Stepping Stones Early Learning Centre

Emphasizing Loss and Reconnection

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 22:28:01 GMT

The Nuclear Family Was Just an Adaptation: How colonization dismantled the egalitarian communities that once made life (and parenting) easier.

I am a bit late on this one, it would have been nice to get it posted on Indigenous Peoples Day (13th October) but really, we should be ready and willing to think about, and listen too, indigenous peoples no matter the day or season.

We were of course, all of us indigenous at one time or another, but for most of us the wisdom and teachings of our indigenous ancestors have been interrupted so long ago that we have forgotten our roots.

The relentless (and ongoing) march of colonization has not only disconnected us from our own pre-industrial heritage, worse it has coopted many of us into the prevailing dogma that this way of living is somehow better for all the whizzbang gadgets, shiny toys, and flashing screens, so much so that we’ve unknowingly become participants in a system that not only benefits from poverty, but actively creates it.

Not firsthand of course, but certainly by extension of our addictions to a system that is inherently exploitive of the lands and labour of people that were and remain the traditional owners and custodians of almost every corner of the earth.

I don’t write this in some low blow attempt to make anyone feel bad or guilty. I write because I want people to consider what’s been taken away…. from all of us.

You often see in the news conservative voices talking about the perceived “attacks on traditional families”

But I would argue the real attacks already took place much earlier, the nuclear family was just a pale adaptation to industrialization and the commodifying of human labour.

It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child and it’s true.

That is what we have lost, community .

Small, mobile, egalitarian, and deeply concerned for the wellbeing of one another.

If you struggle as a young mother or father of a newborn, or perhaps you have a child that seems to become most active in the middle of the night, while you desperately need sleep, it’s worth considering that this is not natural for us as a species.

We once had a community with which we shared the load.

Not just concerning the acquisition of food and shelter but parenting duties too.

In 1966, Marshal Sahlins put forward the idea of “the original affluent society” in a paper titled Man the Hunter. In it, he posited that the hunter-gatherer only worked three to five hours per adult worker each day.

Which would leave an awful lot more time leftover to get much needed rest, or to pursue the activities we want to do.

Or do a better job of things that matter, like art, music, storytelling…parenting.

Indigenous people didn’t live this way because they were backwards or didn’t know better. If what they were doing wasn’t working for them, they would not have fought so bloody hard to defend their way of life.

They were not dumb, they saw the activities of conquering nations and agricultural people, they saw the wasteful use of time and energy. The classist devaluing of human life and the lives of non-human kin, along with the diminishing returns of what were obviously short-term land management practices.

Perhaps they wouldn’t so lament about colonialism if it did not also correlate with a sharp decline in health, wellbeing and life-satisfaction.

We use smart phones and think that we have created something special, like its some kind of cultural milestone, but does anyone know how to make a smart phone? And how much meaningful satisfaction does using a device actually give us? How many more hours have they added to our day?

Even worse our addictions to distracting toys and modern conveniences are only speeding up what scientists around the world overwhelmingly agree are part of larger crises that threaten the future of life on our whole planet.

The same profiteers who sold us those toys, also want us to drive electric cars and build gigantic windmills, not to save the planet but rather to save their industries and their precious revenue streams.

I know that I seem to be going on a tangent, but really what I am saying is that we knew what we were doing when we lived in relationship to the land and we ignore the warnings and wisdom of the surviving indigenous peoples at our own peril.

If there is a call to action buried somewhere inside this rampant verbiage let it be this, don’t be so hard on yourself as a parent, you are literally doing the job of a village, all while trying to meet the demands of a status focused culture that is completely out of touch with what your body really needs.

And maybe just consider that the movements towards decolonization and economic de-growth might be very positive steps to a brighter, more environmentally resilient future, one where kids can be kids and humans can have the time and freedom to do what comes naturally.

Ps: If I haven’t convinced you, here are some links to articles that might help.

https://www.survivalinternational.org/articles/SC-Conservation-Q-A

https://www.theelephant.info/author/scorry/

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas.

The Grammar of Animacy

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 02:00:56 GMT

A Democracy of Species

This week, I was going to write about the many plants, some wild and others cultivated, that have been growing in our little garden.

However, I also started reading a truly beautiful book called:

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

After only a few chapters, I found myself moved by Robin's poetic approach to storytelling, and grateful for her generous sharing of Indigenous-American history and creation stories.

I learned about the Grammar of Animacy, and an idea occurred to me about how else I might introduce my lovely green and flowery friends that dwell in the garden.

You see, the grammar of animacy, Robin writes, is the way in which many indigenous peoples talk about things, specifically, not as things at all but rather as different peoples.

And not just the plants and animals, which the western scientific community recognise as animate life, but indeed all kinds of naturally occurring things; places, rivers, stones, mountains, even a day of the week can be spoken of as a living thing.

And that by recognising the life imbued in all things they become by the power of language, inherently sacred, worthy of respect, and important members of the greater ecological community. In short, beings to be cherished and protected.

She quotes one of her early language teachers for saying that grammar is just the way we chart relationships in language. And then goes on to write in her own words.

“That a grammar of animacy could lead us to whole new ways of living in the world, other species a sovereign people, a world with a democracy of species, not a tyranny of one-with moral responsibility to water and wolves, and with a legal system that recognises the standing of other species. It’s all in the pronouns”.

As I reflected on her words, it occurred to me that a fear of anthropomorphism creates a human-centric worldview, that is entirely hinged upon arrogant, ignorant; other-ness .

To look upon any aspect of nature or its non-human creatures as a mere resource.

A perspective ripe for manifesting systems of domination and exploitation, as it tragically, historically already has.

Conversely, as Thomas Berry wrote:

“We must say of the universe that is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.”

The more I learn about indigenous peoples, both past and present, the more I find myself believing that it would be a better world if we all finally held up indigenous perspectives as the model of true sustainability and wisdom that they always were.

Or at the very least, to respectfully emulate their wisdom as we recognise the harms caused by war, land theft, colonization and environmental degradation.

After all we were all of us indigenous to somewhere, once upon a time, before we were ourselves conquered and brought into this self perpetuating and destructive cycle of civilization.

I particularly love how Robin puts the following:

“Immigrants came to these shores bearing a legacy of languages, all to be cherished. But to become native to this place, if we are to survive here, and our neighbours too, our work is to learn to speak the grammar of animacy. So that we might truly be at home”

A statement as true here in Australia as it is anywhere in the world.

Such a simple practice towards sustainability, and really it costs us nothing, perhaps a little discomfort as we adjust our language and thinking, but well worth the effort.

Certainly, I intend to go forward with the newfound practice (especially around our kids) of talking about whos of the land and not the " its ".

To speak to the life in our world and not merely her “resources”.

And with that, let me introduce some of my friends:

This is Beet, his leaves and root make a wonderful healthy food. Beet also improves soil by breaking up compacted ground with his taproots and contributing nutrients when his organic matter is returned to the earth.

This is Flax, she stands tall and pretty and gifts our eyes with a beautiful white flowers, her body provides the fibres we need to make the linen that clothe us and also rope for making our lives easier.

Meet Agave, her heart can be eaten as a vegetable and her flowers too (as long as you cook them). Agave is very tolerant of drought and plays an important role in erosion control. Some people will make musical instruments with Agave.

Mallow is a good friend of mine, and is both edible and medicinal, as well as a living mulch for moisture conservation, weed suppression and a food source and habitat for beneficial insects and wildlife. Being well endowed, he also helps improve the soil with his deep root system. Lucky guy.

This is Cleavers, she is a little clingy, but I love her. Cleavers has medicinal qualities as a diuretic and with detoxifying properties, particularly as a spring tonic to support the lymphatic system and treat skin conditions like eczema. She can also be used as a food source, with her leaves added to salads or soups, and her seeds roasted to make a coffee substitute. Additionally, cleavers acts as a dynamic accumulator by bringing up minerals from underground.

Here is Chickweed, she is very pretty, and Chickens love her to pieces. She also does a wonderful job of protecting and nourishing our precious soils in the winter while providing a nutritious, edible green for humans and wildlife.

Lastly you might have noticed some beautiful yellow flowers at the start of this blog. Her name is Marguerite daisy, and as with all parts of nature she plays important roles, but she also just makes me happy, and I think that in itself is enough.

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas.

My Poorly Presented Ramblings

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 00:28:21 GMT

Trusting Your Gut in a "Trust the Science" World

Hi again everyone.

Singapore was great, but the downtime gave me lots of time to reflect.

Sadly, the state of events around the world, far outside my control, have been weighing heavily on my heart.

Ecocide and colonialism seem to be ever-growing threats to global justice and sustainability.

As a passionate reader, with all the empathy that comes with a lifetime of mentally putting yourself in other people’s shoes, I often find myself becoming disillusioned.

Worse, I’ve learned the hard way that sharing the most profound books does not work. It’s not the quick fix or cheat code that I would like it to be.

Assuming someone does go the effort, and picks up a book, there is no guarantee that it will be received in the same way.

For a message to properly sink in, a person must be ready for it.

Often for me, it has taken dozens of books and hundreds of hours spent listening to podcasts or interviews on a huge variety of topics, much of the information contradictory.

That sounds exhausting right?

I certainly couldn’t relay all the crucial details, the critical context-adding history, nor map out the common themes. But I have learned to be less trusting of ‘science’ or rather the new way that people talk about science, as though it’s a religion. As though “trusting the science” is in any way scientific. As though real science is the purview of governing bodies and not curious minds.

No, I’ve become very suspicious of left-brain thinking, and much more open to intuition and taking a holistic view of the world. My brain may not be able to compute all the data, but with the help of my body, the brain-gut connection, and pattern recognition: ‘feeling’ my way towards truth seems so much more reliable than choosing a school of scientific dogma and sticking to it.

If you don’t choose a side, you become less inclined to defend any particular bias. A fact can be distorted. Too many studies end with finding outcomes that are most favourable to whichever group is funding them.

Money making machines have a huge stake in controlling scientific narratives. You need look no further than the global industrial food complex and the insidious ways that it has lobbied to control the messaging around diet and health, these past dozen decades or so. The vilification of animal fats and the promotion of world destroying annual (mono)crops as though they are somehow better for the planet.

As a person concerned deeply with ethics and environmental stewardship, I desperately wish that the answers could be simpler. I am no great communicator of nuance. I’m not likely to become one, there is still so much learning to do, it takes time, work, and a capacity for caring.

And so, to simply satisfy a need; to do my part, to spread the word, to make things better.

At best, I’ve become a sharer of books worth reading and interviews worth listening to, at worst a dealer of rhetoric. I never went to university, nor learned the art of referencing. I probably never will.

Instead, I write blogs and annoy anyone who will listen to my poorly presented ramblings.

Hopefully, with practice I’ll get better at it. Maybe some of my passion with catch on.

Certainly, I've become a huge advocate for modelling empathy for children.

You don’t have to be a tree-hugger to realise that planet-care is really self-care. Or that the best way to provide for future generations is not by extracting wealth, but rather by protecting the land.

You just need a heart, a brain, and a little courage.

And if you would like a book recommendation, my latest would definitely be:

The vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice, and Sustainability by Lierre Keith.

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas.

Biodiversity

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 04:07:15 GMT

The Foundation of Life:

Biodiversity...

I’ve written about this before, I’ve annoyed my colleagues with it at the lunch table, I probably will again.

But so much comes back to it. We are multilaterally dependent on it.

Biodiversity.

It’s so freaking important.

Especially for children and their developing immune systems.

Without it, not only is the world poorer, but it also puts us in great danger.

Let me elaborate, every surface of your body is brimming with life.

Not just human cells, not just human life. These non-human lifeforms are even inside our cells, we have evolved alongside them, perhaps even because of them.

Imagine you have an invisible, microscopic force field surrounding every inch of your body. Protecting you from pathogenic invaders. You do.

Although perhaps a better analogy is that the ‘force field’ is actually more like a forest.

Your skin and gut are inhabited by a vast ecology of living things, microscopic plants, fungi and animals. When the ecosystem is in balance, it works. It’s protective of the land it inhabits (You).

It can easily assimilate or predate upon most of the pathogens you may come in connect with, in your day-to-day activities.

But when the forest gets clear cut i.e. chemical disinfectants, beauty products, antibiotics, showers/baths/swimming in chlorinated water, then that ecosystem goes through a kind of biotic genocide and what is left becomes a monoculture.

If industrial agriculture has taught us anything, the only people who win when monoculture becomes the norm, are the sellers of those very chemical products that are poisoning the land and us. (Although I’m not sure where they are planning to live when their work is done) And what happens to us once our protective skin and gut forests are gone?

A pathogen inevitably moves in, gets the better of us, and we get sick, then we go and buy even more artificial products to further sterilise our homes and bodies.

The villains get richer while we fall into a self-perpetuating mythology that nature is somehow flawed and that we need these entirely synthetic compounds to keep us safe.

Over a period of decades, the clever marketing from these companies became thoroughly embedded into our worldview, so much so that we often accept these lies now as conventional wisdom and common sense.

Marketing has co-opted culture, to the extent that we will now defend the very lies that keep us, our children, and our environments unhealthy.

Even Lois Pasteur, the man who invented germ theory, at the end of his life said:

“It is the soil, not the seed”

In other words, it’s not the germ (the seed) that makes us sick, but rather our bodies (the soil) that provide an environment needed for disease to take root.

But our bodies are incredibly resilient, when properly nourished by evolutionarily appropriate foods, exposure to sunshine, clean water, regular movement, and time in nature, i.e. the stuff that should be ours by birthright.

But not when we are constantly bombarded by synthetic chemical products that strip away the ecosystems that helped create and protect us.

So don’t fear the humble germ so much, save that apprehension and mistrust for big businesses, those that stand to make more profit from our sickness than our health.

We owe it to our children and all future generations that they inherent a healthy and biodiverse world along with healthy and biodiverse bodies.

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas.

Why I Barefoot

Fri, 30 May 2025 01:54:28 GMT

Are our feet flawed by design, or are we perhaps forgetting something important..

I was recently pottering around the place doing odd jobs with my customary lack of organized process, when a parent pointed out my bare feet and jokingly said “No wonder it’s hard to get the kids to wear shoes”. I laughed along and agreed with the sentiment, having many times struggled with the same phenomenon as a parent of three wild and rambunctious boys.

However, thinking about it further, I decided it may warrant an explanation.

You see, much like permaculture, I’ve been in a deep dive into (human) Rewilding literature and interviews which, like permaculture, covers an umbrella of topics at least as diverse as the human experience.

Certainly, healthy living is a major aspect of the movement. And for many people it is the very gateway into Rewilding, usually through paleo-diets, the benefits of nutrient dense wild-foods, or primal movement related exercise.

I happened upon Rewilding while listening to a sustainability podcast and it has rather consumed my time and thinking since. Not many people know this, but as a child I would dream of running away to live in the wild. In fact, on two occasions, I tried to, but that’s a story for another time.

During a recent podcast binge session, I found a couple of interviews which featured the so called “Barefoot-Podiatrist”, a Dr Ray McClanahan of Portland Oregan USA.

It proved to be very fortuitous timing for me as I had developed several foot and ankle problems over the last year or so and after hearing Dr McClanahan talk, I began to understand why.

This is a babies' foot. You might notice the shape of it is quite different to the shape of a conventional shoe. It's widest at the toes, that's an important clue.

Dr McClanahan had started out his career in podiatry following a love of athletic pursuit and his own early experiences with injury related setbacks.

When he began his practice in podiatry, he fully subscribed to the processes and surgical techniques endemic of his field. It was only later that he would discover the work of Dr William A Rossi (1910-1980) who himself had become tired of the predictability of foot issues with his patients.

Dr Rossi would become to Podiatry, like Weston A. Price was to dentistry and nutrition. That’s to say, something of a revolutionary, but also largely unappreciated or ignored by the industry of his time.

Dr Rossi (like Weston Price) travelled around parts of the world and observed firsthand the health of indigenous peoples. During his travels, he noticed that these people (who largely lived without footwear) did not suffer the injuries and conditions that are so common within “civilised” society.

In fact, the problems were being caused by shoes, and he went on to write an article titled: Why Shoes Make “Normal” Gait Impossible. Which is well worth a google search.

Even today, many years after Dr Rossi published his findings, modern shoes, even those that are supposedly designed to help “correct” our feet may in fact be weakening and worsening our foot health.

A good example is arch-support, either built into the shoe or added later via inserts.

To quote Daniel Vitalis, “It’s like giving crutches to someone with already weak legs and expecting their legs to somehow grow stronger”.

If you think about it, our shoes are not really made to fit our feet. Our feet are naturally widest at the toes and yet the more fashionable the shoe, the narrower they are aro und our toes.

We put shoes on young children with the very best intentions, to protect their little feet, completely unaware that we may be contributing to painful health conditions that won’t start to show for many decades.

Furthermore, if like me you have come around to a holistic point of view, that everything in health and nature is connected, you probably wouldn’t be surprised to find that what starts at the feet can go on to affect other areas of the body.

I’m certainly not a health professional, but I find myself increasingly becoming someone skeptical of the mainstream narrative. I find myself returning time and again to the idea, that if an industry stands to make or lose a profit, they may not be wholly motivated by what is best for the common people.

I don’t think Dr Ray McClanahan is going to get rich telling people to spend more time barefoot in nature, strengthening what our bodies are naturally meant to do, yet he is doing it any way. Nor did it do much to help Dr Rossi in his lifetime either.

But think that is what leaders do, they move away from or against the herd, not because it’s always the best thing for their own interests. But because it’s the right thing to do.

Permaculture and Rewilding, both as movements, are full of leaders. They might never end up being someone’s boss, or famous, or materially wealthy, but they are still leaders. And while it might sometimes look a little weird at first, we need people like that.

So, if you see me going barefoot, or embracing cold weather, or showing the kids how to crawl like a bear, it’s probably because I’ve spent a lot of time reading from or listening to the iconoclastic leaders concerning their respective fields.

Oh, and just to clarify, I still wear shoes. I just try to select the appropriate footwear for the job. i.e. boots for heavy labour (usually for as short a time as possible), sandals for general wear, and Barefoot style shoes for whenever I need to wear something more enclosed.

But few things put a smile on my face as surely enjoying the feel of nature under my bare feet and toes.

Anyway, I hope that clarifies some of the thought behind my choices.

I would highly recommend visiting Dr McClanahan’s website; correcttoes.com

or by listening to his interviews.

I’ll share one here but it’s worth noting you may have to skip ahead to 26:45 to get to the interview itself.

https://www.danielvitalis.com/rewild-yourself-podcast/the-barefoot-podiatrist-dr-ray-mcclanahan-140

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas.

We Love Mud! (And You Will Too!)

Thu, 01 May 2025 00:03:12 GMT

The Amazing Power of Mud!

Remember the delight of squishing mud between your toes as a child? That primal connection to the earth, the cool, yielding texture, the freedom to make a glorious mess?

Well, it turns out that this seemingly simple childhood experience is packed with incredible developmental benefits for kids (and even for grown-ups too!).

In our hyper-sanitized world, it might be tempting to steer clear of the muck, but let's dig a little deeper and unearth the amazing reasons why embracing mud play is one of the best things you can do for a child's growth.

More Than Just Mess: The Surprising Science of Mud

Mud isn't just dirt and water; it's a sensory wonderland and a natural playground that fosters development in so many ways:

Boosting the Immune System: Yes, you read that right! Exposure to the microbes in soil can actually help build a stronger immune system. It's like a natural inoculation, helping children develop resilience to common illnesses. Think of it as a little outdoor "vaccine"!
Sensory Exploration Galore: Mud offers a rich tapestry of sensory experiences. The feel of it squishing, the cool temperature, the earthy smell, the sight of it oozing and splattering – it engages multiple senses, which is crucial for brain development.
Fine and Gross Motor Skills Development: From digging and scooping to patting and molding, mud play provides fantastic opportunities to develop both fine and gross motor skills. Little hands learn to manipulate tools, while larger movements like stomping and squelching strengthen big muscle groups.
Igniting Creativity and Imagination: A pile of mud is a blank canvas for a child's imagination. It can become a cake, a potion, a building material for a castle, or anything their minds can conjure. There are no rules, no instructions, just pure creative freedom.
Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills: How do you make a mud pie that holds its shape? How do you build a dam in a muddy puddle? Mud play naturally encourages experimentation, trial and error, and the development of problem-solving skills.
Connecting with Nature: In an increasingly digital world, mud play offers another vital connection to the natural environment. It fosters an appreciation for the earth and its elements, nurturing a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them.
Reducing Stress and Anxiety: The tactile nature of mud can be incredibly calming and grounding. The sensory input and the freedom to play without structured rules can help children release energy and reduce stress levels.

Tips for Embracing the Muddy Fun at home:

So, how can you encourage more mud play in your child's life? Here are a few simple ideas:

Designate a Mud Kitchen or Play Area: Even a small patch of dirt in the backyard can become a mud play haven. Add some old pots, pans, spoons, and natural materials like sticks and stones.
Embrace the Mess (and Dress Accordingly!): The key to successful mud play is letting go of the fear of mess. Dress your child (and yourself!) in clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Waterproof overalls are a fantastic investment.
Provide Simple Tools: Buckets, shovels, watering cans, and even natural items like leaves and flowers can enhance the play experience.
Join In the Fun: Get down and dirty with your child! Your participation can make it even more enjoyable and create precious memories.
Don't Over-Structure: The beauty of mud play lies in its unstructured nature. Let your child lead the way and explore their own ideas.
Have a Cleaning Station Ready: Keep a bucket of soapy water and a towel handy for a quick clean-up afterward.

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And during pickup from our playground after work:

· Allow a little extra time for pick-up at the end of the day, while we help wash muddy little hands and feet.

· Pack extra sets of clothing.

· Maybe consider bringing along gumboots, a raincoat or poncho.

· While we will do our best to provide towels, if you wanted to have a towel on hand in your car or perhaps even donate some unneeded towels to the centre.

The Takeaway: Let Them Get Muddy!

Mud play isn't just messy fun; it's a vital ingredient in healthy childhood development. By embracing the mud, we're giving our children opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with the world around them in profound and joyful ways.

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas.

You may have noticed recently that we’ve temporarily expanded our mud play area in the playground.

Rewilding Children

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 02:29:00 GMT

In my never-ending search for new ways to be weirder, I’ve recently discovered the concept of Rewilding.

Specifically, human rewilding which is a framework that encourages individuals to reconnect with nature and adopt lifestyles that align more closely with our evolutionary roots.

An idea that has grown alongside, and may even have preceded, ecological rewilding (which by contrast focuses solely on restoring ecosystems to their natural state).

Human rewilding emphasizes practices that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being by fostering a deeper connection with the natural world.

Some key aspects of human rewilding include:

· Natural Movement: Engaging in activities like walking barefoot, climbing, and swimming to mimic the diverse movements of our ancestors.

· Dietary Changes : Incorporating whole, unprocessed foods and foraging practices to align with ancestral eating habits.

· Outdoor Living: Spending more time outdoors, embracing natural light, and reducing reliance on modern conveniences.

· Community and Connection: Building stronger social bonds and participating in communal activities, reflecting the cooperative nature of early human societies.

If we accept that modern living and everything that comes with it, has adversely impacted our health and psychological wellbeing.

Then human rewilding is a move towards the opposite.

To counteract the physical and psychological challenges posed by modern, sedentary lifestyles and integrating elements of our ancestral past. It seeks to enhance overall health and foster a sense of harmony with nature.

A lot of literature and conversation about Rewilding looks at Hunter-Gatherer models and how the human species might have subsisted before the advent of agriculture and “civilization”.

After all, on a timeline of human activity, 99 percent of the human experience existed in a way that is very different from what we know today, at least as far as the Western worldview is concerned. And many Hunter-Gatherer societies continue to exist even now in remote corners of the world, offering a real-time look, into alternative, environmentally supportive lifeways.

But I can imagine you saying, Dallas you work in early education, what has any of this got to do with that?

Well, everything…

As the Outdoor Educator and resident oddball, my individual philosophy compels me emphasise reconnecting children with nature.

To foster the development of holistic thinking and environmental awareness.

An approach that integrates natural elements into learning environments, encouraging curiosity, creativity, and a sense of wonder.

What might it look like to implement human rewilding in early education?

Maybe it could look like this:

· Outdoor Learning Spaces: Transforming classrooms into natural settings like forests, gardens, or parks where children can explore and interact with the environment.

· Hands-On Activities: Engaging in activities such as gardening, foraging, building shelters, or observing wildlife to develop practical skills and a deeper connection to nature.

· Unstructured Play: Allowing children the freedom to explore, climb trees, play in the dirt, and use natural materials for creative play.

· Nature-Based Curriculum: Incorporating lessons on ecosystems, sustainability, and the importance of biodiversity into the educational framework.

· Mindfulness and Well-Being: Encouraging practices like outdoor meditation or quiet reflection to promote mental and emotional health.

· Ancestral skills: Learn how to build a friction fire, weave baskets, sew with natural materials, tracking for animal signs and scat.

An approach that not only nurtures a child's physical and cognitive development but also instills a lifelong appreciation for the natural world. One that aligns with the idea that early exposure to nature can lead to more environmentally conscious and resilient individuals.

Would you like to dive deeper into any specific aspect of this?

Feel free to flick me a question or ask for a reading list.

Personally, I’ve learned an awful lot just by listening to podcasts. I would highly recommend: Untaming: Rewild the Child by Emily G in New Zealand, or The Rewilding Podcast by Peter Michael Bauer in Portland Oregan USA

Here is a link to one of my favourite episodes and below, a link to a corresponding short film:

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/emily033/episodes/72--Darcia-Narvaez-Evolved-Nest-e1qrhgk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_f4fzzFc8A&ab_channel=TheEvolvedNest

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas.

Why permaculture?

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 01:16:00 GMT

I think that I first discovered permaculture in or around 2018. During a time when I had this bad habit of getting sucked into the global news feed, especially within non-mainstream media.

My intentions were benign, coming from a desire to stay informed and raise awareness about environmental and human rights issues around the world. I felt a responsibility to help, even if the result was just annoying my friends and family on social media.

However, instead of feeling good or empowered, I only felt increasingly anxious and depressed.

It was taking a toll on me. The seemingly grim state of the world was making me angry and fatigued.

Somewhere during all that, I happened upon the word permaculture and must have googled it.

Such a tiny thing to do, and yet the result, life-changing.

The more I read the more interested I became. Here, it seemed, was a method for taking back control of my life, a way to contribute to a better world, to become self-reliant.

Sold on that idea I promptly ordered a book called Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-scale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway.

At the time I was not a huge reader of non-fiction, but the concepts I gleaned from that wonderful piece of literature (which still lives proudly amongst a growing collection of permaculture books) were so paradigm-shifting that it began to seriously shake up many of my unconscious assumptions about how the world works, in a good way!

What’s more, I discovered that permaculture wasn’t just some buzzword for the act of getting off-grid, it was a movement.

One that has captured the hearts and minds of millions of people around the world.

It’s a design science, an ethical practice, a way to live in harmony with nature that provides healthy, home-grown foods, natural medicine, and comfortable living for us humans AND for the many non-human species on which we depend.

It is a practice that is deeply SOLUTIONS-focused.

It does not despair at the problems in the world. It recognises that the problem IS the solution.

Whatever issue that we face can be turned on its head and made into something that helps us heal this world and or disconnection from nature.

As Marcus Aurelius once famously wrote: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way, becomes the way”.

Any issue that can make us rage at the TV, or raise a fist in anger at politicians, can be worked on more productively in our own backyard: growing food, reducing dependence on external inputs, and building community.

Localizing as much as possible and in the process creating improved global outcomes; for the environment, for human rights, for quality of living, for freedom.

The more you can do this the more you start to realize how little we need the systems that perpetuate colonialism, racism, slavery, and wholesale environmental exploitation.

There are far better ways to live.

Indigenous cultures around the world have been doing it for thousands of years. They were not backward or in need of help as the history books would have us believe. They had everything that they needed.

Permaculture is just a new word to describe the common sense of our ancestors.

It is no longer common, but that wisdom is not dead.

When the student arrives so too does the teacher. I am so glad that I discovered this movement and I am grateful to call myself a student.

And I hope you might take a moment to google permaculture too.

Maybe it will add value to your life. Maybe you’ll even find a teacher.

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas

Seeing out the Seasons

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:07:00 GMT

Hi everyone. It’s been a wild and busy couple months and not always in the ways that I would choose, mainly due to sickness or injury, but that’s life right.

Especially when life involves small children and physical work outdoors.

While on the subject of life’s more challenging aspects, we unexpectedly had to say goodbye to our feathered friends recently, after our chicken coop was raided by a determined predator (most likely a fox or small dog).

Despite, initial confusion we decided that we would not sugar coat the truth or lie to our children about the sad reality. Our reasoning being tied to our emerging philosophy as a forest school, that this is a part of nature.

Like the seasons, death is intrinsically linked to life, and we do the children and ourselves a disservice when refuse to accept reality or attempt to hide the ‘uglier’ parts of life, that we might not like.

There is also a growing body of research that links much anxiety and depression to the trend within certain western countries that have embraced a culture of consuming only “Disney-style” happy endings rather than a more 'balanced'-perspective, one that is firmly rooted in reality.

Cognitive dissonance is after all no healthier for our kids than it is for adults.

We have not given up on including poultry into our little nature-loving family. I have been hard at work reinforcing our chicken yard against future incursions. Chelsea and the big bird kids have since setup the incubator with a new batch of eggs.

Even as I right this, we welcomed our first new chick into the world of the living only this morning.

Onto other news, I am delighted to announce that You the parents and families of our community, recently nominated me for the 2024 Stepping Stones Community Engagement award.

Having never in my adult life received an award (that wasn’t comedic in nature) I must admit that I was more than a bit chuffed. The feedback along with the news that some parents DO in fact read these blogs or the occasional newsletter piece, or picture on Facebook largely came as a surprise to me.

This award now sits proudly above the book collection in my bedroom.

I feel so grateful for this job and the opportunity to share my passions with you and these amazing children.

And receiving this award has inspired me to recommit to the task of writing about nature and the various ways that we can share this incredible world with the future generations, those that will be most affected and sadly left to do so much of the critical work that needs to happen of ensure our return as a keystone species and our natural place as stewards, instead of exploiters of this our beautiful planet .

With that said, I hope that everyone enjoys a well-deserved break over the holiday period and we all come back feeling renewed and ready for whatever awaits us in 2025.

With all my love, and until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas

Mud and Fire

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 05:51:00 GMT

For a little while now I’ve been looking forward to encouraging our Stepping Stones children to play with fire.

Of course, when I say “play” what I mean is to learn.

To learn from a place of joy, engagement and pure conscious mindfulness. Which is of course what young children are doing a hundred percent of the time anyway, before we adults get in the way.

A wonderful opportunity for what some call “risky-play” but might more accurately be described as safety-play.

But being who I am, I also wanted to pass on something that I’m passionate about.

For months now, I’ve been listening to permaculture podcasts and hearing about all these incredible low tech, low cost-technologies, like cob construction, rocket stoves and perhaps most exciting of all, rocket mass heaters!

Seriously look it up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ptwncPImuo

I wanted to get my hands dirty, to experiment with it. I wanted to kindle the imagination and interest of the amazing kids that I’m so lucky to work with.

But where to start?

Somewhere small, something easy.

I decided the rocket stove would be the go. Also, we could use it to cook something in the process.

So, while digging holes and planting trees I made sure to collect clay whenever possible.

Once we had enough, the kids and I went to work, playing with mud.

It was a lot of fun, for the kids AND for me!

Essentially, we were using cob construction, i.e. a structure made with wet clay and straw.

Cob has been around for thousands of years and for good reason.

It’s dirt cheap (get it), applicable in just about any climate, it’s incredibly insulative for both temperature and soundproofing, it breathes and therefore doesn’t grow moulds and perhaps best of all, it’s natural.

As in free of carcinogens, those known and unknown, as opposed to many modern building materials, assuming of course you’ve sourced the earth from somewhere free of contamination.

With lots of little hands working and playing, we soon had a rudimentary rocket stove completed. However due to a host of reasons, it would be many weeks before we would get the opportunity to come back to finish the experience.

But with the coming of warmer weather, and fire-bans near on the horizon, we finally got to light it up.

Not only that, we went all out.

I decided to explore a Korean natural farming method with the kids, and we burned bones on the fire.

How metal is that!

Actually, that probably sounds a bit weird, but honestly, it’s a thing.

You can extract calcium-phosphate from burnt bones using vinegar, it’s a useful nutrient for gardening, anyway I don’t want to get too sidetracked. The point is the kids loved it! No one got burnt and we learned some cool stuff along the way.

Our rocket stove might not win any beauty contests, but it worked! It burned up our store of sticks and newspaper super fast and put some serious heat out of the top.

But the really cool thing is how much heat the earthen casing seemed to absorb. Even after I hosed it with water, it was radiating heat hours later. So I can fully appreciate how something larger, could warm a home or greenhouse for long periods of time and only requiring small pieces of wood as opposed to the big chunks of log used in a conventional fireplace.

t never ceases to amaze me the cool stuff people can do when they get creative, think outside the box and are willing to get their hands dirty.

Until the next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas

The power of balance: the importance of predators.

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 00:34:00 GMT

I was discussing with somebody recently about the importance of biodiversity, this time in a garden context, but it occurred to me that the concept deserved a greater focus and ideally a wider audience.

Biodiversity is a common and essential theme in every piece of environmental conservation, ecological design and natural systems farming literature that I have encountered, and while I am far from being an authority on the subject, I have become a passionate proponent for it.

When I talk about the value of weeds, or prioritising insect-attracting plants, the development of living soil or discontinuing use of herbicides and pesticides, I am really advocating for diversity.

A polyculture at every level, whether micro or macroscopic. As opposed to the monocultures that we humans in our disorder have mistakenly come to associate with order.

A monoculture being any attempt to grow a single species in a segregated way.

Most commonly we use the term in reference to crops on a farm, a crop of wheat, corn, barley etc. But even our front lawn and oftentimes even households are powerfully tragic examples of monocultures.

When you spray chemicals to kill everything except for a desired species, in any place, you make the desired species unhealthier in the process. This is because life did not evolve independently, it has been a long, collective, interconnected and codependent development.

Organisms support one another, and when enough organisms coexist, a healthy and balanced equilibrium emerges that is far more resilient than anything that a single species can achieve alone.

This is true at all levels of life, and perhaps the most urgent example of this can be found in the declining health of the human species.

Ultra-processed foods, chemically polluted domestic environments (human homes), microplastics, and the mass use of antibiotics in food production, have all have created diversity-poor wastelands inside our very guts. We have decimated the balance of internal microorganisms that make up the human body. The results... a laundry list of chronic diseases, autoimmune conditions and ever shortening health spans.

One of the key points that I feel is often missed when considering diversity, is the role of predator species.

Despite their reputation as fierce, scary, or powerful organisms, predators are often the most vulnerable, yet they play an incredibly important role in any ecosystem.

When you create a monoculture, it is usually the predator species that are the slowest to recover, and the absence of predators is how we get plagues of “pest” species. Because the predators are not around to maintain balance.

A great example of this is birds of prey. Whenever we engage in large scale poisoning of mice, whether household baiting or at the industrial-agriculture level, we kill an awful lot of other animals. They die because of secondary poisoning, after eating the poison-contaminated mice.

But a few mice always manage to survive and being the incredible little consumers and breeders that they are, their populations quickly bounce back and without the predator species to keep them in check, they proliferate and become a problem that costs billions of dollars around the world to manage, and how do we manage? By using more poisons.

We first create the problem, and then we compound it.

The only ones that that profit are the manufacturers of the poisons, although I would argue that this profit is only short-term, as the results will affect us all in the end.

“ If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function, no amount of money will save us. ”

— David Suzuki

My point is that no matter the environment, diversity is the key to balance, resilience and health.

And so, I have adopted a rather radical mindset. I don’t worry overmuch about pests or disease, in the body or in the garden, to me they are only symptoms of an environment lacking in diversity. The remedy is to increase diversity and reduce the toxic inputs that threaten it.

And so, I don’t spray chemicals, I embrace weeds, and I plant flowers.

Everything is welcome in my home garden.

I trust nature, and respectfully, I let her do the work.

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas

Why do I love weeds?

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 03:22:00 GMT

If you have read any of my learning stories, newsletters or heck even spoken to me for a prolonged length of time, you've probably discovered that I've become a bit passionate about weeds.

Assuming you didn't immediately write me off as an odd dude (and I certainly wouldn't blame you if you did)

you may even have wondered why I like them.

Well you might be surprised to find, that It’s all to do with mindset.

The further I go into self-development, the more I am reminded at every turn about the power of mindset and the dangers of self-limiting belief.

Where do we pick up self-limiting beliefs, how do these mindsets take shape?

Language.

It’s the things people say, the messages we are exposed to at a young age, the labels we hear and adopt for ourselves.

“He is timid, she is bossy, that child always does the wrong thing, he’s spoiled at home…”

We learn this language passively while growing up and then we apply it to ourselves, how we see others, and the world around us. The propensity to make judgements.

The problem is when used carelessly, that language often promotes the development of fixed mindsets, as opposed to mindsets of growth.

Many of the beliefs that come from a fixed mindset will hold us back, from growing, from learning, or broadening our horizons. This in itself is reason enough to seriously reconsider labels and the kinds of language that reinforce them.

(On that subject, I would highly recommend reading The Danish Way of Parenting, which has some incredible insights on the power of language)

But why do I love weeds??

Because what we deem to be a "weed" is just another mindset. Weeds are simply plants that we consider unwanted, out of place, or without value.

It’s the language we’ve been exposed to.

Why did weeds get labelled that way?

Probably because they are so bloody resilient and show up again and again, no matter what we do.

But in fact, weeds are simply doing their job. The plants we call weeds are the ones that do best in damaged soil. They repair the damage we cause, and if left alone long enough to do their work, they will create the conditions that allow other plants to thrive.

Weeds improve soil, they feed the micro-organisms on which life depends and often other plants too.

Eventually weeds create an environment that they themselves can’t survive in.

Isn’t that amazing! Weeds are the hardworking pioneers of urban wastelands and biological deserts.

Not only that, many of the plants we consider to be weeds are highly edible and or have medicinal uses. And because they grow naturally without the use of fertilizers or pesticides, they are much more nutritious than anything you will find at a supermarket.

Lastly, as someone who has always dreamed about becoming more self-sufficient, I love the confidence that comes with knowing that even if my life went to hell-in-a-handbasket, I now know how to identify and enjoy nature’s bounty even in the middle of a city.

But that's the power of self-development and challenging embracing a growth mindset.

Sure, I’d prefer the weeds I grow at home, the ones I know have not been sprayed with poisonous chemicals, but if I had to survive on the streets, I’d still be more comfortable eating something that only might have been sprayed, rather than the store-bought produce that I know has been.

Weed foraging is not entirely without its risks, you need to learn what you are doing and take your time to practice and try new foods and medicines safely.

But it's worth it, if for nothing else then to challenge your mindset.

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas

Egg-citing news!

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 22:47:00 GMT

Today I would like to draw attention to the hard-working ladies at Stepping Stones, who even now in the midst of winter are still churning out nuggets of goodness.

I’m talking of course about our chickens:

Bertha, Hay-Hay, Sally-Sparkles, and Mousey.

These lovely girls are providing us with a veritable rainbow of beautiful eggs each day.

Did you know that every morning, our chickens are hand-fed a big breakfast of nutrient-dense, organic weeds, grown and harvested on-site and lovingly served by attentive children, along with regular helpings of kitchen scraps and whatever bugs they can forage while adventuring around the gardens and playground.

We are also working towards an under-roost, deep-litter system to help further increase the amount of delicious creepy crawlies available to break down food waste and provide even more foraging opportunities to our feathered friends, while also keeping them warm during the coldest of nights.

I know for myself that I would much rather eat eggs like these than the hormone-rich, chemical-laced, battery-farmed, food-like-products commonly found at the supermarket.

On a totally unrelated note, I recently watched a documentary called Into the Weeds, which chronicles the first successful lawsuit against Monsanto Company, for it’s alleged activities to hide information and any health studies that suggest the popular household and commercially used pesticide; Roundup, isn’t as safe as the company, historically, and vigorously claimed.

Even worse, Roundup has been detected in an alarmingly wide range of food products, the very same products that you and I are likely buying from grocery stores across the country.

It was definitely an eye-opening film and well worth a watch.

Just food for thought...

Until the next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas

Seed bombs

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 23:43:00 GMT

Hi all, welcome to my second attempt at becoming a consistent writer.

Today, I would like to touch on “seed bombs”.

Before we started enjoying these weeks of cold, wet days, back when it was possible to keep anything relatively dry while sitting outside in a wheelbarrow, I had invited the children at Stepping Stones to explore making clay-pellets for broadcasting seeds.

This was because, I recently finished reading both, One Straw Revolution and Sowing Seeds in the Desert by Masanobu Fukuoka and was feeling inspired by his work and mission.

Masanobu was a Japanese man who in his early years worked as a scientist and customs official, studying plants and plant diseases before undergoing a kind of spiritual awakening and returning to his small family farm where he began experimenting with a return to more natural farming without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides or heavy machinery.

Over a period of decades, and with a Zen approach, or as he called it “do-nothing” farming, he observed the natural processes around him and constantly reflected, what if he didn’t do this or do that, he was able to evolve a system of farming that produced high quality, nutrient-rich foods year-long. Including rice, barley and fruit while applying the bare minimum amount of labour and working WITH, not against nature.

One of the few techniques that he did incorporate into his work, was mixing seeds into clay pellets.

The benefits of clay pellets were tri-fold, by enclosing the seeds into little clay balls, they were protected against birds and insects, it also made broadcasting the seed by hand much easier (clay pellets being less prone to blowing away on the wind) and finally the seeds would remain so encased until the rains came and dissolved the clay which was also conveniently an optimal time for germination to take place.

In his later life, Masanobu became passionate about reversing desertification and he spent some time travelling the world to teach his methods in the hope of saving the environment and vulnerable peoples from man-made deserts.

The clay-pellet method, along with as large a variety of seeds as could be found, he believed, could be distributed to desert areas from the air to allow nature to heal herself.

Masanobu Fukuoka has become a legend among permaculturists, his philosophy and techniques have inspired people all over the globe and having become one of those people myself I felt called to explore the clay-pellet method here at Stepping Stones.

Also referred to as “seed-bombs” among guerilla gardeners, we had lots of fun getting our hands dirty as we experimented with the process.

Using clay, that was excavated onsite, I went about drying it in the sun for a few days before bringing it into the playgrounds and asking our children to help crush it into a powder.

They didn’t need much encouragement, I found plenty of willing helpers, and soon it was just a case of sifting the fine clay particles from the larger clogs.

The next day I assembled everything we’d need to make our own “seed-bombs”,

The now finely sifted clay
Some fine compost mix
A spray bottle of water
And a wild assortment of seeds (including domestic veggies, flowers and even some of my favourite nitrogen fixing weeds)

Then I was off to visit all the different rooms to share the process with as many children as I could manage.

It turned out to be a pretty easy process, you simply add a little clay, some compost, mix in the seeds, then lightly spray with water and stir until you achieve a clumping consistency.

Perhaps I should have been less surprised at how messy it would become, but the children seemed to enjoy it.

And so did I.

I liked how easy it was to get the mix

just right for rolling into little pellets,

and I loved that I was able to share my

passion for nature while imparting a

useful skill unto a future generation.

That, in doing so I might honour the men and women of the past, who like Masanobu Fukuoka, have left us a legacy of hope and a roadmap for responsible stewardship of this beautiful place we call home.

It may not be the prettiest-looking creation, but it was certainly a worthwhile experience.

Until next time, enjoy the wild places wherever you are,

Dallas Forrester