Melissa Uhlman | Kitchen Witchery Instructor |
Hide Tanning Apprentice | 

I always felt I was a soul born out of time; that I somehow was not meant to be in this world, at the time I found myself in it. I was born and raised in central Alberta, in an oilfield family. I had a wonderful childhood, with all the freedoms a rural small-town existence afforded me, but I longed for simpler times. Times when the work was physically hard but emotionally and productively rewarding. A time when people had a closer connection to the food they raised, cooked and ate. A time when we had more connection to the ecosystem and our place in it. I longed for a life where the solutions to our problems came from nature, and not the store. I felt there was a disconnect between people and their environment, which led to a disconnect between the people themselves. So, I lived my life, quietly feeling there was a better way, despite all admonishment that I was not being practical or realistic, and was determined to find a way back to that better way for me, and my children. 

It did not happen overnight, and certainly not all at once, and I am most definitely not finished growing and learning, but I have managed to build a life that works for me. A life that allows me to place value in the skills and practices that fulfill me. I live a life that allows me to feel connected to the environment and the people around me. I am a fierce believer that knowledge is most powerful when shared and I am excited to share the knowledge I have gained in my quest for my own authentic existence.