At the end of September, a group of folks involved in the Nature Friendly Yards project took a field trip to Notch Hills Community Growers, near Tappen—about an hour away from Kamloops. There, Jennifer and Ron Ste Marie gave us a tour of their farm, describing how they have worked on their major goals of soil improvement and water retention. Integrated drip waterlines maximize success with minimal water usage, judicious use of mulching material and selection of plant varieties suited to the area’s climate help as well.

The group toured various interesting farm developments. For example, the “Temperate Syntropic Agroforestry” garden involves consistent pruning and use of drip water. The “Chop and Drop” method is key for building the soil around the tree species they have selected.

The group also viewed the Ste Maries’ small “Miyawaki forest” –a plot where native trees and shrubs are planted in a densely packed fashion that is designed to help them reach maturity much faster than if they were more widely spaced.  For having been planted only two years ago, the growth of the plants in this area was astonishing.

Their xeriscape garden was another highlight; planted in the area of a new garden stall, viewing it provided us an opportunity to examine one of the many bird nesting boxes placed on the property, buy some produce, and examine rainwater management on their driveway using French drains.  These structures direct water that would otherwise collect at the lowest point of the driveway, shifting it to water nearby trees.

The group then crossed the road to examine a pasture area used for either hay production or grazing.  Here, the Ste Maries are trying various methods to increase the water holding capacity of the soil, to aid in resilience, and .  for future agroforestry propagation.  The creation of better soil biology where animals gathered would increase the water capacity of the nearby soil.

To find the contour lines along the hillside, Ron held up an A-frame with a level, which helped them to determine where water might flow/and or collect in this hilly grassland area.

What we came away with was the idea that successful gardens, farms and nature-friendly yards don’t all have to look the same. Every yard, gardener, and neighbourhood is different. Whether your garden is filled with native plants, vegetables, or flowers that bring you joy—or indeed a little of everything–there are many ways to create habitat and contribute to a healthier, more connected community. Overall, this project has always been about more than gardens. It’s about neighbours sharing knowledge, inspiration, and encouragement as we grow the nature-friendly yards movement together.