Ruckle Park on Salt Spring Island

We've walked and hiked around Ruckle Park many times, and we did on this visit to Salt Spring too. It is a beautiful park with 7 km of shoreline, rocky headlands and tiny coves and bays.














It is a mixture of forest, field and shore habitats that makes for one of the more productive wildlife viewing areas on Salt Spring Island. In the past we've seen whales in the sea and otter closer to the shore, as well as eagles and the odd wild turkey.





Irish immigrant to Canada, Henry Ruckle homesteaded here in 1872, marrying Ella Anna Christensen five years later. Their descendants have farmed this property for more than a century.












The park was created when the Ruckle family donated the land to the people of BC in 1972. The park is 572 ha in size. There are campsites for tenting people and a variety of trails, some easily accessible, others slightly more challenging, and incredible views throughout.










Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

Hiking through Mt Taum Ecological Reserve

One day while on Salt Spring, the writer and her consort hiked through part of Mt Taum Ecological Reserve. Established in 1971, which almost seems far too forward thinking to imagine for a government of this province (the most progressive government this province has ever seen didn't come to power until later in 1972) the reserve is rugged and unique.























Located at the southeastern corner of Salt Spring Island the reserve is about 4 km from Fulford Harbour and accessible in part by road and trails. The road deteriorates as one travels further into the reserve. Trails seem to start well enough and then disintegrate. Good things both.

The reserve covers an area of 362 hectares and an elevation ranging from zero to 420 metres. Jeem y Sherry did not hike the entire area.

We did discover the freshest tasting water on the island and some wonderful little waterfalls.































The site contains meadows, Garry Oak ecosystems (in BC, only 5% remain in near natural conditions) and maturing Douglas Firs forests.

The reserve is rich in life and full of subtle fragrances and the wonderful sounds of silence.

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

Ruckle Farm ~ Salt Spring Island's oldest farm

Ruckle Farm, nestled neatly into Ruckle Provincial Park at the south end of Salt Spring Island, is the oldest working farm in the province still owned by its original family.






Henry Ruckle came to Canada from Ireland in the 1870s and found land on Salt Spring Island particularly attractive. The price at the time was the princely sum of about $2.50/hectare. In 1872 he began farming 80 hectares. By 1948 the Ruckle family owned almost 500 hectares of land on Salt Spring. Before the advent of Europeans, the land was used by indigenous people for settlement and shell fish gathering.






Today the working farm is back to its original 80 hectares, surrounded by over 500 hectares of park land. Visitors can see bits and pieces of the farm while hiking through the park.

Every year the farm raises about 150 lambs from 90 ewes. Lambing begins in December and carries on into the spring. On our week on Salt Spring at the end of May, Sherry and I barbecued lamb three times, all of it coming from Ruckle Farm. It was probably the best lamb I can remember eating.

Highland cattle roam the property freely and with some shyness as only befits Highlanders.



On our trip to the park and farm, wild turkeys were roaming about and there were some amazing displays. These are strange creatures indeed, and one can find them throughout the farm, and sometimes in the park area too. On this day the main attraction was a never ending display to attract females. Or so it seemed. Something is going on here and it isn't anticipation for Thanksgiving.






























In 1972, one hundred years after its founding, the entire farm was sold by the Ruckle family to BC Parks with provision for the active farm and several residences to be maintained by the family through a life tenancy agreement.








The farm is organic in its operations and a member of World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. WWOOF enables people from around the world to work and live on active organic farms like this one.

The Ruckle family have always taken their stewardship of the land seriously and the farm and the surrounding park is testament to the conservation spirit of the family. Henry's son Gordon once said, "You can't own land, you can only preserve it for future generations." That they have.

Photos by Jeem.  Copyright 2014 by Jim Murray.

Fernwood Road Cafe on Salt Spring Island

A few years ago we found a great cafe at the north end of the island. In operation since late 2011, the Fernwood Road Cafe is a short walk of about 20 minutes from our place on Salt Spring.





Up and down and around some hills, it is a great walk, listening to the birds along the way, and sometimes you can hear The Eagles as they reunite for one last tour.






















Many of the food items are sourced locally (the cafe is open for breakfast and lunch) and the coffee is roasted on the island. Nicely done and consistent, served in a friendly and cozy sort of atmosphere with a fantastic view.






In truth, it's the view from the Fernwood Road Cafe that makes the walk, and the coffee, all the more worthwhile.

Photos by Jim Murray.

Copyright 2014.

Vancouver ~ Hedge City for the rich

James Surowieki writes regularly in The New Yorker. His "Financial Page" pieces are often the first or second thing I read in the magazine; always intelligent articles with a thoughtfulness and civic sensibility far beyond the typical business stories one finds in most publications.




In the May 26 issue of The New Yorker Surowiecki writes about the globalisation of real estate and reports that the "most expensive housing market in North America is not where you'd think." Those living in the most expensive real estate market on the continent are probably not surprised, though to read an analysis about their city in a leading American publication does catch attention.

The most expensive housing market is not New York City, though it certainly has the highest incomes. Nor is it the tech area around San Francisco, with lots of high earners there too. No, the costliest city in which to buy a home is Vancouver, Canada, and as Surowiecki points out, it shouldn't be.

"By all accounts, it is a wonderful place to live. But nothing about its economy explains why - in a city where the median income is only around seventy grand - single-family houses now sell for close to a million dollars apiece."

Much of the increase in house prices in Vancouver has been caused by wealthy foreigners buying property as a "hedge" against social and political instability at home. A significant number of these wealthy people don't even live in their "hedge city."


The rich are willing to pay a premium for the security cities like Vancouver offer, and prices will "float out of reach of the people who actually live and work there." Not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you are a homeowner in one of the "hedge cities" of the world. However, not all of us own homes, and many more never will, especially in Vancouver.




The last line in Surowiecki's piece says it all: "As for the rest of us, we'd better get used to being tenants."

And for others, not.

James Surowiecki photo
 from The New Yorker.

Vancouver photos by Jim Murray.

Copyright 2014.