew, who had studied culinary arts in Italy and spent time learning the old school ways, 30 arbutusmag.com
This is truly a family run business with both Laura and Carlo involved in the business side, while their oldest son Matthew is the passionate gardener and the chef who creates and produces all of the amazing dishes produced in the kitchen. Alongside is his girlfriend, Karen, who creates house made treats, with everything from Tiramisu to Panna Cotta, to traditional Italian Bon Bons.
chicken cutlets, house made gnocchi, arancini, many different varieties of lasagna, including keto lasagna, house made soups, and much more. They also have a special variety of meals to go, for the person who doesn’t have time or desire to cook. Just heat and eat. They also offer a wide variety of gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options. Matthew also prepares fresh pasta or pizza from Thursday – Sunday which can be taken out or enjoyed on their lovely patio. And on that hot summer day (or any day) come try one of their many different flavors of House made Traditional Gelato or Sorbetto. As mentioned, one of their main goals in establishing their business was to make it sustainable and this is a driving force in everything that they do in all aspects of their business. Just a few examples: • They make their own soil from products from all aspects of their farm • Take out packaging used in the deli is all reusable and then recyclable. • The new doors for the kitchen were crafted from a packaging crate that was used to ship a new piece of restaurant equipment.
Also, on a busy summer day, you can see the siblings Christopher and Lyndzie helping out in the kitchen or even scooping Gelato!
• Nothing leaves the property that can be used to build and/or evolve their business.
Using products grown on their farm they offer a wide variety of products in their shop – The Italian Kitchen & Deli. There they offer many homemade products that can be taken home to enjoy, like house made fresh egg pasta, pasta sauces,
This family is a true embodiment of the recycle, reuse and reduce philosophy. “FROM OUR FARM TO YOUR TABLE. WE ALL NEED TO EAT WELL TO LIVE WELL!”
There was so much to choose from that I was hard pressed to make a decision as to what items I wanted to use for my recipe for this time around but I finally reached a decision and chose fresh Gnocchi with their own house made Puttanesca sauce and chicken cutlets – all from the farm and store.
GNOCCHI IN PUTTANESCA SAUCE, CHICKEN CUTLETS AND ZUCCHINI SALAD
using to allow the flavours to blend together.
Serves 4
I spriralized my zucchini to give the salad lots of body but if you don’t have a spiralizer simply grate the zucchini. Just before serving toss the zucchini with the dressing and serve immediately.
4 chicken cutlets 2 tsp butter The cutlets can be cooked frozen or thawed.
There are so many great reasons to shop locally. Among them are:
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a pan just large enough to hold the cutlets in a single layer. As soon as the butter is melted add the cutlets and cook on 1 side for approximately 2 – 4 minutes or just until golden brown. Flip and continue to cook until golden brown on the both sides and the chicken is cooked through.
•
ZUCCHINI SALAD
•
You get to meet some wonderful passionate people You support local businesses who in turn support other local businesses
4 sundried tomato halves, julienned 2 Tablespoons white wine or balsamic vinegar 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Pinch of sugar ¼ tsp salt
•
It is easier on the environment
Several generous fresh grinds of pepper
•
Eat healthy and be happy!
Whisk the ingredients together in a bowl large enough to hold the salad. Let the dressing sit for 1 hour before
1 large or 2 small zucchini
GNOCCHI IN PUTTANESCA SAUCE 600 gm gnocchi – frozen 1 tsp salt 1 large jar Puttanesca sauce (use as much as you want – you will probably not need the entire jar) Asiago cheese as desired Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then add the salt. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water stirring gently with a spoon. Boil the gnocchi just until they float (approximately 6 minutes) then drain well. Heat the sauce in the same pan and add the cooked gnocchi back to the pan. Stir gently until the sauce and gnocchi are steaming hot. Turn out onto a serving platter and sprinkle generously with fresh grated Asiago cheese.
Enjoy!
arbutus magazine // Spring 2019
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