Thursday, July 13th - Join us for a fun and informative evening about Burnaby Food First's Sharing Backyards Program

Winter Food Container Gardening Workshop

Winter Food Container Gardening

Friday, August 14 **WORKSHOP FULL**
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Burnaby Public Library, McGill Branch (4595 Albert Street / Burnaby - map)

Tuesday, August 25 **WORKSHOP FULL**
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Burnaby Public Library, McGill Branch (4595 Albert Street / Burnaby - map)

Join gardener and permaculturalist Nova Hopkins for a workshop in winter food gardening! Find out how to container garden when it gets cold.

Some supplies will be provided to participants to start their own winter container gardens. Please note that you may only attend one of the sessions. 

----

Enjoy Burnaby Food First workshops? Want to get involved as a volunteer?

Check out all the great ways you can get involved. All are welcome, and we'd love to have you on board! For more information, send us an email.

Growing Food in Containers and Sharing Backyards Evening

Burnaby Food First has two FREE events coming up!

Growing Food in Containers

Wednesday, May 20
6:30 pm - 8:15 pm
Edmonds Community School (7651 18th Avenue / Burnaby - map)

Join gardener and permaculturalist Kayla Gagne for a workshop in container food gardening!

Learn how to grow food in small spaces and choose the right container and soil for your plants.

Participants will leave with supplies to start their own container garden.

**REGISTRATION CLOSED**

Sharing Backyards Information Evening

Tuesday, May 26
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
North Burnaby Neighbourhood House (4464 Hastings Street / Burnaby - map)

Join program coordinator Leanne Zmud to find out about Sharing Backyards!

Learn how you can find gardening spots or share your own backyard with landless gardeners. Come meet other program participants and connect with people who have or are looking for garden space!

There will be light refreshments and prizes.

Registration is required. To RSVP, please contact Leanne at (604) 618-3581 or by email.

----

Enjoy Burnaby Food First workshops? Want to get involved as a volunteer?

Check out all the great ways you can get involved. All are welcome, and we'd love to have you on board! For more information, send us an email.

Container Gardening and Healthy Meal Planning Workshops

Burnaby Food First is pleased to present another two FREE workshops!

Healthy Meal Planning

Wednesday, May 13
6:30 pm - 8:15 pm
Brentwood Community Resource Centre (2055 Rosser Avenue / Burnaby - map)

Join nutritionist Suzan Anbari and learn how to create fun, fresh healthy meal plans that the whole family will enjoy!

Parking is limited at this location. Please consider taking public transit or biking.

Registration is required. Space is limited! To register, please contact Leanne at (604) 618-3581 or by email.

Container Food Gardening

Thursday, May 14
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Burnaby Neighbourhood House (100-4460 Beresford Street / Burnaby - map)

Join Kayle Gagne for a beginner's workshop in container food gardening! Learn how to grow food in small spaces and choose the right container and soil for your plants.

Participants will leave with supplies to start their own container garden.

**REGISTRATION CLOSED**

----

Enjoy Burnaby Food First workshops? Want to get involved as a volunteer?

Check out all the great ways you can get involved. All are welcome, and we'd love to have you on board! For more information, send us an email.

Upcoming Workshops: Food Gardening and Canning

Burnaby Food First is pleased to present another FREE community workshop (funded by Vancity)!

Winter Container Food Gardening - Getting a Head Start

Monday, August 25
6:30 pm - 8:15 pm
Tommy Douglas Library (7311 Kingsway / Burnaby - map)

Join Athenaise Guertin to get a head start and learn how to grow food in winter! No gardening experience necessary.

**REGISTRATION CLOSED**

Introduction to Canning

Wednesday, September 3
6:30 pm - 8:15 pm
Burnaby Community Services Kitchen (2055 Rosser Avenue / 1 1/2 blocks from Brentwood Skytrain Station - map)

Join master canner Alice Macpherson to learn how to can your own fruit. This is a hands-on workshop, and you will get to take home a jar of what you have canned!

**REGISTRATION CLOSED**

Note: Parking is limited at this location. Please consider biking or taking transit.

Enjoy Burnaby Food First workshops? Want to get involved as a volunteer?

Check out all the great ways you can get involved. All are welcome, and we'd love to have you on board! For more information, send us an email.

Upcoming Workshops: Whole Fruit Canning and Container Food Gardening

Burnaby Food First is pleased to present two more FREE community workshops (funded by Vancity).

Whole Fruit Canning

Thursday, August 7
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Cranberry Commons (4272 Albert Street / Burnaby - map)

Joyce Cameron will show you how to prepare and can fresh fruit. This is a hands-on workshop, and you will get to take home a jar of what you have canned!

**REGISTRATION CLOSED**

Winter Container Food Gardening - Getting a Head Start

Tuesday, August 12
6:30 pm - 8:15 pm
Tommy Douglas Library (7311 Kingsway / Burnaby - map)

Join Kayla Gagne to get a head start and learn how to grow food in winter! No gardening experience is necessary.

**REGISTRATION CLOSED**


Enjoy Burnaby Food First workshops? Want to get involved as a volunteer?

Check out all the great ways you can get involved. All are welcome, and we'd love to have you on board! For more information, send us an email.

Review: Container Food Gardening Workshop

Better later than never -- thank you all for coming out to our container food gardening workshop back in May! It's been a busy summer for Burnaby Food First, and we love it when you come visit us!

Nova Hopkins and Leanne Zmud returned to share their gardening know-how on growing vegetables in containers.

Leanne and Nova (left to right) playing with kale.
Credit: Magnolia Lim

 

Participants took home a starter pot of plants.

Credit: Magnolia Lim

Missed this workshop? Check our blog or subscribe to our email listserve for announcements on our upcoming workshops. Make sure to register early for workshops, as spots go quickly!

Credit: Magnolia Lim

Waiting with bated breath for our next workshop? Come visit Burnaby Food First this month at the Edmonds Street Fair (June 20) or the Burnaby Farmers' Market (June 26)!

Review: Container Food Gardening Workshop

Thank you for coming out to our container food gardening workshop last month!

Barbara and Sharon (The Book of Kale) came by to give us pointers on gardening in small spaces.

Credit: Christina Mak

Participants took home pots with starter plants and seeds, as well as spare seeds in handmade envelopes.

Credit: Christina Mak

Missed this workshop? Check our blog or subscribe to our email listserve for announcements on our upcoming workshops. Make sure to register early for workshops, as spots go quickly!

What's New with Burnaby Food First

Spring has officially arrived, and we've been working on some really cool things! You may have noticed some changes to our blog over the last couple of months.

First off, thank you to Kristen Robb for donating her time and providing a new Food First logo. It went up over the holidays, and it looks amazing!

We are also delighted to tell you about some new Burnaby Food First projects and programs.

1) Sharing Backyards: Garden Sharing in Burnaby

Have a backyard that you'd like to garden, but don't have the time – or don't know how? Do you want to garden but don't have access to land?

Burnaby Food First is pleased to announce a new gardening program! We have partnered with Sharing Backyards to coordinate their chapter in the City of Burnaby. This program links people with unused yard space with those looking for a place to grow food. The program is 100% free, only costing the price of the gardening materials and supplies involved.

To find out more about the program or to register, please visit our Sharing Backyards page.

Interested in volunteering your time? We have positions open for Food Gardening Volunteers! Check out our position description on our Get Involved page for more information.

2) The Apron Project

Burnaby Food First started the Apron Project in 2013 (see post). The idea to make and sell aprons began with one Food First committee members, who thought we could find donated material and volunteers to make the aprons.

Money raised from the Apron Project is used to offer free community education workshops to the public and support other Burnaby Food First activities. When you buy one of our beautiful aprons, you help Burnaby Food First work towards food security in Burnaby.

You can buy an apron by sending us an email. We're also working on an online apron shop, so check back often for updates!

To learn more about the Project or how you can get involved, please visit our new Apron Project page here.

3) Gardening Education Portal

Want to start your own garden but don't know where to begin? Missed a past Food First gardening workshop and want to catch up?

Our Gardening Education Portal offers a growing number of printable information sheets, planting guides, and other gardening resources, as well as a way to connect with other gardeners.

To get growing, visit our sister blog dedicated to gardening and growing here.

4) Volunteer with Burnaby Food First

Burnaby Food First is excited to announce five new volunteer opportunities! Whether it's helping out with workshops and events or the chance to get your hands into some dirt, there are plenty of ways to get involved.

To check out our volunteer descriptions, please visit the Get Involved page.

5) Burnaby Food First Forum

Keen to chat with others about food security, gardening, or all other things Food First? Head over to our new Burnaby Food First forum.

The forum is open to the public, but member registration is required to post. Please make sure you read through our forum guidelines, Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy before participating.

You can check out the Burnaby Food First forum here.

Container Food Gardening Workshop

Burnaby Food First is pleased to present another FREE workshop in partnership with Edmonds Community School and funded by Vancity.

Container Food Gardening

Tuesday, May 6
6:30 pm - 8:15 pm
Edmonds Community School (7651 18th Avenue / Burnaby - map)

Get ready to grow! Learn to grow vegetables in pots. Great for apartments and small spaces, and you get to take home a starter pot!

Join certified permaculture designers and enthusiastic gardeners Nova Hopkins and Leanne Zmud.

Everyone is welcome. Free but space is limited!

*REGISTRATION CLOSED* 

This workshop is now full. Stay tuned for new workshop announcements!

Container Food Gardening Workshop

Burnaby Food First is pleased to present another FREE workshop in partnership with the Burnaby Public Library and funded by Vancity.

Container Food Gardening

Thursday, April 17
6:30 pm - 8:15 pm
Tommy Douglas Library (7311 Kingsway / Burnaby - map)

Get ready to grow! Learn to grow vegetables in pots. Great for apartments and small spaces, and you get to take home a starter pot!

Led by Barbara Coward and Sharon Hanna, author of The Book of Kale and Kale and Friends.

Everyone is welcome. Free but space is limited!

*REGISTRATION CLOSED* 

This workshop is now full. Stay tuned for new workshop announcements!

What's Happening in February

The sun is out (fingers crossed) and the weather's warming, so come on out and check out some of these cool events around the city!

Cedar Cottage Food Network Community Kitchen Series

Location: Trout Lake Community Centre (3360 Victoria Drive / Vancouver - map)
Dates: February 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2014 from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Cost: $5 for drop-in or $18 for 4 weeks (Subsidies available)

Cook a different meal with the group every week and enjoy it together afterwards. A great opportunity to meet your neighbours while learning new recipes and cooking techniques.

Registration is required. For more information or to register, visit the Cedar Cottage Food Network website: http://cedarcottagefoodnetwork.wordpress.com/workshops/

Review: Winter Gardening Workshop

Thanks for coming out to the gardening workshop last month!

Credit: Christina Mak

As usual, we learned a lot -- and got to take home our own pots planted with seeds from a variety of tasty mesclun greens. It turns out that with just an old container, some bamboo, and a clear garbage bag, you can grow (and even prolong the growing season) food with just a little patch of space!

It doesn't look like much now, but just wait!
Credit: Sofi Martinez

If you couldn't make it out to our gardening workshop, no worries! Stay tuned to our blog for new workshop announcements.

Credit: Christina Mak

In the meantime, head over to our past Workshops page to get an idea of the topics we cover (or to give us a shout if there's one you really, really want to see again) or check out our Recipes page for some of the tasty food we've made.

If you're looking for a project, check this out to learn what you can grow from -- gasp! -- kitchen scraps!

Review: End of Summer Workshops

We marked the end of our spring and summer workshop schedule earlier this week with our second run of our Drying and Storing Foods workshop with Andrea Potter (Rooted Nutrition). Closing out our schedule of September workshops is our ever-popular (and very full) Container Gardening Workshop.

Thank you to everyone who came out and helped to make our workshops amazing!

Want to know what the fuss is all about? Check out some of these pictures from our last four workshops!



After all, we eat with our eyes, right?

And if you want to do more than ogle food, stay tuned to our Recipes page as the recipes from our cooking workshops from spring and summer are posted.

Winter Container Gardening Workshop

Burnaby Food First is pleased to present our first long-awaited fall community workshop!

Winter Container Food Gardening

Tuesday, September 24
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Tommy Douglas Library (7311 Kingsway / Burnaby - map)

In this winter container food gardening for beginners workshop, participants will learn how to grow food such as lettuces, kale, and mustards in a container using seeds and low-cost supplies.

We will focus on important winter food gardening tips that make it possible to enjoy fresh, healthy food from your container garden throughout the winter season.

Participants will plant and take home their own winter food garden container! All supplies will be provided.

**REGISTRATION CLOSED**

Nova is a visual storyteller who helps good people do cool things. As a BC artist, graphic designer, and permaculturalist, she believes in helping others by inspiring neighbours and communities to come together through the connection of nature, place-making, and food. Nova is a member of the Burnaby Food First Gardening Committee and the Fraser Valley Permaculture Guild; she also works with a local organic farmer and can be found at farmers' markets selling local veggies.

Leanne Zmud is a certified Permaculture Designer and enthusiastic gardener who is passionate about promoting food security. Her interest in sustainable food systems and community engagement was sparked as she focused on urban planning while completing her geography degree at Simon Fraser University. She works with Burnaby Food First to promote food security, participates in community gardens in addition to her home gardening endeavours, and can be found working at the various farmers' markets. Leanne believes “Plant happiness; Spaces into places”.

Feature: From Field to Fork

Burnaby Food First is partnering with Burnaby Village Museum to offer a great family program!

From Field to Fork

Every Tuesday afternoon, 3:00 pm / until August 27
Burnaby Village Museum (6501 Deer Lake Avenue / Burnaby - map)

Visitors can get down and dirty in the Love Farmhouse vegetable patch on a FREE “From Field to Fork” program at Burnaby Village Museum. This hands-on, 45-minute family program highlights the importance of farming communities in Burnaby by exploring the real deal.

Led by a historical interpreter, participants will explore a variety of topics including Pioneer farmers, Chinese-Canadian market gardeners, victory gardens, large-scale agriculture, sustainability, the local food movement, and the popularity of farmers' markets today.

Participants are encouraged to help plant, weed, harvest, water, and thin the garden, as well as explore the heritage orchard. Each participant will receive a free carousel ride ticket and their own pre-made heritage seed pack to take home and plant. A maximum of 20 participants can be accommodated on each tour.

Phone ahead to register at (604) 297-4565 or register on-site as a drop-in (space permitting). The program meets at the Orientation Plaza. The program is sponsored by Vancity. Come on out and visit us!

Participants helping to plant the garden
Credit: Rebekah Mahaffey

A heritage pear tree in the Love Farmhouse Orchard - up close!
Credit: Rebekah Mahaffey

Yay! Thanks to Vancity
Credit: Rebekah Mahaffey

Feature: Janice Bobic of My Father's Garden

Have you ever thought about growing your own food but figured that your little patch of lawn just wasn't enough? Or maybe you're sceptical about whether you could produce enough food for a couple of meals (never mind for more than one)?

If you've been doing the rounds at the Burnaby Farmers' Market this summer or following some of the Burnaby Food First workshops, you may be familiar with the name Janice Bobic. Yes, she sells aprons for our Sewing Project, but what you may not know is that the range of edible goodies she also has up for offer are the product of her small home garden.

With her little plot of land, Janice produces honey and a variety of fruits for her business -- as well as almost all of her own personal vegetables!

Still don't believe us? Check out some photos from her garden (and some of the cool things she grows) at the end of the post!

Interested in seeing for yourself? You can catch Janice at the Burnaby Farmer's Market each week until the end of the market's run in October.

Feature: Gardening from Kitchen Scraps

Have you been wanting to try your hand at food gardening but been hesitant to make the commitment of buying seeds, planters, soil, and other materials? Or perhaps you're looking for an easy kitchen gardening project or don't have the space for a garden or containers?

Credit: Christina Mak

When someone mentions gardening, we often think of growing plants from seeds, but did you know that there are lots of plants that you can grow from kitchen scraps?

All you need is a little bit of space and patience, and a kitchen scrap here and there -- before you know it, you can have your own personal garden!

7 Foods You Can Regrow from Scraps
Adapted from Mrs. Happy Homemaker and Apartment Therapy

1. Green Onions

Ever have that problem where you buy a bunch of green onions only to forget about them and then find a bundle of droopy greens after a week?

Whether you can't get through your green onions quickly enough or just can't get enough of them, green onions are one of the easiest vegetables to grow from cuttings.

When cutting up green onions for a meal, save the last inch or two with the bulb and roots. Place the end in a jar of water and keep it in a sunny but protected spot. Replace and top up the water every few days. Within a day, it will begin to regrow.

Once several inches have grown out, you can harvest the green onions. You can get a few harvests before production begins to slow and the onions are less flavourful. At this point, you can pot up your green onions in some potting soil mix and a pot at least 6 inches deep or toss the end and start again. (We recommend the first.)

You can also do the same thing with leeks, spring onions, fennel, and lemongrass.

2. Ginger

Cut off a small chunk of ginger and plant it in some soil with the newest buds facing up. Place the pot in a sunny but protected spot. Before long, the ginger piece will begin to regrow shoots and roots. 

Ginger prefers a warm, moist environment.

Once the plant is established and you are ready to harvest, pull up the whole plant from the soil, including the roots. Take care not to damage the new roots. Remove a piece of ginger and replant the whole thing to continue the process.

3. Potatoes

Are your potatoes always growing eyes no matter how you store them? This time, why not try growing some potatoes from that instead of throwing it away?

Pick a potato that has many well-formed eyes. Cut it into 2- to 3-inch pieces, making sure that each piece has at least 1 to 2 eyes on it. Leave the cut pieces out at room temperature for a day or two to allow the cut areas to dry (and help to prevent rotting after planting).

Plant your potato pieces about 8 inches deep in fertile soil with compost mixed in. Cover the potato pieces with 4 inches of soil and leave the remaining 4 inches empty. As the potato plant begins to grow and more roots appear, add more soil.

You can do this with any variety of potato, including sweet potatoes (though these can take a long time and may not even produce new sweet potatoes).

4. Celery

Cut the leaves and stalks off to about an inch above the roots (the flat part of the celery where the stalks join). Place the root end in a dish of water, but make sure that the rest of the plant is not submerged. Put the dish in a sunny area and spray it with water a couple of times a week to keep the top of the plant moist.

Credit: Christina Mak

New shoots will begin growing from the centre of the cut end, while the cut stalks will slowly brown and fall away. Once the celery plant is a couple of inches tall and established, plant it in soil.

You can also do the same with lettuce, bok choy, and cabbage. It isn't actually necessary to plant the lettuce in soil, but if you do, the leaves and plant will grow to a much bigger, fuller size.

5. Onions

Onions are one of the easiest vegetables to grow from cut-off scraps.

Just cut off the root end of an onion, leaving about an inch of onion above the roots. Allow the cut piece to dry for a few hours in a shaded, well-ventilated area to let the onion callous a bit. Place the piece of onion with the root end down into soil. Cover with 1 to 2 inches of soil and water as needed.

6. Garlic

You can regrow a whole garlic plant from a single clove. Both the cloves and the shoots from the bulb are edible.

Simply plant a clove, skin and all, with the root end down (the hard, sometimes indented, part). Place the plant by a sunny window. Water as necessary, and wait.

Once the plant is established, cut back the shoots. The plant will put its energy into producing a garlic bulb. To continue the process after harvest, just save one of the cloves and pot it up.

7. Basil

Save a few sprigs of basil and trim the stem below (at least one) a node. Make sure the stem has not hardened and turned woody. Pick off the sets of leaves, keeping just a couple of pairs at the top of the stem. Pinch off any flowers that have formed or are beginning to form.

To root the cutting in water, place the stem in a glass and cover the stem until just above the node with water. Place the glass in a sunny spot, changing the water every couple of days and topping up as needed.

To root the cutting in soil, simply stick the stem into a pot with potting mix until the soil covers the top of the node. Place the pot in a sunny spot and water to keep the soil moist.

Roots will begin to form after a week or so. If growing in a pot, make sure it is at least 7 inches deep, as basil has long roots. You can transplant the basil when it has established and grown at least 2 sets of leaves.

You can also try this with other herbs like thyme, mint, oregano, and rosemary. Parsley, however, will not root from cuttings.

How's that for something cool? What sorts of things have you tried to grow from kitchen scraps?

Review: Food Gardening Fair

Thank you for coming out to the Food Gardening Fair earlier this month!

We also want to thank VanCity, Silver Hills Bakery, West Coast Seeds, and Yard Works for donating the supplies necessary to make the Fair a success -- we couldn't have done this without you!



Couldn't make it out? Check out our Upcoming Workshops schedule for May and June, and as usual, stay tuned for announcements on workshops through the summer and early fall!

Reminder: Food Gardening Fair This Saturday!

Food Gardening Fair

Saturday, May 4

10:00am - 2:00 pm

Byrne Creek Community School, Community Room (7777 18th Street / Burnaby - map) / near Edmonds Skytrain Station)

Offered as part of BC Youth Week (May 1 - 7)

Credit: Magnolia Lim

The Fair includes lots of fun, free, family friendly activities, including:

All Day | Kids Crafts (making seed pods) and Visioning for Byrne Creek Community School Garden

10:15 am | Welcome by musician Julia Spitale (www.myspace.com/jspitale)

10:15 am—12:30 pm | Creative Container Food Gardening Workshop

Free, but pre-registration is required. Hands-On Workshop. **REGISTRATION CLOSED**

11:00 am—12:00 pm | Making Homes for Mason Bees Workshop

Free, no registration required. Just drop by! Demonstration Style Workshop.

12:00 noon—1:30 pm | Free BBQ (Limited Quantities Available)

Thanks to Byrne Creek Sustainability Club and Byrne Creek Student Government

It is going to be a fabulous day! Looking forward to seeing you there!

Promotional materials: Burnaby Food First Food Gardening Fair