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2023 Events lineup


all events are held at theDoighouse in Qualicum Bay

theDoighouse Learning Centre invites you to browse...

Past Events

theDoighouse welcomes you to

Unleash your inner artist August 21-25 9:30-12:30

Ages 12 and up, no prior experience necessary!

$189/student, supplies included.

Join us for a series of printmaking workshops: relief linocut printing; mono-printing with gelli-plates, & collagraph to create a hand-bound journal

Friday potluck snack-sharing and closing circle.

Registration & details: thedoighouse@gmail.com

Lighthouse Recreation Spring Break Camp

Summer Camp for kids August 15-18 2023

Looking for an exciting Summer Camp for your kids? 

Join Andrea from Riding into Life and theDoighouse Gardens team for an amazing experience! Learn biking skills and explore nature in a fun-filled program. 

Stay tuned for all the details 

THIS CAMP IS SOLD OUT.

theDoighouse welcomes you to

Build an Earthship inspired Glass bottle wall August 7-10

$189/student

9:30 am-12:30 pm 

Looking for a unique DIY project this August? Learn how to build a beautiful glass bottle wall using recycled materials. You'll safely cut bottles, build bricks, mix cement, place bottles & apply a finish. Register: thedoighouse@gmail.com

theDoighouse welcomes you to

Glass Bottle Wall Workshop July 22 & 23

Looking for a unique activity this summer? Learn how to build a beautiful glass bottle wall using recycled materials. Don't miss out on this sustainable and creative opportunity!

To register and for full details: Email Susan

Sat and Sun 9:30 am-3:30 pm.

theDoighouse Learning Centre welcomes you to

"Adventuring into Life" Girls camp July 17-20

9:00am to 3:00pm

Girls Age - 10 to 14

To register and what  to expect 

Biking - trail rides and skills development

Gardening -  cuttings, transplanting, planting  seeds

Eldertree Herbal - medicine and  first aid with plants 

Upcycycling - build a planter

Harvesting and Processing - foods and products  

and so much more!


theDoighouse Learning Centre welcomes you to

Food Gardening Basics with Connie Kuramoto July 11-14

  

Beat high food prices and have fun learning how to! 

Come learn how to grow food. This class will teach you a lot of the basics in one week of summer evenings. You will learn:

Monday, July 11, 2023 - First Class - Soil

You will learn:

- Simple Soil Testing - How to figure out what type of soil you have and what that mean

Food Gardening Basics with Connie Kuramoto

Have some fun and beat high food prices and have fun learning too!

Join well-known local Horticulturalist Connie Kuramoto as she walks you through the basics of growing food in one week of summer evenings at the off-grid Doighouse Earthship Inspired Learning Center in Qualicum Bay.


You will learn the basics of gardening in hands-on activities throughout the week, so wear your gardening clothes, dress for the weather, bring your sun hat or rain hat and jacket, and gardening gloves, as well as your refillable water bottle.
The information you get in these classes can be used right away, and there will still be time to put in a fall and winter garden when you finish the classes, using what you will learn.


Monday, July 11, 2023 - First Class - Soil

You will learn:

- Simple Soil Testing - How to figure out what type of soil you have and what that means. 

- Basic Soil Building -How to improve any soil, no matter what it’s type. 

- Building Garden Beds - How to build your soil, and garden bed at the same time. 

- Maintaining Fertility - Ways to keep your soil productive and how to save on watering. 


Kids Activities Day Kids Activities Day One:

- Kids can feel and observe the soil and look for bugs, and other signs of life.

- Help do the soil test.No skills are needed. 

- Help gather materials for and help to build a garden bed. 


Tuesday, July 12, 2023 - Second Class – Basic Gardening Tools and Techniques

You will learn:

- Garden Planning – Identify the garden vegetables that you will grow. Factors include time and labor, expected yield, ease of growing, garden companions and rotations. 

- Irrigation – Look at different irrigation systems and discuss the pros and cons of each one. 

- Plant Protection – How to protect your plants from extremes of heat, cold, drought, and pests. 

- Plant Health – Maintaining strong, vigorous plans that resist insect and disease problems. 


Kids Activities Day Two:

- Treasure Hunt 

- Identify the veggies in the garden. 

- Color or draw their favorite veggies. 


Wednesday, July 13 – Third Class – Growing Berries 

You will learn:

- Choosing Plants – How to select plants that will do well in your yard.  Timing and pollination. 

- Managing Small Fruits – Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Grapes. 

- Pruning and Propagating Berries – How to prune for best yields, and how to make more plants. 

- Plant Health – Common insect and disease problems you should know about, and how to prevent and manage them. 


Kids Activities Day Three:

- Color or draw their favourite fruits. 

- Water plants with watering can, hoses, and measure water applications. 

- Sample dried fruit


Thursday July 14th – Fourth Class – Managing Fruit Trees

You will learn:

- Choosing Plants – Factors to consider include disease resistance, size, rootstock, and pollination. 

- Correct Planting Techniques – Best practices for planting trees and shrubs. 

- Basic Pruning – An introduction to pruning fruit trees, and berry bushes. 

- Plant Health Management – How to manage your home orchard to prevent pest and disease problems and what to do if they happen.

  

Kids Activities Day Four:

- Color or draw favorite fruits.

- Help plant fruit tree or berry bush.

Friday July 15th – Fifth Class – Harvesting and Feasting

You will learn:

- Saving Seed – Which seeds can you save, and which should you buy 

- Harvest – Learn when a vegetable should be harvested, and how to best harvest your vegetables for the best storage and processing success. 

- Preserving – Quick tips for preserving your harvest. 

- Feasting – Bring your favorite veggie dishes to share or eat the ones we make. 


Kids Activities Day Five:

- Help harvest food. 

- Taste test and judge recipes. 


Wrap up the week with a potluck dinner and music from the fabulous local Tangerine Swing.

Bring a folding chair, cups, plates, and utensils as well as a veggie-based dished for all to share. You might want to also bring your dancing shoes if you are so inclined.


We have priced the tickets to make them accessible for your whole family. The ticket price covers your entire immediate family for all 5 evening workshops. Special activities for children will be available, as well as the chance to join all activities, but they must remain under the attending adult supervision in either case.


Guided Tours of the Earthship of grid build are available before the class by arrangement

Register on Eventbrite
theDoighouse welcomes you to

Wednesday mornings Yoga in the Garden

Join us Wednesdays in July & August 

for a drop-in gentle, mindful, and restorative yoga session in our beautiful gardens. 

Led by our wonderful yogi Lindsay, a true embodiment of grace. 

No prior experience, you are perfect just as you are.  Bring your mat & a blanket.

Come and unwind in nature with us. 

Email Susan 

theDoighouse Learning Centre invites you to come celebrate

Earth Day 2023 Saturday April 22

6:00 pm roasting hot dogs & marshmallows 

7:00 pm Film Screening "The seeds of Vandana Shiva"

Film Trailer

By donation: Earth Day Canopy Project 

Registration: email Susan 

Bring your curiosity, questions and lawn chair

To Register
Lighthouse Recreation Spring Break Camp

Adventuring into Spring Break March 20-23 2023

Looking for an exciting Spring Break Camp for your kids? Join Andrea from Riding into Life and theDoighouse Gardens team for an amazing experience! Learn biking skills and explore nature in a fun-filled program that includes building and planting cedar garden boxes, planting fruit trees and making and eating ‘smores!

Gardens on the Go Workshop Series

Seeding And Transplanting Tips And Tricks

Come learn the best ways to get your seeds and transplants into the ground and get them growing.

Find out more
Gardens on the Go Workshop Series

Making Top Quality Compost Tea

You'll be amazed at the difference compost tea makes in your garden. In this class we'll demonstrate the brewing technique, talk about the best compost to use and discuss other garden brews you can make. Participants will leave with bottles of compost tea & more.

Find out more
Gardens on the Go Workshop Series

Start A Veggie Garden From Scratch

Jam packed hands on session starting with the basics of building good  soil, and the importance of compost. We will talk about site selection; what to grow in sun or shade and discuss some irrigation and crop rotation basics.   

Find out more
Gardens on the Go Workshop Series

Building Soil in Your Garden, Raised Beds and Containers

Great soil is essential  for success in growing.  Good  soil will provide your plants with a steady nutrient delivery system,  good water infiltration, and better water holding capacity. This hands on workshop will you get started.  This course runs annually in March.  Check back again for our next offering.

A sampling of 'ship experiences

Garden on the Go Workshops

Garden on the Go Workshops

Garden on the Go Workshops

lush, vegetable garden box, carrots, nasturtiums and other greens.

We partner with Connie Kuramoto, master gardener.  With over 30 gardening teaching experience with Vancouver Island University, North Island College and Gaia College, as well as numerous  workshops and talks throughout Vancouver Island and beyond.  Scroll up for 2023 workshops

Eco-Camps

Garden on the Go Workshops

Garden on the Go Workshops

Rethinking how females build confidence! 

We partner with Riding into Life helping kids connect and build confidence through biking, adventure, and entrepreneurship. 

Scroll up for 2023 workshops

Fireside Chats

Garden on the Go Workshops

Earthship Pack-Out Parties

Outdoor bonfire.

Fireside chats are on a hiatus.  Please check back or let Susan know you'd like to be know the date for our next chat. Email thedoighouse@gmail.com 


Earthship Pack-Out Parties

Earthship Pack-Out Parties

Earthship Pack-Out Parties

Joining a pack out party is a great way to meet new people, have some fun together, enjoy a delicious vegetarian lunch and help build an earthship.


'Pack-out' is an Earthshipper term for the act of filling the spaces between the tires with beer/pop cans and wet cement.


Please check back or let Susan know you'd like to be know the date for our next pack out party. Email thedoighouse@gmail.com 

Volunteering

Earthship Pack-Out Parties

Volunteering

We provide a cultural exchange experience.  Our volunteers have come from many countries including Argentina, Australia, Alderney (Channel Islands), Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada (BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, Quebec) Chile,Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Iran, Israel, Jamaica, Mexico, New Zealand, Sweden, Slovakia, United States (Washington, New Jersey),  to name a few....

and locally too! 

More samplings of 'ship experiences

Berry Picking

Farm Fresh Eggs

Berry Picking

Wild berry picking is something everyone enjoys doing at theDoighouse. The forest and driveway are abundant with edible berries; salmon berries, thimble berries, salal berries, huckleberries, and both wild and invasive (delicious) black berries.
IN SEASON: raspberries for sale
Pre-order yours: thedoighouse@gmail.com

Tours

Farm Fresh Eggs

Berry Picking

Discover sustainable living at theDoighouse Earthship. If our green gates are open, please feel free to stop by for a visit and say hello! 


If you wish to be more formal, we offer private guided tours of the earthship, learning centre and permaculture food forest. 


Book by emailing thedoighouse@gmail.com. Please consider making a suggested donation of $15 per person to support our efforts in promoting eco-friendly living

Farm Fresh Eggs

Farm Fresh Eggs

Annual Open House and Tours

Our lovely ladies gift us dozens of fresh, delicious, nutritious brown shelled eggs.  The ladies are free to  roam the property returning in the evening to their toasty warm house.


We also have a limited number of heritage birds, including Brabanter and  Swedish flower hens.  The heritage birds lay smaller, white shelled eggs.


A three month commitment of a minimum one dozen/week is required. We are accepting new clients now.  Email thedoighouse@gmail.com 

Annual Open House and Tours

Annual Open House and Tours

Annual Open House and Tours

In 2018 Tony and Susan hosted their first annual open house and tours.  Each year they open their hearts and their space to the community to drop by and wander through the gardens.  


 Join us on a tour and open house on Saturday, August 19, 2023 (10 am or 1:30 pm), where you'll see the progress made over the past year. 

Made from recycled materials, including 1174 used car tires, this Earthship is a remarkable example of eco-friendly living. 

Gathering Place

Annual Open House and Tours

Gathering Place

Where shall I start...it's a magical place that Susan and Tony created  by the shore of Qualicum. I

Where shall I start...it's a magical place that Susan and Tony created  by the shore of Qualicum. I really enjoyed my time spent and worked  at the earthship, and would come back in a heartbeat! I stayed for about 3 weeks there and felt at home the moment that I  arrived, both Susan and Tony are warm, caring and passionate people and  have created an amazing welcoming environment for like-minded individuals.
... Workawayer - August 2021

Volunteering info

Volunteering

Annual Open House and Tours

Gathering Place

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers and cultural exchange are the heart of what we do.


We are currently accepting applications for July and August 2024.


Email thedoighouse@gmail.com or check us out at www.workaway.info if you’re interested in finding out more.

Copyright © 2023 theDoighouse Learning Centre Ltd. - All Rights Reserved.

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