Monkeys off to Kelowna for New Years!!

It's a lovely mild day out there- with just the lightest smattering ofsnow to remind us that it is indeed wintertime (or is it? Solstice isstill around the corner...). We're getting back into our groove aftera busy busy whirlwind trip off to Vancouver- our first coastal trip ina whole year. Luna Moonsprout enjoyed certain parts of the trip- likewhen she wasn't strapped into her carseat and could boogie aroundmeeting people.... Someday perhaps we'll all realise that the anxietyand grief that carseats create (for babies and for the drivers), thatan alternative can be created.... I wouldn't be surprised if carseatscause more accidents than the lives that they save.We're all enjoying some resting time around the woodstove and ourbountiful kitchen once again. Vegetable feasts abound for every mealhere alongside all of our other delicious treats from the season....Though we enjoy certain aspects of travel, much of the bounty of thebusy farming season is mostly enjoyed in the quiet, contemplativemonths of winter..... Music playing, reading, dancing, hiking,cooking, and relaxing- wintertime rewards....Some rather unfortunate news has come our way that the the 'tailingsponds' Highland Valley Copper Mine in Logan Lake near Merrit andAshcroft are leaching and could be devastating if ever a naturaloccurence (like an Earthquake) happened. A meeting was held in SpencesBridge where Highland Valley officials admitted to the leaking (ofchemical wastes) from their dams. Nothing was said of what they'd bedoing about this. Should these leaks get worse it could eventually getinto our lovely rivers around here and cause all sorts ofcontamination and devastation! Inquiries and research is beingconducted by several people in the community with attempts to makepublic the happenings in this mine- one of the largest open pit coppermines in the world!Obviously we're all guilty when it comes to mining as we mostly alldrive our vehicles and purchase commodities.... Yet more reasons tosimplify our lives, fix things when they're broken (as opposed tothrowing out and buying new), purchase used goods, trade for existinggoods, drive less (and compound any trips with as many purposes aspossible ie: we always have huge lists of things to return and bringback to the farm when we head out- we always pick up our cardboard forthe gardens, bulk grain for the animals or baking, compost for thegardens etcetera whilst returning recycling, and making fooddeliveries whenever we seldom head out on trips).... Surely there'smore than enough materials already existing that can be reused andsalvaged that we don't need to continue digging more out of ourprecious earth. The amount of electronics, vehicles, and contraptionsthat get offered our way or turn up in our area is staggering- andstill people buy new!Oh well- we like to spend our cash on the organic goods that weourselves don't produce which enrichen our lives (and our health)while supporting other organic producers for more sustainablehappenings on the planet. It's all just that sort of a cycle- moneyexists for us where barter doesn't work. As for barter- we're alwaysopen for bartering (that resonates with us) for our wonderous eclecticgoods that we produce out here in MonkeyLand. We like to keep it allas simple as possible.So on that note- us Monkeys will be coming to the Okanagan for our NewYears Adventure (becoming something of a tradition).... We're planningon heading out from the farm on Wednesday December 28th and makingdeliveries along the way through Kamloops, Vernon, and into Kelowna(for deliveries between the 29th through to the first couple of daysof the New Year!), then coming on back and making a detour throughArmstrong (to pick up organic grain at Fieldstone Grainary)If you'd like a delivery of our delicious organic edibles let us knowsoon so we can get it all together.Enjoy the festivities and Happenings the next while.Peace,Michael, Brandie, and Luna Moonsprout Monkeys