The Fig Tree

Who would have known that a fig tree means home to someone? This conversation took place between my husband and I recently. A year ago we moved to Alberta, purchased a house, and had been exploring how to beautify the garden area. Over the course of the last year I have asked my husband what special shrub or fruit tree we could plant. The answer was repeatedly a "fig tree" and my response was "there is no way it would grow in Alberta."

For some reason last week something triggered a deeper conversation about this. I learned that the "fig tree" did not necessarily mean we should grow a fig tree. The fig tree had a symbolic meaning and represented "home". I wonder if the fig tree symbolism stems from his Italian heritage, his many visits to Italy, his love for dried figs, or something else? Whatever the case may be, a fig tree holds a significant meaning to my husband.

Three important points came up for me from this fig tree conversation. For one, I need to ask more questions in order to reach deeper conversations with people. Second, what represents home for me? Lastly, in a world where there is so much movement, urban sprawl, expansion, and loss of rural identity, what do rural residents need in order to have something to symbolize home?

Home to me is not a place, but a sense of space; a space where I FEEL at home. A space where I can be myself, create a sanctuary, and people can visit without appointments.

How can rural communities have a sense of space and home when the face and essence of rural communities are dissolving? Perhaps maintaining the rural connections with one another will help; resisting the treadmill, but still keeping current; be proud and embrace the rural roots; and share the passion with others about what it means to be rural.

Finding the "fig tree" in your backyard may look different to your neighbour's. But, perhaps in re-connecting with our own "fig tree" we will discover that "home is where the heart is".

Busy, Busy, Busy....

"How are you?"... "Busy!"... "What about you?"..."Busy, VERY busy."..."Good for you! See you, I have to go because I have so much to do!"

Does this sound familiar? It seems that more than ever the people in my life, whether work or friends, are so busy that we are missing out on some valuable pieces in our life. It seems that people are missing the slowness of eating a meal and savouring it, chatting with someone without feeling rushed, reflecting on learnings, or celebrating accomplishments. Too often we create an identity by being busy, but often resent the results.

But what does busy mean? In my paperback version of the Oxford dictionary it states 1) "having a great deal to do"; 2) "currently occupied with an activity", and 3) "excessively detailed". Further investigation in the root meaning of the word busy shows it as "busy body in terms of prying, meddlesome." An interesting fact is that the phrase "busy work" was first recorded in 1910. So, when machines began to be introduced more and more into our lives, we began to be "busy".

Occasionally I have taken time management courses and these have been superb. I have learned different ways to make my work flow manageable, my household and workspace more efficient, and ways to work harder with little time. Then, I took a leadership course where we were taught to turn away from looking at time management in terms of a clock. Rather, we were encouraged to look at time management as management of our self. It is true... the clock will continue to tick and we cannot control time. But, we can take steps to manage our own behaviour, how we respond to our workload, how to set priorities, to be flexible, and take responsibility for our actions. We often set ourselves up to seek balance, but fail. How can we seek balance when the universe is always changing?

Rural communities often have places where people can stop and chat with one another without being rushed. Coffee chats at the local diner or at a neighbour's home before a days' work springs to mind. But, the influx of urban dwellers moving into rural communities is influencing the rural atmosphere because of different expectations. I wonder how the trend of "busy" will affect rural communities in the future? I know that I will treasure my days of being in a rural community when making connections with others, as well as nature, was valued by most.

Take a T.R.I.P. to Rural Communities!

Imagine a university student team of six and two professors travelling in a ten passenger van for three weeks throughout a pre-designated route in rural British Columbia. Major cities were avoided and the group ate at locally owned restaurants and stayed in locally owned accommodations. Some words that might come to mind would be insightful, powerful, amazing, fun, tiring, and educational.

One of my courses in university was an applied course after the regular semester finished where we did just that: travel rural BC. During my third year of my Bachelor of Tourism and Recreation Management degree the opportunity came to be part of this course. Having grown up in rural Alberta participating in the course matched my interests. I thought the information about TRIP would be useful to share with ACE Communities as some of Alberta’s rural communities look for tourism as one economic support. The TRIP project also reflects similar areas of ACE Communities in connecting and learning from one another, a community of practice.

The overall premise of the Tourism Research Innovation Project, or TRIP, is to “address the need for enhanced knowledge exchange in tourism development within rural areas in the province of British Columbia, and is intended to act as a model for similar in rural communities throughout Canada” (http://trip-project.ca/). The project has many funders both provincially and federally, but the real support comes from the rural stakeholders in their exchanges with one another.

TRIP objectives include: (http://trip-project.ca/)
- Mobilize information and resources in tourism development within rural communities;
- Understand the realities of rural tourism development through dialogue with community leaders and tourism entrepreneurs;
- Document case studies and innovative tourism practices and sharing them throughout the province;
- Link academic and non-academic partners in rural tourism development in British Columbia;
- Reshape policy, planning decisions and education programming in BC to reflect the needs of tourism development in rural areas.

What does this mean? Students, professors, and liaisons work with rural stakeholders before, during, and after the three week trips to gather and share information and resources, as well as connecting people with one another. The extension trips are entering a fifth year where another group will be “hitting the road”. Some of the greatest learnings came from the local stakeholders and not the text book. It was amazing to see how innovative, resourceful, and strong people were when faced with adversity when local resource based industries closed down.

I would have to say my most amazing experience was the day we visited Likely, BC. It was amazing because of the rural hospitality, warmth of the residents, and the connections that were made. This small community in the Cariboo-Chilotin region has managed to stay viable in unique ways. Likely is rich in natural resources and many out-door enthusiasts have flocked there. As well, a community forest was formed to create jobs for local people. The community residents really take time to listen to one another during community meetings and take steps to move forward on the residents’ recommendations. As a result, some of the residents of Likely have continued to be a part of other students’ lives with various projects.

To me, the example of Likely and TRIP demonstrate how important it is to connect and network with rural communities. Not only is it important that rural communities connect with one another, but links between urban and rural need to be formed. These connections create a community of practice: a place where communities can share and learn from each other’s experiences. If rural communities, and urban, stay individualistic these learnings only benefit a few, rather than many.

So, next time take a TRIP… a RURAL ALBERTA TRIP!

Rural Business Development

What I love about small Alberta communities is the cozy shops and pretty storefronts. At times when I see only a few shops I wonder what business opportunities could surface. I imagine that some community residents in rural areas yearn for a gas station, a gift shop, or some other small business that would add vitality, variety, and convenience to the community. So, why does this not happen? Or why do existing small businesses in rural communities fail?

At times, communities view private businesses as only beneficial to the owner. However, there are benefits to the community from local businesses such as employment; an increase in available goods and services; diversification in the economic base; dollars going back into the local economy; and an attraction of amenities to new and existing residents. Sometimes, a local business in a rural community can be an informal meeting place for residents, or a “hub”. In essence, small businesses in rural communities can increase some aspects of quality of life.

Local business owners sometimes need assistance to be successful. Patronizing a business is not always enough. At times local business owners may need assistance in writing a business plan, marketing strategies, tips on how to be innovative, and so forth. This does not mean that the business owner lacks business sense, but needs some support to strengthen their business skills. Where no Chamber of Commerce exists, developing a formal or informal business network within a region could assist local entrepreneurs. Drawing upon the local expertise in this manner builds collaboration in regions and communities, not competition.

On the other hand, local entrepreneurs need to be encouraged to begin new ventures. Sometimes the talent and business minds are already within the community, and this means new businesses do not always have to come from outside a community. Creating an atmosphere where local entrepreneurs feel welcomed and supported can go a long way.

There are several innovative ways to start, build, and maintain a business. The foundation lies within local support, collaboration, networking, and a willingness to go outside the box. Maybe develop a food co-op or have local residents invest $500 into the business and pay dividends. Partnerships in business can be very diverse and do not need to always be traditional.

So, as I continue to travel and explore rural Alberta I will keep my eye out for those small, unique and cozy shops. I will look for the friendliness of rural hospitality and go away with another grateful thought about why I love rural communities.

Note: Some of the ideas were adapted from Kinsley, M. (n.d.). RMI's Economic Renewal Program: An Introduction. Rocky Mountain Institute.

The Travelling “Flat Shawn”

A grade seven Social Studies student from Manitoba known by the name “Flat Shawn” made it into my lunch conversation the other day. A friend was visiting and mentioned how a student from her home town mailed a package with instructions about “his travelling flat self”.

The package included a picture of a 12 year old boy, a letter, and a journal indicating that the Social Studies teacher wanted students to learn more about how other people live, work, and play. The students and teacher discussed possibilities, budget, and so on. A field trip and time off school was not permitted, so it was decided that students would travel via Canada Post to a friend. Students had a picture taken of each of them, wrote a letter to the recipient, and mailed a package with journal pages. The premise is that the recipient would take the “Flat Student” along to daily activities and include the “Flat Student” as much as possible. It was encouraged that the recipient take pictures, write in the journal, email updates, and send a post card to the “Flat Student”. During this time, the student would record the “journey” in a personal journal and incorporate the recipient’s journal at a particular deadline.

“Flat Shawn” has had some interesting and engaging experiences since being in my friend’s life. “Flat Shawn” received special work clothes, a hard hat, a visitor’s pass, many photo-ops, and soon a trip to the Caribbean. Maybe I will trade places! She mentioned how colleagues became very enthusiastic, involved, and engaged in “Flat Shawn’s” journey. The level of participation and interest was contagious and many of the colleagues gave suggestions on how “Flat Shawn” could be more active and involved. It is fascinating to hear how this piece of cardboard has evoked such an alliance between colleagues.

Hearing this story promoted my thoughts about how to incorporate a “Flat Shawn” into the Active, Creative, Engaged (ACE) Communities Team that I am a part of. At times, I have wondered how to be enthusiastic, uplifting, and generate “spirit” in an environment where most people work from a home office and are scattered across the province of Alberta and beyond. Most team members communicate through emails and phone calls because of the distance between one another. This distance means that most typical office interactions where someone brings in a birthday cake, shares funny stories, and so on do not occur. Often those office interactions between colleagues can breed enthusiasm, spirit, and keep people going throughout the day.

“Flat Shawn” will be introduced during the next teleconference. Perhaps we can create our own “Flat Shawn” or ACE Mascot. We could make a flat mascot as a cardboard stand-up; mail it to each team member, and who knows from there? Being part of team that focuses on supporting rural communities, leaders, and residents to be active, creative, and engaged could evoke interesting results. Who knows where a travelling “Flat Shawn” could go with the ACE team. Our team is already quite creative, spirited, and energetic so the results could be VERY engaging! Stay posted!

Avocados and Pepsi

You may be wondering how avocados and Pepsi link to communities and community development. First, my personal learning about the avocado and a Pepsi can. My garden activities have been greatly influenced by snow. So, I have created an inside garden next to my house plants. I purchased two avocados in October and I thought it would be a superb idea to further test my gardening skills by attempting to help those avocado pits grow. If you have ever examined one of the avocado pits they are brown, hard, a bit oval, and very difficult to put a dent into. However, with a lot of patience, nurturing, and continuous fresh water something has started to happen. After two months there is now a crack on top and without doubt I know there will soon be some growth.

The Pepsi can has a different story. Friends were coming over and I needed to have some refreshments ready. I was being impatient and trying to do too many things at once. Walking out of my pantry room with arms full of food items I heard a crash and something like a BIG pop. I looked and brown liquid had spread EVERYWHERE from the exploding Pepsi can (don’t try this at home). In the moment I remained quite calm and proceeded to clean up the mess. More importantly I was rewarded with my calm reaction to the situation. This may seem silly to some, but sometimes accepting those little things in the midst of a challenging day can be difficult!

My stories link to communities and community development in terms of how communities move forward. My own experiences with rural communities are that patience helps the journey to greater successes. Growing up the common term on the farm was “next year we’ll get to it”. It did not mean that the item would get lost or forgotten. But rather, the process to reach the goal would take longer. Slowing down means making sure key pieces are in place and that people are part of the process.

When communities try to juggle too many things at once, like my Pepsi cans, then something has to give. But, when something critical does occur reactions to the event speaks volumes to the capacity of a community learning from the incident. At one time one of my professors shared a simple formula: E + R= O. Emotion plus reaction equals outcome. This seems quite simple, but I think it is important to remember that we can shape the outcome of events in many ways. I admit, at one point I wanted to throw out my avocado pit that didn’t seem to be doing anything. But, I was gently reminded that some things take more time, and this was one of those instances.

Rural communities face many challenges while trying to stay rural in the urban forest. Building ways within communities that keep practices and people active, creative and engaged will help communities move forward. Taking the time to set the structures to move forward without leaping ahead takes group effort. However, with some time, patience, and trust things will start to grow, like the avocado pit.

“The whole struggle of life is to some extent a struggle about how slowly or how quickly to do each thing.” Sten Nadolny (author)

Growing Up Rural…

When first approached about writing a blog I thought, “What could I write about? I don’t know where to start!” But, when I put my mind to it I realized I had somewhere very real and meaningful to start from. I began to reflect upon where I grew up: rural Alberta on the border of British Columbia: Gundy, AB. There were no amenities except for the community hall, cattle range, cemetery, refuse dump, and two ball diamonds. We had to travel about 12 miles for the mail and the convenience store and 25 miles to the closest urban centre. For many years, there was only one road to access the community which was through British Columbia. Finally in the 80’s a secondary road was built from Alberta to the area.

Growing up on a mixed farm in Gundy I learned about what makes a community. I learned how meaningful connections can be made, and how connections can be strengthened, even with people who have been in the area for years. I learned where to turn to for support. Money rarely exchanged hands for work done; rather, a person’s word was taken at face value. A new neighbour was welcomed with a pot of chilli, home made buns, and cookies. Everyone was invited to the annual potlucks held throughout the year. No appointment was ever necessary to stop in to a neighbour. The coffee pot was on, the cookie tin was always full, and people stopped their work to sit and talk with each other. In spite of differences amongst some individuals the community was somehow able to move forward together. When my father had a farming accident the community rallied together to raise some funds to give us some financial support till my father was able to farm again. I recall while my father was hospitalized the farming and haying still got finished. How? By neighbours who brought over their own machinery without asking and just did it. Even as I write this and recall my childhood I have tears over that strong sense of community where people were connected in some shape or form.

In today’s world rural communities struggle to hold their identity in many different ways. Rural communities fight to keep or bring back their young people, strive to stay connected with emerging needs of urbanites relocating to rural, work hard to dissolve old rivalries, and endeavour to keep local businesses thriving. The 100 Mile Movement should not be a trend; it should be a mind-set. All levels of government need to begin to demonstrate that policy includes urban and rural. Equally important, governments and urban organizations need to include rural community leaders and organizations into dialogue and consultation. But, it starts with us and our own attitude about what rural communities mean to us.