Inuvik, part IV: Boot Lake & the Greenhouse

Morning dawned, and I had a couple more things I wanted to do in Inuvik before leaving. I would have loved to have taken the boat/air trip to Tuktoyaktuk, but it costs over $600. Besides, I always believe in leaving ONE thing to do. It might bring me back, and I think — for such a trip —I'd fly here rather than drive. Honestly!

Hike on the Trans Canada Trail

Vetch

One of the reasons for doing this trip is that this year is Canada's 150th birthday. Park entry fees are being waived, and the Trans Canada Trail (aka "The Great Trail") across the whole east and west and north and south of Canada has been developed. The public can walk, bike, hike, drive and boat on this trail; some is water, some old railway conversions, and some are highways and dirt roads. I've driven over parts of it now — the Dempster and the Alaska Highway are designated parts of the trail, as is the Mackenzie River.

Boot Lake Trail
There is a tiny piece of the trail around Boot Lake, so I thought that would be a great introduction to walking it.

Well.

Suffice to say that I made a DEADLY omission. I took the bear spray, camera(s), binoculars, and rain gear, but neglected to PUT ON MOSQUITO REPELLANT or bring the bug hat. 

Bloodied hands from mosquitoes

OMG. We reached DefCon 10 on the Mosquito Index on this hike.

They were so bad that I inhaled two before realizing that I should not breathe with an open mouth. They went up my nose, anyway. I kept brushing them away from my neck, head, hair and face, but they landed on my hands, too.

It ended up being a miserable experience. I only stopped a few times, and didn't even attempt to look for birds.

And, we are not talking spectacular scenery here. Yes, there were some lovely wildflowers, but when you are being attacked from all directions by flying hordes, one does not want to tarry and appreciate them. It's all about brushing off hands, get camera out, snap picture, brush hands and face, put camera back and rush on.

Pretty flowers that I didn't care about. Maybe marsh marigold?

Really, really unpleasant. Absolutely the worst short walk I've ever been on. And that's saying a lot.

That said, one of the curious things was walking along the trail. It was spongy in parts. I'm not sure if this was because of melting permafrost or because of trail construction. Just very weird to walk on.

In some parts, the trail builders had made boardwalks to raise the trail above the ever-present mud and standing water (=mosquitoes). When the upper part of the soil melts from winter's deep freeze, a lot of water comes and makes mud. And as the frozen earth melts and melts with the onset of summer, there is a constant supply of water from underneath, even if it does not rain. So boardwalks help preserve the trail.

Someone has been using the boardwalk for firewood!

These are very nice boardwalks, but people have been using them to make fires in at least a couple of places. I remembered what Vince said the previous night, and wondered if this was one of the reasons the "government" was so upset about "fires."

After finishing the hike, I left the area very quickly. I needed to regroup and recover.

Greenhouse

The other place that I wanted to check out before leaving was the Inuvik Community Greenhouse. When I stopped by, I ran into one of the women from the previous day's porcupine workshop. She was the one who was interested in the Adaka festival. It is a small town.

I'd missed the tour the previous day, so hoped that they would have one on Saturday. They did, but it was going to be something of a wait. I made a phone call to a dear friend for her birthday, then walked around town some more, and did some shopping at the "North Mart" -- the local emporium. They have pretty much everything under one roof: grocery, deli, a KFC, clothing. It's pretty well stocked. Prices are really variable. Strawberries and grapes were $10; white sandwich bread was $3.50. I got some whole wheat cinnamon-raisin bread for $4.60. A half-gallon of milk is $3.67. Ground beef is $7/lb, choicer cuts are quite a bit more expensive. Chicken was on sale at half off. I suppose that they have to discount heavily if food is not to be wasted. As always, one needs to shop wisely, and for what's on sale.

The community members portion of the greenhouse: 160 plots!

I was the only person who showed up for the 2:30pm tour. "Paul," the guide, was from Saskatchewan, where he proudly said he had his own horticulture business: Gardenzic.com. He was finishing school, and he was very excited for the opportunity to be interning at the Inuvik greenhouse.

It was early in the season, so the plants were growing enthusiastically, but most produce — except for fast-growing greens like lettuce — wasn't ready for harvest.

The commercial section. There is a recently set-up hydroponic system in the rear.

The greenhouse was formerly a private hockey rink that was saved from destruction in about 1998, when a group of gardeners got together and decided to give the rink a new life. It's actually on college land, but they rent the space for the grand sum of $1/year.

The greenhouse is a massive undertaking. They put in new polycarbonate roof panels last year, to the tune of over $400,000. It should last, but it was a big outlay that was partially paid for by a patchwork of donations and grants. It's a beautiful, growing facility.

Some of the community members' beds

Vertical hydroponics

They start in the spring with plugs from a nursery in eastern Canada (he thought it might be New Brunswick). Everything is organic, from the seeds, to the soil, to the amendments. In the spring, they have to heat the greenhouse for a couple of weeks so the tiny seedlings won't freeze. These seedlings grow in the upper "commercial" part of the greenhouse. They sell the large grown plants to the community for funds to help run it. They looked lush and beautiful.

Downstairs is the main greenhouse, with 160 beds for community members. They pay $50 for the bed, and a $25 membership fee. They also have to work three volunteer community hours. If they do now (Paul said some people just refuse to volunteer), they are assessed work payment for those hours: $18.75/hour, which is the minimum wage. Paul mentioned that I could become an "associate" member for $15, and have access to the newsletter and greenhouse "anytime." I'm sorry but I declined. It's not like I'm going to get back up here anytime soon!

Members of the public can bring kitchen scraps and take away compost in exchange.

As part of his duties, Paul just set up a vertical(!!) hydroponic system, and is trying to grow chard in it. Water is pumped to the top, then drips down the growing tubes. He is eager to find out how it does. I thought it looked pretty interesting, but perhaps power intensive. Maybe if the pump could be solar powered?

People were growing everything: potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, rhubarb, chard, kale, beans, peas, squash. Everything you could think of. Some plants do over winter, although they do not heat it during the winter, it's just prohibitively expensive. One of the plants is a 20-year old rhubarb!

Of the 160 plots, 90 are for community members. The remaining plots are used to grow food sold at the local farmers' market (Tuesdays), and they also have plots for the local food bank, Muslim charity, soup kitchen and other charities. They also have a "veggie box" program that they sell to the community (for those people that don't want to grow their own).

There are also very sturdy high raised beds for elders, who can come in and lean on the sides, or fit wheelchairs around them. And there are similar plots for children, but these are down low so the kids can easily work them.

It's a lovely garden. Well tended, and thriving.

Cabbage, lettuce, flowers and herbs.

I have spent the remainder of the afternoon nearby on the college campus, writing outside, taking advantage of the full sun. I will be sad to leave, but adventures await. It's time to move on and accept the challenge of the return trip on the Dempster. I admit I'm a bit apprehensive, but there is nothing for it but to forge on.

One of the good things about doing this first, is that the rest of the trip will seem easier. I hope! I will likely be out of touch for the next few days. Reception is scant on the way back, I know, only at the ferries and Ft McPherson.

I leave you with this: the body count is rising!

Mosquitoes dispatched in the car after my nice morning walk.