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Fri, 28 Nov 2025 21:57:55 GMT

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About The Healing Place Foundation — Tsi-Tesakotitsén:tha on Substack @HealingPlaceMayneIsland

This publication is for people who sense that something in modern life is off — not because we are broken, but because we have been separated from the very systems that sustain us.

I write about land, food, ethics, culture, and worldview with a focus on clarity over ideology, connection over polarization, and stewardship over extraction. My work sits at the intersection of intelligence and relationship — where systems thinking meets place-based living.

I live on S,ḴŦAḴ (Mayne Island) with my partner David Fierro. Together, we hunt, grow, make art, teach, and work with Indigenous and settler communities on governance, cultural revitalization, food sovereignty, and land-based healing.

If you’re here to think more clearly, reconnect with what matters, and explore a different way of being human in a disconnected world, you’re in the right place.

~ Susheela Kundargi

David & I are co-authoring two books on these topics.
One is a Fallow Deer cookbook called "From Hide to Hearth",
and the other is "Reclaiming Stewardship: Ethics, Food, and Land in a Disconnected World"

If you'd like a Sample Chapter of this non-fiction narrative,
or have interest from a literary or publishing perspective, please request via email: managementteam@landbasedhealing.com

November on Mayne

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 21:40:49 GMT

Mayne Island, traditionally called S,ḴŦAḴ in SENĆOŦEN, is an enchanting place that finds you rather than the other way around. Nestled in the Salish Sea, between the bustling mainland and Vancouver Island, it beckons with fog-drenched mornings, a steady rhythm of life, and a profound stillness that permeates the air. Here, the atmosphere is alive with the distant sounds of ferry horns cutting through the mist and the haunting calls of ravens in the treetops.

Yet, it’s the enveloping quiet that truly reigns supreme, punctuated by occasional midnight owl hoots and the deep grunts of fallow deer in their rut. For those fortunate enough to call this tiny island home, it feels like a sanctuary—a precious retreat where the modern world hums just out of reach, lingering in the background of our digital lives.

As autumn settles in, the air turns crisp and invigorating, signalling the end of a vibrant harvest. The fields have been emptied of their produce, and fruit trees stand bare—save for the bright pops of rosehips and haws along many a country road. The medicinal plants we foraged are carefully processed and tucked away for the months ahead. We transition into quieter rhythms, revelling in the bounty preserved in jars and baskets.

This is the season for reflection, a time to engage in small, intentional rituals that carry us through the damp embrace of winter. My work intertwines the wild beauty of nature with the digital realm. I write, create, design, and operate a small alternative therapy practice from a cozy nook carved into the steep hillside at the edge of a misty, lush forest.

The days here follow a gentle cadence. If not a hunting day for my partner, we rise later as soft morning light spills across moss-covered stones and illuminates dew-kissed flora and fungi. Stepping outside, I inhale the salty aroma of the sea air mingling with the rich scent of earth, the world around me suspended in a delicate veil of humidity. Dew-drenched spider webs glint like tiny jewels in the early sunlight while fields stretch out, fading into an eerie whiteness as golden sunbeams pierce the grey sky.

Amidst these serene moments lies a quiet magic. As the day unfolds, my home becomes a hybrid workspace where creativity meets tranquillity. I check emails, draft proposals, and prepare for client sessions while the rhythmic patter of rain dances against the skylights, fluctuating between pizzicato and thunderous percussion. The wood stove crackles to life, filling the space with the warm, fragrant scent of burning cedar—a reminder of our connection to something larger: our coastal land, the rhythm of the seasons, and the ancient western red cedars that stand as witnesses to the passage of time.

The ever-present mist cloaks everything in an air of curiosity. It signals that the fallow deer are deep in their rut, with their majestic antlers rising and falling like shadows against the fog-laden backdrop. Observing them reveals an odd beauty, a reflection of nature's age-old tempo, which ebb and flow unconcerned with the schedules of the outside world.

On Friday mornings, after milking some happy yet spirited goats, I often stop by a charming mobile café for a meticulously brewed double espresso and, if lucky, two homemade doughnuts to bring home for my honey. In those fleeting moments, I connect with others—sharing smiles and snippets of conversation with fellow islanders in the queue, including small children who are not bothered in the least by my hay and manure-covered boots.

Evenings beckon us to linger over simple, nourishing meals. The dark ruby membrillo—quince paste crafted from our harvest—pairs exquisitely with homemade cheese and warm, fragrant sourdough. There’s no haste here; time seems to stretch as the last golden light of day spills through the corner windows, casting long, dreamy shadows on the wooden floors.

Our dog and cat have settled onto their cozy cushions while my partner and I snuggle on the sofa, the enticing scent of venison ‘chevreuil du jour’ sizzling in the kitchen. As day fades into night, the moon rises over the tree line, casting a gentle glow on the landscape as we surrender to the tranquil embrace of island life.

There’s undeniable beauty in the simplicity of it all—the intricate spider webs, whirling fog, and graceful deer that shape our lives. Yet the cherished rituals and resonant pulse of the seasons weave meaning into our everyday existence, creating a tapestry rich with purpose and belonging.

©2024 Susheela Kundargi

Tasty Homemade Cabbage Rolls

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 17:35:17 GMT

ready for the oven

...and YES, you CAN freeze them! In fact, you can also freeze any leftover cabbage too - just be prepared, fermented cabbage does have a strong smell, even in the freezer and even in a heavy, freeze-grade zippered bag.

Just sayin' !!

Here's how it goes. I can't leave anything alone. As-is, where-is? Not so much. I have had cabbage rolls, and I found them satisfying but still bland. Call it sacrilegious, but that's the point where I pull out the hot sauce, or chilli sauce-relish. However, with this recipe, I don't need to do that.

All the flavour is right there. It's not spicy; it's tasty. Not to mention, the sour cabbage is easier to digest and very good for you!

So here it is:

Here are the meats that I use. You can almost taste them already!

Removing the sausage casings is easier if the sausages are slightly frozen, then you can leave them defrost for a few minutes to make it less work in blending the meats evenly.

The scourge cabbage can be found has a whole head in the produce section of your grocery store.

You just never noticed!
Rinse and leave in the colander while you prep the rest.

The onions fry until they become translucent. Slow and steady makes for a nice, sweet and soft textured onion.

Here we have the meat, the rice, onion, dill, everything!! Mmmmm!

I drizzle a little of the leftover brine on the bottom of a lidded pot with a thick base that is oven safe.
Roll them up tight and place them snugly, one layer at a time.

When rolling, some of the bigger leaves are good for 2 large rolls. The spine can be heavier and thicker on these as well; so I cut it out entirely.

If your sauce doesn't cover them, just add water on top. It will get integrated while cooking and your cabbage rolls will expand and absorb the moisture (that's how the rice cooks!)

INGREDIENTS:

1 sour head of cabbage
450g pound beef (ground)
908g pounds of Italian sausage (uncooked, remove casings)
1 large onion (chopped medium fine)
1/2 cup white rice (uncooked)
2 tbsp butter
750ml tomato sauce (plain or garlic & herb)
250ml water (or more)
fresh dill
salt & pepper

Prep time: 30-45 min.
Cook time: 4 hours
Preheat often 375˚F

INSTRUCTIONS:

Remove about half the leaves of cabbage from the sour head, place in a colander & rinse. Leave draining in the sink.
Chop onions and slowly fry them in butter on a warm pan (medium heat) until they become translucent).
Remove sausages from their casings. (This is easier to do if you put them in the freezer for about 30 minutes beforehand.)
Blend the meat nicely together with salt & pepper.
Chop (finely) about 1/3 cup fresh dill, blend with the meat mixture.
Add the rice to the onions and reduce heat to lowest setting for 1-2 minutes.
Then add the onions, rice, butter from the pan, to the meat mixture. Mix well. It’s best to use your hands.
Time to roll! Take the whole cabbage leaf, and cut off the harder spine, leaving you with 2 very flexible halves. When you cut out the spine, it’ll probably be about 1inch wide at the base, tapering up to nothing. (You’re cutting out a very long, skinny triangle).
Take about 2 tbsp of meat mixture (like 2 meatball's worth) and squeeze it into a short sausage shape.
Place the meat in the lower, thicker part of the leaf. As you roll up, fold the sides in, until the natural curve of the leaf seals the roll.
Pour some of the brine in the bottom of an oven safe pot, just to moisten it. (I use one with a thick bottom).
Place the roll with the open edge down and up against the side, so as to keep it from opening.
Keep rolling the cabbage leaves around the meat and lay the rolls somewhat snugly in concentric circles, you may need to do 2 or more rows.
Once you have finished packing the pot with cabbage rolls, add the water to the tomato sauce, and blend nicely. Pour over the cabbage rolls in the pot, slowly to it fills up all the corners. If the rolls aren’t covered, add more water.
Cover the pot (preferable with an oven safe lid).
Cook for 2 hours, then uncover and cook for 2 more hours. If too much water has evaporated at the halfway point, add more water.
After a total of 4 hours cook time, remove from oven and allow to cool off for about 30 minutes.
Serve with mashed or roasted potatoes, with a little dollop of sour cream.
Save remaining cabbage leaves by sealing them in a large zippered freezer bag. Defrost in the fridge, the day before you want to use them. You can chop them up and add to stews, crock pot meats, or make another batch of cabbage rolls!

Enjoy!! They're so tasty, you won't go back to the bland ones ever again!

It's the end of January, but one must start somewhere

Thu, 29 Jan 2015 07:00:42 GMT

Susheela Kundargi discusses pest management at Farmers on 57th. August 2014.

This farm exists.

If only in my mind right now. It's becoming more full and more complete. Although, as real farms go, it's never a completed project because it is a living hive that keeps growing & changing.

But it will come to fruition, and that is the purpose of building this entire site, prior to buying the farm!

I'm attempting to build a network of people who are trying to reconnect with other humans, nature & their true selves.