Vashon Resilience

On Vashon, you are your own utility. Find out how to keep your septic system and well operating safely, in the best interest of the health of all of us.  

Vashon Island artist Hannah Hirsekorn talks about her art using iron, creatively exploring iron's uses, implications, and qualities at our April Community Teach-In, a project of the Vashon Island Time Exchange.

Corinne Lightweaver, Vashon artist and Time Bank Member, talks about her hot-off-the-press book and the process of art making and healing through art.

As part of our April Community Teach - In on Art and Creativity, Caroline Rockey, Vashon Island artist, gave a mini workshop on how to draw or paint an animal that has meaning to you.

On March 2nd Jen Williams sat down with the Backbone Vashon Resilience Team to discuss how to save seeds and how to plan our garden now so that we have seeds to share and replant next season!

At our February Teach-In, Karen Biondo (La Biondo Farm) and Michelle Crawford (Pacific Potager) shared info about soil, plant starts, timing, and the 2021 Seed Share, happening now.

Rachel Sursley, of Deer Fern Herbals, showed some of the ways she uses flowers, roots, and other plant parts as natural healing aides.

Backbone Executive Director Bill Moyer interviews Caitlin Ames of Matsuda Farm.

Ken Miller, Vashon's Biochar Czar, goes over the basics of biochar - how to make it, how it's used in the garden, how indigenous people have used biochar for millenia. Watch and learn how adding charcoal can increase your garden yields!

Brian Cox, Ringleader of the Virtual Fix-It Cafe, introduces the day of fixes and gets us started with Lamp Repair.  Island Volunteer Fixers coached Joanne, Liz, and Bailey in making the repairs themselves. We learned how fun and illuminating it is to fix lamps!

Steve Bergman of Zero Waste Vashon kicked off our January Community Teach-In, with a presentation on how the Island is doing on lowering our waste output.

HINT: Not good. (3/4 of what we send to the landfill is actually recyclable.)

Steve talks about Island programs that can help us cut back on our biggest Island export.

Check out this nourishing way to start your day!  Terah presented some basic forms of self care as prescribed by Thai Medicine that you can easily do at home. 

Julie Shannon took us on a whirlwind tour through elements of creativity  - fluency, flexibility and authenticity - and gave suggestions on how we can develop these through conscious and intuitive methods. Take a listen to learn what you need in order to push past perceived limits.

Justin Brandimarte, a new member of our Island's local Fixer Team, shows how to use a multimeter, including how to use one to test a car battery, in this live action demo.  If you need a multimeter, you can check one out from Justin at the Island Tool Library.

Kara Jones works internationally to help people find creative approaches to grief and life experiences. Here, she gives an introductory overview of expanding the definitions of both Grief and Creativity, and she demonstrates a tool created at The Creative Grief Studio called "The Ripples Of Loss." Learn more about her work at GriefandCreativity.com.

Michelle Lassaline of the Island Tool Library gave a fun orientation on how the tool library works, some of the tools you'll find there, and how you can get involved with this Island resource!

Take a virtual exploration of this Island treasure; then visit their website to join, reserve tools and more at VashonTools.org.

Islander Steve Bergman is an incredible teacher and passionate about all things geologic.  Watch this 30 minute overview of Extreme and Exceptional Geological events in Earth’s dynamic evolution that wreaked havoc on the Pacific Northwest environment. 

His presentation includes events caused by deep internal processes (eruption of Large Igneous Provinces and formation of the huge Calderas), surface processes (Ice age megafloods), and extraterrestrial processes (Meteor Impacts).

Geologist and Islander Steve Bergman leads us through a fascinating exploration of the geological history of our island, this region and the planet  - starting with the rocks on the beaches of Vashon and Maury.

To view Steve's full slide show (he had to cut some slides for the video due to time constraints) click HERE for Part A and HERE for Part B. 

Julie Shannon shares a lifetime of experience selling her crafts through this generous presentation on strategies for success. Get inspired to venture into your own cottage industry doing something you love.  Her fabulous presentation and tricks of the trade will help you avoid pitfalls and chart a path to success.  

Herbalist Jane Valencia's presentation reconnects us to the place that we live and its capacity to heal body and soul. As an herbal educator, Jane brings makes her vast knowledge and deep relationship with plants and place easy to understand so that you can foster your own skills and well being.